Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 7, 2015.#874 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.56,907 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning Directions in Dallas, Seattle, Chicago & New York City. 1. Gamification & Learning Aha’s.2. Gamification Forum with Karl Kapp at Learning 2015.3. Lighting for Skype, Webinars & More. 1. Gamification & Learning Aha’s: The last three days have been an amazing learning opportunity for me on the evolving topic of Gamification and how it fits into the world of corporate learning. I hosted 46 learning leaders from around the world, including China, Brazil and Germany, for an intensive deep-dive into Gamification and Learning. The dialogues with the participants as well as connected collaborations with game developers, learning analysts, corporate learning experimenters and even the U.S. Dept. of Education evolved my thinking about the current and next step in Gamification adoption and evolution.  Here are a few of those Elliott aha’s: * Gamification is NOT a formula of how to add leaderboards, points, badges and a few characters to eLearning.* Gamification IS a spectrum of methods, ascetics, rules, engagement strategies and more - to add GAME Elements to a NON-GAME learning setting.* Game Design is NOT natively aligned with Instructional Designs. Rules bend, characters evolve and FAILURE is highly valued.* Gamification CAN be applied to each of these formats, with the right set of designs and Usability testing:  - eLearning and Game Elements  - Classroom and Game Elements  - Webinars and Game Elements  - Course Structures and Game Elements  - OJT and Performance Support with Game Elements* Learning Personalization will impact Gamification even more deeply than expected. The learner/player will want to shift models in real time.* Gamification MAY NOT be the brand in the end. Participants were using "Engagement", "Interactive", "Simulations" and even "Company Challenges" instead.* Gamification REQUIRES that the designers and facilitators spend serious time as PLAYERS to engage.* Gamification CAN leverage older games - e.g. playing cards, Mad-Libs and sports models - as well as Video Game Metaphors. It was one of the most high-energy 3-day sessions that I have ever facilitated thanks to the participants, resource people and the dynamic nature of the content. We are almost filled for the next section of our Gamification & Learning LAB to be held in Saratoga Springs, NY from June 23rd to 25th. Details and online registration at http://www.masie.com If you are planning on attending, please register ASAP as the last class was fully booked with a waiting list. 2. Gamification Forum with Karl Kapp at Learning 2015: As a result of the field’s reaction, confusion and need for evidence-based research, yesterday we expanded our Learning 2015 program and are pleased to announce a new section: Gamification Forum. And, I am honored to announce a new Featured Keynoter at Learning 2015: Karl Kapp - Gamification & Learning.Featured Keynoter at Learning 2015. Karl Kapp is the author of several key books, including The Gamification of Learning and Instruction. He is the assistant director and faculty member at Bloomsburg University’s Institute for Interactive Technologies. And, Karl is an analyst that combines the worlds of corporate learning production with the evolving world of Games, Gamification and Engagement. He will be a Featured Keynoter at our General Sessions and will lead sessions and conversations in our Gamification & Learning Forum. Early registration discounts for Learning 2015 are now available at http://www.learning2015.com 3. Lighting for Skype, Webinars & More: Read my lips - buy some photo lights for your Skype, Webinar and other video sessions! You can buy a photographer’s light on a tripod or a new LED light - for under $100 - and it will make your image, your video and even your age look much better. As we add video to so many of our interactions, lighting really matters. Another option that I have used in our Center is to add a lilt down lamp into the ceiling, aimed at my face when on video. Do it! You and your viewers will much be happier. Yours in learning, Elliott MasieChair, The Learning CONSORTIUM MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning Directions - Dallas, Seattle, Chicago and NYC in June.- Learning Strategies LAB with Doug Lynch & Elliott Masie - July 15-17 - Saratoga Springs, NY.- Gamification & Learning LAB - Led by Elliott Masie - June 23-25 - Saratoga Springs, NY.- Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 22, 2015.#877 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.56,928 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Gamification & Learning LAB - Saratoga Springs - June 2015 1. Thumb Scrolling Content?2. "Hello Stay Interviews, Goodbye Talent Loss"3. Gamification & Learning LAB - 9 Spaces Open. 1. Thumb Scrolling Content?: Here is a bit of "homework" for TRENDS readers.  Watch how your friends and colleagues move through content on their mobile phones over the next few days. You will probably see "Thumb Scrolling" as they use swipes of their thumb in apps like Facebook and email to rapidly glance, scan and move forward through content and publications.  There is a shift in programming, with a tilt towards "Mobile First", to embrace the rapid glance/scroll with a thumb (or even 2 thumbs) to rapidly scan large (and expanding) universes of content. I am watching 3 people sitting on the train near me as I write this article, and each is scrolling through loads of Facebook pictures, posts and comments at a rate of 20 or more posts per minute. And, one of them used the same process to scroll through loads of email. I do the same in many mobile apps: hyper-scrolling and rapidly selecting just a few for more in-depth content or clicking through. It seems to work for social content, but I have some questions about the "thumb scroll" applied to deeper learning content items at the workplace. Do our learners get an overly superficial glance at content, or is it part of the personalization of the learning process? Is the learner the designer and thumb scrolls to just those items that are "hot" or "key"? Looking at the usability data for "mobile first" sites reveals a significantly lower level of "click through".  In other words, users glance and scan - and rarely drill down deeper. Good news from a scan perspective; perhaps bad news from a retained and processed learning content perspective. I would love to ask Learning TRENDS readers to observe and consider the shifts in how users navigate content on their mobile devices. Share some of your thoughts about how that might impact learning.  Send me a note to emasie@masie.com   I’ll share a summary of our content perspectives in 2 weeks. 2. "Hello Stay Interviews, Goodbye Talent Loss": One of our featured keynoters at Learning 2015, Beverly Kaye, has just published an awesome book that addresses the opportunity to retain great talent through high levels of engagement with their managers. I would strongly recommend this book for Learning, Development and HR leaders. Check out "Hello Stay Interviews, Goodbye Talent Loss", available at http://tinyurl.com/kkt4hlv. 3. Gamification & Learning LAB - 9 Spaces Open: Our second Gamification & Learning LAB has only 9 spaces available and will be held at the MASIE Center Learning LAB in Saratoga Springs, NY from June 23 to 25. This is a very high engagement, drill-down look at how Gamification, Games, Engagement and Game Elements are being leveraged as part of workplace and customer learning in major organizations around the world. Led by Elliott Masie with video interviews of key Gamification resources, including Karl Kapp, this is a unique, vendor-neutral exploration of Gamification and Learning. Our first LAB sold out with a waiting list, so please check it out at http://www.masie.com and register ASAP. Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015 MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning Directions - Dallas, Seattle, Chicago and NYC in June.- Gamification & Learning LAB - Led by Elliott Masie - June 23-25 - Saratoga Springs, NY.- Learning 2015 - Nov 1-4 - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie  

TO: Learning, Training & Performance ColleaguesFROM: Elliott Masie, The Learning CONSORTIUM RE: 7 Minute Survey on Learning Directions & Shifts! Each year, The MASIE Center conducts an open scan of Learning Directions and Shifts. Can you please take 7 minutes to respond to our anonymous 2015 Learning Directions "Pulse" Survey, gathering global data on how organizations are shifting (or not shifting) their Learning Directions or approaches? Are we doing more/less/the same levels of webinars, classroom, eLearning, mobile, gamification, adaptive design, social learning and personalization of learning? Go to: http://tinyurl.com/masie2015  . We will publish these results shortly on The MASIE Center website. Thanks for your participation! Yours in learning, Elliott Masiehttp://www.masie.com

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - September 1, 2015.#887 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,010 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,009 Colleagues Now Registered! 1. Back to School Thoughts on Sept. 1?2. Maestro & Orchestra in Audience - Dynamics and Leadership.3. 1,000th Learning Colleague Registers for Learning 2015. 1. Back to School Thoughts on Sept. 1?  I get a familiar feeling every year as September 1 approaches. My brain kicks into "Back to School" mode. Confession: as a kid, I was one of the students that LOVED to go back to school. While summer vacation was great, the upcoming start of school was marked with several key rituals, some of which I find myself still doing around this date: * New School Supplies: My mom would take me to buy a few new school supplies. I still find myself going to the store and buying one or two new notebooks and even thinking about getting a brightly colored pencil holder.* Reinforcements for Loose Leaf Paper: OK, I will date myself here. I would spend several hours sticking round plastic reinforcements around the holes on my loose leaf paper. (For my younger colleagues, here is a picture of one: http://tinyurl.com/oqp5ws5)* Read Ahead to Be Ready: I would find out the name of one of the books that we would be reading in school and check it out at the library. I still do that when I take a new course.* Practice Day 1 Show and Tell: I got my start as a public speaker with Show and Tell at school. On the first day, we would be asked to stand up and share 2 minutes on "What I Did on My Summer Vacation". I would practice and come in with a few artifacts to share. I even organized a few of my friends to practice our Day 1 talks at home the night before.* Questions Galore: I would keep a list of questions that I had about everything and I would bring them to school, much to the delight or horror of that year’s teacher. In a nutshell, my year started on September 1st. I still love to get wall calendars that go from September to September. And, I find that many of my learning colleagues view the true and personal start of the year as aligning with the Start of School. More classes and learning programs are rolled out after September 1st and we often say, "let’s get back to that after Labor Day".  There is a refreshing sense of starting anew this time of year and, as I write this, I am planning my trip to the store to get some "reinforcements". Would love to hear from others that are in Back to School mode: emasie@masie.com 2. Maestro & Orchestra in Audience - Dynamics and Leadership: Imagine a symphony orchestra embedded in the audience and playing their instruments.  Imagine sitting around the musicians and the conductor, seeing the dynamics of the music and orchestra in action. We are honored to announce that Maestro Roger Nierenberg will host the Music Paradigm experience at Learning 2015.  On Monday afternoon’s Learning 2015 General Session, you will have a very unique, powerful experience, focusing on organizational dynamics, leadership and the role of "performance". We are honored to present Maestro Roger Nierenberg’s Music Paradigm.  The Learning 2015 participants will be seated within a live professional orchestra where they can observe highly trained musicians as they perform. The participants’ attention will be drawn to fascinating and unexpected organizational dynamics within the orchestra. Maestro will be our teacher, conductor, coach and facilitator as the room fills with music and learnings about the dynamics of organizations and leadership. Details at: http://www.learning2015.com/index.php/item/maestro-roger-neir.html 3. 1,000th Learning Colleague Registers for Learning 2015: We just took the 1,000th registration for Learning 2015 (Nov 1 to 4, Orlando, FL, USA).  We are delighted that Bee Ng, Vice President, Tech L&D with Visa, Inc from California is participant #1,000 this year. I look forward to greeting Bee with a special surprise gift when she arrives in Orlando this fall! Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015 MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4th - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie  

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - September 8, 2015.#888 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,025 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,097 Colleagues Now Registered! 1. Letter to Your Boss - From Elliott Masie.2. Curating Clips from Webinars.3. Moonshine Cate - A First Race Experience. 1. Letter to Your Boss - From Elliott Masie: I just finished writing my annual Letter to Your Boss, asking your manager for support to have you and your colleagues attend Learning 2015 (Nov 1st to 4th, Orlando). Gaining approval for attending a conference often involves educating your management about your need as a learning professional to be a learner, too!  The letter, which was downloaded last year by over 1,400 colleagues, is meant to spur a conversation about our development as learning colleagues. Access the note at: http://tinyurl.com/lettertonboss 2. Curating Clips from Webinars: One of the great hopes (and often disappointments) is that learners will go back and stream a stored webinar. Many times, our schedules make it impossible to attend an hour-long session or class. The the ease of recording, storing and streaming these sessions raises great hope for re-use. But, the numbers are startling. Very few learners, even with the best of intentions, actually access and view an entire session. One hour (the default length of most webinars) is too long for many and there is often a lack of desire to view the entire session. Part of the answer is to Curate smaller clips from a webinar - often as short as 3 to 5 minutes - on a specific issue or topic. Offer the learners options: * The ability to view individual clips - indicating the content (in detail) and time length. Give them the ability to view them in sequence or jump around.* The ability to watch the entire webinar in sequence.* Add chapter tabs to the captured video - marking each segment accordingly. These choices will take some time and skill in video curation, but will be much appreciated by your learners.  And, watch the consumption pattern of the clips, which can help you refine and reshape future production.  I would even suggest adding a rating for the clips, based on their frequency of use.  Finally, add a second or two between topics or questions to make the curation process easier. 3. Moonshine Cate - A First Race Experience: MASIE Stable had a horse with her first race on Labor Day, the last day of the Saratoga Meet. Her name is Moonshine Cate and she was bred from our mare Miss Matzo. Moonshine Cate is 2 years old and, as with any new learner, experience and practice is key. After many months of daily exercise, running and practice, her first race was Monday. It was a delight to watch her race 6 1/2 furlongs - halfway around the grass track. For the first 1/2 of the race, she was in last place. According to the jockey, she was having a great time. "She was running on grass, which was new. She was loving the nice air and the feel of running behind some cool horses." But, as she turned the corner for the last half, the jockey said she figured out the game was to get to the front. She suddenly raced faster, passing horse 6 horses, and came in 4th (almost 3rd). The track timer said she ran the fastest of all the horses for the last half, and she came out happy and proud. The vet said she was sound, healthy and ready to race again (at a longer pace) soon in Belmont. As an owner and designer, it is fascinating to watch the developmental cycle of the horse. If you want to see a video, Moonshine Cate is horse #2 with the jockey wearing The MASIE Stable colors - in pink with the outline of a house. Enjoy it at: http://tinyurl.com/moonshinecate2 Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasie MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4th - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com  

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - September 16, 2015.#889 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,032 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,237 Colleagues Now Registered! Special Note: The complete Learning 2015 Program Guide is now online for viewing, printing or downloading. There are over 200 learning activities, sessions and conversations described in the 120 page Program Guide. Learning 2015 Program Guide:http://www.learning2015.com/guide  . Learning 2015 will take place from Nov 1 to 4 in Orlando, Florida - with Steve Wozniak and Sal Khan as Featured Keynoters. Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasie MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4th - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - September 24, 2015.#890 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,032 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,581 Colleagues Now Registered! 1. Oil Rig Learning - Onshore?2. New Roles: Curators & MeetUp Connectors.3. Your PitCrew Car is Designed!4. Asia Visit Next Week 1. Oil Rig Learning - Onshore? We had an incredible day of being at an oil rig, except it was onshore. This is a highly immersive learning facility in Louisana, The Shell Robert Training Center, which I visited last week to experience how a worker is trained for the skills and safety of working on an off-shore oil drilling or exploration facility. It was amazing! From a simulation of how to pilot a lifeboat, to surviving a smoke filled helicopter, to a water-based immersion experience, to a full engineering simulation, we had hands-on experiences with the skills and readiness levels for employees going to work on an off-shore rig. Shell conducts the Center with a schedule that is a full emulation of life off-shore. Learners are there for 2 weeks, never leaving the facility, with the same workday calendars that they will experience off-shore.  The bunks are the same as the ones on the rig. Meals are exactly the same. And, the challenges and lifestyle of life on a rig are deeply reflected in the experiences at the Center. Most of the learning is done in experiential lab mode, giving learners rigor, challenges and the ability to "fail their way to success" in the simulations. This reinforced my belief that we should add a deeper set of immersive experiences to all of our learning models - both face-to-face and online. Here is a link to the Shell Robert Training Center: http://tinyurl.com/offshorerig  And, thanks to the team at Shell for hosting us on this eye-opening visit. 2. New Roles: Curators & MeetUp Connectors: We have created two new roles at Learning 2015 for participants wanting deeper curation and connection to new colleagues: * Curators: Every session at Learning 2015 will have a volunteer curator. This role will be to take notes and observations about the dialogues and discussions in the 60 minute breakouts. These notes, along with any materials from facilitators, will be shared with the larger community of participants at Learning 2015.  The curators will be visually highlighted so that other participants can share links or ideas with them to be included in the curators’ notes. We will be soliciting curators from the Learning 2015 community in a few weeks. But, if you are planning on attending and would like to curate a session, send a note to emily@masie.com * MeetUp Connectors: How do people meet folks with the same background, industry focus, learning interests or other factors? Participants will be able to use our online Engage App and there is always the wonderfully random process of meeting someone at a coffee break. We are adding another role this year: the MeetUp Connector. There will be MeetUp Connectors for various industries, such as healthcare or airlines, and they will be very present at the different large gatherings of Learning 2015.  The MeetUp Connectors will help to make "connections" and also organize short MeetUps. For example, a MeetUp could happen at lunch or as an after-session drink. If you are planning on attending and would like to be a MeetUp Connector for an industry, please send a note to emily@masie.com As you can tell we are in deep planning mode for Learning 2015. Our registrations are running higher than previous years and we have been adding additional hotels (with transportation) to accommodate the over 1,800 colleagues coming to Learning 2015. Please register soon at http://www.learning2015.com 3. Your PitCrew Car is Designed! We just got the design for the NASCAR-like race car that will be in place at Learning 2015.  You and your colleagues will compete as you learn how to speedily change the tires and collaborate in this fun, immersive experience. Check out the pictures at: http://tinyurl.com/masiepitcrew  4. Asia Visit Next Week: I am honored to be giving one of the keynotes at the ATD Conference to be held in Taiwan next week. So, on Saturday I will journey to Tokyo for 2 days, spend 4 days in Taiwan and 1 day in Seoul.  If any Learning TRENDS readers are in Japan, Korea or Taiwan and would like to say hi, please send me a note to emasie@masie.com Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasie MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1-4 - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com  

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - October 6, 2015.#890 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,041 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,734 Colleagues Now Registered! 1. Just in Time Learning!2. Japan, Taiwan & Korea Learning.3. Allegiance Begins - Join us in New York City! 1. Just in Time Learning! We live in a time of Just in Time Learning. Our learners and their managers often focus or switch their focus Just in Time. And, as producers of events, we have all adjusted to last minute decisions and timelines. Learning 2015 is a perfect example. We are honored to now have 1,734 global learning colleagues registered for Learning 2015 - from November 1st to 4th in Orlando.  This is amazing and significantly higher than last year.  So, what is a learning producer to do in terms of planning hotels, meals, supplies and experiences? Well, that is the shift to Just in Time Learning Planning. In the coming month, we know that hundreds more colleagues may be registering for Learning 2015 and we have added these Just in Time Learning expansions: - Early Registration Discount Extended until October 24th.- Two More Nearby Hotels Added - With Free Shuttle Transportation.- New MeetUp Connections Added for Real-Time Conversations.- New Beta: Digital Beacon Scanning Help to Find New Colleagues.- Curation Volunteers in Every Session for Content/Context Sharing. If you or your colleagues are planning on attending, we are ready! Just check out the Program Guide and complete schedule at http://www.learning2015.com Just in Time Learning means you are delighted with 1,734 awesome participants and you are prepared for several hundred more. Welcome to the world of continuous and agile change. 2. Japan, Taiwan & Korea Learning: I have just returned from a 7 day trip to 3 countries, to deliver a keynote address at the ATD event in Taiwan and to meet with learning and theater colleagues in Japan and Korea.  Learning in Asia is booming. There is a deep shift happening with the rise of more local/regional learning approaches, reflecting the rising use of technology and blending learning more tightly with local culture. Here are just a few impressions from my visits with Asian colleagues: - WebChat Apps Dominating Learning Collaboration: A shift towards WeChat, WebChat and other apps for corporate and cross-community collaboration.- Blended Learning Mix Rising: Deep shifts towards "flipped classroom" and desire to make classroom engagement more engaging.- Hero Teachers/Tutors: Mirroring the rise of Hero Teachers for augmenting K to 12 learning. The rise of workplace Hero Teaching.- Scout Badging to Lifelong Badging: Fascination with extending the Scout Badge model to a lifelong and credentialed for workplace badging system.- Working Globally Isn’t Easy: Desire to explore HOW to work and collaborate across borders and cultures.- When You Can’t Fire Someone: Interesting conversations with Tokyo colleagues about the challenge of a non-firing society. How to deal with mis-matches.- Beyond the MBA: Lowered interest in the MBA as the key business certification. Design, Innovation and User Experience are rising in degree ladder. I came away from my visits with a desire to make Global Learning one of the major MASIE Center focuses in the coming years. I will be going to Manila in the middle of November to work with corporations and government leaders on these issues and plan to travel more extensively in 2016 working on learning globally. Stay tuned! 3. Allegiance Begins - Join us in New York City! Tonight is a very powerful time for MASIE Productions.  We have been involved as producers of Allegiance, a new musical starring Lea Selonga, George Takei, Telly Leung and dozens of other incredible actors. It is the story of the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II and the choices that family members made in those times. It is an inspiring, historical, romantic and amazing production with music and storylines that will move you deeply. Many of you will remember Lea Selonga from her role as the first Kim in Miss Saigon, George Takei from Star Trek and Telly Leung from Glee. They are unforgettable. I am offering a special MASIE Friends and Colleagues discount for Allegiance, which is starting performances tonight. If you are in NYC or can come here in the coming months, please access this special discount code at: http://allegiance.show/elliott To watch some video segments about Allegiance: http://allegiancemusical.com/explore/trek-to-broadway/#OGmE7L3p8ZPZ5gyQ.97 And, please send a note to us wishing for us all to "Break a Leg…" Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasie MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1st to 4th - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - October 16, 2015.#892 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,076 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 1,917 Colleagues Now Registered!1. MEMEs in Learning? Lessons from George Takei.2. Diversity in Learning Universe - Honor the Range!3. Music Added to Learning 2015 - Over 1,917 Participating.1. MEMEs in Learning? Lessons from George Takei: Yesterday, I had the honor of delivering a Keynote Address for several hundred media professionals who work in the world of US Intelligence (CIA, DOD, Army, etc).  My opening slide had a photograph of George Takei, the star of our musical Allegiance that is now in previews on Broadway.  Interestingly, once people saw that slide before I began my address, dozens came up to start talking about George Takei and his Social Media Presence.  So, I did a just in time adjustment and reframed much of the talk about him and how he has used MEMEs - illustrations with striking comments - as his primary vehicle for building and communicating with over 10 Million likes, followers and contacts on Facebook and Twitter.Our conversation evolved to how we might use the Meme, taking a key still (or now we are starting to see VEMEs, which use 6 second videos) to communicate a key learning lesson or provocative statement.I am fascinated about this conversation and will explore it at The MASIE Center.  If you want to respond about MEMEs, send me a note to emasie@masie.com and let’s explore this.2. Diversity in Learning Universe - Honor the Range! We must be careful not to innovate around a non-diverse sense of the audience of learners.  I hear people say things like "our workers are all mobile" or "no one wants to go to class anymore".  In fact, some of those may be true, but there is also a huge diversity of learning styles, histories, preferences and even managerial permissions.  Let’s keep open our learning choices, aiming to touch and support a much wider range of learning modes. At the end of the day, our goal is to support the workforce in learning for performance, regardless of the learning method chosen.3. Music Added to Learning 2015 - Over 1,917 Participating:  As we close in on 2,000 registered learning leaders at our upcoming Learning 2015 event (Nov 1 to 4, Orlando), I am adding the last minute musical and artistic elements to sweeten the settings at our General Sessions.  We are pleased to announce:- Learning 2015 Musical Director: Marco Paguia, who will be providing music throughout the event.  Marco is an accomplished Broadway Musical Director, having led shows like If/Then, Peter & The Starcatcher, The Adams Family and our new show Unknown Solider. - Anna María Pérez de Tagle, a powerful actress and singer, will add a fun and engaging musical welcome for both Steve Wozniak and Sal Khan.  Anna María starred in Godspell on Broadway and was featured on Hanna Montana, Fame, Camp Rock and other shows.- A Surprise Opening Number - can’t give it all away.  It will weave music, history and learning together. There are still Just in Time registration discounts available and 2 more hotels with free transportation.  Info and online registration at http://www.learning2015.comYours in learning,Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasieMASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1st to 4th - Orlando, Florida.Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - October 23, 2015.#893 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.57,093 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.Host: Learning 2015 - Nov 1 to 4 - 2,003 Colleagues Now Registered! 1. Taking the TRAIN & TESLA to Learning.2. Video to Forward?3. Just in Time Learning - 9 Days! 1. Taking the TRAIN & TESLA to Learning: One of my traditions is to take an Amtrak train from New York to Orlando each year for the start of our annual Learning event. While I love flying, it is powerful for me to take an overnight train as a way of reflecting, planning and relaxing before hosting 2,000 colleagues. This year, my trip will have an extra element. I’m taking my all-electric TESLA, which was just upgraded to Auto-Steering, on the train. I will be driving the TESLA from Manhattan to Lorton, VA on Tuesday and then loading it on the AutoTrain, which will take me and the car on an overnight trip to Orlando. I will relax in a small bedroom with my wireless and books. At Learning 2015, we will explore the impact of innovations like Auto-Steering and Self-Driving as we look at the larger issue of robotics, machine learning and more. Steve Wozniak owns 2 TESLAs, my colleague Nick Howe is coming with his TESLA, and several learning designers from the TESLA factory are registered. We will have the TESLA on display next to our NASCAR tire changing contest. Here are some pictures and my blog about the "Train-to-Learning" habit of mine:  http://www.learning2015.com/index.php/item/countdown.html I would love to chat by phone with you if you are along the route from VA to Orlando on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Send me an email to emasie@masie.com and a good time to call. 2. Video to Forward? We are hearing from many learning coordinators that they are moving much of their video content collections to alternative hosting sites in order to allow learners to securely forward key video segments to other learners (usually behind the firewall). The viral nature of great video, where peer-to-peer sharing occurs, is an intriguing trend to follow. Check it out! 3. Just in Time Learning - 9 Days! In just 9 days, we will have the honor of opening Learning 2015 to over 2,000 participants. Last night, at 1:14 am, we took our 2,000th registration (this one is from Singapore). There is still time for you and your colleagues to come to Orlando for Learning 2015, which kicks off on Sunday, November 1st. We have added extra hotels and extra cool innovations focused on learning! Check out website at http://www.learning2015.com   Hope to see you in Orlando! All Aboard the Train to Learning :) Yours in learning, Elliott MasieHost, Learning 2015Email: emasie@masie.comTwitter: emasie MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM- Learning 2015 - Nov 1st to 4th - Orlando, Florida. Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com