As I’ve noted in past posts, the notion of Big Data has been increasingly explored by educators as a vehicle to promote more efficient learning as it relates to student behavior in online learning environments. See my earlier article “Better Learning thru Big Data” for some examples. The use of data and models to predict student progress and performance as a method of establishing prescriptive learning is an emerging area of research. Its aim is to provide those responsible for education feedback on how engaged students are as well as how much they learned and then provide suggestions as to how lessons can be improved. It’s even been suggested that teachers will increasingly become analysts – living in the world between art and technology. Read further >

In thinking about the future direction of information products, I find it has become increasingly important to keep an eye on how kids are interacting with the web and their friends. Their evolving expectations around software, information sharing and network participation are shaping the way they will view current software solutions by the time they become young professionals hitting the workforce. I, for one, am constantly learning new things from my resident digital natives and their friends who continue to teach me about new ways to use the web and interact with their world on an almost daily basis. The winter school break last month gave me plenty of time to observe their new “workflows” and a short list of areas I will explore further. In the meantime though, there are two things I noticed around learning and sharing that have implications for those of us who design and develop software solutions. Read further >

In past columns I have touched on how the principles inherent in social gaming can be applied to help drive product features that foster customer retention. Recently I stumbled on a new site seeking to turn the principles of gameficiation outside-in in an original way using external social validation as a way to bring both new users in as well as extend the game elements to the real world. Read further >

On demand learning providers are beginning to offer up an increasing body of content through mobile devices. The iPad and various smartphones have made it viable to offer an increasing number of courses available for consumption anywhere at any time. Read further >

When I hear the term “Big Data”, I think of an omniscient Google or Facebook able to accurately forecast what products or services are best suited for me at an increasingly particular point in time and place (i.e. Why am I seeing ads for Coldplay’s Austin, Texas show next month on my Facebook account? And for that matter, how did Facebook know that I’m going to be in Austin, Texas next month and that I like Coldplay?). Improved prospecting and marketing are one of the many commercial applications of Big Data. But that’s just a small part of what Big Data is about and every area that touches information technology and human behavior will ultimately be affected in some way. Read further >

There is a fantastic site for parents like me who sometimes are called upon by their kids to help them understand their math homework. It’s called the Khan Academy and it features over 2100 short instructional videos covering a wide range of academic concepts and a rich site filled with exercises, user stats, and various badges designed to reinforce the learning experience. Read further >

A New World of Interactive Data Visualization
Significant research around the value of interactive data visualization techniques (PDF) as it relates to accounting decision making suggests that the bar will continue to be raised on professionals’ communication and reporting skills in the coming years. The availability of better tools as well as a generally greater mastery of data visualization techniques are giving rise to exciting new ways to present accounting and other data in more compelling and meaningful ways. Read further >

In my last post, It’s All in the Play – Improving User Engagement Through Social Gaming, I looked briefly at the rapidly growing popularity of social gaming. Now let’s take a look at the underlying principles of their design and examine how they potentially can be translated into products aimed at professional markets. Read further >

I have always been interested in how general trends and consumption patterns can provide insights to opportunities that can be extended into our markets. In particular, understanding Facebook’s direction in how to best “own and manage” communities provides some of the most compelling insights in terms of the future of social media in product design. Their site and business models provide a wealth of ideas and serves as an ongoing source of inspiration for new product features and models that could be adapted for professional markets. Read further >