2 Facts About Education Technology   If, like me, you went to school in the 90s, your biggest challenge (besides getting a bf) may have been hastily trying to scribble notes on loose leaf paper while your teacher lectured and wrote on a chalkboard. Now that I’m all grown up and working with a client in the education technology niche though, I’m blown away by how far things have progressed. Learning through the use of technologically advanced tools is called education technology. This covers an array of particular technological instruments, such as networking hardware, computers, media, TV, apps and the Internet. Utilizing these tools for education has become more popular than you realize. Here are a few things that I have learned as a 40ish education technology marketer in 2015: Access to education has come a long way. A little over 50 years ago, the majority of schools had only a small handful of different classes to choose from and only 18 credits were typically required to graduate from high school. Half a century later, some states have added another 10 credits (i.e. another year) to graduate, and a mind-boggling variety of different classes have rolled out. There are now a versatile number of foreign, music, arts, sports, marketing, medical, and many more classes for prospective students to choose from. Education has gained a lot of traction since the 90s in part thanks to technology. Since classrooms switched to virtual platforms and thousands of educational services are being offered, access to better learning equipment has been made readily available to the public. For example, students wanted textbooks and other learning material to be easier to obtain, so many websites now sell them for very cheap, sometimes free, and they even have online versions as well that are much more affordable to download. Other colleges are following along with MIT to make courses free and available online. While these courses do not typically provide a real diploma at the end, it allows individuals to extend their education and not become out of practice while they wait to take accredited courses to get their degree or certification. With the invention of the internet alone, students today now have a much greater access to any knowledge they choose to soak up. Technology has invaded the modern classroom. Common instruments used in teaching plans were tape players, record players, reel to reel projectors, and other types of educational tools that are considered antique today. Since then, education technology has taken off, turning entire classrooms virtual. In just less than a century the world went from using pen and paper or a typewriter to using keyboards, touchscreens, and 3D printers; a very dramatic change. There are so many technological advances now being utilized for education that it has become necessary for some educators to adopt a learning management system for their classrooms. BrightSpace, for example, is a Learning Management System that takes care of a multitude of educator needs, such as employee training, K-12 education, and higher education as well. In Ohio, there’s a teacher whose students have access to some 30 iPods that she uses to deliver pop quizzes that help her determine her students’ learning success rate. This has been made possible by a company that specializes in audience response solutions for education. At the Trinity Meadows Intermediate school in Texas, you will find students that are glued to their mobile phones for educational purposes. This is because the teachers there are exploring the educational use of smartphones as a learning and communication device, seeing as kids are often distracted by them anyway. Given that most students have an inherent desire to learn and there are plenty of resources, courses, and material to give them what they want, the only thing stopping the floodgate of knowledge is that educators are sometimes unaware of what tools are available. That's why education technology marketing will always play a part in the development and future of education technology. And, if educators continue to embrace modern technologies into their classrooms, there’s no limit to how students will be learning in the future. A virtual field trip to Mars anyone? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

7 Factors That Affect Learner Satisfaction In eLearning   If you create and sell online courses, you must know that learner satisfaction is of utmost importance to your business. Your online course is your product and your students are also your customers. Therefore, you need to make sure that they are happy with their eLearning experience so that they continue using your service. From this perspective, consumer behavior literature offers us great insight into how to maintain learner satisfaction in eLearning services. The research in this field has informed the literature on eLearner satisfaction and eLearners’ intention to continue using eLearning in different contexts from higher education to corporate training. One of the widely accepted theories is Expectation Confirmation Theory, which is explained as follows: "First, consumers form an initial expectation of a specific product or service prior to purchase. Second, they accept and use that product or service. Following a period of initial consumption, they form perceptions about its performance. Third, they assess its perceived performance vis a vis their original expectation and determine the extent to which their expectation is confirmed. Fourth, they form a satisfaction, or affect, based on their confirmation level and expectation on which that confirmation was based. Finally, satisfied consumers form a repurchase intention, while dissatisfied users discontinue its subsequent use." (Bhattacherjee, 2001) If your students’ prior expectations about your online course are confirmed in the post-adoption period, it is more likely that they become satisfied with your course and continue taking courses from you. Therefore, it is important not to promise what you cannot afford to offer in your eLearning service to avoid disappointments. This is especially relevant if you are also involved in marketing activities to promote your course. Researchers in the field of eLearning have extended or modified the Expectation Confirmation Theory and examined several other variables to see if they influence learner satisfaction along with confirmation of students’ expectations. Here are some of the factors proven to have considerable impact on the success of eLearning determined by learner continuance behavior (retention). 1. System quality.  Whether you use a Learning Management System or a website to host your online course, you need to make sure that your eLearning system: Has an easy navigation. Is free of errors and system bugs. Has a modern interface design. Is user friendly and responsive. It has been confirmed by research that system qualities directly influence eLearners’ perceived ease of use as well as their satisfaction level about your course (Roca, Chiu, and Martínez, 2006). 2. Service quality.  It refers to the availability of a communication channel for providing eLearners with timely assistance in solving their problems (Bhattacherjee, 2001). Make sure that: Your students are provided with sufficient guidance about how your course works. There is a support team available in case they encounter a problem. The support team is friendly and eager to solve your students’ problems. eLearners might need even more assistance regarding online learning, because they have little or no physical contact with course providers and might be inexperienced in eLearning. Make sure that they are provided with sufficient guidance and assistance before they get anxious. (Roca, Chiu, and Martínez, 2006; Lin, 2007; Ozkan and Koseler, 2009; Ramayah, 2010) 3. Content quality. Your content is the backbone of your online course. Make sure that your online content: Is varied. Do not depend on only written text. Use visuals, videos, podcasts, eBbooks and study guides, etc. Is updated. Is coherent and well structured. Addresses different learning styles. Allows for learner-content interaction (e.g. presenting your content via interactive web tools such as thinglink and dipity). 4. Tutor quality. There have been numerous studies that confirm the effect of tutor quality on student achievement and satisfaction in eLearning (Ozkan and Koseler, 2009; Paechter, Maier, and Macher, 2010; Omar, Kalulu and Alijani, 2011; Chow and Shi 2014; Lwoga, 2014). Tutor’s presence, guidance, and instructional skills have been proven to lead to higher levels of eLearner satisfaction. Therefore, online tutors need to: Respond to students’ questions on time. Give students timely feedback on their progress. Guide students throughout their online learning experience. Facilitate meaningful interactions between tutor-students and students-students. Several research studies have shown that above-mentioned qualities of tutors help learners perceive the eLearning environment as useful (Cheng, 2012; Lwoga, 2014) and easy to use (Lin, 2011). 5. Interaction quality.  The importance of social learning has been confirmed to boost student learning. The study of Richardson and Swan (2003) showed that students reporting higher social presence in an online course also perceived they learned more from the course than the students with low perceived social presence. To promote social presence and a dynamic sense of community in your online course, you can: Integrate social media into your course (e.g. Twitter, blogging, Facebook groups). Create meaningful discussion threads. Set up project groups to allow for collaborative learning. Organize online sessions for synchronous discussions. 6. Cognitive absorption. It can be described as deep involvement with eLearning activities, and is manifested as students’ perceived enjoyment with your course. Roca, Chiu, and Martínez (2006) found evidence that cognitive absorption has a strong effect on learner satisfaction toward an online course. It needs to be ensured that the students are intrinsically motivated to learn the content you provide. Ensure that your online content: Arouses your students’ curiosity. Is enjoyable and interesting. Allows for some student control (e.g. let them choose their learning paths). 7. Learner related factors. It has been confirmed that not only course related factors but also learners’ own characteristics and their attitude toward technology and eLearning might affect how they approach and experience the online course (Cheok and Wong, 2015). Some of your students might be anxious about using technological devices for learning, therefore they might need more support and understanding than others do. Some of them might be using eLearning for the first time; therefore they might be having some initial prejudices toward eLearning. Their unique situations need to be addressed and necessary support should be provided to ease them into the course. Some tips to address learner characteristics include: Identifying their level of experience with eLearning and their computer self efficacy through pre-course assessment. Providing additional support to those who are in need of more guidance on the usage of your eLearning system. Acknowledging the fact that every learner is unique in their own way. It is common that many learners discontinue using eLearning after the initial acceptance, which results in low retention rates. Maintaining learner continuance is critical for eLearning sustainability. Therefore, eLearning providers need to design effective eLearning environments by ensuring that the learners' pre-adoption expectations are met and their learning experiences are enhanced through above-mentioned quality factors. References: Bhattacherjee, A., 2001. Understanding information systems continuance: An expectation- confirmation mode, MIS Quarterly, 25(3), p. 351. Cheng, Y.-M., 2012. Effects of quality antecedents on eLearning acceptance. Internet Research, 22 (3), pp.361-390 Cheok M. L., Wong S. L., 2015. Predictors of eLearning satisfaction in teaching and learning for school teachers: a literature review. International Journal of Instruction, 8(1). Chow, W. S., & Shi, S., 2014. Investigating students’ satisfaction and continuance intention toward elearning: An extension of the expectation-confirmation model. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 141, pp.1145-1149. Hsiu-Fen Lin, 2007. Measuring online learning systems success: applying the updated DeLone and McLean model. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(6), pp.817-820. Lwoga E. T., 2014. Critical success factors for adoption of web-based learning management systems in Tanzania. International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, 10(1), pp.4-21 Omar, A., Kalulu, D., & Alijani, G.S., 2011. Management of innovative eLearning environments. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 15(3), pp. 37-64. Ozkan, S., Koseler, R., 2009. Multi-dimensional evaluation of eLearning systems in the higher education context: An empirical investigation of a computer literacy course, 2009 39th IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Paechter, M., Maier, B. and Macher, D., 2010. Students’ expectations of, and experiences in e- learning: Their relation to learning achievements and course satisfaction, Computers & Education, 54(1), pp. 222-229. Ramayah, T., 2010. Personal web usage and work inefficiency. Business Strategy Series, 11(5), pp. 295-301. Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K., 2003. Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students' perceived learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), pp.68-88. Roca, J. C., Chiu, C.-M. and Martínez, F. J., 2006. Understanding eLearning continuance intention: An extension of the Technology Acceptance Model. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 64(8), pp. 683-696. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Top Freeware eLearning Authoring Tools  Here are the top 4 freeware eLearning authoring tools that are available today: 1. EasyGenerator.  EasyGenerator is a web based all in one eLearning program that will allow you to do everything you need as an author to create online courses. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to use some kind of coding or follow installation process because this is completely responsive software. Some of the things that you can do easily with EasyGenerator are as follow: Create.  As an author you can create learning courses for others by developing content, describing objectives, and determining success of learners through proper assessments. Design.  Design your courses to bring an amazingly powerful experience for learners by using graphical and Instructional Design to your course. Publish.  EasyGenerator also brings you a perfect tool for publishing your course to a large number of devices and systems. 2. CourseLab.  CourseLab Version 2.4 is distributed among users as a freeware program for an unlimited period of time. This program allows users to create eLearning content in WYSIWYG technique, which means what you see is what you get. The program is available to download at the official site of the CourseLab. However, before you download, don’t forget to check out the minimum system requirement taken from the official site: Microsoft® Windows® 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Windows 7. Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher. 50MB hard drive space. Some of the most popular features that you can enjoy in free version are as follow: Availability of English language for applications. Playing of tool in various browsers. Six groups of module templates. Objects are 65 in numbers. Two animated character objects are also allowed. Number of supported types of questions is six. 3. GLO Maker.   GLO Maker is an open source authoring tool which is free to use for everyone who is interested in creating generative and interactive learning objects. It can also be deployed on mobile devices. The actual purpose of creating this tool is to give power and control to the authors, teachers, and everyone else who want to develop multimedia learning objects that are easy to adopt. On official site of the GLO Maker, you can also get learning material: Animated Tutorials. Planner. Designer. Saving and packaging. Opening an existing project. Individual tutorials. Overview of tool. How to download and install tool. Freestyle patterns to use. Compatible file formats. Variety of ways to create Glo. The program has divided the process of authoring into two parts which are planning and designing. Planner is the part where storyline basic learning design is created while on the other hand is designer where basic templates and screens are developed. You can easily build-in your design patterns to construct a learning objective, or you can also utilize freestyle mood which will allow you to create your own design. All available designed are executable and you can use them directly when need to create multimedia based learning objects. 4. SmartBuilder.  SmartBuilder is a hosted authoring program and you can get its free version by signing up to the official website. This program will take you inside an authoring object based working environment where you will be able to take further steps to create intuitive and straightforward courses. If you don’t have a team of programmers but want to create memorable and effective learning experience, SmartBuilder can help you. You can create variety of eLearning program that include: Rich media. Powerful assessments. Branching scenarios. Gaming elements. This program is ideal for trainers, educators, Instructional Designers, and for those who are interested in creating effective eLearning courses at a fast pace. Community edition of this program include the following features: Action authoring. Flow chart authoring. Object library. Template library. Create templates. Minor to major upgrades. Web help. Live training. Free lesson hosting. Unlimited number of lessons. Tutorials. Forum. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The IMCL 2015 conference will cover all aspects of mobile learning as well as the emergence of mobile communication technologies, infrastructures and services and their implications for education, business, governments and society. The IMCL2015 actually aims to promote the development of mobile learning, to provide a forum for education and knowledge transfer, to expose students to latest ICT technologies and encourage the study and implementation of mobile applications in teaching and learning. The conference will also aims to stimulate critical debate on theories, approaches, principles and applications of mobile learning among educators, developers, researchers, practitioners and policy makers. IMCL 2015 Topics The special focus of IMCL2015 is on the following topics: Mobile Learning Issues: Dynamic learning experiences Large scale adoption of mobile learning Performance support in the workplace Ethical and legal issues Assessment, evaluation and research methods in mobile learning Mobile learning models, theory and pedagogy Life-long and informal learning using mobile devices Open and distance mobile learning Social implications of mobile learning Design of adaptive mobile learning environments Cost effective management of mobile Learning processes Quality in mobile learning Case studies in mobile learning Interactive Communication Technologies and Infrastructures: Wearables & Internet of things Tangible, embedded and embodied interaction Location-based integration Cloud computing & Future internet research and experimentation (fire) environments. Emerging mobile technologies and standards Interactive and collaborative mobile learning environments Crowd sensing 5G Network Infrastructure Mobile Applications: Smart cities Online laboratories Game based learning Mobile health care and training Learning analytics Mobile learning in cultural institutions and open spaces Mobile systems and services for opening up education Social networking applications Mobile Learning Management Systems (mLMS) The 9th International Conference on Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning (IMCL2015) will be held at the Mediterranean Palace Hotel (Thessaloniki, Greece) on November 19 - 20, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

What New Employees Hate About Training  "You don't hate history; you hate the way it was taught to you in high school." - American Historian Stephen Ambrose A basic tenant of human psychology is that people have to like doing something in order to do it well. If something is uninteresting or boring, people will shy away from doing it. If employees have to do this uninteresting thing as part of their corporate responsibilities, don’t be surprised if they shirk from responsibility. As a manager, you invest time and money in training your employees. You can’t afford having your employees zoning out during training workshops. To prevent this, you need to overhaul your training program so that they actually ENJOY your training program. Yes, enjoy. Once they’re excited about potential learning opportunities, they’ll actually LISTEN and ABSORB new material. Your employees don’t see the value in training days. Well, here’s why they hate training and here’s what you can do about it. The "One Size Fits All" Approach. A well-designed training program incorporates the different learning styles of employees. A one-size-fits-all approach hardly ever works. Everyone learns differently. There are aural learners, visual learners, verbal learners, physical learners, social learners, and solitary learners. Still, despite this diversity, many companies design training programs with a "one size fits all" approach. When you cater to only one type of learner, you sideline the rest. Do the same 1-3 people speak up in training sessions while the rest remain silent? That’s one dead giveaway that you’ve failed to engage the majority of your audience. The Solution.  A blend of different learning styles will ensure that all types of learners can keep up. For example, start by introducing new material in a short presentation with oral and visual aids. Then allow for discussion and questions to get everyone talking. Afterwards, get employees to implement tactics or strategies taught by using a hands-on approach and implementing instructions on their own. If you’ve been tasked with training employees on a new software program, incorporating online guidance platforms, like WalkMe, will help employees learn as they begin working. Monologues. Design a training program that engages employees with activities other than lectures. People don’t respond well to passive learning. We’ve all been there, sitting with a team of employees in a meeting room during a long, drawn-out speech. Taking notes. Looking around the room, about half of those employees have already stopped listening. While lectures and PowerPoint presentations assist in introducing new material, most people don’t remain engaged for very long. The Solution.  Keep the lectures to a minimum. Instead of embarking on a monologue, encourage group discussions, question and answer sessions, and hands-on applications of material taught. In this way, employees will feel more engaged and absorb information more effectively. "You Are Smart - You Can Learn All This In An Hour". Even smart people can’t learn everything at once. Teach new material in stages so that employees retain information progressively and more effectively. According to a study conducted by Festo, people only retain about 30% of what they’ve learned after a one-time information dump. Overwhelming staff with too much information at once will ultimately waste time. They’ll retain a small fraction of what they’ve heard. The Solution. Gradually introduce new information in a way that allows employees to absorb it. Start with the basics, so that employees can absorb the most relevant information first. As time progresses and employees begin using the new information, begin to introduce the more advanced material. According to Dr. Eduardo Salas, Expert on Organizational Training, "trainees who perceive training as useful and valuable are far more likely to apply new competencies in the workplace." Gamification Can Be Boring. Not Every Game Is Fun. What you want to do is to make sure training is engaging and exciting. A game that teaches taught a topic such as how to perform intricate work processes, using the new CRM platform can be as mind-numbing as a frontal lecture. Don’t settle for a boring game. A good training will make training exciting and engaging without the need for a game. Personality is key to successful training. Games are only here to support, not replace. The Solution.  Hire presenters that know how to engage employees and bring high energy and humor to a presentation. Think out of the box about how to make training exercises interesting. You can still gamify training, but use only games that really stimulate people’s minds and get them interested. The rest are a waste of your time and money. Employee training should appeal to basic tenants of human psychology to capture people’s attention and get them excited. Remember to design a program based on the student rather than through the eyes of the HR department or management. Customize employee training programs so that participants feel interested and comfortable learning. Promote training as a way for staff to see the benefits of these programs such as working more effectively or as an opportunity for them to advance professionally. In this way, new employees will feel motivated to learn and implement new material. To paraphrase on a quote by Brian P. Cleary: If you have a talent for making an employee who hates training to hate it a little less, then you have to do the most with what you've been issued. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

eLearning In Leadership Training And Development: Reality And Relevance  The crisis is so real, in fact, that the World Economic Forum lists it as the third most important issue on its agenda. And employees are less likely to trust their management when leadership skills are lacking. Leadership isn’t born. It’s a group of skill sets that can be taught and learned. But if leadership training and development takes place in a traditional classroom setting, it is likely to be ineffective. Leadership skills include (but are far from limited to) vision, communication, empowerment, effective risk assessment and management, conflict resolution, and organization. And each leader combines those skill sets in ways that are unique to each and every demand on each and every individual faced with the challenges of leadership. And those challenges are unique to every circumstance faced by every organization. Each of those aspects of leadership can be presented as a nugget, or set of nuggets of training and development. Which means that we can create eLearning modules to train and develop leaders in your organization. In this article, we invite you to consider: Is your leadership training and development program real and relevant to the life of your organization, and the lives of your employees and customers? Insights and concepts are nice. Theories of leadership abound. Seriously. Google "leadership" and you can read all about it. But actually rolling up your sleeves and leading is a completely different world altogether. Practical leadership training cannot happen when it’s confined to textbooks, lectures, and classrooms. And you can’t just unleash a bunch of people on the world with just the hope that their leadership training was adequate. It’s likely that some will step up and succeed. It’s also likely that many will fail as leaders, with devastating consequences: for the individual, for the people they lead, and possibly even for the organization. Want an effective solution (and please pardon us for the shameless plug)? Here it is: eLearning. How? Read on. Knowledge, by itself, does not make a good leader. Ask yourself the question, would you board an airplane if you were aware that the person in the cockpit knows the principle of flight backwards and forwards, but has never touched the throttle of an aircraft? A physicist can tell you about the theories of aerodynamics, but there’s a reason why there are physicists and people who pilot planes. The same is true of leadership. Simply knowing about leadership and actually leading are about as different from each other as "lightning" and "lightning bug". Thinking that vast amounts of leadership knowledge will turn someone into a successful leader is akin to saying that living in a garage will turn someone into a Buick. Theories and insights about leadership are just theories and insights. Real leadership happens in practice. Leadership involves practical application of the knowledge in real-life. Enter eLearning. eLearning takes the learner out of the classroom and puts them into the pilot’s seat, so to speak. With the power of eLearning, leaders to be encounter real life situations that occur in the day to day activities of your organization. This makes the training both relevant and real. Relevance vs. theory. eLearning allows learners to learn skill sets. For instance, leaders in training learn about creating and managing relationships and interactions. They then actually and actively engage in the practice of the theory. eLearning’s use of video simulations and scenarios -based in the reality of your organization’s day to day life- empowers the training, which is both immersive and safe. And it prepares your learners for actual encounters with customers, clients, colleagues, and co-workers. Real life application allows for creativity and innovation. One of the wonderful things about eLearning is that it creates a space for leaders and learners to play the game of "what if…". With traditional, exclusively instructor-led training models of the past, the flow of information typically followed the "we’ve always/never done it this way" pathway. Creativity and innovation had to fight for survival, often getting stifled in the process. The low-risk environment presented by eLearning lends itself to discovery, especially in the face of real-life challenges. Leaders-in-training are free to apply the principles and values of the organization to those challenges, while creating or devising innovative solutions to existing problems. To reiterate: There are all sorts of stuff out there about leadership. Lots of quotes, how-tos and how-not-tos. But your organization doesn’t live in Theory Land. It exists in the real world. And eLearning can, and will, bridge the gap between knowing about leadership, and being a leader. Teaser: look for our next article on social learning. You won’t want to miss finding out about how eLearning enhances learning by tapping into one of the things that human beings naturally do best: We share. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Blended Learning History In order to create a successful blended learning strategy, it's wise to learn as much as possible about its key ideas and values. To understand these, however, you must first know how it all got started and the historical highlights that shaped its core principles along the way. So, let's hop into the miniature time machines in our minds and travel back to the beginning of blended learning. 1840’s: First Distance Course. Sir Isaac Pitman launches the first distance education course. Though there were other variations on the concept prior to Pitman’s, his was to resemble distance learning as we know it today. His course centered on shorthand. Pitman sent shorthand texts to his students via mailed postcards and they were required to send them back to be graded and corrected. Even though computers and mobile devices weren’t involved, and wouldn’t even be invented for roughly a century, effective feedback and assessments were still an integral part of the process. 1960’s & 1970’s: Mainframe Computer-Based Training. Modern computer-based training can be traced back to the mini-computer and mainframe training of the 60’s and 70’s. It was the first time that training could be deployed to countless workers within an organization without having to rely on printed materials and face-to-face instruction. Employees could simply login to their character-based terminals to access the information. One of the most notable systems was Plato, which was developed by Control Data and the University of Illinois back in 1963. In fact, Plato is still around today. 1970’s to 1980’s: TV-Based Technology to Support Live Training. At this stage in the blended learning timeline, companies began using video networks to train their employees. The instructor no longer had to be physically on-site in order to onboard new hires or broaden the skill sets of existing staff members. This made the training experience more interactive and engaging. Learners were able to communicate with their peers, watch the instructor on TV, and even address any questions or concerns sending them by mail. Think of it as the predecessor to webinars and video conferencing. One of the most successful satellite-based training case studies is the Stanford University Interactive TV network. Stanford devoted resources to their video network in the 70’s and 80’s so that professors could hold classes in multiple locations throughout SF at once, and it is still running to this day. Instead of having to send assignments to the professor by mail or courier, learners can now submit their work for review online. 1980’s & 1990’s: CD-ROM Training and Rise of LMS. As technology evolved, so did blended training strategies and applications. Schools and organizations began using CD-ROMs to deliver more interactive learning experiences, such as those that features video and sound. This delivery format could hold larger quantities of information, which made them ideally suited for distance learning. For the first time in eLearning history, computer-based courses were now able to offer a rich and comprehensive learning experience. In some cases, it even took the place of face-to-face instruction. This is also when the first learning management systems (LMS) were introduced, though they didn’t offer the same functionality as the solutions available today. Organizations wanted to be able to track learner progress and improve online training courses, and these systems helped to monitor eLearning course completion, enrollment data, and user performance within the CD-ROM network. 1998: First Generation of Web-Based Instruction. Blended learning, and eLearning as a whole, has seen rapid change in the past two decades, beginning in 1998 with the first generation of web-based instruction. Computers were no longer just for organizations and the wealthy few, but for the masses. More and more households began purchasing personal computers for their families to enjoy, while companies made PCs readily available for every employee. Then computers started to offer greater interactivity. Graphics, sound, and video became more immersive, while browsers increased connection speeds and gave virtually everyone access to internet learning resources.  Rather than having to distribute CD-ROMs to learners, organizations could simply upload material, eLearning assessments, and assignments via the web, and learners could access them with a click of a mouse button. At first, many CD-ROM developers tried to simply publish their eLearning courses to the internet without making any modifications. However, they quickly learned that their existing online content, such as large video files that took minutes to download, would need to be finely tuned to meet the needs of web-based learners. 2000 until today: Blended Learning Integration. We currently find ourselves in an exciting time for blended learning. Technology is rapidly changing and an increasing number of organizations and private learning institutions are beginning to see the benefits of a blended learning approach. From interactive scenarios in the classroom to webinars and online tutorials, learners now have a wide range of tech tools and applications at their disposal. Companies have the opportunity to train their employees anywhere at any time, while online learners can participate in online communities and interactive eLearning courses from anywhere in the world. Gradually, the union between face-to-face instruction and technology-based learning is producing new and creative ways to enrich the educational experience and make learning fun, exciting, and even more beneficial. Blended learning has a proven track record of bringing traditional classrooms into the tech-friendly 21st century. Now that you know the history of blended learning, why not use it to transform your curriculum into an interactive and engaging learning experience. Searching for ways to start integrating blended learning into your learning strategy? Read the article 7 tips to implement blended learning in corporate training to learn how to implement blended learning in corporate training. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

eFrontPro LMS Various Integrations  They say that no man is an island. Well, no Learning Management System should be one, either. Whether you run a small business and train a few dozens of employees or an eLearning service catering to hundreds of thousands of students, you’ll inevitably need to integrate your training platform to several existing systems. eFrontPro allows you to achieve just that, and it does it without forcing upon you some head-scratching, un-intuitive configuration process like other platforms do. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the major integration options eFrontPro offers, starting from the numerous built in options and going all the way to its powerful REST and Plugin APIs that enable fully customizable integration with any kind of legacy system. Single Sign On. Single Sign On (or SSO for short) is the idea that you should be able to reuse the same password (and authentication mechanism) for all your enterprise services. eFrontPro comes with built in support for the two most popular SSO technologies, namely LDAP (the Open Source standard popular in the Linux world) and Active Directory (Microsoft’s variation on LDAP, popular in Windows-based shops). Federated authentication (in which there’s a central trusted web service -an "identity provider"- doing the authentication for you) is another popular SSO option, and on this front eFrontPro provides Facebook integration, letting users login to your eLearning site with their Facebook account. While LDAP and Active Directory are great (and well established) options for enterprises, this option is a good fit for eLearning portals that are open to the public, as they let users login through a service like Facebook that they already know and trust, without forcing them to create yet another account to use your service. Besides LDAP, A.D. and Facebook, eFrontPro can integrate with any identity provider that supports the industry standard SAML 2.0 authentication protocol for SSO. Money, Money, Money... If you run a commercial (paid) eLearning service, then you need to be able to receive and manage electronic payments for users registering for your courses. eFrontPro makes this easy, as it supports the two most popular payment gateways, PayPal and Stripe, letting you accept payments from billions of users in over 90 countries through all major credit card companies (and thousands of banks). Assuming you already have an account on one of these services, enabling your eFrontPro installation to work with couldn’t be easier, as it merely involves entering your PayPal or Stripe credentials in its settings screen. OpenSesame Integration. In the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, "open, sesame" is the magic phrase that opens the mouth of a cave that serves as a treasure vault. In the modern world of eLearning, OpenSesame is a leading SCORM compatible eLearning content provider, or, in Ali Baba terms, a treasure vault of high quality courses you can purchase and deploy in minutes, saving time and effort and reducing costs. eFrontPro integrates directly with OpenSesame enabling you to search for and purchase eLearning content right from within your Learning Management System administration panel. When The Time Calls For A Conference Call. Real-time conferencing is a great supplement to the traditional web based eLearning process, enabling remote instructor-led training and offering further interaction options between instructors and students. As you’d expect, eFrontPro covers your needs here too, by offering native support for the industry leading (Cisco's) Webex and (Open Source) BigBlueButton conference tools. In fact, eFrontPro’s WebEx and BigBlueButton support not only lets you have video conference inside your favorite Learning Management System, but you can also save a video conference for later replay, letting you easily create course videos from live lectures or archive your ILT sessions for the students that missed them. Encode Une Fois (Or More). Integration of third party documents and files in all kinds of formats is a core built in capability of eFrontPro that’s beyond the scope of this article. What’s in scope, however, is that eFrontPro can integrate with Encode Magic, a third party web service that allows it to handle even the most difficult automatic file encoding tasks; like transcoding obscure movie formats, or turning your PowerPoint presentations to videos or PDFs. REST Assured In eFrontPro’s Integration Capabilities. In this article we’ve only scratched the surface of eFrontPro’s integration options, merely covering the most popular services, tools, and platforms it has built in integration support for. Of course there will always be legacy systems (your bank’s 1970 built COBOL mainframe for example) that it doesn’t cover, or brand new systems that the eFrontPro team haven’t gotten around to integrating with yet. Plus, of course, all those custom software services that your IT team built for you. Even when it comes to those, though, eFrontPro has you covered. You’ll just need to get your hands dirty a little, and leverage its powerful REST API or its even more powerful plugin API, and you'll be able to make it talk to anything and everything you might throw at it. If these terms sound Greek to you, don’t fret. REST is a way to connect to your Learning Management System, trigger actions, and get results through simple URL-like queries, and the Plugin API is a set of PHP based extension functions that let you program any kind of functionality on top of eFrontPro. Both are very standard and established technologies, meaning you can always hire a programmer (or assign it to your IT team if you have one), to build the integration you need. Conclusion  In this article we had a 10,000 ft look at the integration options offered by eFrontPro. Its built in integrations should cover all but your most exotic integration needs, with the REST and Plugin API taking care of the exotic ones. If you're interested in learning more about eFrontPro, our sales and support team is ready to answer any question you might have. Or, you can open a free Learning Management System demo account in minutes and take the industry leading Learning Management System on a test drive yourself. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

TNW USA 2015 'Smart attendees, provocative talks, and masterful execution’ For the third edition of TNW Conference USA, 1500 people are coming to New York to secure new business with the world's most innovative technology companies - both large and small. Meet the world’s hottest entrepreneurs, watch 20 curated keynote talks and do valuable business with the industry's leading decision makers. TNW USA 2015 stands out from the rest of your events calendar. We put curation at the heart of everything we do: from our selection of speakers to the 100 carefully chosen early-stage startups that will pitch on stage and present in the business area. Our goal is simple - we want to minimise the effort it takes for your to secure maximum results. The Next Web 2015 Conference (TNW USA 2015) will be held at the Hammerstein Ballroom & Grand Ballroom on November 18, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The 2 Approaches To Personalization Of eLearning   Personalization of eLearning process could be done using two approaches: We can adapt it to individual needs by creating some logic which will automatically change the learning path. We can rely on people giving them a chance to manually change the learning path. Adaptive Learning - Let Computer To Decide For People  The technique of adaptive learning assumes that at the very beginning of an eLearning module we place a pre-test which assess the level of competencies taught within this module. After concluding such a test every learner gets either a personalized learning track, which consists of only these parts of the eLearning course that are corresponding with competency gaps, or personalized recommendations regarding how to "consume" this module (which parts of it could be skipped and which should be taken with special attention). Such an approach lets not only to create an eLearning course truly corresponding with one’s learning needs, but also to optimize the time needed to build one’s competence. It influences an ROI in positive way by cutting down the costs of consumption of an eLearning offer (I wrote about it earlier in The Hidden Cost of Learning Consumption). Freedom In eLearning Course - Let People To Decide For Themselves I have seen many eLearning processes in which learners were forced to take the course screen by screen. In such an approach many people use to treat this process in a pure mechanical way just clicking the "Next" button. Using such a course by competent or half-competent learners is a pure waste of time… If we want to optimize an eLearning process we should assume that learners are reasonable people and give them freedom to choose which part of the course they want to take. We should pass to them responsibility for their professional development. Of course, such a responsibility should be controlled with appropriate testing or quizzing functionality giving information about gaining new competencies not only to the learning process administrator, but also to learners. Such a feedback for learners should be not only informative, but also supportive and motivational. Final Thoughts Sometimes people ask me whether eLearning is better than traditional ways of building competencies. Well - sometimes it is, and sometimes not. However, one of the unquestionable benefits of eLearning is the possibility of delivering individualized learning intervention which you can’t deliver during typical workshop as you have to keep many participants on the same learning path in the same time. Using these two approaches in the eLearning world you can create a truly personalized learning solution. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Synchronous vs Asynchronous Learning: How To Integrate Them Into Your eLearning Course Design Synchronous learning happens in real time. The learners typically log on to an eLearning platform, such as a web conferencing or webinar tool, and engage with the instructor and peers. This can even come in the form of an online chat room where learners gather at a specific time and date to broaden their understanding of the topic. It is an ideal option for distracted or unmotivated learners who need a more collaborative online experience, as well as self-guided learners who require a higher level of support or direction. This is the exact opposite of asynchronous learning, which can occur at any time. Learners are able to complete modules whenever they like, regardless of whether other members of the online class are logged on. They are given the tools and information they need, but must decide when and how they will use these online resources to achieve their learning goals. With that being said, there are usually deadlines and schedules that a learner must follow. For example, they may have to turn in their online assignments by the end of each month or have to participate in at least one online discussion per week. Asynchronous learning courses often have a common space where learners can post questions, turn in online assignments, or engage in eLearning activities. 4 Tips For Designing A Successful Asynchronous Learning Strategy Variety is key. Integrating a wide range of online activities and exercises not only avoids dreaded learner boredom, but it also caters to a broad range of learning preferences and styles. For example, offering a text-only online course might exclude learners who prefer to learn via eLearning videos and simulations. This is why it’s essential to include a good mix of learning materials into your asynchronous learning strategy. Bear in mind that self-guided learners are more likely to disengage from the eLearning experience if the online course fails to grab and hold their interest. Develop a solid support structure. One of the downfalls of asynchronous learning is that it lacks face-to-face instruction. As such, you must have a solid support system in place to assist those who need additional help with the subject matter, or even the learning management system. If they encounter a glitch or cannot log in to the eLearning platform, they should always have a way to get in touch with someone who can offer assistance. Create a collaborative online community. Self-guided learners who are participating in asynchronous learning experiences run the risk of feeling isolated. They are not engaging in real-time discussions on a regular basis. Thus, they are not able to collaborate with their peers and benefit from their experience as often. To alleviate this, consider building an online community, such as a forum or blog, where learners can meet and share their ideas, concerns, and questions. You might even want to think about developing online exercises that require learners to team up, via web-based project management platforms, to complete the online assignment or solve a common challenge. Make it easily digestible. Your asynchronous learners are probably going to be accessing learning materials on-the-go. Therefore, you need to make the modules bite-sized, so that they can get the info they need as quickly as possible. This also gives them the ability to pause once they’ve completed a module and then pick up where they left off at a later time. Digestible learning materials help to avoid cognitive overload, as well, which is always a plus. Be sure to include a course map that allows learners to track their progress and quickly view which module is up next. 3 Tips For Designing A Successful Synchronous Learning Strategy Set the tone. The key to an effective synchronous learning course is creating the ideal learning environment. Since your learners are going to be participating in a real time discussion or online presentation, you need to have their full attention; this means removing all distractions from the room when they are accessing the eLearning course, and setting aside enough time in their schedule to sit in for the entire online discussion. Make them aware of the expectations well in advance so that they know how to prepare for the event. Don’t overload learners with text. Only include text for the key takeaways of the online presentation. Don’t overload their mental processes by writing out your eLearning script word for word on the screen, or giving them text passages for each story that you share. The only exception to this rule is, of course, when you have hearing impaired learners in your audience. If this is the case, then you may want to consider adding optional subtitles that can be turned on or off during the event. Create a flexible schedule. Unlike asynchronous learning, synchronous learning courses typically stick to a schedule. However, this doesn’t mean that learners should have to put their lives on hold in order to participate in a virtual discussion. Try to make the schedule as flexible as possible, and record your online events so that absent learners can still get the information they need at a later time. Before you begin the eLearning course, conduct a survey to figure out the best days and times for your learners, so that you can create a schedule that works for them. Also, keep their busy personal and professional lives in mind when creating the deadlines for online assignments and eLearning assessments. To determine which approach is right for your learning goals and objectives, as well as your audience, conduct surveys, focus groups, and needs evaluation analysis before you begin developing your curriculum. If you’re still on the fence about whether an asynchronous or synchronous strategy is ideal for your learners, you may want to think about utilizing a blended learning approach that offers the best of both worlds. Looking for an affordable way to reach out to online learners and boost peer-to-peer collaboration? Read the article 6 Tips To Use Google Hangouts For Synchronous Learning to discover how you can use FREE Google Hangouts in your synchronous learning strategy. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (ESE / IPS) is organizing the 17 th edition of the International Symposium on Computers in Education (SIIE 15) SIIE 15 is an international forum for presenting, discussing, reflecting and sharing of research about the use of ICT in Education. The different SIIE editions have elapsed between Portugal and Spain and have provided an important forum for debate and reflection between researchers, institutional representatives and educators willing to share their views, knowledge and experience. SIIE 15 Themes ICT and teachers’ professional development; ICT and new approaches to the teaching/learning process; Design, framing and evaluation of digital educational resources (RED); Computers and learning; Mobile/ubiquitous computing in education; Games and Simulations in Education; Educational robotics; Social and learning networks; Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and distance learning However, these themes should not be considered exclusive. There are also accepted other relevant studies that are not included in the topics presented but can be integrated in other themes regarding the use of ICT in Education. SIIE 15 Keynote Speakers Karen Brennan is an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her research is primarily concerned with the ways in which learning environments -- in and out of school, online and face-to-face -- can be designed to support young people's development as computational creators. Many of Brennan's research and teaching activities focus on constructionist approaches to designing learning environments -- encouraging learning through designing, personalizing, connecting, and reflecting, and maximizing learner agency. Claudio da Rocha Brito is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Currently is the President of Science and Education Research Council (COPEC), President Elect of IEEE Education Society (2015-2016), President of Fishing Museum Friends Society (AAMP), President of (Brazilian) National Monitoring Committee of "Internationale Gesellschaft für Ingenieurpädagogik" (IGIP), Vice President of International Council for Engineering and Technology Education (INTERTECH), Vice President of World Council on System Engineering and Information Technology (WCSEIT), Vice President of Safety Health and Environment Research Organization (SHERO) and Vice President of World Council on Communication and Arts (WCCA). José Luís Ramos0 is an Associate Teacher and researcher at the Social Sciences School, University of Évora and coordinator of the ICT Competence Center. His professional activity focuses on the integration of ICT in the curriculum, initial and teachers’ professional development and the design, development and evaluation of software and digital learning resources. He has published scientific and educational articles in these areas. He was the coordinator and co-author of several national studies on ICT in Education. He has participated in national and international projects in this area. The 17th edition of the International Symposium on Computers in Education (SIIE 15) will take place in Setúbal, from 25 to 27 November 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

What Is Surgical Simulation Training?  Surgical training is essential for maintaining quality patient outcomes and ensuring surgeons can perform routine and complex procedures. Standard education and training activities are a normal part of a surgeon’s continuing education; but as this training is both time and cost intensive, practitioners searching for robust supplementary models are turning to virtual reality surgical training. Virtual reality simulated training can teach basic skills to surgeons by using a computer generated environment to improve their efficacy at performing procedures like laparoscopic surgery. These tools are then used to evaluate a surgeon’s competencies for performing specific tasks. Let’s take a closer look at what it means to adopt surgical simulation training and education for practitioners. Surgical simulation training uses a computer software program to train surgeons through video simulation drills. Surgical training fosters growth in cognitive, technical, and clinical aptitudes. Simulation helps to offer standardization of skill competencies and educational and training requirements for surgeons or surgical residents. Simulation developers consider costs, computing power, fidelity, and real time response in the creation of their products. The costs of the simulation training range from 5 to 200 thousand dollars depending on the complexity of the training module and the software requirements. Although there is evidence that this type of training will reduce the reliance on cadavers and other expensive training methodologies, it hasn’t yet been proven to be better than these traditional methods. One example of surgical simulation training deficiency is that the simulator cannot prepare practitioners for handling surgical smoke. Since the environment is simulated, smoke cannot be produced. As the technology develops these innovations may change and improve to integrate important safety conditions like surgical smoke into the training simulation. Benefits Of Using Surgical Simulation Even though surgical simulation training has not been proven to be better than other training methodologies, there are a number of benefits to using these simulation tools. Most notably, they have been shown to enhance patient outcomes. In one study of 16 surgical residents, the use of virtual training decreased errors during gallbladder surgery. Residents who were not trained using simulation were five times more likely to injure the gallbladder, while the mean errors for the simulation-trained group were six times less likely to occur. The use of virtual simulation improved the overall outcome for the patient. The use of virtual simulation also improved the time required to perform procedures for those who were trained. In the study referenced above, residents who were trained using the simulation model dissected the gallbladder 29 percent faster than those who did not receive simulation training. Surgeons are also beginning to understand how surgical simulation can be useful in their learning and how this video-game-like experience can offer students a "test drive" of the body. "It's just amazing to see every little opening in the skull where a nerve goes through", says Dr. Neil Martin, chairman of University of California Los Angeles’ department of neurosurgery. "On the image, I can see the carotid artery going through the margin of the tumor. [...] Rather than have that all of a sudden appear as I'm removing tumor, I'll know exactly when I'm going to encounter it", Martin continues. "That is a big improvement." Pilots often fly simulated trips to aid in their training and multiple industries have used virtual reality. Now its prowess and effectiveness for healthcare practitioners is being touted. How Surgical Simulation Will Change Education Surgical simulation training will likely change several areas of surgical training and education. Surgical training has typically followed an apprenticeship model, in which a surgeon follows a more senior surgeon to watch and learn how the surgeon handles their work. The introduction of virtual simulators may change how a training surgeon learns to perform surgery, as the use of these modules creates a standardized framework that could be applied to surgeons who are trained and who practice. For now, surgical simulators are often used as supplementary training experiences rather than primary training tools. Some studies have indicated that the use of this training in laparoscopy in particular helped to reduce suture times and increase surgeon accuracy. However, using the model alone may not provide socialization and other skills needed to function in the surgical environment. Surgical simulation training and education is an exciting technological development with a lot of promise. Developers will continue to improve and create better and more enhanced surgical simulation training modules as technology advances are achieved. Healthcare organizations and physicians will likely continue to use this tool as an enhancement to the educational process. Future research will reveal how these models impact surgical training and how they compare to other training and education modules. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

How To Engage And Inspire Millennials In eLearning: 8 Tips For eLearning Professionals Millennials are the first generation to truly grow up with technology. According to Neil Howe and William Strauss, authors of "Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069", learners who were born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s fall into the millennial generation. They are classified as highly collaborative and ambitious individuals who thrive in online social environments. Millennials also want learning anytime and anywhere, as well as educational experiences that are rewarding and personally fulfilling. So, how do you check all of these boxes and create engaging and inspiring eLearning for your millennial audience? Tap into the power of social networking. Millennials feel right at home on social networking sites. They spend a fair amount of time chatting with friends, communicating with co-workers, and even conducting business via social networking. By incorporating social media into your eLearning strategy, you are not only offering them an invaluable social learning experience, but you are leveraging the power of educational technologies in your eLearning course. Ask them to start a forum that explores the subject matter, or encourage them to research a project using solely social media, such as LinkedIn and Facebook groups. Always include a learning motive. Above all else, the millennial generation needs a reason to learn. They will only become active participants if they have a valid motive and know that it ties into a real world purpose or goal. This primarily comes from the fact that they are pragmatic. These learners want to be able to apply all of the information they have learned and put every skill to use. Theories and ideas are all good and well, but millennials need to be able to see how every piece of information translates to the real world. Offer them a real challenge. The millennial generation isn’t typically interested in mundane experiences, they want an adventurous journey that tests their mettle and teaches them something about themselves or the world, preferably both. This is why it’s essential to offer them a challenge, an obstacle that they must overcome. It can come in form of an interactive branching scenario or a story that evokes emotion and ties into a real world problem. The main goal is to make it compelling and unconventional so that they can put their problem solving skills to work. Consistent feedback is key. While some generations may shy away from feedback, especially when it’s not necessarily favorable, millennials, generally speaking, actually expect it. They are constantly exposed to other people’s thoughts, ideas, and comments thanks to social media sites, and they expect to get the same feedback in their online learning experiences. Give them constructive criticism that can benefit them in the long run, and ask for their feedback in return. This gives you the chance to identify the strengths and shortcomings of your eLearning course, making their input an invaluable tool. Gamify the eLearning experience. Virtually every generation enjoys a good game, but millennials grew up immersed in a gaming culture. Gaming consoles, such as Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox were all the rage while millennials were growing up. Offer rewards, badges, or just the opportunity to track their progress in an online game-like environment. They are also particularly fond of leaderboards, primarily due to their friendly competitive streak. Just make sure that their motivation is more intrinsic than extrinsic when you’re designing your eLearning gamification strategy. Keep eLearning bite-sized. Millennials don’t usually have the attention spans or time to sit around and complete an hour long eLearning course. This is why it’s vital to keep your eLearning bite-sized by creating modules that take minutes rather than hours. Shorter lessons also help them to more effectively retain the information, as it prevents cognitive overload and allows them to focus on one topic at a time before moving onto the next online lesson. Make eLearning fun and flexible. Learners from this generation want their learning to be fun, fast, and flexible. They are generally pressed for time, so they want to make the most of the little learning time they have. Include a diverse range of online activities to keep their attention and give them the chance to complete online modules when it’s most convenient for them. Don’t spend too much time on any screen, but still ensure that they have enough time to absorb the information and retain it for future use. Encourage online group collaboration. The millennial generation thrives in social environments. They enjoy interacting with their peers and working together to solve a common problem. This makes them ideal candidates for collaborative eLearning strategies. Ask them to form a group and complete an online assignment using an online project management platform, such as an online presentation or website. This also enables them to benefit from the eLearning experience and skills of their peers, as well as get that all-important feedback we discussed earlier. Create an eLearning experience that millennials won’t soon forget by using these top tips. Make the most of their "tech native" sensibilities and hold their undivided attention, so that they can achieve their learning goals and reap the real world benefits. Also, bear in mind that millennial learners are from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. As such, when you’re creating your eLearning course you should target a diverse demographic. Do your research to gauge what is appropriate and what is not, as well as their preferred technology tools and devices. Want to discover more tips and techniques for engaging adult learners? Check the article Tips To Engage and Inspire Adult Learners to discover 11 tips to overcome the obstacles that are often associated with training adult audiences. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Why Storyboarding Is Important Before Jumping Off To Development  Did you ever think what would a house look like without a blueprint in place? Yes, something similar would be the resulting eLearning course without a storyboard. Here are 8 reasons why storyboarding is crucial for any eLearning development project: Will the concept work? A storyboard reveals whether a concept will work or not. A concept is typically verbalized in a couple of paragraphs. A storyboard helps the client or the course owner validate whether the concept is working or not, and determine the direction the course is going to take. Will the action work?  Storyboards contain notes to developers like what media to be used, what elements get synched with which part of the audio narration, which elements would be clickable, and the resultant reaction. This gives a comprehensive idea of how the course would flow in its entirety. So, the storyboard serves as the blueprint for the module and guides not just the developer, but also the quality controller on how the visualizer has envisioned the module screen by screen. Utilizing the budget effectively. In case of complex animations where it takes a lot of time and budget to develop the final product, it is always better to have an approved storyboard from the client in place. The storyboard helps to envision what the final product would look like. In the meantime, if the client decides to make some changes in the course, they can very well share their inputs during this phase so that it does not affect the production budget. Identifying errors at an early stage. It is during the storyboarding phase that most of the errors related to narration, media, and other relevant details are identified. This saves the much necessary time, effort, and cost that could disrupt the production phase. Deciding on appropriate media. It is essential to get the most relevant and appropriate media into the course. The storyboarder does their best to identify these when they visualize, but they might not hit the mark every time. For example: Are the media complementing the content well, are they appropriately representing the content, are the required elements in the media available, are the required ethnicities represented, etc. At the storyboarding stage, these can be identified and corrected before development starts. Hitting off with punch lines or dialogues. It is while creating the storyboard that you can test if certain punch lines or dialogues would work as you have imagined before. You can write these dialogues and share them with the stakeholders or course owners who have a higher visibility into the curriculum and can guide you about the mindset of the audience you are targeting at. Alternatively, you can also try this tactic with a test audience or pilot participants to see how it works. Need changes to be made later? So, you’ve deployed your course and learners are taking it. Six months down the line, you need to update it. How do you do so efficiently and without creating version issues? Pick up the latest version of the storyboard, make changes in it (in track), and share it with anyone with the latest source files of the module. Continuing to use the storyboard as the blueprint for the course, any developer will be able to take the task up and make the changes without errors and version issues. Need your course in another language? Imagine your English course needing to be translated into Portuguese, but your developer doesn’t know the language! Would you hunt for a developer who understands the second language or give it to the best developer for the job? A well-drafted storyboard can come to your rescue again by providing the English developer with instructions in English, along with content for text on screen, and the narration in the language to be localized into. The developer will refer to the English instructions to complete the localization without errors. Final Verdict  It can be very well concluded from the above pointers that storyboarding lowers the production risk in more ways than one. Have a storyboarding phase for your project to not only communicate visualization ideas to clients and developers, but also truly use it as a blueprint to keep your course updated in the future and also localize into languages not understood by the developer. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

ICHCILT 2015 is set to become an exciting event with the potential for continued growth throughout the years. The 4th Internationa Conference on Hunman Computer Interaction and Learning Technology (ICHCILT 2015) aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of Human Computer Interaction. It also provides the premier interdisciplinary forum for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted in the field of Human Computer Interaction. As well as this conference is to provide a worldwide forum, where the international participants can share their research knowledge and ideas on the recent and latest research on Learning Technologies and map out the directions for future researchers and collaborations. Researchers and graduate students are welcomed to participate in the conference to exchange research findings in the frontier areas of Computers in Education. This is especially important since these fields can largely benefit from increased collaboration as human computing is becoming a rather dominant field of technology. ICHCILT 2015 will be held at the RAMADA Hotel- Dubai ( Al Mankhool Bur Dubai, Dubai, UAE) on November 25-27, 2015.   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Online Testing In The Workplace The only way to truly gauge the effectiveness of your corporate training strategy is to have a solid assessment plan in place. Online testing gives you the opportunity to gather valuable data and track employee performance. In this article, I'll discuss the benefits and basics of online testing in the workplace, including tips for how you can use this assessment strategy in corporate learning environments. 3 Benefits Of Online Testing In Corporate eLearning Measures performance goals. One of the most notable benefits of online testing in the workplace is the ability to measure goals effectively. Some goals can be difficult to quantify, such as developing customer service skills or honing sales techniques. However, if you create online assessment that center on these skill sets you can get a better idea of how far your employees have come and how far they need to go in order to achieve their performance goals. This is particularly true if you use more interactive quizzing methods, such as scenarios and simulations. Emphasizes key ideas and concepts. One of the challenges that many corporate learners face is information overload. There are so many compliance  regulations, company procedures, and new product features floating around in their minds that it becomes difficult to focus on the key takeaways. This is where online testing comes into play. By creating a test that centers on the key ideas and concepts, your learners can direct their attention where it needs to be and concentrate on the information that they should bring away from the online training experience. Identifies organizational weaknesses and strengths. Online testing offers two-fold benefits when it comes to identifying strengths and weaknesses. Firstly, it gives organizations the opportunity to figure out where their online training is lacking and where it excels. For example, if multiple employees aren’t grasping the task feature in the second training module, then they know that they may need to fine tune that aspect of the eLearning course. It also gives employees the chance to determine their key strengths and areas of improvement. If they struggle with the online assessment, that may be an indication that they should focus on that training module and use supplemental training resources to help them improve. 4 Tips For Using Online Testing In The Workplace Have an effective feedback system in place. A winning online testing strategy is incomplete without an effective feedback system. Corporate learners require immediate feedback, so that they can fix incorrect behaviors and learn the correct information, instead of memorizing improper procedures. For example, if they are unable to identify each of the steps involved in a common work task, immediate feedback will help them to remedy the situation as soon as possible and master the task correctly. You should also take it a step further by telling them why their answer was incorrect or offering them additional resources that can help them if they are struggling with the topic. Focus on real world objectives. Most, if not all, training programs focus on ideas or concepts that can be tied to real world challenges or situations. After all, the primary goal of online training is to give corporate learners the tools and skills they need to boost productivity and fulfill their job duties effectively. For this reason, it’s essential to concentrate on real world objectives when you’re creating your online tests. Instead of focusing on the facts, put them into a real world context or show your learners how they can apply the knowledge outside of the training environment.  If you are creating a multiple choice or true-false test, quiz their ability to put the information and skills they have learned to good use on-the-job. For example, instead of testing them on their knowledge of a particular product and all of its features, give them a set of multiple choice responses that feature a customer and their needs, then ask them to choose which customer would benefit most from the product. They probably aren’t going to be listing all of the features on the sales floor regularly, but they are going to have to know which product is ideal for which customer. Develop sequencing questions to test task mastery. More complicated tasks or processes can be tested using sequencing questions. A sequencing question involves a series of events that are placed in random order. The employee must then put the steps in order to correctly answer the question. For instance, if you want to test their ability to repair a computer, write out each of the steps involved in the process, and then scramble their order. The employee must arrange them in their proper order, using their previously learned knowledge. Create scenarios and simulations to add interactivity. Scenarios and simulations are popular training activities, but they can also be valuable assessment tools. They can determine if the employee has mastered a specific skill or task, and even show them the consequences of their actions without any real world risk involved. Best of all, you can easily integrate real world challenges and situations into these online assessments, and even make it more personal by adding images of the workplace or co-workers. Integrate these online testing methods into your corporate training strategy to assess employee knowledge and stay up-to-date with compliance standards. Testing in the workplace will also enable you to fine tune your corporate eLearning courses, so that your learners achieve performance goals and build job related skill sets. Looking for additional tips on how to create mobile learning assessment for your corporate learners? Read the article 5 Tips To Develop Mobile Learning Assessments to find 5 tips that can help you develop on-the-go exams that track employee performance and identify areas of improvement. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Simformer: Business Simulation For Developing Courses And Training Sessions Gamification and the focus on fostering practical business skills are a growing market demand and a powerful trend in corporate training as well as academic environment.  Developing training and educational programs on the basis of a business simulations will guarantee their effectiveness and popularity. During an open online seminar you will learn everything about developing in-demand educational products on the basis of Simformer Business Simulation, a powerful multi-user online business simulation. We will talk about successful methods and technologies for creating practical educational programs as well as possibilities to promote educational products internationally through Simformer Platform. Registration is mandatory for this event. Please use the following URL to register for the event. About Simformer Simformer is a versatile and scalable business simulation platform. Simformer develops serious business games, simulations, e-learning courses, and training programs for businesses and educational institutions. A vast amount of functions and features of the platform provides opportunity to organize practical skill orientated training for both students and corporate clients in virtually all disciplines of business management. Simformer offers a rare fusion of capabilities in the fields of educational technology, game design, business development, HR, and design and development of complex computer systems. The company’s main focus is the continuous development and implementation of a new generation, educational, and practical skill-oriented online platform based on business simulations.  The platform is open to course developers, business trainers, and teachers who are now able to create unique educational products aimed at the development of skills, as well as provide simulation based training, which is proven to add to learning retention based on experience rather than theory. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Effectiveness Of Tin Can API - A New Paradigm Shift In Measuring Learning Effectiveness In Technology Aided Learning  With technology aided learning gaining a steady popularity in the corporate circles, more and more learning leaders are pondering on the ways and means of measuring training effectiveness as well. Training is a corporate necessity, but since considerable money and time are invested in creating as well as disseminating, most organizations aspire for a positive ROI on all training endeavors. But are all learning experiences and instances gathered through formal training delivery, especially in the corporate context? We learn through many ways; on our mobiles and tablets, through social networks or forums, and even via good old dependable Google search! Legacy Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have built-in capability to record the number of courses taken by a learner or classroom sessions attended by him or her. But it is important to understand that the modern corporate learner now has many more learning instances that remain untracked by a traditional Learning Management System. With the evolution of learning technology and the advent of more powerful and comprehensive tracking solutions, it is now possible to capture a fuller picture of a learner’s learning journey - including learning activities outside of the Learning Management System. This provides a better picture of training effectiveness that empowers managers as well as learners themselves plan better for impactful learning. Tin Can API is the new learning standard adopted by a growing number of organizations, providing a variety of benefits: Most of the eLearning in the last decade has been compliant to SCORM standard. But with more than 10 years, the standard needs a makeover. Tin Can API is a huge development from SCORM, as it allows the platform to track multiple learning types - mobile learning, blended learning, serious games, simulations, and so on. It allows training managers to launch content not only within the Learning Management System, but also outside of it, and to keep track of it as well. This makes it easier to create and make learning content accessible to a larger number of audiences. Reporting of data is richer as it can include assessments based on team scores, multiple attempts and multiple scores from the same course. Learning experiences beyond the confines of the Learning Management System can also be recorded, including reading a book, watching a learning video on YouTube, or posting a relevant comment on an online discussion forum. This makes sure that training assessment is more about learning assessment. The trackable content does not have to reside within the Tin Can compliant Learning Management System. Reports, eBooks, or videos can be made trackable as soon they are made available to the general public. Any learner who takes the initiative of learning from the content outside the Learning Management System will be assessed accordingly. Not only does this give a fuller picture of learning effectiveness, it also makes sure that the learner is suitably encouraged in accordance to their learning enthusiasm. Learning managers as well as eLearning developers are always eager to know how learners interact with the content, so as to keep on improving the quality of the learning material. But this is seldom found with the help of traditional Learning Management System, as it is capable of just informing when a learner starts a course or completes it. Some evolved ones may also give the option of starting a course from where the learner left the last time, but that is the extent of it. What are the portions of the course that the learner took more time reading or interacting with? What were the interactivities that were taken multiple times and in a non-forced learning approach, which portions where skipped altogether? These are the kind of detailed inputs that Tin Can API provides to make the process of knowledge creation more directed towards the needs of the learners. Tin Can API captures the learners’ activities on various social networking sites as well that can be tied into their learning experiences. Sharing an informative online article or asking relevant questions on a particular topic gives an accurate idea about the likes as well as area of interest for learners. This is then utilized to create a personalized and adaptive learning for the individual learner. This is a positive step towards ensured effective learning. Learning and Development professionals can certainly benefit from considering the many possibilities of Tin Can API. It can enable you to measure the effectiveness of organizational learning and further sell the case for technology aided learning. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Way You Measure eLearning Performance Is Changing  Analyzing the performance of your eLearning will help show that the investment in eLearning is paying off. It’s your job to measure the metrics and interpret the results so you can find ways to improve the performance of your eLearning. Here is how you can measure eLearning performance using Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model  For over half a century, most learning professionals have measured training using Kirkpatrick’s four-level evaluation model: In summary, the four levels are: Level 1 measures the reactions of learners: What did they think about the training? Level 2 measures learning: What was increase in knowledge or capability? Level 3 measures behavior: What was the extent of behavior and capability improvement? Level 4 measures results: What was the effect on the business? In The Past...  Level 1 was easy to measure. You might be in a classroom or conduct face to face training where the use of a simple survey was a good way to gauge learners’ responses to the training program. But at Level 2 and beyond, evaluation becomes complicated. For years eLearning managers have tried to build evaluation into the eLearning process. Most without much success. But in 2015 you are in luck. New eLearning tools are making it easier than ever to measure Level 2 and beyond. Build Evaluation Into The eLearning Process  Organizations can now develop and manage their own eLearning using new eLearning authoring tools. If you're moving your eLearning in-house, here are some ways to build evaluation into your eLearning roadmap. Level 1: Reactions Of Students. Modern authoring tools have inbuilt analytic tools that help you evaluate learners’ responses to eLearning. For example, you can use Elucidat to quickly create surveys into your design. Use the feedback to evaluate Level 1: Track learners to find areas where you can improve the learning experience. Use this insight to quickly change and test different variations of your eLearning. Share learner tracking data with other software systems. Here’s a quick project analysis screenshot taken inside Elucidat: Level 2: Learning. Use pre- and post-tests to evaluate what learners get out of your eLearning. For example, before you start training, create a pre-assessment survey that asks learners to assess their capabilities in relation to the eLearning topic you're about to teach (on a scale from 1-5). This will provide benchmark data on how well learners think they know the content. After they’ve completed the eLearning, provide a post-assessment survey. Now you can compare the pre-assessment data with post-assessment data to determine if the training had a positive impact. Level 3: Behavior Change. Level 3 evaluates how much new knowledge or skills a learner has learned and then applied in their role or job. Some behavior change can be quantified. For example, if the training is for customer service, you can measure how many complaint calls are made before and after the training. In other cases, where the behavior change is not easily quantifiable, you need to gather data through observation and analysis. The best way to do this is to have a supervisor or manager work closely with learners to assess their behavior and capabilities both before and after the training. Level 4: Results/Effects On The Business. Level 4 involves evaluating the extent to which the eLearning has contributed to your desired business outcomes. What you are measuring in this stage is the impact of the eLearning, rather than measuring learners’ performance. This takes time, as you won’t necessarily see benefits immediately. If you have brought eLearning design and development in-house, you’ll be in a better position measure this performance metric. For example, you might be able to directly see the impact of the new sales training on the sales figures for the quarter. Final Takeaway  As the role of learning inside organizations changes, so does the way you evaluate eLearning. With more and more pressure to demonstrate the positive impact eLearning is having on your business, it's important to use a tool that lets you measure key performance metrics (and Kirkpatrick's four levels). Stay on top of the latest eLearning ideas, trends, and technologies by subscribing to the Elucidat weekly newsletter. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Narrative Theory In eLearning: Everybody Loves A Good Story  When you think of the life of a famous person throughout history, or the rise and fall of an empire, or a romantic relationship you have had, it’s easy to pick out elements of real life that relate directly to stories we are all familiar with. A famous person is born, rises to prominence, makes an impact, and then either fades into nothingness or is accorded a place in history. A kingdom rises against its neighbor, expands and conquers, and then is destroyed. You meet a girl or a guy, you fall in love, things are great, and then the arguing starts and you break up - or you live happily ever after. We know these stories even if we are not familiar with the individual examples or details. These are stories that have been told and retold for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. We relate to stories we know and locate ourselves within them in order to give the world meaning. A (Very) Concise Explanation Of Narrative Theory  Mona Baker, Professor of Translation and Narrative Theory at the University of Manchester, says that "people’s behavior and understanding of the world are forged through their interpretation of the stories that unfold around them and how they see themselves embedded in these stories". These stories determine how we live our lives and constitute the experiences that form them. Most narrative theory experts agree on four different types of narratives: Ontological narratives. Or "narratives of the self"; we use them to make sense of our own existence and to locate ourselves within society. Public narratives. Circulated by groups, institutions, families, the media, and education. Conceptual narratives. Elaborated by scholars and academics. Metanarratives. Grand stories involving huge amounts of people across history, a more recent and relatable example being the War on Terror. Narratives in turn are defined by four features. These are temporality, referring to the order in which events are placed to generate meaning (particularly important for creating learning plans and developing plots in eLearning courses), selective appropriation which sees certain actors prioritize and foreground certain specific events to build the story, often in their favor, causal emplotment which lends significance to particular events regardless of chronological order, and relationality which refers to the ability to understand the narrative in context. If narratives help us understand, then they help us learn. What is true on the macro scale of understanding the world and making sense of ourselves in it, is also true on the micro scale of processing educational information and designing eLearning courses. eLearning Looks For Engagement  The biggest challenge facing everyone in the eLearning industry, especially in the corporate sector as training can be perceived by some as time which could otherwise be devoted to making money, is engagement. Keeping students and learners interested in what they are doing is challenging, and it is becoming ever clearer that the old and tired methods of instructor-led, classroom based training are just not as effective as they once were; or perhaps never have been that effective. It is for this reason that methods such as gamification, social learning, and blended learning have become so popular over the last few years, as they break away from the mould and are supported by mounting evidence that these new methods really work. Stories Must Be Relatable In eLearning, as in fiction, the stories that make the most impact are the ones that we as an audience can relate to. Better yet are ones that we have experienced ourselves. Within the context of designing an eLearning course, the characters and scenario may change, and even plot details, but the story arc will be one that has been used over and over again; usually some form of "characters are introduced, enter into conflict and find some form of resolution". In eLearning, characters and plot not only have to be recognizable to the user, but also relatable to the scenarios. For example, if you are teaching learners about compliance in a law firm, then it makes sense for the characters to be lawyers and the problem to be compliance related. Building The Narrative That Suits You While the types of narrative alluded to above are not hugely relevant for eLearning content, the narrative features certainly are critical as they determine everything, from the narrative is constructed to how it is understood. Clearly it is up to the course authors what they want to include in their courses, how they construct them and how they are delivered, but with a basic understanding of stories in eLearning they can make their courses more effective, more enjoyable and above all more engaging. 3 Tips On Applying The Narrative Theory In eLearning  Time and place matter. Temporality means that the chronological order of events is important for understanding. When a learner takes a course and involves him or herself in a story, the sequence in which characters are introduced and the events that occur hold a huge amount of power over how the information is absorbed (and if it’s absorbed at all). Events and characters are understood not in isolation, but through their relationality to others in the narrative. To guarantee the biggest impact, which for the purposes of eLearning means engagement, it is important that events and activities be structured so that they make sense and stay with us. The best way to do this is to ensure that the sequence of events or activities exhibits both temporality and relationality, i.e. their sequence and the relationship between each other make sense to the learner. Learning plans are a relatively new introduction to eLearning and tie in almost perfectly with narrative theory, in the sense that they are a sequence of courses which have been placed in a certain chronological order to have both the most impact and take the learner towards a specific goal. Individually they would carry some weight, however together they constitute a narrative -created by the instructor or course designer- which will have a much greater effect on the learner through the simple fact of building a story in his or her mind. Prioritize what’s important. Sequencing and chronology are significant, and when used correctly can massively impact the learner’s engagement with the material. However the individual importance of the events, and why these particular events have been foregrounded, also play a key role. This may sound like I am going against why I have said four paragraphs above, and it doesn’t mean that order and relationality are any less important, just that the reasons why these have been chosen -the causal employment- and not others is key to understanding how the narrative itself is constituted. Make the training even more immersive. eLearning and advances in training delivery like gamification have added new levels of immersiveness. Authors can create stories and environments in which learners can interact with the material, adding another level of enjoyment and engagement to their courses. By understanding how best to employ a narrative and the best way to deliver it, course authors can leverage the emotions created the stories to make sure that the training is as engaging as it can be. By doing this it’s not just the learners who benefit, but the company too. Paradiso LMS is a leading Learning Management System from Paradiso Solutions and comes with Paradiso Composer, a web based eLearning course authoring tool which lets you create engaging stories and dynamic and engaging content. If you want more information on Paradiso LMS, then please follow this link to our Contact Us page. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

WizIQ Edtech.Now - A Premier Education Technology Conclave Education as we know it, is being disrupted like never before. The advancement of cloud, mobile, social and big data technologies, coupled with a new emerging breed of millennial learners is fundamentally altering the way education is resourced, delivered and consumed. In changing the traditional architecture of education, education technology has the power to democratize access, improve efficiency, cut costs and enable new levels of learner engagement. WizIQ in association with Cambridge University Press is proud to present EdTech.Now 2015 - India's premier education technology virtual conclave that will bring together education and edtech leaders to interact, discuss and understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Designed as a full day convention, this event will comprise of a powerful main stage plenary, featuring keynotes from global education visionaries and a series of insightful panel discussions. These high quality sessions aim to deliver insights into the emerging trends, technologies and best practices for leveraging education technology. The event will be transmitted through live-streaming on WizIQ Virtual Classroom allowing people from faraway places to participate and get their share of learning. Watch the free live streaming of the event and learn about the education trends & technologies from industry leaders. Recording of the event shall also be made available. Who should attend? EdTech.Now is a not-to-miss event for educators and administrators from higher education, test prep institutions, corporate learning & development, vocational and e-learning providers, tech innovators and content providers. We sincerely look forward to your participation at Edtech.Now 2015! About the Host WizIQ is a category defining company that offers SaaS based education technology solutions. Over 400,000 education service providers have leveraged the WizIQ platform to deliver online education to 4 million+ learners in 200+ countries. WizIQ’s flagship product, Online Academy Builder enables ESPs to deliver live instructor-led and self-paced learning by helping them create, manage, and market courses from their own self-branded online academies. The Online academy builder offers cutting edge features such as live virtual classes, mobile learning, video streaming, discussion boards, assessments and learner insights. With 80% of its revenues from overseas markets, WizIQ has emerged as a global software product company headquartered in India. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Apple Watch For Learning?  I admit it. I see no future for the Apple Watch in the Learning and Development industry. [Pause for resounding gasps] Maybe I’m dense, or maybe I just don’t get it. I’m sure my peers and colleagues will tell me all about how it will be so amazing and game-changing for our industry. I may even get pelted with rocks or tomatoes when some of my Apple-fanatic peers next see me. (Please don’t do that. Maybe we can arm wrestle instead?) While I have never been what marketers and economists call an "early adopter", I am especially resistant to smart watches. Hang tight. Let me explain. Remember when we replaced watches with cell phones? It’s strange to think Apple and its competitors have re-created the need for a watch... a watch designed to replace your cell phone. Mind. Warped. Full disclosure: I was also vehemently resistant to iPhones for a long time. Why? As an Instructional Designer, I hated that Apple devices were not compatible with the Flash courses that I was working so hard to design. Yes, back in 2008, I could not understand why Flash would ever be a thing of the past, and I hated this Steve Jobs character for being so rigid and dictatorial about not having Flash-compatible devices. And, no, I cannot believe I am admitting any of that. But here we are in 2015 and Flash is [mostly] in our rearview mirrors... and I now own an iPhone and am as big a fan of Steve Jobs as most people. In all seriousness, I’m genuinely curious to see how this technology evolves, and how it may cause debate among us. And, as usual, I will look forward to those healthy discussions; I think they are necessary. Let’s look at a timeline of events related to technology and training delivery: Phones become "smart," allowing us to access the Internet from anywhere. Training goes mobile... on phones. Tablets make their wave in technology. Training goes mobile...on tablets. See a trend? Learning design and training modality have this way of following technology, and technology has this way of influencing what we do and how we do it as designers. But is that the right course of events? Now that the Apple Watch has made its debut, are we going to be scrambling to figure out how and where we can implement training on it? Please say no. This is not the way this should work. As Clare Dygert and I noted in our presentation at mLearnCon in July, the technology should support the learning; it should not define it. The focus should be on mobile learning, not on mobile delivery. We shouldn’t be saying, "The Apple Watch is here... how can we leverage it for training?" That’s putting the cart before the horse. I’m sure there are great uses for the Apple Watch (or that there will be), but let’s not design around the technology - especially not a first iteration of said technology. Let the learning requirements and business goals define the delivery modality. If you need a model for doing so, I suggest the model below, which my SweetRush colleague Clare Dygert and I presented at mLearnCon. The three layers model is designed to help make informed decisions about whether technology (mobile or otherwise) is an appropriate solution, when, and how. In the three layers model, the learning layer is what will make the learner successful. The business layer is what will help us achieve the business objectives. The technology layer is the last layer; it should influence design and deployment, not dictate it. Rather than start with the technology, work your way toward it intelligently by examining the other layers first. You can learn more about this model in our taxonomy for mobile learning consulting. In the meantime, I will look forward to seeing how the Apple Watch comes to play in our industry. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be writing an article about how I resisted the Apple Watch just as I did the iPhone. Many of my colleagues tried to sell me on iPhones many years ago. Now, friends, tell me what will be so great about the Apple Watch, and for training and development in particular? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5  In my earlier article 8 Tips To Convert Flash to HTML5 That Will Help Your Business, I had highlighted the challenge (associated with legacy courses) and the solution (how HTML5 addresses the challenge). Let’s begin with this recap: The Challenge. Over the years, all of us would have created courses that predominantly used Flash for development. With increase in demand to offer mobile learning, you would have realized that Flash courses do not work on most mobile devices. As a result, you need to plan to migrate the existing legacy Flash content to HTML5. The Solution. HTML5 supports all mobile devices (tablets and smartphones). Additionally, the more recent browsers support HTML5 enabling you to run the mobile-ready courses on desktops and laptops as well. This flexibility now allows a single build to work seamlessly across all devices starting from desktops/laptops to tablets and smartphones. In the same article, I have outlined what you should watch out for during the migration of legacy courses to HTML5. Additionally, I have shared 8 tips that will help you create an efficient transition to HTML5. In this article, I will share two case studies that reflect dynamics that will resonate with most organizations and will provide the pointers on what approaches will help you design an efficient and effective migration strategy and convert legacy courses into HTML5 the right way. Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5: Case Study 1  Background. For one of our customers, the existing Flash courses met the learning mandate (that is, no further changes to content and visual presentation were necessary). So, the look and feel of the existing courses had to be retained in the HTML5 version. The objective of migration was to provide extended access to learners by making these courses accessible on tablets. We had to convert 80 hours of eLearning to mLearning or mobile learning (adaptive approach that includes tablet support) in 4 months. The courses needed to be tested on varied target devices, so that the migrated courses would be compatible with Windows XP and 7, iPad (varied iOS versions), and Android 10" and 7" tablets. Our Approach. Considering the volume, timeline, and complexity of testing with varied devices, we started by firming up the process that would help us in meeting the mandate. We created a team dedicated for this task. The team comprised Solution Architects, Visual Designers, Programmers, and Quality Assurance personnel. The Solution Architects created the adaptive framework using Adobe CS6 with CreateJS, which could support multiple devices and create templates for easy reproduction of screens by the development team. A prototype was prepared and tested across devices in the first three weeks and delivered to the client for review and sign-off. The prototype was signed off in a week’s time. During the development stage, multiple, smaller teams were set up to manage 15-20 courses each. We followed the factory floor approach to bring in efficiency at work. We did group activities within the team members so that the outcome from each team was ready for testing and shipment to the client. This approach helped us to move along the development cycle within the specified time and we completed the project by the scheduled date. The Results.  We met the delivery timeline for the project. As a result, our customer could launch the courses on time. Our customer was the first to release mobile courses supporting multiple devices in this domain. It helped them to further strengthen their position as market leaders. Their mobile courses are taken by more professionals now. As a result, they are meeting the project goals very effectively. Convert Legacy Courses Into HTML5: Case Study 2  Background. This customer wanted to redevelop legacy Flash compliance courses (a total of 26 hours of eLearning) to their globally spread out workforce with extended support for tablets. The existing Flash courses had been designed over several years and many of them looked dated. The need was to completely redesign all courses with a modern look and feel, bring in a consistent look and feel to all courses (as the legacy Flash courses had been designed over the years with varied design approaches), provide HTML5 support, and test it for tablets. The entire exercise had to be completed within 6 months. Our Approach.  Here too a dedicated team was set up comprising Solution Architects, Instructional Designers, Visual Designers, Programmers, and Quality Assurance personnel. The Instructional Design team began with the analysis of the existing legacy courses and tagged them into what level of enhancement was necessary. This mapped to complete overhaul or partial enhancements (that is, some aspects of the existing courses could be reused). The Solution Architects created an adaptive framework using Lectora and the required templates library that could address both requirements identified by the Instructional Designers. The Visual Design (Product Strategy) team then created multiple design packs for development that could be mapped to each course. This was then used to create key prototypes. On sign off of multiple prototypes, the development process began. Multiple, smaller teams were set up to handle a series of courses. The testing process was less tedious on account of tool selection (Lectora). The Results.  We managed the project effectively to create an effective suite of compliance courses with a new look and feel plus the extended access on tablets. The project was completed on time and provided a significantly superior learning experience to the learners. Summary  Both these case studies reflect using some of the tips I had outlined in my earlier article 8 Tips To Convert Flash to HTML5 That Will Help Your Business. Specifically, we used the following aspects that helped us convert legacy courses into HTML5 the right way: Identify the need: Technology update vs. complete redesign. Select adaptive vs. responsive designs and tools. Plan for sampling to test user experience. Ensure readiness of supporting aspects. I hope this article provides the pointers that will help you to convert your legacy courses into HTML5 the right way. At EI Design, we have a very strong mLearning or mobile learning practice and we have migrated or developed over 400 hours of HTML5 learning. If you have any specific queries, do contact me. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.