Both the science of learning outcomes or objectives and adaptive learning originated at about the same time in the 1950’s. They have been connected ever since. The goal of both is to enhance cognition which comprises the mental processes involved in knowing, understanding, and thinking. Learning Objectives In the 1950’s, Benjamin Bloom invented a cognitive taxonomy embraced by American educators. Revised in 2001 by Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy became more dynamic, reflecting the interactivity of contemporary education contexts. The list has six categories. It moves from the simplest form of cognition, knowledge/remembering, to the most complex, evaluation/creating.* By connecting Bloom’s scientific categorization of teaching and learning, educators could measure instructional and student achievement more precisely. The learning objective,  which was gaining traction in education at about the same time, has become that connector. Learning objectives are statements that describe an act that can be measured. A learning objective always includes an action verb  and a specific goal to be achieved, showing learning through performance. The type of verb used can indicate which level of Bloom’s is meant to be accomplished. For example "define" engenders remembering; "describe" engenders understanding; and "build" engenders creating. A robust learning program includes the whole range of Bloom’s taxonomy in its learning outcomes. Adaptive Learning Adaptive learning has come a long way from its 1950’s origins in B.F. Skinner’s primitive teaching machine which focused on immediate feedback, individual pacing, and incremental learning. Adaptive learning today involves the use of technology to provide students with a customized experience based on their previous accomplishments and progress with subject content, practice activities, and assessments. The student is offered hints to help them succeed and is presented with more or less challenging materials based on their learning process and performance. In order to measure and adapt based on "progress," adaptive courseware has to articulate the objectives of that progress. So as in formative assessment, learning objectives or outcomes are integral to adapting student learning pathways. In Acrobatiq courseware , learning outcomes reflect Bloom’s taxonomy in hierarchies from simple to complex. For example, achieving the complex learning outcome, Analyze the causes of World War II, depends on students achieving simpler cognitive levels of learning objectives such as: Name the nations in the Axis powers and the Allies. [Remembering] Discuss economic conditions in Europe before World War II. [Understanding] The learning objective determines the type of activity attached to it. For example, a simulation supports application while a matching exercise supports remembering. Most importantly, Acrobatiq adaptive learning courseware captures data as students go through the program to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses on the way to achieving the more complex objective. And, of course, the student is provided relevant material to  strengthen their learning on lower-order cognitive levels or skills to ensure their success at higher-level thinking. *Bloom’s Taxonomy Bloom’s Original/Revised Description Knowledge/Remembering Recall facts and basic concepts. Comprehension/Understanding Connect concepts through interpretation and organization. Application/Applying Solve problems using acquired knowledge. Analysis/Analyzing Use evidence, knowledge and data to draw conclusions, infer, and conclude. Synthesis/Evaluating Create a plan or product based on elaborated ideas/Present opinions based on criteria. Evaluation/Creating Assess based on criteria/Present new ideas or solutions by innovative organization of evidence    

As instructors implement the flipped classroom with their students, enthusiasm for this learner-centered strategy grows. Learn more about the flipped classroom from these sources: History of the Flipped Classroom Flipped Learning Founders Set the Record Straight by Stephen Noono In this interview with Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, the high school teachers credited with originating the flipped classroom, they discuss how it all began. In 2007, inspired by new recording software, they decided to make lecture videos for students to view at home. In essence, they "flipped" the classroom: students learned  new material at home, then did their "homework" or practice in class. According to Bergmann and Sams, "it’s not just about the videos." The flipped classroom is more about the activity-based learning taking place face-to-face with students in class. In this interview, they discuss how their ideas have changed as they’ve used this model. The Flipped Classroom in Higher Education The Flipped Classroom, Webinar  by Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman Inside Higher Ed editors Jaschik and Lederman, lead a webinar on the basics of the flipped classroom. They comment on the use of data analytics courseware  in the flipped classroom and the difference between the flipped classroom and blended learning. What Is the Flipped Classroom? See the University of Washington’s brief illustrated outline of how to start using the flipped strategy. Where Flipped Learning Research Is Going  by David Raths Raths discusses the challenges of testing the efficacy of flipped learning. A lot of the research is informal with professors setting up one class as flipped and another as a control group. And there’s debate about the criteria used to compare them. Thomas Mennella, Bay Path University, is looking not only at test scores but the quality of instruction. He’s found that students in the flipped classroom learn in more depth than those in traditional settings. Experiencing the Flipped Classroom Three Evolving Thoughts about Flipped Learning  by Robert Talbert Early supporters of the flipped classroom emphasized how the classroom lecture isn’t an effective way of teaching. An early adopter of the flipped model, Robert Talbert at Grand Valley State University, has found that a short targeted lecture inviting discussion can still be helpful when students are engaged with in-class activities. He writes about how out-of-class study doesn’t have to be about mastery as early advocates proposed. Rather, the videos can make an even greater impact by motivating students to ask meaningful questions when they come into class. Mini-lectures as discussion starters can be very effective in helping students find the answers to their questions. How Did I Get Here?  by Teresa Collins Collins, who teaches at Tiffin University, was flipping her writing class before she even heard of Bergmann and Sams. This method helped her students fulfill course requirements in a more consistent way. She also writes that they have a more positive attituded towards the subject and are more willing participants in class.

Mobile learning in the workplace is the future. In the next ten years, mobile learning will not be considered a choice, but a necessary mode of learning to stay competitive. It isn’t a fad, it isn’t a trend, and it doesn’t belong in the ‘ten minutes of fame’ category predicted by Andy Warhol; it is going to become the predominant method of learning for our ever growing mobile workforces. But how did we get to this stage of development, and what’s next for mobile learning? Mobile learning environments such as Wranx have come to be thanks to the increasing sales of mobile devices, the increasing share of mobile web traffic, and the increasing adoption of mobile devices in the workplace. All of these things have led to our current ‘mobile world’, a world where people expect content to be immediately accessible and technology to support a wide variety of different functions.   To give you can idea of how intertwined mobile internet devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) are in our lives, in 2013 The Guardian reported that mobile internet devices were set to outnumber human beings. In the same coverage discussing a Cisco report, it was revealed that by 2017 the average smartphone will generate 2.7GB of data traffic a month and that mobile video will make up two-thirds of data transmitted worldwide. This shift in computing means that very soon the sales of smartphones and tablets will overtake the sales of PCs, fuelling dramatic change in the workplace. Now that people are making mobile devices their medium of preference to access the internet, they are also making mobile devices their medium of preference for mobile learning. Mobile devices can be used for a wide variety of different things, from playing games, to checking glucose levels, to checking heart rates, to measuring distances, to banking, and employees expect to be able to perform work-related tasks on their mobile devices too, from document creation, to project management, to training. Learning and training for mobile workforces prior to the mobile revolution used involve travelling across time zones with costly transport and meeting expenses. But thanks to mobile devices, learning and training can be achieved in a cost-effective and efficient manner which limits downtime and increases performance. But how can organisations benefit from this technological shift? Simply, organisations need to invest in a mobile learning strategy that’s built alongside a mobile learning solution, such as Wranx for sales teams, Wranx for new starters, and Wranx for customer services.   The Future of Mobile Learning Not so far into the future, workforces are going to be tech-savvy, digitally connected, and work with a very different mindset to the mobile workforces of today. This ‘new-age’ workforce will have grown up with devices and they will consider search, sharing, collaboration, and creation on mobile devices the norm. They will have more creative freedom than the mobile workforces of today and going by the current rate of increase in the adoption of mobile devices in the workplace, learning and training on anything other than a mobile device - most probably a part of BYOD - will seem archaic. It is inevitable that mobile learning will become a key consideration for CCOs and sales directors within the next five to ten years. It’s almost as if it is destined to happen as much as cloud computing, a concept which was universal since the inception of networks. But what form will it take? On-demand micro-learning, such as Wranx, and e-learning courseware, search, videos, podcasts, and articles are the likely form to see the most success, but social forms such as wikis, blogs, forums, social networks, coaching and mentoring will definitely have a place, as will performance support, feedback, and quality circles.   Whatever the case, as the mobile world evolves, so will the training world. Here’s some quick mobile learning developments which we think will happen within the next five years: 1) Decision-makers will adopt mobile learning in the workplace to improve employee performance, particularly for programs that deliver real ROI like sales team training. 2) More advanced, rich, and dynamic mobile learning experiences will surface to keep up with hardware 3) The emergence of technologies such as Learning Analytics will play a larger role in mobile learning 4) NFC, Bluetooth, and other device capabilities will make mobile learning more interactive. Share this post with your own audience

Nowadays, we are presented with an abundance of different teaching and learning techniques that aim to improve knowledge acquisition and retention levels. While some of these are passing fads, others have been scientifically proven to work, such as gamification. This method of training has caused quite a stir in recent years, as it not only delivers results, but can also be highly entertaining and enjoyable for the individual learning. When you compare gamification to traditional training techniques such as classroom teaching or office-based learning, it seems like a no brainer. However, understanding gamification and knowing how to introduce it is another matter. Several businesses won’t be fully aware of what is involved with this teaching technique or how it can be implemented to training situations. That being the case, here is a guide for getting started with gamification. What is gamification? Gartner recently defined gamification as: "The use of game mechanics and experience design to digitally engage and motivate people to achieve their goals." Game mechanics refers to elements including points, badges and leader boards that are commonplace in several video games, while experience design describes the journey a player takes, facilitated by narratives and story lines. As opposed to physically interactions, those playing games digitally engage with computers, smartphones or other devices. The basic aim of gamification is to motivate individuals to develop their skills, evoke innovation, and ultimately change behaviours. This is made possible by enabling players to achieve their goals, which are aligned with organisational aims and objectives. Understanding gamification Gamification draws upon behavioural science, motivational theory, video game design and human psychology to engage individuals, provide entertainment, teach pieces of information and change ways of thinking. The social network LinkedIn and online retailer Amazon have both gamified their systems to attract the user’s attention, get them involved, have some fun and finally influence action. The very nature of gaming makes it perfect for performing and tracking training. Games reward players for doing well, which encourages the user to progress. But in order to issue prizes or awards, the game needs to track and monitor activity. This is often presented in the form of leader boards, rankings and scores, which gives businesses a hugely useful and valuable insight into employee performance. As opposed to traditional methods of evaluation, which tend to take place after training has taken place or are simply based on instinct, gamification provides real-time analysis. This is not only beneficial at an organisational level, but for individuals as well. Players can receive immediate feedback on their performance, know how peers are getting on and gain motivation to improve. Therefore, individuals understand where their learning is going, managers gain an accurate picture of employee performance and competency, while the whole organisation knows whether training is working or not. Due to this comprehensive level of data and knowledge, gamification should not be viewed as the latest training craze. In fact, it has the power and potential to revolutionise how business is conducted as well as the training and evaluation of employees. If gamification sounds like the type of training your business could benefit from, think about the following: Look for, study and play various applications Do some research, find out what kind of applications are currently available, and see whether they would be beneficial for your business. However, playing or interacting with an app for just a few minutes won’t give you a greater understanding of a particular subject straight away. Nor will it immediately help you discover the value it could bring to your training. So, take your time, think about the advantages and disadvantages of implementing gamification, see what types of application would be best for the business and come to a reasoned conclusion. Wranx has worked incredibly hard to deliver scientifically proven games that help employees learn. Our training solution is very flexible, giving you the tools to change subject topics remotely and set specific time limits to encourage delivery. Games are played and completed over a prolonged period of time, which helps employees move knowledge over to their long-term memory. Change your own way of thinking Even though gamification can bring about a behavioural change in employees, you should alter your own way of thinking when it comes to implementing this training technique. As opposed to traditional teaching methods, gamification is meant to be a lot more entertaining, engaging and fun. Therefore, have a playful attitude, be curious and don’t restrict yourself. While a return on your investment is important, employees should feel confident and comfortable in their job role, which can be helped by gamification. After all, a happy worker is a productive worker. Wranx has recognised the effectiveness of gamification in training situations, but also knows that pleasure is equally important. With over 300 different achievements to win, which can be acquired by demonstrating knowledge in topics determined by you, employees are motivated to learn but also have fun at the same time. On top of that, members of staff can take part in training on desktop and mobile devices whenever they feel like it, adding even more enjoyment to the experience. Introduce an element of competition In certain games, the user will play against the computer and try to outwit this inanimate machine. While this exercise may help growth and aid progression to some extent, it is much more beneficial for employees to compete against each other. Humans have a natural instinct to compete with their peers and contemporaries, which gamification can take advantage of and capitalise on. Create challenges for your workforce, introduce an element of competition and encourage employees to work hard for rewards. Wranx is a great believer in the power of competition, which is why rankings and leader boards are a part of our gamification solution. Employees can compare achievements to promote rivalry, while simple incentives encourage workers to focus on delivery. All the while, you’ll be receiving valuable back-end data to measure knowledge and retention. Regardless of the hype that surrounds gamification today, it can potentially be a cornerstone of your business’ training approach and activity. Playing games, providing incentives and creating competition is scientifically proven to assist with learning and development. Share this post with your own audience

Even if you’re a bit sceptical or unsure about the potential advantages that gamification can afford, there are several instances and examples where this increasingly popular learning technique is proving to be incredibly successful, especially when it comes to corporate training.   Training and coaching For several employees, further teaching or tuition at work does not sound like an exciting prospect. Numerous individuals find traditional training fairly mundane, uninspiring and monotonous. With little interest in learning new skills, acquiring more knowledge about a particular subject or developing greater on-the-job proficiency, trainees demonstrate poor levels of retention and aren’t able to reap the rewards that further coaching can provide. To address and overcome this problem, more and more companies are exploring alternative training techniques and tactics, such as gamification. By using game mechanics and design to construct playable scenarios and storylines, individuals can become interested in certain subjects and highly engaged with learning materials. Gamification provides incentives such as achievements and awards to obtain, which increases motivation, helps leaners achieve their goals and brings about a change in behaviour. All the while, an employer can monitor user progress and adjust themes or subjects according to ongoing requirements. Here at Wranx, we are proud of our sophisticated and science driven gamification model. We have developed over 300 different achievements to win, leaderboards that compare employee performance and limits on particular awards to encourage delivery. We know that the human instinct of competition and the want of accomplishment can bring about greater training performance and better knowledge retention. On top of that, engagement and motivation levels markedly increase through gamification too. Even so, several employers believe that gamification is too casual and informal in a corporate environment. However, implementing game-based programmes can have a remarkable and long-lasting impact on everyday operations, employee proficiency and customer relationships, not just from a training perspective, but across the entire business too.   Recruitment and onboarding Before you even think about establishing a gamification training programme, it might be worth introducing this technique to your recruitment process. For example, HackerRank has developed programming challenges and competitions for prospective members of staff to complete. This enables a company to learn about a potential employee’s proficiency, while applicants can get a real feel for the job they’re applying for. "What we do is give people the opportunity to connect with any company on the planet by building a set of challenges that employ the skills required for a job there," HackerRank’s co-founder Vivek Ravisankar told CNN. "There are so many diamonds in the rough, so it’s important for companies to introduce gaming into the hiring process in order to test their skills." If gamification can help recruit knowledgeable and suitable employees in the first place, who do not necessarily require on boarding, up skilling or another form of coaching, then training could be eradicated altogether. A practical test of an applicant’s skills is far more beneficial than cover letters and CVs, which aren’t always accurate, reliable or truthful at the best of times. "It’s only a matter of time before this becomes a widely accepted way of thinking," Ravisankar adds.   Engagement and loyalty Another reason to implement gamification in a corporate environment is that several organisations have found engagement and loyalty levels can dramatically increase with this technique. At Dreamforce 2013, which is Salesforce’s annual user and developer conference, there were numerous speakers and sessions that described how gamification could be used to motivate workforces and drive meaningful results. VMware discussed how to use gamification to drive engagement from partners while NetApp and Caesers Entertainment revealed how it can transform company cultures, improve sales performance and increase productivity. Thought leaders also disclosed how to select a technology partner and implement gamification as well as insight into what the industry will look like in the future. The value of employee engagement and loyalty was one of the biggest and most prominent principles that came from these presentations. While increased employee engagement might sound like a favourable asset for your company, it can actually be fundamental to bottom line success too. A 2008 article published by Harvard Business Review titled, Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work, found that: Employee engagement drives satisfaction, employee satisfaction drives loyalty, employee loyalty drives productivity, employee productivity drives value, value drives customer satisfaction, customer satisfaction drives loyalty and customer loyalty drives both profitability and growth. Therefore, gamification could end up being consequential to the success of your business.   Relationships and interactions Although a lot will depend on the products or services your company provides, there are a great deal of corporate organisations out there that struggle to attract the attention and interests of their customers. Thankfully, gamification is here to help again, as Clickipedia has provided some examples of how incorporating puzzles, challenges and contests into ordinary activities can increase the attentiveness of consumers. Just like Mint, who made the task of managing personal finances into a much simpler and more entertaining activity. Goal trackers, visual breakdowns and easy-to-understand charts are all examples of gamification in action. As opposed to a boring spreadsheet, this colourful and enjoyable experience is much more likely to keep interest levels high. Then there is Samsung, who have increased their social footprint by rewarding users that engage with the community, participate in discussions, watch videos and review products. Badges are given out and progress is achieved by participating in these activities, which grab the audience’s attention and keep it there. While Samsung are bound to attract countless website visitors anyway, it concentrated on highlighting the benefits of getting involved and at the same time, ended up with valuable user-generated branded content. So, from recruitment and training to engagement and loyalty, gamification can help your workforce become better employees. What’s more, they will prove to be valuable company assets that deliver better bottom line performance too. However, gamification can also be used to attract and retain the attention of customers. For these reasons, corporate gamification definitely works! Share this post with your own audience

Before we explore the reasons why gamification has taken off in the corporate world, let’s take a step back and explain this term for those unfamiliar with it. According to a definition by Gartner, gamification is "the use of game mechanics and experience design to digitally engage and motivate people to achieve their goals." Game mechanics can include things like rewards or achievements, whereas experience design refers to the journey a player takes, such as following a story or narrative. Finally, digital engagement and motivation makes reference to our increasing use of computers, smartphones, and other similar devices. For countless companies, the concept of gamification is like a dream come true. Previously, engaging and motivating employees felt like an uphill struggle, which could only be achieved through things like monetary bonuses or the promise of promotion. Nowadays, our reliance and love of new technology has meant gamification can be capitalised on to capture the imagination of staff while keeping stimulation levels high. But why should your organisation think about adopting this approach? What can gamification be used for, how should it be implemented and who has already taken advantage of this approach?   Why choose gamification? In addition to its clear-cut definition, Gartner is also on hand to predict that 40 per cent of Global 1000 organisations will be using gamification as the primary tool to transform their business operations. The reason for such a sizeable uptake is because it can transform typical workplace activities, which members of staff find boring or tedious, into much more enjoyable experiences. In turn, this leads to a more productive and profitable company. However, implementation isn’t as black and white as this. The unique attributes of individual industries means that you can’t create leaderboards for sales staff or give out badges to top performers straight away. Gamification is much more than a one-size-fits-all solution; it must incorporate your organisation’s specific goals and corporate culture in order to achieve long-lasting results. Having said that, due to the flexible and malleable nature of technology, customising gamification solutions can be relatively easy. Take training software as an example. If an employee needs to take a quiz to get to another level, the in-game mechanics and narrative can stay the same; only the questions need to change.   What can gamification be used for? First and foremost, gamification can be used to bring about a behavioural change in employees, from increasing their skill set or expertise of a certain subject to improving customer relationships and boosting on the job focus. In large organisations, individual members of staff may feel ordinary or unexceptional. Consequently, corporate environments are struggling to keep employees engaged in their work. However, no matter how small a cog may be, it still contributes something to the bigger machine. This is a story that gamification can tell and capitalise on. But in addition to regaining employee interest, it also allows for new information to be retained and applied much more effectively too. Even so, the narrative of gamification must always consider the core values of an organisation, which run through every layer of the hierarchy. Otherwise, entry-level staff will feel like their contribution is not being recognised by senior executives or members of the board. Coming up with an enterprise-wide gamification solution is no mean feat, but something that should take precedence when employee engagement levels need elevating.   How should gamification be implemented? Rather than coming up with a program or course that takes employees away from their roles and responsibilities, gamification should be integrated with existing routines in mind. In addition to avoiding downtime, this also enables members of staff to pick up and put down gamification when it suits them. For instance, smartphone and tablet apps featuring gamification can be opened up on an employee’s daily commute or while they are home. When at work, they can continue this experience on desktop during quiet periods or at a time authorised by their superiors. Furthermore, gamification solutions that are hosted in the cloud can be changed and adjusted according to individual requirements. This also means there is no need to install expensive software, which could soon become obsolete anyway. All the while, senior staff can receive or review employee performance through in-depth analytics. This may include activity metrics, cohort knowledge retention rates, and predicted course completion dates.   Who has already taken advantage of gamification? Bluewolf - Consultancy firm Bluewolf uses gamification to get employees more engaged and involved with the brand. Its  #GoingSocial program offers points and rewards for things like external collaborations and publishing company blog posts. Keas - This employee wellness platform, which is used by enterprises to maintain lower health insurance costs, encourages client companies to earn awards and achievements for completing tasks and supporting co-workers with their goals too. ChoreWars - Gamification doesn’t have to be exclusively used for business-based objectives, it can be employed to complete mundane office tasks too. Use ChoreWars as a one-off contest or weekly high-score table with prizes for those who perform best. Gamification might seem like an approach that has no business in a corporate setting, but due to the extensive advantages of adoption combined with proven examples of successful implementation, the odds are stacked in its favour.  Share this post with your own audience

Seeing as you can’t put a price on people power, onboarding is an increasingly important priority for numerous businesses in a wide range of different sectors. Despite the fact technology has advanced to a point where countless careers are under threat from machines, the indispensable attributes of accustomed employees cannot be beaten. On top of that, the recovery of world economies in recent times has meant more organisations are bringing in new staff, which in turn calls for onboarding programs. This growth has also brought about more mergers and acquisitions, which also calls for amalgamated workforces to be taught about new core values and daily procedures. Even so, the process of onboarding is easier said than done. Turning unfamiliar and nonplussed new hires into productive and effective members of staff in the shortest time possible is no mean feat. During this time, recent recruits will also be formulating ideas about their future with the company, which forces onboarding programs to think about retention incentives too. Therefore, coming up with the right approach has given many organisations a severe headache, especially if it doesn’t have the desired effect. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, read on to find out what you’re missing in your employee on-boarding strategy.   Start onboarding before your new hires’ first day One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is waiting until a new employee’s first day before starting the onboarding process. As soon as potential recruits fill out their application forms and attend interviews, they should be given an insight into what the company is all about. Not only does this increase enthusiasm and create greater competition, it also makes a strong first impression and makes new members of staff feel like they have made the right decision. Delay the onboarding process and employees will struggle to get up to speed straight away. In the worst-case scenario, they could develop a negative attitude towards the job or pick up ever-lasting bad habits. So, to avoid this from happening, you should send employees a personal welcome note, an information pack, and maybe even a small gift. You can publicise their arrival in the company newsletter, set up their workspace, schedule onboarding meetings, order business cards, assign them a mentor, and arrange a welcome lunch for their first day.   Make onboarding a company wide process There will be a temptation to develop specific onboarding processes for particular roles. Although this can be beneficial from an individual perspective, it completely ignores the company’s culture, which should be at the heart of everything your employees do. In order to work effectively, feel connected to the business, and develop engaging relationships to their role and colleagues, new hires will need to feel a sense of belonging, which can only come about from onboarding programs that envelop the entire organisation. So, think about teaching employees about the company’s history and origin, previous victories or foregoing failures. Reiterate the company’s vision, mission, and values, and how they relate to the role. You should also consider looking into topics such as the industry and where the company fits in, typical buyer personas, the current marketplace, and financial forecasts for the year ahead. If this sounds a bit dull, consider teaching methods that are more fun and entertaining, such as the gamification model that Wranx adopts.   Don’t think of onboarding as a one-off event If onboarding is a one-off event or weeklong course, employees will struggle to retain every little piece of information they have been told. What’s more, they probably won’t enjoy themselves very much and might think less of the business, which won’t do anything for motivation levels. But by thinking of onboarding as a process rather than an event, new recruits will absorb and retain what they are told much more effectively. Also, you avoid the risk of boredom, cynicism and disillusionment. When it comes to initiating this process, make sure employees know what is expected as they progress and create scheduled goals that align with broader business objectives. Establish checkpoints to gauge their progress and adjust onboarding accordingly. Although you may want to ease new employees in, it is important to establish minimal productivity as soon as possible. This way, they will feel like they are contributing from the get-go and can keep on improving.   Getting existing employees involved The vast majority of your existing employees are bound to have an extensive amount of knowledge just waiting to be tapped into. This wisdom should be taken advantage of and used to help new employees in any way, shape, or form. Even though staff who have previously been in their position will be of efficacious assistance, senior employees such as managers and executives must also get involved to truly establish a feeling of being in the same boat. With most organisations and industries, recent recruits will hugely benefit from a mentor or coach. From providing on-the-job guidance to having conversations over lunch, this relationship can also address informal issues that aren’t in the welcome pack. But in spite of involving the existing workforce, new hires must be responsible for their own development process, which includes asking questions where necessary but also using initiative and making independent decisions.   The need to regularly review onboarding programs Follow the aforementioned advice and you should be able to implement an effective onboarding program. However, you shouldn’t assume this will be perfect first time round, as every organisation’s requirements are different. So, have a system in place that allows for regular reporting, which can measure and monitor the progress of new hires. This should not be limited to their attitude or morale either, as you will need to bear in mind the financial aspects of onboarding too. Business metrics will relate to the prescribed timeframe of onboarding and how long it took to reach minimum productivity. Whereas recent recruits should be asked about the barriers they encountered but also what worked and helped them out the most. Do this and you should be able to incorporate new hires into your business with the greatest of ease. Share this post with your own audience

Imagine a workforce made up of highly skilled individuals that have a comprehensive grasp of what is required from them on a daily basis. Not only do they have a great deal of adeptness and expertise, these employees also recognise the company’s core values and act in accordance with this. Sounds like an ideal scenario doesn’t it? However, if they don’t have confidence or belief in their own abilities, this knowledge will surely go to waste. A lack of conviction or commitment could be devastating for your company, as targets won’t be met and deals won’t get closed. In recent years, more and more businesses have looked to prioritise Confidence Based Learning over other training tactics and techniques. This way, the organisation can rest assured that its workforce has trust in what they are doing and can work towards shared goals with aplomb. But what else do you need to know about Confidence Based Learning? Here is an overview of its main facets and features.   Origins of Confidence Learning Dr James Bruno, a Professor of Education at UCLA, explained much of what we understand about Confidence Based Learning today. Through extensive research, he established a link between knowledge, confidence, and behaviour. Through the combination of knowledge and confidence, appropriate behaviour will come to fruition and give individuals the empowerment to act. Furthermore, if confident about being correct, people tend to be more productive too. However, this self-assurance can be a curse as well as a blessing. Those who are confident about false information can end up doing something that leads to negative or even harmful results. On the other hand, those who aren’t convinced by their own abilities can freeze in urgent or critical situations.   Establishing competency and confidence among your workforce For most organisations, the only way of knowing whether employees understand their responsibilities and can apply knowledge in a quick, confident, and reliable way is to test them. However, there is a chance members of staff will answer questions correctly with a lucky guess. On top of that, standard testing doesn’t get to the route of finding out the confidence and competence levels of employees. Thankfully, Dr Bruno has also come up with a methodology for this as well. His 2-dimensional assessment generates a metric for correctness plus confidence for each question answered. Consequently, it is possible to discover what members of staff know and how confident they are about their knowledge. This assessment model is a great way for organisations to identify what areas of learning employees need to concentrate on in order to achieve suitable levels of adeptness and expertise. Generally speaking, there are four types of employee according to Dr Bruno’s assessment model: Masters - Those who know the facts and can apply this knowledge confidently Doubters - Those who know the facts but sometimes act with hesitation Misinformed - Those who do not know the facts but are confident in their actions Uninformed - Those who do not know the facts and recognise their knowledge is lacking   How to implement Confidence Based Learning One of the best ways to implement Confidence Based Learning is through an eLearning platform. However, organisations wanting to do this must make sure their choice of software or solution already contains Confidence Based Learning functionality. For example, an appropriate eLearning platform would encourage employees to learn a theme or topic quickly and then be tested on how well they can retain and recall this information over a prolonged period of time. In many respects, this is what Wranx’s spaced repetition solution attempts to do. Through the use of daily quizzes, where employees answer how well they understand a question, both competence and confidence will grow. Members of staff won’t get lucky with a guess but can be honest in their own assessment instead. Themes or topics they aren’t overly familiar with will keep on appearing until an acceptable level of understanding has been achieved, which is when new concepts can then be introduced. You will find that employees are much more receptive to new information when it is spaced out over time rather than consumed all in one go. In addition to better long-term memory retention, this approach can also result in greater presence of mind and level-headedness as well.   The importance of Confidence Based Learning In any working environment, the last thing you want is members of staff simply guessing what they should be doing. At the same time, you wouldn’t want employees doubting their own abilities when a grave or serious situation arises. For these reasons, adopting a Confidence Based Learning approach when teaching or training your workforce makes perfect sense. By establishing a strong and positive link between competence and confidence, you will know what areas and which employees need the most attention. Once any obstacles have been overcome, you should end up with a more proficient and professional workforce, capable of applying conviction to every decision they make. Share this post with your own audience

Despite the fact some organisations used to be somewhat sceptical about adopting eLearning for training purposes, the progressive capabilities of technology mean this form of teaching is now difficult to ignore. In fact, more and more businesses are implementing electronic media and communication technologies for educational purposes in the workplace. However, just like any other aspect of technology, it is crucial to stay on point with the latest trends for fear of getting left behind. So, what exactly is the latest trend for corporate eLearning? Well, in recent years we have seen a number of tactics come and go, with varying degrees of success. For example, Big Data has been on hand to justify expenditure through analysing the ROI of eLearning courses, while personalisation is yet another way of adjusting teaching materials to individual employees. But it seems as though microlearning is really causing a stir in corporate eLearning circles right now. Combined with spaced repetition and gamification, this particular trend could transform the way you upskill and educate your workforce.   How and why is microlearning the next big thing? As opposed traditional methods of training, which favours tedious and ineffective classroom-based coaching, microlearning is concerned with teaching individuals in small yet specific bursts. In addition to maintaining staff attention, microlearning can also improve knowledge retention rates. One of the reasons why this trend has taken precedence for various companies is because of the nature of learners. By 2025, millennials will make up around 75 per cent of the workforce, but the average attention span of this generation is just 90 seconds. For this reason, short and snappy microlearning is seen as a much more productive way of teaching future workforces about critical concepts. But what practices and procedures can you implement to make microlearning work for your business?   Take things one step at a time With microlearning, you cannot adopt the same approach as other training techniques. This means previous courses containing an abundance of learning materials must be broken down and split up into distinctive objectives. Take things one step at a time and make sure the learner knows exactly what is required of them with each module. Only focus on one objective to ensure knowledge is transferred effectively. If you have too many expectations or intentions, the whole purpose of microlearning will be lost.   Use video or other entertaining mediums When it comes to interacting with content online, millenials love videos. In fact, 70 per cent of this generation will visit YouTube on a monthly basis. And there is no reason why you can’t take advantage of this with eLearning, as employees will be much more receptive to something they are familiar and comfortable with, such as videos. However, you may want to explore this idea further by adopting other entertaining or interactive mediums too.   Don’t skimp on quality Regardless of how useful a video’s content may be, leaners won’t respond well if there is a distinct lack of quality. Millenials will instantly reject training materials if the footage is grainy or the editing shoddy because they have gotten use to a certain standard of video. Thankfully, making videos is remarkably easy these days, which means you shouldn’t struggle to produce something that your employees react and respond to positively.   Don’t waffle on for too long Along with quality, the length of video training materials should also be a key concern. Learners will want to know the purpose or meaning of a video straight away, so try not to stray over four minutes with each objective or concept. Don’t waste time on explaining something your employees can find out elsewhere and have confidence they already understand the fundamental aspects of what you are going on about. Avoid talking down to them or adding insincere dialogue either.   Ask learners to demonstrate their knowledge There will be no point in producing a slick video if your learners can’t actually demonstrate what they found out. So, think of ways you can prove learning took place, which also capitalise on the benefits of eLearning. For example, you could get your employees to make their own 30-second video, which explains the lesson’s most important points. Alternatively, you can take advantage of two other recent eLearning trends.   Spaced repetition and gamification With spaced repetition and gamification, your employees will be taking part in a form of microlearning, but also demonstrating their knowledge at the same time. What’s more, staff are bound to enjoy and be engaged by the medium these two are presented on. Spaced repetition takes advantage of the fact we remember or learn items when they are studied over a prolonged time span. Due to this lengthy learning process, each individual teaching tends to be quite short, just like microlearning. With Wranx’s spaced repetition solution, employees are asked how comprehensively they understand a question rather than simply taking a guess. This makes it is possible to prioritise topics the leaner doesn’t know too well, which is a much more effective way of improving someone’s long term memory. Spaced repetition can also be combined with gamification, a science driven technique that incentivises employees to take more lessons and compete with colleagues. Motivation and engagement levels remain high, as gaming is a format millenials have an interest in and are familiar with. So, even though microlearning might well be the latest trend for corporate eLearning, you shouldn’t ignore the potential of using this in conjunction with spaced repetition and gamification.  Share this post with your own audience

On a daily basis, the vast majority of households up and down the country will receive at least one nuisance telephone call. Regardless of whether they are trying to sell you something, access your computer, or steal bank account details, most of us will put the receiver down within a couple of seconds. However, authentic call centres that genuinely want to be of assistance can’t help but get a bad reputation, even if their intentions are honest and upstanding. This makes things incredibly difficult for call centre representatives as well as the organisations reliant on this sales and marketing technique. Employees must carry on regardless in spite of having the phone constantly slammed down on them, which is usually accompanied by an irate rant from the disgruntled caller. Businesses must also keep motivation and spirit levels high in order to achieve call centre prosperity. But in the face of these ongoing obstacles and continual challenges, call centres aren’t actually as bad as you think. For employees, there are several reasons why would choose to work in a call centre environment, whereas businesses can reap various rewards from choosing to pursue this practice.   Reasons to work in a call centre   Employees can make a difference and achieve career goals In call centres where employees are picking up the phone to answer questions and solve problems, the sense of self-satisfaction is immense. In several cases, these members of staff are providing an essential service and making a difference to the lives of customers on a daily basis. Although this often requires a lot of training on a specific subject, it is usually well worthwhile, as every call centre representative will tell you, nothing can beat the thoroughly rewarding experience of making someone’s day. Then again, call centre staff tasked with selling can regularly bask in the achievement of closing a big deal. If you want a career that provides immediate gratification and impressive remuneration, it is difficult to look past telemarketing. Once more, sales staff are bound to receive lots of training on how to encourage and persuade prospects to take action. Also, in this kind of working environment, promotions are never too far away either.   Camaraderie with colleagues and a supportive atmosphere With every other member of staff in exactly the same boat, you can rest assured that camaraderie with colleagues will never be far away in a call centre. Seeing as you need to possess a certain kind of personality to work in a call centre, chances are you will make likeminded friends easily too. To keep spirits high, call centres often have fancy dress days or themed events to keep staff engaged and interested. It is difficult to feel alienated or alone in this kind of environment, which has become a prevalent problem in certain global organisations.  But alongside the laughs and hilarity, you are also guaranteed to receive lots of support too. After a particularly bad call, you can turn to your next-door neighbour for some much needed comfort or advice. There will also be your supervisors and managers on hand to provide experience and guidance whenever it is required. Chances are they were once in your position and can offer up examples of how they dealt with certain situations.   Benefits of using a call centre   Providing customers with added value and greater expertise When a customer calls your company with a question that needs answering or a problem that needs solving, they will want a professional and proficient person to be on the end of the phone. However, businesses that do not make use of call centres may struggle to provide this expected level of confidence and competency. In addition to losing out on potential revenue, the caller may pass on their bad experience to friends and family members, causing even more damage to the organisation’s reputation. But with a team of expert and adept call centre staff answering customer correspondence, you business will be able to provide added value and greater expertise to each and every interaction. Along with keeping hold of existing clientele and building up a loyal following, this commitment to customer service will also do wonders for the company’s name. After all, word of mouth is arguably the most powerful form of publicity there is and something you can only achieve through positive customer experiences.   Closing more deals and increasing bottom-line conversions Although a lot can be said for having courteous yet capable call centre staff on hand to deal with customer questions and complaints, every business still needs to generate enough profit to survive and thrive. Thankfully, this is a distinct possibility if you train additional members of call centre staff to close more deals and increase bottom-line conversions. The art of selling on the phone can be a difficult one to master, but through the correct coaching and guidance, it is well within the reach of any organisation. Together with comprehensive sales technique training, there is also an abundance of other ways to improve performance in a call centre. This includes incentivising staff to reach monthly targets and rotating responsibilities to avoid frustration or impartiality from setting in. Create a call centre environment that is all about achieving goals, and overall workplace productivity is bound to increase. Once again, this comes back to staff being part of a collaborative environment, which encourages individuals to keep on performing but also offers support when the going gets tough.   The often-misunderstood call centre So, when you take into account the fact that call centres can be incredibly fun yet supportive places where camaraderie with colleagues and lofty careers goals are well within anyone’s reach, they become a much more lucrative option for employees. At the same time, businesses can benefit from better reputations and increased profits if call centre staff are on hand to provide added value, greater expertise, and more bottom-line conversions. Share this post with your own audience