Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

An element of content that I am planning to deliver from my website is a portfolio of on demand e-learning seminars that will teach people (key demographic: parents with children) how to safely enjoy outdoor recreation.

I`ve got the e-learning software and a pipeline of ideas for future seminars, but before I begin production I was wondering if community members would be willing to provide feedback on content and/or presentation.

My prototype presentation is about poison oak, and runs at less than 5 minutes. 

The launching pad is here....

http://trailmix.net/files/folders/tips/entry94.aspx

-------------------------

Mike Barlow
Sacramento, CA
Website
The Trailmix.Net Blog
The Trailmix.Net Store

My Newest Squid Lens
Geocaching 101: Caching with Kids

This is a perfect question for me and Kathy. We go fishing all over the place, often searching out and exploring hard-to-find lakes. We both wondered, the other day, how to know if we were seeing poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Since we`re both ordinary dopes, we needed some help.

We went to the Poison etc. information site, learned what we needed, and breathed a sigh of relief.

So your problem is of current interest. And I didn`t at all like the prototype. Why? Because I don`t want to download something for e-learning. I`ve got enough junk on my system, downloads I`ve forgotten what they are, utilities, plug-ins, add-ons, and vaporware.

If I was going to do e-learning, I`d expect it to be online, where I can just click and move through the class. My opinion, but it`s why I didn`t bother to download the demo. :-)

Have you looked at something like Scate technologies?

I got "Critical Error".

But I agree that you shouldn`t have to download anything to watch a video.


-------------------------

That PHP Girl
Small Business Essentials
Latest Post on SUN: New Facebook Pages - First Impressions

Oh that was weird.

First click: Critical Error.

Second click: Oops! Site is offline or file not found.

Third click: The stuff I was supposed to be seeing.

Odd.

In any case, I didn`t have to "download" anything so I`m not sure what Craig was talking about. It ran fine.

I didn`t know that stuff was poison oak! I wonder why it`s never been a problem for me ... my dogs used to run all through the bushes up in the Oakland hills ... I would have maybe liked to know what isn`t poison oak ... like I`m thinking maybe the stuff in Oakland has five leaves ...
But otherwise, it was really good!


-------------------------

That PHP Girl
Small Business Essentials
Latest Post on SUN: New Facebook Pages - First Impressions

Nikole, I`m sorry for the errors and glad that you were able to access the presentation.  I`m really glad (and a little envious) that you seem to be immune to poison oak. 

Craig, your feedback is great.  Thank you for mentioning this... I think that you concluded that this was some sort of utility, plug in, or something else which I wouldn`t download either....   Food for thought.     

I am very sorry for the errors.  They are intermittent and I suspect have something to do with server performance.  Looks like I need to pack up and move to a new host.... I can`t have a site that requires three clicks to launch a seminar.

Thanks Guys!!

PS Nikole:  I am working with a veterinarian on a dog first aid seminar.  I have a lot to do before I get to it, but it is one of the things in the pipeline that I mentioned... How to protect their pads, remove a tick, carry out if they are injured, etc.

-------------------------

Mike Barlow
Sacramento, CA
Website
The Trailmix.Net Blog
The Trailmix.Net Store

My Newest Squid Lens
Geocaching 101: Caching with Kids

PS Craig

I guarantee that if you click that link you will be able to identify Poison and it will be easier than the research you did .

-------------------------

Mike Barlow
Sacramento, CA
Website
The Trailmix.Net Blog
The Trailmix.Net Store

My Newest Squid Lens
Geocaching 101: Caching with Kids

Okay, I`ll give it a shot.

Another good video for the vet would be how to clip a parakeet`s toe nails! Back when I had a couple, I read a bunch of books, and it just looked way too scary! It would`ve been nice to have on-demand video for things like that...

So...I clicked the "Download" link, with trepidation, but as a trusting example of a modern, sensitive 90s kinda guy. :-)

Biggest gripe is the time-lag for both connecting to the main site, then waiting for the video to begin.

Second biggest gripe is the introductory stuff about how Trailmix sponsors or develops this stuff. I`m assuming that on the final release, this would disappear. They can use a banner ad or something, but not embed their commercials in the video.

The video itself was nice, although it took me a minute to find the volum control. The mix was too loud, with distortion at full volume (which seems to be the default).

But my main disagreement is that I expected video. Not a slide-show presentation. I can go to any place and see a slide show. E-Learning offers tremendous benefits, particularly with the upcoming change to the Internet for high-bandwidth transfers coming in the not-too-distant future.

For now, change the word "download" to something else---"begin" at least, or some other word.

Craig

Thanks for doing this, I do appreciate the feedback.  The button is a great point, and I will figure out how to reduce the volume.  Parakeets are out of scope

Thanks again.

-------------------------

Mike Barlow
Sacramento, CA
Website
The Trailmix.Net Blog
The Trailmix.Net Store

My Newest Squid Lens
Geocaching 101: Caching with Kids

Actually, while I was out fishing today, catching nothing, I thought about my post last night. Maybe I was too harsh. WHY was I expecting a video?

I think it`s the player---it led me to believe I`d see video, not a slide show. However, when I stepped back and thought about "e-learning," I realized it is instructional, it does teach about poison oak, and there isn`t really any statement that the site is using video.

:-) I did have a pretty good idea of what poison oak looks like when I was done, so I DID learn something! LOL!! Maybe I was just tired last night.