Blended Learning One day, I might be sitting in my rocking chair telling my grandchildren, “In my day, when the teachers had a conference to go to or the weather was bad, it meant we got a day off from school!” They may be surprised to hear that, based on recent blended learning news. […]
You just rolled out a new training solution last week. It was a big project and it came out great. But the stakeholder just emailed you to ask about doing an update to add some upcoming changes. In today’s fast-paced work world, it’s true that nothing lasts forever. Whether you’re fighting to stay on […]
“I knew it was trouble as soon as I saw it. There was something that wasn’t quite right about that storyboard file. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew something was wrong.” Do you ever feel like a detective in a crime novel when you go through old storyboards? Updating old courses […]
Competency-based learning is one of the most effective ways to ensure learners master new skills, but will it work for you? At some point in your life, you’ve probably been told to sit in a classroom or on a computer and learn a skill. This learning session probably required everyone in the room to learn […]
Although gamification and game-based learning have been around for a few years, only recently are training departments beginning to take these learning and engagement methods seriously. However, convincing the CEO that gamification works is a tougher challenge. The perception that playing games isn’t really training still lingers in the minds of the c-suite. So how […]
What’s the difference between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)? And can they actually be useful for training or are they just gimmicks? Let’s take a look. VIRTUAL REALITY The learner is in a completely artificial environment Involves wearing an enclosed headset Example: Kraken Unleashed VR roller coaster experience at SeaWorld Orlando Some commercially available devices: […]
Launching a new training program is a lot like launching a new product or service at your organization. Your marketing team knows that promotion begins well before a product or service launches. Building buzz gets people talking about the product. Likewise, you can get your employees talking about your training. You can build excitement and […]
Every year around this time, we discuss the eLearning trends for the year. What’s hot? What’s not? What are we all going to be talking about? THESE ARE THE ELEARNING TRENDS FOR 2018. VR/AR While VR and AR have been talked about in recent years, we think the excitement will grow. As costs have come […]
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines “interactive” as, “involving the actions or input of a user.” When you stop to think about it, that’s not very clear. So, is eLearning with nothing but a next button interactive? The learner clicks something. Is a choose your own adventure book interactive? The reader picks which page to turn to. […]
The new buzzword in learning and development is microlearning. Microlearning is a way of teaching and delivering content to learners in small, bite-sized chunks. It makes sense that shorter courses are gaining popularity. People are busy, attention spans are smaller than ever, and there are meetings to attend and emails to respond to. No one has […]
I was in Girl Scouts when I was younger. And I have clear memories of the merit badge book. Each badge required me to do something different to earn it. Looking back, that book offered a lot of choices. I could pick which badge I wanted to work on and choose the activities that sounded […]
As the LMS industry evolves to meet the needs of newer generations of learners, organizations are having to answer the age-old question “What’s in it for me (WIIFM)?” Learners need more motivation than simply taking courses because they are told to, they need a reason. They want to know WIIFM? Enter customization in the form […]
Disaster preparation and training often suffer from the same unfortunate flaw. You’re supposed to have them in place and ready to go for when they’re needed. That means they should be planned for in advance, not at the last minute. But how many people or organizations actually do that? Stay away from windows if there’s […]
In 2015, less than half (49%) of all learning was instructor-led in a classroom without a virtual learning component, marking a steady decline over the course of seven years according to the Association of Talent Development. The conversion of classroom training to virtual training is a growing trend that cannot be ignored. But how do […]
Apparently, Learning and Development (L&D) doesn’t require air to survive. I say this because it’s frequently handled in a vacuum, away from everything it’s supposed to be connected to. It’s often brought in at the last minute as well. And yet there are still L&D departments and vendors. Pushing courses out is one thing, having an effective […]
You already know that off-the-shelf-content can save your organization time and money. These courses are built for a wide audience and are applicable in almost any setting. Almost. Occasionally, you’ll choose a course on safety and you’ll end up with something that doesn’t seem to apply to your learners. Or, perhaps a video learning course […]
You must turn off your emotions for the next hour. This training is a feeling-free zone. You do not have a report due at the end of the day. You do not have to get groceries on the way home. You are to studiously apply yourself and completely forget the outside world. Your training has […]
An online survey conducted by Ipsos Market Research and Consulting Firm has turned up some shocking statistics. 30% of Americans surveyed said that they never received any formal training from their employer. Among those left untrained, were those over age 55 (37%), those earning less than $50,000 annual income (37%), those who have not earned a college […]
It’s no surprise that software training is often delivered as eLearning. Technology changes constantly and providing computer program or mobile app training on the device it’ll be used on just makes sense. But software training and its associated screen caps also present some unique challenges and considerations, as well as opportunities. Challenges Inadequate or poorly […]
In honor of Halloween, I wanted to discuss a scary scenario. When the education department at your organization is you, it’s easy to let old content linger beyond its welcome. When you discover that your training materials or courses need upgrading, it can seem like you must start from scratch. But with what time and […]
Trying to have a conversation with know-it-alls is like talking to a wall. Nothing you have to say matters because they’ll automatically tune you out. To them, the “conversation” is either a waste of time or a way to show off their own smarts. Learners can fall into this pattern too. It often happens because […]
I once worked for a large company where all new employees went through a 3-day on-boarding process. We sat through videos on safety and compliance, through lectures and power point presentations. As proof we learned something, we filled out a workbook for each section and signed it at the end to demonstrate that we’d completed […]
Your supervisor stops by and says they’re super busy. They need you to take care of something they don’t have time to do. After showing you that “Everything you need is in this folder” they thank you for your help and walk off. You have no idea how to do the task you were just […]