CA Technologies and PulseLearning WIN an Excellence in Vendor Partnership Award at the Chief Learning Officer, Learning in Practice Awards 2015 Austin, Texas, October 12, 2015 - CA Technologies and PulseLearning have won an Excellence in Vendor Partnership Bronze Award at the prestigious 2015 Chief Learning Officer, Learning in Practice Awards. The Excellence in Vendor […] The post PulseLearning WIN CLO Learning in Practice Award appeared first on PulseLearning.

Does your eLearning falter due to simple design failures? In this article I will share 10 eLearning design traps and all the ways to avoid them. Don’t be ensnared! How To Avoid The Top eLearning Design Traps  At PulseLearning, we’ve identified 10 common design and development traps that result in poor eLearning. Here are the eLearning design […] The post Top 10 eLearning Design Traps To Avoid appeared first on PulseLearning.

In this article we will outline 5 reasons why you need to invest in employee training, even during economically challenging times. Why You Need To Invest In Employee Training When things get financially tight in business, often employee training is the first thing to go. However, this is not necessarily a sound strategic move for […] The post 5 Reasons Why You Need To Invest In Employee Training appeared first on PulseLearning.

The PulseLearning team are just catching up from a very busy few weeks after DevLearn 2015. The theme for DevLearn was "Innovation in the Making" and it did not disappoint. Here we share some of our key takeaway moment from Las Vegas. While the theme was broad, the tagline "DevLearn 2015 will inspire the innovator […] The post DevLearn 2015 | What we learned appeared first on PulseLearning.

Have you recently looked at Bandura’s Social Learning Theory Principles? We are social creatures by nature. We like to interact with others, share ideas, and observe our fellow human beings. In fact, unless you’re a Himalayan yogi, long-term social isolation can have negative mental impacts.   It’s no surprise that social interaction plays a role […] The post How to Apply Social Learning Theory for Effective eLearning appeared first on PulseLearning.

The success of leadership training always depends on how it is done. Think back to the best manager you’ve ever had. I’m sure you can remember the person because good leaders are memorable… and excellent leaders are unforgettable. What was it about their leadership that motivated and encouraged you? For that same reason, I bet […] The post 6 Big Benefits Of Leadership Training appeared first on PulseLearning.

We are delighted to welcome Christopher Pappas, founder of eLearning Industry as a Guest Blogger to the PulseLearning Community Blog. 7 Tips To Motivate Millennials Motivation is the core of effective eLearning for millennials. Even if none of the other puzzle pieces are present and they are distracted or busy with their everyday lives, motivation can drive […] The post How To Motivate Millennials: 7 Tips For eLearning Professionals appeared first on PulseLearning.

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 […] The post The Dos And Don’ts Of Storytelling In eLearning appeared first on PulseLearning.

Learning on the Go: Mobile learning for a BYOD environment! There was a time when organizations or companies provided all the resources for employees to get their job done. From the basic infrastructure to training and persistent development of every individual, everything was the exclusive responsibility of the organization. That era of corporate responsibility has […] The post How Mobile Learning Is Changing to Meet the BYOD Era! appeared first on PulseLearning.

Why Your Organization Needs A Learning Culture You’ve heard the saying "Never stop learning". Today, this adage is particularly meaningful as our technological, political, and business environments rapidly change and evolve, meaning we are now conducting our work in new ways. But does your organization have a learning culture? To keep abreast of these changes […] The post 4 Reasons Why Your Organization Needs A Learning Culture appeared first on PulseLearning.

How do you motivate employees to complete online training? Imagine this: Your manager mentions during a team meeting that some new eLearning courses will be rolled out shortly. Even those already proficient in the skills taught will need to complete it as refresher training. What is your reaction? Would you have to stifle an eye roll, or […] The post Top 5 Tips To Motivate Employees appeared first on PulseLearning.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy.   From the PulseLearning team, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and a peace-filled week with your family and friends. We are celebrating our sixteenth birthday this […] The post Happy Thanksgiving from PulseLearning appeared first on PulseLearning.

3 Advantages to eLearning Onboarding Training for the Retail Industry There are numerous effective ways to welcome employees into the complex and challenging, but equally rewarding career of retail. eLearning is an easy way to introduce the organization to your new employees and thoroughly immerse them in the company’s culture, processes, and policies prior to walking […] The post The Retailers’ Perks for eLearning Onboarding Training appeared first on PulseLearning.

Typography in eLearning Sometimes, the little things count more than you think. Typography has the ability to make or break your eLearning course. Distracting typography can prevent your learners from absorbing information, tacky typography can cheapen the appearance of your application, and great typography can create fluid, memorable design. The devil is in the details, and […] The post 5 Tips for Great Typography in eLearning appeared first on PulseLearning.

Have you ever watched an animated movie and wondered how it was created? Or perhaps you’ve found yourself reading through the hundreds of names during the ending credits of a movie, trying to imagine the role each person had. There’s no doubt that creating films, especially animated ones, requires a load of patience and focus. But after talking with JC, one of HelpHub’s rare 3D Animation tutors, I realize that there is another essential element required to be successful in this field: passion. We owe a lot to animators. Without their time and commitment, the entertainment industry would be without many of the classics that have shaped our childhood and reminded us to not take ourselves so seriously as adults. I sat down with JC to learn a bit about the process behind 3D Animation. My attempt to explain it will undoubtedly lack the necessary knowledge so I’ll leave the teaching to him. "When I was in school, since I had previous experience. The people in my class didn’t have any experience with 3D, some had never even touched a computer before. So I did my work and when I finished I had time left, so I would try to help other students in the class to finish their projects and explain how to do the things I’ve already done. And I loved it! After that I’ve been teaching and helping people do what they want to do and find their passion." JC with his nephews. When you’re passionate about your job, it makes it more enjoyable to share with others. JC understands that each of his students learn in a different way so part of the challenge is finding out how that student learns and adjusting his teach style to suite their needs. He also has a unique way of overcoming creative roadblocks in his personal work as well. "I have a collection of 90-95% of all the 3D animated movies that there are on the market. I like to have them on hand so if I need to do any animation and I can relate to one of the movies that I’ve seen, I can play and see how they did it and try to learn from them. I love to watch them because there are so many details and you can always learn more stuff about the animation." Whether you’re in school studying 3D Animation or it’s something you’d like to learn for fun, it’s safe to say that JC is your go-to tutor who will teach and entertain along the way! Head over to his profile on HelpHub to get in touch with him: helphub.me/JCSantana Here’s a look at some of JC’s 3D modelling work:

Nothing tempers the sadness of summer’s end like the excitement of starting a new school year. For bookworms everywhere, September means "good bye" to beach reads and rainy day novels, farewell to the luxury of reading a book cover to cover without interruption. Now you’ll have to squeeze in your extracurricular reading around commutes, class schedules, and assignments. All is not lost though - bookworms can flaunt their love of literature and step up their back-to-school game with these book-themed accessories for the classroom and the dorm room. If books are your "happy place," why not infuse your school days with them? 1. Bookshelf Mural Nothing inspires creativity and productivity like a room full of books. This wallpaper is the perfect backdrop for studying late at night, writing profound essays, and thinking contemplative thoughts. It’s the perfect way to distinguish a room as "your study." Price: Available upon request 2. Book Bathtub Caddy Acclaimed mystery writer Agatha Christie had her best ideas in the bath, so why shouldn’t you? Multitask while you relax with a bathtub caddy that props up your reading material. Doing your reading assignment for tomorrow’s lecture will never be stressful again! Price: Available upon request 3. Literary Laptop Sleeve We’re always plugged in at school these days. For those of you who miss the old-school days of carrying "real" books around, this literary themed laptop sleeve is right up your alley. Price: $62.32 4. Library Book iPhone Case Speaking of old-school, remember how we used to check out library books? We love that the library sleeve and card has been made a reappearance in today’s tech-savvy world as an iPhone case. #tbt much? Price: $20.32 5. Literary Totes When you love something, shout it from the rooftops. Or carry a tote bag that says it all. These book bags create striking images out of dense text excerpted from your favorite literary classics. Every bookworm will have a hard time choosing just one of these to adorn their shoulder. Price: $29.00 6. New Book Smell Is there anything better than the smell of new books? Now you can infuse your entire room with the fragrance of new novels and new ideas. You may even be able to aromatherap-ize yourself into moments of writerly genius. Price: Available upon request 7. Novel Teas All that late night studying requires many cups of tea, so you’ll want to stock up on these literary-inspired bags of English Breakfast tea. Every hot cuppa comes with a quote from a classic author to inspire your writing and your work. Price: $12.50 8. Book Lover Duvet Cover If you’re dorm room needs a bit of a makeover, remember that your twin extra long is the centerpiece of the room, and your choice of duvet cover is key. Can there be any mistaking that you have a literary soul when you sleep under this cover every night? Price: Starting at $110 9. Go Away I’m Reading Pillow Sometimes bookworms aren’t great at telling people what they want. That’s when a throw pillow can come to your readerly rescue. Pop this cushion on the loveseat in your room and people will get the hint that now is not the time to stop by and talk about what so-and-so said to so-and-so in the cafeteria. Price: Starting at $25 10. Jane Austen Bandages Everyone has a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day at school one time or another. These wonderfully odd Jane Austen bandages are perfect for those days. Who knew the first lady of romantic fiction had such healing powers? Price: $6.69

Freshman year is a big deal. From moving to a different city, meeting new people, and juggling social activities, classes sometimes are the last thing we think about when we prepare to go back to class. No matter what school you’re attending, you can pretty much bet that every freshman student is taking the same required general education classes during their first semester. As a new university student, the last thing you want to do is start off your undergraduate studies on the wrong foot. To help you adjust this semester, we’ve put together a survival list of tutors who are ready to support you through your first year of university. Check out the tutors waiting to connect with you below. To read more about their experience and to start a conversation, click on their HelpHub profile photos. Math Easily one of the top-searched subjects on HelpHub, our experienced Math tutors can help you pass Calculus 101 and finally explain what an explicit function is. 1. Hossein T. With a masters degree in Math under his belt, Hossein tutors everything from Algebra and Calculus to Symbolic Logic and Statistics. Visit his profile here to get in touch. 2. Ehsan Ehsan graduated with a double major in Electrical and Computer Engineering so he knows his way around a Math syllabus. He’s got you covered when it comes to Calculus (he’s taught every type of Calculus course including Precalculus, Differential Calculus, Vector Calculus, and Integral Calculus). Visit his profile here to work with Ehasn. Science From Life Science to Social Science, there are many subjects that fall under this category. Lucky for you, we have thousands of qualified tutors who are waiting to help you. 3. Tahmid Tahmid has been tutoring students since 2008. His outgoing and friendly personality makes working with him a delight. He also covers multiple Science subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and a variety of Math courses. He is flexible with your time and even your budget. Visit his HelpHub profile here. 4. Akram K. As a PhD student majoring in Analytical Chemistry, Akram he has been tutoring different levels of Chemistry. Whether it’s high school students or upper level university courses, she has done it all since 2010. Visit her profile here to find out if she is a good fit for you. 5. Mukesh S. Mukush has been working as an online Physics tutor for over four years. Aside from his tutoring Physics, Mukesh also covers a variety of other subjects that show up on most first year class schedules. Check out his profile here to see all the other subjects he covers. 6. Will G. As a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, Will spends a lot of his time tutoring students on campus, but he also helps students online as well. From PHY 101 to PHY 140, this is the guy to talk to if you need help with Physics. Take a look at his profile to explore the rest of the Physics courses he tutors. English 7. Chloe M. Although she prefers to tutor students with their writing, Chloe has also spent the last two years helping students with Reading and English Composition. Need some Proofreading or essay restructuring? Check out Chloe’s profile to get in touch. 8. Naureen If you haven’t mastered how to write the perfect essay in high school, you’ll definitely get the chance to practice in university! Luckily, we have tutors like Naureen who are not only qualified to help with essays, but also enjoying doing it! Find out more about Naureen by checking out the rest of her profile: Psychology/Sociology 9. Terry O. Terry is dedicated to her students. As a student herself she understands the value in helping others to succeed. Although her focus is Psychology, she is also available to tutor other areas including Writing and English as well. Visit her profile here: 10. Brianna K. Brianna is waiting to share the knowledge she has acquired as a student. There is no need to be shy with her. She is loves to connect with students and is looking forward to helping first students with their classes! Read more about her here: Business 11. Madison Economics 101 throwing you for a loop? Connect with Madison. She’s already survived her freshman year and is ready to help you! Check out her profile. Language 12. Mark L. We have over a thousand Language tutors on HelpHub, but Mark is one of the few who teaches FIVE languages. As a Linguistics graduate, he will show you how to master almost any language courses you’re required to take this semester. Connect with him here: History 13. Nick Nick enjoys both History and Theatre, so you can expect to not only learn a lot but also have some fun while doing it. If you are looking for help with Canadian History, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to work with him. Visit his profile here. 14. Monet E. Monet is a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ tutor. Not only does she teach multiple subjects, but she works hard to make herself as available as possible to her students. If it isn’t History you need help with, the subjects listed in her profile are still worth checking out! Ready to connect with a tutor but now sure how to start, visit the Question board to tell tutors exactly what you’re struggling with.

September means there’s another year of school ahead, and another year of sorting out who’s who in the classroom. Who’s going to be the brainiac, the popular kid, the class clown? Summer is long and students have short memories - last year’s designations are so last year and already forgotten. So this month, everyone’s reinventing themselves for the rest of the year. For a little inspiration (and a little anti-inspiration) check out which literary characters we think are the best and the worst classmates to have. 1. Matilda Wormwood from Matilda by Roald Dahl There’s no denying that this precocious seven year old would be everyone’s favorite pupil and classmate. She reads at lightning speed, has genius level intelligence and let’s not forget that she possesses magical powers. Best of all, Matilda sticks up for other kids and doesn’t suffer bullies kindly. 2. Encyclopedia Brown from the Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective Series by Donald Sobol His capacity for facts is seemingly limitless and he uses that skill to fight crime and injustice in the neighborhood. Calm, collected and infallibly logical, he’s a ringer for the top of the class list. With Encyclopedia as a classmate, no one would ever steal your lunch again! 3. Hermione Granger from The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling Also at the top of the class is everyone’s favorite Muggle-born witch, Hermione Granger. She may be a bit of a know-it-all and a stickler for rules (at least in her youth), but as she grows up she shows her true colors as a daring, loyal, and incomparably clever friend. And now for the worst literary characters to have as classmates: 1. Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Is there any end to his ennui? He’s so unmanageably angst-y that even the people he likes most, Salley Hayes and Holden’s little sister Phoebe, can’t quite get along with him. He’d be a tough one to befriend in class. 2. Edmund Pevensie from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Edmund’s the kid in class who tattles, whines, and desperately wants to be the teacher’s pet. He’s spiteful and selfish, and he’d sell you out to the school bully faster than you can say "Turkish Delights." Luckily, he turns out to be a decent guy later in life, but ten year old Edmund is not someone you want as a friend. 3. Josie Pye from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery If you didn’t think there were mean girls in the 1870s, then you thought wrong. Josie Pye is the original late nineteenth century mean girl. Spoiled by her wealthy father and vain because her family name, she’s the kind of girl who can’t walk past someone without insulting them, yet thinks herself irresistible to all. What literary characters would you love to be in class with? And which ones could you not stand?

As Hossein approaches the end of his PhD studies in Physical Chemistry, he has found more time to help others understand the subject in all it’s complexities. His advice when working with students: Learn the necessary concepts in full detail first, so later it will become more comfortable managing changes. With all the work and dedication involved with completing a PhD, it’s a wonder anyone would have time to do anything else. But, when you are passion about something, it’s hard not to share with others. Even as a kid, I loved to teach. I have a brother who is three years younger than me. I would learn something in school and force him to listen to me explain it. Need help with Chemistry or Math this semester? Be sure to connect with Hossein!

Everyone knows that it’s the professor that makes a class a great experience. Whether it’s a mandatory core curriculum class or something random you chose to fulfill a requirement, the right professor can make or break your semester. Whether it’s their Socratic flair, their energetic pronouncements, their on-point humor, or the sheer brilliance of their musings, some instructors just know how to make everything seem interesting. So while you’re pondering your academic lineup for next semester, we thought it’d be fun to see which fictional book characters would make the best professors! Check out our list and ask yourself, would you take a class with these colorful characters? 1. Sherlock Holmes from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Who wouldn’t want Professor Holmes at the helm in a course on criminology and criminal science? You’d have to take Logical Reasoning 101 as a prerequisite, though, so you could follow his logical leaps and bounds as he paces the room and fiddles with his pipe. He’d give lectures with great flair and showmanship by assuming various disguises and reenacting crime scenes. Beware of giving the wrong answer in his class though, he won’t hesitate to call you a bumbling police inspector! 2. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle from The Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Series by Betty MacDonald Professor Piggle Wiggle would have students flocking to her childhood development and child psychology course. She’d demonstrate all her magical cures by applying them to student volunteers, and every class would be case study with hilarious results. Her class would be perfect for those who hate lectures and love hands-on learning. 3. James Bond from the James Bond Series by Ian Fleming If you’re going to learn about foreign relations, it should be from a former spy. Professor Bond would undoubtedly be the most fascinating instructor to ever teach an interdisciplinary course on political science, international relations, and world history. His lectures would be less on international diplomacy and more on violently dispatching double agents, but he’d conduct class like a perfect gentleman - in a perfectly tailored suit with a martini in hand. 4. Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Hester Prynne could teach a course on a lot of things, including colonial history, 17th century religious studies, and early American crime and punishment. We think, however, that Professor Prynne should teach a women’s studies course. Her iconic character defied social mores at a time when view on women’s sexuality were, literally, Puritanical. She could simply stand at the lectern and talk about what it’s like to be a single mother, a working woman, a wife, a lover, an outcast, a rebel, and a martyr all in one short life. 5. Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton There’d be a campus-wide waiting list if this dynamic duo taught paleontology and paleobotany. Remember the joy of learning about dinosaurs in elementary school? Taking a class with Grant and Sattler would be experiencing that joy again, ten-fold. From lectures on velociraptors to discussions of genetic engineering, Grant and Sattler’s class would you have sitting in the front row and hanging on to their every word. Let’s not even talk about how awesome the field trips would be…           6. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark from Hamlet by William Shakespeare Who would you rather listen to in a class on existentialism? A professor who prattles on about Sartre and Camus, or a Danish prince who has a really messed up family situation, a pair of backstabbing friends, and an insane fiancee? Sure, Professor Hamlet would spend a lot of time pondering the meaninglessness of life and bemoaning the farce of it, but he’d probably also tell the class about how he stabbed some people and exacted elaborate revenge. Plus, you’d get to watch Hamlet talk to a skull and wave his sword around in class. 7. Hermione Granger from The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling I’m sure that Hermione could teach classes on spells, potions, and transfiguration blindfolded, but sadly those lessons would be wasted on us un-magical Muggles. Instead, we’d want Professor Granger to teach us about civil rights for disenfranchised creatures, the fight against pureblood laws, and about ending discrimination against all magical beings on the basis of species, class, and origin. What fictional literary characters would you want to have as a professor?

In the season of giving, gift-giving can be tough to navigate. Some people go the crafty route and give everyone a hand-knitted potholder. Others splurge as a sign of their love and give everyone a new electronic gadget. Still others have established an unwavering tradition of giving the same gift every year (usually scented candles or mildly funny coffee mugs.) If you’re struggling with your holiday shopping and wondering what to get your friends, coworkers, and extended family members, we suggest giving children’s books as gifts. It’s something that can be whimsical, thoughtful, and nostalgic all at once. Few people still have their books from childhood on their shelves, so they’ll treasure another copy. And everyone likes to be reminded of the things they loved as a child, especially around the holidays! Here are 8 of our favorite children’s books to give as presents: 1. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff Who doesn’t remember the story of a hungry little mouse with escalating demands? Wrap this book up with batch of cookies, present it to a friend and watch them say, "Awww!" when they open it up! 2. Mr. Men and Little Miss Series by Roger Hargreaves One of our favorite gift-giving traditions is to pick out a book from Roger Hargreave’s Mr. Men and Little Miss series and give it to a friend with the corresponding qualities! Little Miss Sunshine and Mr. Happy are always solid picks, but Little Miss Scatterbrain is great for the absent-minded friend in your group, Mr. Mischief or Little Miss Naughty for the beloved troublemaker - the possibilities are endless! 3. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg This book is a Christmas classic, and if your friends didn’t read it as a child they should definitely read it now, post haste! The illustrations are incomparably gorgeous and the story will make everyone reminisce about the bygone days when they still believed in Santa Claus. 4. Angelina’s Christmas by Katharine Holabird If you want to give your friend an unexpected blast from their ballerina past, wrap up one of the Angelina Ballerina books! They’ll be tickled pink as they remember the adventures of the enthusiastic dancing mouse with big dreams of tutus and pointe shoes. 5. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett It’s been reimagined as a children’s movie these days, but the original version of this book makes a great gift for any foodie friends of yours. What budding child gourmand didn’t dream of pies in the sky and pancake clouds? 6. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka If you’re wondering what to get that one friend who always questions the mainstream, who marches to the beat of their own drum, and who fights for the underdog, look no further. This book turns the fairy tale on it’s head. Here’s the real dirt on the three little pigs and it’s told from the point of view of the long misunderstood wolf. 7. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst We all have that one hapless friend for whom everything seems to go wrong. Here’s a book that’s bound to cheer them up for years to come. It’s not just Alexander’s laughably grumpy antics that will coax a smile out of them, but the fact that this book reminds us that we all have bad days. 8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss There’s been a movie, a cartoon, countless toys, and a million pop culture references to the infamous cantankerous killjoy, but we’re betting it’s been ages since you and your friends read the original story. It’s time to rediscover what Dr. Seuss’ Grinch was all about! Give the gift of this 1950’s classic to a friend who will appreciate what a culturally significant throwback it is! What children’s book would you love to rediscover this Christmas?

A few weeks ago my friend and fellow learning tech enth […]

In the last two E-Learning Heroes Challenges I forced m […]