The Online Learning Idea Book, Volume 1: 95 Proven Ways to Enhance Technology-Based and Blended Learning [Paperback]

Patti Shank (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787981680 | ISBN-13: 978-0787981686 | Publication Date: February 26, 2007 | Edition: 1

"For those who think online learning can't be truly interactive, Patti Shank and her colleagues clearly demonstrate--in hundreds of examples--that it can. The real lesson in The Online Learning Idea Book is that technology doesn't build interactive learning; creative thinking and good, solid instructional design does. Using even a smidgen of the great ideas in this book will increase the learning effectiveness of any online program."--Marc J. Rosenberg, consultant, and author of Beyond E-Learning

"Patti Shank has collected great ideas about online learning and teaching from all over the globe. If you are an online instructor or instructional designer looking for new ways to involve and engage your learners, you'll be inspired by this book!"--Terry Morris, associate professor, William Rainey Harper Colleges

Filled with techniques, tools, tips, examples, resources, and dozens of "great ideas,? this invaluable resource helps people who are looking to build online instructional materials -- or improve existing materials -- discover and implement what the best and brightest in industry and education are doing to make online learning more engaging and compelling. Increase your know-how in the following areas:

• Look and Feel: how to increase ease-of-use
• Graphics and Multimedia: how to make instructional graphics engaging and compelling
• Activities: how to make instruction itself engaging and compelling
• Tools: how to use a variety of online tools
• Instructional Design: how to design better and faster.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book offers more than 95 ideas for designing and delivering online instruction as a creative spark for distance learning." (Journal of Continuing Higher Education, Fall 2007)

Review

"For those who think online learning can't be truly interactive, Patti Shank and her colleagues clearly demonstrate—in hundreds of examples—that it can be. The real lesson in The Online Learning Idea Book is that technology doesn't build interactive learning; creative thinking and good, solid instructional design does. Using even a smidgen of the great ideas in this book will increase the learning effectiveness of any online program."
—Marc J. Rosenberg, consultant, and author of Beyond E-Learning

"Harness these ideas and multiply your expertise! There's nothing like tried-and-true activities to help increase the value of your online content. This book is a veritable smorgasbord of creative and engaging ideas!"
—Cynthia S. Wehmer, CPT, IT training manager, Coors Brewing Company

"E-learning is a rapidly changing field with new best practices being discovered every day. The Online Learning Idea Book is a fantastic resource for designers, developers, and training professionals to find innovative ideas and proven approaches that make e-learning effective."
—Josh Bersin, CEO, Bersin & Associates

"This book manages to be concrete, yet theory based; innovative, yet practical; and—miraculously for the training-book genre—light on its feet."
—Bill Ellet, editor, Training Media Review

"Looking for practical, insightful, tried-and-tested ideas that you can quickly apply in your online learning programs? Get The Online Learning Idea Book now. I'm sure you'll find an idea you can apply in your very next project (I did), and the book will pay for itself!"
—Harvey Singh, founder and CEO, Instancy, Inc.

"McKeachie’s Teaching Tips, now in its 12th edition, has been distributed for years to new faculty members in higher education. As more instructors go online, I predict that instructional support personnel will also provide them with the latest edition of Shank’s The Online Learning Idea Book."
—Thomas C. Reeves, professor, department of educational psychology and instructional technology, College of Education, The University of Georgia

"Patti Shank has collected great ideas about online learning and teaching from all over the globe. If you are an online instructor or instructional designer looking for new ways to involve and engage your learners, you’ll be inspired by this book!"
—Terry Morris, associate professor, William Rainey Harper Colleges

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (February 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787981680
• ISBN-13: 978-0787981686
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.8 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Survey, June 5, 2007

By 

L. W. Precht (College Park, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Online Learning Idea Book, Volume 1: 95 Proven Ways to Enhance Technology-Based and Blended Learning (Paperback)

This book takes an interesting approach to online learning. Rather than an author expounding on some specific learning methodology that's guaranteed to revolutionize your system and your learners, Patti Shank collects ideas from practitioners in the field including her own experiences. Most of the contributors provided more than one idea to the text, but there are still at least 30 different viewpoints represented. And, the contributors seem to come from a wide spectrum of (mostly U.S.) educators in both corporate training and higher education.

The book contains almost 100 ideas broken into 10 broad categories related to online learning. Sections like: Ideas for Making Collaboration Work, Ideas for Supporting Learners and Learning, Ideas for Synchronous Activities, etc. Each idea is presented succinctly in 1-4 pages outline style. And, each is detailed by what the idea is, why you would want to use it, how you might use it and who to contact for more information (if needed). Most ideas contain at least one screen shot showing the idea "in action".

As a software developer, I have spent the last 15 years on the "other side" of online learning: designing, building and operationally supporting a number of Learning Management Systems. So many of these ideas presented here were quite familiar to me. The rest ran the gamut from insightful to kind of campy. However, the format made for a fast and easy read. Well worth the time spent.

The book is probably best suited for educators and instructional designers looking to find ways to spruce up their offerings or increase the effectiveness of their material. All of the ideas are aimed at increasing the interactivity of online learning.

For someone interested in online learning and looking to see what kinds of tools and techniques are out there, this book is a great survey of current practice.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure trove of interactive ideas, April 21, 2007

By 

Cynthia Denton-Ade (Burke, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Online Learning Idea Book, Volume 1: 95 Proven Ways to Enhance Technology-Based and Blended Learning (Paperback)

Patti Shank has collected a treasure trove of interactive ideas for all types of online learning -- synchronous, asynchronous, instructor-led, and self-directed. Even experienced designers and developers are sure to find new and creative ideas for improving online programs. In fact, I came up with innovative ideas for my classroom training (particularly in the synchronous training chapter.) All you need is a little imagination to use these ideas to solve a wide range of learning challenges. When the examples are not proprietary, Patti provides links so you can see the ideas in action. For example, the book references two low-cost software programs to help assess learning (e.g., Hot Potatoes and Quiz Game Master.) A companion CD in the next edition of this book would be a great asset for helping visualize some of the ideas presented.

I suggest The Online Learning Idea Book be a part of your "toolkit" for designing any type of online learning program. You can also feel confident that the Patti's collection of ideas are based on solid performance improvement theory and will make a true impact on your learners.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Resource, October 28, 2008

By 

William Corsair "Will" (Leavenworth County, KS USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Online Learning Idea Book, Volume 1: 95 Proven Ways to Enhance Technology-Based and Blended Learning (Paperback)

Patti has done an excellent job of putting together a collection of ideas and suggestions from some of the most accomplished online learning "experts." By that, I don't necessarily mean people with academic backgrounds. I mean people who've been in the business trenches and have found from experience what worked, what didn't, and what might have worked if it had been presented differently. What's missing from so many books of this kind is what I call the "how to." Patti acknowledges that fact with, "This book shows you concrete examples of people making learning better every day, in all kinds of settings, all over the world."

The book can be read in a linear fashion, but I found that I liked jumping around in it and making my own "Ah ha" connections among the ideas. Most ideas are no more than 3-4 pages, and include many job aids and visual references which make the ideas come alive.

I highly recommended this collection. You'll start making your own connections and developing material that will help your learners truly engage and enjoy.