New York, NY — August 29, 2006 — A new book offering keen insight into the world of real-time online learning and collaboration is quickly becoming an important desk reference for educators, trainers and anyone looking to enhance the quality of learning online through the magic of real-time interaction.

Learning in Real Time (Wiley/Jossey-Bass), released this month to great acclaim, guides instructors in evaluating how and why to use real-time tools.  It also illustrates how educators can develop their own strategies and styles when implementing synchronous tools to improve the online learning experience.

Authored by Jonathan Finkelstein, a pioneer in the development of synchronous learning theories and platforms, the book catalogs real-time learning venues, describes good practices for facilitating synchronous learning, and offers original real-time techniques to enhance student learning.  Learning in Real Time translates Finkelstein’s many years designing and facilitating live online learning experiences into an invaluable resource guide.

While each chapter of Learning in Real Time considers the academic context of faculty members looking to incorporate real-time interaction, the book is also a valuable resource to instructional designers, trainers, tutors, advising staff, librarians, and anyone involved in professional development, course design, or providing student support services.

“Jam-packed with extremely practical strategies and well-crafted activity ideas, Learning in Real Time goes well beyond the tools and deftly focuses on the process of effective live online learning and collaboration,” writes Alan Levine of the New Media Consortium.  “Anyone teaching, presenting, coaching, or collaborating online will end up with a marked-up, highlighted, and dog-eared copy of this book parked next to their computer.”

Diana Oblinger of EDUCAUSE adds, “Good instruction is all about people. Learning in Real Time focuses on people, relationships, and the power of human dialog.”

The book’s release is accompanied by the launch of a dynamic new web site by the same name – LearningInRealTime.com – which features many exciting resources.  The site includes: interaction with the book’s readers and others interested in synchronous learning via an online community, a playground area providing hands-on access to real-time tools, and a direct connection to the author himself.

The centerpiece of the LearningInRealTime.com site is the Real Time Minute™ (RTM), an ongoing free series of regularly released video and audio podcasts by the author offering quick tips, musings and reflections to provoke dialogue and help jumpstart or improve real-time online learning.

Anyone can subscribe to the Real Time Minute using the box at the top right corner of the LearningInRealTime.com site and receive an email when new episodes are released.  Syndication is also available using the RTM's RSS feed.  Viewers  phone or write in questions or comments for the author to address in upcoming episodes.

Finkelstein is the president of the LearningTimes Network and executive producer and founder of www.LearningTimes.org, the largest and fastest-growing free community of education professionals worldwide.

Learning in Real Time is the fourth book in the Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning series, which offers concrete and practical resources to help higher education practitioners meet the challenges of the online learning environment.

The book is available from www.learninginrealtime.com, www.jossey-bass.com, www.amazon.com and other online and offline booksellers.

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Contact:
John Walber
LearningTimes, LLC
info@learningtimes.net
215.884.7321
www.LearninginRealTime.com