News and Happenings!

Explore GAZeL, Join GAZeL!

After reading Insights!, spend a little time getting to know GAZeL on our new website, http://www.gazel.us. The GAZeL website is an interactive community portal designed, not only to inform, but to engage through blogs, forums, and demonstrations. Take a few moments to take the eLearning Research Survey so that we can better serve your needs. Once you’ve perused the website you’ll see why membership in GAZeL is so important. Join GAZeL now by visiting http://www.gazel.us/membership and become one of the people who are making a difference.

GAZeL-A-Ganza and Golf!

The Second Annual Learning through Technology Charity Golf Tournament

Gala Dinner and Silent Auction--May 1^st, 2008 at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino

Golf Tournament--May 2^nd, 2008 at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club

Why is eLearning important? eLearning is dramatically changing the way we educate, communicate and conduct business. In education, benefits include individualized curriculum and self-paced learning, professional development, greater student engagement, increased efficiency, and increasing students’ skills to further their education and fully participate in an innovative workplace. eLearning also provides cost-effective business development solutions. Organizations are now launching eLearning initiatives aimed at students, employees, customers, investors, and more.

However, we are in a crisis! Arizona ranks 47th in state and local per capita spending on K-12 education, and 43rd in the nation of high school graduates that go to college. These facts are so alarming, that GAZeL has decided to do something to jumpstart our kid’s early learning needs. The Greater Arizona eLearning Association and the Global Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, are bringing laptops to underprivileged schools and Indian Reservations in the Arizona. To see an example of these laptops being introduced to young users, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ScgNJ21p8&eurl=http://www.globalliteracy.net/

The net proceeds from the GAZeL-a-Ganza Gala and Golf event will go directly towards purchasing and integrating the OLPC (One Laptop per Child) computers into Arizona schools. These laptops will be donated along with teaching and technology support to schools and reservations in the Arizona. Our first goal from the net proceeds of this event is to Purchase 100 laptops!

Why the One Laptop per Child XO Computer? An idea born from collaboration at MIT with Nicholas Negroponte, the laptop is self-contained and solar-powered with 10-hours of battery service; almost entirely green; kid friendly; and inexpensive - only $299 in groups of 100. Recently, Steve Wozniak said he believed that Nicholas Negroponte deserved international recognition, the Nobel Peace Prize, for this work.

GALA--May 1^st, 2008 Gala at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino

6:00 – 10:00 pm

• Dinner: 12-oz of thick, juicy, New York Strip Steak, (vegetarian meal upon request), wedge salad with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Bleu Cheese Dressing, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Pyramid Noisette or Chocolate Ganache and Hazelnut Moussellins in a Chocolate Shell for dessert.

• Silent Auction with a Twist: Silent Auctions are a great way to spice up an event but this is a little different. We will have “Adornos,” beautiful boxes filled with mysterious gifts. Throughout the night you will be shown various silent auction items, up close and personal, but until you've won the bid, you won't know what's in your box! Nothing adds more fun to a night than a little mystery!

Golf Tournament--May 2^nd, 2008 at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
18200 East Toh Vee Circle, Fort McDowell, Arizona
Start Time: 1:00 pm

This will be a time for fun in the sun, great camaraderie and contribution! The tournament includes:

• Golf and Cart Fees
• Practice Balls
• Team Photos
• Raffle and Silent Auction, including golf art, sports memorabilia and more
• Hole Prizes
• One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Presentation
• Heavy Appetizers and Cash Bar
• 15% off all Merchandise
  

   

To register for this event, visit http://www.gazel.us/golfregistration. For more information about this event, go to http://gazel.us/golf, or contact Alex Devereux at 602-437-7554, adeverux@itt-tech.edu.

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Save These Dates!

GAZeL-A_Ganza!

Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning

Do you want to see what’s coming down the technological pipeline? On May 7-9, 2008 you can attend the first, West Coast Sloan-C International Symposium on Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning at the Carefree Resort.

Symposium tracks highlight and demonstrate research, application and best practices of important emerging technological tools related to social networking, assessment, open educational resources, new media and support services. Presentations will be provided in both the face-to-face event and the virtual event held in Second Life and the Moodle Learning Management System.

For more information, go to http://www.emergingonlinelearningtechnology.org/?gad=CO-mmIsEEgh9G6fzG3B_jRidoK77AyDD4dU0

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Recent Research

State of the Global Talent Nation

Softscape provides advanced technology and global services to help organizations better manage their people and their business. In a recent Executive Brief titled, State of the Global Talent Nation: Organizations Struggle to Ready Workforces to Meet Growth Demands, Softscape summarizes and analyzes their third annual survey on workforce readiness. While the trend toward workforce readiness is increasing, the move is too slow to keep up with growth plans. Read more at http://www.gazel.us/node/505

GAZeL Updates

On February 20, 2008 GAZeL hosted Summit 2008: eLearning and Collaboration in the Global Economy. A plethora of technologies were showcased, including the OLPC XO and the ASUS Eee PC laptops. In addition to elearning updates, panel discussions evaluated the event theme, eLearning and collaboration in the global economy, and a second panel discussed Policy and Strategy Implications for Web 2.0 and social networking in education and the workplace. All participants worked in teams to develop policies and strategies in the areas of:

• Adoption of eLearning in Arizona K-12 Schools, Community Colleges and Universities
• eLearning Enterprise Business Development
• Inclusion of eLearning in Arizona Workforce Development strategies
• Adoption of eLearning and Collaboration Technologies in the Workplace
• eLearning Research in Arizona

The event concluded with an After 5 event and great networking opportunities.

Our thanks to GAZeL, Global Literacy Foundation, Intramedia Solutions, ITT Technical Institute, and The Training Place, Inc. for their support of this valuable event. You can read more information and view photos of the event at http://gazel.us/node/514

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GAZeL Event Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunity

Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
Even sponsorship is a great opportunity to support the deployment of eLearning throughout Arizona, and a way to benefit your company by increasing public awareness. You are invited to be a Sponsor or Exhibitor at the May 1st Gala or the May 2nd Golf Tournament. Visit http://gazel.us/golfsponsorship for more information.

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Who’s Who at GAZeL

GAZeL Board

The GAZeL Board is comprised of eighteen Board Members from a variety of businesses and educational institutions throughout Arizona. These members give GAZeL a diverse foundation that reaches out to people in corporate training, higher education, K12 education, vendors, and others. For information about the GAZeL Board, visit: http://www.gazel.us/board

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GAZeL Members

Become a full Member! Membership in GAZeL provides participants with special resources, research, community, answers to questions, ideas, tools, and opportunities to network and learn. For information about GAZeL Membership, visit: http://www.gazel.us/membership

GAZeL Committees

GAZeL members are actively involved in a number of standing committees, including Research, Membership and Marketing, along with a number of ad hoc committees. These committees work together to help eLearning companies develop new business opportunities and find resources to advance technologies and services. We are currently looking for people to serve on the Membership Committee. If you’re interested in, please call 480-677-7704. For information about all GAZeL Committees, visit: http://www.gazel.us/committees

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What’s on Your Mind?

Do you have ideas, concerns, interests or needs relating to eLearning? What would you like to see and how can GAZeL fill your eLearning needs? Do you have conference ideas or want to share experiences? Become a member and join the discussions in the GAZeL Community Forums at: http://www.gazel.us/forum

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Greater Arizona eLearning Association

GAZeL is an alliance between eLearning educators, practitioners, and related businesses.
GAZeL's purpose is to provide vision, share research, support learning initiatives, and gather resources
for the utilization, implementation and expansion of eLearning in business, government, and education.

For more information, go to http://gazel.us

If you have questions or comments, please contact us at: http://www.gazel.us/contact

Gain Insight! Go to http://www.gazel.us/insights

GAZeL Insights is a tool for keeping all GAZeL members in the loop regarding publications, research, events, and much more.
It's designed to be a short easy read that will keep you connected to everything that GAZeL has to offer.

Greater Arizona eLearning Association -- Copyright 2008

If you have questions or comments, contact us at: gazel.us/contact
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