LCMS As the article says, "An LCMS is a multi-user environment where learning developers can create, store, reuse, manage, and deliver digital learning content from a central object repository." And if the definition isn't clear, this article will help a lot with a set of excellent graphics illustrating the concept of an LCMS in an intuitive manner. Links to white papers, vendors and news. By Unknown, Internet Time Group, November 05, 2001.[Refer]

Enhance Your Email I think about email a lot. And I work with it a lot. This article suggests a number of useful tools to make your email work for you. Now most of these are aimed at Outlook users. But if you have to use Outlook, some of these utilities will spare you from the product's many defects. Have a look. By Preston Gralla, ZDNet Downloads, December 1, 2001.[Refer]

AOL Retreats From Big Push for E-Books "The books division of AOL Time Warner said yesterday that it was cutting back its expensive line of digital books and laying off almost all 29 employees, citing a slump in sales of all books and especially digital ones." That's a generous assessment of an industry that never got off the ground. By David D. Kirkpatrick, New York Times, December 5, 2001.[Refer]

Using Performance Assessments This short paper is a clear introduction to the topic of performance assessments. The author's main point: "Many of us do a great job of varying teaching activities, and then use the same old paper-and-pencil, fill-in-the-blank assessments. Doesn't make much sense, does it?" The paper is a lead-in to an online Benkyoukai (Study Forum) offered by SenseiOnline December 11 (there's a link at the bottom of the page). By Deb Blaz, SenseiOnline, December, 2001.[Refer]

Evaluating Individual Student Learning: Implications from Four Models of Assessment Staying on the assessment theme: this brisk paper summarizes four models of investment: the outcomes model, grassroots model, mandate model and the institutional effectiveness model. It places these models in a context of a consideration of factors for the adoption of a model of assessment. The paper is a little abstruse - and I wish there were links and references - but it may ground you if you join the Benkyoukai. By Mary Hjelm and Ronald L. Baker, Learning Abstracts, May, 2001.[Refer]

When Should Your Organization Use Technology-Based Training? Practical advice for decision making. Includes a nice chart comparing multimedia and classroom training. Looks at factors such as cost, quality of instruction and administration. Well referenced research highlights the benefits of multimedia training. The article also looks at CD-ROM training as compared to web based training. By Terrell L. Perry, Coastal Training Technologies, 2001.[Refer]

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