Getting The Right Kind Of Images

It is sad but true that there are not many sites where you can find good images for free. And in case you are looking for images of some Indian rural people, you are definitely going to have a tough time . In my attempt to look for images of Indian rural people I could only find the images of temple, forts, houses with thatched roofs,and starving children. But this made me think, what do we do when we require images to meet the requirements of a particular project? Wish if anybody could help me with the resources to find vector images of rural Indian people. Other than google images I tried the following URLs to look for images but to no avail.

http://www.corbis.com
http://www.gettyimages.com
http://www.istock.com
http://www.scx.com
http://www.shutterstock.com
http://office.microsoft.com

What Is Your Web 2.0 Quotient

Since the whole industry is talking about web 2.0 about and how can we use it to impart training. Let's check what is our invidividual web 2.0 quotient. I came across this in Manish's post, so to check your web 2.0 quotient use the following URL.
http://manishmo.blogspot.com/2008/10/web-20-quotient-version-11.html

My Web 2.0 score is 53, so am a newbie. Find out what's your quotient.

5 Things You Do Not Need To Know About Me

Manish Mohan has tagged me on this meme on 7 things you do not need to know about me. But I could come up with only 5 things so far.

Here is a list of 5 things you do not need to know about me:

1) I have planned to become a vegetarian for four days in a week. (Possibly not happening this year :-))

2) Of late am watching all romantic Korean movies. (Seems like I'm smitten by Korean movies)

3) I learnt to ride a scooty on my own. Have knocked down many a people in my first two attempts. :P They almost fell off their vehicles.

4) I once fell into a drain! Yuck it was long long back though.

5) I can watch 2-3 movies back to back on a single day.


So there you go guys.
I tag
Geeta, Archana, Smriti, Nishana, Vaishnavi, Ashim, Rashmi, Satya, Sneha, Sushant, Shipra, Ripul, Yatin, Meghna to continue this meme.

Difference between LMS and LCMS

Many a times I am confused with the terms Learning Management System (LMS) and Learning Content Management System (LCMS). So have decided to put down the difference between the two in as simple words as possible.

LCMS is a software that is used to create, maintain, reuse, and deliver learning material. On the other hand LMS is a software that allows delivering the learning material in the form of online modules; instructor led training modules within an organization. It also helps to track learner interaction with the content and the instructor, and helps in recording scores. LCMS provides just in time training. For example if say you are working in call center, and your company has launched a new application. You need not go through the entire training kit, instead you can just stick to the modules that you are required to go through and familiarize yourself.


The primary users of an LMS are the learners whereas LCMS is used by the course developers and SME. LMS is used to track student interaction and performance whereas LCMS is used by the content authors to collaborate. LMS is software for planning, delivering, and managing learning events within an organization, including online, virtual classroom, and instructor-led courses. In contrast, an LCMS is software for managing learning content for various training development programs across an organization. It provides developers, authors, instructional designers, and subject matter experts the means to create and re-use e-learning content and reduce duplicated development efforts.

Workshop on How to Use Web 2.0 Tools

Are you interested to know more about Web 2.0 tools such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and virtual world for learning and training purposes? Kern Communications is conducting a workshop on how to use Web 2.0 tools. This workshop is designed for HR Managers and training heads who implement training in their organization.

Let me give a brief overview of the workshop.

• Understand Web 2.0 – the changing face of the Internet.
• Discuss training using sharing, collaboration, co-creation, user generated content, social networking
• Explore the use of tools such as wikis, blogs, virtual worlds, podcasts, videocasts, social networking to design effective training
• Discuss case studies where trainers have effectively used these tools for training purposes
• Experience learning and training in the Virtual World

You can log in to http://elearning.kern-comm.com/?p=322 for further details.

Zone of Proximal Development

Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist and social constructivist came up with the Theory of Social Cognitive Development. The three major themes of this theory are:

Social interaction is necessary for learning and plays a vital role in the process of cognitive development.

MKO or the More Knowledgeable Other; A person who has a better understanding than the learner, it could be a teacher, a mentor, or even a peer who is more knowledgeable as compared to the learner.

Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD

In this theory he discussed about Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD. ZPD implies that a learner can do without as well as with the help of a teacher, or a competent peer, or a guide. ZPD was originally used for problem solving.

Vygotsky argued against examinations that are used as a standard means to test the intelligence and knowledge of the children. Rather he believed that children should be tested on problem solving independently and problem solving techniques with the help of a teacher or a guide. He also believed that students play an important role in the learning process.

By social interaction Vygotsky meant that culture has an enormous amount of impact on children. It is through one’s culture that children learn what to think and how to think. Vygotsky also emphasized that interaction between the teacher and the student facilitates learning; hence learners should be provided with a collaborative and interactive learning environment.

Vygotsky also highlighted the fact that children learn by imitating from their elders and adults; hence it is very important to provide the learners ample opportunity to solve problems under the guidance of a teacher/guide.

To conclude we can say that collaborative learning, discussions, interactivities definitely helps learners to achieve their goal. Also with proper guided learning learners can accomplish task that they cannot do on their own.