Stage one: Standing

Stand with your feet under your hip bones
Weight even down through both of the legs and even across the area of the foot
Soften your knees
Pelvis is neutral
Back of the neck long, feeling like the space in between each vertebra is increasing
Shoulders soft away from the ears or arms raised in ‘Namaste’ as shown

Stage two: Rolling down

Breathe in to prepare
Drop the chin to the chest
Breathe out, navel to spine and allow the weight of the head to lead the movement of the spine rolling down
Roll the spine vertebra by vertebra
Let the head and arms be heavy and relaxed

Stage three: High plank to low plank, hold and hover

From rolling down, step back with the right foot then the left
Hold the body parallel to the mat
Navel to spine, feel like you are supported from your belly button to the ceiling
Slowly lower yourself to the mat, navel hollowed & elbows into the sides, hover above the mat for a few seconds

Stage four: Half swan dive

Fully rest the body on the mat placing the feet flat, hands underneath the shoulders
Breathe in, navel to spine, looking up to the ceiling allow the body to peel off the mat by straightening the arms
Keep hips on the mat, shoulders away from the ears and elbows in
Roll the body back down to the mat

Stage five: Downwards dog

Push up into box position and straighten the legs
Feet are hip width apart
Feel like the shoulders are moving away from each other and down the ribcage away from the ears
Eye gaze looks up towards the belly button
Hold for five lateral breaths (navel to spine, breathing sides and back of ribcage)
Don’t worry about your heels touching the mat, we are trying to get a straight spine, so your heels may lift

Stage six: Rolling up

Look towards the hands, navel to spine, step right foot in between hands followed by the left
Straighten the legs leaving the knees slightly soft
Breathe in, navel to spine, tuck the tailbone under and roll back up to standing vertebra by vertebra
Shoulders resting, chin parallel to the mat

Stage seven: Standing

Either stand as detailed in one or as detailed in the photo
Repeat steps one to six three times remembering lateral breathing and navel to spine

I’ve recently guest blogged for the Industry and Parliamentary Trust on strategy and delivery. The post looks at the causes of the frequent disconnection of strategy and policy from delivery, across all three sectors.

To read more, click here.

We fear facing life alone.
For fear of not fitting in, we take drugs.
For fear of standing out, we wear clothes.
For fear of appearing small, we go into debt and buy the house
When you know that God loves you,
You won’t be desperate for the love of others.

-Max Lucado

My neighbour has got a really angry husband who would scream and swear in Hokkien 6 times a week. On certain days when his anger hits the roof, he would turn to a destroyer, throwing anything that he can get his hands on. More screaming, kid cries, wife screams back…. it will go on and on for at least forty-five mins before the wife throws in the white towel to surrender.

I am pretty sure that most of us have been through the above scenario. Our parents fought, threatened one another, screamed and yelled. Leaving us crying and begging them to stop. Parents are unaware that besides providing their children with the best things in life, their bad behaviour and high expectations on their child would leave  negative imprints in their subconscious.

So who do you model after? Your mum or your dad?

For me, I’m the exact carbon copy of my mum… I can’t change her but I can start making the change within myself.

New Breakthrough Discovery By A Pair Of Personal Trainers Proves It’s Possible (And Easy)
To Build Muscle and Lose Fat At The Same Time…
And They Show You, Step By Step, Exactly How To Do It

Check it out by clicking on the image above, you won’t believe the results these guys get!!

Police officers are to be issued with a 93-page guide on how to ride a bicycle safely, according to today’s newspapers. It is easy to poke fun. Indeed the heading in the Sun newspaper was: ‘The bonkers bike book for bobbies.’

 And yet. I visited a hospital last week. The washroom contained a detailed process, with some fifteen elements, telling people how to wash their hands properly. Including processes for using the soap and for rubbing hands together, for a minimum duration. In one sense, it is laughable. In another, it is not. We know infection passes through hand contact and a hospital is a location full of high risk people. We also know about nasty diseases spread through hand contact.

It is not a public sector phenomenon. I saw the same kind of process instructions in a branch of Starbucks, where the wash room used by both staff and customers.

I visited a prison a few years ago when carrying out a review of the human resources function. I parked about 200 metres from the prison itself, in their parking area. I arrived at the prison gates. Went through security, having showed my passport. Was searched. Then I realized I was still carrying my mobile phone. That’s not allowed, for obvious reasons. So I handed it in. The staff took it and asked for a one pound coin. I apologized that I did not have one. They had no change. The coin was needed to secure a locker where the phone would be put. No coin meant no entrance. Stalemate was only solved when a senior guard lent me the coin. So what starts as a fairly simple process can need further thought.

I sometimes help manage a best practice consulting network meeting. It is not complex. But by the time you check refreshments, facilities, receive visitors, collect fees and so on you quickly get to a task list of over 20 things. And the role rotates amongst members. So it is helpful to have a guide and checklist.

And does it matter that it is 93-page bicycle guide? It depends on purpose. Is it for reference? Is it designed to think through safety implications? Is it a document to help promote the idea to police officers? Is it an effective piece of communication with its audience? It may be. But clearly not with the popular media.

Picture by g-hat

A queue for risk

The Treasury plan to remove the 100% guarantee on Northern Rock is a reminder of the enduring impact of poor risk management in banking.

But risk is the flip side of opportunity. If we wanted to avoid all risks, no ship would ever leave port. So organisations have to manage risk.

But the traditional approach – identify risks, assess likelihood, evaluate impact, identify actions – often neglects wider people and strategic issues.

Here are some of the problems and solutions I’ve come up with when reviewing risk management procedures and projects in the public and private sector:

• A new organisation had a good list of necessary actions to manage risk. But it was not being implemented. I turned it into a project with monthly reports to the Board.
• Staff were too frightened, of being shot as the messenger, to report risks truthfully. This is common. I have tried telling the CEO directly, creating a forum for staff to do so without blame and when time permits, have changed the underlying culture.
• The Board couldn’t get a grip on the transformation programme because they were swamped with long reports. I wrote an eight page summary, with two internal staff , concentrating on the key elements - a programme initiation document.
• The team in a caseworking organisation hadn’t  considered the impact on reputation of several risks materialising at once. Together, we developed a way of managing legacy cases that mitigated this danger.

When I’m delivering projects, I aim to manage by pulse beats, not by post mortems. This means keeping a finger on the pulse, being alert to warning antennae and acting before issues become problem, rather than trying to work out why the patient has died.

As Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a professor at Harvard Business School said, “The challenge is to learn to dance on a shifting carpet, rather than seeing the carpet pulled out from underneath.”

Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully crash landed on the Hudson River after colliding with a flock of geese, is a good example. The captain saved 155 passengers lives by being prepared (he had studied past water landings), and confident enough to make the snap decision to land on water. And to write a book about it.

Picture by Dominic

Program Details

The aim of this program is to encourage a greater number of young adults to consider what is in the library’s collection.  Taking a stance that people are more apt to engage with material on subjects which interest them, the program will aim to provide further background information for gamers from collection materials.  Teens will be invited to an after-hours social at the library where they will all get opportunities to play a game and, during downtime, engage with library materials which provide further information on the content / topic of the game.  (For example, a Super Mario Brothers tournament could feature books on moustache care, plumbing, and cooking with mushrooms, Fellini DVDs, and CDs of Andrea Bocelli – not that modern teens would be into all of those, but you get the point!)

Hopefully, this would be seen as a great way to reach out to young adults (especially among those who’d rather see them ‘off the streets,’ as it were, at night) in several ways:

• Providing a link between video games and more traditional forms of learning
• Highlighting materials of interest in the collection which might not get a lot of teen circulation, or circulation for that matter
• Providing a safe and positive option for a night out
• Providing an opportunity for youth to interact with adults in a fun and relaxed atmosphere

Program Logistics

What’s needed? The program would be open to older teens, who would need to pre-register as space could be limited, and run between 7 and 10 pm on a Friday night.  The space(s) used would need to be comfortable for teens in its décor and furnishings, preferably with low, comfortable chairs and sofas, as well as cushions for sitting on the floor.  Tables would be required to display the supporting materials, along with required audio / visual equipment as required (TV with DVD player, CD player, computer for uploading audio book).  Assuming the library does not have a video game console, one would have to be borrowed or rented, as will the games.

How will it run? Such events are always best carried out with as much teen input as possible.  This provides them with a sense of ownership which should help the program run more smoothly and provide validity in being created with input / by the peers of the participants.  Promotion would be best done via this group, through word of mouth and electronic networking, but poster promotion at school libraries and youth clubs would also aid in spreading the word outside the leader group’s sphere of influence.  Outside the usual tasks involved with acquiring the required materials, setting up, and taking down, the event itself would basically be a free ranging process whereby teens could alternate playing games and engaging with materials as they please.  Encouraging as many of them as possible to help with these logistics would provide further ‘ownership’ and alleviate pressures on staff.  They would also be encouraged to bring their own snacks.

Rock Band / DJ Hero

Rock Band 2 is the immensely popular interactive game which allows up to four players at a time to play along to popular songs using hand-held guitars and/or a drum kit.  Users must keep in time with the music by following along with the notation shown on screen.  Performing well, which can include singing, provides the on-screen band with enough fan support to allow them to progress on their ‘tour.’  If logistics allowed, a second console / tv could run DJ Hero which focuses on electronic and hip hop music.

There are many pop culture resources in the collection, and promoting recent content will ensure face validity with sagacious youngsters.  But as many of the songs in these games pre-date even current teenage births, showing the history behind the music would also be beneficial.  Away from the game play area, program participants could tap into the library’s CD collection while browsing the other materials set out.  These resources have been found in the London Public Library catalogue, with others being ignored due to poor user reviews at Amazon.ca.

• The Alan Cross Guide to Alternative Rock and The Ongoing History of New Music – Alan Cross (CD)
• Beats, Rhymes & Life: what we love and hate about hip-hop – edited by Kenji Jasper and Ytasha L. Womack (Book)
• Billboard – (Magazine – incl. online access)
• Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: a history of the hip-hop generation – Jeff Chang (Young Adult Book)
• Hip Hop World – Dalton Higgins (Book)
• On the Record: the Scratch DJ Academy guide – Phil White and Luke Crisell, with Rob Principe (Young Adult Book)
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls: how to start a band, write songs, record an album, and rock out – edited by Marisa Anderson (Book)
• Rock & Roll Generation: teen life in the 50s – ed. Time-Life Books (Graphic Book)
• Rock & Roll Jihad: a Muslim rock star’s revolution – Salman Ahmad (Book)
• Rolling Stone – (Magazine – incl. online access)
• The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll – ed. Holly George-Warren and Patricia Romanowski; consulting ed. Jon Pareles (Graphic Book)
• Sound Unbound: sampling digital music and culture – ed. by Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid (Book)
• Sounds Like Teen Spirit : stolen melodies, ripped-off riffs, and the secret history of rock and roll – Timothy English (Young Adult Book)
• Spin – (Magazine)
• The Unofficial Encyclopedia of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Nick Talevski (Graphic Book)
• (Library’s CD Collection)

Keyword search terms to go beyond the highlighted materials: (band / artist names), (genres), Band Touring, Canadian Content, CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission), DJ, Hip Hop, Music Industry, Music Journalism, Music Labels, Music Videos, Radio, Spinning.

People now know more about project management. But projects still fail. And big time. Why?

What can we learn from Noah, the first project manager? His project was challenging, to say the least. It was mission critical, because without it the world would end. It had an immovable deadline. He could not say ‘ sorry the ark will be ready the day after the flood’.

Why did he succeed? Noah had a great vision and was clear on scope and output. He combined the idea of a floating boarding kennel and a get-away-from-it-all cruise. Noah was an effective leader, planner and communicator. He understood the significance of the dove with leaf in its beak. He inspected progress regularly and set simple rules – only two of each species. Noah understood the risks and the importance of change management - he had the strongest project sponsor of all and got specialist advice from an authoritative source.

Compare what happened with the Tower of Babel. A confused purpose. No clear plan. No clear idea who was responsible for what. And all built on poor foundations.

And how is your project coming along? There is nothing Babel-like about it, is there?

Picture by bhollar

This Saturday (31 October 2009) from 8pm to 10 pm, Bush Radio will be paying tribute to the late Winston ‘Mankunku’ Ngozi with the help of Robbie Jansen, Sylvia Mdunyelwa and Buddy Wells, who knew him, performed with him and admired him.

Bra Winston in the Bush Radio studio

From YAKHAL’ INKOMO to SONG FOR BRA DES TUTU was a long journey for this much-loved saxophonist, composer and arranger. Experience some of it in MY KINDA JAZZ with Nigel Vermaas, Saturday night from 8.

Listen on 89.5 FM or online.

Rev Courtney Sampson

Reverend Courtney Sampson, Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC Western Cape was in studio yesterday to help wrap up the the Matric Revision Programme. Reverend Sampson shared words of encouragement, comfort and upliftment to the Matric class of 2009, as they embark on the gruelling final matric examinations.

Jaywant Parbhoo, Chief Education Specialist for the Western Cape Education Department, was also a guest on the programme. He offered matriculants practical tips to ensure they succeed in the exams.

Endless hours tied to a desk listening to ongoing lectures can be quite a bore, not to mention time consuming. No wonder the drop out rate is so high- students simply do not feel academically challenged enough to stay focused and achieve their professional objectives.

We live in a fast paced world where expectations are higher then before, where your abilities are judged by your qualifications; as a result we need to constantly develop our skills to demonstrate our determination to succeed.

While traditional learning has its benefits, more students prefer online training because of its flexibility and sense of achievement- besides learning does not have to be expensive, inconvenient and intimidating.

Online training offers you a range of benefits, which is exactly what we need for our modern day living. Whilst it gives you the ability to work at your own pace, learn at your own convenience without having to sit in a tedious lecture for long hours and reduce unnecessary costs, it also gives you an opportunity to challenge yourself and your abilities.

Gone are the days of having to attend detention because you have not done your homework or pulling an ‘all-nighter’ because you have a test to write early morning- with online training you have your own freedom and have to answer to no one but yourself.

This may sound easy but in reality as much as online training provides much benefits and gives you a good turnaround time to achieve your goals, it also tests your self-discipline and hunger for determination.

When attending a traditional class you are forced to keep up with your instructors schedules and work on prearranged times, but with online training you get to work at your own pace, you are no longer bound to anyone’s schedule and need to find the time to work your way through the course- by yourself, at your own time.

At Darnell training academy our courses are accessible 24/7 so you can learn when ever time suits you best. And with out online tutors supporting you all the way, you are kept motivated throughout the entire programme.

Online learning is an opportunity for all students to develop their skills to pursue their goals and although success doesn’t happen over night- with online learning achievement is but a few eye blinks away!

Early diagnosis of HIV without regular follow ups that ensure access to health services is of little use. Keeping that in mind, paediatric HIV care and treatment need to become an integral part of infant and child survival and health programme, a Unicef report said Monday.

A day before World AIDS Day, the report said failure to follow-up on mothers and children after birth represents both avoidable child death and a massive loss of investment as children identified in need and who have been referred to services do not access them. 

In this regard, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in India is planning to roll out the early infant diagnosis by 2010 in 700 integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTC) across the country.

‘Since 2005 many lives have been saved because of interventions, such as combination prevention efforts with young people, early infant diagnosis of HIV and antiretrovirals (ARVs) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV,’ the report which was released in New York said.

In terms of results, the report said that there has been a substantial increase in access to preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.

‘In 2008, in low-and middle-income countries, 45 percent of pregnant women living with HIV received antiretroviral drugs to keep them from passing the virus to their babies. That represents an increase from 35 percent in 2007 and from just 10 percent in 2004,’ it said.

India reported 10,673 women receiving ARV prophylaxis in 2008 out of an estimated 49,000 HIV positive pregnant women.

From Sify

30th November,2009

To:
Executive Chairman / President
Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer
cc:
Directors / General Managers
All interested persons concerned
From:
Ramli Abu Hassan
Principal Consultant
Diversified Promotion & Service Sdn.Bhd.
Shah Alam,Selangor Darul Ehsan
Hotline Contact:+6-0192537165
Email:ramlipromoter@yahoo.com
Dear Sir / Mdm / Ms.,

Training & Consulting Proposal for 2010 –Revolusi Aksi (Action Revolution) towards World Class Performances.

Greetings from all of us at Diversified Promotion & Service Sdn.Bhd. (DPS) based in Shah Alam,Selangor Darul Ehsan,Malaysia and our DPS Global Partners based in UK and USA especially.

The business of today requires World Class Talents to compete with all the World Class Companies that have established and expanded their businesses locally as well as globally.Like in Malaysia today,we also award Malaysia Class company and they too need to be the best in Quality,Cost,Delivery,Safety,Morale and Environment if they want to be among the Top Malaysian Performing companies and “reap the harvest” of the marketplace.
The 21st Century requires a competent and knowledgeable workforce that are able to conform to their customers’ requirements all the time as well as maintaining a performance standard of Zero Defects (ZD.)Do you know your current performance standard and do you want to raise your levels of achievements to World Class Performance Levels or be the No.1 in your industry for your products as well as your services offered.

We are pleased to introduce our Training programmes and Consulting packages especially designed to meet to your current demands for a more dynamic and competent knowledge workforce.The World Class Performance Training as developed by Prof.David Drennan from UK will enable your organization to compete with the best in the world.
In Dec,2007,we have added another World Class Performance subject ie.Corporate Universities(your in house U) to be promoted and implemented for Malaysian Companies and Government Agencies concerned.
Please find the attachments as provided for an introduction on the information about our World Class Performance & Corporate Universities subject and other training modules.

As of today,we are aggressively promoting the following products and services:

• World Class Performances –based on Prof.Drennan’s proven and successful approaches towards identifying the 12 Ladders towards World Class Performances.This is a 2 or 3 day Workshop Sessions where Encik Ramli will be the Main Facilitator and you will come to study and understand how the step by step approaches towards achieving Level 5 (World Class) for your company.
• Revolusi Aksi (Action Revolution)approaches as developed by Encik Ramli Abu Hassan towards building a more dynamic,action oriented,passionate and excellent team based workforce towards a World Class Company Culture and People Performance.The emphasis will be on Teamwork based projects like QCC@ICC,MQT,QIT and Special Project Teams.The target will be towards zero wastes,zero errors,zero delays,zero injuries,zero breakdowns,zero changeovers and zero defects. As a result of these actions,there will be many tangible and intangible benefits to the organization concerned.
• Corporate Universities –It’s time (in this 21stCentury) to build your own in-house university (Corp U) where your Corp U will assist YOUR Company to achieve her business results better than without one.Corp U will also assist your company to acquire,develop,manage and retain your “home-grown”Talents.DPS can arrange for this special Workshop where Mr.Kevin Wheeler will be invited to be the Main Trainer / Facilitator for the 2 day workshop session.
• And many others (eg.Team Building,5-S (Visual Management),TPM,TQM,etc.)

We wished to meet you at your earliest convenience so that we will be able to present you our company profile,products and services.We hope to quickly understand your training needs and all those customized projects that you may need us to design and execute with your people concerned.We can quickly be contacted at hp:019-2537165 (Ramli) or just e-mail at ramlipromoter@yahoo.com.

Wassallam.
Thank you very much.
Yours sincerely,
Ramli Abu Hassan MIQM,MASQ
Managing Director / Principal Consultant (since 1/11/1996 ~ today)
Author of book titled “Revolusi Aksi”
Malaysia’s Representative for Prof.David Drennan’s World Class Performance Study,Implementation and Audit since 2005.
Malaysia’s Representative for Global Learning Resources Inc,USA for Study,Designing,Implementation and Assessment of Corporate Universities since 2007.
Member of Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI)
Member of Business Council for Sustainable Development of Malaysia (BCSDM)
Working Experience in Production,HR and Quality with Matsushita (1976~1993)and Affin Bank Berhad (1993~1996)
Ramli have been an Entrepreneur (Full Time) since 1stNov,1996.

My grandpa had a transistor. It was old and already on the way to becoming a piece of junk. This was in late 1980s and early 1990s when TV had already made an inroad into our lives in a big way. However, like a rare monster on the verge of extinction, this transistor tickled my interest. Soon, I would spend a lot of time fiddling with it.

It was then that I discovered BBC world service and VOA.
Soon I was a fervent listener.
I have since stopped listening to radio, but I remember there were many of those wonderful programmes as ‘Anything Goes’, ‘Jazzmatazz’ on BBC radio and country music on Fridays(if my memory serves me right) on VOA . I can still recall the lady presenter on VOA signing off with her signature phrase ‘…wishing you lots and lots of country sunshine…’

Toda radio has largely taken a back seat. BBC  has also grown in its other avatars. But  it remains as engaging as decades ago. I hope it remains a credible source of news and entertainment for years to come.

As for country music, I’ll remain indebted to VOA for initiating me into the melodious world of bluegrass and other sounds from Nashville.

Screen Casting

What is it?

A screen cast is a video of what takes place on one’s computer screen.  The term was coined by InfoWorld columnist John Udell in 2004 to describe the means of recording desktop procedures for instructional purposes.  The prime uses for screen casts are demonstrations of software tools or deep navigation of Web sites.  These can be viewed in much the same way one would watch a movie.  This allows the user several ways in which to watch what is in effect a video tutorial – prior to or in conjunction with practice.
Who’s doing it?

Screen casts are being used in educational and workplace settings.  There are quite a few uses in practice, and more are being conceived of as the technology gains popularity.  Some typical uses for screen casts are:

• Tutorials – longer explanations of tool uses or Web site navigation
• Short ‘how-to’ Instructions – quick clips for specific, disjointed needs
• Conversational demonstrations – by attaching a multi-directional microphone, a demonstration can be enhanced by having an ‘expert’ and ‘novice’ discuss the typical questions asked while engaging with a new tool
• Software / Website Reviews
• Animated White Board – where the computer based tool is not the focus, an instructor could use a desktop writing device such as TabletPC and make recordings of hand-written content / directions on this computerised writing device
• Video Commentary – instructor can easily over-lay audio onto video
• Video Game Walkthroughs – especially useful for gamers, people are using screen casts to record successful completions of those hard-to-beat sections of video games (or simple boasting of those successes)

How does it work?

There are various software programs which allow the user to create customised screencasts to suit their needs.  One of the first basic needs to be assessed is whether sound is needed.  Some software programs do not allow audio narration, but most do.  The next step to consider is whether one wants to present a seamless, real-time video or whether one would rather use a series of screen captures.  Either way, a screen cast allows the viewer to see (and possibly hear) step-by-step instructions on how to use any software tool or navigate any website.  There are many different ways in which someone can present their demonstration, but simple set of guidelines can make the process easy for anyone.

1. Create a story board. Make rough sketches of each, or major frames, with notes explaining what will take place in each.
2. Create a script. Either with full text or bulleted highlights, a script will ensure that your supporting instructions are clear and to the point.  A script will also prevent you from stumbling over your words or adding unnecessary ‘filler’ such as ‘um’ or ‘ah’.
3. Pre-load. Open any files or pages which will be needed to save time and make transitions smooth.
4. Do a trial run. Without recording, go through the entire process of the demonstration with your scripted commentary to ensure you haven’t missed anything and check that everything makes sense.
5. Start recording. If your chosen software allows editing, don’t worry so much about mistakes as they can be removed easily.  If not, and you are worried about making mistakes, consider making shorter clips which can either stand-alone, or be pieced together with other software.
6. Add polish. Make your presentation look more professional with title and end screens.  Title screens between key steps can make your screencast more user-friendly, providing a break where information can be processed and/or allowing them start / stop reference points.
7. Produce it! The software usually makes this as easy as pressing a few buttons in sequence.  Pay attention to each stage, as there might be interesting options with regard to formatting.  For example, while a large, high quality version is ideal for computers, you might be able to make a smaller version for portable media players.  (Consider how beneficial it would be for someone to progress through a computer-based tool without having to click between the program and the tutorial screencast on the same computer.)
8. Host it. Consider the best place, or places, for your target users to access your screen cast.

(Adapted from: “That’s Infotainment!” – Kroski, 2009)

What are the downsides?

Possible downsides surround the limited interactivity with the delivery format.  If used as a stand-alone resource, without instructor support, a user might find that the screen cast does not answer all questions that arise.  One other impediment might be the way in which screen casts tend to work.  If a user is trying to run a piece of software which requires a lot of interactivity, but is also trying to watch a video explaining the process, one has to wonder if the process of clicking between windows might not make the process more frustrating.  In such cases, having a PC set up with two terminals might make this much easier, as would having screen casts converted to a format which might be played on a hand-held video device.

Where is it going?

The possibilities for screen casts are only in its infancy, especially as technology spreads to a generation of instructors who never grew up with technology and are slowly integrating it into their curriculum.  Software packages are plentiful, with each offering a different set of abilities and options for editing.

What are the implications for information literacy teaching and learning?

Screen casting allows ‘instructors’ at any level to reach even more users.  Screen casts can be added to Web sites, exist on individual computers or networks, uploaded to the internet, or even shared for personal use.  The video created is a relatively small file that is easily transferable.  They also allow users to engage with tools at their own speed.  Rather than having to cope with the pace of an instructor, they can take as much – or little – time as needed to sufficiently learn.  It also allows for skipping ahead to and repeating sections as needed.  On a much more significant level, it allows another dimension of technological integration within information literacy and general education settings.  It also serves the needs of an increasing amount of people who benefit from and prefer to learn through more visual and kinaesthetic means.  On a practical ‘man-power’ level, screen casts could allow instructors to focus their time on other pressing issues while leaving the ‘easy’ instructional aspects up to the video, or be able to give more help to those who are struggling while those who ‘get it’ can progress through a series of videos.

Resources:

Carr, Allison, and Pearl Ly.  “‘More than Words’: Screencasting as a Reference Tool.”  Reference Services Review. Vol. 37, No. 4, 2009.

Kroski, Ellyssa.  “Thats Infotainment!  How to create your own screencasts.”  School Library Journal.  1, Feb. 2009.

Notess, Greg R.  “Casting the Net: Podcasting and Screencasting.”  Online. Vol. 29, Iss.  6: pp. 43-45, Nov-Dec, 2005.

Udell, Jon. “What is Screencasting?”  O’Reilly digitalmedia.  5 November, 2005.  Accesed on 17 November, 2009 at:  http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/digitalmedia/2005/11/16/what-is-screencasting.html?page=1

Winterbottom, Sandy.  “Virtual lecturing: Delivering lectures using screencasting and podcasting technology.”  Planet. No. 18: pp. 6-8, June, 2007.

Further Information:

MyScreencast.com Forums – Everything You Need to Know http://www.myscreencast.com/forums/

Wikipedia Comparison of Screencasting Software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_screencasting_software

Are your projects in a muddle?

A previous post discussed project overload and what to do about it.

If you don’t prioritise, you usually fail to achieve your goals.

It’s like shooting the alligators rather than draining the swamp.

So can you be confident, that your projects, taken as a whole, will deliver your goals? 

These initiatives are variously called work streams, projects, programmes.

These are key questions to consider:

• Are your projects still appropriate?
• Are they still deliverable?
• For example: Do you have, or can you transfer skills and knowledge?
• For example: Do you have the necessary ingredients for project success?
• Will they realise business benefits?
• Is the overall risk acceptable?

The issue is going to be particularly important in the public sector. Many public sector projects are long term, so there is a big legacy of incomplete initiatives. There is also a high spend on projects, in relation to business as usual.  It is also urgent because of changes in public sector financials, political change and structural change. For example, many new agencies have been created in the last few years to create independent organisations. This is now likely to be reversed because of financial constraints.

In my experience as a Portfolio Director, this is challenging stuff because it crosses disciplines like programmes, organisation and strategy and needs engagement with technical experts.  It is also both analytical and emotional. People don’t want to give up projects when they are a big part of their position and power.

But it is vital to actively manage initiatives as a whole, without losing sight of the detail; ’strategic portfolio management’  in jargon. If they degenerate into a muddle, they won’t, taken as a whole, deliver your goals. And you will disrupt your business, waste resources and demotivate your staff.

 Picture by Mykl Roventine

Over the past two weeks five members of Radio Dialogue in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe have been interning at Bush Radio’s studios.

This training is a continuation of  Bush Radio and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung’s (FES) assistance to the development of the community radio sector in Southern Africa.

Rosie Chauke and Thandazani Nkomo checking the local papers

The visit comes after we conducted station based training in Bulawayo. (see story here) The five interns have been placed in different departments in order to enhance the skills they already have.

Radio Dialogue is a community radio station which aims to give people of Bulawayo a voice. At the moment it does not have a broadcasting licence but has managed to engage the people of Bulawayo in its activities.

Bush Radio's Denisia Adams with Radio Dialogue's Munya Gova in studio

The radio station is in touch with the community through recorded broadcasts, road shows and focus group meetings which all aim to give people a platform to air their views on issues affecting them.

Rosie Chauke, a youth coordinator from Radio Dialogue says her duties include working on various projects. “We have activities such as debate camps, drama competitions, talk shows and public speaking competitions for those youth that are still at school,” said Chauke.

Sakhisizwe's Busisiwe Mtabane (front) with Sanele Njini from Bulawayo

Chauke, who was based in the Bush Radio Newsroom, says through this training she expecting to get a better feel for broadcasting.

“It has been my greatest wish to do this and now I have finally got a chance to do this and I’m so excited, though at first I had cold feet and was very nervous,” added Chauke.

She concluded that being in the newsroom is an experience, because at their station she only read the news, whereas at Bush Radio she got to do compiling and conduct interviews.

Emmanuel Nkomo from Radio Dialogue selecting music with the help of Victor J

Thandazani Nkomo who is also based in the Bush Radio Newsroom added; “It’s been a nice experience for me being at Bush Radio. We had an opportunity of going on air. It is a dream we hope to realise in Zimbabwe soon.”

Bush Radio will be conducting follow-up training again in Zimbabwe to see the progress of the interns and to see what they have implemented from their stay at our little station.

Emmanuel (centre) hosted a staff development session on drumming

*The Radio Dialogue interns can be heard on Bush Radio 89.5 FM or online between 09h00 – 16h00 and will conduct a special on-air programme on Friday the 27 November between 14h00 – 16h00.