Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BABY BOOMERS
Born between 1945 and 1964 (ages 43–62). Boomers are considered loyal and
hardworking; they stay until the job is done. They prefer autonomy and will work
things out persistently, even if wrong. Boomers are well-educated and lifelong
learners, which translated into higher income levels than their parents.
GENERATION X
Born between 1965 and 1981 (ages 26–42). They value flexibility and balance in
their work-life relationships. Gen X tends to feel a sense of insecurity due to the
rapidly changing world that they have observed and due to their position as wedged
between two larger birth cohorts. They form virtual families “where they are.”
Personal experience is critical; respect is hard-won.
MILLENNIALS
The newest members of the workforce are the Millenials, also known as Generation
Y, the Text Generation, iPod Generation and Generation Next. They were born
between 1982 and 2003 with many of them just graduating from college and
entering the workforce. They grew up with technology and never knew a time
without cell phones and Internet. In a world of sound bites and 24-hour news
sources, the Millennials think in bullet points and are ravenous researchers.
1
Source: Washburn, E. “Are You Ready for Generation X? Changing World View – the Five
Generations,” Physician Executive, January – February 2000.
GENERATIONAL LEARNING PREFERENCES2
Self-Initiated Interactive
Continuous Blended Approach
Just-in-Time Information Sharing
Just Enough Collaborative
2
Source: Coates, J. Generational Learning Styles. LERN Books: River Falls, WI. 2007.
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Web 2.0
From Wikipedia3:
The term became notable after the first O-Reilly Media Web 2.0
conference in 2004.
Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer
to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software
developers and end-users use webs.”
The Web provides a mechanism for collaboration between any combination of public
agencies, the private sector, community groups and citizens. We call these
networks governance Webs, or G-Webs. These G-Webs will deliver or
perform activities that were once the exclusive domain of a single public agency or
institution, thereby providing greater value and lower cost to the
customers of government, and more engagement for the
owners of government: the public.”
3
Found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2
4
Found at http://www.cioinsight.com/c/a/Expert-Voices/Web-20-Reinventing-Democracy/
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Ten Web 2.0 Things You Can Do in Ten Minutes
to Be a More Successful E-learning Professional5
By Stephen Downes, National Research Council Canada
The following list was inspired by eLearn Magazine Editor-in-Chief Lisa Neal's blog post
"Ten Things You Can Do in Ten Minutes To Be a More Successful e-learning Professional."
We'd like to offer the "Web 2.0 Edition" of Lisa's list:
5
Found at http://www.elearnmag.org/subpage.cfm?section=articles&article=60-1
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10 Steps to Create an Organizational Blog6
1. Define your vision/audience: Different situations call for different measures. You
could use a corporate blog as: a) an educational tool, b) a feedback loop, c)
conversation starters (for the blogosphere as well as other media), d) a focus group,
and/or e) a crisis management tool.
2. Designate an editor or chief blogger: Who is it that you want to guide the
process, monitor and control content and ensure the consistent communication of
your vision to the target audience?
3. Create an internal team to support the project: Strategically, this is THE most
important aspect of organizational blogging, because selecting an internal team is as
important as establishing a connection with your target audience.
4. Define your content categories: Once your vision is clear, begin to create the
buckets of content for populating the blog – what topics will you address? Is there
an order in which these topics need to be presented?
5. Enlist contributors and plan posts: Before you start blogging, generate a list of
possible blog contributors from within your organization to address the content
categories.
6. Create a blog calendar: Your blog is built for a specific purpose, so a calendar of
posts is essential. The calendar can also be built around the different categories/tags
you've envisioned and that way you'll have a steady flow of posts.
8. Stick to the content categories: "Laser like focus" is an essential prerequisite for
any blog, more so for an organizational blog. Once you define the categories or tags,
NEVER veer away from them and start creating content on a regular basis and keep
increasing the frequency.
9. Veer towards content that provides value: Crafting 5 posts a week from 10
categories, means you'll be veering towards content that has increasingly provided
more value for your audience. If your blog is an educational tool, then start focusing
on posts that encompass outline tutorials and keep augmenting the value. Maybe,
start enhancing your tutorials in multi-media to add to the text based posts.
10. Measure progress: Once you start your blog it's always good to invest in an
analytics software that can help you track, plan and measure the growth of your
blog. This in addition to the feed stats measurement tools. The first few months of
blog growth can be measured by the following four stats: 1. Technorati ranking, 2.
Alexa ranking, 3. Comments, 4. # Subscribed to your feed, etc...
6
Source: http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2007/07/corporate_blogging_101_10_easy_1.html
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Active Government Blogs
AIDS.gov Blog – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides this blog as
a part of the AIDS.gov website to provide information on the uses of new media for the
HIV/AIDS community.
ASY Live Blog – The "ASY Live Blog," an extension of the Department of Defense America
Supports You program, highlights the support supplied by citizens and corporations
nationwide to our men and women in uniform and communicates that support to our
troops.
Big Read Blog – National Endowment for the Arts literature director David Kipen blogs
regularly about his experiences promoting the 2007 Big Read initiative.
Congressional Budget Office Director's Blog – Peter R. Orszag, Director of the
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) blogs as an additional way to communicate with
Congress and the public. Learn about the type of work done by the CBO including how
they do it and what types of analysts they have. Dr. Orszag will also use the blog to
clarify potential misinterpretations of CBO data. This blog does not accept comments.
Corps e-spondence – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Chief of Engineers and Commanding
General Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp blogs about all things relevant to the
Corps, including their many missions in service to the Nation, leadership, selfless service
and people.
Dipnote – This blog offers the public an alternative source to mainstream media for U.S.
foreign policy information and the opportunity to discuss important foreign policy issues
with senior State Department officials.
Evolution of Security – Five employees of the Transportation Security Administration blog
to facilitate an ongoing dialogue on innovations in security, technology and the
checkpoint screening process.
Eye Level – This Smithsonian American Art Museum blog covers American art and the
ways it reflects American history and culture.
Flow of the River – Find out the answers to interesting questions about the Environmental
Protection Agency in this blog from their Chief Operating Officer Marcus Peacock.
Future Digital System – U.S. Government Printing Office blog about the Future Digital
System program that will be a world-class information life-cycle management system
GLOBE Program – Dr. Peggy LeMone, chief scientist of the Global Learning and
Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), shares her comments and thoughts
on science topics through this blog.
Gov Gab – Gov Gab's seven bloggers share tips and information from the federal
government to help you make life a little simpler. Read along each weekday and
comment and share your own experiences.
Great Lakes Earth Day Challenge Blog – Employees from the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Region 5 office in Chicago blog from April 1 to May 9, 2008 to share
personal insights into how they approach Earth Day, and how Great Lakes communities
are participating in the Earth Day Challenge. The "Challenge" to communities around the
Great Lakes is to collect 1 million pounds of electronics (e-waste) and (the equivalent of)
1 million pills of unwanted or unused medications.
Greenversations – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) blog is authored by EPA
employees who share their unique perspective on environmentalism and personal
experiences in protecting and improving our nation's water, land, and air.
Health and Human Services Department Blog – Secretary Mike Leavitt blogs about health
and the related challenges that face United States.
Health Marketing Musings – A blog about research, science, and practice in health
marketing and communication, social marketing, information technology, public health
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partnerships, and more with Jay Bernhardt, Director of CDC's National Center for Health
Marketing.
Homeland Security Leadership Journal – Secretary Michael Chertoff blogs about working
to protect the American people, building an effective emergency preparedness and
response capability, enforcing immigration laws, and promoting economic prosperity.
InfoFarm – The National Agricultural Library blogs about what they do and your world of
agriculture, food, nutrition, animal care, and the environment.
Library of Congress Blog – Highlights news and collections for the Library of Congress.
Written by the Library's Director of Communications.
Military Health System Blog – Department of Defense leadership discusses the future of
the U.S. Military Health System.
Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO's Blog – Through this blog, Ambassador John
J. Danilovich, the MCC CEO, directlycommunicates with the public to offer his first-hand
perspective of MCC programs and the results that assistance to partner countries is
producing on the ground for the benefit of the world's poor.
Mount Rainier National Park Volunteers Blog – Get the latest news about the volunteer
program at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington.
National African HIV AIDS Initiative (NAHI) Blog – Margaret Korto, a member of the Health
and Human Services Office of Minority Health Resource Center's HIV Capacity Building
Team, hosts this blog as a way for communities in Seattle, New York, Massachusetts,
Atlanta and Washington, DC to communicate and gather ideas about upcoming health
summits.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Science Blog – This blog
helps NIOSH to fulfill it's mission of translating scientific research into practice. It also
provides a forum for NIOSH partners and the public to present ideas to NIOSH scientists
and each other while engaging in scientific discussion.
National Museum of the Air Force – Blog posts from the public about their experiences at
the National Museum of the Air Force
National Parks – The National Park Foundation enriches Americans’ connection with our
National Parks.
Navy Department Chief Information Officer Blog – Robert Carey, CIO for the Department
of the Navy, blogs about matters related to information management and information
technology and how they impact the Navy Department.
Peace Corps Volunteer Journals – Experiences of Peace Corps volunteers from around the
globe.
Pushing Back – Office of National Drug Control Policy blog to educate Americans about
illegal drugs and the latest international, federal, state, and local efforts to reduce drug
use
Take Pride in America: The Blog – Take Pride in America, a national partnership program
aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands, hosts this blog to
empower volunteers from every corner of America to maintain and enhance our natural,
cultural, and historical sites.
Walter Reed Health Care System Commander's Blog – Colonel Patricia D. Horoho,
Commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, blogs as an added communication
tool for staff, patients and their families, and for anyone else who is interested in the
Walter Reed military medical institution.
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America's Marines Blog – In the fall of 2007 the America's Marines Tour followed the
Silent Drill Platoon to cities and towns across the nation. Discover the connection
between Marines, Americans, and the Marine Corps by reading the blog entries from
each event.
Lost Tribe of Green 5 – Weekly blog that chronicles the experiences of an
AmeriCorps*NCCC team working in the field to serve community needs
NOAA's 200th Anniversary Celebration Blog – Chronicle of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's 200th anniversary celebration events from around the
country between December 2006 and April 2007.
Pandemic Flu Leadership Blog – Five-week long (5/22/07 - 6/27/07) blog summit, from
HHS, to expand the conversation about pandemic flu preparedness
What Would You Put on a New Golden Record? – Aboard each spacecraft is a Golden
Record, a collection of sites, sounds and greetings from Earth. If a new Golden Record
were to be created, what one item from the past 30 years would you include?
Swarming Information
By Justin Rood jrood@govexec.com January 11, 2006 – Excerpts from the Article
The now infamous failure of national security agencies to share information that might have
prevented the Sept. 11 attacks led Congress, the White House and the organizations
themselves to attempt major changes. But for the most part, those reforms have been
plagued by familiar problems: turf wars, slow-moving bureaucracy and a perception that the
compartmented nature of intelligence work precludes collaboration.
In 2003, CIA veteran John Brennan took on one of the biggest challenges of his career:
getting members of the so-called intelligence "community" to work together on the terrorist
threat by standing up the all-source, all-agency Terrorist Threat Integration Center. To
succeed, he had to get warring national security fiefdoms -- the CIA, the Defense Intelligence
Agency, the National Security Agency, the FBI, the State Department and others -- to share
intelligence and personnel.
Brennan linked his center's computer to the databases from all the three-letter agencies,
giving his analysts direct access to more intelligence than any other federal organization in
history. The center's real success came from those analysts. Although they came from
organizations that have battled to control turf and information, inside the center they
worked side-by-side without incident, sharing information and collaborating on analysis.
"Within [the center], I never had an instance of institutional rivalry," recalls Brennan, who
retired from TTIC -- since renamed the National Counterterrorism Center -- in August 2005.
"Your badge designating you as CIA or FBI or DoD quickly becomes irrelevant as you come
together to work in a collaborative environment."
"I wish I could take credit," says Brennan, now a private consultant to government
counterterrorism programs. "But if you put people together, give them a very important
mission and give them more information than they've ever had access to, chemistry
develops."
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Brennan might be modest - but he's also on to something. "If you move below the executive
level to the analysts who do the work . . . they can figure this [information-sharing] stuff out
on their own," says Randy Pherson, a former career CIA analyst who now trains FBI analysts
and consults with the Homeland Security Department's intelligence operations. "The little
guy knows more about what he's trying to do than the big guy."
High Stakes
Indeed, high stakes seem to bring out the best in people. Less than two hours after
Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast 0n Aug. 29, for example, volunteers had set up a "wiki"
-- an open, collaborative online tool -- to be a central repository for information to help
survivors find aid and volunteers to provide it.
As officials struggled to straighten out their bureaucratic hierarchies, the Hurricane Katrina
Help Wiki (www.katrinahelp.info) quickly became a more comprehensive source of
information than any government outlet, helping tens of thousands of people use dozens of
largely uncoordinated public and private efforts to save themselves and their pets, find food
and shelter, and locate loved ones. Thousands contributed information updated postings and
made corrections.
To be sure, the wiki was an even more radical experiment than Brennan's center: There was
no Brennan to run it. The handful of organizers were facilitators, not directors. They couldn't
order people to participate or point to a White House directive for authority. They had little
control over the site or its contributors. Yet the result was stunning.
"The system works, but sometimes you can't really explain why it works and how it works,"
says Eric Bonabeau, a Cambridge, Mass.-based researcher and consultant to the public and
private sectors, who has studied the phenomenon. "Its behavior is the result of myriad
interactions." Bonabeau has co-authored two books on the subject, Intelligence Collective
(Hermès Sciences, Paris, 1994) and Swarm Intelligence (Oxford University Press, 1999).
For the system to work in government and business, managers must let go, he says, and few
executives (in government, especially) are willing to embrace a solution they can neither
completely control nor explain, even for intractable problems. "Managers would rather live
with a problem they can't solve than with a solution they don't understand," Bonabeau says.
On the flip side, removing "ownership" is part of what might make swarms work, particularly
interagency collaborations such as Brennan's center. "Ownership implies hierarchy implies
authority, which implies command over resources," says former CIA analyst Pherson. "Most
of that doesn't work for [information-sharing]."
Sharing intelligence isn't the only information challenge facing the national security
community. Despite efforts by the FBI, Homeland Security and others, there is no effective
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system for passing data and analysis among local, state and federal agencies involved in
counterterrorism, nor for sharing it with the private sector.
The most recent attempt, the top-heavy federal Homeland Security Information Network, is
collapsing under its own weight, according to news accounts. Created as a system for
informally sharing tips, questions and information at all levels -- from city cops to federal
intelligence analysts -- the network now is used mainly by DHS to broadcast information that
state and local recipients say is of little use.
Communities of Interest
What better to replace a failing top-down bureaucratic methodology than a networked anti-
bureaucratic one? Pherson has hatched just such an approach. He calls it "Agile Global
Intelligence Network of Networks."
In Pherson's schema, the thousands of people who should participate in HSIN -- local law
enforcement officers, security staff at factories and power plants, bank security personnel,
state homeland security officials, emergency managers and more -- would form communities
of interest, using something as simple as an e-mail listserve.
For example, a security official for a Houston oil refinery might belong to a community for
refineries, another for the Houston area and perhaps one for port security. It would be up
each official to join the most useful groups.
The result, predicts Pherson, would be an overlapping network of networks that would
quickly and efficiently circulate information not only up and down the local-state-federal
ladder, but around and among users, public or private sector. The system is smarter about
sharing, and protecting, information, Pherson says, because "you're imposing human brain
filters at every step of the way."
Could self-organizing collaborative communities then grow organically from that? Skeptics
say no.
"Folks in the intelligence community aren't in the same gene pool as folks who are doing
self-organizing, joining things," says Linda Millis, head of the Markle Foundation's National
Security Program. Her group has proposed a complex information-sharing system, known as
the SHARE Network, which served as the basis for legislators' instructions to the director of
national intelligence.
With two decades of intelligence experience, Millis reflects the thinking of many seasoned
veterans and senior officials. And perhaps they are right -- although Brennan's success
argues otherwise. If doubters are correct, then even the most sophisticated network in the
world won't fix the information-sharing problem. And who will explain that to a Congress and
America next time the system fails?
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More Agencies Turn to Podcasts to Get Message Out7
By COURTNEY MABEUS
April 22, 2008
Don’t have time to catch the morning weather forecast? Depending on where you live,
the National Weather Service might have a solution.
People living in the Baltimore-Washington region can already do that. The Weather
Service’s Baltimore-Washington regional office in Sterling, Va., started making daily
forecasts available about a year ago as a way to experiment with the technology, said
Steve Listemaa, an information technology officer in the regional office.
So far, only three Weather Service offices — Sterling; El Paso, Texas; and Anchorage,
Alaska — appear to be making weather podcasts available, but those examples are
indicative of various agencies’ efforts to explore how they can adapt podcast technology
to disseminate information about services or events.
Podcasts are digital audio or video files that are uploaded to the Internet and then can
be downloaded to a playback device, like Apple’s iPod or Microsoft’s Zune. Just about
anyone with a way to digitally record audio or video can upload the files to the Internet
via Apple’s iTunes or other podcasting Web sites at little to no cost.
One of the first agencies to move into podcasting was the Defense Department. It
began offering audio downloads of programs on the Pentagon Channel —
http://www.pentagonchannel.mil — in spring 2005. The channel offers news and
documentaries, among other programs. Since then, more than 7.1 million podcasts have
been downloaded, said Michael Winnaker, a marketing coordinator for the channel.
Brian Natwick, general manager of the Pentagon Channel, said he got the idea during a
trip to Afghanistan in 2005 with the military. As he boarded an aircraft, he noticed about
80 percent of the soldiers on board had whipped out their iPods.
“It just kind of hit me that this is another distribution technique that we have to add to
our model,” Natwick said.
The podcasts are an easy and inexpensive way to reach deployed troops, Natwick said.
“We’re pushing voting right now,” Natwick said. “Overseas voting is really important to
us.”
There are about a dozen Pentagon Channel video and audio programs available as
podcasts.
Among the most popular are daily news roundups and “RECON,” a monthly
documentary series on topics such as operations and military history.
7
Found at http://federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3492381
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This month’s series is about preparing for war at the Joint Readiness Training Center.
Also popular is “Fit for Duty,” a half-hour exercise program that offers resistance and
strength training and pilates.
The Agriculture Department’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) will launch its first
podcast this week and is planning two series: One is targeted to consumers; and
another, with information about safety inspections, is meant to reach plant owners,
managers and employees.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relies on podcasts to reach some public
health professionals and health care providers with updates about vaccination issues
and news such as E. coli outbreaks, said Fred Smith, a senior technologist with CDC’s
Division of e-Health Marketing. He also has discussed the idea of cooperating with the
State Department to provide podcasts targeted at overseas travelers.
“The idea is to get this set up [so] that if there is a pandemic flu,” the government can
more easily deliver vital information, Smith said.
The office started to offer video podcasts on its Web site in January and has purchased
helmet cameras for boat crew members to wear during missions and catch some of the
action for later upload, said Paul Roszkowski, an assistant public affairs officer who
helped coordinate the project.
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Podcasts and the Government8
8
Found at http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Reference_Shelf/Libraries/Podcasts.shtml
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Cellphone College class opens in Japan9
By Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press, November 28, 2007
TOKYO — The Japanese already use cellphones to shop, read novels, exchange e-mail,
search for restaurants and take video clips. Now, they can take a university course.
Cyber University, the nation's only university to offer all classes only on the Internet, began
offering a class on mobile phones Wednesday on the mysteries of the pyramids.
For classes for personal computers, the lecture downloads play on the monitor as text and
images in the middle, and a smaller video of the lecturer shows in the corner, complete with
sound.
The cellphone version, which pops up as streaming video on the handset's tiny screen, plays
just the Power Point images.
The virtual campus is 71% owned by Softbank, a major Japanese mobile carrier, which also
has broadband operations and offers online gaming, shopping and electronic stock trading
services.
The cellphone lectures may be expanded to other courses but for now will be for the
pyramids course, according to Cyber University, which offers about 100 courses, including
ancient Chinese culture, online journalism and English literature.
Unlike the other classes, the one on cellphones will be available to the public for free,
although viewers must pay phone fees.
The catch is the lectures can only be seen on some Softbank phones. The service may be
expanded to other carriers, officials said.
Sakuji Yoshimura, who heads Cyber University and gives the pyramids course, said the
university provides educational opportunities for people who find it hard to attend real-life
universities, including those with jobs and those who are sick or have disabilities.
"Our duty as educators is to respond to the needs of people who want to learn," Yoshimura
said.
He scoffed at those who question the value of Internet and cell-phone classes, noting
attendance is relatively high at 86%. Whether students play the lecture downloads to the
end can be monitored by the university digitally, officials said.
Although real-time exchange with professors and other students isn't possible in Net classes,
social networking and other cyber-discussions are flourishing, said Hiroshi Kawahara,
professor in the Faculty of Information Technology and Business.
9
Found at http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2007-11-28-cellphone-college-japan_N.htm
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Social Virtual Networking and Government
Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed launched today an agency MySpace page
and Washington State Elections Facebook group. Both are part of an effort using
social media to engage all of Washington's citizens.
"Today people don't get their information from just one source. They might listen to
the radio on their way to work, grab a newspaper at the office, watch the evening
news, and logon to Facebook at night. We must adapt to their changing needs,"
emphasized Reed.
Currently, the MySpace page offers viewers information about the upcoming
November General Election and Washington elections. Throughout the calendar
year, the page will be updated to feature the various programs and responsibilities
of the Office of the Secretary of State.
Visitors to the page can make comments and submit questions directly to the
agency. A calendar of public meetings, important dates to remember and events are
also listed on the site. MySpace.com is the third most popular Web site in the United
States and has on a few occasions topped out as the nation's number one most
popular Web site.
Facebook users are invited to join the Washington State Elections Facebook group.
Users who sign up as group members are sent reminders of important deadlines
and dates to remember. Members of the group will receive up-to-the minute
information about current hot topics in Washington State's Elections. Facebook.com
has the largest number of registered users among college-focused sites, with more
than 42 million active members worldwide.
"As social media, or web 2.0, continues to grow it's important to recognize its
impact on the people we serve," said Reed. "Government is here for the people and
finding new ways to reach out to the citizens it serves is crucial to transparency and
trust."
Earlier this year, Secretary Reed launched a series of MySpace and e-mail vote
reminders for the State Primary in August and the State General Election in
November. In addition to information available on MySpace and Facebook, the office
has also started to utilize video through YouTube, including video offering viewers an
inside look at Washington Elections.
10
Found at http://www.govtech.com/gt/174341
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Social Networking Meets Corporate Learning11
Jeanne C. Meister, October 2007
Assume you could develop a learning program that attracts millions of learners, holds their
attention for hours, impels them to contribute often and come back with their friends.
Well, this is happening on numerous social networking sites. Just go to one of them, and you
can get a feel for how important social networking is to a growing and diverse population.
Social networking is all about making connections and bringing people together. In May, the
Institute for Corporate Productivity, in conjunction with HR.com, surveyed 322 business
executives whose average age ranged from 36 to 45. Surprisingly, 65 percent of
respondents said they use social networking sites for both professional and personal
reasons. Of these sites, the most frequently used were LinkedIn and Yahoo 360°. The survey
identified various ways business professionals use these sites:
• Fifty-five percent of those using networks do so to share best practices with colleagues.
• Forty-nine percent use them to get answers to issues they are facing on their jobs.
• Forty-seven percent use the networks to connect with potential clients and to showcase
their skills.
The feature that makes social networking sites so compelling is the ability to treat users as
co-creators rather than passive consumers of knowledge. These sites have developed “pull”
platforms where users are comfortable sharing some aspect of their lives.
Below is a list of what’s possible to move your learning platform from one that “pushes”
mass content to one that “pulls” you into a network of personalized ideas and experts.
Remember: This will not take the place of more formal needs assessment processes
(although it might someday), but it can jump-start excitement among the workforce, from
senior executives to front-line employees, about what learning is doing.
11
Found at http://www.clomedia.com/in-conclusion/jeanne-c-meister/2007/October/1953/index.php
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U.S. Government Presence Grows in Second Life Online
World12
Agencies use virtual reality environment for education, outreach
By Cheryl Pellerin, USINFO Staff Writer, May 2007
Washington – Since early 2007, more than 6 million virtual residents of the online world
called Second Life have had new neighbors – a handful of U.S. government agencies that are
exploring possibilities for education, collaboration and outreach in the popular real-time
multiverse.
Agencies that have facilities of varying complexity and interaction in Second Life include the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the National Institutes of
Health and its National Library of Medicine (NLM), the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Department of Homeland Security, the National Science Foundation and many other
U.S. agencies also have representatives in this virtual world who attend regular “in-world”
meetings of government representatives to discuss Second Life and how best to work with
its features.
With virtual residents from more than 100 real-life countries, Second Life is a good place to
reach people with a range of messages – about health, science, disaster preparedness,
education, current issues and more.
“Second Life provides a new medium, a new ability to communicate with citizens and
customers,” said NOAA information technology specialist Eric Hackathorn during a May 4
interview at the NOAA facility in Second Life.
In Second Life, Hackathorn said, “people have the ability to communicate directly with NOAA
in a two-way conversation ... behind the corporate firewall. To me, it’s the price of doing
business in the 21st century.”
Its residents own and build the world’s digital infrastructure, including homes, vehicles,
nightclubs, stores, landscapes, clothing, games, islands, schools, companies, government
organizations, libraries and more.
Anyone can sign up for a free membership by registering with Second Life and creating an
avatar – a member’s persona in the virtual world. This virtual world, says Linden Lab, teems
with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity.
It even has an economy based on Linden dollars – about 265 Lindens to the U.S. dollar.
Millions of Linden dollars change hands every month for resident-created goods and
services, and can be bought and sold on LindeX, Second Life's official Linden dollar
exchange.
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english/2007/May/20070508163536lcnirellep0.2645075.html
Wikis and Webcasts and iPods, Oh My! Tools to Train the New Learner, Resource Guide, Page 17
VIRTUAL GOVERNMENT
Of all the U.S. government agencies in Second Life, NOAA has the most complex facility so
far. On its own island, called Meteora, visitors can experience a hurricane on the wing of a
research aircraft, rise through the atmosphere clinging to a weather balloon, stand on a
beach during a tsunami, or ride underwater on a NOAA submersible.
NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory developed the site by holding a competition
among Second Life design companies and letting Second Life residents help choose the
winner.
“Right now we have an island that has a smattering of NOAA’s research,” Hackathorn said,
“but NOAA does so much more. Incorporating those activities will take a heck of a lot more
land. Ultimately, I’d like to see a NOAA continent.”
Not far from Meteora is Health Info Island, a medical library and virtual hospital initially
funded with a $40,000 National Library of Medicine (NLM) grant to a group called Library
Alliance in Illinois to provide consumer health information services in virtual worlds.
There are three buildings on the island, said NLM technical information specialist Laura
Bartlett, a consumer health library, a medical library and a health and wellness center. Over
time, the project will provide training programs, outreach to virtual medical communities,
consumer health resources and one-on-one support to Second Life residents.
“Second Life and many [similar] tools are becoming very popular,” said Victor Cid, senior
computer scientist in the Office of Outreach and Special Populations, “and we believe it is
very important to start exploring these tools as means to disseminate information, reach
people and collaborate.”
Some government agencies, like CDC, have basic facilities so far that offer two-dimensional
information and little interactivity. Others, like the Department of Homeland Security, do not
yet have permanent spaces in Second Life but are making use of the digital world.
Jean-Paul Boucher is a contractor with SRA International Inc., a company doing several
Second Life projects for government agencies. His avatar wears a shirt with a Homeland
Security logo.
Homeland Security, he said, “is holding a virtual conference the first week in June in the
auditorium on NOAA’s island for first responders and academics from around the United
States.” Such collaboration, Boucher added, is one of the great values of Second Life.
“It’s a tremendously powerful tool set that eliminates the time and space boundaries that
normally hold people back from collaborating with each other,” he said. “We see that as
another primary focus for the government.”
Wikis and Webcasts and iPods, Oh My! Tools to Train the New Learner, Resource Guide, Page 18