Sunday, December 25, 2011
how to accomplish a tech accouter ramp
Friday, December 16, 2011
Step2 Build And Store Block And Activity Table
!±8±Step2 Build And Store Block And Activity Table
Brand : Step 2Rate :
Price : $79.99
Post Date : Dec 16, 2011 10:23:10
Usually ships in 3 to 5 days
This multipurpose table is the perfect play space for building, drawing, or any creative adventure! With lots of storage and removable block plates, it's also a perfect activity table!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Glass Mosaic Tile Art - Store Your Stained Glass Without Paying a Fortune For Racks and Cabinets
If you work with stained glass, you know what I'm talking about. It seems like every room in the house and every table, dresser, bed, and desk has sheets of glass sitting on it collecting dust. Stained glass clutters every open space everywhere. One day, my wife had enough. She said firmly, "Please clean up all this glass, I can't stand it anymore." I responded, "Yes, dear." I thought about how I could store my glass without piling the sheets on top of each other, creating a stack two feet high. That wouldn't be good for the glass, especially those at the bottom of the pile, and it would be terribly inconvenient every time I needed a piece near the bottom. Ideally, stained glass should be stored on its side, not piled on top of each other. I didn't want to spend a thousand bucks to buy a fancy rack system, and I don't have the proper tools to build one myself. So, what is a broke (i.e., no money) mosaic and stained glass artist to do when the wife says clean it up or throw it away?
I sat imagining the rack system at the local hobby store where I buy a lot of my stained glass. It's a beautiful thing. Nice, neat shelves with the proper spacing to fit 12-inch by 12-inch sheets of glass, and dividers every two or three inches so the glass can rest on its edges lightly leaning to the side. It truly is a thing of beauty. Where can I get something like that without spending a fortune? It suddenly hit me. I dreamed up the perfect solution.
I went to my favorite home improvement store to see what kinds of ready-made cabinets are available. I immediately saw the perfect piece. It's a slim five-shelf cabinet, about 10 inches wide and about four feet high. The key is that it has adjustable shelves. Two of those cabinets would give me plenty of room to store all my glass and provide lots of room to expand my stock. The problem was that the piece is 10 inches wide. I need each section to be about half that width to fit only a few pieces of glass and allow them to lean at a small angle. How can I divide each 10-inch section into halves? Again, it immediately hit me.
I remembered using thin pieces of metal for one of my many hair-brained house projects. Each piece is about 12 inches long, 2 inches wide, and less than 1/8-inch thick so it easily bends with a little elbow grease. Another good thing is that the metal pieces already had pre-drilled holes at each end. I think the metal pieces are actually used in construction as a type of mending plate, but that didn't stop me from using them for my latest crazy idea. I figured I could attach two of these metal pieces to the bottom of each shelf to hang down, creating a divider upon which the glass could lean. Perfect! I bought two cabinets and a bunch of the metal strips.
I quickly assembled the first cabinet. I used only two of the five adjustable shelves because I needed at least 13 inches between shelves. With the bottom fixed shelf, these two adjustable shelves gave me a total of three shelves. Remember, the key to this crazy idea is that the shelves must be adjustable. To adjust the shelves on this cabinet, little holes are drilled into the side pieces of the cabinet into which little metal dowels are inserted. Four dowels are inserted for each shelf at the right height, and then the shelf rests loosely on the four dowels.
For each shelf, I used two pieces of metal as a center divider, one piece toward the front and one piece toward the back. I bent one end of the metal piece two inches from the end, creating a 90-degree L-shape. The short 2-inch side is attached with two small screws to the bottom of each shelf so the longer 10-inch side hangs down, thereby creating the divider. The metal pieces are thick enough to hold the glass without bending when the glass leans on the dividers, but thin enough to easily bend to make the L-shape.
Each shelf section now has two of these metal pieces hanging down in alignment as a divider, creating two 5-inch-wide sections on each shelf. I assembled the second cabinet and installed the metal pieces the same way as the first cabinet. The two cabinets rest side-by-side in my studio and neatly hold all my stained glass. There's enough room to store my glass not only by color, but also by texture. All my glass is in one organized place now. The rest of the house is glass-free, and the wife is very happy. By the way, did I mention that I created this perfect glass storage system for less than 0? Amazing what a little ingenuity can do.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Rymdreglage - 8-bit trip
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Fisher-Price Fun 2 Learn Preschool Center
!±8±Fisher-Price Fun 2 Learn Preschool Center
Brand : Fisher-PriceRate :
Price : $59.99
Post Date : Nov 22, 2011 19:00:16
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
This 2-in-1 playset makes going to school fun. It creates a child-sized school-like environment that encourages imaginative play and learning. The center comes to life with speech, sounds, music, lights and fun characters. The light-up screen and clock character teach letters, numbers, shapes and weather. Kids can follow the lights to learn how to write. Or they can use the light-up shapes for drawing. Flip the tabletop up to discover tons of musical play. There's a piano and light-up drum character. Includes storage areas on the sides and underneath. Requires 3 "C" batteries (not included). Measures 30" x 17" x 34.5". Assembly required.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Performance Modeling For Organizational Learning
Synergistic Design is the process of improving an organizational outcome by actively seeking and encouraging synergy between the key perspectives of an organization - the business, purpose, technology and people (McKey, 2006).
Venture capitalists and corporate raiders continually seek synergy and improved performance by buying, dismantling, and putting back together various companies, retaining assets and shedding inefficiencies. It is not often we get to completely reinvent our organizations. Many organizations just happen and grow. Others, such as our institutions, are prescribed and then just amble along for many years, never blossoming and never withering. Performance for them is just meeting a set of minimum standards.
However programs and projects within organizations are prime candidates for design, rejuvenation and the application of synergistic design. Particularly those change programs that have an effect across the organization such as new systems implementation, the introduction of learning and development programs and in particular recent initiatives such as the development of high-performance cultures.
These types of programs tend to have a low efficacy and high failure rate within organizations due to their complexity and breadth. Any new program has to work hard to provide a vision people will invest time and effort in. And the high rate of failure is self-fulfilling since, to use the words of Lowell George, the participants always have "one foot on the platform and the other on the train" ("Rocket in my Pocket", 1977). Self interest reigns supreme.
Even worse is when we strike the antonym of synergy, conflict. While friendly rivalry within organizations is often encouraged it can become destructive when it boils over into out and out competition for resources. The recognizing and naming of dysfunctional behavior has been used in family therapy for many years. It is also a useful strategy for getting disparate groups in organizations to align their perspectives for the common good.
Putting Synergy to work
Yet reducing conflict and creating synergy is just a starting point for organizational change. It aids the design. We still require a way to provide clarity for common and personal goals. Once synergy is achieved within a work group or organization it can be applied in the building of what I term a Performance Model. Virtually any entity can be modeled for performance, from teams, to programs to the organization as a whole. Ulrich has recently used a similar model to describe the functions and role of a HR department.
A performance model has three layers or levels of framework based upon building capability, usability and performance.
1. Level one is to build Capability across the entity. This is the foundation layer for any endeavor. Seats and desks, information systems, HR, business and specific purpose functions. This is about infrastructure and business operations.
2. Level two is all about providing access and Usability to the underlying capability. This is where learning and development and other HR services have an important role to play. This is about process and business improvement.
3. Finally level three is all about Performance. Synergistic entities utilising all the capability to deliver outcomes that are greater than the sum of their parts. This is about creating value and business transformation.
The Performance Model
Performance means different things for different people in different roles. By defining the desired/required performance outcomes for each team or role we can consider what capability the organization needs to provide. This is usually obvious. For example information technology requires wiring, hardware, software, core skills, support, administration systems and so on. Entrepreneurship requires flexible delegation and decision-making frameworks.What is not always obvious is how we get from capability, which is often passive, to performance that is dynamic. The intermediate step required is about personalizing the use of the capability and utilizing it in context. Only then can performance outcomes be reached since performance itself is usually context driven. There is a missing step. Performance modeling is about personalizing that missing step.
Capability is an input. Performance is an outcome. Just by having the former does not guarantee achievement or success in the latter. Yet when organizations make investments in infrastructure and systems, often, almost no budget is allocated to ensuring that investment will yield results via improved performance. It is often left to chance and people's inventiveness.
In addition the capability layer does not actually do any work nor produce an outcome. This is the role of the usability layer. Only when we have adequate access to, and usability of, underlying capability can we produce a performance and hence only then can we measure the efficacy of our overall system and investment. So we can summarize the elements of a generic performance model as follows.
Layers
1. Capability
The Capability layer in any performance model is the foundation layer upon which the processes (usability) and performance layers reside. The average user does not need to know how this layer works, only its capability.
2. Usability(transfer)
Yet the capability layer is 'passive', it doesn't do anything. The Usability or transfer layer is where work gets done, using applications, skills and applying knowledge. Leveraging the capability.
3. Performance
While the above layer may provide you with the skills and means to use a word processor, for instance, it doesn't help you write an essay. The performance layer is the very human layer where individuals or groups apply meaning, solve problems and create new ideas.
Measuring Capability
In a business sense the required capability for an organization is what it requires to do business. In Marx's day it was land, labor and capital. For BHP it is access to resources, markets and plant for processing etc. For a marketing firm it is access to talent in an industry where intellectual property is the new capital. For most organizations their basic infrastructure provides all the capability they need. Buildings, classrooms, computer systems and the like. Industry specific technology is often critical.
Hence we also know how to measure and value capability. It is mainly tangible or at least has an agreed value. We use it to measure the book value of a company and we have a good idea of the cost of our investments in resources that provide the capability to carry out our organizational function or business. In learning and development for example capability is manifested in learning management systems, curriculum, content, learning resources and even teaching staff.
Measuring and providing Usability
Usability is probably the greatest area that affects the return on our investment in capability. While the capability layer has objective measures, here the measures are mainly subjective and intangible. There are still few standard measures for how well someone can use and apply a computing system. The two main measures used are competency and productivity. Poor usability in the form of low productivity is an invisible leaking of organizational funds and investment. Possibly the best way to reach high usability of an organization's capability is to provide personal and proactive support. I use the typical hotel concierge as a role model. Always available but not pushy, knowledgeable without being a know-it-all. While the cost of plugging the leak through proactive support methods may appear high initially it should return its investment reasonably quickly and increase both productivity and usability.
ELearning for example has a high failure rate. Quality issues aside one of the main failure points is poor implementation. Learners left alone in the new environment of eLearning often find themselves wondering what to do to succeed. Face to face communication is sometimes hard enough yet how do you get the most out of online discussions or engage in team projects at a distance? Time management, dealing with the technology and tackling tricky quizzes are all skills the learner must now manage alone. Many just give up in frustration.
One sure way to improve implementation for learners new to eLearning is to use the classroom. Using a facilitator to introduce people to the methods and techniques of self-paced and collaborative learning will quickly develop capability and confidence by doing. Learning new skills in a social setting improves learning and helps them concentrate on the task. Others and the facilitator are nearby to help or discuss tactics. They are learning about learning. While a classroom and facilitator may be more expensive to begin with the return on that initial investment will be repaid many times over through confident and engaged learners who can then succeed with eLearning.
Measuring and achieving Performance
As discussed above the performance layer is the very human layer where individuals or groups apply meaning, solve problems and create new ideas. It can be said that capability multiplied by usability equals performance.
Capability x Usability = Performance
Yet what constitutes sufficient, good or bad performance can be highly subjective. Both required and desired levels of performance need to be defined, agreed and articulated within all areas of an organization. This is not competence and requires a different language.
The contemporary interpretation of performance differs from traditional notions of productivity yet remains closely related to it. While productivity measures activity, as inputs and outputs, performance measures outcomes. For example Brent (2005) argues teaching is "above all, a performance art that unfolds in real time". Education has long been measured on outcomes. By viewing many traditional corporate roles and attributes such as customer service, management and leadership as 'performance' centric could change the way we prepare people for them and measure their value.
Possibly the most critical role for our concierge is in the easing and assisting of people through change. Change will undoubtedly bring anxiety and reluctance to anyone and the more resources available for helping individuals confront change and gain confidence with new practices will be rewarded. So just as a drama or sports coach turns rehearsal and training into performance we should also support managers, teams and individual learners achieve their specific outcomes.
Summary
This introduction to performance modeling shows that any organizational learning and change needs to consider an end-to-end approach to measure success. Just by providing the inputs and then leaving the outcomes to chance is a risky exercise. In an industrial age sense capability and usability were all that was required to be competitive in your sector. Yet more organizations now compete in the experience economy where performance is gaining importance over productivity. Still, we know little in an organizational sense of how to achieve a consistent high quality performance except by comparing with the competition. It can be argued that the first to set the performance standard in any sector will lead that sector (Apple iPod, Boost Juice, Nike). The performance is the manifestation of all the capability, resources, processes, training, people, passion and creativity.
Performance modeling looks at working top down and bottom up to ascertain what is required to bridge the gap between capability and performance. This 'missing' step is about usability and access to capability. It could also be called the transition step as taking inputs and putting them to work to produce outcomes is as much about organizational improvement or transformation as it is about productivity.
Paul McKey
Managing Director
Redbean Learning Solutions
© 2007- 8 Redbean Pty Ltd
References
Brent, Doug, (2005). Teaching as performance in the electronic classroom, First Monday, volume 10, number 4 (April 2005),
Pine, J, Gilmore, J. (1999). The Experience Economy. Harvard Business School Press, Boston USA.
Kotter, John & Heskett, James, 1992, Corporate Culture & Performance (Free Press)
McKey, PR, (2006), "The Synergistic Design of Organizational Learning Programs", Proceedings of AACE E-Learn 2006--World Conference on E-Learning, www.aace.org [http://www.aace.org]
Nardi, Bonnie A. (ed.), 1996, Context and consciousness: activity theory and human-computer interaction. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA..
Monday, October 24, 2011
Floor Globes - Just the Thing to Fill Up a Bare, Empty Corner
Monday, October 17, 2011
Leaders Make the Difference
Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Guide Great Deals Marpac White Noise Machines Comparison Cheap Upright Pianos
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Ramji Londonwaley (2005) w / Eng Sub - Hindi Movie
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
KidKraft Nantucket Table and 4 Chair Set
!±8±KidKraft Nantucket Table and 4 Chair Set
Brand : KidKraftRate :
Price : $94.99
Post Date : Sep 22, 2011 05:54:24
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
- Dimension of Table: 23.75L x 23.75W x 19.87H
- Dimension of Chairs: 11.75L x 11.5W x 22.25H
- Finish: Honey and Primary
- Material: Wood
- 5pcs Honey &Primary Finish Kid's Table & Four Chair Set
- You will receive a total of one table and four chairs.
- Items include:
- Honey table sized perfectly for children
- One blue chair
- One green chair
- One honey chair
- One red chair
- A great gift for households with multiple children
- Assembly required
Monday, September 19, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
GRINDIN
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Step2 Art Master Activity Desk
!±8± Step2 Art Master Activity Desk
Post Date : Sep 09, 2011 16:36:22 | Usually ships in 2-3 business days
This sturdy toddler desk is perfect for all types of creative play activities. It features a large work surface with molded-in compartments, plus a hinged dry-erase writing surface that wipes clean easily and opens to a storage area underneath. A raised shelf holds art supplies and the push-button light (requires 4 "AA" batteries, not included) automatically shuts off after 5 minutes. Includes 15" high stool. Minimal adult assembly required. Art supplies not included. Measures 36" x 34" x 18".
- Large desktop surface gives your artist plenty of room to be creative
- Work surface doubles as a dry-erase board and lifts up to reveal a storage area underneath
- Includes a sturdy 11 inch stool and a desk lamp to provide additional light
- Features deep molded-in storage compartments on either side that are perfect for holding books and other materials
- Art supplies are easily accessible to your artist on this desks raised shelf (art supplies not included)
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