In the USA, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day is a federal holiday observed this year on Monday, January 16th. Americans who take that day off from work are encouraged to spend their time off by giving back to their communities through volunteer time and effort.

For the e-learning community, there are many opportunities for volunteer service, and I’d like to point out just one:

LINGOs eLearning Global Give Back Competiton

From their Web site:

Now in its third year, the eLearning Global Giveback Competition provides the opportunity for course developers to work with international non-profit organizations to develop online courses. These courses help the global staff of NGOs (non-governmental organizations)  do their work in the fields of humanitarian relief, development, conservation and social justice even better.

So, if you (or someone you know) is looking for a service project, this “competiton” is a great way for e-learning professionals to volunteer and serve!

As a blast from the past, here’s a blog post I wrote after working with World Vision, Inc. on a LINGOs project.

Why I Entered the 2010 Articulate Guru Awards

I welcome 2011 with a smile as I also look back on 2010. From Christmas through New Years, I was on vacation with family in real world, and learned how much I depend on the Internet and on social media, or SoMe. Although I was supposed to be offline, I did use my iPad to check my social networks occasionally and post a few comments. In all honesty, I felt afraid I was going to miss out on important tweets or status updates on LinkedIn or Facebook. However, I was rewarded with wonderful F2F (face-to-face) time with my loved ones, and saw some beautiful scenery in Prescott, Arizona.

I did think about what I learned in 2010, and what the learning might mean for 2011. I bravely and humbly share a partial list with you:

1. Mobile [ fill-in-the-blank ] is here, and is here to stay and grow. I bought an iPad for my business and use it daily. In addition, non-mobile family members and friends moved to smartphones, and they quickly became “addicted” mobile learners; even the older folks. In the new year, I plan to become more involved in mobile anything.
2. Social Networking via the Internet is also here to stay and grow in leaps and bounds. On a daily basis I use Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn, and (to a lesser degree) Facebook to connect with a wide, virtual network of amazing colleagues. I’ve gained new consulting work through this network as well as exchanged expertise. Social media (SoMe) is a permanent part of my business. I will continue to nurture and grow my network in 2011.
3. Face-to-face Networking still plays an important part in my consulting practice. I pick up the phone and make a call instead of sending an email, and I schedule business lunches when possible. I’ve also discovered that when I’ve had the opportunity to meet my virtual SoMe colleagues in person, it feels like a joyful “reverse reunion”, where we finally get to add the F2F connection to a carefully nurtured business relationship. I look forward to more F2F connections this new year.
4. SCORE business mentors (click to learn more) provide amazing resources to anyone who is starting a business … and, their advice is free. SCORE also offers low-cost workshops. In 2011, I plan to leverage the wisdom and experience from these generous, warm, and encouraging mentors.

I’ve learned a great deal in 2010, and it’s hard to pick and choose what to share in this post. What did you learn in 2010 that you’d like to share with me and with others? Please feel free to add a Comment to this post!

On Twitter

@jenisecook or www.twitter.com/jenisecook

On LinkedIn

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jenisecook

On Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/jenisecook.ridgeviewmedia

And, I want to add my voice to the blog carnival to say that we –dear colleagues– need to close that gap. I try on as many occasions as I can. If I’m offered $25 or $35 an hour for instructional design work, I refer that potential client to someone else. I have also found that the clients who pay me the best and honor my rates are women-owned businesses.

This first of several charts in the report gives you a sense of the survey results. Click the image to enlarge it. If you’re a woman, don’t just sit there: Know what your skills and experience are worth and pursue that dollar amount.

This post is part of a blog carnival on the subject of the gender salary gap. Read more from Kelly Garber: Shark Attacks and Salary Reports, Julie Dirksen: Ranting on the Gender Pay Gap in E-Learning, Cammy Bean: The eLearning Salary Gender Gap, and Janet Clarey: The Salary Gap in the US eLearning Industry.

Have something to say on the subject?  Join the ride and contribute with your own rant, er post.  Then share a link to your post in the comments on one of our blogs.

Tuesday, August 19, 2009, I celebrated my one-year anniversary as sole proprietor of Ridge View Media, my freelance consulting business. To commemorate this occasion, and to thank certain people and companies, I used Articulate’s new Web-based screen casting tool Screenr to create an anniversary video.

The funny thing is, there’s a “Freudian slip” in my narration. I mention my first “12 years” instead of my first “12 months”. I had to laugh and left that in the video, because some days it felt like it had been 12 years.

Enjoy! And, if you played a part in RVM’s success as either a client or a partner, my heartfelt thanks go to you! You mean a great deal to me.

I look forward to the second 12 months! ~Jenise Cook

As of today, this YouTube video has had 993,374 views: The Vendor Client Relationship – in Real World Situations, posted by zeorge497. You can also visit: http://vendorclientvideo.com

I’m guessing that you may have already viewed this video. It touches a nerve because it’s close to real situations many people have experienced. Take a look, and then my comments follow below.

The good news is that I’ve had very few freelancer/potential client conversations like what you see in the video. I try and be up front with services and fees, and discuss project needs in a way that may fit the client’s budget.

But, I’m posting this video for July because I feel it’s well done. And, funny!

It also encourages me to finish some client communication pieces I’m developing to help make the project/service fees conversation easier to have with new clients.

Hope you had a good July, and now Happy August!

My Comic-Con post truly is coming very soon!