The corporate world saw many changes and innovations in 2015, which begs the question - What will the new year look like? Bersin by Deloitte issued a report on the 10 Big Disruptions in HR Technologies on the Horizon for 2016. With the new year fast approaching, we thought we would summarize the insights for you. 

For the past three years I’ve been trying to share  a photo a day on the blipfoto site. The first year I tired I missed a few days, and last year just one. Thisyear I have actually managed to post a picture everyday.   In the grand scale of things this isn’t a particularly amazing, life changing feat, but for me it has become a really enjoyable habit. My photos (or blips) are more personal reminders of each day. Some are mundane, some include shoes, some are actually quite nice photographs. Together they are a visual record of the past few years for me, my visual diary  if you like. They are an increasingly important part of my digital presence/ identity. I’ll be writing more about that next week when I have my work head back on and have had more time to think about my holiday periscope adventures.  I am going to continue to try and share a picture a day, but in the meantime I’m raising a glass to my achievement this year and wish everyone a happy and peaceful New Year.   

Every fortnight I curate some of the observations and insights that were shared on social media. I call these Friday’s Finds. "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." - Henry David Thoreau - via @dennisdenktmee @hvaelama - "get all of humanity to educate itself swiftly enough to generate spontaneous social behaviors that will avoid extinction." @monkchips - "holacracy is Greek for bullshit, right?" The end of walking in America - via @marshallk "Jaywalking was once a semi-derogatory term referring to country bumpkins, or ‘jays’, who inefficiently meandered around American cities; by the 1920s, the term was being used to transfer blame for accidents from motorists to pedestrians. Making jaywalking illegal gave the supremacy of mobility to those sitting behind combustion engines. Once upon a time, the public roads belonged to everyone. But since the ingenious invention of jaywalking we’ve battered pedestrianism in one of those silent culture wars where the only losers are ourselves." What I learned from six months of GMO research: None of it matters - via @stephtara "Beneath all this is a fundamental disagreement about technology. At one end you have the Ivan Illich position, which suggests our innovations are hurting more then helping us. At the other end are the technological utopians who see restraints on innovation as intolerably prolonging the suffering that would end in a more perfect future. Hardly anyone sits at these extremes, but most of us have an inclination to err on the side of humility or audacity. This is a hugely important discussion, but it’s hard to talk about in the abstract, so we attach it to the example we have at hand: GMOs. The reason it’s so hard to see the facts here is that the actual genetically modified organisms have been crowded out by the things they represent. This is a problem." Study shows hierarchy causes declines in cooperation due to decreased investment by lower-ranked individuals - via @scienceporn "We have shown that achieving cooperation among humans is more difficult when there is an underlying hierarchical structure producing different ranks between people and therefore unequal payoffs for the participants. This result is driven by insufficient contributions from lower ranked individuals who cannot be confident that they will benefit from cooperating. Remarkably, human behavior is consistent with a trend that permeates the rest of the primate order; primates in steeply hierarchical societies have difficulty cooperating for benefits that must be divided, whereas primates organized in weakly hierarchical (egalitarian) societies are more successful." On the origins of corporate evil - and idiocy - via @reachscale "We know what strain does to people. Even without it, they tend to underestimate the probability of future bad events. Put them under emotional stress, some research suggests, and this tendency gets amplified. People will favor decisions that preempt short-term social discomfort even at the cost of heightened long-term risk. Faced with the immediate certainty of a boss’s wrath or the distant possibility of blowback from a faceless agency, many will focus mostly on the former … Decisions may be the product of culture. But culture is the product of decisions." Google: on effective teams via @HelenBevan "It turns out that the secret to a high-performing team lies less in the individuals that make it up and more in the wider team dynamics: "Who is on a team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions." High-performing teams, they found, almost always displayed five characteristics" Image: re:Work

At the close of 2015, there is much for which to be grateful: 71 posts 168 comments 4 webinars 3 regional simulcasts 124 new subscribers (325 total) Users from 103 countries As you review a...Continue Reading »

As 2015 draws to a close, it makes sense to look back and reflect on highlights from the past year. It’s especially appropriate for our team at Talented Learning, because the New Year also marks our second anniversary and a chance to reflect on how far we have come and how far we have to go.   Our Content Starts with Conversations We founded Talented Learning to be a fresh, independent, accurate and practical voice in the learning technology industry.  We wanted to determine why there are so many LMS vendors in the world so we could help LMS buyers make better, wiser choices.  At first in 2014, we blogged about what we knew.  Now, we blog about what we learn from conversations. We uniquely research both the supply and demand side of the LMS equation to formulate an analysis of what is actually going on in the market.  So far, we have conducted in-depth reviews of over 100 LMS vendors, and we’ve developed executive communication channels with almost every one of those companies.  We also speak with vendors’ customers, so we can learn about how they are using the LMS, for what purpose and with what gain.  Finally, we consult with LMS buyers to define what they really need [...] The post Talented Learning: Greatest Hits of 2015 appeared first on Talented Learning.

There are endless blog posts that can help you understand the actual status and the future of workplace learning and eLearning, but sometimes too much information can be overwhelming. Which is why we compiled this list of 2015 posts you absolutely must read before this year ends.

The post What Kept us Busy in 2015? appeared first on Fedena Blog.

For most of the year, the LearnUpon team is busy in the office, building and enhancing the LMS features our customers love. But with the descent of the holidays, most of us are chilling at home with special helpers we learn a lot from too - our cats! We’re taking a short break from the serious side of eLearning to introduce you to a few of our fluffier colleagues you don’t see so often. Meet the feline assistants we call the top cats of eLearning.   Bailey Lawless (eLearning Marketing cat) Bailey is five months old. Well, that’s the vet’s best guess. Bailey found Caroline, LearnUpon’s Marketing Manager, three months ago. In that brief time, Bailey has made an invaluable contribution to Lawless family life. The most profound lesson Bailey has taught Caroline is that she loves cats. Before she found Bailey, Caroline believed she wasn’t a cat person. Growing up in a dog household, she says: My first ever memory is of biting my dog Rudy’s nose - just out of curiosity, to see what it would taste like. Needless to say, the dog whined and I think I may have cried a little too! Now I think I was very lucky we didn’t have cats because I would have ended up with a scratch to the face and a lifelong hatred of them and Bailey would definitely not be living with us! Bailey’s main job is surviving the many hugs he receives from Caroline’s 4 year-old daughter, Sadhbh. Like many LearnUpon cats, Bailey hopes to scale the Christmas tree by New Year’s Eve. His chances of success are looking good - he made it to the second tier an hour after the Christmas tree was raised.   Sue Buric (UX/UI Design cat) Among her many duties, Sue acts as assistant to Aleksandar, LearnUpon’s UX/UI Designer. Job: In addition to UX/UI, Sue works full time as a PEPS - Pigeon Excrement Protector Specialist, specializing on the Buric family terrace. During the summer, Sue also works part-time as Bug Exterminator Manager. Like her manager Aleksandar, Sue loves her work. Her performance review notes she’s highly professional, detail-oriented, and devoted to her job. When Sue’s not working, you’ll find her sleeping or meowing requests for special treats. Key contribution: Sue has taught Alex to be more patient and gentle with animals. Like Caroline, Alex grew up in a dog household. When Sue came to live with him, Alex learned that cats need to be treated differently, to receive a little more care than dogs. There are no more games of fetch in the Buric household!   Isa and Nigell Nolan (eLearning Operations cats) The names of Isa and Nigell betray their mutual obsession with rugby. Isa was called after Isa Nacewa of Leinster rugby team, while Nigell’s namesake is Nigel Owens, a rugby referee. This rugby obsession is shared with housemate Susan, LearnUpon’s super-organized Operations Manager. Although Isa and Nigell have different strengths, they’ve both taught Susan big lessons in 2015: Isa is clever. She’s taught me that cats are far more intelligent than humans and know exactly how to get what they want. Nigell plays more of a supportive role. She taught me that at the end of a stressful day I’ll always be cheered up by arriving home to my cats (and my husband - a close second!) Isa and Nigell look forward to a quiet Christmas, snuggled up on the couch watching Christmas films and stealing treats from Susan. They’ll also be kept busy with their VIC (Very Important Cat) duties. Isa makes sure that Susan’s kept warm and cuddled, while Nigell focuses on her USP, being the prettiest cat in the neighborhood.   Giles Cregan (Customer Support cat) Giles acts as mysterious assistant to Brendan, from LearnUpon’s Customer Support team. In addition to general duties, Giles is the only cat in LearnUpon to bear the special title of Executive Tormentor. This quarter, Giles dedicated a lot of time to attempting to reach the very top of Brendan’s Christmas tree. His ambition is to go further than any other LearnUpon cat, revealing the atmosphere of healthy competition that exists between team members. Key insight: A fierce individualist, Giles’s motto is "Not all cats need hair."   Shandri, Hunter and Baxter Shiel (Digital Marketing Analyst cats)   There’s a substantial age gap between the cats that work with Drew, LearnUpon’s Digital Marketing Analyst. Shandri, cat team member #1 is about 11 years old. Hunter and Baxter, pictured below, are newer recruits at about 6 months and 5 months respectively. As all three cats are strays and rescues, their ages are approximations. Key insights: These sophisticated cats bring a range of interesting perspectives to LearnUpon. Shandri has taught Drew that dignity is optional, and should be deployed only when necessary. Hunter takes a more aggressive approach, advising us to go directly for the thing we want. Diffidence is for people who don’t get what they want, Hunter adds. Baxter takes a more relaxed approach. Eating, sleeping, being petted and licking people’s noses are all the things you need in life, he believes.   Christmas plans? Shandri will stare grumpily at everything, punch the kittens and the dog occasionally, and luxuriate in sleeping on the bed for whole days at a stretch. And when there’s a fire, he’ll lounge in front of it. Hunter will almost certainly be up the tree. Or hanging from wall decorations. Or tearing presents open. Or otherwise causing trouble, essentially. We’ll keep a footstool to hand so that we can get her down from high places. Baxter will be trying for gold in the World’s Fattest Kitten Championship of 2015, so we’ll be keeping him off the table.   What are the team’s roles, Drew?  Shandri is the furry alarm clock. If I sleep too late, a firm punch in the ear, or some claws in my elbow will inform me that it’s breakfast time. He also helps light the fire, when he can be bothered. Hunter catches and kills spiders, moths, and any other bug that enters the place, and patrols the immediate neighbourhood in case any more try to get in. Baxter eats the spiders and moths that Hunter catches. He also joins the dog in making sure that anything dropped in the kitchen is immediately consumed.   Minx McKeown (Customer Success cat) At 3 years old, Minx is one of LearnUpon’s more mature cats. Minx works with Michele, a recent addition to LearnUpon’s dedicated Customer Success team. While Michele is looking forward to spending the holidays with Minx, she’s also hoping that the Christmas tree survives intact. Can you tell us about Minx’s role, Michele?  Catching flies, moths and spiders which she absolutely loves to do! It sounds like Minx would get along very well with Drew’s team member, the aptly named Hunter!   That’s how the top cats of eLearning are spending the holidays. We hope you and your loved ones have an equally relaxed time - and that no-one pulls down the Christmas tree! See you In January for a return to the eLearning routine.   Want to read more? Sign up to get our latest posts! The post Meet the top cats of eLearning appeared first on LearnUpon.

From guest writer, John Dalziel: I wrote the notes, on which this post is based, just over a year ago with the view to add to my podcasts. It didn’t happen, for lots of reasons but, having found my notes again, thought I’d share it with you. With or without the suggestions from FELTAG, does […]

Training within manufacturing organizations has undergone a lot of changes over time, and there are plenty more changes coming. In fact, even if you’re not aware of it, changes are happening right now. And the infrastructure that will lead to even more changes is coming soon. If this seems interesting to you-and if you’re in manufacturing training, it should, because it directly affects your present and future realities-you may find the quick overview below of interest. This is also a great post for including your own thoughts at the bottom, since so much of the future is speculative. Please share your own experiences and thoughts and let us learn from you. Convergence Training is a training solutions provider. We make a series of learning management systems, many libraries of e-leraning courses for workforce development, mobile apps for mobile learning and mobile performance support, and more. Contact us to ask us some questions and set up a demo. And while you’re here, download our free guides below: Guide to Effective Manufacturing Training Guide to Effective EHS Training   Manufacturing Training Through Time We’re going to break down some tools for manufacturing training, looking at three different time periods: Past Present Future Here we go. Manufacturing Training in the Past Let’s take a look at the past to see some aspects that we still use (rightly), some aspects we’re moving away from (rightly), and some of the reasons why the present looks like it does. We’ll look at some commonly used methods of training delivery from the past, and then some commonly used methods for training record keeping and the creation of training data from the past. Training Delivery Training delivery means how training is delivered to workers. In the past, we focused  a lot on the following methods for training delivery: Job Shadowing Also known as "following," "mentoring," or "go follow Joe," this means pairing a less experienced worker with a more experienced worker in the field. This method has some real strengths. We’ve used it in the past, we use it today, and it will continue using it in the future. However, there are some ways it can be improved. One of the big problems with this method is that the experienced worker wasn’t always a good candidate for teaching. For example, the  experienced worker may not be aware of adult learning principles, like the importance of letting the less experienced worker learn in an active method. Another problem is that it’s often not clear what the more experienced learning is supposed to be teaching the less experienced worker. As a result, the results of this kind of training was very inconsistent-sometimes people would learn a lot, sometimes people would learn little, and at times they’d learn different or contradictory things. This problem can be addressed, at least partly, by using an LMS to structure the OJT training (a tool from the present, as you’ll see). Instructor-Led Training We also used a lot of instructor-led training in the past. Again, this can be great, we still use it today, and we’ll continue to use it in the future. However, one problem we ran into in the past is that there weren’t enough instructors to provide all the training necessary. That’s still true now, and it won’t go away in the future. Another problem we faced was that instructor-led training tended to be very expensive and was difficult to scale. Manuals and Written Materials Yet another common method of delivering training was to do it in the form of manuals and written materials. There’s nothing wrong with this. For some training needs, it can be effective, even very effective. (Speaking of that, why not check out our tips for writing training materials and our tips for formatting written training materials?) However, providing training in this form did present some challenges. Where do you store it? How do you make it easy for people to access when they need it the most? How hard is it to update quickly? What happens when multiple people need it? What if multiple people at entirely different plants need it? One effective way to address a lot of these problems was to make the written materials in a digital form and then make them accessible via an LMS or mobile devices. Simple Video-Based Training Video-based training, which effectively brought together visuals and audio narration, was a true improvement. Our brains have two "processing channels," one for words and one for visuals, and so this method of training delivery fit with the way people learned like hand in glove. But there were some challenges in the past. A lot of that video was in the form of Betamax or VHS tapes. Over time, that got replaced with DVDs. But all these physical media forms meant you had to store the videos, they were harder to access, they could get damaged, they couldn’t be in two training rooms for two different audiences at one time, etc. Plus, a video included no assessment. So you never knew if people actually learned, unless you went ahead and created your own test. As you’ll see, being able to delivery video-based content via the Internet, and the advent of e-learning courses, were game changers here. Training Records OK, let’s turn our focus on the past from training delivery to training record keeping. Written Tests The development of training records and training data often began with training managers creating paper-based tests for employees. These then had to be handed out to employees, who answered them. Then they were collected, and someone else had to score them. And then, as we’ll see, those scores had to be put into some form of record keeping process. All told, there’s little good to be said about this method. So much of it can be easier, and is today. Paper-Based Recordkeeping Systems Another element of training record keeping from the past was storing records of training in paper-based systems. You’ve create a record of training of one sort or another. It was paper-based. Then you’d take that piece of paper and put it in a manila envelope. And put that manila envelope in a metal filing cabinet, perhaps. Or one of many metal filing cabinets, perhaps in many rooms. And even of those metal filing cabinets would include many manila envelopes, each full of many paper-based training records. But none of that was easy, quick, or inexpensive to do. Retrieving those records later was also often a challenge, no matter how diligent you were with filing. It took time, and often they were lost and never found. And it was essentially impossible to collect data from those paper-based documents, "crunch the numbers," and come up with any meaningful data on your training. Excel Spreadsheets and Access Databases It was a big step forward when we left paper-based systems behind, at least partially, and started putting those records into Excel spreadsheets and/or Access databases (or similar systems). But still, we were using a general tool for a specific solution. Programs like Excel and Access weren’t specifically designed for training record keeping. So you had to create the templates and fields. You had to manually enter the data. And so on. And it was very hard to run meaningful reports, especially on training records in different spreadsheets/databases. You get the idea-although this was an improvement, but this wasn’t the promised land for training records. Manufacturing Training in the Present Now that we’ve taken a look at manufacturing training in the past to set the scene, let’s look at some of the tools of manufacturing training in the present. In many cases, you’re probably using these already. Online Learning Online learning systems helped to ease a lot of the challenges associated with manufacturing training in the past. That includes training delivery and training record keeping. Let’s see how. Learning Management Systems (LMSs) A learning management system, commonly called an LMS, made it much easier to administer and run an effective training program. In particular, LMSs made it easier to: Collect all training materials in one centralized repository Assign training "strategically" to the workers who needed it (and not to those who didn’t) Notify workers of their training assignments, helping to make them responsible for their own training Deliver some of that training to workers online Deliver online tests to see if workers learned from the training Store completion records, test scores, and other training records automatically Run reports on training records to gather more  helpful information Use and assign training in a blended learning solution e-Learning Courses One thing that an LMS let you assign to workers was an e-learning course. e-Learning courses offered several great benefits that we’ve touched on earlier. These include: The ability to provide "video-based training" with images and audio narration to workers The ability to provide that training online, so individual workers could complete it on their own schedule The ability to provide training to workers at many locations or on different shifts Built-in assessments (tests) to determine if the worker learned from the e-learning course Automated record keeping, in which the e-learning course "tells" the LMS if the worker passed or failed, what the test score was, how long the worker took, etc. Other Online Learning Activities But LMSs let workers complete more than just e-learning courses online. Most of them also provide tools to help you write and deliver your own online quizzes to your workers. And in addition, some of them include tools that you can use to write and deliver instructions on the different steps for performing a task at work (or for evaluating the worker’s performance while demonstrating those skills to a supervisor). Other LMSs include other forms of online learning activities as well. Such as tools for social learning. Online Record Keeping And a big plus for online learning tools is the ability to digitize a lot of the record keeping chores we’ve talked about earlier. Online systems make record keeping for training easier in a number of ways, including: Creating one central repository for all training records Providing access to those training records for all who need them Automating the creation of a lot of training records (for training completed online) Removing the need to create your own training record templates Making it easy to run report and see who’s done and not done with training Automatically sending reports to managers on training completion, more Mobile Learning Tools Mobile technology is a big part of today’s world. Chances are good you’ve got a mobile phone in your pocket, right? Maybe even your kids do. In fact, maybe they were raised in a world that included mobile phones. And how about tablets? Do you have one for personal use? An i-Pad, perhaps? A Surface? A Kindle? Something else? And are you already using mobile at work? Do you check your email on your phone? Do you have mobile apps for tracking performance, revenue, or safety? Well, if mobile’s come to your home, and to your work, you can be sure it’s come to your workforce learning & development, too. Let’s look at just a few applications. Mobile LMS/Training Access Even today, people can view and complete training on mobile devices, including tablets and phones. This makes it even easier for employees to complete their training when it fits their schedule, which is a plus. It also makes it easier for them to access training materials when and where they need it: on the job while performing a skill. Mobile Record Keeping If it’s nice to be able to complete training on a mobile device, and maybe even in the field, that’s true of creating training records, too. Why should you have to run back to your desk top to create a training record? Wouldn’t it be nice to use a mobile device to check a worker off when he/she is demonstrating jobs skills in the field and you’re evaluating them? Or just to keep a record of the people who attended an instructor-led training class? Mobile Performance Support Training has its place, but so does performance support. By performance support, we mean getting helpful information to workers when they need it on the field/on the job. Mobile devices can make it easy for workers to access training materials while they’re working. This means they won’t waste a bunch of time leaving the work area to find the information, or they won’t go ahead and do something without knowing the proper method. It might be as simple as using a tablet to scan a barcode and then learning work procedures related to a task, machine, work area, or process. Informal Learning According to the 70/20/10 model of workplace learning, much of what people learn on the job occurs outside their formal, assigned learning. There’s no reason to get caught up on the exact percentages, and in fact they’re in dispute, but the basic idea is this: 70%-Stuff people learn while directly on the job through experience 20%-Stuff people learn while talking/communicating with coworkers 10%-Stuff people learn from formal, assigned training As you see, a lot of workforce learning happens informally. And there are a lot of tools you can use to help facilitate that learning. Many companies are using social learning tools to help their employees more effectively share helpful information. In some cases, those social learning tools are even integrated into their LMS. Future of Manufacturing Training Now that we’ve seen the past and present, let’s look at a few of the trends we’ll see in the future of manufacturing training. More Video Video-based training is going to become increasingly common. That’s because the Internet makes it easier to distribute it, and it’s also because mobile devices make it easier to capture it (most of us have phones that can record videos at work in our pockets, after all). This will include videos in e-learning courses, of course, but it won’t be limited to that. More 3D Video As the use of video-based training increases, you’ll also see an explosion in the use of 3D in video-based training. 3D animation has some great benefits, including showing things you can’t ordinarily see because they’re: Inside something else Too small to see Moving too quickly to see Too far away to see Only visible if you stop production (which you don’t want to do for training) Too dangerous to see More Interactivity & Simulations A "standard" e-learning course of today can be a pretty linear affair. Open, click the next button, advance to the next screen, and continue until you get to the test. Take the test, pass it, and you’re done. In the future, you’ll see more and more interactivity in e-learning courses. In many cases, this will mean using scenario-based learning, in which your workers are put in a scenario like one they’d face at work.   In other cases, this will mean using game-based learning, in which your workers play a learning game online that helps them develop knowledge and skills that will make them more productive workers. And in still other cases, this will be the use of virtual-reality simulations (remember, we’ve already discussed the increased importance of 3D, which is part of what will make the virtual reality so compelling). All of this will lead to more effective training, and it will also lead to more training data (we’ll discuss that shortly). More Informal Learning The emphasis on informal learning won’t go away. Instead, it will continue and it will grow. Why wouldn’t we want to facilitate the most effective form of workforce learning & development? When we can find tools to facilitate it, we will. And, is it something we can track? That we can analyze and learn from? You’ll see that two things that already exist-the Experience API (also called Tin Can) and Learning Records Stores (also called LRSs)-are already making roads to capturing that informal learning data. More Big Learning Data Finally, we’ll see an increased emphasis on big data in learning. You’ve heard of big data. You know it’s all around, right? We see it in our personal lives, with Google, Facebook, Amazon, and more. We see it at work with big data approaches, Industry 4.0, and the Internet of Things/Industrial Internet of Things. And you’re going to see it in learning & development, too. For more about that, read this article about Big Data and Big Learning Data. Conclusion Hopefully, you found some stuff of interest here. Maybe it’s even helped you identify some opportunities for the future, or some things to plan for, or some stuff to learn more about. We hope so. We also hope you’ll share your own experiences and predictions about the future of manufacturing training below. That’s what the Comments section is for, after all. And since you made it all the way to the bottom of this article, why not reward yourself and download the free guide to effective manufacturing training below? The post The Past, Present, and Future of Manufacturing Training appeared first on Convergence Training Blog.

What do you do when a new employee is hired? Some organizations have no real plan for managing this process at all. Whatever happens, happens, and it varies from one new employee to the next based on a variety of circumstances. Other organizations have some minimal preparations in place. The person gets a desk, computer, and phone, or the proper tools and safety equipment, and gets to fill out his or her benefit papers. But high-performing organizations have a consistent, well-thought out new employee onboarding process in place. Convergence Training is a training solutions provider. We make a series of learning management systems (LMSs), off-the-shelf e-learning courses for workforce training, custom training solutions for our customers, apps for mobile learning and mobile performance support, and more. Contact us for more information or to set up a demo. And why not download our free Guide to Effective Manufacturing Training and Guide to Effective EHS Training since you’re here? What Onboarding Is According to a report by Booz Allen Hamilton prepared for the Partnership for Public Service, "Onboarding is the process of integrating and acculturating new employees into the organization and providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge to become successful and productive." To get into a little more detail, onboarding is also a process that: Involves business leaders from many departments, not just HR Takes place over as much as a year, not just a day Is designed based on a set of specific objectives Involves many people in the organization, including people who play specific roles Is evaluated and measured to assure continuous improvement and positive outcomes Is delivered to all new employees Can be tailored for employees in specific job roles/positions/locations/etc. We’ll look at this more comprehensively below, but that’s a starter. What Onboarding Is Not Doing nothing to help a new hire is NOT onboarding. But you probably guessed that. And doing a set of somewhat-random things for one new employee, and a different set of somewhat-random things for another new employee, based on circumstances, time, and your gut feeling, isn’t onboarding either. In addition, people sometimes get confused and think that a one-day orientation process, often led by the HR department, is onboarding. That’s better than doing nothing, by far, but it still falls short of an onboarding program. Instead, the one-day orientation is part of a more robust onboarding process. You don’t want to throw out the baby (orientation) with the bathwater (onboarding), but you’ve got to pour a lot more water into that tub. Why Should You Develop an Onboarding Program? Onboarding programs that are well-designed and well-executed often have these benefits: Improves new employee performance Increases new employee engagement Increases employee retention Decreases the time after hire until new employee becomes fully productive As you can see, these are strong benefits for both the onboarding company and the employee being onboarded. In short, onboarding is worth it. What An Onboarding Program Should Include Your onboarding program for new employees should include specific: Objectives Roles Phases or stages, during which activities occur Measurements and evaluations Let’s look at each of these four aspects more closely. Objectives of an Onboarding Program In general terms, your onboarding program should have the following goals or objectives: Help new employee learn the company’s mission, vision, strategic goals, and priorities Help new employee understand performance expectations for new job Help new employee reach those performance expectations Help the new employee understand, navigate, and comply with the company’s culture, expectations, organization structure, interpersonal relationships, and networking Make the new employee feel valued by the company and excited to work for the company Keep these goals in mind while designing your onboarding program. Note that they may require you to do some research (what is our company’s mission?) and introspection (what is our company’s culture?). As an additional benefit, your onboarding program will help you learn more about your new employee, as well. Roles in an Effective Onboarding Program Different people at your workplace will play a role in the onboarding program. The roles are explained in more detail below. Business Process Owners HR will have paperwork for the new employee to sign, benefits to explain, and policies to go over. IT will have computers to set up. Facilities will have desks and chairs or other work equipment to put in place. Safety may have PPE to distribute. Training will have training to deliver and performance support to supply. Leaders of other departments or work processes may be involved. The efforts of all these people/departments should be coordinated, organized, and timely. Because there are multiple owners of this process, there’s a risk that nobody takes true ownership and accountability. That raises the chances of something going wrong. One way to address this is to make sure the responsibilities of each business process owner is very clearly defined and communicated. Another way is to consider appointing a single person with the overall responsibility and authority to make sure all the business process owners stay on task. You could think of that person as an "onboarding czar." Senior Leadership It’s important that senior leadership play a role and make an effort to meet or otherwise communicate with the new employee (in large companies, that may happen through group meetings with new hire groups, videos, email communication, signed welcome letters, or similar means). For example, during the new employee’s first day, senior leadership should address and welcome them, explaining the history, mission, values, and strategic goals of the company. If it’s a smaller company, this can happen in person. If it’s a larger company, this can be via a live webinar or a recorded video. Senior leadership may also make it a point to check back in with the new hire, maybe hosting a meeting or even lunch after 90 days and again after a year. It’s also nice to have an email, letter, or in-person visit from senior leadership to mark the new employee’s one-year anniversary. Manager and/or Supervisor The new employee’s manager and/or supervisor will play a large role in the onboarding process. This will include: Welcoming the new employee Meeting with new employee as soon as first-day orientation is complete Explaining the new employee’s job responsibilities Beginning to explain and set cultural expectations at work (how and when to communicate, what decisions the worker can make without manager approval, etc.) Explaining the company’s system for performance management and performance reviews Working with the employee to create a performance plan for the employee Assigning relevant training to the worker (possibly in concert with the Trainign department) Assigning meaningful, real work to the employee during the first week (and after, of course) Monitoring the new employee’s performance and offering helpful feedback throughout first day, month, year, and onward Sponsor This is a more experienced, successful worker in the same department or job role. The sponsor should be a good employee, should have good people skills, and should be enthusiastic about playing this role. It’s also important to give the sponsor enough time to perform this role-don’t just dump another responsibility onto the person’s already busy schedule. The sponsor can be the person the new employee goes to with common questions, such as "Where can I find this?" and "Who do I talk to about that?" The sponsor can also help to explain to the new employee formal/written and informal/unwritten elements of the organization’s culture and expectations, help the new employee understand the organizational structure and internal politics better, introduce the new employee to personnel over time, and answer random questions. New Employee We’ve listed a lot of people doing stuff to help the new employee "fit in" and succeed at work. But onboarding is a two-way street, and the new employee has responsibilities, too. These include: Being engaged, attentive, and eager to learn Being open to new work processes, procedures, and styles and being prepared to adapt Completing required training Completing required paperwork Communicating clearly, effectively, and appropriately with business process owners, senior leadership, managers, supervisors, the sponsor, and other new coworkers Asking important questions Developing essential work relationships Finding and location resources and information needed at work Identifying knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to succeed in his/her new position Acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies Helping to develop his/her own career development plan Continuing to grow as a worker during the onboarding process (and beyond) Five Phases of an Effective Onboarding Program We’ve mentioned earlier that onboarding is more than just a one-day process and can take place during the entire first year. You can break it down into a different number of stages or phases, with different activities occurring during each phase. We’ve chosen to break it down into five stages. The first stage begins after the employee is hired but before the first day on the job. The final stage ends at the worker’s one-year work anniversary. Before the First Day There’s no need for an employee to fill out all paperwork and/or learn about all benefits on the first day. In fact, it’s probably better for everyone involved to get this started before the first day. That gives the new employee more time to learn and think about things, and makes it easier to consult with family or friends if necessary. It also means your staff can focus on collecting paperwork, answering outstanding questions, and getting the new worker moving forward more quickly instead of on clerical work. Much of this can be done by mailing materials to the new hire, emailing materials, setting up some form of online web portal for hew hires, or a combination of all this. Here are some things to think about sending/getting completed before the worker’s first day: Send the employee a welcome letter or welcome packet explaining how excited you are for the person to join your organization Send general information about your company (perhaps even your annual report) Send some information about the site the employee will work at, the department the employee will join, and the role the employee will fill Send HR and other legal/benefits-related paperwork and try to get it completed before the first day (or as much as possible) Have someone (HR, the person’s new manager, or both) contact the new employee and ask if he/she has any outstanding questions Select and assign a current employee to act as the new employee’s sponsor Have all business process owners complete necessary tasks to prepare for new employee’s arrival (phone, desk, computer, tools, work area, PPE, etc.) The First Day (New Worker Orientation) Many companies offer some form of first-day, new employee orientation program. That’s true even if the company doesn’t have a larger, more comprehensive onboarding program, and it’s certainly true of companies who do. Here are some things to do/include during that orientation program: Personalize the experience for the individual and job role (as appropriate) Make the experience fun and active when possible Explain the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals. This is a good opportunity for senior leadership to be involved-either in person or via video Link the new employee’s job role to the organization’s mission, values, and strategic goals Provide realistic, accurate information about the organization, its culture, and the person’s job role Introduce the new employee to his/her manager or supervisor Introduce the new employee to his/her sponsor Have someone with HR follow-up on any benefits issues, forms to be collected/signed, etc. Take the new employee on a tour of the work location Show the new employee where he/she will be working; ensure all necessary equipment is in place Introduce the new worker to other members of his/her team/department Show the new employee the "basics"-parking, entrance, restrooms, locker rooms, lunch room, coffee, water, etc. Provide some training to the worker. This is a good time to introduce the worker to your learning management system (LMS) at work. If possible, provide a meaningful work task to the worker Arrange to have senior leadership, the worker’s manager/supervisor, the sponsor, or other coworkers take the new employee to lunch The Association for Talent Development (ATD) offers a helpful New Employee Orientation Training Workbook written by Karen Lawson with guides and activities for conducting a new worker orientation. The book is quite detailed and offers checklists, slides, activities and online resources, and gives tips for presenting the orientation in different lengths: two days, one day, and a half-day. If you’re looking for additional help with this phase, this book is a good start. First Week During the first week, keep integrating the new employee into the general workflow while continuing to address "new employee" issues and needs. Here are some things to address during this time: Clearly communicate specific job responsibilities to new employee. This will probably be in the form of a discussion with the supervisor or manager. Answer any questions the employee may have. Continue introducing the new employee to his or her coworkers. The manager and/or the worker’s sponsor may play a large role here. Give the new employee some real, meaningful work to perform, if possible. Get the new employee a list of contacts for various needs. Have the employee offer feedback about the first-day new employee orientation program. This can be done in a discussion, paper-based survey, online survey, or other means. Use this information to continually review, evaluate, and improve your new employee orientation. First Ninety Days After the first week, the employee should begin the process of accepting additional work responsibilities and moving toward full productivity. Here are some things to focus on during this phase: Have new employee complete any remaining "new employee" training Move new employee up to level of fully productive employee (or as close as possible) Begin providing training for advanced job skills/knowledge/needs Continue to monitor employee’s performance, provide regular and timely feedback, and answer questions It’s not unusual for many companies to have hired a new employee on a temporary basis, with the 90-day point being the point at which the employee is let go or offered a permanent position. First Year Here’s what you can focus on after those first ninety days and during the remainder of the employee’s first year: Move out of "hand-holding" and "new employee-scaffolding" mode and move into a position of empowering the new employee to work efficiently and productively and provide increased value to the organization Provide necessary training to fill remaining knowledge/skill gaps and/or help the worker acquire necessary competencies Conduct a new employee survey at 3 months and again at 1 year, getting employee’s feedback on your onboarding program Observe and assess employee performance; provide regular feedback, compliments, and constructive criticism/guidance Conduct formal performance review at one year point Have senior leadership congratulate employee at one-year point (personal conversation, email, written letter, etc.) Measurements of an Effective Onboarding Program You should take and evaluate measurements on key performance indicators (KPIs) to see if your onboarding program is having a desired effect. Don’t simply assume it is, as you may be wrong. But what should you measure? Consider measuring and tracking things like: Percent of new employees with all paperwork completed before day one Percent of new employees with "all necessary supplies" in place by day one Reported employee satisfaction with new employee orientation (day one workshop) Reported employee satisfaction with new employee onboaring program (at 90 days and 1 year) New employee performance metrics (same as used for general employee performance evaluation) Attrition rate of new employees If your KPIs are moving in the right direction, you’re making progress. If they’re not, go back to the drawing board and tweak some dials (to mix my metaphors). Getting Started On Your New Employee Onboarding Program Now that you know what a new employee onboarding program is, and you know about objectives, roles, phases, and measurement, let’s move on. Here are some tips to keep in mind and use while developing you’re own onboarding program.  The Path to Success Here are some general tips to keep you focused while developing or improving your current onboarding: Be comprehensive Start now It’s OK to start small Think of more than just the new employee orientation Identify key onboarding stakeholders; get their opinions, needs, and involvement Onboard all employees Use technology as appropriate Get feedback from onboarded employees (plus other stakeholders) Measure results of onboarding program Use measurements to continually improve onboarding program What Are Your Goals? More specifically, you’re going to want to keep the following goals in mind: Align the onboarding process to your company’s mission, vision, and goals Create a linkage between the onboarding program and your company’s culture Cleary define, communicate, and assign onboarding roles and responsibilities Help make workers more productive more quickly Self-Assess: What Is Your Current State? Do an organizational analysis and come up with a current baseline. Analyze, understand, and document your current processes and measurements. Assess: The scope of your onboarding. Who gets it and how long does it last? What does it cover? Your current onboarding approach. How are you doing it now? Who’s involved and who’s not? What technology is involved? The current program’s effectiveness. What are you doing well now? What are you doing poorly? What are you not doing at all? How Can You Improve Quickly? Some day, hopefully not too far in the future, you’ll have an excellent, comprehensive, exhaustive, world-class new employee onboarding program. But until then, after you’ve assessed your current state and have identified some gaps, you can make some quick wins that will have a fast payoff without taking a lot of time or requiring a lot of work. Some of these may include: Creating a "welcome" email or letter to be sent to new employees after they have been hired Creating an informational packet for the new employee Identifying sponsors for various departments Creating onboarding checklists for new employees Creating onboarding checklists for the managers and supervisors of new employees Making sure your orientation programs include information about the company’s mission, values, objectives, and history Getting senior leadership involved in orientation and in later onboarding activities With these items and other quick wins addressed, you can turn your attention to more time-consuming, difficult, or problematic items. Create Universal Onboarding First; Then Tailor For Specific Needs Ideally, your onboarding program will really have several programs. This will include one that will be universal for all employees. Get this one in place or moving forward first. Next, you’ll have a series of more "tailored" onboarding programs for employees who are joining specific departments or filling specific job roles. The department-level managers or supervisors will have input in how to create these, and these may differ from department to department. Begin working with department heads and/or empower them to begin creating these. It may be helpful to create a general checklist of things for the department-level managers to consider/include. Coordinate, Cooperate, and Communicate Don’t have various stakeholders creating onboarding materials in silos. Get people together, make sure there’s a shared vision, communicate, and make resources available for copying/borrowing. Using Technology You don’t have to do all of this with paper, the mail service, and in-person discussions. Here are some tech tools that may prove helpful: Online Onboarding Software Systems There are companies that make products entirely dedicated to this process. Online Form Completion There are some forms that can be made available to new employees online. Then can then print and complete these forms, bringing them to work on the first day, or complete them online. Online Web Portals You can create your own Intranet web portals for new and current employees to access. These portals can be organized for ease of use and can include useful information that the employee can refer to-organization structure, contacts, mission statement, company rules and policies, benefit information, and more. Video You can use video (in many forms-recorded, webinar, etc.) to deliver information to your new employees. One example would be a recorded video of your CEO or another senior leader explaining the company mission, values, and objectives. Learning Management Systems (LMS) A learning management system (LMS) can help you create, assign, deliver, track, and report on the training aspects of onboarding. Check our article on Using an LMS During Onboarding for more on this. Mobile Apps and Devices You can use mobile devices and apps during your onboarding. For example, you could have your coworkers "find" important work documents and contacts by using mapping information on a mobile device. Social Networking Tools Wikis, "traditional" social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, and similar tools made to facilitate inter-company communication (Jive, Yammer, etc.) may be helpful as well. Checklists Use this checklist to help walk you through the steps of onboarding a new employee. Modify this checklist as needed by adding, deleting, or changing items to fit your needs. New Employee Onboarding Checklist New Employee Name: Job Role/Position: Office/Cube/Work Area: Hire Date: Start Date: Phone Number: Email: Complete these tasks before the employee’s first day on the job Send welcome letter and welcome packet to employee Provide information about the company and the job Send paperwork to new employee for completion (or make available on line) Have HR and/or new employee’s manager/supervisor contact new employee to address any questions Assign a sponsor to the new employee Assign and prepare office, cube, workspace, and all necessary supplies Complete these tasks on employee’s first day of job Offer some personal gift/token to new employee Communicate company mission, vision, and objectives Explain benefits and policies to employee Have employee turn in or complete necessary paperwork Have senior leader of company greet new employee (perhaps explaining company history, mission, vision, objectives) Explain company culture to new employee Complete rest of new employee orientation session Take new employee out to lunch/provide lunch Introduce new employee to sponsor Have new employee perform meaningful work if possible Have new employee complete some basic training if possible Complete these tasks during employee’s first week on job Communicate job roles and responsibilities to new employee Explain to employee how his/her performance will be evaluated, when, and by whom Introduce new employee to rest of department Introduce new employee to senior staff, other helpful contacts Review with employee organizational structure Provide employee with list of helpful contacts Gather feedback about new employee orientation (first day program) Complete these tasks during employees’ first 90 days on the job Review performance objectives with employee Work with employee to set personal growth goals Give regular, frequent feedback to employee Provide basic training to employee as needed Discuss preferred work and communication styles Check with new employee often; address questions, provide guidance Complete these tasks during employee’s first year Provide additional training to fill gaps in knowledge, skills, and to build competencies Conduct new employee survey to get opinions/thoughts on onboarding process Assess performance of employee at six months and again at year Send congratulatory email from senior leaders to employee Conclusion: What Are Your Thoughts On New Employee Onboarding? Let us know if you have tips of your own for successful onboarding, that’s what the Comments section below is for. What do you do at your own workplace? What works well and what doesn’t? What did we say well above. What did we miss or say poorly? How important do you think it is to onboard a new employee effectively? And don’t forget to download the Guide to Effective Manufacturing Training below. The post Onboarding New Employees: Why and How to Do It appeared first on Convergence Training Blog.

We are releasing the latest version of our Advanced Reporting and Analytics Solution! Version 3.1 is is the latest customer release, fully stocked with enhancements driven by user feedback. There are a number of new features and enhancements, but the three main categories of improvement are:

As 2015 comes to a close, find our roundup of the top blog posts for the year.  We wish you all the best for 2016:

From our families to yours, we hope you have a safe and joyous holiday season. See you in 2016!     photo credit: Christmas Tree via photopin (license)

  The learning and development technology industry evolves every year. Like many industries, ours is impacted by technological advances that allow for greater creativity, more powerful solutions, and deeper data analysis. Every year, we watch as some trends remain strong, some fade out of fashion and others ignite a craze that might just be "the next big thing." At the close of each year, our team reflects on emerging trends we’ve observed, and what we think may take hold in the next 12 months. Let us share what we’ve been chatting about during 2015. Of course, we’d love for you to join the discussion and leave your thoughts on the last year in the comments below! This time last year, what did we expect to see in 2015? How well did we predict major trends for 2015? Let’s review and find out. Ongoing Coaching and Mentoring via Learning Campaigns - It’s well-documented that, in order for information to really stick and change behaviors, it needs to be taught more than once. It requires follow-up and ongoing coaching. We’ve experienced growth in performance support and have worked with clients to develop coaching and mentoring tools to make sure participants are still learning after the initial training. Personalized Learning Experiences - As eLearning technology advances, it’s become unnecessary to make everyone sit through the same training courses. Training curricula can be customized for the individual user based on role, geography, experience, and other criteria. eLearning Will Grow in Developing Markets - Analysis from Ambient Insight suggests the regions that will see the most growth in eLearning adoption over the next five years is Africa and Eastern Europe, but notable growth is occurring worldwide outside of North America, where the market has matured. Big Data & Robust Reporting - In working with our SaaS customers, we built some of the most powerful reports we’ve ever designed. Beyond knowing that a participant completed a training and successfully answered some quiz questions, we’re now able to track KPIs and determine whether training is impacting business performance. Brandon Hall Group’s recent webinars covered extensively the importance of measuring training’s impact on performance, and shined a light on how few organizations are doing it well. So, while we saw forward motion in this area in 2015, there remains a lot of room for adoption and growth. Ongoing Growth in Mobile Adoption and Custom Apps - Arguably the biggest trend in 2015, our dev team has taken to a "mobile-first" approach to building eLearning solutions for clients. Our customers have come to expect solutions to work on mobile devices of all sizes. When polled, what did our employees say were the biggest trends of 2015? Wearables Start to Penetrate the Market - While we can’t be certain how soon wearable devices will take root in learning & development, the possibilities are endless. Already, smartwatch wearers are receiving SMS and email messages on their wrist. Imagine if performance support, training reminders or quiz questions could be delivered on a watch, embedding knowledge items even more seamlessly into the workflow? Speaking of... Embedding Learning in the Daily Workflow - With ever-improving technology solutions, we think we’ll see organizations looking to move a greater percentage of learning from a classroom to the daily workflow through desktop, mobile, and, eventually, wearable devices. Training content can have the greatest impact when it’s helping people complete a task in real time. Similarly... Continued Migration From ILT to eLearning - On-the-job training and performance support is most powerful when delivered electronically. eLearning makes it easier to revisit training, send reminders, distribute new or updated content and allow participants to only access the training the most need. Recent insight from Brandon Hall Group indicated instructor-led training remains the most popular modality, but we’re expecting that to shift in the new year. Industry-Specific Growth - Some industries move faster than others, so we’ll continue to see eLearning and learning technology advancements gain traction at different rates depending on industry. We’re seeing an increase in the franchise and retail industries and expect that to continue. Connecting Learning to Results - Organizational leaders are finally starting to ask, "How do we know the training program actually worked?" Greater emphasis is being placed on learning analytics and connecting training to business results. Are salespeople selling more after completing a training? Are maintenance teams responding to equipment downtime faster? Armed with results-oriented data, training teams can make the right adjustments to training content. Stay tuned for our next post. We’ve dusted off our crystal ball to anticipate what will be the trends to watch in 2016. If you’ve observed other major trends in 2015 that we didn’t mention, be sure to leave a comment below. photo credit: Happy New Year! via photopin (license)

Top 5 Learning Technology Trends for 2016. https://t.co/BFXIcJOFkB #edtech #utrgvedtech #elearning https://t.co/UeaRu8SN9E

[…] "New Year is coming and we all are at the edge of planning and redefining a lot of things, so do the businesses and their learning departments. If there is something quite certain about the future, it’s the emerging eLearning."  […]

Top 5 Learning Technology Trends for 2016: #Gamification #AugmentedLearning #BigData https://t.co/tIbTVTlphL @hbrzycki

5 Learning Technology Trends for 2016 https://t.co/Q5rYjTJQpf

If E-Learning is to be truly an effective tool to creating a more dynamic learning culture both in the education sector and the business sectors then creating irresistibly engaging learning experiences are vital. This means such learning experiences must truly be interactive in nature.The Problem of Interactivity in the PastThe way that interactivity was created in the past was predicated on the idea that through constant repetition of response to a stimulus that learners would be conditioned to respond the same way. This was controlled through the use of "carrot vs. the stick" approach to reinforcement. Credit: www.gettyimages,comThis method of "Operant Conditioning" found its way into the design of interactive training and E-Learning. The problem with designing this into the learning regimen of business organizations and education today is that it runs counter to the very skillsets that are needed in order to promote innovation and especially, divergent thinking that is required to solve complex real world problems.Credit: www.wisegeek.comThis type of creative thinking demonstrated in the above image would never be tolerated then and would in fact be punished. The type of conditioning that is in place shows up in programs where the only real thought is to push the right menu button, then read the content, then push the continue button, read the content and then answer a quiz which is then graded. If you fail the quiz then you are re-directed to re-training where again repetition is the key. This type of "learning" treats the recipient as a passive receptacle that can only learn by the administration of reward and punishment."It ignores the very important understandings that all learners are thinking, creative, intuitive and resourceful individuals who do seek to learn but it must be learning that respects them and capitalizes on their gifts and talents. They want to be mentored in order to stretch and grow their abilities but first and foremost, you have to get their attention and hold it. Negative artificial extrinsic motivators are not conducive to developing what is needed in a digital economy." We need to break free from the "command and control" mindset because it is a product of a dated industrial economy. Laying the Foundation for Effective Interactivity Using E-LearningIf engagement is what is required then interactivity needs to be designed that respects the skillsets that nurture collaboration with other learners in real world problem solving where divergent thinking in combination with active critical thinking become the de facto way of approaching learning.Here is a thought to consider:"If you are using the type of "Operant Conditioning" described at the beginning of this post that requires the mechanisms described, then perhaps the required task for learning in such a technological age that we are in, might be better done by robots or other intelligent machines rather than human learners! This is not meant to suggest that people should lose their jobs but it is meant to suggest that we need to make better use of the awesome human capital we have available to us."If you really want to get a clear picture of how much this "command and control" approach is an affront to human ability, Google the following :"The Stanley Milgram Experiment" and then ask yourself whether or not your organizational training culture has similar elements. Next--- a better model for building interactivity in E-Learning.

In the last post, it was noted that the E-Learning used for training purposes in business organizations and in the education sector was tied to a Skinnerian model that in fact treated learners as passive entities that needed to be conditioned through the application of reward and punishment in order to acquire the desired responses. One point that should be made is that given the industrial economy mindset with regards to what it suggested should be the goals of education, that perhaps it was appropriate for the times. It is also interesting to note that people such as Nikola Tesla who had creative and quite original ideas were considered to be exceptions and odd compared to the conforming majority. Tesla himself summed up the problem quite nicely.Credit: www.quotesgram.com"In order for us to move forward in the design of irresistibly engaging learning experiences that enrich the learning cultures of business organizations, we need to stop living our lives on a bell curve and as I suggested in the last post to capitalize on the gifts and talents of the intellectual capital found in our employees and learners. In this age, having an organizational learning plan is just as important as having a business plan."A Hybrid Model for Building Interactivity into E-LearningIf you have been reading my posts dealing with the importance of using well designed simulations and scenarios you would have noticed that there are some recurring ideas that lend themselves to making interactivity dynamic and a type of engagement by the learner that is governed by a strong intrinsic motivation. In this digital age, thoughtful engagement leads to deeper sustained learning and an increased level of transference of skillsets to novel situations that require real world problem solving. The posts titled: "The Search for the Emerald Key" (Dec. 27,2014-Jan. 29, 2015) were a first attempt to translate these ideas into a practical scenario. Some of the important concepts were as follows:Context: In order for learners to see a clear connection between what they learn in theory and its application after the learning experiences are complete, the E-Learning information must be in context. It is important that learners know the relevance to their own individualized life situations. In the "Search for the Emerald Key", the focus was on being able to collaborate with other learners in order to solve a real world problem. Contained within this scenario were opportunities to assess skills both individually and as a collaborative group. Unlike the Skinnerian model, the response of the learners was the factor that developed the story. This involved the development of what is called "Branch Scenarios" and also provided an opportunity for immediate feedback and mentoring. In an adjoining scenario, the collaborative group was provided with a novel scenario which was a "proving ground" used for the learners to test out their newly acquired skillsets. This was also important in building confidence which ultimately impacts on performance as it relates to the employee work situation.Ultimately, change in the education culture can not take place unless we can demonstrate the necessary entrepreneurial drive that will take us out of our comfort zone and place the educational well being of nations ahead of all our fears and defence mechanisms that are keeping us in place while the world moves on. This begins with having powerful conversations with each other as leaders in our respective sectors. Without that, we are part of the problem and not part of the so desperately needed solution.[ If you want open and powerful conversations, take the initiative and share the ideas found here.]Next---Summary of practical ideas for context and the next concept in the model

  Ever since the first arrival of the computers, technology has always been seen as a den for scammers, cheaters and hackers. Within the education sector, technology is always treated suspiciously at the world of fake degrees, leaked exam papers and uncertified courses.   But education and technology don’t have to be separated-combining interactive software for student with other educational materials has proved to enhance the learning process and promote more effective and innovative ways of retention than textbooks can ever do. This article discusses how student software have transformed the learning process.   Students can record lectures   The software allow students to record their lecturers for future referencing. With these student software, students attending lectures will not have to spend their entire time scribbling tirelessly on notepads in order not to miss an important piece of information. With lecture recording software for student, students can record and listen back to all their classes without having to spend money on some expensive recording equipment. Most of these student software act as both notepads and audio recorders. Students can therefore, store a complete lecture in both audio and visual forms.   Assists students in revision   The revision software for student is now in big business and it appears like technology has finally achieved what we never thought possible-making revision enjoyable.This kind of student software uses revision notes to quiz users on what they have learnt from their revision. Other software uses some tools to hide and give clues for answers to revision topics, thereby making it possible for students to quiz themselves. Some of these software offer resources to create mind maps, revision charts, flash cards, quizzes and notes in colourful and fun programs.   Prepares students for exams   There are software for student available which prepare students for some exams such as GRE and LSAT tests used by graduate schools in their admission process. The software utilize a social networking style functionality that allows students to connect with fellow test takers. Students are able to peruse through unlimited revision material with notes, quizzes and more. Students are able to effectively keep track of their learning process which makes revision easier.Some student software feven keep track of the days and hours until each exam.   Allow students to plan   Organisation is a part and parcel of a healthy learning process, and this is the main reason why planner software for student is becoming more popular. The software not only saves on paper but also send alerts and remainders straight to your device.This type of student software features sharp and clean interfaces that allow students to map their timetables easily.   Wake up software   If you happen to be a sleepy student who always wakes up 30 minutes late for your lectures, then wake up software is for you. Some of this software will even give you weather updates such that you can know whether to carry an umbrella before leaving home. Other student software aims at correcting students’ sleeping patterns such that it wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase. This software does this by monitoring both your movement and the time you went to sleep. This will ensure you will wake up feeling fresh and sharp.   Software for student has enhanced learning by making the whole process both simple and enjoyable. Any student looking to elevate his/her grades should consider going for such student software.   The post How Software For Student Helps In Advanced Learning appeared first on Fedena Blog.

This is it. This is the year you’re going to stick to that New Year’s resolution and keep it going throughout the entire year. This is the year you’re to become the new, improved, happier, healthier, and wiser you. Bring it on 2016! Sure, we say it every year. And every year, despite our best intentions, we let those resolutions fall by the wayside like discarded Christmas trees in mid-February. Who can really blame us? The habits we want are hard to keep and the habits we don’t want are the hardest to break. This year, we’re turning to 7 tried-and-true books to get us through the ups and downs of keeping our New Year’s resolutions. These books can tell us what we’re doing wrong, how we can improve our approach, and encourage us along the way. 1. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg Why are humans susceptible to the some routines? Duhigg provides a fascinating exploration into the formation of habits, the science of habits and the business of habits. Replete with real-life examples, this book will help you understand where your current habits came from, and inform your efforts to make new ones. 2. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo This world renown bestseller is authored by a Japanese cleaning consultant who divulges her incomparable method for decluttering and reorganizing your life. Kondo believes a clean, clutter-free, and happy home leads to a clean, clutter-free, and happy mind. If your 2016 New Year’s resolution is to have both, you’re in luck with book. 3. Stuffed by Hank Cardello There are lot of books out there about improving your diet and eat healthy. This book is not one of them, but it is just as powerful in its ability to inspire readers to make healthier decisions. This is a book that tells you how the food industry has toyed with consumers to improve profits at the cost of unhealthy waistlines. This is an insider’s look at why unhealthy food is so hard to resist, why it’s so hard to make nutritious choices, and how you’re being manipulated on a daily basis. Once you know, you’ll find you’re not so easily convinced anymore and you just might start choosing the healthier path for yourself. 4. Lists of Note by Shaun Usher This blog-turned-book contains a fascinating collection of other people’s lists throughout history - from that of Albert Einstein to Leonardo Da Vinci, from Marilyn Monroe’s lists to Charles Darwin’s. Thought it’s not how-to book or even a self-help book, it’s an incredibly motivating book that will inspire your own list-making efforts and a thorough reorganization of your own to-do’s. 5. Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein Resolutions are all about putting one foot in front of the other and making small decisions to stay on track each day. So wouldn’t it be helpful to know how, and why, we make the decisions we do? This book will enlighten, engage, and entertain you with insight into how people make choices, and how people can make better choices. 6. Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson If you need a little inspiration to get back on the wagon after a setback, you need to read the works of the man behind these wise words: "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." 7. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, George Hauman, and Doris Hauman Not up to perusing Emerson? Here’s a quick read for those moments when you think, "I can’t." Just because it’s a book for young kids doesn’t mean that it can’t empower you to be optimistic about hitting your own goals. As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can’t - you’re right." What books have helped you with past New Year’s resolutions?

Every second Friday I review what I’ve noted on social media and post a wrap-up of what caught my eye. I do this as a reflective thinking process and to put what I’ve learned on a platform I control: this blog. Here are what I consider the best of Friday’s Finds for 2015. Quotes "All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth." - Friedrich Nietzsche - via @surreallyno @ericgarland - "Humility is often painful, but arrogance is always fatal." @willrich45 - Engagement: "Not a metric for learning. A prerequisite." "I think it’s a discovery all artists make: the most interesting and bravest work is likely the hardest to make a living from." - @berkun "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"  — Upton Sinclair - via @jerrymichalski Work Healthcare with fewer managers  with @josdeblok "Jos de Blok is a nurse.  He owns a company that employs 9,000 community nurses in Holland.  The company has only 45 administrators, about a 10th of the average for a company that size. The company, Buurtzorg, is the highest rated care organisation in Holland, as rated by patients.  It is the highest rated employer in the country for 3 out of the last 4 years. Its overheads are 8% vs the average of 25%.  Imagine how much extra money you have we would have for patient care if we could copy this.  Its employee sickness rate is about half that of similar organisations. The company is 7 years old and now has 60% of the community nurses and community patients in the country.  Nurses are leaving their old companies in droves. Instead of managers, hierarchy and bureaucracy the nurses manage themselves in teams of about 12 nurses.  They employ their own staff, order their own supplies, solve their own problems. And they love it!" How the future of work leads to the future of organisations - by @rossdawson "Work. There are two critical drivers of change in work: connectivity and machine capabilities. As we are connected almost any work can be done anywhere in the world, with richer interfaces enabling greater comfort with remote work and the ability to perform physical labour. Increased capabilities of robots and computers are matching and moving beyond those of humans in many cases, destroying jobs. There is the potential for these forces to reduce employment and polarise work opportunities. However we can also envisage and create a future of work in which job creation exceeds job destruction, and we make work increasingly human, tapping our expertise, creativity, and aptitude for relationships to create a more prosperous world." @nytdavidbrooks: What human skills will be more valuable in the future, because machines can’t do them? via @marciamarcia "In the 1950s, the bureaucracy was the computer. People were organized into technocratic systems in order to perform routinized information processing. But now the computer is the computer. The role of the human is not to be dispassionate, depersonalized or neutral. It is precisely the emotive traits that are rewarded: the voracious lust for understanding, the enthusiasm for work, the ability to grasp the gist, the empathetic sensitivity to what will attract attention and linger in the mind." Learning @rogerschank - Reading is no way to learn "When you have someone to ask, you ask. Reading is what you do when you have no one to ask." @mathemagenic - Holding the space "I help to negotiate rules and exceptions from those, to prevent or resolve conflicts, to make appointments and to get to people and places. I do all kinds of things "meta" -  keep eyes on meta-learning, observe, document, reflect and get others in the loop. Most of the work kids do themselves. It’s their learning and I’m holding the space for them." @DonaldClark - Deficit model in education: a dangerous conceit? "The conceit of education is that the answer to bad schooling is always more schooling … When education is seen as a cure and cognitive deficiency a disease, we need to worry." Peter Senge on learning - via @nickknoco All learning occurs in a social context. In any learning process you can be 100% sure that you will fail Learning is a process of disciplined mistake-making An environment of safety is crucial to learning "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all." - Michelangelo - via @AmyBurvall Mastery by Amy Burvall Humanity Dee Hock, Founder and CEO Emeritus of VISA, on capitalism and spirituality - via @janhoglund "So, if you really think deeply about such things, you come to realize that every organization is nothing but a mental construct, an idea around which people and resources are assembled theoretically in pursuit of common purpose and in accordance with a belief system of some sort. So I became convinced that it is really the ultimate design problem. If an organization is really nothing but a mental construct, then anything you can conceivably imagine in putting together the relevant materials, which include people and their relationships, is possible. And this construct will either bring out the best in people or the worst in them. In the long run, the command and control model rewards and brings out the worst in people instead of their best." As Systems Collapse, Citizens Rise - @Otto Scharmer "To summarize, the refugee crisis is a microcosm of the future that we all face over the next 10-20 years. The social grammar of that crisis looks like this: • As rules and regulations (that always reflect the past) are increasingly out of sync with the actual reality on the ground, we see • Systems starting to fail, break down and collapse, which leads to… • People, journalists/media rising to the occasion or not-and accordingly… • The logic of collective action arising from either the past (muddling through or regression) or from the present moment (co-sensing by tuning into what the emerging future calls us to do). If the latter happens, we begin to see that the crisis and breakdown of our larger systems are actually a phenomenal opportunity to renew and update our old bodies of rules and regulations to be more fluid and in sync with the actual situation on the ground. If the former happens we will see an enormous magnification of human suffering and amplification of the system breakdowns on an unprecedented level of global scale." The Trains to Hope, by @mintzberg141 & @wolfgangmuel11 "At first, we in the city administration were very surprised. But then we realized that this was not uncoordinated. It was a highly professional, high speed performance. That is when it dawned on us that here was the self-organizing plural sector in action. So we in the city administration decided to give The Train of Hope all the technical support it might need, including background support on call. We then invited The Train of Hope to join the city’s crisis management network, an offer that was accepted. I am delighted to report that this cooperation has continued to perform consistently well, with no end date yet clear." - Wolfgang Müller, Chief of Operations, City of Vienna Cooperation is what makes us human - via @RogerFrancis1 "Ultimately, Tomasello’s research on human nature arrives at a paradox: our minds are the product of competitive intelligence and cooperative wisdom, our behavior a blend of brotherly love and hostility toward out-groups. Confronted by this paradox, the ugly side—the fact that humans compete, fight, and kill each other in wars—dismays most people, Tomasello says. And he agrees that our tendency to distrust outsiders—lending itself to prejudice, violence, and hate—should not be discounted or underestimated. But he says he is optimistic. In the end, what stands out more is our exceptional capacity for generosity and mutual trust, those moments in which we act like no species that has ever come before us." Sensemaking by Igor Kopelnitsky via @sebpaquet Image by Igor Kopelnitsky