This is a month late this year, but I'm excited because the Big Question Thought Leaders are working with me around this question. For February the question is: What are your Predictions and Plans for 2011? The goal here is to here what people see happening for them this year. What are your biggest challenges for this upcoming year? What are your major plans for the year? What predictions do you have for the year? In your predictions and plans, don't try to look too broadly. Instead, what's always valuable is to hear from people about their specific area, or what's happening in their job. You might want to look back at previous years: Predictions and Plans for 2010 Challenges Plans and Predictions for 2009 Predictions for Learning in 2008? How to Respond: Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic. Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic. Option 3 - Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us. Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like: Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 or you could also include your blog name with something like: Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology Posts so far (and read comments as well): Glenn Hansen's 2011 predictions -2011 - the year of collaboration Holly - What does 2011 look like for Consultants? Jeff Goldman's - 2011 predictions Manish Gupta - e-Learning Predictions for 2011 Thomas Edgerton - 2011 Predictions Clark Quinn - Learnlets - Predictions Kasper Spiro - My e-Learning Predictions LCBQ Tony Karrer - Top 10 eLearning Predictions 2011 #LCBQ

I'm very happy to be working with the Big Question Thought Leaders. We've added some European perspective to the group with the addition of Kasper Spiro. For March the LCBQ is: How do you assess whether your informal learning, social learning, continuous learning, performance support initiatives have the desired impact or achieve the desired results? As training organizations increasingly focus on improving performance with new kinds of learning/performance initiatives, how do we go about making sure they have impact/results? The focus here is what people are doing today and what makes sense to do. We'd love to hear examples. By the way, if you have an idea for what all of this should be called, we would be curious to hear about that as well. How to Respond: Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below. This may be hard given the complexity of the topic. Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic. Option 3 -Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like: Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 or you could also include your blog name with something like: Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology Posts so far (and read comments as well):Clark Quinn - Learnlets - Social Media MetricsJay Cross - The Big Question: How to assess learning initiatives…Eloise Pasteur Assessing Informal LearningKasper Spiro -Impact of informal learning: output learning #LCBQTom Gram, Performance X Design: Evaluating Training and Learning Circa 2011Tom Gram, Performance X Design: Evaluating with the Success Case MethodJeff Goldman - Informal Learning... Maybe I can Informally Assess Its ImpactGuy Wallace -My Answer to the Big Question for March 2011 at Learning Circuits BlogThomas Edgerton - How do you measure informal learning?Taruna Goel - Assessing Informal Learning

I'm very happy to be working with the Big Question Thought Leaders on the questions each month.For April the LCBQ is:How do you address the "I want it now!" demand from stakeholders?As one of the LCBQ thought leaders put it:The other day I walked into an executives office and they had a site up about "Rapid Instructional Design." I spent quite a bit of time in discussion with this executive. It is a real tough balance of providing instructionally sound courses/events and providing it is an time frame acceptable by stakeholders.How to Respond:Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQWe will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.Option 3 -Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0or you could also include your blog name with something like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnologyPosts so far (and read comments as well):Glenn Hansen - Addressing "I want it now!"Kasper Spiro - On Demand Agile eLearning DevelopmentClive on Learning - The Big Question: How do you respond to the ‘I want it now’ demand?Jeff Goldman / MinuteBio - A Priest, A Rabbi and an Instructional Designer Are in a Bar and Identify a Training Need: A response to the #LCBQ" Tony Karrer - Agile eLearning - 27 Great ArticlesHolly McDonald -I want it now - who doesn’t? #LCBQOpen Sesame - We Need Learning and We Need It Now!Tom Gram, Performance X Design: I Want it Now!Jeff's additional response - The Other Stakeholder Wants It Now Too #LCBQ

Last month we asked how you can address the "I want it now!" demand from stakeholders. Jeff Goldman talked about the other stakeholder - the learner - who want their learning on-demand. The #LCBQ for May is:How do we need to change in what we do in order to address learning/performance needs that are on-demand?How to Respond:Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQWe will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.Option 3 -Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0or you could also include your blog name with something like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnologyPosts so far (and read comments as well):Jack Pierce and the e-learning NOT as usual blogEloise - What changes do we need to make for on-demand learningAddressing On Demand Learning NeedsAndrea May Addressing On-Demand Learning and Performance Needs #LCBQKasper Spiro - Context, Context, Context will make e-Learning work #LCBQ"Doctoring the Informal Learning EnvironmentJeff's response - On-Demand Scenario #LCBQGlenn's response: Glenn Hansen- On demand learningHolly - May’s #LCBQ - We all want it nowMike - 3 New Roles for Learning Professionals Driven by Web 2.0 #LCBQ

Thanks to Holly and the rest of the Big Question Thought Leaders for helping me to craft this month's question.In many organizations, our learners are reaching outside of the organization to enhance their learning experience, through social networking/media and many other methods. In other organizations, the learning audience includes partners and customers, and the learning ecosystem expands beyond employees. The #LCBQ for June is:How do we break down organizational walls when it comes to learning?How to Respond:Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQWe will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.Option 3 -Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0or you could also include your blog name with something like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnologyPosts so far (and read comments as well):Harold Jarche - Connecting with Communities of PracticePaul Angileri - What's the "High Concept, High Touch" Solution for Organizational Learning Today?Andrea May Collaborative Learning in Spite of Organizational WallsDennis Callahan - 9 Ways to Break Down Organizational WallsKasper Spiro: How do we break down organizational walls when it comes to learningJeff Goldman - Making It Over the Wall #LCBQTaruna Goel - Break Free From Organizational WallsGlenn Hansen - Breaking Down Organisational Walls

This month's big question comes from Jeff Goldman and the rest of the Big Question Thought Leaders.Summer has begun (in the northern hemisphere) and summer means fun. And if you are from the southern hemisphere, my perception is that you have fun all the time - except maybe taking eLearning. So, the #LCBQ for July is: How do you make e-learning fun?We also would like to hear when e-learning should or should not be fun. Or is engaging really what you go after? And how does that differ from fun?How to Respond:Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQWe will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.Option 3 -Step 1 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us.Step 2 - Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and past, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link. So, it should look like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0or you could also include your blog name with something like:Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnologyPosts so far (and read comments as well):Clive Shepherd's contribution - see also Enjoyable e-learning-is it an oxymoron?Jeff - How I make e-learning fun!Eloise - Making e-learning funAndrea May - eLearning and Fun: Two Words Not Normally Seen TogetherTaurna Goel -Making Learning Fun! Kasper Spiro - I don't want e-Learning to be funny at all: see my blogHolly MacDonald - Loosen Up and Have a Little Fun

Just a quick note to say that the Big Question Thought Leaders and I will be taking a vacation in August from the LCBQ. Enjoy the time off. Look forward to next month's big question.

Change is afoot for the LC Blog. After many years of managing the LC Blog for us, we’re giving Tony Karrer a much needed break. (We’re actually hoping that will give him time to work on other projects for ASTD. Shhh. He doesn’t know about that part...yet.) Please join ASTD in thanking Tony for his many years of managing the LC Blog. We couldn’t have carried on these last years without him—or the Big Question Thought Leaders who helped keep us up and running. So, what do we have planned? For several years the LC Blog has focused on having industry leaders respond to a Big Question of the Month (the LCBQ). We’re planning on expanding the blog by inviting those experts and other "blogger extraordinaires" to take over the blog. Starting in October, each month a different thought leader will post to the blog weekly. They will pose their own LCBQ, remark on new technology and tools, and report on issues and trends affecting workplace learning and performance professionals directly working with technology.In the meantime, Justin Brusino, ASTD Community of Practice Manager for Learning Technologies (more about him next week), and I will make a few posts introducing you to the coming blog leaders and asking readers what experts we should tap for this new venture and issues they should address. To that end, the September #LCBQ is:What issues and trends do you think are having a major impact on the industry—and should be on the hot list for the LC Blog to tackle?How to Respond:Option 1 - Simply put your thoughts in a comment below.Option 2 - Tweet your thoughts using the hastag: #LCBQ. We will do our best to collect together tweets around the topic.Option 3 - Post in your blog (please link to this post). We recommend including #LCBQ in your title to help us. Put a comment in this blog with an HTML ready link that I can simply copy and paste (an HTML anchor tag). I will only copy and post, thus, I would also recommend you include your NAME immediately before your link (or you could also include your blog name). So, it should look like: Tony Karrer - e-Learning 2.0 : eLearningTechnology.Stay tuned!Ryann Ellis, Learning Circuits Editor

As Ryann mentioned in a previous post, I’m the Community of Practice Manager for Learning Technologies at ASTD. In this role, I engage with the community and help build ASTD’s portfolio of content—from T+D articles to books to educational programs to conferences and beyond. I also help foster discussion and debate within the community.I’ve been with ASTD for nearly five years, working primarily on books and Infoline with ASTD Press. While I’m already familiar with many of the concerns and needs of our members and audience focused on learning technologies, I look forward to connecting with many of you, virtually or in person, to discuss this evolving field. My goal is to provide content and support that helps you get your job done, better and faster.Indeed, no area in world of learning is more exciting than Learning Technologies. My current areas of focus are Social Learning, Mobile Learning, and Simulations and Serious Games. These topics should come as no surprise as they’ve been the buzz for some time. But Mobile and Social Learning are both ready to take that next step in maturity; we’re ready to move beyond the surface of such tools and benefits to explore how these elements take a strategic place in your learning strategy—and we’re ready to take a hard look at results and calculate value. If you’re skeptical about the power of games, consider the recent breakthrough with Fold.it and its role in deciphering an AIDS causing protein. It’s definitely an exciting time to be in the learning field.With your help, we can advance the learning profession and create a world that works better. Feel free to contact me directly at Justin (at) ASTD (dot) org.

I met Ben Betts at last year's Learning 2010 Conference. He was there as part of their great 30 Under 30 group. Ben spoke as part of a panel session on the Sales and Marketing Cycle for E-Learning. I was immediately impressed with him and his ideas.Ben is the Managing Director at HT2, an innovative learning technologies group focused on gaming, social, and mobile learning. Ben was the lead designer and creator of HT2’s Curatr platform, which adds social and gaming elements to e-learning. As if that’s not enough, Ben is also getting his Engineering Doctorate at the University of Warwick. Make sure to ask him how his thesis is going.Ben will be blogging here during the month of October, after that, you can catch up with him over at his blog.