I love Twitter chats. They are amazing question/answer professional development sessions that allow educators to learn in their sweatpants from the comfort of their couch…at least that’s how I professionally develop! However, as much as I love to participate in Twitter chats, and seriously value their content, I also have[Read more] The post Using Participate Learning to Explore Twitter Chats appeared first on Teaching with Technology.

This article is from am interview after Diane presented the multi-generational workforce at SROA’s 32nd Annual Meeting in San Antonio.  Click here to read the article which begins on page 2.

Finding and hiring promising people is just the first step in nurturing talent in a company. Click here to read this article in the ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTOR, October 2015.

If collaboration is one of the hallmarks of the new E-Learning paradigm then it is important not only to encourage it in learners but also be willing to model it as an important professional practice. In the last post I suggested that there is much that we can learn about interactivity and engagement from the serious game designers. Many of the remarks in further elaborating on the hybrid model in this post will draw from the serious game designer's experience. One distinction I would make based upon the current state of "gamification" is that I believe that at the present time gamification does not have the same research and application rigor that "serious game design" does. Therefore, it is from the latter that I will draw comparisons from.Credit: www.info.shiftlearning.comThe Nature of Interactive Learning Experiences in the Hybrid ModelIt should be recognized that relevant challenges within E-Learning experiences are key to the engagement of the learner in the activity so that the learner's intrinsic motivation becomes more stronger than any extrinsic motivators that may be in play at the beginning. In such a situation, the learner enters into what might be described as a "state of flow" where the learner seeks to actively engage with the experience on many levels. The shape that this may take could involve the learner actively, either as an individual or on a collaborative level, seeking to gather information needed to solve a task, re-thinking and re-formulating the approach to the task and generally going beyond the original parameters in order to come to terms with a tasked problem. For the learner, it takes on the same addictive nature that is seen in well designed serious games.Credit: www.LinkedIn.comThese are some of the qualities that can be observed of participants who are involved in a well designed "serious game". The nature of the challenges within E-Learning experiences are such that goals and objectives are re-defined as progress is made during the learning experience. This means that goals and objectives need to be agile and adaptive because in an online environment unlike in traditional learning environments, feedback to the learner is immediate during the experience and in fact impacts the decision making process of the individual or collaborative group in a dynamic fashion.In the past, course objectives were written based upon Bloom's Taxonomy which was a valuable resource to start from but it is not a linear dynamic in an online environment and the "revised" Bloom's Taxonomy is more relevant to a digital age. Creating the environment where innovative ideas become a natural mindset requires that this level be considered and that movement does not proceed in an unidirectional linear fashion. This is especially evident when a collaborative group is involved in real world problem solving.Level of Difficulty and Learning From MistakesAnother important consideration in designing effective interactivity in E-Learning experiences is to make sure that E-Learning activities are neither too easy or too difficult. This especially true for corporate learners. "Why is this a necessary guide and should we be happy with this state of affairs?"To begin to address the above question, we need to look to the past experiences of learners:They were all educated in an education system that empowered them to believe that if they found something too difficult, that someone else would either change the activity, lower the standard for achievement or allow them to give up on doing the activity with very few personal repercussions for doing so.They were taught that at least putting in the effort was just as important as actually achieving what was required.This state of affair created an unfortunate attitude among learners where they felt that they were entitled not to have to face the consequences of their mistakes and the expectation that the education system, through its misguided "no fail" policies would shield them. In the corporate world this  resulted in learning cultures where true engagement was poor and deeper sustainable learning was fleeting.Ironically, the best teacher of learning from mistakes and taking on higher and higher levels of difficulty without outside coercion comes from the gaming industry. It is this industry that we need to have more and more helpful conversations in creating effective interactivity.Next---How immediate and ongoing feedback during a learning experience leads to deeper learning.

This week’s challenge is to create an interaction to explore before-and-after images, so I thought I'd explore the baking journey of a coffee cake . Read more...

After more than 2 years of participating in the Articulate #ELHChallenges I thought I'd share the top 5 reasons I'm so grateful for them. Read more...

I developed the personal knowledge mastery (PKM) framework of Seek > Sense > Share from a need to stay current as a working professional. As a framework it is not a defined set of practices nor a recipe book, as there are many unique PKM routines. Since first writing about PKM in 2004, I have continuously worked at improving the model, identifying emergent practices and tools, and promoting the need to let people manage their own learning in the workplace. My conclusions in 2004 remain today: My conclusion for a while has been that knowledge cannot be managed, and neither can knowledge workers. It will take a new social contract between workers and organizations in order to create an optimally functioning enterprise. Adding management and technology won’t help either. This is the crux of everything in the new "right-sized, lean, innovative, creative" economy - getting the right balance between the organizational structure and the knowledge workers. While most organizational ‘digital transformation’ initiatives focus on technology, tools, and processes, only lip service is paid to individual capability. I have learned that it takes time to build a knowledge-sharing network and develop a sense-making discipline. Educating people on PKM is only 10% of the effort. Finding people who can support our learning is perhaps 20%. But practice and reflection is 70% of the effort. PKM fits in well with the 70:20:10 framework, which requires leadership to hold the space so that learning is promoted through experience, exposure, and education. PKM is the engaged professional actively involved in co-creating knowledge. Why PKM? Motivation is the key to any learning, so having your own unique PKM practice is empowering. Training and education look backwards and cannot address what might be. Organizations do not learn, people do. The active practice of PKM integrates work and learning in our minds. Networked individuals are more resilient and adaptive than any organization. The lifespan of organizations is decreasing and individuals have to take control of their career professional development. Getting connected outside of work creates a support network for any future disruption. PKM is the core competency for network era work that increasingly requires curiosity, creativity, and empathy. The PKM in 40 Days Workshop is one way to start the journey to personal knowledge mastery.  

This post was going to be all about accelerated learning, but then I stumbled across a great illustration. The illustration uses accerated learning elements to explain how you can accelerate learning! Instead of recreating the wheel, I am going to direct you to Tanya Moore’s blog with the Accelerated Leanring Mind Map. She also has some great links to additional information. In the future, I will post detailed inforamtion about the various elements of accelerated learning and how you can incorporate it into your trainig.

via 10 Reasons the Death Star Project Failed (Infographic).

New year, new resolutions! If learning is top of your list, it’s time to explore simple ways to expand your professional knowledge and update your skill set. Attending an eLearning conference is a great way to network and squeeze lots of insights from industry experts into a busy few days. The break from routine alone will help inspire you with new solutions for familiar challenges. But there are hundreds of eLearning conferences out there and spotting the difference between the good and the great can be tricky. As seasoned conference goers, we have 8 favorites to recommend. Whatever your location, you can find an unmissable eLearning conference happening near you. Take yourself off to a sunny location or jet into a cool European capital to learn from the thought leaders of eLearning. Circle your calendar and we’ll see you there. Learning Technologies, London (UK), 3 & 4 February   2016 marks our fourth year exhibiting at the UK’s Learning Technologies, one of the biggest eLearning conferences in Europe. We chose to kick off the year with Learning Technologies for a good reason. It’s the best-attended and fastest-growing eLearning conference on the continent. Learning Technologies brings together a cross section of professionals interested in workplace learning. As the name suggests, it’s the eLearning conference to choose if you’re keen to know more about innovative solutions for organizational learning, and technologies used to support learning at work. The scale of Learning Technologies is impressive. Organizers expect more than 7,500 professionals to attend this year’s event. Attendees can enjoy 150 Learning & Development seminars packed with helpful information on practical applications and best practice in eLearning. They can also visit 250 learning technology exhibitors (including LearnUpon!) in two exhibition halls. This year’s conference promises to be one of the biggest shows in the learning sector, with Learning Technologies co-locating with the complementary event, Learning & Skills. Learning Solutions, Orlando (US), 16-18 March     Learning Solutions Conference & Expo is our first major eLearning conference of 2016 that takes place in the US. It will be our third time exhibiting at the main eLearning conference hosted by industry leaders, The eLearning Guild. It often feels like the entire learning and performance community has gathered at Learning Solutions. This eLearning conference focuses on educating performance support professionals about technology-supported learning, with an emphasis on networking. While presentations explore proven methods for leveraging technology, the conference also encourages attendees to share best practice examples of tools and methods that have produced results in their organizations. The aim of this blended approach is to provide professionals with theoretical and practical insights they can apply in their own learning and performance roles. One of the most distinctive things about Learning Solutions is its commitment to making the working lives of eLearning professionals easier. Organizers are dedicated to presenting the latest solutions for common stresses experienced across the eLearning discipline. The eLearning conference manages to pack a lot of quality content into its three days. With over 100 sessions running across 3 stages, the 45-minute presentations and demonstrations cover a range of topics, including Tools, Performance Support, Instructional Design, Management and Strategy, and Data and Measurement. Learning Solutions also offers pre-conference blended courses and certificate programs designed to help participants to develop skills and knowledge they can apply immediately in their organizations. AITD, Sydney (Australia), 5 & 6 May   AITD 2016 is special for LearnUpon. More than 20 professional bodies have chosen us since we officially launched our learning management system for associations last July. 2015 also saw us open our first office in Australia. We selected AITD as our first official exhibition at an Australian conference for associations. The AITD conference is one of the professional development services the Australian Institute of Training and Development offers to members. We chose the eLearning conference for its reputation for providing delegates with dynamic presentations on the most innovative topics in the industry. Keynote speakers include Donald Clark, CEO and founder of Epic Group. Donald will discuss "2500 Years of Learning Theory - the good, the bad and the ugly", a whistle-stop tour of over 100 figures who have shaped the learning landscape. Attendees are also invited to test their skills before the eLearning conference in a full-day workshop on May 4th. Pre-release tickets are on sale now for AITD members only. Members will receive a 40% discount on standard registration if they book by January 31st. Download the 2015 conference program for a more detailed idea of what to expect. ATD, Denver (US), 22-25 May   ATD Annual, the Association of Talent Development‘s main yearly event, is big. The 2016 conference will attract over 10,000 attendees, who will watch 400 speakers deliver 300 sessions over 4 days. This year will see us exhibiting at the conference for a second time. ATD Annual rounds up thought leaders working across the talent development industry. The conference provides a wide collection of resources to help talent development professionals reach their full potential. ATD believes attendees will then be equipped to help colleagues in their organizations realize their potential too. Speakers at ATD Annual tend to be recognizable names shaping practices across the industry. Presentations focus on practical and actionable advice filled with takeaways attendees can apply in their organizations. ATD hosts a number of professional development workshops before the conference that encourage participants to develop the skills they need to stay competitive in their role. Content tracks include subjects like Global Human Resource Development, Leadership Development, Learning Technologies, Learning Measurement & Analytics, and Training Delivery. Industry Tracks include Government, Sales Enablement, Healthcare, and Higher Education. ATD promises that attendees will leave with valuable new contacts, fresh ideas on how to apply recent developments in their role, and a reinvigorated passion for talent development.   ASAE Annual, Salt Lake City (US), 13-16 August   ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition was the first professional associations conference LearnUpon attended. ASAE, or the Center for Association Leadership, represents more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners who represent more than 9,300 organizations. The association is a major source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for association and nonprofit professions. Members of ASAE manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in 50 countries internationally. ASAE Annual 2015 offered over 120 eLearning sessions that encouraged participants to generate ideas and provoke new thinking about their roles. If you’re not a member of ASAE at the moment, you can pay a non-member conference rate and receive a one-year membership as well. We choose ASAE Annual as an opportunity to catch up with our association customers, many of whom are among the 5,000 professionals who attend the event every year. Exhibiting at ASAE is a small part of our commitment to making learning technology work harder for professional bodies and associations. Learning @Work, Sydney (Australia), 24 & 25 October   Taking place in Sydney in October, Learning @Work provides a great opportunity for training and learning professionals to refresh their skills later in the year. Now in its fourth year, Learning @Work has established itself as the continent’s largest workplace learning conference. Considered a must-attend event for L&D professionals in Australia, this eLearning conference focuses on improving workplace learning and development through modern technology and solutions. Learning @Work positions itself as the only event in Australia to bring together all stakeholders involved in people management. That makes it one of the best conferences to bring a wide multi-disciplinary team to. Organizers invite attendees working as Learning & Development Managers and Directors, Training Managers, Instructional Designers, Facilitators, Coaches, and eLearning and Education Managers. We’re looking forward to seeing many of our Australian and New Zealand customers there in October. DevLearn, Las Vegas (US), 16-18 November   It feels like we’ve just returned from DevLearn 2015. But we’re already looking forward to the 2016 session and heading back to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a major event in the international industry’s calendar, DevLearn brings together a community of experts shaping the future of learning. In 2015, DevLearn encouraged attendees to explore the full potential of technology in eLearning. Conference organizers work hard to expose attendees to the most impactful developments across the industry. We enjoyed keynote speeches that focused on 4 elements of learning innovation: Curiosity, Disruption, Passion, and Technology. Due to its scale and reputation, DevLearn works as a who’s who of eLearning. You’re sure to bump into bloggers and experts, friends and peers from all areas of eLearning. At the 2015 session, we were delighted to catch up with customers - Lisa from Denver Water, Mickey from BeauteSchool, Kendra from WideOrbit and Tom from Zipline Performance. We also learned a lot about the latest LRS and Tin Can API news from our conversation with Ali and Russell from Wax LRS by Saltbox. ASAE Technology, Maryland (US), 13 & 14 December   The 2016 ASAE Technology Conference & Expo will return to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland. Now in its 11th year, ASAE Technology is one of the world’s longest-running eLearning events. As ASAE’s second major annual conference, the focus at this event is kept to eLearning technology. With an emphasis on leadership, sessions will be most relevant to professionals in the roles of CEO, CIO, director and manager. Panels are designed to prepare attendees to take the next step in leading their organizations in the most profitable technical and strategic directions. Spanning a range of industries, the conference aims to give professionals with different areas of expertise the opportunity to learn from their shared leadership examples.   Start the year with the right intention and add an eLearning conference to your calendar now! If you do, say hello to the LearnUpon team in the exhibitors’ area. We’ll give you a first hand look at our learning management system and fill you in on the exciting new features we’ll be releasing this year.   Want to read more? Sign up to get our latest posts! The post 8 reasons to attend an eLearning conference in 2016 appeared first on LearnUpon.