One of our “core PSA themes” is that learning is everywhere, and the tools of learning apply “across the board” in the online world.. Which is why we decided to use a term like Defined Learning Experiences (DLE) to reflect this essential commonality of learning endeavors, and give us a fundamental concept that included ALL the learning endeavors that were defined to take place at least partly online (and not simply happenstance learning in our everyday lives.)

Which is also why, the techniques and methods that work for teaching an academic subject might turn out to be very similar to what is used to teach a so-called soft skill. Or healthcare item. Or mental health need. Or a spiritual need, such as “happiness”, or “flourishing” or simply “wise living”. Or even learning  about what might be appropriate public policy. Like water use and watershed issues for example. Yes, it’s all connected.

Some recent examples we have noted  are dealing with PTSD for returning vets that Feds will promote, and a how to exercise Udemy course, which has a whole section on “lifestyle”. And one can make a relatively endless list of learning that we will, or presently do, online. Maybe we should try at some point to MindMap out the world of learning “fields” and DLE. Imagine such would rival our SNM contacts mindmaps for complexity.

One of the pioneers of learning online, and one of the first to use short videos as the core tool for online learning, was Lynda.com. (perhaps one of the very first was “The Teaching Company, now called “The Great Courses” who simply set up a camera on a tripod and recorded university professors lectures and distributed on cassette, audio or VHS…not “online per se”.)

Maybe Gary’s “Tempo” was around long ago… and courses over video networks, including broadcast TV,  have been with us since days of “educational tv” precursor to PBS, in early 60s, at least.

Lynda.com started as professional development for online media production mostly… Learning the Adobe Creative Suite applications…but has continued to “branch out”. Here’s one of their most recent efforts in…”Emotional Intelligence” which seems far removed from the kind of technical expertise they formerly were known for. But apparently the same Learning Methods apply….