Social m-Learning can enable eco-alignment

e-learning and m-learning (mobile learning) can be pivotal forces in making the workforce as a whole more eco-savvy, both in attitude and in practice. m-Learning is especially promising, because it supports just-in-time, on-the-job learning, while a job task is being performed.

In a social media context, m-learning allows active mentoring and guidance at far lower cost than has ever been possible. Now, the many corporate leaders who are committed to improving their environmental performance can do more than just preach and hope. They can provide the tools for all their employees to walk the talk in reality.

BTW, I could really use some suggestions for Labels for posts like this. Mostly, I just make up my metadata, but that's lousy SEO practice. Any suggestions?

Green Promoters: Lose the Lawn!

Unless you're in the Great Plains and it's two feet high, a lawn is UNSUSTAINABLE.

I'm not saying to go out and tear yours up. I'm certainly not going to tear mine up, my wife wouldn't allow it.

But, I am saying, stop using grass and lawn imagery when you're promoting your Green products and services. It's going to backfire, and you'll wish you'd used some more accurate icon of sustainability. What would that be? Oh, I don't know. Use your imagination, and let me know if you think of something.

My favorite part of gathering requirements

What do I like best about gathering and documenting requirements?
It's this: When I finish analyzing a process, I share with the participants where I see them, as part of the big picture. Often, they are surprised and impressed with how important they are. The resulting confidence leaves people more optimistic and open to embracing new roles and challenges.

Project Management in {your specialty goes here}

I hope you never have to recover a crashed hard drive. But in doing so, it's amazing what one finds. I turned up gems that could have become articles, books, businesses or even entire industries, had I just stuck with them. This is one idea that could have become an article.

In 2006, Project Management expert Cheryl Strait published "It's All in the Technique" in Information Management Journal. Reading the article, I quickly recognized the universality of her advice. It's so universal, in fact, that I copied it into Word, and wherever the phrase "records management" or the acronym "RIM" appeared, I replaced it with {your specialty goes here}.

I read through the result, and it mostly worked. Try it for yourself. Find the article at http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/all-in-the-technique.html, and wherever you see the phrase "records management" or the acronym "RIM", mentally plug in your industry or specialty.

BTW, according to LinkedIn, Cheryl is now a Principal at Ernst & Young, near Detroit, MI, USA.

Mobile Learning is key to creating a Green Workforce

M-Learning-- mobile learning-- is key to creating a Green Workforce, because it puts in people's hands the info they need to do the right thing- where decisions are made, and actions taken.

Most firms express a committment to the environment at a high level, but the behavior I see at a day-to-day level is still as oblivious as ever. I want to create a framework and a curriculum to enhance all on-the-job interactions with the environment. The content would start out general and story-driven, gradually scaling out to role- and task-specific instructional materials, across a range of trades and professions. It's a huge task, and as the recent oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico proved, it's past time we got started on it.

Please forward this to ones who would be motivated and able to make a business in this domain.

The Kaizen Culture: Don't Manage Waste, Eliminate It

Kaizen is the Japanese term for constantly working to eliminating waste in all ways, at all levels. It's quite popular in manufacturing and other pursuits, and is helping to increase the competitiveness of our industries.

But in our everyday lives-- now, that's a different, sadder story. Today is large trash day here in Swarthmore. On just a few nearby streets, I saw enough nice, usable furniture out on the curb to furnish an apartment.

Our current approach, at its best, is called cradle-to-grave management. But that's a misnomer, since there is no actual "grave" where so much waste can be buried. As in our industries, we must seek to eliminate waste, by not producing it in the first place. This is called cradle-to-cradle resource management, or zero-output waste management.

The way we're "managing" our waste now, we're destined to drown in it, sooner or later.

Is "Complex Learning Theory" about learning complex things, or a complex theory about learning?

Complex Learning Theory:
Is that a theory about learning complex things,
or a complex theory about learning?
It's all too chaotic for me.

(c) 2001 David Calloway, KnowledgeSound

I'm repeating this old article, because it's still relevant. It began as a note to my research advisor: "In case you were wondering why my 'Chapter 2-- Learning Theory' is taking so long to write…"

Whenever I look for something on the Web, I end up chasing after something else. So, to keep myself on course, I lean into the wind, furrow my brow, and doggedly recite, "North -- North -- North -- Noth -- Noth -- Nouth -- Nouth -- South -- South..."

In my Masters research paper I investigated ways the Web could be made a simpler, more organized learning tool. And this is a research paper, so I need theories, right? I didn't find "Simplicity theory," but I did find "Complexity Theory." Hmm- Maybe that has something useful to say about this!

I went to my friendly search engine, Google, and typed in "complexity theory learning". Of course, Google returned about 5300 links, most of them patently irrelevant. The first one was dead-on: "Complexity Theory Learning." Great! But the content was a bit too-- well, complex. So, I clicked "More Like This".

Yes, this is perfect! Not only do I find Chaos & Complexity Theory in Education, but it's at nearby UDel (http://www.udel.edu/aeracc/)! Now thoroughly mesmerized, I ignore the cautionary, and not highlighted, "Chaos &…" part, and surge onward.

Well, not quite perfect. It's got a good overview paragraph, and lots more links, but nothing specifically about learning. Here's "An annotated list of websites of interest to those pursuing complexity theory " (http://www.udel.edu/aeracc/sites.html). Well, I am interested, and... am I pursuing complexity theory? Uh-- I think so.

Okay, now I'm in the annotated list. Hey, there's Complexity on Science Friday NPR (http://www.realaudio.com/contentp/npr/nf1103.html)! Well, I like Science Friday, but it’s stupid to have to sit at my computer just to listen to the radio. So, I pass that up, and continue reading...

Hmm. Here's a category called "Education and Complexity Theories". That sounds on-target, but it has only three choices. I'm not looking for Math, and Connectionism sounds too touchy-feely for serious academic work. Social Systems sounds kind of like a party, so I go to: Clemson Research Institute for the Study of Complex Social Systems (CRISCSO) (http://www.hehd.clemson.edu/complex/Cmplxdex.htm).

All right! And it’s got pictures! But where's the social part? What's this "generated by equations" stuff? Finally, I see For beginners. A-hah! Let's see where that goes: Chaos and Complexity Theory for Beginners. Perfect! (There’s that word again. Remember the last time I said that?)

Hmm. What's this? "Poincaré Map of the Logistic Equation with a Spreadsheet"? I don’t know, that sounds kinda heavy, but with my defenses too numbed to smell a trap, I proceed to:

Having Fun With a Chaotic Equation:
Using a Spreadsheet Program to
Plot the Logistic Equation

Fun, Plot Logistical Equation, Chaotic, Spreadsheet… What are those words doing together?

It’s a plot, all right! This can’t be happening! I laugh, I cry, I stare into the glare of the oncoming headlights. My ears ring, my head spins, and I grab the arms of my chair. Noooo! I’m falling into the black hole of Web obfuscation! And it's got a code! Lemme outta here, that stuff's highly contageous! (Cue sound effect of door slamming, as normal breathing slowly resumes.)

Whoa, that was a close call. Whatever the title, beginners are clearly NOT welcome here, I can see that. Maybe academics should leave popularizing to marketers and other professionals.

Hastily I escape back to UDel, realizing that my only hope is Complexity on Science Friday NPR (http://www.realaudio.com/contentp/npr/nf1103.html). Maybe at least I can download it to my PDA and listen to it on a trip. Having to sit still at my PC for an hour and be lectured at by Ira Flato is not an ideal condition for learning.

What's this? "Requested file not found. The link you followed may be outdated or inaccurate." Groan. Help! After I click the "More Info" button, the mass of trouble-shooting instructions fade to a muddy blur.

Does anybody remember why I'm doing this? I don't. This is all just too complex. Or, as Fagin put it in Oliver, "I think I'd better think it out again!"

I still don't know how Complexity Theory applies to Learning. My brain is numb. I don't have any more time to look.

Learning Theories has just gotten too Complex for me.