Review of e-Learning by Design (Paperback)

This author actually was able to present detailed and effective solutions for E-Learning problems.You could sense that he had to solve similar problems.He also seemed to have encountered a broad range of real E-Learning problems, rather than simply theorize about them.The solutions made sense.In addition, Horton presented a number of well researched issues that appear to have caused problems due to frequent instructional designer beliefs that the E-media itself is good enough to cover the lack true learning assistance...... real learning assistance, that all too often is missing in many E-Learning presentations due to interaction gimmicks that offer no relationship to assisting with the learning process.

Great book! Sits now on top of my Michael Allen E-Learning books. I also liked Horton's apparent attitude that philosophizing does not solve instructional problems, but offering solid detailed solution approaches can.

Product Description
From William Horton -- a world renowned expert with more than thirty-five years of hands-on experience creating networked-based educational systems -- comes the next-step resource for e-learning training professionals. Like his best-selling book Designing Web-Based Training, this book is a comprehensive resource that provides practical guidance for making the thousand and one decisions needed to design effective e-learning.

e-Learning by Design includes a systematic, flexible, and rapid design process covering every phase of designing e-learning. Free of academic jargon and confusing theory, this down-to-earth, hands-on book is filled with hundreds of real-world examples and case studies from dozens of fields.

"Like the book's predecessor (Designing Web-based Training), it deserves four stars and is a must read for anyone not selling an expensive solution. -- From Training Media Review, by Jon Aleckson, www.tmreview.com, 2007

From the Back Cover
From William Horton-a world renowned expert with more than thirty-five years of hands-on experience creating networked-based educational systems-comes the next-step resource for e-learning training professionals. Like his best-selling book Designing Web-Based Training, this book is a comprehensive resource that provides practical guidance for making the thousand and one decisions needed to design effective e-learning.

E-Learning by Design includes a systematic, flexible, and rapid design process covering every phase of designing e-learning.?Free of academic jargon and confusing theory, this down-to-earth, hands-on book is filled with hundreds of real-world examples and case studies from dozens of fields.

E-Learning by Design guides both industrial trainers and academic educators in:

• Inventing engaging learning activities
• Targeting specific goals
• Designing learning games and simulations
• Writing online tests and assessments

It also helps readers select media, ensure reuse of content, specify learning objects, design the display, and make courses navigable. But wait, there's more! E-Learning by Design goes beyond traditional e-learning to include guidance on creating electronic job aids, virtual classroom activities, and mobile learning for PDAs and SmartPhones.

E-Learning by Design is jam-packed with best practices you can apply right away, using tools you already own.This is the guide trainers and educators need on their journey to creating successful e-learning programs.

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Review of Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime (Paperback)

note: I submitted my review yesterday and incorrectly put the publishers name instead or Horton in the review. I have corrected thaterror below

Excellent overview and covers the in depth considerations necessary for any successful WBT program

I do consulting in education on WBT and I am a Director of a WBT Consulting Certification Program and consequently usually do not have the time to write reviews.However, in this instance I had to take the time. Horton has done an excellent job of providing an overview of WBT and an in depth study of the instructional design related to a WBT program. He covers most of the issues you will be facing setting up WBT and his book should be on your shelf and one of the first that you read if you are just getting started in WBT or in need of further guidance in this area. He doesn't go into the practical development side of the how to do the graphics, programming, and Web architecture, but that is OK because that is a separate area in itself.If you need to know most of the considerations involved with WBT, then this is definitely your book. After you have read his book sit down and use his suggestions to plan your WBT program and you will not go wrong. He also addresses very practical issues in the instructional design of the WBT program and the courses within the program, how to set them up and conduct them.I can't say enough about how well he covers these topics. If you need a book that will give you ideas and make you think about your WBT program and the instructional design and development within your upcoming or current WBT program, his book will do all of that and more. His book will definitely make you think and will provide insightful assistance for WBT program managers, WBT instructional designers, WBT course development teams and WBT instructors alike. I particularly liked the instructional design of his book; it is full of illustrations that are as thought provoking as his words. The book is truly an idea generator.It is an easy read for a newcomer and a must read for the WBT professional.

Product Description
The surge in the number of online training sites has created an unprecedented demand for experts who know all aspects of Web-based training (WBT) site design. Written by bestselling author William Horton, this book provides the hands-on and practical guidance that trainers demand. Packed with over 100 examples, this well-illustrated guide walks you through every phase of designing WBT, from analyzing your course requirements and assessing the needs of potential students to designing a course for a global audience.

You'll find out how to combine elements into effective and interesting learning sequences, discover how to overcome any technical hurdle that may arise, how to offer materials that motivate learning, and how to use Web technologies to create 21st-century alternatives to traditional courses.

Praise for Designing Web-Based Training

"Horton has done it again! He's addressed the cutting-edge problem of Web-based training design with his pragmatic, research-based approach. His work is task-oriented and down-to-earth. He doesn't waste our time with excessive educational philosophy. In short-comprehensive overview, practical advice, engaging presentation."-Robert E. Horn, Author, Visual Language: Global Communication for the 21st Century

"As each new media wave is adopted for instructional pur-poses, there is a lag in effective exploitation of the unique features the medium brings for supporting learning. Designing Web-Based Training bridges the gap by providing a rich and detailed reference."-Ruth Clark, EdD, President, Clark Training & Consulting

"Designers have been seeking guidance on how to exploit the Web's distribution potential while combining it with powerful instructional programs. Horton provides structure, stimulation, and substance in this important book. Web-based training is definitely what is happening now. Designing Web-Based Training will be a de facto classic in the field.* Design guidelines
* Live versions of many examples from the book
* A course shell and sample lessons
* Links to helpful references

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Review of The Web Page Design Cookbook: All the Ingredients You Need to Create 5-Star Web Pages (Paperback)

I'm not a web developer or designer by any stretch of the imagination, but I do a lot of HTML page development and maintenance, with some light javascript programming thrown in on my own web site.I started in January 2000 with an account for a personal page, Notepad.exe and a quick reference card.I learned basic HTML in the process, but also created an eyesore.As my technical skills evolved the ugliness of my creation remained the same. I swallowed my pride and got this book.It was one of the best purchases I ever made.

For a total beginner this is a good first book because it steps you through creating your first page, then adding features and using advanced HTML as you progress.For someone who is already proficient with HTML and has developed a few pages, you may find something useful in the advanced techniques and will certainly receive an education in good web page design.Some of the highlights of the authors' approach to design are in the examples.The accompanying CD ROM has every example in HTML format so you can see how they will display in your particular browser brand and version, and you can look at the code and play with it to see how your changes will display.This alone is a real time saver, and it makes this book all the more useful.

If you are a technical writer the examples for web pages that provide how-to procedures, troubleshooting procedures, on-line lessons and survey forms reflect good page design and the example files on the CD ROM can be immediately used as templates.

The only thing that detracts from this book is that it's woefully out of date. Some of the tools provided on the CD ROM are ancient, as are the discussions on various desktop operating systems.For example, Windows 95 was not even on the market when this book went to press and the authors' discussion on network issues were educated guesses. Now the network facilities built into desktop operating systems are so transparent that this section of the book can be safely ignored.However, we also live in a world where HTML has evolved to version 4, cascading style sheets are used on many sites (not to mention Macromedia Flash, Active Server Pages, more sophisticated java and javascript, etc.), rendering a lot of the technical aspects of this book quaint.On the other hand, that might not be such a bad thing since the best web pages are simple and more focused on design instead of a bunch of technical razzle-dazzle.But, I would love to see this book updated to reflect contemporary tools and techniques for web page design because I like the way the authors' impart their knowledge.This book would make an excellent text for a web design 101 class, and is one of the best for those of us who play around with this stuff.I'm subtracting a star because the book sorely needs to be updated, but am still giving it my highest recommendation.

Product Description
Horton is well-known for his design and layout technique and this book is no exception. Each example is presented as a two-page spread with the finished product facing the HTML coding that produced it. Readers will be able to type, cut and paste their way to create functional, ergonomically correct and aesthetically appealing Web pages that can be used across all platforms. The accompanying CD-ROM includes approximately 200 Web-page components, 25 complete Web pages, 50 Web-page clusters, 100 icons and 25 graphics Web pages.

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