Last time in Adventures… ~~~~~~~~ I attended the annual #iceindiana conference in Noblesville Friday.  Its the annual gathering of teachers around the state interested in technology in the classroom.  All the sessions are lead by teachers or former teachers who are now working in professional development and/or edtech in some other capacity.  This is … Continue reading →

During Fall Break, I promised myself I’d read one professional book and one novel. For my professional book,  I chose to read something I’d purchased a while ago, Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes for Every School, by Mark Barnes and Jennifer Gonzalez. The authors speak on the idea of not waiting for that great initiative … Continue reading →

 Remember way back at the beginning of this adventure I said I think I might be creating a monster?  It started breathing Tuesday Morning.   Let me back up. Two weeks ago, I was asked to run our weekly Monday professional development session where all the teachers gather during one of their two preps and … Continue reading →

Rubrics are an important part of the learning and assessment process.  They help keep everyone on the same page as far as what is expected as an end product in any scenario.  Until now, I’ve always created a rubric in a Google Doc, added it separately to the assignment and scored it manually.  Lots of … Continue reading →

Today’s workforce is ever-changing. Gone are the male-dominated, culturally homogenous views and traditionalism of the pre-digital age. Today diversity and inclusion is getting increasingly important for business success. In an increasingly global corporate environment, the new diverse workforce consists of both genders and a mix of old and new generations, different cultural and religious backgrounds. As a consequence of this diversity, we are now seeing different approaches to learning and the need to improve communication skills to sustain a new multicultural and global workplace. The pressure is now on organizations to deliver dynamic, flexible and agile methods of training to suit their staff’s varying levels of skill, age and learning speed. Organizations need to understand that learning begins with a culture of inclusion. By taking the time to understand the latest learning tools available, organizations can create an overarching attitude of learning, which adapts to the needs of their changing workforce. For some time, the days of pure classroom training, with one teacher and students confined to a room, with the rigidity of attending class at a set time every week, is no longer enough to meet individual and organizational needs. E-learning has addressed some of the demands of delivering fast and cost effective training - however the focus for business is more and more on communication nowadays, and how that can be effectively taught with diversity in mind. Our 2011 survey ‘Speexx Languages and Business Audit’, which questioned 103 senior L&D managers, HR managers and Business education staff across the globe, revealed 71 per cent of organizations believe they will be delivering more blended learning content within the next two years. The way staff are trained is expected to change by 2014. Our survey showed that 71 per cent of respondents stated that "blended learning" - a mix of e-learning, mobile learning and virtual learning - will be the primary method of delivering training. In the meantime classroom training will dramatically fall to only 17 per cent (from 44 per cent). Furthermore one out of five organizations expect that "social and informal learning" will play a greater role in staff development too. The dp survey also indicated that 74 per cent of businesses said that English and Chinese were viewed as the most important two languages to learn. With the advance of technology and new media, the possibilities are exciting for organizations willing to embrace new ways of learning. Individuals and organizations now have greater flexibility on how linguistic skills are delivered and effective results can be achieved regardless of skill, nationality or age. Effective business communication within a diverse and changing workforce can be successfully achieved with the perfect blend of advanced learning technology and teacher-led activities. Due to the streamlined and standardized nature of blended learning, senior managers are able to use the results to monitor the skill levels of their staff and identify any hidden champions that can fill any productivity gaps created in an organization’s foreign subsidiary. In this way, communication skills training and development becomes essential to an organization’s succession planning. In a rapidly changing workforce, language skills provide the key to communicating with clients as well as with colleagues across borders and operating more efficiently and profitably. Organizations who want to gain a competitive advantage will need to upskill staff in order to be better placed to reach out to new target markets and build lasting strategic relationships. Does workforce diversity and the need to empower communication across boarders matter to your organization? Get the whole picture, all survey data and neat tables with our whitepaper "Online communication skills training for a diverse global workforce". The post Online communication skills training for a diverse global workforce appeared first on speexx exchange.

In our recent whitepaper "Online communication skills training for a diverse global workforce" we looked at the challenges organizations face when going global without a proper communication skills strategy. Here are five steps that we consider crucial for developing a communication-empowered organization: Assess communications The first step in the learning phase is to conduct a thorough assessment of staff communication skills across the board. This comes in the form of an organization-wide foreign language skills test, as well as a self-assessment. In our experience, most organizations are surprised to see low results. This reveals the fact that their staff are actually not up to the challenge of businesses dealings within a global workforce. Identify communications The next step is to identify the levels of communication within the organization. Questions to ask are: Who are the key people within the organization? Where is the talent? What is the best way to address and manage their skills? Improve communications L&D and HR managers need to work together with technology to plan how to improve the language and communication skills within the organization without wasting time or affecting the workflow. Set yourself apart An organization with a blended learning solution will achieve far more effective results than those who simply purchase a library of resources, through which the students must sift. A streamlined and blended learning approach includes a skills gap analysis, i.e. identifying who needs training, when they need it, what it will take to achieve results and how long it will take. Achieve success Success can be easily visible once the organization realises there is less staff turnover. Leadership development, career development, talent management and staff satisfaction all stem from having not only the requisite technical skills, but soft skills such as communication and multilinguism. Ultimately, success lies in an organization’s ability to provide staff with the requisite resources to achieve those goals. Language and business communication skills provide the key to communicating with clients and colleagues across borders. They are also vital for organizations operating within multiple jurisdictions. An organization with an inclusive work culture that embraces diversity and effectively integrates multilingual workers will ultimately open its doors to better business. The task now for organizations is to take time to find the right measures to develop a perfect blend of learning within their company, encourage staff to use and to develop the skills they have already acquired and offer language training in ways that are both motivating and compatible with the needs of the workplace. What do you think, are there more than five steps? The post Improving Corporate Communications in 5 Steps appeared first on speexx exchange.

At Speexx, we are proud to deliver on our product promise. Our drop-out rate is below 5% - i.e. more than 9 out of 10 students complete their language training courses successfully. How do we do this? The answer is simple, but the process involved takes years of development and adjustment. Closing the gap between opportunity and usage can be achieved with what we call Active Performance Tracking, a formulated system that analyses and assesses all students’ skills and competency levels at a given time. 1. Continuous performance tracking Although technology is very much able to disseminate content to any place in the world, students still need hands-on coaches and practical guidance to assist them with how they utilise learning content. At Speexx, we have been successfully implementing what we call "Active Performance Tracking" for more than three years and have a wealth of experience with it. We have found students who use the performance tracking tool on top of our cloud-based learning system have a much higher motivation and an average success rate of over 90% of finishing their course - an excellent figure compared to conventional language training methods or stand-alone eLearning. 2. One global language training strategy We still see many of our clients claiming they have a global strategy, but upon careful examination, we see that their language learning system is very much local. As soon as language learning is introduced to a global training space, there is a need to find a common language that will unify the multinational organisation, such as English. Quite simply, there is no better way to unlock talent within a company than to have everyone speaking the same language. Before implementing a talent management strategy, it is essential not to make assumptions about skill levels within your organisation. Instead, take the time to implement accurate assessments across the board in order to identify any  strengths and weaknesses. Equally, it is important to identify career opportunities and skill gaps to help develop a strategy to close those gaps through talent recruitment, mobility and succession planning. Once a standardised system is in place, the measurability of skills becomes far more accurate and the results more visible. 3. Embrace change With the rise of social media, globalisation and informal learning, change is in the air. Learning content is now available via a plethora of technological platforms. This is a big change for companies that are used to operating in local silos. Real progress is about embracing change and harnessing technology’s ability to connect everyone anywhere and anytime. Moving forward, organisations need to keep up to date on all the rapid changes in learning technology, methodology and deliverability in order to meet the demands and expectations of the global workplace. Take time to research, keep informed and adopt a tailored language training approach that meets your short-term and long-term needs. The post Successful Online Language Training in 3 Steps appeared first on speexx exchange.

Successful global organizations are beginning to realize that blended learning is the way forward. Blended learning represents a combination of self-study and subsequent application of this knowledge in a live situation, e.g. with a trainer in a virtual classroom. But how can an organization ensure that blended learning is implemented properly? Based on our experience, we at Speexx recommend 5 vital success factors for this.  1. Content Students must be able to benefit from relevant and interactive learning content. In terms of communication skills training, this means learners should have the option to pick out certain elements which are important to them, such as pronunciation training or listening comprehension, and repeat these as often as they wish. Customization is the key. 2. Clearly defined targets Thanks to the advanced levels of technology surrounding us today, we can use e-learning to get an analysis of our learning progress and results at any time. This is ideal for immediately recognizing strengths and weaknesses. Good e-learning sets clear goals and shows how close we are to them. At Speexx, over 80% of our learners reach their given targets within the set timeframe and receive a CEFR-certificate upon passing an assessment. A good solution provider will also offer ongoing support and feedback. 3.  Blended Learning with the perfect blend Training in a traditional classroom environment can never address all the students’ individual needs. It is virtually impossible to create such a homogenous class that will guarantee each student’s individual learning progress. Blended learning solves this problem with an ideal combination of Short training intervals at home or at work (self-paced study through e-learning) and Regular live training with trainers and conversation partners (e.g. in live virtual classroom sessions, on the phone or face-to-face) In order to maintain their interest and motivation throughout the course, students need a whole variety of learning methods. In addition, these methods must overlap; different exercises from one learning unit must contain the same learning elements or topics, e.g. such as conflict solving. This will ensure a single-source and all-round learning experience. At Speexx, we support this need with a diverse blend of e-learning tools. These include pronunciation exercises, mobile vocabulary lists, grammar questions, karaoke sessions, New York Times videos and virtual classroom sessions. Find out more. 4. Continuous coaching Don’t abandon your students with their new e-learning solution. Ensure that your provider offers regular reporting, feedback and motivation. The internet offers endless opportunities for this - fast and personalized. This way, students are supported with an individual on-the-job service, a highly valuable aspect since they will not be left alone even during self-study. This will maintain their motivation throughout the course sessions.  5. Effective communication Students need to understand why their organization wants them to learn a particular thing. There is no point in just providing them with the solution but not expressing the organizational targets and potential benefits for individuals. E.g., why is learning a language useful for an employee? On the one hand, it could ensure more efficient communication within the company, resulting in faster business processes and higher profitability. On the other hand, the student receives their own certificate and has the advantage of knowing an additional language if they ever go abroad. In fact, a new language may increase their mobility within the company and thus their chances for a promotion or an overseas post. But managers need to communicate these advantages to learners. It is also crucial to speak to the provider and see what kind of support they can offer to ensure a smooth kick-off. At Speexx, we offer kick-off sessions, online demos, tutorials, flyers and brochures. Speak to us and find out more! What other factors can you think of? What has your experience been with blended learning solutions? We’d love to hear from you. The post Blended Learning: 5 Success Factors appeared first on speexx exchange.

Language skills today often represent the missing link  in a global talent development strategy. According to Bersin Associates, businesses spend more than $3,000 per hire on recruitment, and often 20 times this on senior positions. So anything which helps to "attract" candidates to an open position has huge value. Cue communication skills and language training. With a globally consistent language and communication skills strategy, businesses are able to find talent in even the remotest parts of their own organization. Does somebody in the Manila office bring the skills required for an opening in Sao Paolo? If this person has had the appropriate language training to become communication-empowered, he or she might as well move within the company or even fill this position from their home location - at a fraction of the potential recruitment cost. Language training will lend a hand to succession planning and recruitment: The recovering global economy now offers increased career mobility to a larger number of employees. At the same time, with the changing generational dynamic of the workforce, potential vacancies may arise in parts of the business that need to be addressed promptly in order to maintain continuity. A thorough succession management strategy includes language and communication training for all staff across the board. Organisations need to recognise the availability of communication skills and knowledge first, before planning how to make the most of staff talent and where to place them within the company. Changing learning channels: The ‘Speexx Languages and Business Audit’, revealed that 71 per cent of organisations believe they will be delivering more blended learning content within the next two years. The way global workforces are trained is also expected to change by 2014. 71 per cent of respondents stated that ‘blended learning’ will be the primary method for delivering training. In the meantime, classroom training will dramatically fall and one out of five organisations expects that ‘social and informal learning’ will play a greater role in staff development. Consistent delivery and adoption gives better ROI: One unified language and communication skills training system, where staff can log on wherever whenever they wish, is becoming an increasingly vital component of multinational organisations’ entire talent management strategy. A standardised, consistent approach is also essential to measure the outcome of every component of talent management and development. Most companies assume that language skills are much higher, however, when the unified tests are conducted there is a large gap between the assumed skill level, and the actual level of communications skills. Once the standardised system is in place, the measurability of skills becomes far more accurate, and the results more visible. Creating a winning situation for all: The movement towards friendly, informal learning that can be managed into the day-to-day activities of staff does not mean disparate results. Taking the right measures to develop a perfect blend of learning is the key to achieving consistent results. Managers can encourage staff to use and develop the communication skills they have already acquired and offer language training in ways that are both motivating and compatible with a dynamic and diverse workplace. The post Building the Case for Online Language Training appeared first on speexx exchange.

The recent mergers and acquisitions activity in the cloud-based learning space signals the start of an e-revolution in the global workplace. Global HRMS vendors like SAP, Oracle, Workday, Ultimate, Salesforce.com, and others are moving towards the cloud at lightning speed. The shift began in December 2011, with SAP announcing its takeover of SuccessFactors. Salesforce followed, buying social performance management software company Rypple. Oracle has since integrated Taleo, giving it a powerhouse set of products for human resources and talent management. More recently, in August 2012, IBM announced the acquisition of Kenexa to help ramp up its analytics service, specifically in the identification of workforce skills. The Global Workplace - Cloud versus Classroom Our current Speexx Exchange Mobility Survey shows that among our European customers, 21% are already impacted by this recent cloud development, with more than 70% expecting to feel the effects of this within the next three years. But there is a flipside to this: Although many organisations are buying into higly sophisticated cloud learning systems, they are often still resorting to the rigid structure of classroom training. It is this gap between opportunity and usage which organisations need to close in order for students and end-users to make the most of new online talent management systems. In a survey conducted by Bersin & Associates of over 720 companies representing a broad spectrum of global industries, ‘driving internal mobility and career development’ is considered one of the top factors for improving organisational performance   With the rise of enterprise resource solutions, companies now have a greater opportunity to work across borders, using all systems available within the ‘cloud’ of consolidated training and talent management resources. Companies are also able to integrate their talent management systems within their overall IT structure, especially those wishing to operate on a global scale. Read more on this in our latest article on Training Zone. The post Learning in the Cloud appeared first on speexx exchange.