Lawsagna

Top 100 Tools for Learning

Jane Hart at the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies is compiling the Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008 list by asking learning professionals to contribute their lists of top 10 favorite tools for learning.  If you want to know more about Web 2.0 technologies and social learning, the Centre is an excellent place to start.  I've written about the Directory of Learning Tools, which now contains over 2,000 production and personal tools for learning. You can also check out 25 must-have free tools for professional development. And here’s the link to my top 10 learning tools. 

Shorten your learning curve!

Spring Equinox

It's been busy around here (I will update on the developments soon), and my blogging gave in.  Today is a fresh start.  It's Spring Equinox.  The word "equinox" derives from the Latin words "aequus" (equal) and "nox" (night), which translates into "equal night."  During the equinoxes, the Sun is positioned directly above the Earth's equator, and day and night are about the same length all over the world.  Some believe that we should actually make our plans for the New Year on Spring Equinox.  The winter months preceding the Spring Equinox are good for reflection and contemplation, but now is the time to spring into action.  Have you given up on any of your 2008 resolutions yet?  Today may be a good day to bring the important objectives back into focus.  Let's get in sync with nature, affirm our clear intentions for 2008 and receive the energy boost we need to shake off the winter slumber.

Shorten your learning curve!

TimeLeft for time management

TimeLeft is a multipurpose time-management tool that can notify you of an upcoming event, count down till your next scheduled study or work break, measure time interval and signal its end, even track online auctions.  The program can can also replace Windows' built-in system-tray clock.

"TimeLeft is a versatile desktop utility, which may be used as a countdown clock, reminder, clock, alarm clock, tray clock, stopwatch, timer, sticker, auction watch and time synchronization utility. TimeLeft uses Winamp skins to show digits and text.

The main feature of TimeLeft is a powerful customizable reminder, which can show a message, play music (any formats including mp3) or open a link, document, execute an application, turn off your monitor or shutdown your PC."

Shorten your learning curve!

"The Opposable Mind" by Roger L. Martin

If you like to think about how you think, you may want to read Tim Milburn’s review of "The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking" by Roger L. Martin.  The book discusses the concept of integrative thinking:

The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.

For lawyers who are used to fighting out the opposing ideas, this book may offer a refreshingly new perspective.  I imagine, mediators may find it useful too.  I've just added the book to my Amazon wishlist.

Shorten your learning curve!