eLearning has a negative connotation for many people. For one reason or another eLearning courses are associated with boredom, frustration, and utter confusion. However, if you know why eLearning has gotten a bad reputation over the years, you have the power to overcome the stereotypes and create an unforgettable eLearning experience. Let’s be honest, the thought of taking an eLearning course does not usually fill online learners with joy and anticipation. In fact, dread and reluctance may describe their emotions more accurately. Unfortunately, eLearning has a bad reputation in some circles, especially in the corporate training sector. The great news is that there are ways to eliminate this stigma and get online learners excited and intrigued by your next eLearning course. You may even have the opportunity to turn them into lifelong learners who jump at the chance to participate. 1) eLearning takes a "one-size-fits-all" approach Many individuals are under the assumption that eLearning does not offer a personalized approach. This is primarily due to the fact that it lacks the human element that is present in face-to-face learning environments. However, this could not be further from the truth. eLearning courses can be customized to fit the learning needs and preferences of the online learners, as long as the eLearning professional behind them is willing to conduct research beforehand. Every member of your eLearning audience has their own goals, objectives, and expectations that must be discovered through extensive task analysis, surveys, focus groups, and eLearning assessments. If you are able to figure out exactly what they need out of the eLearning experience you can custom tailor every activity, exercise, and piece of content to align with their goals. 2) Learners are forced to keep pace with their online peers People do not want to feel as though they are being made to keep up with their colleagues or peers. Even those who are more competitive will avoid eLearning courses that don’t give them control over the eLearning experience. This is why it’s so important to develop online training programs which are learner-centric, preferably self-guided. Let your online learners choose when they participate, which eLearning module they are going to complete next, and how they are going to receive the eLearning content. If done correctly, an eLearning course can allow them to go at their own pace without having to worry about falling behind their peers. Bear in mind that there is difference between keeping up with their peers and good, old-fashioned competition. Leaderboards, for example, can tap into their competitive nature and actually motivate them to learn. Just make sure that they don’t feel forced to participate. 3) eLearning courses are only for tech-savvy learners This is one of the most common misconceptions about eLearning. The truth is that you don’t have to have a great deal of tech know-how to participate in an eLearning course. There is a caveat to this, however. The eLearning course must be created with ALL learners in mind, not just the ones who know their way around a computer. It’s wise to offer online tutorials, walkthroughs, or detailed instructions for individuals who may be new to eLearning, especially if they are unfamiliar with the eLearning platform. For example, you can create a quick online video that shows them how to login to the eLearning course and use the navigation controls. If you do have more interactive elements, such as simulations, be sure to provide explicit directions beforehand so that they know what to expect. They key is to make your online learners feel as comfortable as possible so that they aren’t out of their element and can focus on the task at hand, which is acquiring the key takeaways of the eLearning course. 4) eLearning is boring and text-based I have to admit that I’ve participated in my fair share of dry and dull text-based eLearning courses. So, I can completely understand why some online learners might believe that all eLearning courses fall into this category. The truth is that eLearning gives you the opportunity to develop immersive and interactive eLearning experiences for your learners. Thus, if you are making text heavy courses and not offering fun and engaging eLearning content, you are missing out on a major opportunity. Humans are visual beings, which means that we need a healthy dose of graphics, images, videos, and presentations to grab our attention. Otherwise, you run the risk of having them click away before they’ve even really begun. Again, this is when eLearning audience research becomes an invaluable asset, as it allows you to determine the ideal level of eLearning interactivity and which online activities are best suited for their training needs. 5) eLearning courses take too much time to complete Nobody wants to sit through an hour-long eLearning course, particularly those with busy schedules, which is a vast majority of your eLearning audience. This is why it’s essential to break your eLearning courses up into "bite-sized" modules that online learners can access when it’s most convenient for them. For example, that hour-long eLearning course can become 6 ten minute modules that reduce cognitive overload and keep your online learners fully engaged. You can also develop online activities, such as eLearning games, interactive scenarios, and online presentations that give your online learners the knowledge they need in a fraction of the time. This makes it easier for them to fit the eLearning course into their schedules and receive all the benefits, without having to worry about boring and lengthy online lectures and online training sessions. eLearning can offer online learners a wealth of knowledge and help build their skill sets. This can only be achieved, however, if they are willing to experience it for themselves. As eLearning professionals we have the power to persuade them that our eLearning course is worth their time and effort, and that it can offer them real value in their personal and professional lives. Modern corporate learners, in addition to working long hours and having stressful duties, are often weighed down with tech obligations that they feel may stand in the way of their skill development and knowledge retention. Read the article 7 Success Factors To Win The Bet With Overwhelmed Corporate Learners to learn more about how to design effective online training experiences for overwhelmed corporate learners, so that they can acquire the skills they need to improve work performance. The post 5 Reasons Why eLearning Has A Bad Reputation And How To Overcome It appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

While eLearning developers struggle to produce quality eLearning programs, the learners at large are anticipating mobile-friendly outputs. Have you ever tried to consider mobile-compatible design for your eLearning courses? Regardless of your retrospection, we have some awesome news for you. Anyone can create mobile learning programs, provided they incorporate these strategies during the design phase. Have you ever tried to work on those MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) using your smartphone? Most of the time, these online courses are video-heavy. The videos are short and punchy and have a layer of interactivity. They could ask you to pause and answer a few check point questions. If you get the answers right, you can move ahead. If not, you see a message requesting you to revise before continuing. Now this sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Notice how screen real estate is managed when experiencing the same course through a tablet. You have more areas to interact on a larger screen. And of course, things are much more comfortable on a laptop. If you can appreciate the display and the interface design of the same course on a different device, you can understand the design considerations needed for mobile learning. Mobile learning is gaining world-wide popularity. This is mainly due to the availability of cheaper mobile data and greater network coverage provided by mobile service providers. Providing a comfortable user experience regardless of the screen size is a challenge. Let’s discover how you can enhance your mobile learning design for your next course. Screen size is the main challenge when designing mobile learning. Ever tried to squeeze complex information in a screen that is taller than it is wide? Careful planning is required when you want to create a responsive eLearning program. Consider these eight strategies when creating mobile learning programs: 1) Present only the main material in the mobile platform: Stick closer to your learning objectives in your mobile learning programs. To compensate for any missing or additional information, provide opportunities for learners to ask questions. 2) Use space for context-specific content only: Avoid adding unnecessary banners, IDs, buttons, legal writings, copyright notices and logos. Include a "more" button that leads to this kind of surplus information. 3) Place the secondary content at the bottom of the page: Mobile real-estate is of utmost importance when creating mobile-friendly courses. Place navigation controls, program usage information and other legal information at the bottom of the screen to avoid distractions from the learning content. 4) Crop and compress content to display: Simplify and crop graphics to reduce their dimensions. Edit text and summarize more. Replace a large graphic with image maps. Have learners touch different parts of the graphic to visualize related content and graphics. 5) Link brief version with detailed versions: Thumbnails are your best friends when designing mobile-friendly programs. Use them to access larger images and complete texts. 6) Test, test, test before launching: Do not launch your program until you have tested the behavior of your content using different devices for testing. Make sure your content is displayed well in the smallest or the narrowest of screens. 7) Flexibility in layout design: Always make sure that your design is responsive - meaning that it adjusts well to different screen sizes. You need to make sure that your output is HTML5 compatible. 8) Design a single-column flow: Avoid adding sidebar articles or tables of content that display in a separate column to the left or right of the main content. Designing for the devices your learners already have is a smart design strategy. Mobile devices are personal devices, thus they are also probably the devices your users prefer. A part of your learner analysis should involve determining their most frequently used devices. Also, determine whether they use Android or iOS devices. The design you come up with for an Android eLearning program could be a disaster for an iPhone. Make sure you provide alternative routes to accessing your material. The last thing you want is an unsatisfied learner! Mobile learning is not something new. Ever since mobile devices have become smart and loaded with apps, learners are looking at options to access the content using mobile devices. eLearning developers will need to respond to this rising demand for mobile-friendly eLearning programs. We hope these eight mobile-learning design tips will help you create learner-centered eLearning programs. The post 8 Ways to Enhance Your Mobile Learning Design appeared first on TalentLMS Blog.

The word ‘test’ alone is probably enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most nerveless of students. Yet research shows that tests can help improve our long-term memory and our ability to retrieve important information when we need it. We all have our own study strategies, with… Read More The post ‘Testing Effect’: How self-testing helps memory improvement appeared first on ExamTime.

Gamification is a hot topic right now, but how do you use it to create effective online training? If you’re simply taking a game and apply it to online training, you’re doing gamification wrong! For example, think of gamified training that’s based around a word search or a board game. These forms of gamification can be expensive to create and often offer little value to the learner. Instead, you need to find ways to use gaming elements to create better experiences that are not possible with traditional learning mediums. Here are five ways to help you get started. 1. Use leaderboards to benchmark learners against other learners Learning is motivational when it’s social and fun. You must appeal to your learners’ competitive instincts and create opportunities to challenge them against someone else rather than a computer. Leaderboards celebrate people’s strengths and show them where they can improve. A great example of the use of leaderboards in online training is the Heineken Capability Academy. In this gamified online training, learners earn points as they progress through the activities, which pushes them up the leaderboard. Prizes are awarded to top scoring learners and teams. 2. Personalize learning experiences Personalizing the learning experience involves creating unique pathways for each learner so that the training best caters to his or her individual needs. For the learning designer, this means abandoning the linear approach that presents learners with one route along the learning path and thinking of ways to tailor the course to each person, based on the decisions they make when posed with challenges. So, instead of giving the learner a body of knowledge to digest and then setting them a quiz, try turning that on its head by setting them a series of challenges and presenting the knowledge as responses to the choice they make. You can take this one step further by using branching. Depending on their responses to challenges, learners branch down different pathways through the course. Scenarios pose the challenges to learners, and the decisions the learners make have consequences. There are elearning authoring tools available, such as Elucidat, that can help you to create branching scenarios quickly and easily. Visually show the impact of learners’ decisions in the interface by changing the screen color or the background images in response to these decisions. 3. Use multiple variables to challenge learners To take adaptive learning one step further, you can use multiple variables in each question or challenge so that learners have to weigh up options and make tradeoffs. Working with multiple variables makes players consider cause-and-effect relationships, weigh multiple options, and prioritize their efforts. For example, in the BBC Finance Game, users are thrown a challenge at each level and scored according to the decision they make, based on four scoring criteria: budget, staff satisfaction, and the quantity and quality of output. Dynamic scoring allows for points to be lost and won across a range of skills. In this Fraud Prevention example by Elucidat, learners are challenged to see if they can detect a fraudulent scenario. Learners win badges if they correctly identify fraudulent scenarios. Multiple variables are at play here - friends are involved and learners must consider how their actions might them. While there is some technical knowhow needed to build this kind of program, modern elearning tools - such as Elucidat - have these features built in. The real skill in building this type of gamification is knowing how to create scenarios and weigh the scoring. 4. Use meaningful values to keep score Don’t just use points; instead, chose something meaningful. For example, if you’re conducting training for your customer service team, use satisfaction level as the value to keep score. This makes it easier for learners to relate to the scenarios because the score or points system is related to their job. Let’s look at an example by Open University called To Lie Or Not To Lie. In this game, results are delivered in an interactive graph that represents how other learners have answered the questions. This is more powerful that simply putting up a results screen with a yes or no answer. Related: Discover how easy it is to add scoring to your eLearning with Elucidat   5. Unlock new levels when sections are complete Like in a game, consider locking levels or chapters in the online training so that levels only open up when the learner has successfully completed a number of set tasks. Medieval Swansea (built using Elucidat) is a rich-media instructional game that has learners take on the role of detective to solve a historical mystery. Learners are taken through a series of stories with lots of stages to unlock in solving the mystery. They have to overcome Interactive challenges in their quest to gather points and bonuses. Each time a witness is interviewed, learners’ receive an achievement which unlock the next stage. Related: Stay on top of the latest elearning ideas, trends and technologies by subscribing to the Elucidat weekly newsletter. Conclusion Yes, gamification in online training is a hot topic, but it shouldn’t be used as a gimmick. Instead of creating online training that mimics a traditional offline game, such as a word search, think about how you can use gamification elements to enhance the learning experience beyond what is possible in offline instructor-led learning. Experiment with modern authoring tools - such as Elucidat - to see how easy it is to incorporate these simple gamification ideas into your next online training project. Keep reading: Can you turn learners into gamers? Here are 3 simple ways to gamify digital learning 5 killer examples of gamified eLearning Why gamification in elearning is important (4 reasons) The post 5 ways to use gamification in online training (that can’t be done with traditional training) appeared first on Elucidat Blog.

Learning Technologies 2016 is just around the corner, and Europe’s leading L&D exhibition and conference is bigger than ever. With more than 160 free seminars and 70 conference speakers you’re spoilt for choice when deciding what to see.Last week we spoke to three leading figures in the L&D industry to get their view on what’s going to be hot in 2016. We’re using their discussion to help pick out some seminars and conference talks that will help you get to grips with the concepts that matter in 2016.Hear what Donald Taylor, chair of the Learning Technologies conference, John Curran, Chairman of the Elearning Network and Laura Overton, Managing Director of Towards Maturity think are the next big thing, and find out where you can discover more about each hot topic. Multi-device learningOne of the topics discussed at length in the Elearning in 2016 hangout was mobile and multi-device learning.Each of the experts had a position on the subject and revealed how L&D can benefit from making it part of their strategy or developing the role it already has.Donald Taylor contrasted the old way of thinking about mobile learning with the modern approach made possible with advances in technology. "What it did mean was - let’s squeeze a one hour course onto an absolutely, impossibly inadequate medium and expect people to learn, well that’s not going to work. "But what it does mean is what people do all the time, you get on the Tube and you see people all the time on their phone, they are reading, they are listening, they are watching these may not be elearning modules but by goodness they are learning." John Curran confirmed that learners want to access learning wherever they can and creating multi- device modules is one way to make that easier. "The more accessible we can make our learning micro modules, the more likely they’re going to be accessed at whatever time and space people decide they need to learn." Laura Overton expressed concerns that L&D teams still aren’t fully committed to making multi-device learning. "I think most people are kind of playing still and the majority of their playing is about having responsive content that will appear everywhere." Brush up on mobile learning with our multi-device picks for Learning Technologies 2016: Talk 1: Love to learn! Ideas for using multi-device games & video in elearning Louise Pasterfield - Managing Director Sponge UK03 Feb, 11:00 - 11:30, & 04 Feb 14:00 - 14:30, Theatre 12This seminar will explore ideas for taking multi-device elearning to the next level with the use of games and video. Showcasing real-life examples, it will consider how you can enrich elearning by combining the latest innovative technologies for effective results. Talk 2: Driving learning with the latest in mobile delivery - T1S4 Geoff Stead, Sr Director, Mobile Learning, Qualcomm04 Feb, 11:10 - 12:20, Track 1Mobile delivery of content is pretty much a done-deal now. Everyone does it. But are we making the most of what we have, and what’s coming next? In this session, Qualcomm’s Geoff Stead describes the latest advances and how he’s putting them to use at one of the world’s earliest and most comprehensive adopters. Each of the industry figures was asked what they thought would be the hot topic for L&D professionals in 2016. We’ve scoured the Learning Technologies timetable to identify some of the key sessions that relate to these hot topics. Donald Taylor - Chairman of the Learning Performance Institution (LPI) and the Learning and Skills Group (LSG)After performing his annual on line survey Donald Taylor revealed what he predicts will be the hot topic of 2016 for L&D: "The buzz word that will be hot, my survey tells me quite unequivocally, is micro learning. That’s what everyone’s going to be talking about, it’s sexy, it’s hot." Breaking up content into bite-sized pieces to make it easier for learners to absorb is not a new concept. The renewed interest in mobile and multi-device platforms in 2015 has led many L&D teams to refocus on smaller chunks of content which can be more easily accessed in a variety of situations.You can find the full low down on the survey results that led to this pick on Don’s blog.Learning Technologies 2016 has several free seminars that you can attend to find out more about micro learning and how it might benefit your L&D programme: Talk 3: Enterprise learning - T3S3 Emma Pace, Global Head of Talent & Learning, PA Consulting3rd Feb, 15:30 - 16:40, Track 3Creating a social and micro learning enterprise culture. Talk 4: Micro learning and the rise of mobile Alex Noble, Online Academy Manager, RICS4th Feb, 10:15 - 10:45, Theatre 2 John Curran - Chairman of the Elearning NetworkJohn chose to look further ahead, thinking about what could make real changes in the L&D landscape. "So my buzz word for 2016, and I’m sure it won’t be mentioned a lot at Learning Tech is heutagogy… It’s self-directed learning and I really believe that that’s where the future is" Explaining that cognitive science made up a big part his current reading list he cited the following books as inspiration for his choice of buzz word: Why Don’t Students Like School? By Daniel T. Willingham Make it stick by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel How we learn by Benedict Carey These Learning Technologies 2016 talks will discuss elements of self-directed learning and should offer some inspiration to anyone looking into the neuroscience behind the theory. Talk 5: Learning how to learn - T1S5 Dr Barbara Oakley, Professor of Engineering, Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan4th Feb, 13:50 - 15:00, Track 1Neuroscience is a real buzz word at the moment. But how does the brain really learn? This fascinating session, from the author of one of the world’s largest MOOCs, explores different learning modes and how we should be using them. Dr Barbara Oakley will also share her expertise on best practices to help master tough subjects — something we could all benefit from! Talk 6: Collaborative learning - T4S2 Jane Hart, Workplace Learning & Collaboration Advisor, Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies Cathy Hoy, Senior L&D Manager, Europe, Coca-Cola Enterprises3rd Feb, 13:50 - 15:00, Track 4 Most of us collaborate at work every day and learn from colleagues on-the-job. But throw some technology into the mix and the picture can blur and processes become over complicated. The key is incorporating the learning into people’s workflow. Easier said than done perhaps, which is why Jane Hart and Cathy Hoy will be on hand to share tips on how to make it happen in practice. Laura Overton - Managing Director of Towards MaturityTowards Maturity publishes reports and conducts surveys with input from thousands of L&D professionals, so Laura is in a unique position to offer advice to the industry. "My key thing would be thinking consumer first… I think we need to get in tune with our staff, how they’re currently learning and meet them at their point of need." The idea of putting the learner, or consumer, first is something that Towards Maturity highlight in their Learner Voice reports. Taking feedback from real learners and collating the experiences they’ve had helps L&D professionals focus on the most important areas.Creating a learning culture based around the needs of the end user is an experience many in L&D can learn from.Learn more on this subject at the following talks: Talk 7: Forget the L&D hype — what about the learner? - T5S4 Dave Buglass, Head of Capability and Development, Tesco Bank4th Feb, 11:10 - 12:20, Track 5Dave Buglass has had enough of the cosy world of L&D jargon and of fads. He’s calling time on our obsession with the latest piece of shiny technology and asking a very simple question: what about the learner? Drawing his inspiration from disciplines outside L&D, his focus is on Service Design — in other words, servicing the needs of the employee who wants to learn. Might be something we could all learn from here. Talk 8: Building a global learning culture - T5S5 Laura Overton, Director, Towards MaturityStuart Miller, Global IT Director, Worldmark InternationalAnne Watson, Global HR Director, Worldmark International4th Feb, 13:50 - 15:00, Track 5What differentiates top flight companies in their adoption of learning technologies and a learning culture? Laura Overton has been researching this for years, and is pretty sure the answer is clear. But who is actually doing it? In this presentation she is joined by one company — Worldmark — that has done it internationally and is here to share their experiences and the lessons learned. What else is on at Learning Technologies 2016?The full seminar and conference programme is available on the Learning Technologies 2016 website .Sponge UK will be exhibiting at Stand C16 if you’d like to talk about any of the subjects raised in the hangout or play a specially designed elearning game.In case you need some more inspiration for your schedule we’ve picked out some interesting looking talks that don’t fit into one of the themes from the Hangout. Talk 9: Action mapping — throw them in at the deep end - T4S3 Cathy Moore, Training Designer3rd Feb, 15:30 - 16:40, Track 4On a mission to banish boring e-learning, Cathy Moore is also making it far more effective along the way. In this session the infectiously enthusiastic globe trotter pitches tent and shares with us her practical insights and methodology for designing content that does its job: getting people to alter their behaviours. Action mapping is vastly popular and successful, join this session to discover why and learn more. Talk 10: Video for learning - T2S6 Emma Barrow, Head of Digital Learning, Royal Mail GroupIan Slater, Manager, Technical Training, PII Pipeline Solutions, A GE Oil & Gas /Al Shaheen Joint Venture4th Feb, 15:30 - 16:40, Track 2Video for learning can range from the expensive and slick, to guerrilla recordings on smart phones. Each has benefits, video remains an intimidating medium for many. Hear how two organisations are creating their own processes and take away practical details that will enable you to deliver video content with new levels of flexibility and application. There’s an opportunity to meet some of the conference speakers and talk face to face about their talks at Towards Maturity’s eXchanges. You can sign up for one of the ten spaces for each session here.You’ll have the opportunity to talk with some of the speakers we’ve already highlighted, but we’d also suggest checking out these talks at Stand H21 if the topics discussed in this post are interesting to you: Bob Mosher, Apply Synergies - How To Support Performance at the Real Moment of Need - 3rd Feb, 12:45 - 13:45 Dave Kelly, eLearning Guild - How L&D Professionals Can Keep Updated With the Next and Now of Learning Technology - 4th Feb, 11:30 - 12:30 You can watch the Elearning in 2016 Hangout in full on our YouTube channel . If you’d like to schedule a meeting with someone from Sponge UK at Learning Technologies 2016 get in touch with us on absorb@spongeuk.com , or drop by stand C16 to play our elearning games. Discuss a project Subscribe to our newsletter The post 10 hot topic talks at Learning Technologies 2016 appeared first on Sponge UK.

Elearning provider Sponge UK has been included on a list of the 50 most innovative and inventive creative companies in England.The Creative England 50 (CE50) report, now in its second year, identifies and celebrates businesses and individuals from across the country producing creative content or products.Sponge UK is among 50 companies selected by Creative England to be part of the report in recognition of their ability to turn creative ideas into commercial success.It is the only bespoke elearning company to be included on this year’s list.Louise Pasterfield, Managing Director at Sponge, said: "Creativity runs through all our processes from instructional design, visual design and development through to customer service. Our clients come to us looking for a creative approach to workplace elearning and we’re always seeking new and innovative ways to advance the work we do. We are delighted to be included in this exciting report and encouraged by the recognition being given to creative businesses across the country."The report says that the creative industries contribute £76.9bn to the UK economy, employing 1.7m people and have helped drive economic growth in many areas of the country.Commenting on the report, Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive, Creative England said:"Creative talent, when it’s nurtured, networked and financed is one of the key drivers of the twenty-first century economy, and there seems to be an abundance of it in England. The CE50 recognises outstanding creativity across the country and gives a focus and profile it deserves. We are all looking forward to seeing what the "Class of 2016" can achieve in the months and years ahead."This year’s index includes businesses from a wide range of sectors including games studios, documentary film companies and app makers.Sponge UK makes online learning for large organisations including Royal Mail, GlaxoSmithKline, Tesco, the NHS and the United Nations.The company was named Outstanding Learning Organisation of the year at the Elearning Awards (2015-16) and is one of the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2016.The post Sponge UK named in list of England’s top 50 creative companies appeared first on Sponge UK.

An important technology that could have a very credible impact on E-Learning is virtual reality technology and augmented technology. At the recent CES show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Juniper Research declared that 2016 will be  the "watershed year" for virtual reality technology.Credit: www.cleveland.comIt was also predicted that 2016 would see the launch of Oculus Rift (Facebook), the first consumer level virtual reality headset that does not require a Smartphone like Google's Cardboard and Samsung Electronics Gear VR.Credit: www.time.comHTC predicts that its HTC Vive will represent a technological breakthrough in Virtual Reality, projected to be introduced in April 2016. It was also revealed that Audi will be installing Vives in pretty much all of its flagship stores to offer virtual test drives of their products.Credit: www.geekwire.comTo state that technology companies are "jockeying to position themselves to capitalize" on the evolving technology scene would be gross understatement!So, the obvious question, with regards to E-Learning, that needs to be asked is:"Is Virtual Reality ready for prime time as a tool to make learning experiences irresistibly engaging and capture the essence of being in an immersive learning environment?"The technology companies would have you believe that in 2016, the year of Virtual Reality, that this would be a "slam dunk" for the affirmative. Of course, their answer is slightly skewed by their motives. What Needs to Be Done to Slave This Technology to E-LearningAs mentioned in the previous post, it is incumbent upon us who are involved in ID and instruction, not to let the "tail wag the dog". Instead, the "tail needs to be customized" so that it performs according to the requirements of a new adaptive and agile pedagogical mindset. Interestingly enough, the primary purpose that many of the new virtual reality technologies are designed for, games and entertainment, provide important clues as to what the focus of our design efforts should be. What we are learning about the immersive techniques of  serious games and the thoughtful engagement that they promote can find the most productive application in E-Learning.Credit: www.thevideoink.comThe evolution of the web's "Second Life" has shown us that we can develop an immersive community of learning and diversity that is representative of the human condition and its aspirations. It has also shown us that there is great potential in the development of collaborative learning networks that span the globe.If this is true, then what needs to be done?Some IdeasUnlike, the various business and entertainment initiatives, use of such technologies in E-Learning is different because in education, we strive for "equity of access" for learners. In the past, technology marketers such as Microsoft & Adobe to name two, have made a good effort to make equity of access possible with education plans tailored to the education market. With regards to the use of these new technologies in E-Learning these initiatives need to be continued. I would suggest that given the fact that we are in an information and learning age that such initiatives should be extended to help improve the learning cultures within the business sector.  Credit: www.thenextweb.comHuman physiological data is needed that will reveal the effects that such technology has on the    human body system. For example, in early reports on the use of Oculus Rift users experienced headaches and dizziness after a prolonged use. More research data is needed before we design learning experiences using the new virtual and augmented technology environments. The obvious question, among a number, to ask is: "What is needed adaptation time needed for the human body to achieve biological synchronization with these new technologies and environments?"  With regards to designing irresistibly engaging learning experiences that seek to harness the power of these new technologies, we need to focus on the elements that are most engaging to learners. "Story telling" that involves the learner as an active participant in how the story develops and proceeds is an effective way to maintain learner engagement in what they are learning. This is a lesson that we have learned from observing "gamers" who take on roles within a story which is defined by the choices that they make and act on. Recurrent and immediate feedback during the evolving story is an important element.  The immersive element of virtual and augmented technology should appeal to as many of the human senses as possible and should be a social experience when used in a learning experience.        It is important to remember that the goal that we strive for in regards to our learners is that they would achieve a deeper, sustainable learning that is driven by intrinsic motivation more and extrinsic motivators less. Learning needs to be a social experience that is collaborative and fun but also meaningful and challenging. Without the challenging aspects, we can not spark creative and innovative problem solving of real world problems.Next...getting away from the culture of multitasking and closer to making use of each others gifts in collaborative networks.    

5 Big Questions to Ask Before Taking your eLearning Mobile In 2014, 20 percent of the world’s population owned a tablet device, with a growth rate of 30 percent from 2013. Desktop computers and laptops are predicted to lose popularity from 2016 onward as tablet sales soar, according to a Statsitica.com forecast for global shipments […] The post Are You Ready for Responsive eLearning Design? appeared first on PulseLearning.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines a mentor as "a trusted counselor or guide." Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be surrounded by others who want to help you work toward and accomplish your goals? We all could use a few good mentors with us along our path through life, couldn’t we?   Or perhaps you have the time and desire to become a mentor to someone else. Everyone has gifts and talents to share!  A great mentor is a guide who helps others to navigate the world of school, careers - even life in general. Below are definitions of nine different types of mentors. Make it your goal to have these different types of people as part of your mentoring team to help you succeed. In addition, strive to fill one or more of these roles in someone else’s life. The rewards are tremendous! The Challenger If you want to grow, you will want some challengers in your life who will tell you when they think you're doing something wrong or if you need to spend more time thinking something through. They ask the tough questions that help you analyze your situation realistically. They don’t sugarcoat and they’ll honestly tell you if your idea is a bad one or if your plan is only half thought out. This criticism, if it comes from the right place, will help you get on the right path and avoid costly mistakes. The Cheerleader Having the positive support of a Cheerleader can give you the necessary motivation to keep going. Our parents, spouses and good friends can fill this role for us in many ways; and professionally, having a person in your field saying, "you can do this" can be a tremendous asset. A Cheerleader is someone who will be genuinely happy for you when you succeed and who will cheer you on when you might be struggling. The Coach Coaches are there when you need someone to help you think through difficult problems. A good coach doesn’t solve your problems for you; they help you see both the problem and your role a bit more clearly. They do this by observing, listening, asking focused questions, reflecting back, and challenging. Coaches can suggest strategies for solving problems you might not have considered, and can help you think "bigger picture" on ideas and possible solutions. The Connector The Connector gets satisfaction from making connections. They willingly open up their personal or professional network to others.  They are motivated by connecting people with one another to share ideas, passion and energy. This type of mentor is a valuable asset to both your personal and professional life. Sometimes it really is who you know that can make the difference! The Educator An Educator is a person who takes the time to sit down and share their expertise with those who want to learn. Educators love to help others by sharing their wisdom. They want to see everyone succeed! The Idea Generator Are you tapping into your creative side? Are you taking time to play? Sometimes we get lost in the day-to-day struggles and we forget to have fun. Play and fun are necessary to allow us to free our minds to look at the big picture. Is this the life we imagined? Where can we make adjustments in either our personal or professional life? The Idea Generator takes on the role of "thought partner" and helps you to open your mind to new experiences and new opportunities. The Librarian As you navigate through life, it’s helpful to be able to pull from various resources to help you get along. The Librarian has a wealth of information on your community, clubs, organizations and support systems. They know a resource for almost any need and are aware of where to go to get questions answered or to get things done. The Super Star Find people who you admire. People who are living parts of their life in a way you aspire to, or who currently have the career that you want to have. Spend time with them and get to know their routines, their resources, how they go about their days. While their way is not the only way, you can gain valuable insight into steps you might want to take to get you closer to your goals! The Teammate Some days you just need an awesome listener. Someone to remind you that it’s okay; tomorrow is another day. A good teammate realizes that you aren’t always looking for a solution to your problem, or a motivational speech to spur you on. You just need someone to listen with a sympathetic ear, and then allow you to move on.  A truly great mentor often embodies more than one of these personality profiles. Look for mentors that know when to step in, when to push, when to teach and when to inspire.  Making these connections and having these relationships available to you means that you can pull from these resources whenever you might have the need. Take a moment and reflect on what you might also have to offer to someone else. Be aware of the needs of others around you and step in if you are able. Mentoring can be a very rewarding experience for all involved! For more information about Ed4Online please visit Ed4Online’s website at https://ed4online.com/. Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-hughes/the-5-best-types-of-mentors_b_4149657.html http://www.inc.com/betty-liu/the-4-types-of-mentors-you-need-in-your-life-to-succeed.html http://www.fastcompany.com/3042664/hit-the-ground-running/the-five-types-of-mentors-you-need          

We’re kicking off 2016 with a trip to Learning Technologies in London. It’s the only European L&D event that we exhibit at because, well, it’s the best! With 7,500 attendees expected it’s also the largest showcase of organizational learning and the technology used to support learning at work in Europe.   We’re really excited about this event as it’s the first we’ll exhibit at since we announced our 500th customer. You’ll find Brendan, Caoimhín, Phily and Eoghan at Stand E4 in Olympia from 9:30am to 5pm on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th February. As always we’re looking forward to chatting with attendees and catching up with some of our UK customers and partners. With so many of our team attending there’ll be someone you can talk to at all times. We’ll also be providing live demos of all of LearnUpon’s latest features.   In addition to the exhibition there’s no less than 150 L&D seminars and 70 speaker presentations taking place over the two days. If you want to get a rare chance to hear our CEO, Brendan Noud, share his 11 years of LMS knowledge you should definitely check out his seminar on "Top 10 Considerations when selecting an LMS." This presentation will cover everything from unnecessary features, technical considerations, the hidden costs to be on the lookout for and lots more. In a nutshell this session will give you a crash course on how to choose the right LMS for you and your business. You will walk away with a solid action plan for your LMS selection process. Brendan’s seminar takes place at Theatre 1, from 3:30pm to 4pm on Thursday the 4th of February. There’s a Q&A session afterwards so come prepared with lots of questions on how to find the perfect LMS! The post Talk to LearnUpon at Learning Technologies 2016 appeared first on LearnUpon.