Informal Learning Basicse-Learning Handbook  Training Design BasicsAdvanced Web-based TrainingDesigning E-Learning  Techniques for Technical CommunicatorsInformation And Document Design: Varieties on Recent Research (2nd edition)An Overview of Online Learning (2nd edition)

Nathan Drier's blog post was featuredHow I Break Into Businesses (With Permission, of Course)As an ethical hacker, my job is to see the future. How would a real-life criminal break into "X" business? What security weakness would he exploit? What information would he steal and what would he do with it? Like a game of Chess, if I can predict my opponents’ next moves, I can align my attacks to make sure they fail.Social engineering encompasses that kind of forward-thinking. With a business’s permission of course, ethical hackers mimic real-life criminals to identify and remediate security weaknesses within their environment. To infiltrate successfully, the ethical hacker, a.k.a. security tester, uses a variety of strategies from physically breaking into the building without employees noticing to virtually gaining a foothold by luring unsuspecting employees to click on a link or open an attachment.Here are six of the most common social engineering tactics my team has used to get inside:Tricky Emails. Phishing emails have a high success rate. Pretending to be on the IT team or a trusted third party vendor, we send an email asking the end user to open an attached file or visit a website that we control. Once the user clicks the link or opens the document, the damage has been done. We’ve silently collected the employee’s domain username and password, and possibly obtained shell access to his/her workstation. From there, we setup shop on the victim’s computer and use it as a launch pad to attack the rest of the corporate network.One time we sent out emails telling all employees that we upgraded them to a newer version of their external webmail service. Everyone started logging in - but instead of getting access to their email, we were collecting their usernames and passwords. One of those users happened to also have VPN access, which allowed us to VPN into the corporate network.Media Drops. People love free stuff including a new, shiny USB thumb drive in the parking lot on their way to work. Little do they know, we have spent all week custom-coding a piece of hidden malicious software. The second they plug it in, it runs code that takes over their computer and gives us remote access to it. From there, we can begin attacking other internal systems with minimal risk.For even greater success, we put the thumb drives in a trusted location. For example, we may fill up a small basket with the drives and write ‘FREE’ on it. While schmoozing with the receptionist, we drop off the basket somewhere in the lobby. A couple hours later, all 30 drives are gone and beginning to phone home.Tailgating. People are busy, too busy to notice me walking behind them on their way into the office. I don’t have a badge and they haven’t seen me around before - but the office is large and I look like I belong. I’m typing an important email or talking on my phone, and I seem to know where I’m going. The majority of the time, I will smile and they will hold the door open for me…I must have forgotten my badge.Once inside, I scout and find an empty cubicle off in the corner. I crawl under the desk and plug in a wireless access point. My cohorts in the minivan outside see the wireless network pop-up and begin using it to map out the internal network.Dumpster Diving. A company’s trash is a goldmine of information. From vendor information, passwords, usernames, schematics, network information - it’s all there. Dumpsters are rarely locked (or easily picked). Early in the morning, when the building is empty, we search through the dumpsters, grabbing bags full of papers, and running back to a home base for analysis.One time we found payroll data for employees including more than 10,000 social security numbers -all in the dumpster.Face to Face. Having confidence and looking the part gets us into places. For example, I was working on an ethical hacking assignment for a business with a large public office area and stumbled on one of their unlocked workstations on the main floor. The machine was obviously for employees-only. I slid up to the keyboard and got to work escalating my privileges and installing a backdoor. A couple minutes in, an employee walked over and asked me what I was doing. Before I could answer, she said, ‘Oh, they finally sent someone to fix my computer. I’ve been telling them it has been dog-slow for months!’I confirmed I was there to solve the problem for her. She left, and I got back to work. Minutes later, a security guard came hustling my way. I tried to finish installing my backdoor before he reached me - but to my surprise that first employee cut him off and said, ‘You leave him be, he is from IT and is fixing my computer.’She continued to distract the security guard just long enough for me to finish up my work and disappear.Phone Calls. The most direct way to get sensitive information from people is to call and ask. I like to pretend I’m interested in a technical job they posted, and use that guise to get additional information from human resources or wherever I happen to land. I can usually get them to ask for a resume, which makes for an excellent prelude for sending a phishing email.During one engagement, we had a target on the phone who thought we were from IT. We were helping her ‘fix’ her computer, and during that process she had to change her password to a known value (letting us compromise her account). Once we were finished, she mentioned that everyone else in her department was experiencing the same problem and she could help by having all her coworkers change their password to the same value. It was a huge help…for us.Security testing is critical in helping businesses defend against the latest threats and stay ahead of the criminals however it’s only one layer of data protection. Automated vulnerability scanning across all businesses’ assets is another key element. Scanning and testing should be performed continuously throughout the year so that whenever there’s a change in the business’s environment, it can identify new security vulnerabilities that arise and fix them before it’s too late.Nathan Drier is Principal Security Consultant at Trustwave.See More

Informal Learning Basics has officially been published by ASTD Press.  If you are an ASTD member, you might have received an announcement about the book through email. If not, here’s the notice.Informal Learning Basics explores one of the hottest topics in training today.  It describes how training and development and other Human Resources professionals can better harness informal learning.  By some accounts, informal learning—in which learners define some combination of the process, location, purpose, and content of learning and may or may not be conscious that learning occurred—provides as much as 70 percent of all learning in the workplace with little or no involvement of training and development professionals.  So readers have realistic expectations and plans for the application of informal learning in the workplace, the book first describes how informal learning works and identifies how to use it effectively at key touch points in the life cycle of a job.  Then, to help readers harness the power of informal learning, this book describes how readers can support 22 specific types of group and individual informal learning,  how social, enterprise and other instructional technologies can assist in those efforts, and how to evaluate informal learning.  Each chapter includes exercises that help readers apply the concepts presented in the book and worksheets that readers can use when planning informal learning efforts in their organizations. To find out what type of informal learner you are, check out the next post on this blog.  To order, visit http://saulcarliner.blogspot.com/2012/05/order-books-including-informal-learning.html 

"Change is inevitable. Growth is optional."    - John Maxwell This has been a favorite quote of mine for some time… a good reminder to take advantage of the happenings around us and leverage them toward personal or professional development.  But looking at it in the context of the 2014 workplace, I’m not sure that the last three words are as true, valid, or helpful as they once were. In today’s hyper-competitive environment, growth is no longer optional; it’s non-negotiable. Treading water is not a valid strategy in fast-moving business currents. Maintaining the status quo - whether it’s your customer base, technology platform, or skill set - doesn’t keep you even; it actually means you’re moving backward…and fast.  This applies to organizations and individuals. Successful leaders recognize this reality and take conscious steps to make growth a priority… for themselves and those around them. They do it seamlessly by cultivating three key qualities - qualities that support business results as well as professional development: conversation, creativity, and curiosity. Conversation As my co-author, Beverly Kaye, and I wrote in Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want, careers are developed one conversation at a time… over time. Frequent, short conversations with employees about strengths, opportunities, interests, and goals are the lifeblood of development. They activate awareness and motivation. They are the connective tissue among events and occurrences, musings and reactions, and insights and action. Leaders can help others grow by embedding development conversations into the flow of work. Lengthy individual development planning summits may no longer serve the needs of our time-starved environment. So it comes down to finding moments and opportunities for brief - even 90-second - conversations that help others reflect, connect, and grow. Creativity Growth is not the exclusive purview of the training department. Smart leaders are creative leaders. They know that powerful development happens organically and they constantly scan the environment for opportunities to make it happen. Where others see work that’s not getting done, they see a learning assignment. Where others see a tough business problem, they see an opportunity to stretch minds and skills. Where others see  scarcity, they see a chance to become innovative. In today’s flatter and more flat-out workplace, learning and development can’t depend upon transfers, promotions, or moves of any kind. Leaders and individuals alike must apply greater creativity to finding in-role assignments, activities, and responsibilities that will provide a stretch and challenge without making a move on the organizational chart. Curiosity Depending upon whom you ask, curiosity is defined as a competency, skill, quality, or emotion. It’s the capacity to demonstrate keen interest, an inquisitive spirit, an eager drive to understand, and an appetite for experimentation. And it’s an essential driver of growth and development. Curious employees find opportunities for growth… and they find growth in the opportunities before them. Curious leaders model the way… asking insightful and probing questions of themselves and others. They take risks, step into uncharted territory, and always ask themselves what can be learned from their experiences (positive and negative). Conversation, creativity, and curiosity are the key levers enabling growth in today’s workplace.  Leaders and employees who value and practice them will find that development naturally follows. So, no offense Mr. Maxwell… but let’s align your inspiring quote with the realities of 2014: Change is inevitable. Growth is non-negotiable. What about you? What fuels your own growth? What can you do to help those around you develop and grow? The post Growth: It’s No Longer Optional appeared first on Julie Winkle Giulioni.

PresentationEventSponsorDate and LocationFor more Information What’s the Real Scoop on Online LearningThought Leader WebinareLearning GuildDecember 11, 2012www.elearningguild.com Host, Research-to-Practice Day and Presenter, Performance, and Perceptions: Research on Our Evolving RolesCSTD Conference and Trade ShowCanadian Society for Training and DevelopmentOctober 31, 2012www.cstd.ca Keynote Presentation: The Future of the Technical Communication BrandTCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nz Workshop: A Crash Course in Writing e-Learning Programs TCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nz Workshop: Practical Tips for Effective, Efficient Projects TCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nz Webinar. Evaluating Informal LearningASTD WebinarAmerican Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Learning and Development Community of PracticeSeptember 27, 2012http://www.astd.org/Communities-of-Practice/Learning-And-Development.aspx Webinar. Informal Learning Basics: So What Are the Basics?ASTD WebinarAmerican Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Learning and Development Community of PracticeJuly 17, 2012http://www.astd.org/Communities-of-Practice/Learning-And-Development.aspx Keynote Presentation. What the Research Says about Informal Learning (and Implications for Practicing Professionals)International Conference on eLearning in the WorkplaceInternational Conference on eLearning in the WorkplaceOctober 14, 2012www.icelw.org

(Excerpted from my book, Informal Learning Basics (ASTD Press, 2012.)Before Training and Development professionals can effectively provide and promote informal learning for others in their workplaces, they need an awareness of their own interests in, and preferences for, informal learning. This activity, which is excerpted from the new ASTD Press book, Informal Learning Basics, is intended to help sensitize you to your informal learning preferences.Instructions:  Answer these questions.  For responses, see the answer key below.1.   One morning when you start your e-mail program, everything looks unfamiliar.  You quickly notice a special notice at the top of the screen, "We’ve unveiled a new look. Click here to learn more."  What do you do first?a.     Click where indicated to learn more about the changes to the program.b.    Ask the person in the office next to yours to explain what’s going on.  c.     Ignore the invitation to click here and fumble your way through the interface.  d.    Sign up for a class to learn about the new e-mail interface.2.   You’re the new coordinator of vendors for your department, which has never used vendors before but plans to start using them in the future.  To prepare for this new role, what do you do first?Ask your friend in the Purchasing Department what to do.Find the company policies and procedures on managing vendor relationships on the Intranet.Sign up for a class on managing vendor relationships. Start the job and figure things out as you experience them.3.   Your partner was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes and the doctor has urged your partner to start eating a healthy diet.  Although you thought you knew what healthy eating was, apparently your daily diet of bran muffin breakfasts and meat-potato-and-salad dinners isn’t producing healthy results.  To learn about healthy diets, what do you do first?Continue cooking but remove fat and sugars from the diet.  Join a local diabetes support group and ask for help with questions related to diet.Register for the "Diabetes Diet" class offered at the hospital.  Visit a website or buy a book with dietary recommendations for pre-diabetes patients. 4.   In a meeting this morning, the executive makes several comments related to the company’s most recent annual financial report.  You’re embarrassed to admit this: you don’t know how to read a financial report.  To correct this problem, what do you do first?Ask your friend in the Finance Department to give you a crash course in reading financial reports.Buy Financial Reports for Dummies at your nearest bookstore—and read it cover to cover.Read the report line-for-line and try to figure out what it’s saying. Take the e-learning course, How to Read a Financial Report, available through the library of e-learning courses in your company. 5.   You have accepted the invitation to serve as webmaster for your neighborhood association for the next year.  OK, so you have no experience with webmastering.  To prepare for this new role, what do you do first?Ask the outgoing webmaster to provide step-by-step instructions.Start your job and figure things out as they arise.Take an introductory course for webmasters through your local continuing education department.Watch a series of videos on YouTube about how to be a webmaster.ScoringCompute your score using Table 1-B.Table 1-B: Scoring the Exercise Assign Points as Follows Tally Points Here 1--a-4, b-3, c-2, d-12--a-2, b-4, c-1, d-33--a-3, b-2, c-1, d-44--a-2, b-4, c-3, d-15--a-2, b-3, c-1, d-4 ______________________________ Total ______ Determine what your score by checking Table 1-C.  Table 1-C: Interpreting Your Score If You Scored: You Are a: Which Means that: 5 or below A formal learner You generally prefer formal situations for your learning.  6 to 9 A social learner Although you're able to learn on your own, you often prefer to learn in groups or from other people11 to 14 A go-with-the-flow learner You use a variety of means to learn new skills, sometimes just trying things out to see how well you can perform. 15-16 A self-directed informal learner You develop new skills on your own, but to make sure that you correctly understand them, you frequently refer to outside sources to do so.With this awareness of your own preferences, you can begin to appreciate the different preferences of other informal learners.  You can use that awareness to better identify which activities might work with which learners—and which ones won’t—so you can use informal learning to achieve given goals. To more about informal learning, check out the book Informal Learning Basics. For ordering information, visit http://saulcarliner.blogspot.com/2012/05/order-books-including-informal-learning.html.

Social media has sparked interest in informal learning; the topic is addressed throughout Informal Learning Basics. I recently came across some articles online that clearly and effectively introduce some popular tools. Although the articles are written for members of the academic community, they’re actually valuable to anyone interested in learning more about these tools:Utilizing Pinterest as a Learning Tool by Rochelle McWhorter, published in the June 2012 issue of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) digest describes the excitement generated by Pinterest—a social bookmarking tool that McWhorter identifies as a "social bookmarking tool" and is the "third most-used social media [sic] behind Facebook and Twitter," then suggests ways that readers might use Pinterest. To see the article (membership might be required), visit http://ahrd.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=179. Why are you on Twitter? By Liz Meyer and published on the Freire Project blog, explains not only why Meyer uses Twitter, but then proceeds to provide a primer on how to use Twitter. She explains the @ and # symbols, how to organize tweets, and Twitter etiquette. View the blog post at http://www.freireproject.org/blogs/why-are-you-twitter.

Simon Dudley's blog post was featuredIT and You: Role Reversal and Tech 'Consumerization'Enterprise IT is becoming a commodity. The cloud makes it easy for companies to provide updates and feature upgrades constantly, behind the scenes. As a result, the leaders in every technology category are starting to look the same - all selling the same basic services, all delivered using the same basic infrastructure.Truly, the main difference is becoming how easy technology vendors make it for customers to buy their product and start using it.I predict we can look for more enterprise-grade software and hardware being sold on consumer outlets. Amazon already has at least one listing for a multi-user license of enterprise "web-to-host network management" software. (That’s not even Amazon Web Services. That’s just plain Amazon.)What does consumerization of enterprise technology mean for business - and business workers?Consumerization Has shifted the IT-Worker Balance of PowerThe roles are reversed for IT departments and their customers. IT used to make all network and appliance decisions. Employees or other users had to adapt their way of working to whatever technology they were given.Think about the whole Bring Your Own Device movement. Originally, IT directors held off on integrating tablets and smartphones into their networks. Their argument was that personal devices couldn’t offer the security that businesses need.But the users decided. They demanded personal devices on corporate networks, and it’s happening, almost like fate. Standards allowed it to work, and by and large that was that.So it goes with a lot of technology today. As the Internet has matured, expectations of how and where you can work have changed. You are now just as likely to be in the driver’s seat as the IT department when it comes to choosing the technology you want for work.You’re still the customer, and IT’s still the provider - it’s just that the balance of power has shifted.Cloud Services Let IT departments Put User Experience FirstIt’s not unreasonable any more to expect IT to adapt to users’ technology - much of which is designed for the consumer market. It’s easier now than even five years ago.With Software-as-a-Service and Infrastructure-as-a-Service over the cloud, today’s IT leaders worry less about racks, equipment and networks. They can focus more on meeting user technology expectations. (And users expect to use their consumer devices and applications at work.)Even now, IT departments aren’t necessarily buying "technology"; they’re buying services, and letting consumers bring their own products to access those services.That’s why it’s not much of a leap to conclude that enterprise-class business technology of all kinds should soon be available on consumer shopping sites. Before long, you may be able to purchase sophisticated business collaboration software, the latest New York Times Best Seller and a Billboard Hot 100 album at the same time.You can probably download them all, too.Simon Dudley is the Video Evangelist for LifeSize. He is on Twitter @simondudley.See More

For those of you whom are university-level instructors, consider these titles as possible texts for your courses:BookDescriptionSuitable CoursesTraining Design Basics (ASTD Press)This book emphasizes the real-world nature of designing training programs, working with the time and resources available. Yes, trainers have to analyze needs and write objectives (after all, each trainer needs to know what they are training and why they are doing so). But often the time is limited to perform, so this book suggests ways to get the information even if they don’t have the time or access to all of the people who might be helpful. Similarly, although e-learning and other forms of instruction receive much attention in the professional literature, the bulk of training continues to be designed for the classroom. This book makes that assumption, and offers specific suggestions for preparing classroom courses and workbooks. Finally, after designing and developing courses, most trainers have responsibility for the successful launch and running of those courses. This book explores those issues, too, specifically identifying issues in administering, marketing, and supporting courses so that they are likely to be effective. Instructional DesignDesigning Training Programs Advanced Web-Based Training (by Margaret Driscoll and Saul Carliner, Pfeiffer)This book takes instructional designers to the next level in their design journeys. It provides instructional designers, e-learning developers, technical communicators, students, and others with strategies for addressing common challenges that arise when designing e-learning programs. Balancing educational theory with the practical realities of implementation, Driscoll and Carliner outline the benefits and limitations of each strategy, discuss the issues surrounding the implementation of these strategies, and illustrate each strategy with short scenarios drawn from real-world online learning programs representing a wide variety of fields including technology, financial services, health care, and government. Some of the specific design challenges this book addresses include learning theory for e-learning, m-learning, simulations and games, interactivity, communicating visually, writing for the screen, preparing introductions and closings, mentoring and coaching e-learners, and blended learning.Advanced Instructional DesignStudio courses in e-learningAdvanced Technical and Professional Communicatione-Learning Handbook (edited by Saul Carliner and Patti Shank, Pfeiffer)This book is an essential resource that is filled with original contributions from the world’s foremost e-learning experts including Jane Bozarth, Patrick Lambe, Tom Reeves, Marc Rosenberg, and Brent Wilson. The book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the economic, technological, design, economic, evaluation, research, and philosophical issues underlying e-learning. Each chapter includes a chart that summarizes the key take-away points, contains questions that are useful for guiding discussions, and offers suggestions of related links, books, papers, reports, and articles. Advanced Instructional DesignSeminar in LearningTo order and receive more information, either contact your publisher’s representative or visit http://www.amazon.com/Saul-Carliner/e/B001H9RDXU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop.

How similar are technical communication and training?  Although some characterize the two as nearly identical, a closer look at their occupational cultures suggests several subtle, but significant, differences exist.  My recent article, Different Approaches to Similar Challenges: An Analysis of the Occupational Cultures of the Disciplines of Technical Communication and Training, published in the second quarter 2012 issue of the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, explores these differences.  Here’s the abstract of the article:Problem:  Perhaps it is presumptuous of Technical Communicators to assume that, because some of their skills that might be employed in developing and delivering training materials, that those skills alone are qualifications to work in training, much less the source by which the processes of Training might be examined.  Using data from one survey and one interview-based studies of the work of Technical Communication and Training groups, as well as participation on committees responsible for certification examinations for Technical Communicators and Trainers, this tutorial analyzes differences in the occupational cultures of the two fields. Key Concepts:  The work differs: Technical Communicators produce content that explains how to perform tasks; trainers produce programs that develop skills that a third party can verify.  To do so, Technical Communicators follow a process that emphasizes writing and production; Trainers follow a process that emphasizes the analysis of intended goals and evaluation of whether those goals have been achieved.  The guiding philosophy of Technical Communication is usability; the guiding philosophy of Training is performance.  Although both disciplines are rooted in cognitive psychology, the primary intellectual roots of Technical Communication are in rhetoric and composition, while the primary intellectual roots are in education.  The preferred research methods of Technical Communication are critical; the preferred research methods of Trainers are empirical qualitative and quantitative methods.Key Lessons: As a result, Technical Communication professionals and researchers who want to work in Training should approach the field in a culturally appropriate way by (1) recognizing distinctions between a communication product and a training program, (2) recognizing distinctions in work processes, (3) recognizing distinctions in language, (4) recognizing differences in values and (5) acknowledging that an academic discipline of training exists.  To see the complete article, visit http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=47.  (Note: Only free to members of the IEEE Professional Communication Society and to those entering through university libraries with a subscription to IEEExplore.)

For those of you whom are university-level instructors, consider these titles as possible texts for your courses:BookDescriptionSuitable Courses Training Design Basics (ASTD Press)This book emphasizes the real-world nature of designing training programs, working with the time and resources available. Yes, trainers have to analyze needs and write objectives (after all, each trainer needs to know what they are training and why they are doing so). But often the time is limited to perform, so this book suggests ways to get the information even if they don’t have the time or access to all of the people who might be helpful. Similarly, although e-learning and other forms of instruction receive much attention in the professional literature, the bulk of training continues to be designed for the classroom. This book makes that assumption, and offers specific suggestions for preparing classroom courses and workbooks. Finally, after designing and developing courses, most trainers have responsibility for the successful launch and running of those courses. This book explores those issues, too, specifically identifying issues in administering, marketing, and supporting courses so that they are likely to be effective. Instructional DesignDesigning Training ProgramsAdvanced Web-Based Training (by Margaret Driscoll and Saul Carliner, Pfeiffer)This book takes instructional designers to the next level in their design journeys. It provides instructional designers, e-learning developers, technical communicators, students, and others with strategies for addressing common challenges that arise when designing e-learning programs. Balancing educational theory with the practical realities of implementation, Driscoll and Carliner outline the benefits and limitations of each strategy, discuss the issues surrounding the implementation of these strategies, and illustrate each strategy with short scenarios drawn from real-world online learning programs representing a wide variety of fields including technology, financial services, health care, and government. Some of the specific design challenges this book addresses include learning theory for e-learning, m-learning, simulations and games, interactivity, communicating visually, writing for the screen, preparing introductions and closings, mentoring and coaching e-learners, and blended learning.Advanced Instructional DesignStudio courses in e-learningAdvanced Technical and Professional Communicatione-Learning Handbook (edited by Saul Carliner and Patti Shank, Pfeiffer)This book is an essential resource that is filled with original contributions from the world’s foremost e-learning experts including Jane Bozarth, Patrick Lambe, Tom Reeves, Marc Rosenberg, and Brent Wilson. The book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the economic, technological, design, economic, evaluation, research, and philosophical issues underlying e-learning. Each chapter includes a chart that summarizes the key take-away points, contains questions that are useful for guiding discussions, and offers suggestions of related links, books, papers, reports, and articles. Advanced Instructional DesignSeminar in LearningTo order and receive more information, either contact your publisher’s representative or visit http://www.amazon.com/Saul-Carliner/e/B001H9RDXU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop.

In case you missed the webcast, Informal Learning: What ARE the Basics? here's a link to the slides: http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/L-and-D-Blog/2012/07/Slides-from-Webcast-with-Saul-Carliner.aspx

Guest Post by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans I’m delighted to share a guest post from my friends Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan Evans. They are the co-authors of the bestseller Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay... the fifth edition of which is now available. Sharon and Bev address 26 strategies leaders can use to optimize engagement and retention.  Being a wife and mom myself, ‘becoming more family friendly’ is one of my personal favorites. People disengage or quit when rigid workplace rules cause unbearable family stress. Would they leave your organization over work/family conflicts? Yes. Employees are asking for a workplace that helps them balance the demands of their work and family lives, rather than forcing them to choose one over the other. Today and from now on, organizations that are not family-friendly will definitely have a harder time finding and keeping good people. What Does Family Mean, and What Do They Want? What do we mean by the word family? Some of you might immediately picture small children and two parents. Others picture a young newlywed couple, a single male caring for his aging father or the members of a large extended family.  In the U.S., the Gen-X-er and his dog could be a family, while in Asia the pet seldom qualifies. One family-friendly strategy won’t meet all of these employees’ individual needs. It’s critical to consider the different types of families in your group, and then think about (and talk about) the approaches that will work best for each of them. Remember, the most accurate way to get this information quickly is simply to ask your employees. Get Flexible You have tremendous opportunities to get family-friendly within your own work group. What you do (and fail to do) as a manager can mean so much to your employees as they juggle work and family. And much of what you can do as a manager costs you and your organization little or nothing. Think flexibly the next time an employee asks you for different work hours or time off to help a spouse, parent, or friend. Think about the real costs of saying yes. Will productivity suffer? Will you set a dangerous precedent? It is more likely that your employees will applaud (maybe silently) your open-mindedness and willingness to help a valued employee in a time of need. Remember to set clear expectations for your employees’ results and hold them to those results. Then you will have room to flex when it matters. Get Supportive Some managers mistakenly think that they should clearly separate themselves from their employees’ personal lives. You have much more to gain by showing your interest in their lives outside work. We have heard about managers who became involved in several appropriate ways. As you read these approaches, think about which ones might work for you and your employees: Allowing employees’ children to come to work with them occasionally, usually to celebrate a special occasion or because of a special need Driving to an employee’s house to be with her and her family following a death in the family Accompanying employees to their children’s ball games and recitals Inviting an employee and his or her parents, relatives, or children to lunch Allowing well-behaved pets into the workplace Researching eldercare alternatives for an employee who needs help with aging parents Sending birthday cards or cakes to employees’ family members Setting up special e-mail and resource areas on the company intranet for employees’ children Locating resources (the company lawyer) for an employee struggling with the health insurance company There are positive payoffs for your efforts to become more family-friendly, including increased loyalty, money saved, and the competitive edge that a loyal and productive workforce will provide. Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans are the authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay, the bestselling guide that provides twenty-six strategies to keep talented employees happy and productive. In addition to updating and revising all information for the fifth edition, the authors have included more international stories and statistics. Available January 2014 on Amazon and in bookstores everywhere! Beverly Kaye is the Founder of Career Systems International. Sharon Jordan-Evans is the President of the Jordan Evans Group. The post How Family Friendly are you Really appeared first on Julie Winkle Giulioni.

In case you missed it, check out Juana Llorens’ summary of opportunities for informal learning in groups. http://www.astd.org/Publications/Blogs/L-and-D-Blog/2012/06/Thinking-About-Promoting-Informal-Learning-in-Groups.aspx

by Saul CarlinerThe summer travel season, when many of us explore new places and experience new things, is ripe with opportunities for true informal learning—that is, learning where you, as the learner, set the objectives and determine for yourself when you have achieved them.  (This differs from informal learning for the workplace, which represents more of a partnership between employers and workers on the process, content, location, and purpose of learning, and—like other types of informal learning—can happen consciously or unconsciously. See Chapter 1 of Informal Learning Basics for more about these definitions.)Some might learn a new sport. Some might try a new artistic activity, like journal writing or painting.  Some might try their hand at cooking a different type of cuisine.  Some might hike new paths.  And some, like me, might explore new museums.  Museums captured my imagination at a young age, fostered my intellectual awakening, and provided many hours of wonder about—and engagement with—art, history, science, nature, and even music.  More immediate to the point, museums fostered my interest in informal learning, because that’s what they do.So how can you get the most from your museum visit—without killing it?  Here are some tips. Start with a flexible agenda.  From the get-go, give yourself permission to wander and explore whatever strikes your fancy. This museum visit isn’t a business meeting where you have specific tasks to accomplish; it’s supposed to be fun.  So don’t kill it by over-planning it. Once inside, focus on what interests you.   See something that catches your attention?  Go to it.  Gaze at it. Read about it.  Linger all you want, or leave in an instant if it doesn’t seem to be what you thought it was.  You have free choice to explore; that’s why museums call the type of learning that goes on within their walls free-choice learning.Follow the efforts to attract your attention.  Part of the fun of a museum is the unexpected discovery and exhibit designers go out of their way to provide you with opportunities to have one or two of those.  Enticing you to the museum to see a special exhibition, designers purposely place it in the back of the museum so that you’ll have to walk past the permanent exhibition—and perhaps, wander into it (much like grocery stores place the milk at the back to entice you to purchase something else along the way).Within exhibits, designers try to beckon visitors to explore by effectively using sight lines and sizes of objects to catch your attention.  Or they might use sound or similar audiovisual devices to attract visitors to other parts of the exhibition or building.  Get a general sense of what’s going on.  Unlike a casino, where they shut off access to daylight and remove all the clocks so you’ll keep gambling, museums are not trying to disorient you.  On the contrary, museum design teams want you to know where you are and what you’re seeing.  That’s why most designers place orientation labels in each gallery so you’ll know the topic addressed in that gallery and why it’s significant.  When something interests you a bit, go a bit deeper.  Some galleries strike a chord and motivate visitors to learn more about the topic.  That’s why most museum exhibition designers—especially in science, history, technology, cultural, and similar museums—provide a second set of labels, each of which explores a key theme within the broad topic of the gallery.  These labels usually define the key theme and explain its relationship to the main topic of the gallery, and provide additional context.  In some exhibitions, thematic labels highlight some key or signature objects in the gallery.  If something interests you a lot, go even deeper than that.  In some instances, either because you have an innate interest in the theme of the exhibition or because the exhibition designers inspired interest, you want to learn even more—about the broad themes and about individual objects.  So many museums provide additional labels that go into further depth about the topic.  Section or case labels describe a sub-theme within a particular theme; object labels provide details on each object.  When you’re not sure what to do, get "help."  Most museums offer guided tours by trained guides, called docents. The tours are usually free, so if you’re not sure where to begin your visit or what to view while in the building, try this option.  Docents are trained to make sure you see key highlights of the collection on display, but most add a personal story or two and in the process of doing so, share their infectious enthusiasm for the museum.  So even though you might start a visit with little interest, the docent might inspire some.  Docent tours also make sense when you face a language barrier .  Most museums display labels in a limited number of languages.  If yours isn’t one of them, you might miss out on the experience because you can’t get information about galleries and objects that interest you. Many museums offer tours in languages other than the ones on display.  But some people still feel uncomfortable with docent tours.  Ask if the museum has a translation of the exhibition labels.  Some have special books that you can use within the museum; others have "apps" on the iPad or audioguides (that is, audio devices you can use while in the museum) that provide information in your language.  And if nothing interests you, don’t read anything.  You can just look at the objects and appreciate them for what they are—something to look at.  Or just sit on a bench and observe the other visitors interacting with the exhibition.  That’s the key characteristic of free-choice learning: you’re free to choose whether or not you feel like learning about something—or learn about anything at all. And to be honest, most museums have so many exhibitions and so many labels that you couldn’t read everything on a single visit if you wanted to.  (That also gives you a reason to return.)  Continue your learning.  Over the next several posts, I’ll share some thoughts about museums I’ve recently visited.  Maybe that will spark your interest in visiting one of the ones mentioned—or another one of your choice.  Tip: For more information about the links between informal learning and museums, see the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Informal Learning Basics.   

Really Ready for Prime Time?  A Framework for Considering the Practical Challenges Facing "Game-Changing" Educational TechnologiesScheduled: e-Learn 2012Thursday, October 11Sheraton HotelMontreal, QuebecWill MOOCs really change the game in higher education?  Will social media really change the way we teach?  And by the way, did computers really change the classroom experience?  British sociologist Neil Selwyn argues that, because educational technology "is essentially a positive project," it tends to focus only on the positive and that gets in the way of "mak[ing] these technologies happen."  He suggests, instead, that educational technologists "engag[e] actively with the negative aspects of education and technology and explor[e] how best to withstand them."  This session explores how to do so.  Through an interactive activity, participants experience roadblocks in implementing a new educational technology.  Through the debriefing of that activity, I present a research-based framework that educational technologists can use to identify contextual, educational, and financial challenges that might affect the implementation of a technology, illustrate the framework with the cases of real-world technologies, and suggest how to appropriately communicate those challenges when discussing new educational technologies with various stakeholders

PresentationEventSponsorDate and LocationFor more InformationWhat’s the Real Scoop on Online LearningThought Leader WebinareLearning GuildDecember 11, 2012www.elearningguild.comHost, Research-to-Practice Day and Presenter, Performance, and Perceptions: Research on Our Evolving RolesCSTD Conference and Trade ShowCanadian Society for Training and DevelopmentOctober 31, 2012www.cstd.caKeynote Presentation: The Future of the Technical Communication BrandTCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nzWorkshop: A Crash Course in Writing e-Learning Programs TCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nzWorkshop: Practical Tips for Effective, Efficient Projects TCANZ ConferenceTechnical Communicators Association of New Zealand (TCANZ)October 25, 2012www.tcanz.org.nzFeatured Presentation: Really Ready for Prime Time? A Framework for Considering the Practical Challenges Facing "Game-Changing" Educational Technologiese-Learn 2012 Conference in MontrealAssociation for the Advancement of Computers in EducationOctober 11, 2012www.aace.org/conf/elearn/Webinar. Evaluating Informal LearningASTD WebinarAmerican Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Learning and Development Community of PracticeSeptember 27, 2012http://www.astd.org/Communities-of-Practice/Learning-And-Development.aspxThe Link Between Learning and the Organization: What Research Says about the Real Job of the Learning Consultant?CSTD MontrealMontreal chapter of the Canadian Society for Training and DevelopmentSeptember 19, 2012www.cstd.caInformal Learning: Serious Games and the Life Cycle of a JobSerious Play ConferenceClark AldrichAugust 23, 2012http://www.seriousplayconference.com/

In a recent column in the New York Times, entrepreneur Paul Downs admits that he failed to train people:"At that moment, output was much more important than training. I was putting a lot of pressure on my cadre of experienced workers to get jobs out the door — and at the same time dumping a crew of inexperienced warm bodies on them."I told the old heads to train the new people, but I didn’t relieve anyone of their production responsibilities. And I didn’t put a single person in charge of training. "Later, he admits:"Frankly, I was stupid, and I was setting up all of us for failure." Yes—even on-the-job training needs some level of oversight. Tip:  See Chapter 4 of Informal Learning Basics for some guidance on how to avoid this trap.(To see the entire column, visit http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/figuring-out-a-better-way-to-train-employees/?src=recg).

For those looking for ways to recognize informal learning, consider "badges," which recognize learners for participation in informal learning events, helping other learners, and similar types of learning tasks. Many online learning providers, such as online universities, nonprofit learning sites, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) provicers already use badges or a similar systems of recognition. To learn more, visit  'Badges' Earned Online Pose Challenge to Traditional College Diplomas by Jeffrey R. Young in the Chronicle of Higher Education online at http://chronicle.com/article/Badges-Earned-Online-Pose/130241/.

I am now blogging at:www.saulcarliner.comPlease visit my new site.  And to keep up with the latest postings, please "Like" my specialty Facebook pages:www.facebook.com/informallearningbasicswww.facebook.com/commerceofcontent

Sean Brennan's blog post was featuredAwareables: The Technology of SuperhumanismIf you don’t like something about yourself, change it. We all use tech for self-improvement, be it eyeglasses or iThings. Watches have been making us timely since the 1500s. Plus, it’s people’s combination of applied technology and self-awareness that separates us from animals. Humans, welcome to the 21st century!Today, in the era of the "Connected Life" and the "Quantified Self Movement," our level of self-understanding is becoming increasingly granular­. Meanwhile, the motivations driving our self-tracking seem to grow ever more expansive. People are no longer content hopping on a scale in an effort to shed a few pounds. We’re measuring calories, individual steps, and blood glucose levels, and those who get obsessed with tracking start wrestling with bigger questions: How well do I know myself? Who do I want to be? As a tsunami of apps, sensors, and connected devices hit the post-CES market, we might find ourselves drowning in the very data that’s supposed to help. That’s if we don’t stop to think about the purpose and utility of "new" product categories like wearables or the Internet of Things. Despite the potential utility of the cold-hard numbers tracked in charts and on leaderboards, the real value to be discovered lies in our ability to build and train our intuition.Ironically, technology will offer a level of self-awareness that could make us more human than ever. And eventually, people will ditch the gear altogether and rely on their honed intuitive abilities. This isn’t transhumanism; it’s superhumanism. Go SoftThe first step towards superhumanism is going soft. Just look at Clark Kent or Peter Parker; they’re sensitive—they care. (They probably do yoga and get 8 hours of sleep.) Every SNAG knows, it’s not the numbers that matter, but the goal. And today, those goals are usually described as feelings. In business, emotional intelligence is being touted as the differentiator among leaders. There are countless articles and training courses, as well as debate as to whether it can be taught at all.  Our feelings are pandered to in the latest gadgets and software-products like sleep monitors and mood trackers—that want to help people feel rested or content. How do you feel about your relationship? There’s an app to track that. Soon, we’ll be measuring our brain chemistry so we know when we’re happy and when we’re not-there will be proof.And now there's Z, the latest generation of humans — tweens, wandering the streets of Snapchat way past their bedtime. They're self-actualizing before they can drive. They're emotionally aware, and speak openly about their feelings as they strive toward continuous self-improvement. Spidey SenseRight before things get serious, Spiderman gets his own feeling: "My spidey-sense is tingling!" (I imagine it’s like a phantom-phone vibration.) Spiderman has super-perception. He’s not using sensors or lasers — he intuits.Some people also have super-awareness. There’s samurai Isao Machii who cut a bullet in half with his sword. There’s the blind man from Invisiblia who can "see" by clicking his tongue. There’s even a population with hyperthymesia, a neurological condition where people remember every detail of their lives, good and bad. The most impressive super-humans aren’t tethered to devices — they have next-level awareness. The rest of us have to exploit technology to develop these acute senses. Remember the first time you wore a Fitbit? 10,000 steps seemed so far away. But over time, you started walking more. The act of tracking changes behavior; it’s called the Observer Effect. Sometimes, people will walk for points alone. And soon, you reset your idea of "normal." 50% of people who use wearables stop after 6 months, and the industry sees this as a failure. One article called it "the dirty little secret" of wearables. But why expect these products to have a long lifespan? In some ethnographic interviews, people have said they learn what 10,000 steps feels like and simply don’t need the device as much anymore. That sounds like a success story.Wearables should be designed to make us more aware, not to make us wear them. We can use technology to force focus on a particular behavior, help us reflect on patterns or triggers, and develop sensitivity to specific aspects of our lifestyles. Mind Design Our goal shouldn't be to design wearables or connected devices. We need to design training wheels for the mind. Help people recognize, reflect on, and change their behaviors. This may mean rethinking business models to support short-term devices. Do people really need to own a Fitbit forever, or should it be treated like those disposable cameras of the 90s? Use it and lose it.A disposable or rental model makes sense in today’s Millennial marketplace. Young consumers and early tech adopters don’t have the need, attention spans, or space for long-term purchases. They chase experiences and care about identity. And in interviews with Gen Z, we've seen that kids are displaying a high level of certainty and practicality when it comes to making choices.  No doubt they’d be very pointed in deciding which intuitions are most sensible to hone.Everyone likes to believe they have some untapped potential — that we’re only using 10% of our brainpower. And while that might not be true, we can certainly train ourselves to be more attuned to our bodies and environments. Technology, as a brutally honest mirror, will enable each of us to design how our minds think and react. In the future, we can each define our superpower.Sean Brennan is a Principal at the innovation design consultancy Continuum.See More

I found this quote in a blog at Forbes, which I thought offered great advice for people who are feeling stuck in their career:"Wherever you are today, reclaim your power in it.  Make your situation better by repairing broken relationships, building more respect, finding your voice, growing our skills, and becoming more competent." (Kathy Caprino.)From http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2012/04/14/the-5-biggest-mistakes-career-changers-make/.

My book, Coming Alive: The Journey to Reengage Your Life and Career, has been announced as recommended reading by C-Suite Book Club. It’s an honor to be included and endorsed by this group, known to be a book club for c-suite leaders and business executives.http://bit.ly/ComingAliveAtCSuite Learn more about my book by visiting their website and read my guest blog post there.

Technology and the explosion of communication it’s enabled has transformed nearly every industry, discipline, and field. Leadership is no exception. Today, leaders everywhere can engage in focused and effective development with a quick mouse click. Famous authors and less-known (but equally insightful and inspiring) online thought leaders offer wisdom that’s used by millions daily to enhance their effectivity, motivate their followers, and drive business results. The breadth and variety of how this occurs speaks to the flexibility of the technology, the power of social media, and the creativity of those using both. Each week, I’m inspired and enriched by: Blogs: The breadth of topics covered, depth of expertise, and quality of writing of today’s leadership blogs is awe-inspiring. No manager or supervisor is more than a few keystrokes away from the wisdom and information they need to become more effective. Leadership bloggers are ranked by various organizations… but a couple of my favorites are Jesse Lyn Stoner, Jennifer Miller, and Dan Rockwell. Tweetchats: Who would think that leaders could develop through 140 character messages? But they can…and they do. Tweetchats are a fast-paced online ‘conversation’ during which participants answer questions and exchange perspectives via tweet messages. These sessions are typically intense and information-rich, and can be deeply moving. If you haven’t experienced a tweetchat, get started with the ‘gold standard’, Lolly Daskal any Tuesday evening. Carnivals: Technology can facilitate collaboration; and this is vividly evident each month as countless carnivals go live.  A carnival aggregates posts from various bloggers, generally focused around a topic. The Carnival of HR, Leadership Development Carnival curated by Dan McCarthy, and Karin Hurt’s Frontline Festival are a few of my favorites. They concentrate a variety of takes on a given subject for easy scanning or a deeper reading. Summaries: Wally Bock is a gifted author, writing coach, and blogger who takes the time each week to identify five excellent posts from independent business blogs. This sort of pre-digestion of the overwhelming volume of content that’s available is a valuable service for busy leaders everywhere. These vehicles consistently offer the high-quality, easy-to-access content that busy leaders need. But they do something more. The bloggers, aggregators, and carnival organizers also model best-in-class leadership behaviors. They are respectful. They’re honest and candid, expressing the truth as they see it but also facilitating a constructive discussion of other points of view. They reach out constantly to others. They genuinely care about, collaborate with, and actively support others. In short, they embody the lessons they communicate, acting as powerful examples to aspiring leaders everywhere. So if you’ve got a minute and a mouse, you have access to a virtually unlimited library of information and tools to become a better leader! What about you? Which are your favorite online leadership resources? Image: Liz Price The post Leading Online and Socially appeared first on Julie Winkle Giulioni.