Our world keeps changing and we need to continuously adapt to change. There is a process through which we adapt to change, and that process has a name, and that name is learning. Today, let’s boil this topic down to six simple questions about learning. 6. What is learning?Learning is not what they teach you, learning is what you get out of it, right? As we shift our focus from teaching to learning, suddenly it’s an ‘aha’ moment: learning doesn’t have to be confined to formal education, it can be everywhere. 5. When do we learn? Do we learn only during the childhood?  Hardly.  The fact is that learning is a lifelong process.  4. Where do we learn? Learning happens everywhere and it particularly happens when you least expect it. Life is always trying to teach us something and we are ignoring it for the most part, because we’re not mindful about it. Every experience, good or bad, should be an occasion to stop, think, and reflect. That is how we convert experience into learning.  3. How do we learn?People learn in many different individual ways: reading, listening, writing, teaching, talking to oneself, doing, observing, and so forth.  It is important for us to recognize our most natural learning style.2. Who Learns? Yes, you read that right.  Who is it that learns? On the face of it, it looks like a silly question. Obviously, individuals learn. But then, if you look deeper, in any organization, the whole system is learning. Teams of people develop tools, processes and work methods that help teams to get better and better at working together.1. Now the final question: why is learning so important?Learning helps you cope with uncertainty and it actually helps us adapt to change that’s occurring around us. It’s something essential for professional growth. We can grow to a certain level in any setup by following the rules. Beyond that level, we have to demonstrate adaptability, and that’s when all the learning DNA that we may have comes really handy.  To another point, there is something about the structure of our brain. If we don’t use its neurons and synapses, we begin to lose them. We can therefore say that learning keeps us young.So here is wishing you happy and fruitful learning!

I started my journey with Harbinger Systems sometime back. Though I am just a couple of months old here, the knowledge and exposure which I have received has been enormous. I have interacted and learned a lot from my colleagues who always push and encourage me to dabble in new things. A few days back, one of my colleagues mentioned about The Internet of Things (IOT) to me. This was something new for me and so I decided to do a little research to understand what it is all about.Though there are a lot of ways in which the IOT has been defined, I understood it as a network of physical objects accessed through the internet. These objects could be natural or man-made which would be provided with an IP address and the ability to transfer data over a network.A lot of companies over the world are investing their time and resources to come up with various creative things as part of the IOT. These could actually make a difference in our lives. A good example of this is a product which is being developed by Microsoft Inc. It is aptly named as ‘The Smart Alice’ as it helps the visually impaired to ‘see’ things around them. It is a tiny wearable device which they could use at various places. For instance, at a railway station, it could give them directions to reach their coach and an update in case of a delay. It could even describe the food item that they are about to eat. Shopping could be made a simpler and enjoyable experience as it could read out the size of the outfits, the cost and could even describe the colour and the texture of the fabric.Another exciting example of the IOT is the newly launched Nike+FuelBand. This cool and trendy looking wrist band not only ups your style quotient a notch higher but also tracks the amount of physical activity done; the energy burned and counts the number of steps taken. The information gathered is integrated into the Nike+ online community which helps us to monitor and track our fitness progress.Good quality education has become easily accessible to thousands of students studying worldwide, thanks to the IOT. There are software applications which help the students to create content or to interact with content. Teaching methods and classrooms have become more open through voice, video and text based collaborations.Sparked, a Dutch startup uses wireless sensors on cattle. If one of the cows gets sick or pregnant, a message is sent to the farmer.Smart kitchen and home appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and coffee makers have made our lives much simpler. They let us know when the milk is out or when the clothes are dry.This vast network formed by a humongous number of connected things is expanding by the day. These things have started talking to each other and are developing their own intelligence. Constant learning has been beautifully weaved into our lives by the IOT. These are just a few examples which I have mentioned but there are many more. Besides simplifying things in our daily life, these applications help us to learn about a wide variety of things at all times. These products and are aimed at benefiting a wide section of people. As stated rather truly by Cisco, technological limitations are receding exponentially. When billions of things are connected, talking and learning, the only limitation left will be our own imaginations.

Since I started Clarity Consultants 20 years ago, the corporate workplace has undergone many seismic shifts. One of the most significant has been the composition of the workforce. Gone are the days when a person worked for the same employer, moving steadily up the career ladder until retirement. Today, more and more people work as free agents, moving from project to project, and from company to company. While the workforce is becoming more mobile, employers are struggling to find people with the right expertise to work on critical projects. Many of these companies are relying on contingent workers to fill the gaps. The current trend is for companies to build this need for project talent into their budgets on a regular, long-term basis. We refer to this trend as strategic insourcing. Clarity has also recently gone through a transformation. We’ve updated our brand identity with a new logo and website. We believe the new website design more clearly conveys our messaging and provides more relevant information for L&D and Technical Communications professionals. What hasn’t changed at Clarity is that we’re still providing L&D consultants with the right expertise, quickly and efficiently, to our clients. I look forward to talking with you more often through our new blog, The Voice of Clarity. Please send me your comments on the new website and what topics you’d like to see covered in our blog. - Herb Tieger, President and Chief Executive Officer  

It’s been a few weeks since the ASTD conference in Denver, and I’ve had a chance to reflect on the flood of new information and ideas that ensued. For me, the overriding refrain from the conference was "creative tension." Ann Herrmann-Nehdi best described it in her session when she said we’re now in the era of "and," which she described as "moving in both directions at the same time." It requires a significant shift from either/or thinking to both/and thinking. Imagine a rubber band being pulled in two directions at once. If you pull too much, the band will snap, and if you don’t pull enough, it will collapse. This "and" concept refers to these current times as one of predictability and instability, reflection and action, freedom and structure. In order to respond to this VUCA world (that was a new term to me—it means "volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous"), L+D professionals need to be agile thinkers and in turn, help others to become more agile. ASAP. ASTD president and CEO Tony Bingham emphasized the shortage of skilled workers as a threat to corporate growth and the urgent need to accelerate the employee development process. "To do that, we’re going to need to adapt," said Bingham. He emphasized the importance of delivering learning to the new generation joining the workforce—the Millennials—in a way that they are most receptive. This generation wants to learn on-the-spot, when they need it. This means on their ever-present mobile devices. As one Millennial described it, "I want to learn just in time, not just in case." John Kao’s keynote on Tuesday continued the theme of both/and thinking. Kao illustrated his points about innovation by tickling the ivories, demonstrating how Jazz is a creative tension between structure and freedom. Innovation, he said, is also the intersection between creativity (freedom) and rules (structure). Jazz musicians also jam with one another, and their diversity of styles is their strength. Kao also illustrated this point with the four main cast members of Star Trek and the MBTI, stressing that the diversity of thinking styles kept the Enterprise going. So what does all of this mean for L+D professionals? It means we all need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Laugh in the face of ambiguity. And, as Ann Herrmann-Nehdi said, "Focus on where you want to be and let go of how you get there." Herrmann-Nehdi had some tips on how to adjust to this new world of agile thinking: * Focus on where you want to be and let go of how you get there. * Use humor as a way to cope with ambiguity and tension. * Learn how to manage your own mental processes. * Create a "stop doing" list. (Also suggested by Monday keynote speaker Jim Collins.) * And lastly, allow yourself to get uncomfortable. So, here’s to getting uncomfortable in this brave, new VUCA world.  

I’m back from a week-long vacation in Kauai, and my mind feels refreshed and all of my muscles finally feel relaxed. My husband and I would joke about the slower pace of life on the islands as "Hawaii time" but it also pointed out the breakneck speed that we become accustomed to back at home. Before this sensation slips away, I’m pondering how I can incorporate this "Aloha" feeling into my everyday life? Research backs up my hunch that working like a hamster spinning in a wheel is not productive in the long run. Professor John Trougakos of the University of Scarborough found that our mental capacity is similar to our physical capacity and we need to give our brains a break from fatigue just as we need to rest our muscles. And a recent article in TIME suggested that slowing down instead of speeding up during our workday actually makes us more productive. UC Davis professors Kimberly Elsbach and Andrew Hargadon found that a blend of mentally challenging with more mundane tasks is the best recipe for productivity. Here are some ideas I came up with to foster a feeling of rejuvenation at work: Take a walk around the block—preferably where there are trees and nature. Work outside for an hour or two when the weather is nice. Eat a healthy lunch and take it away from my desk. Schedule the more mentally challenging tasks during the time of day when I’m most alert instead of forcing the issue. Practice yoga regularly. What are your suggestions for working slower? Please share with us in comments.  

As community manager for Clarity Consultants, there are a number of tools that I use to help manage the flood of information I encounter every day. Many of these tools that I use for community management can also easily be used for content curation for L&D practitioners. Here are my favorites: Google Reader- Use for: Subscribing to blogs and other RSS feeds. I like Google Reader because I can conveniently read updates from all of my favorite blogs each morning—it’s like having my own custom newspaper. Evernote- Use for: Bookmarking urls and categorizing by topic. I would be lost without Evernote. It’s the curation tool I use daily to save all of the online articles that I either want to read or refer to later. And with its tagging feature, I can separate out what’s pertinent to my job from articles of personal interest that I might want to read over the weekend. Delicious- Use for: Storing and categorizing urls. There are certain websites that I like to visit daily, and Delicious allows me to keep those urls in one convenient place. I’ve been saving my most-visited websites into "stacks," which I understand will soon go away and will be replaced by tags, so I’ll still have my urls categorized but in a different format. Paper.li- Use for: Publishing stories on a specific topic. Delicious and Evernote are effective tools for gathering your urls and Paper.li is the tool to publish your information into a cohesive format. Using Paper.li is like publishing your own online magazine (without the advertisements). Pinterest- Use for: Searching for and saving graphic-heavy information. I use Pinterest to find and "pin" infographics and other interesting bits of information that attract me visually that I might not otherwise find. Pinterest could also be used for reading lists or to showcase your work in an online portfolio. Plus, Pinterest is fun! Using Pinterest is more like playing than working, even if you are being productive. Storify- Use for: Compiling social media posts. With Storify I can collect posts from social media channels, including: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram and Google+, and assemble them into a cohesive story. It’s an effective way to cover an event, such as a chat on Twitter, etc. These are some of my favorite tools to use for curation….what are yours? Please share in comments.    

Infographics—they’re everywhere. From uncovering sugar consumption in the U.S. to revealing the psychology of colors; infographics run the gamut of subject matter. So what about the field of L&D? We rounded up what we think are the top 10 infographics: What is Social Learning? Skillsoft created a concise overview of social learning—helpful to hand to colleagues who are unfamiliar with the concept. Myers-Briggs Type and Social Media. Assessment company CPP looks at Myers-Briggs types and how they correlate with social media platforms. For example, you’re more likely to find extroverts on Facebook and LinkedIn. How to Become a Mobile App Developer. Schools.com spells out the steps to becoming a mobile app developer, and which schools offer degrees in the field. What Does It Take to Create Effective eLearning? How many hours does it take to create an eLearning course? LeanForward has the answers broken down by skill set. Mixing Business with Gamification. TemboSocial shows how taking elements from computer gaming and integrating them into your business can promote engagement, productivity, and retention. Motivating Employees in the Workplace. Engaging infographic that explains how employees are motivated. (Hint: it’s not carrots). The True Cost of One Hour of Learning. eLearning developer LeanForward has calculated the true cost of one hour of learning in this colorful graphic. Keep handy to share with line managers who want it done yesterday. The Rise of Mobile Learning. A comprehensive infographic from Voxy that shows the evolution of educational technology. How Long Does It Take to Become an Expert? A fun look at how long it takes to achieve expert status in a variety of fields, ranging from astrophysics to yoga. How On-the-Job Training Boosts Employee Morale. Need help justifying the effectiveness of L&D? Mindflash has created a graphic that succinctly displays how training is linked to employee morale.  These are our top ten infographics for L&D…..what ones did we miss? Tell us in comments!

You may not be currently looking for a job, but it never hurts to have an up-to-date online portfolio of your work. And if your work samples are gathering dust in a folder somewhere, all the more reason to get your expertise displayed electronically. There are a myriad of websites out there where you can display your work for free. Some platforms are better suited for writing samples while others are more applicable for showcasing graphics or eLearning samples. Technical writers might want to consider a blog site such as Blogger, WordPress.com or LiveJournal to set up a free account. All three have user-friendly interfaces, and if you’re stuck, Lynda.com offers a course, "Create an Online Portfolio with WordPress." There’s also a publishing-friendly site, Contently, where writers can collect their published clips into one location for no charge. If you’re looking for a platform that’s more graphics-friendly, there are a number of free options. Most are targeted for graphic designers, but all can serve the same purpose for instructional design samples because they can support Flash files. These options include Behance, CarbonMade, Flavors, FolioSpaces, Mahara,Shownd and Wix. Once you’ve found a platform, you’ll want to select which work samples you’d like to feature. Choose the most salient samples of your work, instead of everything excluding the kitchen sink! If you’re just getting started in your career, it’s okay to show samples of your school work. Be sure to include samples from different types of projects and with different industries. Instructional designers might want to consider showing samples from each stage of the ADDIE model. Don’t go too far back when displaying past accomplishments. A good rule of thumb is to only display work you created within the past ten years. And if you signed non-disclosure agreement, can’t include those samples on your portfolio unless you’ve gained permission from the client. Simple themes work best for presenting your portfolio. With each sample, give a brief overview of the project objectives, how these objectives were achieved and your role in the project. Also, be sure to list the types of software used. Don’t forget to add an About Me section to your portfolio listing a summary of your skills and your contact information. What tips have you uncovered when creating an online portfolio? Tell us in comments.

I recently read, The Start-Up of You, by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha. Hoffman, the cofounder and chairman of LinkedIn, suggests you think of yourself as "an entrepreneur of your career." The reason for the new way of thinking, he explains, is because there’s been a seismic shift in the job market: For the past 60 years, the job market worked like an escalator. After graduating from college, you landed a job at a firm such as IBM or GE and were groomed and mentored there. As you gained experience, you moved up in the organizational hierarchy, increasing your salary and job security until you stepped off of the escalator and coasted to an easy retirement, allowing those more junior than you to move up. That’s all changed. Reid and Casnocha’s philosophy for developing your career is through competitive advantage, or what you do better than anyone else. Your competitive advantage is comprised of the interplay between your assets, your aspirations and values, and market realities. Your assets include your knowledge, skills, professional connections, reputation, personal brand, and strengths (the things that come easy to you). Your aspirations include your deepest wishes, goals and vision for the future. The market is where you have the least amount of control, but ignoring it won’t make it go away. As Reid sums it up, "If you don’t find risk, it will find you." He suggests that professionals build career resilience by "introducing regular volatility into your career in order to make the inevitable surprises survivable." Entrepreneurs and freelancers are more familiar with the concept of volatility, however all professionals need to be able to absorb shocks in this increasingly VUCA (volatime, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world. Reid recommends joining more groups, taking on side projects and saying "yes" to more opportunities. Here are more suggestions for career development from The Start-Up of You: This weekend, conduct a gap analysis of your current skills by assessing where you are and where you strive to be. Determine how you might close the gap through training, work experience or mentoring. Update your LinkedIn profile so that your summary statement articulates your competitive advantage.  "Because of my [skill/experience/strength], I can do [type of professional work] better than [specific types of other professionals in my industry]." Start a personal blog and begin developing a public reputation and portfolio of work that’s not tied to your employer. That way, you’ll have a professional identity that you can carry with you as you shift jobs. Schedule three lunch dates in the next few weeks: one with a person a few rungs ahead of you in your industry, one with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while; and one with a person from an adjacent industry whose career you admire. Review your aspirations and adjust your goals for next year accordingly. Identify other people with aspirations similar to yours and connect with them, either virtually by following them on LinkedIn or reading their blog, or by meeting in person.    

Pinterest has become popular for collecting fashion designs, recipes and craft ideas. Its clean interface and endless possibilities of items to pin make it an addicting social media platform. But what about its potential for Learning and Development? We scoured Pinterest and came up with the top seven boards for L&D inspiration. Most of the boards emphasize eLearning and technology and surprisingly, many of the pinners are outside of the U.S. Here they are, in no particular order: Amy Roche Roche, an instructional designer at Penn State University, has put together a comprehensive collection of pins related to instructional design. From learning styles posters to infographics about educational technology, Roche has compiled a useful collection of L&D resources. Tim Tyler Tyler, a self-described storyteller, training professional and INFP, has an L&D board that features the new ASTD T&D competency model, the Hermann Brain Dominance model and graphics illustrating Myers-Briggs types. SHIFT eLearning This eLearning tool company has a number of Pinterest boards dedicated to eLearning. There’s one that features infographics about eLearning, a general board of eLearning resources and one specifically on eLearning videos. Check out Amy Jo Kim’s presentation on game design. Tomasz Jankowski- Need a laugh? Jankowski, an eLearning designer from Poland, has a collection of eLearning humor to tickle your funny bone as well as salient examples of eLearning and a collection of eLearning infographics, including one that illustrates how the brain retains information. Nina Flippin Flippin, an eLearning developer from Athens, Greece, has a diverse eLearning board, including a TEDtalk on creativity by author Elizabeth Gilbert, an infographic on effective voice-overs and a chart illustrating depth of knowledge. Martin Couzins Couzins is the founder of UK-based LearnPatch, an L&D media start-up. His Pinterest board covers L&D and the workplace, including infographics on GenY, the psychology of music and gamification. Juan Antonio Ortiz Caturani Caturani, an eLearning consultant, has a large following on Pinterest, and a number of eLearning resources on his board, including infographics about MOOCs, implementing blended learning and educational data mining. Do you have any L&D related Pinterest boards to share? Tell us in comments.      

The recent announcement by Yahoo!’s CEO Marissa Mayer to curb teleworking has sparked a heated debate online about the pros and cons of telework. According to the TeleworkResearchNetwork.com, there were 3.1 million teleworkers in the U.S. in 2011, and by 2016, that number is expected to reach 4.9 million. Larger companies (Yahoo! notwithstanding) are more likely to allow telecommuting than smaller ones. Coincidentally, two studies were published in support of corporate telework programs. Staples Advantage released a survey a couple of weeks ago suggesting that teleworking benefits both employer and employees. Almost all of the employees surveyed (93%) agreed that telecommuting programs were beneficial and 75% of business decision makers noticed that employees appeared happier when allowed to telework. And on the opposite side of the desk, just over half (53%) of businesses in the survey reported being more productive with a telecommuting program in place. Last month, Stanford University researchers published a study of a Chinese travel agency with more than 12,000 employees that found that working remotely actually increases performance. The employees were divided into two groups: those who worked from the office and those who worked remotely. After a few weeks, the remote workers had taken more calls, logged more hours and were more productive overall than the office group. There are considerations that need to be taken into account before implementing a teleworking program. A company’s culture has to embrace the idea in order for teleworking to be successful. The biggest barriers for managers are trust and teamwork. Although 75% of managers say they trust their employees, a third confessed that they’d like to see them, just to be sure. And other managers, such as Mayer, believe that distance inhibits collaboration and working together to come up with new ideas. Telecommuters need to be self-directed and have a defined work space in their home. They need to understand that telecommuting in not a suitable replacement for daycare. The TeleworkResearchNetwork.com has compiled a substantial number of statistics on its website in favor of allowing employees to work from home. These figures illustrate the benefits to companies as well as to the U.S., and are based on the premise of 50 million potential telecommuters working from home half-time. Allowing Employees to Telework Half-time would: Save more than $13,000 per person. Increase productivity by more than $466 billion. Save $170 billion in real estate and related costs. Save $28 billion in absenteeism and turnover. Avoid the ‘brain drain’ effect of retiring Boomers by allowing them to work flexibly. Enable companies to recruit and retain the best people. Save 281 million barrels of oil a year—the equivalent of 46% of our Persian Gulf imports. Reduce greenhouse gases by 51 million tons/year—the equivalent of the entire New York state workforce off the roads. Reduce road travel by 91 billion miles/year thereby reducing the strain on our crumbling transportation infrastructure. Reduce road congestion and increase the productivity for non-telecommuters. Save 77,000 people from traffic-related injury or death. Reduce the offshoring of jobs and homeshore some that have already been lost. Source: TeleworkResearchNetwork.com, The State of Telework on the U.S.: How Individuals, Business and Government Benefit, Kate Lister and Tom Harnish, June 2011. The post 12 Reasons to Support Teleworking appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

When you need to learn something new or keep up with the latest trends, a video is a good way to access information. We were curious which YouTube channels had the most content for Learning and Development, so we did some research and came up with a list of seven. Not surprisingly, a majority of the channels are produced by educational technology companies. Here are our top picks: Cogentys eLearning TV Cogentys, a Hollywood-based educational technology company, has a YouTube channel focused on eLearning. Some of the topics covered include: "The Best Free eLearning Tools," "20,000 eLearning Courses Available through OpenSesame," and an interview with Mike Rustici about Tin Can API. You can also subscribe to the company’s eLearning TV blog to find out when something new has been uploaded to the channel. eLearner Engaged This custom eLearning developer has a comprehensive channel of 100 videos in topics such as: social media in education, distance education, online classroom training, elearning, instructional design, and increasing learner engagement. Blackboard Blackboard offers an Innovative Teaching Series playlist that offers insights on grading, increasing student engagement and setting up an online classroom for K-12 educators. The most popular video on the channel (at 33,623 views) is "The Voice of the Active Learner," explaining how digital natives prefer to learn. Adobe eLearning Adobe Systems has a popular channel for eLearning designers and developers. The Adobe eLearning channel has tutorials on Captivate 5, Captivate 6, Presenter8 and Presenter Video Creator. Some of the lessons offered include: "Voice to Text Automated Closed Captions in Adobe Presenter," and "Drag and Drop is Insanely Simple with Adobe Captivate." Kineo TV Kineo Learning has a number of videos of interest to instructional designers including, "10 Trends: A Summary of the Learning Insights Report,"" eLearning Design Principles," "Compliance eLearning," and "Health and Safety eLearning." Many of the videos are animations—a welcome change from talking head videos. Lively eLearning eLearning developer and blogger Cathy Moore has a YouTube channel where she shares her eLearning expertise. Some of the titles include: "Big Mistakes in eLearning," "Design, Not Technology," and "Prototyping for Better eLearning." TED-Education At 269,861 subscribers, the TED Education channel is the biggest YouTube channel for L&D. This channel is an interesting assortment of videos on topics as diverse as, "What is Verbal Irony," "The Hidden Power of Smiling," and "How Farming Planted Seeds for the Internet." Visiting this channel is a great way to pass a lunch hour. Any other channels you would like to add? Tell us in comments.       The post The 7 Best YouTube Channels for L&D appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

It goes without saying that there are a lot of blogs on the Internet—181 million according to a survey by NM Incite. So it wasn’t easy to narrow the best blogs targeted at Learning and Development professionals down to only 20. But we did. We took into account how relevant the content was to workplace learning and how frequently the blog was updated. We also excluded company blogs (to be featured in a future list). Here are our top 20 (listed alphabetically): Allison Rossett - Dr. Rossett is an Educational Technology professor at San Diego State University, author and consultant. She posts about topics such as, "Why We Need Instructional Design Now More Than Ever," and "Moving beyond the Classroom—Talk that Leads to Action." Bozarth Zone - Jane Bozarth, author of "Social Media for Trainers," writes about how to effectively use social media for learning and how to design inexpensive eLearning. Charles Jennings - A former CLO, Jennings’ substantive posts center on how to improve performance through learning innovation. Clark Quinn’s Learnlets - Quinn blogs frequently and passionately on L&D and topics that might at first glance seem unrelated, but on a closer look, do connect well to learning and development. Clive on Learning -Clive Shepherd hails from Brighton in the UK and writes about all things eLearning. His blog is set-up so that you can toggle between different layout formats. E-Clippings (Learning as Art) - Mark Oehlert is a Customer Success Director at Socialtext who blogs about Anthropology, large organization dynamics, how communities function and grow and how technology and culture come together. E-Learning 24/7 Blog -Craig Weiss is the brains behind the blog, eLearning 24/7. He writes about the "truth and realities of eLearning" and he reports that 90% of his predictions on eLearning have been accurate since his blog launched in 2009. E-Learning Acupuncture - Eric Tremblay is an Instructional Designer at the Royal Military College of Canada and writes from an Educational Technology perspective. Experiencing E-Learning - Christy Tucker is an online instructional designer who writes about corporate eLearning, instructional design, K-12 education, lifelong learning and technology. She posts interesting or useful links in her weekly bookmarks posts. Internet Time Blog - Blog owner Jay Cross says he was the first person to use the term eLearning on the web. He is a prolific poster and is never at a loss for an opinion. Kapp Notes - Karl Kapp, an Instructional Technology professor at Bloomsburg University, created his blog to discuss issues concerning learning and transferring knowledge from retiring Baby Boomers to game-loving Millennials. Learn Nuggets - Kevin Thorn is the self-described Chief NuggetHead for Learn Nuggets. His background is illustration and eLearning design, and he brings a visual perspective to L&D. Learning in the Social Workplace Blog - Jane Hart specializes in supporting learning, performance and collaboration in the social workplace. In addition to writing a wealth of interesting posts, Hart is also skilled curator. Learning Zealot- Mark Britz offers his take on organizational learning and performance improvement in Learning Zealot. Britz, a self-described pragmatic learning professional, writes about a number of topics, from innovation to connectivity. Life in Perpetual Beta- Harold Jarche has been blogging for ten years, publishing 2,350 posts that have garnered 6,500 comments.  He writes about sense-making for the connected workplace and claims he gets his best ideas while riding his bicycle. Misadventures in Learning - David Kelly is a curator extraordinaire with his link-filled backchannels from every L&D-related conference. If you’re not able to attend a conference in person, Kelly’s backchannels are the next best thing to being there. Phase(two)learning - Michelle Baker writes about onboarding new employees, how to market your learning and development programs and facilitation skills in a clean, easy-to-read format. Socializing Workplace Learning - Tom Spiglanin shares his thoughts about workplace learning, and more specifically, social learning. Spiglanin practices what he preaches by engaging in learn chats, attending learning conferences and sharing what he learns via his blog. The eLearning Coach - eLearning Designer Connie Malamed is the eLearning Coach. She writes about all things eLearning-related and also compiles an e-newsletter that is delivered twice a month. Usable Learning - Author Julie Dirksen shares her views on usable learning and designing for how people learn. Her thought-provoking posts are on topics such as, "You can’t solve problems you don’t know about," and "Virtual Chainsaws—when it’s not a knowledge problem." Download PDF The post The Top 20 L&D Blogs appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

eLearning is continuously evolving as technology becomes more accessible. Learning and development platforms now engage in a variety of methods that make it easier for individuals all over the world to learn at their own pace through enhanced systems. Mobile learning is now a viable option in which to receive training, study and learn while on-the-go. The culture of the 21st century is a "right now" platform, and companies who understand this notion have to consistently keep up with a changing global environment. It is important to understand how the level of engagement has changed. Gone are the days where learning used to involve a book and face-to-face directives from teachers who offered their own explanations for concepts that may or may not have been understood. Today’s learners are used to multi-level platforms, which include accessibility to teaching concepts and ideas from other instructors, the ability to have enhanced learning through online and in-person teaching scenarios and group directed project management where the teacher now becomes the facilitator and the students/trainees develop their own teaching strategies that are shaped through direction. How can companies implement a thorough and cohesive learning environment while maintaining the integrity of the learning platform? First, with effective project management. Monitoring the metrics of how individuals are learning what they want and need is key in developing and implementing programs that will not only make a difference, but will keep a continuous level of engagement wherever they are. Second, by offering a variety of learning methods for adaptability. Individuals migrate to platforms that will enhance their thoughts and provide opportunities to engage with others. YouTube, Lynda.com and other venues that offer free and paid learning tools have become front-runners in how learning platforms continue to evolve. Mobile responsive programs that will transform module into a working interface for any device are now a necessity rather than a luxury. eLearning has shifted from standard classroom practices into opportunities for radical teaching methods that work. Third, embrace the evolution of students that are emerging. Today’s student is collaborative, inventive, intuitive and decisive. Access to programs that enhance expanded learning will help improve options and choices for high achievement in the global learning environment. The Premier’s Technology Council issued a report which identified eLearning and technology as a driving force in addressing future skill shortages in the workforce, citing "blended learning" as an effective approach to enhancing education. What devices are needed to globally compete in a changing eLearning environment? The shift to mobile technology is moving at a rapid pace. Desktop computers are no longer the platform of choice, but operate as a backup in the event the mobile device is down. Smartphones, tablets and laptops are common and allow the presence of a learning environment anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection. The advancement of technology has also introduced wristwatches and other devices that are small but function as a smart computer device. Although the educational landscape is changing, there is still some concern when using eLearning methods due to the learning curve that may be present. When developing programs that work, there needs to be a concerted effort in making sure the programs are user friendly, engaging, responsive, clear in understanding, and have a high level of technical support to be effective. Training for these platforms must also be taken into account, with simple-to-process modules that are non-threatening and useful. By employing the methods of engagement that have taken precedence in the learning and development environment, eLearning will continue to expand in creating programs that support the convenience and enhancement of skills through the use evolving technology needed to move forward in the 21st century. The post eLearning in the 21st century appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

Business, Schools Partner to Improve Employee Competence Reading, writing, and arithmetic may have done it for our parents or even ourselves, but knowledge of those core subjects alone is no longer sufficient to prepare American high school and college graduates to work and compete in the global 21st century economy. Several major employers, including Cisco, Apple, and Intel, experienced such frustration with finding workers with the necessary knowledge and skills that they joined forces to close the gap. Enlisting the National Education Association as a partner, representatives from those major companies and others went directly to the U.S. Department of Education to voice their concerns. Then, they took action. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills was created in 2002 to work with state school systems and districts to align classroom environments with real-world environments. Founding corporate partners included the companies listed above plus AOL Time Warner, Dell, Microsoft, and SAP. "There was a strong sense of corporate responsibility [for addressing these gaps], as business truly is the beneficiary," says Steven Paine, Ed.D, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, or P21. "Businesses have told us that we have a lot of work to do in the core subjects, but there is also a wide workplace skills gap that employers have been forced to fill. They must spend time and money to teach employees basic business skills even though they recruit and hire top candidates." "Companies were frustrated," agrees Helen Soule, executive director of P21. "Employees lacked the skills to make the knowledge work. They needed to be told what to do." Since its inception in 2002, P21 has more than quadrupled its membership, growing from eight founding organizations to 39 members representing America’s leading business, technology, and education organizations. The group works to improve education by incorporating 21st century readiness into state school systems; 19 have signed on thus far. Paine, P21 president since mid-January, was State Superintendent of Schools for West Virginia when he first heard of the organization at a Council of Chief State School Officers meeting. The P21 executive director at the time, along with a representative from Dell, presented the P21 framework to the assembled group. "I was spellbound," says Paine. "I saw it as exactly the right agenda for linking our school systems to the business world. We have an obligation to prepare kids for life after formal schooling. If schools don’t do it, who will?" With input from employers, researchers, and funders, P21 has developed an educational framework for learning in the 21st century. They have identified six key elements of a 21st century education: Core subjects: English, math, science, foreign language, civics, government, economics, arts, history, and geography 21st century content: global awareness; financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; health and wellness awareness; and environmental literacy Learning and thinking skills: critical thinking, problem solving, communication, creativity, innovation, collaboration, information and media literacy, and contextual learning Information and communications technology literacy Life skills: leadership, ethics, accountability, adaptability, productivity, responsibility, people skills, self-direction, and social responsibility. The framework is represented graphically as a rainbow, with the core subjects (still referred to as the "three Rs") and the "four Cs"—critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation—as the center arc. P21 continues to assess the relevance of the framework by surveying stakeholders. The most recent study was conducted in 2010, in partnership with the American Management Association; 1,200 human resources managers across the country were surveyed. "The skills represented by the four Cs were overwhelmingly identified by those stakeholders as crucial," says Soule. Ten years old, P21 is entering its second phase. "We have been about advocacy and awareness. Our future lies in an implementation agenda," says Paine. How will the organization know whether its efforts have been successful? "We need partners in the research community to assess whether the kids who participate in the P21 learning program acquire those skills," Paine says. "The ultimate test is whether employers see improvement," agrees Soule. P21 is currently working on an Exemplar Project to identify and document information about best practices being developed in individual schools and districts. Its advocacy mission continues as well: The U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a policy resolution in 2005 supporting a framework for 21st century readiness. On January 22, 2013, U.S. representatives Tom Petri (R-WI) and Dave Loebsack (D-IA) reintroduced H.R. 347, the 21st Century Readiness Act. The Act asks for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act currently under consideration by Congress, and strengthens support for 21st century education efforts underway in many states and districts. "Employers I meet with continually emphasize that, in our 21st century economy, students need skills that go beyond the basics of reading, writing, and math," Petri has said. "States and schools should have the flexibility to use existing grant money to promote skills that will make their students successful in a foreign economy." Educators in other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore, are adopting and adapting the P21 model, Paine says. "There is a movement around the world as nations recognize that this is the right agenda for them." Other organizations, including the Learning Metrics Task Force of UNESCO and the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, are working to increase awareness and improve access and outcomes for students in developing countries worldwide. Regardless of location, businesses and nonprofit organizations that take part in this crucial conversation can help shape the future of education and thus the knowledge and skills of generations of potential employees.   The post Are American Graduates Really Ready to Work? appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

We’re all doing more with less nowadays, and sometimes we forget to take care of our own professional development. A smarter strategy is to weave our professional development into our daily routines as much as possible. Here are some ideas on how to make personal learning a habit. Join Professional Associations Becoming an active member in a professional organization offers many advantages. It provides a great opportunity to network with colleagues, learn about trends, and expand your knowledge base. Some professional organizations that are specific to L&D include: the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), the Organizational Development (OD) Network, and the eLearning Guild. Attending the monthly meetings and regional gatherings is an excellent way to get an outside perspective on your daily challenges. Obtain Professional Certification With certification you’ll acquire additional knowledge, be able to incorporate new methodologies and technologies in your work, and gain credibility in a specific field or subject. Many schools and associations offer certification programs that help develop and refine professional skills. ASTD offers Certification as a Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP). It requires three years’ of industry-related work experience as a prerequisite and costs between $799 and $999. The certification process consists of a passing a knowledge exam and submitting work samples. Attend Conferences Conferences that are hosted by professional associations are a way to participate in seminars, meet other L&D professionals, and learn about hot industry topics. Some of the upcoming L&D conferences this year: ASTD International Conference and Expo in Dallas, May 19-22 mLearnCon in San Jose, June 18-20 CLO Symposium in Palm Springs, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 DevLearn in Las Vegas, Oct. 23-25 Attend Webinars If you’d rather not leave your office, you can still participate virtually by attending webinars—some of which are free. Here are some sources for L&D-related webinars: Training Magazine hosts complimentary webinars from L&D thought leaders. Chief Learning Officer also hosts regular webinars by industry leaders, and if you miss the live event, you can listen to the recording. Bersin by Deloitte offers free webinars on subjects such as "21st Century Content Authoring," and "Making Learning Stick." TrainingIndustry.com offers live and on-demand webinars on topics such as: "How to Use Social Media for Learning" and "Changing Behavior to Produce Results." Use Your Social Network LinkedIn has a number of groups that are specific to L&D, including: ASTD National, Chief Learning Officers Network, eLearning Global Network, and Instructional Design Professional Group. Once you join a group, you can post questions to other group members and participate in open discussions. It’s an effective way to get a quick answer—especially if you are a one-man or one-woman training department. On Twitter, there are recurring online chats about L&D. For example, #chat2learn occurs every other Thursday at noon EDT, and #clouduc8, a monthly discussion about learning in the cloud, happens on the first Wednesday of the month at noon EDT. For a list of L&D-related chats, visit a calendar created by Lisa Goldstein, Lesley Price, and JD Dillon. Reading blogs is an efficient way to keep up with the latest trends in educational technologies and insights from L&D thought leaders. You may already have some blogs bookmarked or have subscribed to RSS feeds of blogs, and it also doesn’t hurt to expand your horizons and discover some new blogs. Training Magazine has compiled a fairly comprehensive list of L&D blogs. The post Continuous Learning for L&D Professionals appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

How Savvy L&D Managers Get More Done The day started out like any other. Trina Trainer walked into her office, laptop bag on her shoulder, balancing her Venti Caramel Macchiato while texting on her smart phone. Five minutes later, the Vice President of Sales rushed into her office, having just returned from an Educational Technology conference.  "I know what I want for our New Hire Sales Training," he breathlessly exclaimed. "It needs more video examples and gamification. Gamification is really hot right now." Trina bit her lip. She knew she didn’t have any team members with experience in either gamification or video production. "And did I mention that we just hired 20 more reps who start at the end of the month?" he added.  With the current hiring freeze, she wondered how she would get the VP’s training needs met along with the all of the other high priority projects she and her understaffed department had to complete. And didn’t her most senior instructional designer just go out on maternity leave?  If only there was another way… The scenario in many companies is the same. Learning & Development managers are faced with mounting workloads, dwindling staff and shrinking budgets. However, some savvy managers are turning to project-based consultants as a way to supplement their internal staff and complete critical projects. Here are some of the reasons why: Flexibility. According to an American Management Asso­ciation survey, 95 percent of corporate managers say project-based consultants give them the flexibility to keep fully staffed during busy periods. Companies that embrace workforce flexibility fare better economically - in a study published in the journal Decision Science, researchers found that earnings, gross margins and stock returns improved after the increased use of consultants. Cost reduction. A study by Contingent Workforce Strategies found contingent workers save companies a significant amount of money—typically 17 percent of their total expense base. Consultants reduce the fixed and overhead costs associated with FTEs in the form of payroll taxes, benefits, recruiting and training. Access to specialized skills. Even in today’s tight job market, there is a shortage of workers with critical skill sets. A 2012 ManpowerGroup survey revealed half of U.S. employers have reported difficulty finding appropriately skilled candidates to fill open positions. And according to a 2012 McKinsey study, by 2020 the world may have a global shortfall of as many as 40 million skilled workers. In order to address this growing gap between labor supply and demand, organizations are adopting the use of contingent workers as a critical strategy to meet their needs. Infuse knowledge and ideas into their team. In a Bersin by Deloitte study, L&D managers reported they had received value from their contractors as a source of innovation. Because the contractors are professionals who have worked on many projects in various organizations, their perspectives broaden with each new assignment and their fresh insight can generate new ideas. Agility. Talent needs can change on a dime and new technology or new competitors can expose talent gaps in any organization. Employing a contingent talent strategy enables a company to access the right talent to meet specific skill or competitive challenges quickly, without incurring longer-term costs or disrupting the organization. For example, Clarity Consultants recently worked with a pharmaceutical company to help streamline its product launch process and improve its time to market. Clarity provided two instructional designers with graphics expertise to create training explaining the new processes. The consultants created an overview chart of the streamlined process, a detailed, instructor-led training program and a manager’s toolkit. The program was also designed to be easily converted to a Web-based training format for new employees who joined the company. This is just one instance of L&D managers turning to firms like Clarity to add more resources to a project. In summary, there are options for Trina Trainer and other L&D managers. Instead of saying no to projects, managers can call on L&D consulting  firms to bring in skilled L&D professionals to get the job done. A survey of L&D managers found 78 percent were satisfied with their decision to use contingent workers as well as their choice of L&D consulting firm. The flexibility to add resources during peak periods was the number one reason for hiring contingent professionals, with the access to specialized skills and the infusion of innovation as the second and third most cited reasons. The post A Training Manager’s Tale appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with more than 200 million members and growing. While you may use Facebook or Twitter for your personal life, LinkedIn is the "go-to" network for your professional life. To get the most out of networking with LinkedIn, take a moment to make sure that your profile is as complete as it can be. Studies show that you have a greater chance of networking success when you have a complete profile. Make a Good First Impression Your headline and your photo have the most visibility, so make sure your first impression is positive. If your profile doesn’t have a photo, upload one or have one taken. Profiles with photos are 40% more likely to be clicked on. Your photo should project a professional image and be a close-up image of you (not a vacation photo or you posing with your dog). If possible, have a photo taken by a professional. Your headline doesn’t have to the job title of your current position—it can be anything you want it to be that best explains what you do. Write your headline to your target audience and describe who you are and what you do. You have 120 characters to get your message across. Publicize Your Skills The summary section of your profile is where you explain what and how you do things differently from anyone else.  Tell a story about how your career evolved or highlight your accomplishments. The summary is an opportune place to use key words that will increase your visibility in search results. LinkedIn profiles have a separate Skills & Expertise section where you can inventory your skills (up to 80 skills). If you haven’t edited your profile in a while, you may need to update your profile in order to access this feature. These are the skills that your connections can easily endorse (although the jury’s still out on the effectiveness of LinkedIn endorsements). You can get a personalized url for your LinkedIn profile. Having a condensed url makes it easier to add to your business card and email signature. To do this, click "edit" next to your current url and click "customize your public profile url." Enter the new url and click "set custom url" to save your changes. Display Your Work LinkedIn has added a new feature where you can include media samples on your profile. This feature is being rolled out gradually to everyone, so you may not have it yet. This feature allows you to add files up to 100 MB in size to the Summary, Education and Experience sections of your profile. To see if you have the feature, edit your profile and scroll down to the Summary, Education or Experience sections. If you see a media icon (looks like a square with a plus sign), then you can hover your cursor over the icon and upload a file. If you do not see the icon, the feature is not yet available. In the interim, you can add links to your portfolio website under your contact information. The post Best Practices with LinkedIn Profiles appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

Did you know that by 2015, more Americans will access the Internet through mobile devices than through desktop computers? This prediction by the International Data Corporation underscores the importance of getting content right for mobile devices. If you’ve been tasked by management to make your documentation compatible with mobile, first of all, don’t panic. Secondly, grab a copy of Karen McGrane’s book, Content Strategy for Mobile. Useful and filled with pragmatic advice, McGrane’s book offers specific instruction on how to get content to render appropriately on mobile devices. McGrane is no stranger to designing content for multiple platforms, having been the National Lead for User Experience at Razorfish and now as Managing Partner of her own user experience consultancy, Bond Art + Science. Whereas some content strategists believe providing less content on mobile platforms is the recipe for success, McGrane is adamant that designing for mobile doesn’t mean that you serve up less content. "It’s not a subset of your desktop website," she emphasizes. Instead, she recommends creating adaptive content, or content that is flexible and can adjust to different screen sizes and present itself in different variations based upon the platform needs. She cites National Public Radio’s COPE model for content creation: Create Once, Publish Everywhere. Instead of revising content on every website and instance where it exists (and potentially missing a spot or two), all of the content resides in the content management system and is dispersed to the platform in different forms. "With adaptive content, your goal is to create a flexible base of content with a variety of uses and contexts," says McGrane. The nitty-gritty of adaptive content includes creating content in different formats and in various sizes, depending upon which platform is being used. The key to determining which content to serve up for the right device lies in the metadata. And it’s crucial to rethink your workflow with your team members. "Your content isn’t going to take care of itself," she says. McGrane goes on to detail the process of creating adaptive content, including how to conduct a content inventory and audit, how to structure your information architecture, and how to reconfigure your workflow. All in all, it’s a no-nonsense guide to repurposing your content for all platforms, including mobile.

Edward Tufte fans and design lovers, listen up. You’re going to want to add Joel Katz’s new book, Designing Information: Human Factors and Common Sense in Information Design, to your wish list. Katz, an information designer who teaches at The University of the Arts and Philadelphia University, has assembled a visual feast of information design do’s and don’ts that are useful for those of us who communicate for a living. Katz explains that an information designer’s role is "to clarify, to simplify, and to make information accessible to the people who will need it and use it to make important decisions." It could be a safety poster, assembly instructions or a directional sign. The information conveyed needs to be in a form that the user can understand and use meaningfully. It’s important to have clear information design now more than at any other time in history, given the unprecedented increase in accessible data. Cartographers, whom Katz calls the original information designers, used to draw sea dragons or wrote, "There be lions," on maps in the areas where they lacked data on what actually existed. "Our challenge today is almost the opposite from that of centuries, or even decades, past: to invent ways of sifting through multitudes of data that bombard us daily, often numbing our senses and scrambling our brains," says Katz. Some of the more salient examples in the book include the unsuccessful attempts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revamp the food pyramid that was originally developed in 1992 and criticized for being ineffective. The pyramid diagram was revised in 2005, and recreated in the shape of a food plate in 2011 for the sum of $2 million. Katz explains that using the same shapes (such as circles) to make quantitative comparisons is ineffective because variances in degree are better represented by differences in color and size. There are examples of his students’ attempts to illustrate nutritional information that are a better representation of the data. Information design needs to be pragmatic, and relatable to the user. Katz compares and contrasts two examples of accessible symbolism in American monument design, for example: the 168 empty chairs in the Oklahoma City bombing memorial is a successful implementation of symbolism whereas the 1,776-foot height of the Freedom Tower fails at delivering its message. Understanding audience needs is paramount to good information design. Katz says that understanding the needs of the user and the context in which the design is used will "foster a deeper understanding of design function and empathy with the user." For example, when speaking with a PowerPoint slide show, Katz advises using as few words as possible because one of the more challenging aspects of multitasking for audience members is listening to a lecture and reading text at the same time. With the use of metaphor and simile, Katz quotes Richard Saul Wurman (who coined the term, information architecture) who says, "People only understand something relative to something they already understand." Katz suggests using more relatable analogies such as the inner-workings of the human body as illustrated with battles in space or with common kitchen utensils. It may sound implausible, but the illustrations work. It’s a good point to keep in mind when introducing new concepts. All in all, the book is an inspiring compendium of how to convey information in pragmatic and meaningful ways and is a good resource to add to your reference library.

It’s not easy being an introvert in an extroverted world. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, says that the rise of the Industrial Age in the United States has created a "culture of personality" where people are obsessed with celebrities and performers. Cain, a self-proclaimed introvert, argues that "there’s zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas." Introversion is not the same thing as shyness, although some introverts can also be shy. Cain says whether someone is an introvert or extrovert is characterized by how that person responds to stimulation. Extroverts crave a lot of stimulation whereas introverts feel best when they’re in quieter and more low-key environments. Psychologist Jerome Kagan discovered that introversion and extroversion could be tied to a person’s physiology. Introverts have amygdalas that respond more strongly to new stimulation, which can cause their circuits to feel overloaded and extroverts are the opposite—seeking out stimulation in an effort to raise their dopamine levels. Cain cautions that there’s no such thing as a pure introvert or pure extrovert, and that we all fall at different points along the spectrum. People who fall right in the middle, with equal introvert and extrovert tendencies, are called "ambiverts." So how does this relate to the workplace? Cain says that if you’re a manager, keep in mind that one-third to one-half of your workforce is probably introverted. "Don’t expect introverts to get jazzed up about open office plans or a team-building retreat," she says. Introvert’s strengths are their ability to think deeply and solve complex problems. Extroverts are better at multi-tasking and handling information overload. The most effective teams at work would have a combination of both types. Cain is on a mission to put an end to the "madness of constant group work." She stresses allowing people to think creatively on their own before bringing the entire group together to brainstorm. "Group brainstorming doesn’t work," she says. "After 40 years of research we’ve found that performance gets worse as group size increases." One exception to this is brainstorming online, where there’s less likelihood for conformity pressure. Most workplaces are typically designed for extroverts, especially the newer open floor plans. In a July podcast for Harvard Business Review, Cain criticized these open floor plans, saying they’re detrimental to productivity and emotional health. "It’s a paradox because it’s more difficult to get close with colleagues in the more open offices. True connections require a level of privacy and intimacy," she says. In addition to her book tour, Cain has been consulting with schools and workplaces on this issue and is considering developing a social network for introverts. She will be speaking at Elliott Masie’s Learning Conference Oct. 21-24 in Orlando, Fla.

If you’ve been hired to work on a home-based assignment, then you’ve entered the world of working virtually.  Here are some tips to make the transition to virtual work as smooth as possible. Working at home requires self-discipline and organization. Set up a separate, dedicated workspace away from distractions. People who have been teleworking for a long time recommend that you establish boundaries between your personal and business lives. Set expectations at the outset. Establishing project parameters with the client up front is the key to a solid working relationship. Rick Vossman, a longtime consultant with Clarity, asks these critical questions during an initial interview with a manager: How well defined is the desired deliverable? Do you know what you’re looking for? What kind of analysis needs to be done? Vossman cautions if the client does not have a well-defined deliverable in mind, the project could result in scope creep and missed expectations. Establish clear lines of communications. When you’re not interacting face-to-face with your client, methods of communication become even more important. As you begin your assignment, check in with your client and find out how he or she would prefer to stay updated. Should you hold weekly conference calls? Send daily written updates? Have a SharePoint folder or Google document to share files? Setting these practices at the start will greatly reduce your stress level. After making some minor adjustments to their work styles, most virtual workers report greater productivity and job satisfaction. What are your strategies for working as a virtual consultant? Please tell us in comments.       The post Working Effectively as a Virtual Consultant appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

Technological advancements have made it very easy to shift learning and development to online platforms. Companies and institutions of learning have taken eLearning to an entirely different plateau. Online instructors now have the flexibility to conduct orientation via eLearning modules and online facilitation. This helps companies save money by cutting travel and per diem costs that would have been a necessity if the instructor had to come on campus. There are promising statistics on eLearning, how it is evolving and projections for the future. Being able to coordinate the facilitation of mobile learning and platform-driven learning spaces is quickly becoming the norm. Advantages include: Individuals can learn at their own pace. Individuals can access the platform at any time. An online learning platform provides flexibility for the instructor and the students. An online learning platform is cost-effective. Classroom learning platforms are also a great way to hold classroom sessions while integrating comments, questions and activities on an eLearning side. All students can see who is in the class and, when a student is speaking or presenting, everyone can see them in real time. This is a good alternative for a classroom experience where live demonstrations are needed. Handouts can be uploaded into the system for each student to follow the session. How do these platforms save money? After the initial cost of integrating the platform into the system, there is an immediate return on investment. If the platform is being used by a company, having employees from every location being able to participate in workshops and meetings online save significant costs. No matter where the employees are, new hire orientation, diversity training and other workshops can be conducted while they are on location without the need to travel. New employees have the opportunity to receive training in a variety of ways, and employees that have been with the company can participate in online module sessions to become familiar with new policies and procedures, or to satisfy professional development requirements. By having employees log into the system, corporations are also able to track which employees take their professional development seriously and make changes or additions to modules and training seminars based on feedback. Conferences that were typically held outside of the workplace can now be moderated through an online platform, decreasing the costs of sending employees out. The only costs involved would be duplicating the training materials and solidifying the speaker to deliver the content via the online platform, giving employees who typically do not have a chance to participate in these types of trainings a fair advantage for advancement. For companies that have multiple locations or overseas operations, being able to have trainings on one system through an eLearning platform engages employees and demonstrates the company’s commitment to having a well-trained staff. Are there drawbacks? With every new technology there are a few drawbacks, but the pros outweigh the cons in this instance. A few drawbacks to think about: There is substantial cost investment when first implemented. Everyone needs to have the technology necessary to participate. There are costs associated with updates, materials, etc. There may be a learning curve depending on knowledge and ability to learn quickly. It may be difficult to learn a variety of different platforms. Once these issues are identified and rectified, eLearning proves to be a viable option that works for many. With so many platforms on the market, integration becomes necessary across the board that will use the same commands and functions. This will provide for ease-of-use in the general market and the learning and development environment. These platforms are the wave of the future and they will continue to be developed to provide more enhanced user experiences. The post The New Face of Training appeared first on Clarity Consultants.

Corporate America today utilizes online learning and computer-based courses for employee training with great regularity. It is flexible and fast, giving employees the knowledge they need quickly, with no classrooms or conflicting schedules. One way that eLearning engages people to the greatest degree is through gamifying the courses. Gamification uses digital games to make learning more engaging and fun for students of all ages. For employees, this type of eLearning is more engaging because it allows competition among peers and offers incentives for completing tasks, like badges or virtual currency that can be exchanged for rewards. Gaming is now a widely accepted process for learning and discovery at all ages - including children, secondary education, and with business professionals. Playing a game that helps reinforce how to close a business deal, or learn the specifics about products or services that you are charged with selling to your clients is a fun and interesting way to go about the process, especially when there are rewards for getting it right. This certainly seems more interesting than listening to a long and boring lecture online. However, there are pros and cons to gamifying eLearning as well, and the challenge is to use gamification effectively and relate it well to the purpose for which it is used. Here are some basic pros and cons to consider before you decide if game-playing is the right learning platform for your business and your employees: Pros Game-playing helps develop positive mental attitudes toward learning dry subjects. Portability is great; employees can often play on their desktop, laptop, or portable devices. Alleviation of boredom and tediousness in mastering subject matter is a plus. Gamification can help employees focus on the material and absorb more of the information. Role-playing games can guide employees to advanced academic understanding. eLearning increases the ability to learn independently. Gaming-based learning shifts the focus to the process rather than the outcome or goal of the course. Games that help confront fears and anger have been shown to be a safe alternative for releasing emotions. Games like online chess make students slow down, concentrate, and think moves ahead - definitely good skills for employees to master. Music and movement augment the learning experience in a positive way. Game mechanics can teach critical thinking and interpretation skills that are crucial to learning. Replayability gives people permission to fail, which encourages exploration and discovery. Cons eLearning has to be monitored to be successful; it is important to classify what is learned from the games played. There is still research that needs to be done to figure out how and why gamification works and why it is effective. Extrinsic rewards can lose their value over time, and actually lessen the motivation of players. Some games do not use the experience to properly motivate people to really learn and be engaged. Game-playing can result in a lack of strategic connection. The challenge is keeping it relevant to the tasks at hand. Overall, game-playing can make eLearning more fun and entertaining for employees and is a good way to invest time and money for training. One of the biggest challenges will be to ensure that gaming is not over-used, because that can be a negative factor; careful monitoring can alleviate this problem. Often, information that is learned via classroom lectures is quickly forgotten; gamification can serve as a long-term platform to help them remember the processes or patterns that you desire and that will allow them to be more successful in their roles. Online gaming is growing rapidly and programming technology is increasing rapidly. Combined with the utilization of portable platforms like smartphones and tablets, the time for utilizing gamification to enhance business knowledge and education is now. The post Should You Gamify eLearning? appeared first on Clarity Consultants.