Alessandro is one clever cookie and just keeps coming up with the goods. In this article he explains how to create bubble style tooltips using CSS and a smidge of javascript, utilising the Title attribute of links.
Two classes are used to position a single background image so that the content height can expand or contract as required.
I can think of some good uses in my elearning modules already!
Alessandro's Bubble Tooltips
Tags: CSS Bubble Tooltips Title Link Javascript
Friday, January 27, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
pocketmod and printing stuff
Fantastic Free and Fabulous!
Pocketmod lets you set up and print a mini booklet in just about any format - as a calendar, organiser, reference, notebook and more. Even includes an instruction video to show you how to do the folding.
Clever.
pocketmod
In a kind of similar vein, how about being able to print graph paper whenever you need it? Lined, grids, dots - it's all here and it's all free. We love free.
Get it at incompetech
Tags: Graph Paper printable PocketMod diary organiser
Pocketmod lets you set up and print a mini booklet in just about any format - as a calendar, organiser, reference, notebook and more. Even includes an instruction video to show you how to do the folding.
Clever.
pocketmod
In a kind of similar vein, how about being able to print graph paper whenever you need it? Lined, grids, dots - it's all here and it's all free. We love free.
Get it at incompetech
Tags: Graph Paper printable PocketMod diary organiser
Sunday, January 08, 2006
care a little, gain a lot
I returned to work after the christmas break and, even though I had a tonne of stuff to catch up on, I found myself spending 2 whole days fixing up a team member's online modules. Fred (let's call him Fred) had left me a short email to ask for them to be uploaded to be ready for training in 2 days time.
Of course, I checked them out before doing this - I wish I hadn't in someways...
Now, it wasn't that there was much technically problematic with the content. The majority of the errors were to do with grammar, structure, navigation, instructional design, accessibility and failure to adhere to simple guidelines that we have documented. There weren't even any backwards/forwards links from page to page!
Incorrect use of apostrophes, lack of consistency in terminology and format, not altering the authoring program defaults to our guidelines, changing tense in the same sentence, badly written ya da ya da ya da. Instead of me being able to spend the time in looking for ways to improve the actual content, it was all manual, tedious stuff-fixing.
The grammar stuff surprises me as Fred is an instructional designer, but what really gets on my goat is the fact that he is ignoring simple little things that I have drummed into people short of hitting them with a big stick. Appropriate Alt descriptions, correct use of CSS, correct link formatting (please - not 'click here' or 'click on the big blue button at the bottom of the page on the right hand side'...).
I know it's because some people don't care about these things the way I do - it's just not in their blood. Okay. BUT I'd like them to just try to make the effort. Even if they think 'oh my giddy aunt, she does go on ever so...', I don't care. Humour me.
Tags: Grammar punctuation Instructional Design Accessibility
Of course, I checked them out before doing this - I wish I hadn't in someways...
Now, it wasn't that there was much technically problematic with the content. The majority of the errors were to do with grammar, structure, navigation, instructional design, accessibility and failure to adhere to simple guidelines that we have documented. There weren't even any backwards/forwards links from page to page!
Incorrect use of apostrophes, lack of consistency in terminology and format, not altering the authoring program defaults to our guidelines, changing tense in the same sentence, badly written ya da ya da ya da. Instead of me being able to spend the time in looking for ways to improve the actual content, it was all manual, tedious stuff-fixing.
The grammar stuff surprises me as Fred is an instructional designer, but what really gets on my goat is the fact that he is ignoring simple little things that I have drummed into people short of hitting them with a big stick. Appropriate Alt descriptions, correct use of CSS, correct link formatting (please - not 'click here' or 'click on the big blue button at the bottom of the page on the right hand side'...).
I know it's because some people don't care about these things the way I do - it's just not in their blood. Okay. BUT I'd like them to just try to make the effort. Even if they think 'oh my giddy aunt, she does go on ever so...', I don't care. Humour me.
Tags: Grammar punctuation Instructional Design Accessibility
crash course in learning theory - don't miss it!
Kathy Sierra has created a great Crash Course in Learning Theory post in her Passionate Users blog. I think these concepts, while perhaps not new, are laid out here in a comprehensive way that's easy for everyone to grasp and apply in some way.
Obviously you can tweak to suit your own circumstances - a lot of the stuff that I do for instance has to be developed quickly and has to contain important stuff like business rules and pricing information. These kinds of topics often make it hard to be flexible as the legal eagles get very antsy when you mess around with them - they like content to be very black and white and aren't particularly interested in the purty, engaging stuff. That being said, there's plenty in Kathy's article that I'm going to try to incorporate in a more determined way.
Don't miss the second post in her series which includes a PDF summary:
The PDF is actually nine pages, divided into two parts:
1) A seven-page "workbook" with mainly just the pictures, and space for you to make your own notes about what you think each image/concept means or how you'd apply it.
2) The two-page summary (if you're not interested in making notes, just skip to the last two pages).
Great stuff!
Tags: Learning Theory Instructional Design Online Learning Kathy Sierra
Obviously you can tweak to suit your own circumstances - a lot of the stuff that I do for instance has to be developed quickly and has to contain important stuff like business rules and pricing information. These kinds of topics often make it hard to be flexible as the legal eagles get very antsy when you mess around with them - they like content to be very black and white and aren't particularly interested in the purty, engaging stuff. That being said, there's plenty in Kathy's article that I'm going to try to incorporate in a more determined way.
Don't miss the second post in her series which includes a PDF summary:
The PDF is actually nine pages, divided into two parts:
1) A seven-page "workbook" with mainly just the pictures, and space for you to make your own notes about what you think each image/concept means or how you'd apply it.
2) The two-page summary (if you're not interested in making notes, just skip to the last two pages).
Great stuff!
Tags: Learning Theory Instructional Design Online Learning Kathy Sierra
a little moock goes a long way
I'm currently wading my way through Colin Moock's Actionscript 2.0 (O'Reilly). I say wading because I'm finding it particularly heavy going. I really want to read it all but I'm finding that I put the book out on the bench or a nearby table and say 'I'll just do x and then will sit down and tackle you again'... 'Let me finish y and I'll be with you'... 'Really - I'm nearly there'...
I had no problems with his earlier tome, Actionscript for Flash MX, which is a brilliant reference book that I use all the time, but this one is giving me the heebies. I am picking it up, but reluctantly.
It's very technical and has a consistent, annoying approach of 'About Foo: to understand Foo properly, you need to understand Bah. Bah is covered in chapter 999, but here is a section on Foo anyway'.
I'm willing to reserve final judgement till I get to the end (presuming I make it that far) but at the moment I feel really stupid. I mean, I've used Flash for a few years now and written some pretty funky Actionscript considering I've got no programming background at all, but I feel that the writing style is different in this one. It seems to be repetitive without necessarily adding clarity. And so far, up to about page 50, lacking in real world examples - there are examples but they are of the 'ball' type.
I'm not whinging, just sharing how I am feeling at this particular stage of the reading process. I truly want to conquer it. This is going to be my year of finishing all those books and teaching myself all those concepts I've been moaning about not knowing for so long, so it's time to wrap the ninja bandana round my head and strike a pose.
Wish me luck! Hai-ya!
Tags: Flash Actionscript 2.0 Moock
I had no problems with his earlier tome, Actionscript for Flash MX, which is a brilliant reference book that I use all the time, but this one is giving me the heebies. I am picking it up, but reluctantly.
It's very technical and has a consistent, annoying approach of 'About Foo: to understand Foo properly, you need to understand Bah. Bah is covered in chapter 999, but here is a section on Foo anyway'.
I'm willing to reserve final judgement till I get to the end (presuming I make it that far) but at the moment I feel really stupid. I mean, I've used Flash for a few years now and written some pretty funky Actionscript considering I've got no programming background at all, but I feel that the writing style is different in this one. It seems to be repetitive without necessarily adding clarity. And so far, up to about page 50, lacking in real world examples - there are examples but they are of the 'ball' type.
I'm not whinging, just sharing how I am feeling at this particular stage of the reading process. I truly want to conquer it. This is going to be my year of finishing all those books and teaching myself all those concepts I've been moaning about not knowing for so long, so it's time to wrap the ninja bandana round my head and strike a pose.
Wish me luck! Hai-ya!
Tags: Flash Actionscript 2.0 Moock
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Web Developer Toolbar updated - yay!
1. Chris Pederick does it again by updating the Web Developer Toolbar to version 1.0, and it's available for Firefox, Flock and Mozilla. The list of features shows how useful this little doovey is for us developers!
2. Kathy Sierra writes... Learning Increases Resolution: "Learning adds resolution to what you offer. And the change happens not within the product, but between the user's ears. The more you help your users learn and improve, the greater the chance that they'll become passionate.
So, what can you change for people? Or rather, what can you help others change for themselves? How can you increase the resolution of the products and services you offer--without touching the products? That doesn't mean you can take any old piece of crap and by teaching people to become expert, magically transform it into a work of art. But if there's potential for a richer experience--an experience the non-passionate don't see, taste, hear, feel, smell, touch, or ever recognize...why not see if there's a way to help more people experience that?"
3. Very funny competition to win an iPod: design a movie poster featuring Steve Jobs.
2. Kathy Sierra writes... Learning Increases Resolution: "Learning adds resolution to what you offer. And the change happens not within the product, but between the user's ears. The more you help your users learn and improve, the greater the chance that they'll become passionate.
So, what can you change for people? Or rather, what can you help others change for themselves? How can you increase the resolution of the products and services you offer--without touching the products? That doesn't mean you can take any old piece of crap and by teaching people to become expert, magically transform it into a work of art. But if there's potential for a richer experience--an experience the non-passionate don't see, taste, hear, feel, smell, touch, or ever recognize...why not see if there's a way to help more people experience that?"
3. Very funny competition to win an iPod: design a movie poster featuring Steve Jobs.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
nuvvo is groovo!
A Learning Management System for individual instructors - and it's free!
From the Website:
Now it is easier than ever to create your own online learning portal from which to create multimedia hubs for classrooms, post prep. and follow-up for live sessions, or run stand-alone courses online. With simple yet powerful content-creation, communication, and evaluation tools, Nuvvo is broadening the horizons of online education.
The Savvica Development Team wanted to create a way for instructors and trainers to teach online without the massive institutional support required to deploy and maintain an enterprise LMS. The result was Nuvvo, the first LMS for the individual instructor.
Nuvvo is deployed on-demand, and delivered through your web browser. Sign up in minutes at www.nuvvo.com and gain immediate access to your personal online learning portal. Creating an account, setting up your courses, and building content is all completely free. Students can access your course for free too, or you can choose to charge for access using the simple and completely integrated e-commerce tools.
Don't let Nuvvo's compact design fool you. The Personal LMS features enterprise-grade content creation, course management, and grading tools. Use our powerful, usable UI to build courses block by block with rich text, multimedia, and files all integrated on the same page. Grade and record quizzes automatically, or provide extensive feedback. With Nuvvo's easy-to-use, focused interface, you'll see new possibilities and grasp how to achieve them.
From the Website:
Now it is easier than ever to create your own online learning portal from which to create multimedia hubs for classrooms, post prep. and follow-up for live sessions, or run stand-alone courses online. With simple yet powerful content-creation, communication, and evaluation tools, Nuvvo is broadening the horizons of online education.
The Savvica Development Team wanted to create a way for instructors and trainers to teach online without the massive institutional support required to deploy and maintain an enterprise LMS. The result was Nuvvo, the first LMS for the individual instructor.
Nuvvo is deployed on-demand, and delivered through your web browser. Sign up in minutes at www.nuvvo.com and gain immediate access to your personal online learning portal. Creating an account, setting up your courses, and building content is all completely free. Students can access your course for free too, or you can choose to charge for access using the simple and completely integrated e-commerce tools.
Don't let Nuvvo's compact design fool you. The Personal LMS features enterprise-grade content creation, course management, and grading tools. Use our powerful, usable UI to build courses block by block with rich text, multimedia, and files all integrated on the same page. Grade and record quizzes automatically, or provide extensive feedback. With Nuvvo's easy-to-use, focused interface, you'll see new possibilities and grasp how to achieve them.
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