Advantages And Disadvantages Of Blended Learning In Corporate Training Every learning strategy has its pros and cons. The question that all eLearning professionals must ask is whether the good outweigh the bad? This also rings true for blended learning in the workplace. Will combining learning technology with face-to-face instruction and/or self-paced learning benefit your learners? Are the risks worth the rewards? Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of blended training. 4 Blended Learning Advantages Provides personalized training experiences. Face-to-face instruction and technology working hand in hand offers employees a customized training experience with personalized feedback. If they are struggling with a particular training topic, they can access supplemental resources online or get the help they need from their instructor. They are also able to utilize specific multimedia activities that cater to their performance goals. For example, if they would like to develop their customer service skills, they can log into the training platform and participate in a customer-based scenario or simulation. If they need to learn more about a particular product and its features, they are able to access the product demo and tutorial instantly. Instead of sitting through an hour-long training course to get the information they require, they can just pick-and-choose which elements will improve their performance and skill sets. Offers 24/7 access to training resources. Blended learning training removes time and location limitations. If the employee is at home and would like to spend a moment brushing up on product specs, they can do so. If they are on the sales floor and need to learn how to carry out a return, they can simply access the tutorial via any of the terminals. Corporate learners no longer have to wait for a scheduled training to address their concerns and questions, as the online training resources are always there to help. If you create an online forum, they can also benefit from the experience of their co-workers and get answers to questions when the instructor is not available. Track employee performance and skill development. Blended learning also makes data tracking more quick and convenient. Instead of grading exams, use an online assessment with a build-in grading rubric, which also offers the added bonus of immediate feedback. Virtually every training exercise and activity can be tracked to gauge employee progress and skill set development, from the choices they make in a branching scenario to their level of participation in an online discussion. Organizations also gain the opportunity to figure out which activities are effective and which need to be modified in order to meet performance goals and objectives. Reduction in training costs. The benefit that brings many organizations to a blended learning strategy is the cost savings. Employees who are doing their job instead of sitting in a training room are improving the company’s bottom line as opposed to utilizing precious resources. This is due to the fact that blended learning can make the training process more effective, but does not require as much time or money as traditional training. No instructors need to be present, in some cases, and there is no training space to rent. In addition, the training courses can be updated and expanded in a fraction of the time, as there are no printed materials to worry about. 3 Blended Learning Disadvantages Ineffective use of learning technology tools can waste resources. If training facilitators and employees are unaware of how to use the learning technology provided, you probably won’t get the results you’re looking for. Also, if you utilize learning technology tools that are less reliable or do not offer the necessary features, then it may end up wasting resources instead of improving ROI. This is why it’s crucial to find the right tools before you implement your blended learning program in the workplace. Determine which devices and software are going to meet your needs, as well as which fit into your overall training budget. Learners must have basic technology knowledge or a willingness to learn. In virtually all blended learning environments you will encounter at least one learner who is hesitant about change. There are also those who may not be familiar with technology and have a steep learning curve ahead of them. To alleviate this issue, you should have support on hand to teach new learners and motivate those who may be more reluctant. It’s also important to cultivate a blended learning community that stresses the value of technology in training, as well as the real world benefits it can offer. Set up workshops that employees can attend in order to learn as much as possible about the new training program, and be introduced to the features of the devices they’ll be using on a regular basis. High technology set up and maintenance costs. Purchasing the learning technology for your blended learning program, such as devices and infrastructure setup, can be costly. This is especially true if you have a larger workforce or several departments. However, bear in mind that these are just short term expenses, and that you are most likely saving money in the long run. Even if you have to pay a nominal monthly maintenance fee, you are still receiving the many benefits that a blended learning strategy has to offer. Hopefully this article has offered the insight you need to make your final decision? Are you going to go the route of blended learning, or should you take an alternative path? Blended learning can offer a wide range of benefits, but is it the ideal choice for your performance goals and learner needs? Still undecided about whether blended learning is the right solution for your corporate training? Read the article Tips To Use Blended Learning In Corporate Training to explore how to use blended learning in corporate training in order to create an immersive and engaging blended learning experience for your learners. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

6 Points To Consider When Preparing Your Students To Produce Digital Content  To get sense of the importance of digital content creation in today’s classrooms, take a look at the Common Core Anchor Standard that calls for students to produce writing in a digital format: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. Here are some things to consider when shifting your classroom into the digital age, and preparing your students to become capable digital content creators. Distinguish between digital content consumption and digital content creation. Do you know the difference between using devices such as iPads and other tablets as consumption devices versus leveraging them as creation devices? While simply giving a student access to an app or an educational game does expose students to technology, it may not lead to the higher level thinking that should be the goal of incorporating technology into the classroom. While there are plenty of great applications that are useful to students to consume content, using applications that allow them to create and share content can completely change what a student’s end product is. This can be as simple as using an online storyboarding tool for students to collaborate, or as advanced as using video editing software to create a digital story as a book report. Student ownership of content. It has long been thought that a student centered project that ends with them creating a piece of material engages the student because of the sense of ownership to the final piece. This has not changed today; yet, in a world where students are surrounded by digital content and rich media, it may be more engaging and motivating for them to create projects that are digital and can compete with the digital world they live in. Same skills and content, different medium. The process of research, planning, scripting, storyboarding, and presenting information has not changed in the digital world. What has changed is the medium in which we have students create the projects. Building a diorama in a shoe box or creating a poster board may have been something we all did in school, and the research that goes into these projects remains extremely valuable. In today’s digital world, we can replace these projects with online tools to create multi-media posters that can include interactive web links, videos and more. These tools are more engaging to students simply because they incorporate technology into the creation process. For example, when I was in high school (circa 1999) I wrote articles for the school newspaper, which was then printed and distributed. Today, I would most likely be writing articles for a classroom blog or website. The process I go through to write the article is the same - only the medium has changed. Global access. Now that the medium has changed, so has who can access it. My high school newspaper probably did not make it past the cafeteria, but with an online blog and social media, the range of people who can obtain access to student created content can literally be global. While it was very unlikely that another student from Australia could have read my high school newspaper, today being able to comment back and forth on my article with a student from across the globe is a very real possibility. Giving students a louder voice with their creations allows them to see how small the world can be, thanks to the internet. Digital citizenship. Along with the benefits that digital content creation brings, there are also new responsibilities. There are many facets to being an upstanding digital citizen, and one of the most important when it comes to digital content creation is proper sourcing and citations. Would you allow a student to write a research paper and not source or cite their research? If not, then why allow students to use an image or video without citing the source, just because they were able to find it through Google images? While a student may not be penalized for using a copyrighted image in your class, they would be in the workplace. Understanding the rules around using "creative commons" or royalty free media is just as important a skill as the project itself. Preparing students for the 21st century workplace. It is a safe assumption that technology and digital content will not just disappear once the student reaches the workforce. In fact, it will most likely be a prominent skill that is in high demand by employers. With many online creation tools lending themselves to collaboration between two people without ever needing to actually be together, putting students into this situation as early as possible will not only give them the technology skills to create digital content, but the interpersonal skills it takes to be able to collaborate through technology. Keep these concepts in mind when teaching students how to approach creating digital content, from activities as simple as formatting a letter, to drafting an email, to creating multi-media projects, and more. The sky is the limit when it comes to digital content creation; and the classroom is an important place for students to learn the skills they’ll need to communicate and thrive in today’s digital world. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Is Storyboarding A Waste Of Time?  Leading Software Maniacs has delivered live workshops for software development community for some time. My assumption was that transitioning live courseware to eLearning wouldn't be difficult at all. I culled existing material (PowerPoint slides) to something suitable for self directed study. I researched Learning Management Systems (LMSs) offerings and selected DigitalChalk as my vendor of choice. The transition steps included the following: The live workshop content was simplified to those slides that could be used in a self paced, self directed manner. There was no need to include group exercises, either. In a self directed eLearning course the exercises were either removed or simplified. A workbook couldn’t be just a PDF document composed of pages of slide thumbnails. Rather, it needed to be designed as a permanent reminder of retained learning since it isn’t unusual for eLearning portals to cut off access to streamed videos after viewing. (This isn’t the case for DigitalChalk, but other eLearning sites, including Lynda.com, may employ a time based subscription model or limit the number of times a video can be viewed.) Since the plan was to record voiceovers, I stepped through PowerPoints. I could use all sorts of tools for that, but Techsmith’s wonderful Camtasia was the perfect tool to record stepping through PowerPoint screens while talking. To my pleasant surprise, post recording editing was a breeze. Camtasia made the removal of those horrible "ums" and pauses effortless. Finally, I sent a test link to the eLearning course online page to reviewers and asked them to view the video, download and read the associated workbook, and pass a quiz to ensure that learning objectives were met. The need for a storyboard? Nope. Besides, isn’t storyboarding primarily a tool for comic book and movie planning? Waste of time! New Course Creation Requires Massive Collaboration  Then I needed to create material for a new gamification learning product being developed from scratch. This time I didn’t have anything to start from. I hopped right in and put together a PowerPoint draft, realizing that I had gone way too deep into the details. User feedback had more red ink than space available on the slides. The transition from one slide to the next didn’t flow, the content didn’t reinforce the learning objectives, and everything simply felt scattered. One particular person noticed that if the storyboard was modularized, some of the parts could be reused in marketing presentations, business overviews, and even tutorials. A complete redo was required. I had not only wasted my time, I wasted the time of my reviewers. 5 Storyboarding Must Haves: Becoming Reacquainted With The Need Of Storyboarding  You may wish to immerse yourself in viewing Daniel Brigham’s excellent video on how storyboards apply to Instructional Design preparation [1]. The result was the creation of my list of storyboard must haves: Storyboards must have a goal and benefit clearly stated. Storyboard elements must have just ’nuff detail. Storyboards must be visual. Storyboards must be designed for change, so reordering needs to be effortless. Storyboards must have the elements necessary to provide a blueprint. There’s one nice to have: Storyboards should be modular and reusable. Using a hierarchy (nested outline) would be even better. Storyboards Must Have A Goal. It is very easy for any storyboard to get off track from the project’s original attention. Having a one pager that summarizes the reasons and benefits can go a long way. This overview is vital for you and your reviewers to keep the project’s context in mind throughout storyboard development. I have provided a template you can download and freely use [2]. Storyboards Content Must Be Simple. All of us have the tendency to get a little too detailed as we create our "masterpieces". Simplicity counts more. Storyboard text doesn't have to be perfect. A storyboard is a mockup, a draft. It isn’t the final product. One tool that you might find useful is the outstanding Hemingway app that forces you to simplify text with a readability grade on your text. I use it with most everything I write. Storyboards Must Be Visual. Most of us retain information easier with visuals (graphics). A paragraph consisting of financial details is far more difficult to understand than a bar chart. A concept is more understandable if drawn as visual relationships. You don’t have to be a Rembrandt either. Stick figures work. There’s another benefit. Anyone involved with UX (User eXperience) design knows that visualization benefits collaboration and understanding. An excellent tutorial on UX design is from Chris Nodder’s book, Evil By Design [3]. All in all, you need some way to draw or to import a graphic into a storyboard frame. If you do import a graphic, make sure you keep a copy of the graphic in a subfolder along with your storyboard. Typical outliner apps only accommodate text and symbols. They usually don’t allow graphics. Both Microsoft PowerPoint and Word are pretty good at handling the mix of text with graphics. (Using Word is a little tricky, since you can’t easily arbitrarily place graphics anywhere on a page.) Storyboards Must Be Designed For Change. The art of storyboarding demands that topics (storyboard frames) move around based on how topics relate to each other. If the flow of storyboard frames need adjustment, simply drag them to a new position. However, many storyboard templates require specific page (slide) numbers or employ a fixed format (like three storyboards per page). And as a result, once you commit a storyboard frame, major changes may be difficult to make depending on the tool you use. This is why Microsoft Word isn’t the best tool for storyboarding. Storyboards Must Have All of The Elements. A storyboard consists of frames that incorporate a number of basic elements to properly define a draft mockup. According to Amit Soni, a storyboard should include screen title, graphics, navigation, text, audio script, and review comments [4]. In addition to that, there may be some other elements that could be useful including the storyboard frame’s purpose, specific references to workbook or handout material, completeness (is the frame considered done?), and even a unique code (not a page number) to specifically reference the storyboard frame [2]. Here’s an example storyboard frame that I use: You may need to consider specifying the source since there may be times when the final eLearning material is recorded from another tool. An example is switching from PowerPoint slides to a funny chalk recording performed with PowerPoint. Also, audio may augment voice with sound effects, too. Making The Storyboard Reusable  You’ll probably find that storyboards contain information that can be reused. Designing something once that can repurposed for other uses is a very powerful concept. In my case, a storyboard for a future gamification product includes an overview of the game. If designed correctly, it should apply to a product overview and into a customer survey, too. The benefit is that you save time and your design is consistent. For that reason, my storyboard template specifies the screen dimensions (4:3 and 16:10) as well as checkboxes for other uses (marketing, support, and so on). Recommended Tools You don’t have to spend a ton of money to purchase storyboarding tools. There are two apps that I really like: Microsoft PowerPoint and the Omni Group’s OmniOutliner Pro [2]. Both of these outstanding apps satisfy my must have and nice to have requirements and both allow PDF exports for reviewers to use. Better, yet, share your storyboard files in the cloud (Dropbox, OmniPresence, or OneDrive) and your reviewers can markup the storyboard directly. I’m now a storyboard believer! References Brigham, Daniel. Instructional Design Essentials: Storyboarding. Lynda.com. Whitaker, Ken. Storyboard templates. Leading Software Maniacs. Nodder, Chris. Evil By Design: Interaction Design To Lead Us Into Temptation. Indianapolis: J. Wiley & Sons. 2013. Soni, Amit. Rapid Storyboard Development: How To Create eLearning Storyboards In No Time.  eLearningIndustry.com. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

What Tech-Savvy Instructional Designers Do On A Regular Basis  "Tech-savvy" doesn’t mean spending thousands of dollars on impressive gadgets. It means knowing how to use technology for improving business processes. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers use technology to create efficient and effective eLearning courses that make a positive difference in people’s lives, whether these people are employees or any kind of learners who want to explore new worlds by developing new skills. How do they do that? It’s simple: By keeping up with the constant changes in today’s technology, tech-savvy Instructional Designers become flexible and able to expand their strategies and they constantly offer new ways to do things. They are also able to justify their approach and tech choices cost-wise, which is crucial. In this article, I'll share 7 things tech-savvy Instructional Designers do on a regular basis so that you will be able to understand what habits promote tech savviness, effectiveness, a clearer vision, and improved ability of delivering value to your clients and your audience. They are involved in all Instructional Design related areas. First and foremost, tech-savvy Instructional Designers understand and are concerned with every aspect in the  fields of educational psychology, educational technology, project management, etc. They don’t just focus on Instructional Design, forgetting everything else. On the contrary, they try to learn not only how eLearning authoring tools and learning management systems work, but also how to break things down in order to achieve knowledge transfer, how to create effective design within constraints (available technology, budget, time, etc.), how to effectively communicate with their team members and Subject Matter Experts, and how to create eLearning experiences that are applicable to their learners’ real lives, whether personal or professional. They are obsessed with learning everything. This is a goal which is of course impossible, because no one can know everything, but tech-savvy Instructional Designers would die trying. These guys have a true passion for learning, and this is why they are the best in their field; they are genuinely interested in connecting with their audience and providing them with better, easier, and more exciting ways to learn. They are able to put themselves in their audience’s shoes and are really committed to create the best possible eLearning courses, simply because they absolutely love to learn new things. They always ask questions. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers join online communities of other tech experts and constantly share their thoughts and offer their insight when needed. Most importantly, they are not afraid to ask questions. In fact, they are eager to admit they don’t know everything. They don’t behave like know-it-all experts; rather they think and act like sponges, soaking up all kinds of information in order to process and absorb the useful pieces later. They know that learning is an ongoing process and that questions are one of the greatest tools to enhance it. They are constantly testing and researching. How else can you know what works and what doesn’t if not by thoroughly testing new software and eLearning trends? Tech-savvy Instructional Designers research, buy, and try tech products all the time. They are not lazy; they never stop analyzing new information and ideas to see what’s working best for their audience. A new idea is great, but without being tested and put into effect, it is useless. They attend eLearning conferences. In other words, they are interested in what their colleagues are saying. If they are not able to attend regularly, they try not to lose online eLearning conferences in order stay in touch with their colleagues from around the world. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are always present, whether offline or online: They visit conferences when they have the chance, ideally more than twice a year, and they are constantly learning from their global colleagues via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. They are open to the perspectives of others. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are interested in expanding their own knowledge base and their personal perspective, so they keep their eyes and ears open. They constantly communicate with their colleagues, they work closely with other members of their eLearning team, and they carefully listen to Subject Matter Experts, no matter how challenging their collaboration might be. They know that innovative instructional strategies come from brainstorming, so they try to make their brainstorming process as rich as possible by asking, listening actively, and being open to new and different viewpoints. They know how to do business. Tech-savvy Instructional Designers are not only technologically competent; they are also business savvy. They have a clear strategy and vision, they know their industry, they focus on reducing time and costs without sacrificing quality, they pay attention to marketing, and they understand their products’ life cycle, business-wise. All in all, they understand that technical and business skills are equally important to achieve their goals. Now that you know what tech-savvy Instructional Designers do on a regular basis, you may be wondering what else it takes to be a top notch Instructional Designer. This might come as a surprise, but have you got an Instructional Design portfolio? Read the article 7 Reasons You Need An Instructional Design Portfolio and find out why having an Instructional Design portfolio is an invaluable asset. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Free Webinar: 5 Incredible Strategies to Get Started with Mobile Learning Mobile devices have taken the center stage in most of our lives. Today, people find it acceptable to miss their wallet at home but not their mobile phones. So, wouldn’t it be appropriate and sensible to consider this device for the purpose of knowledge transfer? Therefore, it is no surprise that mobile learning has now become the most talked-about subject in learning and training conferences. If you are responsible for training in your organization and are keen to learn how you can benefit from the reach and permeability of mobile learning, then here is a webinar for you. Mobile Learning 101: The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Started, a four session webinar series, is power-packed with knowledge and information which is designed to clear your doubts and place you on a firm ground about mLearning. This webinar series is spread over 4 sessions and answers: How mobile learning is different from eLearning How mobile eLearning solutions can be used along with existing training programs What are the learning design strategies for the best mobile eLearning solutions What are the strategic, technological and infrastructure aspects that need to be considered before foraying into mobile learning Click here to register for the webinar! This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

E-Learning Awards 2015... Have you got what it takes to win in 2015? We were phenomenally busy here at Awards HQ on 31 July where the number of submissions broke all records!  A huge thanks to everyone who got their submissions in. Submissions came in from across the globe from organisations involved with healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, transport, utilities, retail, leisure, and communications, as well as government departments and major public bodies. Our judges will be busy reviewing entries throughout August and we'll announce the shortlist live on Twitter on 7 September. Make sure you're following @elearningawards to be the first to hear who has made it through to the second round. E-Learning Awards 2015 Categories best e-learning project - not for profit sector best e-learning project - public sector best e-learning project - private sector excellence in the production of learning content - not for profit sector excellence in the production of learning content - private sector best use of mobile learning best use of social and collaborative learning technologies best use of e-learning to ensure compliance with external regulations or internal policies most innovative new learning product best learning game best simulation or virtual environment best online distance learning programme best use of blended learning best learning management system implementation e-learning designer of the year e-learning team of the year e-learning development company of the year learning technologies outstanding contribution award e.learning age outstanding learning organisation award E-Learning Awards 2015 gala evening will be held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London, UK on 25 November.   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

How To Cut Online Student Drop Out Rates  Online student drop out rates keep plenty of us up at night. It’s an ongoing challenge to keep learners interested, on track, and motivated to complete their courses. And there are many strategic ways to do that. For example, you can: Create more engaging course material. Make eLearning more relevant. Appeal to different learning styles. Incorporate learner-friendly Instructional Design. Each of these approaches can certainly make a difference. Many can actively reduce your online student drop out rates - over the long term. But these strategies take time, and access to competitive resources. It can be a struggle to get organizational support to give your course the revamp it may desperately need. And in the meantime, those drop out rates show no sign of slowing down. So here’s something you can do right now. You can encourage your students to contact you directly for help. It sounds so simple, but are you actually doing it? Or do you assume that students with problems will automatically reach out? I’ve found that often they won’t. Many of them do need help. But they may hesitate to ask for it, because: They don’t want to bother you. They don’t think they’re "allowed" to ask questions. They think eLearning is a solo journey, and they’d better soldier on alone. They feel that asking for help is an admission of weakness. They don’t want to look stupid. They think they "should" be able to work it out on their own. These are the kinds of students who suffer in silence. They need your help - urgently. But they don’t know it’s there for the asking. Before long, these students will decide that eLearning is "too hard" ,or "not for me". So what they do next is no surprise. They feel overwhelmed, alone... And they drop out. So for many students, knowing that help is available is a game changer. By encouraging questions, you open the door to communication. You make it possible for them to ask for help. But won’t this lead to an avalanche of student email? I worried about this initially, too. The last thing I need is 100 more daily emails. But I’ve found that being more approachable hasn’t led to a noticeably bigger workload. The students who already email you four times a day with questions will do that anyway. They tend to be either high achieving (or overly anxious) and they don’t need an invitation to contact you. But what about the adult learner sitting alone with her computer at 11.30pm after a long day at work? She’s hit a road block with Assignment 2. It’s due next week, and she’s completely stuck. She feels frustrated and panicky, and from here, she’s likely to either: Give up, stop engaging with the course and eventually drop out, or Remember your welcome email where you directly invited her to, "Just ask if you have any questions". She sends you an email, your reply solves her problem, and she gets back on track with her work the next evening. She feels reassured and supported. She takes another step towards the course finish line. And that student-saving email took you about 30 seconds to write. I’ve found that moving students past road blocks towards the end of the course hasn’t added significantly to my workload. But any kind of time investment takes some serious justification, I know. We already have more than enough to do. To my mind, though, this approach to student support is easy to justify. And here’s why. When you encourage contact, you create happier students who feel they’re being heard and helped, rather than abandoned and ignored. The finish line comes back into focus for them, and that results in lower drop out rates for you. So try asking learners to contact you with their questions. Add a simple sentence about your availability to student emails, announcements and any other high traffic areas of your Learning Management System. When at-risk learners know there’s a safety net in place, they have more options than to drop out. You can help make sure they know that. How do you encourage students to stay in your courses? This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The International Conference on 21st Century Education 2015 (IC21CE 2015) theme is "Applied Learning: Preparing 21st Century Citizens for Work and Life " The primary aim of IC21CE 2015 is to encourage participants representing an exciting diversity of countries, cultures, and religions to meet and exchange ideas, practices and views in a forum encouraging respectful dialogue. Participants are encouraged to present his/her research (multiple submissions welcome) or just attend to learn from the diverse group of global researchers and experts assembled in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. IC21CE 2015 Keynote Speakers Dr. Abdullatif M. AlShamsi, Vice Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE Dr. AlShamsi received his Ph.D. from Duke University, USA in 1997 and received his Master and Bachelor degree from Boston University. Previously, Dr. AlShamsi was the Managing Director of the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) for seven years, where he established Applied Technology High Schools, Fatima College for Health Sciences, and Abu Dhabi Polytechnic. Dr. AlShamsi has more than thirty five research publications in world-class scientific journals and international conferences. His latest publications are a series of books published in Arabic titled: The Making of Education. In March 2015 Dr. AlShamsi was appointed Vice Chancellor of the System of Higher Colleges of Technology. Dr. Edynn Sato, Principal Research Scientist, Pearson's Research & Innovation Network Dr. Sato works pan-Pearson, focusing her research and innovation efforts on addressing issues affecting the learning and achievement of English language learners and students with disabilities in our U.S. schools as well as internationally. Her expertise and experience includes providing research-supported technical assistance to educators in areas related to the implementation of standards and assessment, as well as accountability and systems of support for diverse learners. Prior to joining Pearson, Dr. Sato worked in various academic, nonprofit, small for-profit, Fortune 500, and Internet-based organizations. The International Conference on 21st Century Education 2015 (IC21CE 2015) will be held in Dubai on November 13-15, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

LMS And Blended Learning  Contrary to popular belief, new technologies seldom replace older ones. The radio wasn’t replaced by cinema. Cinema wasn't replaced by the TV. The TV wasn't replaced by YouTube. All of these technologies still exist, and have even picked up a few new tricks and capabilities on the way. The same goes for old school (pun intended) classroom based learning. eLearning isn’t meant to replace it, but to cover those cases where traditional schooling wasn't convenient, cost effective, or even plain possible. It's also meant to work alongside traditional learning and augment its capabilities. This latter scenario is what's usually called "blended learning" or "instructor led training" (ILT), and it's something that modern LMS platforms increasingly offer support for. In this article we'll have a look at how TalentLMS, the popular cloud based eLearning solution, facilitates blended learning. Blended What?  As you've probably already guessed, the "blended learning" moniker comes from the fact that we mix (or "blend") traditional classroom based training and online learning. There are, of course, several ways we can go about this, which gives us quite a lot of flexibility on whether we prioritize the physical or the online element and in what ways. It all depends on our needs and constrains. At the most basic level we either incorporate eLearning into a traditional classroom based setting, or we incorporate real time lectures and labs (which can also be done through teleconference) in an eLearning setting. TalentLMS can handle both cases with aplomb, as it offers strong support for several typical blended learning scenarios. Blending With TalentLMS  The way TalentLMS models blended learning is through instructor-led training "Units" (think of them as lessons), that may contain one or more "Sessions". The latter are lectures that take place in real-time, either in the physical world (classroom based) or online (webinar based). An instructor can create a new ILT unit from the Courses page, by selecting "Instructor Led Training" from the dropdown and clicking on the "Add" button. After giving the new Unit a name, they can proceed to add Sessions to it. A session is defined by its start date, type ("classroom" or "webinar") and duration, and in the case of classroom based sessions, its location and capacity (the maximum number of students it can accommodate). Students are shown information about upcoming ILT sessions on their TalentLMS homepage, and have the option to register to any session that interests them (as long it hasn't reached its total capacity). When the time for a webinar style session arrives, logged on students can attend it by clicking the "Join webinar" link on their TalentLMS homepage. A blended learning unit is considered completed when the instructor changes the learner’s status from "pending" to "passed" or "not passed" and (optionally) defines a grade. And that's basically it. By keeping it simple and intuitive TalentLMS makes blended learning a breeze to use alongside regular online learning material and lets instructors add, edit, manage and monitor instructor-led sessions the same way as they would conventional eLearning classes. Blending A Conclusion  In this post we explained the concept of blended learning and had a look at how TalentLMS helps instructors implement it as part of their eLearning offering. The approach TalentLMS takes to blended learning is to make it as transparent as possible to the instructor, allowing them to treat ILT sessions like their already familiar online courses and lessons. Thanks to this design, ILT based sessions are able to access all the same TalentLMS features eLearning sessions can, from its organizational and monetization options, to its powerful reporting engine. If you have a need to combine online lessons with classroom or webinar based real-time sessions, in one integrated, easy to use package, TalentLMS might just be the ticket for you. Watch more about TalentLMS’ intuitive ILT options in this short video. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

How To Become An eLearning Professional In this article, I'll share the best eLearning career tips I've collected from our Free eBook: How To Become An eLearning Professional which is filled with the knowledge, wisdom, and experience of 23 carefully selected eLearning professionals. These top-notch eLearning professionals create a highly influential eLearning team of experts and they are here to share their invaluable know-how on how to become an eLearning professional. Ready? Get comfortable and read on. Go to eLearning conferences. "The eLearning Guild’s DevLearn and ASTD’s TechKnowledge are two good ones. Going to eLearning conferences really does make a difference to connect face to face with other people who are in the trenches, doing what you’re doing. Also, try new approaches and see what works. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This is exactly how we learn!" By Cammy Bean  Start with an established company. "To really learn the craft, I always advise starting with an established company who can locate you alongside experienced people, who will be able to mentor and guide your training and personal development. Experience counts for a lot, so get this while working alongside a good team. How to use a particular tool is less important, as modern tools are quick to learn. The key to success is to appreciate how people learn, understand the thought process that goes into instructional design, what works well, and a range of different ways of achieving goals." By Tim Buff  Gain empathy from both creators and users. "First, observe and interview high-performing, typical, and low-performing members of your target audience separately. Then, interview people that use the product or service your audience creates in their typical performance context. Understanding both perspectives will help you design for actual needs." By Brandon Carson  Tune in to professional groups. "I advise people interested in joining the profession to start by tuning in to professional groups, such as those available on LinkedIn.  Once you join the group, you get advice about tools and techniques, best practices, methodologies, and adult learning." By David B. Demyan  Learn, apply, and improve. "Make it a priority to learn new technologies, theories, and processes for creating effective eLearning. Then, be sure to use the technologies, processes, and theories you have learned. And finally, to remain creative and competitive, it is crucial that you change, adapt, and grow as an eLearning professional. Hold yourself to high standards! Learn from your mistakes! Improve on your success!" By Joel Gardner, PhD  Focus on one discipline. "If you choose to focus on one discipline, you will be able to advance your skills to the point of being recognized as a "pro" in that discipline." By Parker A. Grant  Be a learner yourself and keep learning. "There’s always something new to discover that will not only help you think from a learner’s perspective, but will also boost your skills. Look for new books, blogs, websites, magazines and journals." By Matthew Guyan  Use communication strategically. "Strategic communication is the surest route to becoming an eLearning Pro. I use strategic communication to establish rapport with my learners, build them confidence, keep them focused, and always ask them for feedback. This is a clever approach to communication; it proves to your students and colleagues that you’re an eLearning pro." By Liz Hardy, PhD  Know how to market yourself. "Apart from education, skills, and experience, you need to have the ability to market yourself. What is your niche? How are you branding yourself? Social media provides an avenue to be an eLearning professional on an international level. Communicate effectively the benefits and qualities of your courses and programs; describing the significance of your program and your development expertise will ensure that you gain the recognition and support of your colleagues and intended audience. Think about the importance of your course and communicate the value to your team, your network, and the world!" By Anita S. Horsley, M.Ed. Learn how to write. "The most engaging eLearning relies on the message it contains. Even the best learning technology cannot mask poor grammar. As the Greek sage Epictetus once said, "If you wish to be a writer, write". I charge each of you that as learning professionals it is vital that we write well." By Ken Hubbell  Expose yourself to all aspects of the planning, development, and delivery process. "This way, you will understand the challenges associated with each phase and you’ll learn how to support a team of developers who each have a different area of expertise to create engaging eLearning courses that deliver on their learning objectives. Finally, you’ll want to expose yourself to as many eLearning courses as you can. Explore different designs and creative approaches used in various authoring environments." By Ruth Kustoff  Help others learn by sharing your excellent finds and documenting your experiences in the public sphere. "But don’t fully rely on the virtual world; get out there and meet people in person. Network at local meet ups, get involved with a professional association, and attend a conference if you have the funds. Perhaps you can volunteer in exchange for the cost of attendance. Even if you work alone, there’s no excuse for remaining isolated. Today there is an endless stream of knowledge broadcast every moment. Jump in!" By Connie Malamed  Practice your "elevator speech". "An elevator speech is what you do and why it’s important, summed up in 2 minutes or less. Consider versions for different audiences (your learners, your boss, perspective clients, etc.) and tailor your pitches for each type. Practice your pitch on friends to check for understanding. No matter how amazing your portfolio is, you must be able to promote it to the person you’re in front of." By Jessica Martello  Don't forget quality. "Learners will not be happy trying to read text that is too small or watching poor quality videos. Do everything you can to maximize the technical quality of your product. A do-it-yourself video, for example, is not usually a good idea. Consult with the professionals." By Don McIntosh  Provide a chance for learners to practice applying the required skills and get feedback. "Skills are difficult to master by reading eLearning materials alone. Our community really needs to do everything possible to make sure practice applying the concepts is provided as part of eLearning." By Dale E. Olsen Create a solid partnership based on open communications and trust with your clients. "Keep up with the business, understand what success looks like to them, and focus on providing solutions that meet their needs. This way you will find opportunities that are fun to develop, and effective to deliver too!" By William J. Ryan, PhD  Understand the digital shebang (the yin) and learn Instructional Design theory (the yang). "First, learn about social media, games, authoring tools, big data, and new stuff as it emerges. (Caveat: This is all about balance, so reach no conclusions until you’ve read through to the end.) Second, Instructional Design theory is an academic field with a long history and lots of applied brain cells; there is great stuff to learn there. Don’t skip this step and don’t be seduced by authoring technologies and focus on development alone." By Arturo Schwartzberg  Use conversational dialogue. "I’m not sure anyone actually uses business lingo. If and when they do, it sounds trite, pretentious, and confusing. Using a conversational tone in narration can ensure comprehension, while it also feels more real." By Diane Senffner, M.Ed.  Share. "Contribute your time and expertise to individuals or groups to explore ideas, give help, and provide service, or act as an advisor. Even if you think you’re a novice to someone new to the field, you can have a lot to offer." By Christopher J. Stape  Get your hands dirty. "Tinker with authoring tools, play with multimedia, and participate on social platforms. Experiment with all the software you can get your hands on, to find out what it can and cannot do. Familiarize yourself with its nuances, and critically reflect on how you might use it for learning purposes." By Ryan Tracey  Work closely with Subject Matter Experts. "They will help you create meaningful content, which means useful to the learners. Do you know what’s their motivation? Is it to improve their performance in order to earn bonuses? Is it the opportunity to get promoted? No matter what the motivation is, the important thing is that they want to cover a specific gap. Does your solution cover this gap?" By Rosalie Ledda Valdez  Have passion and perseverance. "Perseverance will help you continue pushing yourself to the limit. Passion can allow you to come up with genuinely creative learning experiences. Perseverance will allow you to always offer a fresh solution to problems. Passion will help you stay focused on your goals. Perseverance is all you need to find your own voice. So, create eLearning with passion and persist until you find how you can contribute to this field in a unique way. You will be surprised by what you can accomplish." By Mayra Aixa Villar  Prepare. "I keep a digital "scrapbook" of look-and-feel, activity, and story-telling ideas. I’ve always kept screen shots and written notes, but I’ve begun to use Pinterest as well. Building samples is also a great use of bits of down time. Being able to draw from these resources saves me a ton of time in designing and development." By Mary E. Vivit  Have you ever met a top-notch eLearning professional? Have you ever wondered what makes them exceptional? Read the article The Habits That Separate Top-Notch eLearning Professionals From The Rest and learn the 10 habits that separate truly great eLearning professionals from the mediocre ones in order for you to understand what it takes to stand out from the crowd in the eLearning industry. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

  Free Webinar: Transform SumTotal LMS Into Gamified And Brand-Led Learning Portal Do you want your SumTotal LMS go beyond its traditional role of serving up content, tracking results, and reporting on completion? Do you want to enhance your SumTotal LMS with things like gamification, user experience, social collaboration, branding, advanced analytics and personalized learning? Maybe it's time to transform your SumTotal LMS into a true learning portal. Join this 30 minute free webinar to discover how SumTotal learning portal is a gateway to new era of learning   This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Benefits Of Leadership Training  The good news is that leaders can be created through effective leadership training. At PulseLearning we develop custom eLearning leadership training to cover the emotional, practical, and theoretical aspects of great leadership. Here we explore six of the big benefits that leadership training can offer your organization. Increase productivity. The right, consistent leadership can increase the productivity of your people. At its primal level, leadership is about understanding your people emotionally. In his book The New Leaders, Daniel Goleman states that emotional intelligence is critical to the success of a leader. Emotional intelligence involves being smart about emotions and using empathy effectively to empower and engage employees. Leadership training that encompasses emotional intelligence can hone these emotional skills in your people managers and leaders. Retain your people. 75% of people voluntarily leaving jobs don’t quit their jobs, they quit their bosses! That’s right, employees leave ineffective leaders. By investing in leadership training, you can retain your people and reduce costly recruitment expenses. Nurture future leaders. You need to be strategic about developing and nurturing future leaders. Without strategy, leadership roles are often given to the most forward candidates with dominant personalities. Quality leadership is a combination of the right qualities and the right training. Identify those who have what it takes and provide them with targeted leadership training. Nurturing future leaders supports succession planning and offers career pathways to employees, further increasing retention. Increase employee engagement. We all like to know how we are progressing in our roles, receiving praise when it is well-earned and constructive feedback as necessary. In fact, 43% of highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once a week compared to only 18% of those with low engagement. Giving feedback is a skill of successful leaders. Through leadership training, you can teach effective ways to give feedback to motivate and increase the skill level of your people. Implement an effective leadership style. Leadership training can assist in implementing the most appropriate leadership style for your organization and the work you do. There are several leadership styles, all with their own advantages and disadvantages. Leadership training can also help individual leaders develop their own personal leadership style that their team members will best respond to. Make better decisions. Last, but absolutely not least: Leadership training can result in better decision-making. How? Because leaders functioning at a high level of emotional intelligence have the perspective to make informed, intelligent business decisions. For that reason alone, you can consider your leadership training investment returned. References: Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report Towers Watson Global TMR Survey NA 2012 PDF This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

8 Ways Social Media Usage Can Inform eLearning  Spare a few minutes? What’s the one thing we all now do -rather instinctively- when we have the odd couple of minutes to spare here and there? We get our phones out and frantically scroll through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Flipboard, Tumblr, Flickr, Super, Pinterest, Vine, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn… You get the picture, social media sites have become the "go to" place to kill time, and catch up on all the amazing (and more frequently less amazing) things all the people you’re connected with are doing, going, wearing, loving, hating, and even eating (let’s face it, who begins a meal without taking a quick picture of it for their Instagram account anymore?). Think we’re kidding? We overheard a conversation the other day where someone was so upset they’d eaten what they proclaimed to be "one of the best meals in their life" - and forgot to Instagram it first. Inexcusable. But what can we learn from these sites, and what habits are they teaching us - good and bad? We decided to break it down, and detail what we like about each one for both personal and business usage. Given that all these sites tap into our lives and as people, we’ve been wondering if the answer to the issue surrounding eLearning and driving engagement could be found in the way we use these sites. If the "have to do" training is structured in the same way as the "want to do" status updates or "want to watch" YouTube tutorials, it would be a logical assumption that we’d be as happy to complete an online course as we would tweeting. Micro Learning. Think learning, but little. Reddit is a great example of this. With 169 million unique visitors per month and well over 800,000 subreddits, there’s lots to read about - ever been on the ‘TIL’ subreddit? You can learn a whole wealth of great (albeit sometimes a little pointless) facts - click here to check it out. YouTube is also a great way of learning something new quickly - 60 hours of video are uploaded every minute, and over 4 billion videos are viewed a day*. Our searches range from DIY projects, craft projects, pet care, exercise routines, to cooking tips. On Demand.  The internet: No closing time, no sick days, no holiday requests. It’s live and active 24/7, all 365 days a year. You can tweet, post a status update, add an Instagram picture, and access a whole wealth of knowledge anywhere, anytime. Just like eLearning. eLearning is quite literally learning without barriers. You choose what to learn and when -no travelling, no days out of the classroom or office- and with the flick app, no internet connection is even needed to complete your training. Apply this same logic to eLearning. Reading topics should be small and snappy - so we learn what we need to know and don’t get bombarded with information. Customizable… And Relevant. Let’s use Instagram as our example this time; users are able to tailor their experience to their interests by managing who they follow. By subscribing to the topics they’re most interested in, they limit the information that filters to their feed. This ensures that each user gets the see the posts most relevant to them and allows them to skip over the stuff they don’t want (also apply this logic to Reddit, Facebook groups, Tumblr posts, and YouTube channels). Now consider this in eLearning -completing the need-to-do training as-and-when required and only complete the bits that are relevant to you and your job role. Let’s be honest, no one wants to learn about fire safety specific to fire wardens unless they’re a fire warden. And what you’re learning should be in line with correct and current law and legislation; there’s no point learning something that was produced and last updated in 1853… Ok, so that’s a little dramatic, but you get the point. Security… And Stalking. With all social media, you can keep your settings private and your account on lock down if you want. Only your friends, approved followers, or first connections will be able to see what you’re doing, saying and even what you look like. Keeping your private life, well, private. The flip side of this is when your profiles are open and public. People will be able to see all your social activity when partaking in a little Facebook stalking (be warned). Much like eLearning, the only person able to see your progress or course completions will be your group administrator (if you are the administrator - happy tracking and enjoy those status reports). If you like to keep things social however, and don’t mind being found; things like top achievers rankings will be right up your alley! Searchable. If it ain’t easy to find, I ain’t reading it. Ok, maybe a bit harsh, but with a whole heap of search methods -hashtags, subreddits, and tags to name a few- it’s so easy to find exactly what you want on each social media platform to ensure you only see or find what is relevant to you. This should be the same when it comes to learning online. Finding what you want to learn should be as easy as finding the #tbt posts on Instagram. Interests. Pinterest boards, YouTube channels, blogs, and even groups on Facebook - we only join the ones we’re interested in (why would I follow a trout fishing group on Facebook if I have ichthyophobia?). Social media offers us a range of ways to stay current with our interests and hobbies; Pinterest is the best example for this, many a time have I been lost for hours pinning new ideas and projects to my various boards in the hope that one day I’ll make that DIY outdoor fire pit (?) - no, seriously. eLearning works the same: You can learn anything, and I do mean anything, you want online. With hundreds of different topics to choose from and lots of suppliers out there we challenge you not to find what you’re looking for. Limitless. Let’s thank Facebook for this example; it’s basically a free Dropbox, which means unlimited storage, uploads, and shares. You can add photos, videos, audio… pretty much anything to the site and share it amongst your friends - and rest safe in the knowledge that all this data is being stored somewhere else, not taking up memory on your device or PC. eLearning is much the same, there’s no downloading and storing software, everything’s accessed online, so you don’t need any spare memory on your computer or device to access it! And Lastly, Self Destructing. Who wants a course or certificate that self destructs… Well, no-one? But let’s consider linking this to the play element of learning. As consumers, we don’t have to take ourselves too seriously; allow some play and people will choose to engage. Enter Snapchat - great for sharing hilarious photos and videos that are basically "James Bond" destroyed after one or two views, so your viewers or followers can’t keep them. Who doesn’t love feeling like an exclusive spy?! Genius. Mirroring social media in eLearning will undoubtedly encourage usage.  Keeping a system in line with apps, websites, and forums we use every day out of choice can only create a positive effect in the way we choose to learn. Most social media are made with mobiles in mind. They are built around people using them on their phones and that’s where the majority of people use them. Let’s take Instagram as an example; you can't even post from the web, only the app. It knows where people are and takes their app to them. In 2000, just half of UK adults said that they had a mobile phone - that figure now stands at 93%*. The demand for new features is always around; let’s face it, people anticipate frequent updates... All of us using iOS are still impatiently waiting for the Spock hand emoji! There is always a need to be something new in the pipeline. Playing from habits we can shift our focus from spending those spare few minutes finding out what Lucy, Mike, and Louisa had for dinner to choosing to complete a quick topic on data protection, health and safety, equality and diversity, or anything in fact. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear from you - comment below, or tweet us @flicklearning and share your ideas. Here’s to keeping learning social! References: 35 Mind Numbing YouTube Facts, Figures and Statistics - Infographic http://www.mobilemastinfo.com/stats-and-facts/ This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

The Top 7 Video Conferencing Pricing Models Even though we may live in a tech-savvy world where instant messaging seems to be more common than face-to-face communication, there are times when text chats just won't suffice. Video conferencing tools are perfect for just such an occasion, giving eLearning teams the power to stay connected and online learners the chance to interact with their peers. Below you'll find a video conferencing guide that can help you choose the ideal cloud-based (hosted), installed software, or videoconferencing room for your eLearning needs, regardless of your budget. Annual Licensing Fee (Video Conferencing Room). This first option is an enterprise grade video conferencing solution. It requires a yearly fee that covers the licensing for one "room" and a certain number of users. For example, the provider may charge $500 annually for the use of one room and up to 25 users. You can typically add on additional rooms and users, depending on your Video Conferencing needs and audience size. Some even offer reduced pricing for smaller rooms that include fewer features. A "room" or "virtual space" can boast a variety of different perks, ranging from big flat screens to HD video cameras to record the conference. This is often the most expensive option, as it involves the "wow" presentation factor. However, larger corporations with larger budgets may opt for this pricing model if they carry out video conferences on regular basis, such as to hold meetings with remote teams or clients. Monitor Codec (Installed Software). This is a miniature version of the enterprise grade conference room. Essentially, the user’s computer screen also serves as VC system whenever they hold a virtual meeting. When they have an incoming video call, the system automatically notifies them and instantly switches the screen to video conferencing mode, then back to the normal display when the meeting has concluded.  It can be quite costly, however. Some monitor code solutions can set you back thousands of dollars, and that’s not including the annual upgrade and maintenance fees. It does offer a professional presentation and is convenient to use though, which makes it a good choice for mid-sized companies who don’t have the budget for grand-scale virtual meeting rooms. Licensing Fee (Installed Software). Organizations who don’t necessarily need a video conferencing suite or monitor codec have another, more affordable, VC tool at their disposal. The licensing fee pricing model involves an annual or perpetual fee that gives the user access to the conferencing software. They simply download it onto the computer, hook up their webcam and microphone, and then start holding virtual meetings. You can even hold conferences on your smartphone or tablet, in some cases, as long as you have an internet connection. This is a great option for mobile sales teams or remote workers who need to be able to chat with clients or co-workers anytime, anywhere. Before you sign up for a year-long subscription, make certain that there are no hidden fees or maintenance costs to consider. Monthly Subscription (Hosted). This Video Conferencing pricing model is hosted or cloud-based, which means that there are no software downloads necessary.  The user simply logs into the platform using their ID or username and password, then makes a video call. The monthly fee usually includes the basics, and other services come at an additional cost. Also, the subscription is typically for one "host". For example, the provider may charge $25 per host per month, and hosting a webinar that involves multiple users would involve an additional fee. Pay per participant (Hosted). The pay per user Video Conferencing pricing model is a cloud-based alternative that is based on the number of participants who attend the video conference. For instance, the provider might charge $15 per month per user, for up to 100 participants. Regardless of how many people attend the video conference, as long as you stay under the cap you won’t have to pay an additional fee. It’s all covered under your subscription. Also, thanks to the fact that it is hosted online, you can access the chat anywhere, provided you have a smartphone or tablet with an internet connection. Pay per minute (Hosted). The pay per minute cloud-based Video Conferencing pricing model is typically for audio or teleconferencing only, and the video component is not included. For example, you may have to pay 3 cents per minute per line, and an additional fee for operator assistance or to upgrade it to a web conference. Free Video Conferencing Tools. If all of these Video Conferencing pricing models aren’t within your eLearning project budget or you would prefer a more basic platform, a free video conferencing tool may be the ideal solution. These tools are ideally suited for smaller organizations looking for a one-on-one solution, or a platform that accommodates fewer participants. It does, however, lack many of the features that the other VC pricing models offer, but you are usually able to upgrade to a paid subscription in order to get more functionality. If you’d like to learn more about free video conferencing tools, read the article Top 10 Free GoToMeeting Alternatives to discover the top free GoToMeeting alternatives that you may want to consider. Before you make your final decision, consider researching the tool's features and services, and ask for a free trial or demo. This can help you find the best video conferencing tool for your future eLearning endeavors. Once you have chosen your video conferencing tool, consider reading the article Top 7 Tips To Be A Successful Webinar Host to find out how to be a successful webinar host so that you can be sure that you feel relaxed and highly professional while you deliver a flawless, entertaining, and stimulating webinar. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Identifying The Difference Between Knowledge And Skills  Knowledge is information acquired through sensory input: Reading, watching, listening, touching, etc. The concept of knowledge refers to familiarity with factual information and theoretical concepts. Knowledge can be transferred from one person to another or it can be self acquired through observation and study. Skills, however, refer to the ability to apply knowledge to specific situations. Skills are developed through practice, through a combination of sensory input and output. As an example, social skills are developed through interaction with people by observing, listening, and speaking with them. Trial and error is probably the best way to achieve skills mastery. To make it simple, knowledge is theoretical and skills are practical. You can know all the rules of a sport, know all the teams and all players, know all the statistics, but this only makes you knowledgeable about this sport; it does not make you any good at it. To become good at a sport you must play it, practice its techniques, and improve your skills through experience. You don’t need to know all the teams or all the players to practice a sport and you can easily learn the rules as you play, through trial and error. The same applies to a job: One can know a lot about a subject matter, but might not have the skills required to apply that knowledge to specific tasks, since knowledge does not provide skills. However, developing skills normally provides some knowledge, as practicing those skills results in sensory inputs. As an example, an aerospace engineer may know a lot about avionics and flight theory, but this alone does not make him an aircraft pilot. On the other end, an aircraft pilot only requires a minimal level of knowledge about avionics and flight theory in order to be able to fly the plane, and this knowledge will continue to increase as he gains experience flying a simulator or an actual plane. Developing Skills  Therefore, if you want to better prepare individuals to meet a desired performance, they don’t need more lectures. What they need is more practice. The production of more presentations and more page turners will only make people more knowledgeable; it will not provide them with skills to better do their job. Seems logical, no? Why then are so many learning professionals still addressing performance gaps with lectures, online presentations, or other theoretical content? In order for people to achieve a desired performance at a task they must be provided with opportunities to perform the actions required so they can improve their performance at this task until they master it. While a lot of what is actually called training is basically nothing more than information dump, no surprise that such training programs fail to deliver results. Training should be about activities, scenarios, and simulation. When training is about lectures, presentations, and quizzes we end up with individuals who know a lot of things but can’t do much with it. Of course skills can be developed more easily if one has prior knowledge of the task to be accomplished: Learning to fly a plane through trial and errors without having a slight idea about how planes fly may be quite risky, but theory should be limited to the minimum required to be able to perform the task. You cannot learn how to drive a car without knowing where the accelerator and brake pedals are. However, the best way to learn the effects of acceleration and brakes is not to read about it, but to actually experience it. Practice is the only way to develop skills: The more you do something, the better you get at doing it. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

ICETA 2015 is the 13th International Conference on Emerging eLearning Technologies and Applications ICETA 2015 Objevtives Multidisciplinary platform for information exchange in research and multimedia and hypermedia applications, in a complex computer support of learning and in new telecommunication services Exchange of best practice in utilisation of advanced ICT for education Information about eLearning activities in the international measure Advertisement of technologies supporting eStrategy Supporting a collaboration among users and suppliers of eLearning solutions ICETA 2015 Topics Global Issues in Education and Research Emerging Technologies in Education E-content Management and Development, tools and content - oriented application Cases and projects New Trends and Experiences and New Challenges for the Higher Education Area The 13th International Conference on Emerging eLearning Technologies and Applications (ICETA 2015) will be held in Slovakia on November 26 - 27, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

What Are The Advantages And Possible Limitations Of Online Learning Asking an eLearning professional to point out the possible limitations of online leaning is like asking Garry Kasparov to list the disadvantages of playing chess; how can you disparage a true passion of yours? However, if we need to be fair, there might be some potential limitations of online learning, when this has not been designed properly. In this article, I'll share a complete list of advantages, as well as what might go wrong with online learning in order to present a complete picture of the online learning experience. Top 7 Advantages Of Online Learning  It's convenient. This is obviously the greatest benefit of online learning; as long as you own a computer and have an internet connection, it doesn’t matter in which part of the world you are. Learners can access information from anywhere, anytime. Furthermore, distance is no longer a barrier to learning, whether academic or professional. Especially for corporate training, the ability to reach an unlimited number of employees quickly and regardless of their location has greatly benefited organizations all around the globe. It's flexible. It is simple, really; learning becomes easier when aligned with one’s learning needs and preferences. Online learning allows learners to study at their own pace, whether they are students, busy adults, or employees. Assignment due dates aside, your audience is given the freedom to personally build their own learning schedule and choose where and when to learn. Speaking of "where", mobile learning offers your audience the ability to keep up with their learning wherever they are, at home, on a bus, in the park, as long as they have a mobile device with them. It's cost effective. Especially regarding corporate training, the cost effectiveness of online learning is quite impressive; no more travel and accommodation expenses for trainers and employees, reusable online content, budget cuts on training materials. Especially if your company has an online training budget, online learning is the ideal training option for you. It can be tailored to different needs. Different people learn in different ways, and online learning does everything in its power to ensure that all learning needs are met. Instructional Designers and eLearning professionals create online courses that address almost all learning behaviors and accommodate all learning preferences. With online learning it doesn’t matter whether your learners are visual, acoustic, or kinesthetic; there is a very wide variety of learning methods and tools that can be used to support learning while meeting all needs. It's immediate. Not only learners are able to begin their online learning immediately, but they are also able to see immediate results; whether self-paced or instructor-led, online learning provides a variety of ways to offer constructive feedback to the audience. Furthermore, online learning allows for immediate access to additional online resources, which is always a bonus. It's unrestricted. With online learning location is no longer a barrier; neither are culture and nationality. Translating and customizing your online courses to address different cultures in various languages makes possible for your eLearning content to travel all around the world and reach the widest possible audience. This is particularly effective for your online training program, as you can use the same training material for your globally distributed workforce and ensure that all of your employees are aligned with your company’s brand, values, and vision. Immediate updates. Today’s online learning is better than yesterday’s; and online learning of tomorrow will be better than today’s. Multimedia, gamification, interactivity, constantly improved technology in general, provide a wide variety of applications and tools that not only update online learning, but also they make it more effective. The best part? You know that once you update your eLearning course, your audience will have immediate access to the updated version as soon as they click a mouse button. Top 5 Possible Limitations Of Online Learning If eLearning, however, is not based on solid instructional design theories and models it may lead to the following limitations: It may be a "solo" act. It is true that, although online learning might be convenient and flexible, it is also a solo act. It will not be easy for all of your learners to feel comfortable when participating in online discussions and engaging more actively with their online instructors or their virtual classmates. Furthermore, some people absolutely need personal contact with their educators or trainers in order to learn successfully. Constructive feedback can be very effective, but if not given properly or in time, it might also be limited. In addition, some types of learning problems may be difficult to be addressed online, and some questions can be lost in a sea of requests and inquiries. This sometimes makes learners feel they lack support and reassurance. It may be impersonal. No matter how hard we try to fully transfer human communication to online platforms, no matter how natural it seems to form relationships behind computer screens, a virtual environment is just not human. Nothing can replace human contact. Too much time spent in front of a computer screen may be harmful. Being constantly online is the new reality, but the truth is that using a computer or a tablet all the time can cause poor vision, strain injuries, and other physical problems. Consider sending guidelines about right sitting posture, desk height, etc. along with your eLearning course; it might be very useful to your audience. It requires self-discipline. If your eLearning audience lacks self-discipline, it is unlikely that they will be motivated to self study. Traditional learning and training have the benefit of easily tracking both progress and falling behind; this works for many learners as well, as some people prefer their progress to be closely monitored in order to perform. Possible lack of control. No matter how carefully you design your eLearning course, there is no guarantee that your messages will get across. You offer your learners control over their eLearning experience and this is great, but are they going to use it effectively? There is always the risk of your learners just going through the material without paying any attention. If your eLearning content is not built to make the most of the medium it will easily become disengaging. Furthermore, unless you know exactly what you’re doing with new technologies, it is very likely that you overwhelm or distract your audience. Creating effective online learning courses requires knowledge, time, experience, talent, commitment, great communication skills, and a true passion for learning. Have you got all that? If the answer is yes, then be sure that the advantages of your online training, outweigh its limitations. Now that you know all the advantages and possible limitations of online learning, you may be interested in learning the pros and cons of blended learning. Read the article Blended Learning Advantages And Disadvantages In Corporate Training to take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of blended training. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

How To Choose The Right eLearning Outsourcing Development Partner  "eLearning doesn’t just "happen"! It requires careful planning and implementation." - Anonymous According to the research report released by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., with a five year compound annual growth rate of approximately 9.2%, the global eLearning Market is expected to reach $107 billion by 2015. Many reports like this and several other studies have confirmed that eLearning is only going to grow. While traditional learning methods will stay, businesses of all types, right from schools to large corporations, are increasingly opting for online training. As developing eLearning in house is expensive, most organizations consider outsourcing as a viable option. A research by Bersin by Deloitte has found that that an online course development project could cost 20-40% less in India. India, with its large number of English speaking professionals and faster turnaround time, has become a preferred eLearning outsourcing destination. But, before you finalize your eLearning outsourcing partner, here are few things which you need to carefully evaluate: eLearning Background. Let’s be clear that eLearning development is not only a technology job. It is a highly skillful work which requires an understanding of not only the eLearning tools but also the business goals, the learning preferences, and needs of the learners. Only the trained professionals who have instructional experience can provide the real value. Unless eLearning development is their core business, your partner will not able to deliver the quality output to you. eLearning development requires the involvement of Instructional Designers, visual designers, learning experts, testing experts, Subject Matter Experts, and also authoring tools experts. Only a company which has been working in this domain for a considerable period can have such a cohesive team. Look for companies which are profitable and have been in business since long - that will actually be your insurance. I would go one step further and suggest that look for companies wherein the founders or key team members have a solid eLearning background. Experience. If you don’t want to be the Guinea Pig, you must evaluate the vendor for its experience of working on similar eLearning projects and its experience of working with multi-cultural teams. Don’t hesitate to ask for demos and sample work. Select a vendor who has won the praise and trust of well-known names in the corporate world. If required, speak to their customer and understand their experience on timely delivery, quality of output, technology competence, costs etc. Project Management And Processes. Yes, I know I have mentioned that eLearning development is not a technology development. But let’s accept it, eLearning project development is going to require adherence to the principals of project management. When you are looking for a vendor, look for someone who has well-established project management tools and processes and the teams are trained on those. You are going to need periodic reviews, demos, and status updates, and the vendor needs to have the required setup in place to facilitate this. Quality Assurance. The quality of output is probably one of the prime concerns with eLearning outsourcing. Unfortunately, unless the output is seen, it is hard for you to know the quality. However, by looking at the past work samples, demos, and quality assurance processes and systems which the vendors might have, you can take a call on how well a job the vendor can do on the quality aspect. The important aspects of quality checks in case of eLearning projects are linguistic testing (ensuring that there are no grammatical errors in the content and it is developed as per the learners’ backgrounds), technical appropriateness (ensuring that the content is adaptable to the technical environment of the learners), and the quality of the content. Flexibility And Scaling. Outsourcing your eLearning development to a small company with a couple of people might give you a cost advantage, but do know that you are running a huge risk of essentially depending on couple of people. Ideally, outsourcing should give you the flexibility to scale up or scale down the team size at a very short notice and there should not be a strong dependence on any one person in the team. Getting the right people on the job should not be your headache - really. Bells And Whistles: Licensed Software, Image Banks. You don’t want to get into legal troubles because of your eLearning vendors non-adherence to compliance. Make sure you confirm that the vendor has the licensed copies of the eLearning tools and technologies and access to licensed images. There is no excuse for using free images or pirated tools in the development cycle. You might also want to check which Learning Management System the vendor uses for checking and certifying the course compliance. We always believe that the eLearning vendor needs to work as a partner to the company and needs to be invested in it. The vendor needs to invest in building the understanding about the client organization and should always work towards continuous improvement. Don’t think "outsourcing", think "strategic outsourcing". This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Best Practices Of Google Classroom eLearning Professionals Should Know Create a class with just a few clicks? This is what Google Classroom allows you to do. This blended learning platform has just started to create its own generation by inviting literally millions of learners to create a Gmail account and familiarize themselves with the Google ecosystem. As everything else in this world, it comes with its pros and cons, but no one can doubt its biggest strength: Simplicity. Using Google Classroom is as easy as it gets; setting it up, communicating with others, saving time, organizing things. You can easily do all these, immediately after you get the suite of tools called Google Apps for Education. Google Classroom’s services and its inherent collaborative benefits have already replaced a number of teaching tools, but how can you make the most out of it? In this article, I will share 10 Google Classroom best practices, so that you will be able to take full advantage of this powerful online learning tool and understand why it is pioneer in online education. Go paperless. How about saving some trees, time, and money? Google Classroom eliminates the need for hard copies, as you can create online documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and so on, and distribute them to your learners digitally. You can also have instant access to the work of your audience, edit it, and return it as soon as you finish. In addition, you can create online assignments that include not only Google Docs attachments, but also web links, and YouTube videos! Collect students’ homework easily. Speaking of saving time, the process of collecting homework can be completed in literally no time, as your learners can submit their work digitally. Even if they have completed their work on paper, they can simply take a snapshot of it and submit the picture in Google Classroom. Offer immediate feedback. Instant access to learners’ work allows online facilitators to clarify common misconceptions by providing feedback whenever the audience needs it, that is, after they have submitted their online assignments, or while they are still working on them. Furthermore, ongoing interaction of Google Classroom allows for building on previous answers, after feedback, and resubmitting work. Finally, Google stream is a great way to offer positive feedback publicly so everyone can see it, to reward learners who made an extra effort and motivate the rest of the group. Create a personalized learning environment. Do you know that in Google Classroom you can create different classes for different subjects, materials, learning levels, and learning needs? This means that you can promote personalized learning by offering a variety of choices, online assignments, and resources to your audience to address different learning preferences. Making your learners feel that their needs are recognized and taken care of is a great way to engage them, isn't it? Access Google Classroom from any device. Google Classroom is obviously the ideal environment for a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) setting, as well as for mobile learning, simply because you can access it from a web browser on any device, PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or phablet. Especially the BYOD method can be very convenient for all learners, as it allows them to have access to online content from the familiar environment of their own devices and get immediate feedback from their online facilitator. Use the Google Classroom for real world applications. Google Classroom allows learners to easily submit real world material, for instance pictures or videos they take with their mobile devices, and create online presentations that include real life examples that spark interesting online conversations. This way, learners can bring their real experiences to the class and learn how to implement what they are learning to their real lives. Kick off great discussions. Starting an online discussion is a piece of cake in Google Classroom; all you need to do is post a topic or a provocative question to the stream in order to initiate an online forum where community conversation among online learners is encouraged and promoted, problems are discussed and solved, and ideas are shared and expanded. Share announcements. Google Drive in Google Classroom allows you not only to distribute handouts online, but also to share announcements. Your learners will be able to find your announcements by accessing the stream, and see reminders of upcoming online tests or assignment due dates. Provide a variety of support materials. By being able to attach any kind of multimedia to Google Drive, such as videos, audio files, PDF documents, and so on, you can support your audience’s learning and understanding of what is being taught using a variety of resources. You can also encourage your learners to create their own videos and attach them in Google Classroom to demonstrate their creative comprehension skills. Give shy online course participants a voice. Remember those people who may never raise their hand in class, but usually excel in every written assignment? The Google Classroom stream may not be as scary as the physical class environment for introvert learners given that you find creative ways to encourage every member of your class to express themselves by asking questions and commenting on what is being discussed. Consider even creating game-based learning experiences within the Classroom to promote trust and openness, and encourage teamwork and collaboration. Now that you know the 10 best practices of Google Classroom, you may be interested in learning how you can use another Google service, Google Hangouts, for the benefit of synchronous learning. Read the article 6 Tips To Use Google Hangouts For Synchronous Learning and find out how by using Google Hangouts you can develop, implement, and enhance your synchronous learning strategies. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

eLearning Designing Tips To Create eLearning Content That Aligns With The Habits Of Learners  Most modern organizations are becoming serious about training and learning to keep their employees abreast of the latest in their industry. Additionally, the need to continually give learners the opportunity to better themselves, even outside the strict realm of work, is very clear in the modern workplace. Employees now not only seek a good salary or work atmosphere, but also the opportunities the workplace provides to increase their worth as professionals. But in spite of emphatic efforts, some training endeavors fail to capture the interest of the learners and do not make their intended impact. This is true of both traditional learning and eLearning - the eLearning content has to be designed to pique the interest of the learners. Hence, understanding the learning habits of the group is essential for the success of training. Habits are repetitive behaviors that all of us have, and are often the most difficult thing to change. Not all habits are bad - so if the training is not intended to change pre-existing habits of the learners, it can align with them, to be more impactful. Habits are formed of cues, behavior, reward, and repetition. We find cues all around us and some of them make us behave in a certain manner. This behavior, when rewarded in any way that appeals to the individual, then forms a repetitive pattern of a habit. Most e-developers often look at the behavior part of the habit cycle, but it is important to note that other parts, such as cues and rewards, are as relevant when designing to align to the habits of the learner. How cues can be built in eLearning? Cues are all around us, in our environment. They are the triggers to our habits and if learning provides the right cues, it can make the desired impression on the learners. Cues have to be picked up in the context of the learners’ real life or, more importantly, work life. Mentors can be part of the learning module; and if it’s someone they can relate to, learners will find an instant connection with them as well as the content. For instance, for a learning course for young adults on the effects of a debilitating disease, we introduced a young girl, who talked about the relevant issues with them. Though some of these topics were serious, the mentor was perceived by the learners as "one-of-their-own". Thus even the grimmest of topics became relevant and not scary. Similarly, for a group of learners who were experiencing technology-aided learning the first time, we created a scenario with a familiar background and known characters. The scenario helped the learners to get familiar with the new platform and more enthusiastic about accepting the learning opportunities it offered. How behavior can be built into eLearning? Behavior cannot be changed or created in a day. It is formed by hours and hours of practice. A learning course that aims to instill a particular behavior within the learner group should be built with interactivities that give the learners plenty of chances to learn and practice. Role plays, interactive assessments, and CYUs (Check Your Understanding) can give the learners the opportunity to practice and adopt a behavior through the online learning course. Behavior can also be inculcated through blended learning where the online session imparts knowledge, followed by classroom sessions that can provide the opportunity to practice with peers and instructors. This makes sure that the adopted behavior is up to the desired standards, and if the learners deviate, the peers or instructor can check that behavior. How rewards can be built into eLearning? Behavior can be suitably rewarded in many ways within the learning environment. This can be achieved by game based learning, where special games are built with a learning objective to provide the opportunity of "doing and learning".  These games can be built on ideas adopted from popular entertainment games like Jeopardy. Else if time and budgets permit, learning games can be built in as well, custom created for the particular behavior or skill that needs to be taught. The games provide rewards through points won, levels reached, or even successful attempts, timed or otherwise. The Learning Management System or the learning platform itself can be gamified as well to provide rewards through achiever boards, collectables, or badges that can be won with every e-course completed. Learning itself thus becomes the habit, perpetually helping the learners better themselves. Every organization wants to reap the benefits of training and get a positive ROI on its investments for organizational learning. With a strategy to include prevalent habits of the learners, eLearning content developers can make sure that the effects of the training are amplified and perfectly aligned to how learners want to learn. This surely spells a uniform impact of the training and consecutively, a positive ROI as well. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

With this theme, TTLC 2015 provides fertile ground to stimulate and compare responsive assessment approaches and practices on established as well as relatively new areas of assessment such as graduate capability assessment in view of the need of educational institutions to evidence graduate employability. By placing this topic at the heart of the conference, TTLC 2015 aims to explore in breadth, depth and quality the best models and practices, strategies, lessons learnt, success stories from implementation of assessment within the classroom to beyond its borders and up to the virtual space. Additionally, the conference aims to provide fertile ground to stimulate and compare responsive assessment approaches and practices on relatively new areas of assessment such as graduate capability assessment in view of the need of educational institutions to evidence graduate employability. TTLC 2015 Themes TTLC 2015 themes are set out below. Assessing extra-curricular activities for graduate employment outcomes Innovative Assessment Approaches Assessment in a technology-rich learning environment Assessing Professional Competencies & Institutional Initiatives Other Issues in Assessment for Learning TTLC 2015 Keynote Speakers Professor Dr. Colin Beard, Professor of Experiential Learning, Sheffield Business School, United Kingdom Professor Dr. Gordon Stanley, Honorary Professor, University of Sydney, Australia Dr. Christopher Charles Deneen, Assistant Professor, The National Institute of Education of Nanyang Technological University Singapore Taylor’s 8th Teaching and Learning Conference 2015 (TTLC 2015) will be held at the Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus (Malaysia) on November 28 - 29, 2015. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Storytelling In eLearning: Set Your eLearning Apart with Storytelling  Once upon a time in a faraway land, where dark forests grew and rivers of crystal ran, there lived a brave and creative Instructional Designer who was in a spot of bother. One hundred years earlier, a deceitful storyteller swindled the king out of a large sum of gold. In his wrath, the king banned storytelling from his kingdom. Books were burned, their tales lost forever, and campfire narration became a perilous taboo. But one day, everything changed. Word spread that a mysterious Instructional Designer was using the forbidden art to pass on knowledge and engage and delight the people. The king was outraged. He summoned the Instructional Designer to his castle and gave his ultimatum: "Slay the Dragon of Fire that lives in the Deathcliffe Caves and I will allow storytelling back in my kingdom. Failing this mission will cost you your life, at my hands or by the force of the dragon!". An evil laugh exploded deep from the king’s belly as the Instructional Designer set off into the night… Everyone loves a good story. When done well, storytelling is a powerful mechanism for making eLearning memorable. In fact, adding context can increase knowledge retention, which in turn can increase the return on investment of your eLearning. Appropriate use of storytelling will set your eLearning apart from dull, traditional counterparts. In this article, PulseLearning recommends some dos and don’ts for how to use storytelling in eLearning. Storytelling In eLearning Dos  Set the scene. You get one shot to draw in your audience, so it’s important to make the first paragraph count. A successful story starts by introducing the scenario, characters, and the issue or conflict. The narrative then unfolds toward the resolution. Begin by framing the situation using an anecdotal introduction and, importantly, link to key learning messages. Remember to keep the intrigue so learners will want to read on and find out what happens. Heroes, villains, and damsels in distress. Using characters throughout eLearning can personalize the experience and create a deeper emotional connection with the content. Creating interesting characters can increase engagement, but be sure to make them relatable and relevant to the learner and the content. Consider opportunities for interactivity. Most people fondly remember the "choose your own adventure" books from childhood. Allowing learners to interact with the story and choose individual outcomes creates an immersive experience that enhances engagement. In an eLearning context, this translates to multi branching scenarios where your learners choose their own way through the content. Choose a thread and tie it through. As well as a strong narrative introduction and summary, ensure you tie the story in throughout your eLearning. You might start each topic with a section of the story and then refer to characters and situations throughout core content. Using language that supports the story theme throughout the course will also strengthen the story. A happy ever after. Leave learners with a parting thought that sums up the overarching learning message and the storyline. Refer to the introduction and tie up any narrative loose ends to bookend your story. Storytelling In eLearning Don’ts Here are a few cautionary tips for storytelling use in eLearning: Ensure key points don’t become lost in the story. Keep it structured and consider separating story sections from core content for clarity. Avoid complex storylines. The story should be simple to follow and support learning without distracting and creating cognitive overload. Be careful not to overdose on analogy, metaphor, and symbolism. Although these mechanisms have their place, they can also affect the clarity of your message. So, what became of the courageous Instructional Designer? Well, let’s just say, the kingdom is never short of a good story now, but no dragons were hurt in the process. How was it done? That, dear friend, remains an inner secret in the Instructional Designers' guild. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Learning Solutions 2016: The Event For Training And Learning Professionals - Save $200 Today! Today’s training and development professionals are under increasing pressure to deliver innovative solutions on time and under budget. Learning Solutions 2016 is all about connecting you with peers who are focused on sharing what works as you explore proven methods for leveraging technology in ways that enhance learning and performance in your organization. If you are looking to build new skills and expertise, find inspiration and new ideas, stay current on the latest industry trends, and network with the entire learning community, Learning Solutions 2016, March 16 - 18 in Orlando, is the must-attend event for you! Master the skills you need to advance your career with 175+ learning opportunities focused on current and critical topics like these: Instructional Design Tools Media Management Games & Gamification Mobile Performance Support Blended Data & Measurement And more! The $200 Super Early discount ends Friday, December 11, so register now to maximize your savings! Learn more or register now! Included with Learning Solutions 2016: Learning & Performance Ecosystem Conference! To support today’s fast-moving organizations we need to elevate our perspective—to see and engage with the whole of the organizations we support. The Learning & Performance Ecosystem Conference gives you a unique opportunity to explore how individual and organizational learning and performance can be enhanced by looking beyond just training, and by supporting people with a broad range of content, processes, tools, and technologies. The expanded perspective of the Ecosystem 2016 conversation affects all aspects of learning and performance and all of the roles that support them. As such, Ecosystem 2016 is now a conference within a conference, and is included with your Learning Solutions 2016 registration! Register Now to Save $200 or More Register for Learning Solutions 2016 by Friday, December 11 to take advantage of the Super Early discount! You’ll save $200 in addition to all other membership, organizational, and group discounts for which you may qualify. Combine registration discounts and save even more. And don’t forget, you’ll get Ecosystem 2016, too! This post was first published on eLearning Industry.

Paradiso LMS Review: A Cloud-Based Multi Tenant Learning Management System Paradiso Solutions has been designing and building business software for nearly seven years to great success. In 2010 they released version 1.0 of Paradiso LMS and launched the company into the eLearning market. Now, at version 7.3, Paradiso LMS has undergone some considerable changes and has adapted to the times, encompassing the latest trends in eLearning and now finding itself as a cloud based multi tenant Learning Management System. With extensive customization, cloud based hosting, the latest eLearning technology and over one hundred integrations with popular enterprise software, Paradiso LMS’ offer is strong compared to other LMSs on the market. Users Clearly there are two different standpoints from which to view the question of users and usability: The end users (learners and students) and administrators. The good news is that the whole system has been redesigned with the user at the center. The intuitive and clear menu system, together with easy to use customization and authoring tools, make the platform easy and enjoyable to use. Paradiso has kept the user interface for learners very simple and easy to use. At the same time the administrator user interface can get fairly advanced and complex since they have provided more customization options than many other cookie cutter LMS platforms currently on the market. Multi Tenant LMS Multi tenant LMS platforms mean the administrator can create multiple versions of the LMS under just one license, and this is a functionality that Paradiso has fully adopted. This means that different departments, customers, vendors, or channel partners can each have their own learning environment, complete with personalized branding and access rights. Tracking & Performance Management The ability to track and measure performance effectively is, or should be, a key part of the decision of any company when they are choosing a Learning Management System. There is no use in having tons of learning data if you don’t have the tools to get to it. With constrained budgets overall, the first thing to go is the training budget, given that results are often intangible. Without data which informs business decisions, it may be that some would view the training budget as something they can lose. With Paradiso LMS there is a number of ways in which employee progress and the effectiveness of the online training can be assessed through reporting, but the platform also comes with other tools such as 360° feedback where peers, supervisors, and managers all provide direct constructive feedback. Reports When talking about actionable data, it is clear that what may be crucial for one company may be irrelevant for another. Paradiso LMS comes with a custom report builder that lets organizations generate their own reports in order to retrieve the specific data they need. Customizations More than any other LMS on the market, Paradiso LMS is highly customizable and can be adapted to the specific needs of the purchasing organization. The Paradiso team will work with you to define your needs and build a custom White labeled LMS, but it should be noted that there is also the option of a quick off the shelf version for those who may be in a rush. Paradiso LMS UI, recently redesigned to be more user friendly, can be personalized with your own branding. Likewise you can create your own designs for certifications that are awarded to your learners. Administrators can personalize the layout of the dashboard easily thanks to its modular drag and drop design, without the need of any programming experience. Integrations Nowadays most companies rely on a suite of software to take care of different parts of the business, for instance CRMs, ERPs, or HRICs. These programs are indispensable, and for this reason Paradiso LMS thankfully can integrate with many popular programs to make switching between them and training seamless. From the dashboard of programs such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Adobe Connect, or SAP, among others, thanks to Single Sign On, users can get one click access to all of their online training. Important information is also synchronized automatically between the two systems, ensuring that all is up to date and current. Likewise admins are just one click away from a wealth of training data which can be pulled from both the LMS and the integrated program to streamline company processes. Issues As strong as it is, Paradiso LMS is not without its faults and there is still some room for improvement. With Paradiso LMS there is no back end access, which may be a problem for companies that want to develop the solution further. A skills matrix would also be a good addition in future versions so that trainers and training managers can easily visualize the available talent in the company and develop focused training plans. One final feature that would be extremely useful for learners is the inclusion of recommended training for learners on learning paths. If a learner is on a learning plan and fails to make the grade, then it would be good to have recommended training suggested to them as a way to fill that skills gap. Conclusion As a feature rich LMS, Paradiso LMS is hard to beat. Obviously every company differs in their requirements, and this is reflected in the level of customizations available to Paradiso customers. All of the key features one would expect from a top end LMS are present, as well as a number of other cutting edge ones that are just now starting to become regular features, such as gamification and multi-tenancy. More than any other Learning Management System on the market, Paradiso LMS is highly customizable and very feature rich and can be adapted to the specific needs of the purchasing organization. Its user interface looks great, and the 100 plus integrations, multi-tenant features, and gamification really make it one of the best LMSs around. This post was first published on eLearning Industry.