If you have never used activity and game templates before, you might think that having templates available in your course authoring tool might make things "a little bit better"—but in reality, the net effect can be transformational both for you and for your students. Our international course production team typically creates thousands of hours of training per year. What is one of the top things they are thankful for this year? Fabulous templates. In all training, but particularly in online courses, you as an author need to interact regularly with your learners to help keep them alert, focused, and actively exploring your content during the online training. Although most systems allow you to incorporate activities and games created outside of the course-building tool, production is much faster and more efficient when you have templates built directly into the tool. Consider the advantages: Great for you No experience required: Top teachers crave interactive elements in their courses—but may not have the graphic design or programming experience needed to efficiently bring those to life. With easy-to-use built-in tools, that barrier no longer exists. Quicker, more flexible course development: With built-in activity and game templates, you can design great interactions pretty much as fast as you can think and type. All your attention can go toward creating great content that supports learning. Even better, once developed, if you put your interaction in front of a focus group and find that it does not quite have the impact you wanted, it’s just as easy to revise it, or replace it with something different. Templates offer plentiful opportunity for fast, low risk, low cost experimentation—allowing you to deliver an optimal experience to your learners while still meeting deadlines and budgets. Faster time to market: Sometimes the course creation work you do needs to be accomplished "at the speed of light" to address an immediate problem in the organization, or to latch on to a market opportunity. That does not mean the work has to be flat and PowerPoint-esque. Use templates to achieve instructional goals while optimizing time to market. Rapid revisions: There are times when you need to revise your course content—sometimes very quickly if a rule or law changes. With templates, you can do it yourself, immediately—no need to reassemble teams and start up whole processes. Just access the course builder, type the revision, save, and republish. Problem solved. Consistent look and feel: Visual consistency can help make your course feel professional and polished. Templates are a great way to quickly achieve this. More efficient quality assurance cycles: Built-in e-learning templates can also help minimize the time spent reviewing a course to make sure it is ready for students. Since the template’s interactions have already been thoroughly tested, all you have to review is the content itself. Great for your students Supports Learning: Keeping learners actively engaged in the learning process is critical for their success. As a general benchmark, try to work in an activity every 3-5 slides (5-8 minutes of content). Scaffold up the difficulty of activities as learners progress through the materials and gain mastery. Allow learners to challenge themselves and explore side cases through the meaningful interactions you create. Adds Variety: Page after page of the same type of content—even excellent quality content—can begin to lull the learner. Activity templates can help you easily change the pace and alternate periods of passive absorption of information with periods of greater activity during which the learner gets to take concepts out for a spin. Prevents Cognitive Overload: People need breaks and the opportunity to allow new ideas and knowledge to soak in. With templates in your course-building toolbox, it is super easy to break content into meaningful chunks, and create opportunities for practice related to those chunks. With 360training’s free and freemium course creation tools (LCMS), not only can you author great online courses for next to nothing, but can access easy-to-use built-in activity and game templates. Check out our authoring program FAQ page for more information about becoming an author and providing courses to your internal team, selling courses yourself, or selling courses through 360training.com and our network of resellers. Online templates can have you and your team giving thanks—but more importantly, it can help you create engaging, active learning that carries that thankfulness to every student your courses touch. —Shazia Wajid and the 360 Authoring Team

We live in a visual age. Images are now the official language of the universe. The massive increase in social networking platforms endorses the growing popularity of visuals as the primary medium of communication. From a learning perspective, various researches have revealed that our brains act as image processors. The human brain processes and retains visuals faster than text. Images are one of the many learning resources that we use in our online courses. They drive learner engagement and add to the learning process.  As online course developers, it is our duty to use every learning resource in the best possible manner to provide a rich, cohesive learning experience for our students. Here are few quick tips to help you get the most out of your elearning visuals. Stylization Properly stylized images add consistency and a professional touch to an online course. They balance the text and avoid clutter on the slide. Stylize your images in a uniform manner (and as per the course player dimensions) before adding them in your courses. If you are good with photo editing software, designing an image stylization template can be very useful and time-saving. If not, take advantage of the basic picture editing features of PowerPoint and work your way towards professional looking images. Use appropriate images Before you begin sourcing images for your online course, ask yourself: Do I need to have images for every slide? Will the images support the core content? Will the learner be able to visualize the content by looking at the images? Can it distract the learner from the core content? Will it increase the learning potential of the students? Images add depth to the content, but they should never be used in place of core content. Think of visuals as garnish: something used to support learning. Avoid images that distract the learner from the main message. Remember, at all times, learner focus should be on the core content of the course. It is better to have a white space on the course slide than to have an image divert learners’ attention. Explore different ways to use images Usually, online courses follow a standard vertical layout (visual right). While this is an industry practice, it is always good to experiment with other slide layouts available in 360training Learning Content Management System (LCMS) such as visual bottom, visual top, etc. Exploring different slide templates adds variety to the look and feel of your course and can be an excellent way to reuse and present an image uniquely. Be careful with copyrights Never use unauthorized images for your online courses. It is very easy to download images from the web, but all of them fall under copyright law. Always read the terms of use before using images from other sources. If you have a tight budget, edit and reuse the same images multiple times from your Learning Content Management System (LCMS) asset library, or to go with free stock images offered by some websites. Tip: When downloading images, always opt for high resolution images (and resize as per your requirements) to avoid pixelation. Don’t confuse the learners Don’t add images in your elearning courses for the purpose of breaking up the monotony of text. You are better off with no images rather than having decorative images that will take learners’ minds off the main topic. There you go! Images play an important role in elearning. They accelerate the learning process, help instructors convey abstract concepts, and serve as an excellent tool to maintain learners’ attention during an online course! The soul does not think without a picture. — Aristotle

We all have stories to tell. These stories come from different sources, from our own experience, our imagination, people around us, and so forth. Stories teach, delight, motivate, inspire. Stories are a powerful communication tool to make a point and help listeners understand a situation. No wonder stories have been used as a teaching tool for centuries. If you are planning to author an online course, you can leverage this powerful technique to create the most compelling, best-selling online courses with happy endings. Read on to find out how. Connection between the stories and the brain Before we begin, let me share a famous story with you: "Isaac Newton was sitting under the tree pondering about the mystery of the universe, when suddenly an apple fell and hit him on his head, thus giving him the idea of gravity, that later led to the discovery of the theory of universal gravitation." Have you ever wondered what made this story stick in our minds over the years? Trust me, you would have not remembered the classical theory of gravitation so clearly if it was told in pure physics, i.e. F = G (m1*m2 / r2) or in simple bullet points. Why? Because our brains love stories! Our brains collect simultaneous memories and stores them in the form of an episode. When we hear or read simple text, the language decoding part of the brain comes into action. However if we hear a story, we develop different emotions simultaneously, which activates overall entire brain function. The catch—longtime retention and recall of the content. As online course developers, we can’t present thrilling content all the time, but we can certainly deliver our course content in a way that grips learners’ attention and helps them make the most out of their online training. Tips to write good eLearning stories Here are few quick tips to ensure a happily-ever-after ending for your online courses. Write relevant stories. Before you begin your elearning tale, ask yourself: Which content can I use to create an informational story? What kind of story plot can drive the learner towards the learning goal? Which situation can help the learner paint the mental picture of the subject matter and create a bonding between the two? Remember: Keep your stories relevant to your courses. Transform real-life experiences into short stories and scenarios so that the learner can relate and grasp the material easily. Reality-based stories with supporting feedback help prepare students to face and resolve practical situations with confidence. Keep it simple. By now, we have realized the importance of storytelling in elearning; however, a huge amount of text with tons of confusing words can have a disastrous effect on your online courses. Don’t overwhelm learners with complicated language and confusing plot. Write simple, short stories, as they stick more in learners’ minds and keep them focused. Power up stories with visuals. A picture is worth a thousand words. Intensify your elearning stories by adding visuals. Choose easily relatable images that best fit the situation. Not every story has a happy ending. Effective stories reflect reality and that is why they succeed in touching the reader’s heart. Just like any good story, your elearning story should be close to reality and highlight common obstacles people encounter in life. Not every good intention has a positive outcome. Not everything goes as smoothly as we plan. By adding reality factors in your stories, you can prepare your elearners for practical situations and keep them guessing about the twists that are about to come. Follow the story telling arc. Ever wondered why you remember the Cinderella story even though it’s been years since you have heard it? Every good story has few basics. Let’s examine the components of the story telling arc with reference to a food safety course: A good beginning: John has recently joined a restaurant as a Food Safety Manager. Dilemma (turning point): John notices that food safety standards are not met. The hero fights back: John reports this to the restaurant’s owner, but his complaint is not taken seriously. John tries to convince the employees to improve their food handling practices, but to his surprise, the restaurant owner threatens to fire him. Critical choice: John has a tough decision to make. Either he reports this or loses his job. John decided to report the malpractices to the relevant authorities. Climax: The authorities inspect the restaurant premises and uncover bacteria that could result in botulism in several containers of improperly prepared pickled fish. Had this been served to customers they could have become very sick and died. Everything changes: The restaurant owner and staff experience an enormous wake-up call. They had no idea the practices our hero had been talking about for months were really that important. They start re-examining how they prepare food and putting measures in place to ensure that their food was fast, delicious, AND safe. Lessons learned: Never avoid malpractices around you. People who do not report malpractices are as guilty as those who are actually involved in the crime. While it is not important to add all the components of the story arc, having the basics (beginning, dilemma, choices, and lesson learned) can effectively help learners relate to and understand the topic. Whatever the style you choose to apply, it should stir up learners’ emotions and successfully deliver the knowledge that you intend to pass on to the learner. Parting Thoughts Online course developers work hard to create an immersive learning experience for their online students to grab their attention, motivate them, and help them get the best out of the subject matter. By incorporating storytelling techniques, you can inspire your elearners, build a strong emotional bond between the learner and the course content, and provide the best learning experience to the students. Have a great elearning story to tell? Share it with us!

Learning is challenging. It requires learners’ attention and interest. Measuring what is being learnt is even more challenging. It demands teachers frame assessments in a way that not only tracks learners’ performance and tests their knowledge of the subject matter, but also challenges their thinking skills and reinforces learning.  An effective test is about more than writing good questions. It is also about having the right test design, so that you are not only evaluating learners, but also providing a learning opportunity that overcomes learning barriers and facilitates learning transfer. Here are few quick tips to help you design effective assessments for your elearning courses: Determine the purpose of an assessment Don’t throw assessments in your courses just because you have to. Before adding an assessment, determine its purpose. Are you testing to grade students or just involve and motivate them? Is this a short quiz, a practice assessment or the final exam of the course? If you want to stir up students’ attention, why not add a short game or a simple activity in place of an assessment? Deciding all this beforehand will help keep things organized and consistent. It will also help course developers set the important features of the test such as target number of questions to ask, the complexity level of the test, number of attempts permitted, the time frame for the test, and so forth. Write assessments after writing the learning objectives of the course The secret behind effective assessment lies in writing them as soon as you are done writing the learning objectives of the course. Why? Because it is the time when you are 100% focused on what you want to teach in your elearning course. Identify the learning goals of your course and write questions about each of them. Write as many questions that you can think of after reading the learning objectives of your lesson/course, organize them by level of difficulty (i.e. pre-assessments, quizzes, practice exam or final exam), and add them in their respective assessment item banks. The practice of pre-writing assessments will help you reinforce your learning objectives, and you will not end up asking things that were not even included in the course. Help students prepare for the test Online training lacks interaction between the learner and the teacher. Every course has a major take away that online teachers want to test, which may be overlooked by the learner. The best method to help learners get the most out of your elearning course and do their best in the elearning assessment is to help them prepare for it. How? Reinforce the concepts that were taught earlier by adding them in the form of activities or practice exams. Also, it is always a great idea to have a lesson summary at the end of each module, which can serve as a great review tool. Shuffle those questions Always enable the "randomize questions" option in your course authoring tool.  It is a good idea to jumble the questions of your test, so that the learner is not presented the same set of questions multiple times (in case he or she fails to pass the test in first attempt). Be careful with "randomize answers" option, especially if you have "all of the above" or a logical order in your answer choices. Content Remediation In classrooms, if teachers find students’ performance lacking, they provide remedial instruction to overcome those learning gaps. Similarly, in an online training, if the desired performance goals are not met, content remediation is applied. Content remediation is providing the essential knowledge or skill to learners (in case they fail to pass the quiz or exam) before they can move ahead in the course, or complete the course. While configuring the course policy of your elearning course, always keep the remediation feature in mind. What is the learner expected to do if she or he fails the exam? Should she or he be allowed to proceed in the course, or take the entire lesson or course all over again? Closing Thoughts Not every elearning course needs to have multiple quizzes and final exams. The number of quizzes and/or the length of your final exam are hugely dependent on your course type. If you are aiming to author a simple PDF course, just having a final exam at the end would suffice. However, if your course consists of various lessons and modules, adding quizzes at the end of each lesson would be a great way to check your learner’s performance, and provide the best experience to your students while they acquire new skills. Try out these tips in your elearning courses to keep your elearning assessment focused and effective!

What comes to your mind when you hear the term ‘Blended Learning’? It’s not a new term and yet has numerous connotations. Amidst the vast information available today on what it is and what it isn’t, the basic definition says: "Blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path, or pace." Today, the Internet has taken over as the information bank with tremendous resources available online in the form of books, videos, posts, etc. With a simultaneously booming technology industry, the avenues for online learning are endless. What benefits will blended learning offer compared to elearning training? How can one make the most of the blended approach while providing the optimum learning experience? Traditionally, a blended approach has meant shifting part of the training to an online media - either as "additional reading" or "a mandatory online reading assignment". Of course, this approach reduces actual classroom time and contributes highly in reducing overall training costs. From my analysis and research on the forms of training and engagements available today, I believe making some change in the approach can significantly increase cost benefits for the training provider and increase the value of the learning experience for the learner many times over. Instead of using technology or online tools as a support mechanism for classroom training, what if we use classroom for support? As part of the training design, the students access lessons via online training, videos, podcasts, etc. before the classroom session. The in-class session can then be used for more engaging activities like discussions, role-plays, practice exercises etc. that will help the students apply their learning. In-class sessions can also be used to cover advanced concepts. In short, they learn at their own pace independently and apply the learning in a classroom environment. Since most of the training will be self-paced, all benefits of elearning rollouts can be utilized. At the same time, the in-person connection allows the students to engage with fellow students and tutors. They can also practice the concepts they’ve learned. Some key benefits include: This approach of blended learning is also being referred to as ‘Flipped Learning’ or ‘Flipped Classrooms’. How can you change your training design to flip the classroom training experience? About the author: Kavita Lad works with InfoPro Learning as a Sr. Project Manager and Instructional Strategist. Kavita manages high-value customer projects through her keen knowledge and experience in instructional design, project management and learning strategies.The post Change the Blend in Blended Learning appeared first on .

Education and training is a natural activity for humanity. However, the kind of knowledge imparted and the method used to impart it may differ depending on the needs of a human being or a group of individuals. Before education moved to the confines of a traditional classroom, training was imparted by way of experiential learning and lessons had ‘show me’ and ‘let me’ elements included in the training. Many of these were related to psychomotor domains like hunting, archery, rock climbing, and cooking too. In Harry Potter movies, Severus Snape’s classroom has a combination of a very traditional teacher-pupil relationship (where Snape is in complete control of the student’s behavior) and an experiential way of learning (where students mix ingredients to create their potions.) After being stuck in the groove with lecture-oriented classrooms for decades, the mode of imparting knowledge is shifting back to learning by action. Technology has revolutionized the world in numerous ways—a prominent one being education. Today training is more commonly imparted online—eLearning is the trend that has advanced to mobile learning or mLearning. An imperative question a learning expert asks these days is, "Which is the correct mode of training to promote an effective solution for a specific training requirement?" Bearing the same question in mind, let us discuss three modes of learning through: Classroom Training Elearning Mobile Learning or mLearning Classroom Training When designing a training solution, the main consideration for instructional designers is to choose the appropriate mode of training. An in-depth training and organizational needs analysis goes a long way in taking the right decision. A classroom training essentially entails a group of students, a facilitator/professor, and live labs with lab assistants for guided learning. When faced with a situation to make a decision on whether to choose a classroom learning solution, consider the following criteria: the use of psychomotor skills soft-skills training where the trainer’s response is critical more hands-on activities group interaction to meet the objectives development and enhancement of team work live demonstration of skills along with real-time assessment of the skill strict time schedules with time constraints but no location and cost constraints Often, a blended solution may provide a better option and can be used in the following ways: when training is chunked to enable part of the training to be delivered through a self-paced CBT or WBT and the remaining portion in a classroom with an instructor when training is taken in a classroom and CBT or WBT or videos are used as training aids during the training by the instructor a CBT or WBT is used as a precursor to classroom training for familiarization with subject matter Elearning ELearning is the buzz word that has been around for a few years. Its importance is increasing as a larger number of training institutes, government and corporate sectors incorporate eLearning into their realms of training. When recommending an eLearning solution for a training requirement, consider the following criteria: cater to various learning styles a blend of videos, simulations, animations, role-plays, and quizzes will add to the interactivity resulting in enhanced learning faster learning in half the time compared to traditional training is the main requirement cost of training is a major consideration size of the audience is huge and schedules for completion are tight the audience requires more flexibility in completing the course localization and geography are key elements of the decision change is the only constant and a quick update in one location has to be reflected simultaneously at all locations standardization is important learning effectiveness and ROI has to be monitored group interaction is not limited to a location and the use of blogs, wikis, message boards, and whiteboards will add positively for an effective solution a course is required to be saved and reused, eliminating trainer dependency Mobile Learning or mLearning As we advance in technology, the optimization of each tool becomes a norm. The latest device/tool to join this need for optimization are mobile phones. Mobile phones were already being used as music and video tools, cameras, computers to access the Internet and all social networking sites, banks for eCommerce, playing games, and now, as learning tools. Since learning technology is evolving, learning via mobile devices is becoming common. Situations and learning needs where an mLearning solution will be a good fit may be listed as follows: stimulating recall of prior learning by way of pre-work before ILT, eLearning, or even virtual ILT informing learners of the objectives and learning outcomes prior to the training for gaining attention summarizing the content of a learning topic/module soon after its completion reiterating learning by stimulating recall a few days or weeks after completion of training ensuring application of learning by way of assessments, pop-quizzes, and/or learning games continuation of learning through company blogs, wikis, and social networking is required sending podcasts for continued learning over mobile devices as a just-in-time solution communicating the salient features just before the next round of training to add value to the learning and keep the interest in training alive sending flashcards with regular updates instead of repeating the training every time there is an update providing learning on-the-move for travelling executives such as sales personnel with little time for even taking eLearning courses is of prime importance Varied forms of training and a wide spectrum of learners is the norm today because training is not only limited to schools, universities, or professional institutes. Training is also a vital HR function in most organizations. However, with the increasing use of technology in learning as in other spheres, making a decision on the right tool and selecting the correct instructional approach to meet with the training needs, analysis has become a major challenge, requiring the expertise of professionals. Knowing your available options and analyzing suitable solutions for a learning need will help in creating or delivering cost-effective, goal-oriented and skill-enhancing courses. About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post An Instructional Recommendation - Mobile Learning, eLearning or Classroom Training? appeared first on .

If constant change is the new normal, what then is the strategy that you can adopt to cope within a world of rapid change? The answer is Change Management. Change Management is a structured approach to change that not only updates systems but prepares and retrains employees with the goal of reaching a higher level of efficiency and success. Adapting to remain relevant and competitive in a dynamic global market is inevitable. In today’s fast-paced world, effective Change Management increases the success of organizational change and project initiatives by applying a structured framework of methods, tools and processes, managing the change from a current state to a future state. Regardless of the scale of change, applying a framework increases the probability of staying on schedule and budget, resulting in higher benefit realization and ROI. For this blog, I will focus on the use of social media as a strategy to facilitate and manage change for business transformation—to stay competitive and survive in increasingly harder business climates. Use of Social Media The points listed below facilitate better and faster Change Management strategies through social media: Involve and Engage Employees Social media facilitates free flow of information in multiple directions. Short nuggets of information are easily shared via microblogging to engage employees in the change program. This is a convenient and active way of soliciting feedback on change related issues. Build a Collaborative Culture The use of social media gives a big boost to creating a more collaborative environment for change initiative. Social networking and collaboration are extremely effective ways that are rapidly bringing employees to comply with the changes as well as to share their experiences. Generate Ideas An open format to receive suggestions and feedback through social technologies provides a popular mechanism that has visibility throughout the organization. Establish an Effective Two-way Communication Social media helps to effectively communicate the company’s change initiative. The effort to identify and address ‘pain points’, is accelerated through a cooperative communication process. Create Engaging Learning Experiences To foster an effective platform for relaying personal learning experiences related to the change effort, social media is a great avenue. Employees can use a variety of effective platforms, some of which include personal training videos on YouTube and hosting live web meetings to engage in change related discussions. Share Through a Knowledge Network Social mediums such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Yammer may be used as Knowledge Networks to share information related to change within the organization, as opposed to receiving information through more formal and traditional training methods. Assess Progress Regularly and Effectively Social media tools provide for an active means to measure progress. The tools help to conveniently gather immediate feedback on the level of understanding and acceptance of the change initiative within the organization. Social media should not be your only avenue for promoting change management, but it can be one of the most effective. The key is to give employees a voice in change management and to show the company’s active participation in overcoming any challenges faced in the new change. It is time to face it, change is inevitable and although it will probably result in a net gain over time, it will create problems for you and your colleagues in the short term. But, by embracing the change, you can be in a better position to mitigate any of the harmful side effects, which only magnify the positive results. About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impactemployee performance. The post Change Management Strategy: Use Social Media appeared first on .

Gaming technology is improving at breakneck speed and alongside, amping up the fun factor too. But, is L&D using this advance in technology to make L&D engaging and enjoyable for learners? Gamification is the process of applying gaming designs and concepts to learning or training scenarios in order to make them more engaging and entertaining for the learner. Gamification is generally considered the type of game experience where the learner competes with other learners, as opposed to competing with the embedded technology (such as in simulations.) When is Gamification Effective? Karl M. Kapp is an author and thought leader on Gamification. According to Kapp, Gamification is effective when it is used to encourage learners to progress through content, motivate action, influence behavior, and drive innovation. Kapp suggests the following ideas on when to use Gamification effectively: To encourage learners through challenges and goals. When motivating learners to move through instruction and to accomplish goals. By properly influencing behavior when placing game elements into a curriculum. In driving innovation by developing experiences that promote innovative thinking. For building necessary skills via earning points, badges, and completing a story. A way to foster knowledge acquisition through repetition. When is Gamification Ineffective? Yes, games are engaging, challenging, support learning in the workplace, and are a source of fun for all ages. They have much to offer in terms of motivation, engagement and the development of capability. But, watch-out to ensure that the positive effects of gamification are not overruled. Use the following points to help you do a reality check, to ensure that games do not hamper the learning process. Is your game authentic?Life is not a game. Points, badges and leaderboards may be critical elements of game mechanics, but they have little or no impact on real life. For example, Firefighters don’t save people from burning buildings for 200 digital hats. Choose authentic games. Does your game reinforce the wrong mindset?Work-based games can have an undesirable influence on your employees. Competing against each other may introduce streaks of unhealthy competition. Maybe, forcing a game demotivates?Forcing learners to play a game may demotivate them instead of motivating them to learn. This may lead to an undesirable performance on the job. Play a game to only "win"?The purpose of the game will be to drive learning. But for some learners, the focus will be on "winning" rather than on learning. That does not drive home anything. Game-based learning has much to offer in L&D, as long as it promotes an engaging learning experience and is not a waste of time. In the long run, L&D teams need to be able to measure a tangible return on investment that will justify the need to gamify. Takeaway: Can gamification impact the business and provide ways to effectively align it with business goals to further drive sales productivity? It sure can! About the author: Brenda Fernandes is a content quality analyst with InfoPro Learning, Inc. With over 15 years of experience, Brenda is an avid learning strategist with content development, instructional design and business analysis as her core areas of expertise. Brenda is a keen practitioner of harnessing the power of learning content to impact employee performance. The post Gamification: Effective or Ineffective? appeared first on .

Formal Training Status Quo Many instructional design professionals that I have consulted with here at InfoPro Learning are still shackled to the idea that formal training should last hours at a time, and should be instructor-led. Oftentimes it is not the instructional designers themselves who have a preference towards formal training technique - it is their executive sponsors, the C-suite at their companies, who think of training as an afterthought and expect corporate training to resemble their experiences in higher education. However, as corporate learning and talent management continues to mature as a business discipline, our assumptions about how best to deliver training to employees are being challenged. Enter: Microlearning Microlearning is an exciting methodology that learning professionals should consider adding to their training portfolios. Microlearning content comprises short instructional videos that focus on specific topics, and ideally, these videos can be accessed by learners just-in-time so they can be leveraged as performance support tools rather than formal training tools. Microlearning is not meant to replace formal training content, but it can supplement formal training, and it can serve to bolster employee performance on-the-job, at the moment of need. Instructional designers should treat microlearning with a "less is more" mentality, and resist making the content too long or putting in too much information. Keep it Short The "-micro" in microlearning refers to shortened duration of microlearning content as opposed to traditionally-conceived self-paced e-learning. As a general rule of thumb, microlearning content is less than five minutes long in total duration. The primary benefit of keeping the content so short is that learners can access the content on-the-job quickly, learn what they need to learn, and move on - which is very powerful for performance support delivery. Another, more overlooked benefit is learning engagement - learners are much more likely to use training content that is short compared to hour-long, 30-minute, or even 15-minute long courses. Microlearning Libraries and Modularization Since individual microlearning libraries are short, it is a best practice to scope out a complete microlearning library of content with individual modules that are mapped out to key curricular subjects. For example, let’s say that you are creating a microlearning curriculum for your company’s line of products targeted toward your salespeople and product resellers. Rather than having one microlearning module for each of your company’s five products, you should plan to create several specific modules that explain the features and benefits of each individual product. If microlearning content is modularized in an appropriate fashion, learners can access the exact knowledge they need to perform on the job in their moments of need. For example, rather than having a learner open up a 30-minute long course on how to use Microsoft Excel 2013, it would be better to have a learner open up a short course that teaches him how to create macros in Excel, if that is what he is trying to learn. With proper modularization, learners can expect to access training content in the context of what they are trying to achieve on the job. Microlearning Roadmap InfoPro Learning has been employing the microlearning instructional design strategy for many years now with our clients, and in 2014 this trend has become even more prevalent, with a whopping 35% of all of our client projects involving the creation of microlearning content. If you are interested in applying microlearning technique to your company’s training portfolio, our learning strategists are ready and waiting to help! ********************** Although my attention span is short, my list of clients certainly isn’t! Through InfoPro Learning, I consult with companies to foster "learning for performance," to empower the workforce through our corporate training professional services. Feel free to contact us if you want your employees to outperform too! About the author: Kyle is a highly dynamic strategic account management professional with a well-tuned view on solving customer challenges with custom IT solutions. Kyle possesses top-notch abilities to close strong deals and deliver outstanding service to customers with complex needs. Follow me on LinkedIn @KyleMiller8 The post Microlearning Instructional Design: Less Is More appeared first on .

Some estimates show the learning industry to be in excess of $150 billion and growing. It clearly shows that there is a huge demand for learning content and solutions across the board. The question, however, is whether we are able to derive the desired value from the investment. There is mounting realization that it must provide ROI and that the investment should lead to improvements in business performance. The organizations seeking learning solution and those providing it seem and claim to be focused on the crystal ball. Arguably, there has never been a perfect standard measurement system that could be used across the board to demonstrate that it always worked as desired. Given the subjectivity and difficulty of measurement involved, it will perhaps never be. However, the value will increase and business performance will improve manifolds as a result of learning/training intervention. It will be beneficial to take a holistic view of the situation and drive the initiative and intervention as a continuous change management process rather than by saying, "Because your people need to be trained quickly and cost effectively, you should invest in eLearning, use an LMS, implement mobile learning, and have a collaboration tool in place—one or a combination of these." Understand the beast Ideally, in every organization, people need to perform certain tasks/roles at various levels to achieve targets and business outcomes. People who perform those tasks and roles have the required skills. There is a review mechanism to ascertain how people performed in terms of outcomes. Performance review against targets, for a person as well as external factors, suggests improvement areas to address any performance gaps. Typically, a lot of training/learning comes into play at this stage. Organizations either build or buy solutions to address performance gaps. The above ‘routine’ happens with varying degrees of success depending on how well we execute each step and more. However, due to shifting business priorities and other dynamics, tasks to be performed change and the roles also go through transformation. As a result, some of the roles become redundant, some need redefinition, while some skills don’t remain relevant and some others need to be acquired to solve the changing business challenges. Since reviews happen on the target vs. achievement of the work done in the past, it often doesn’t always lead to the kind of clear-cut improvement in areas that must be addressed to meet the changing needs. In the process, some of the internal and external interventions often become dated. This is happening now at a much quicker pace than ever before, and organizations with shifting priorities need better alignment of resources. Know that it keeps evolving to pose new challenges The business situation changes often without people realizing it up front. Interestingly, the problem areas to be addressed also don’t stay the same as they are driven by the changing context, most often through control of the organization and hence, most often not on the radar. So the problems identified and solutions implemented at a point in time, don’t stay perpetually meaningful. The new problems could well present themselves in a completely different garb the next time around. Hence, even if an ideal situation exists, (which is never the case), with respect to what improvement areas are required for people assessed at variously stipulated times, it is not always necessary that the interventions are in line with the changing context and effective too. Picture this A glaring example of this changing context creating gaping holes without anybody continually realizing it is the skills situation in the US, in the changing business, technology, and globalization scenario.  Source: OECD (2013), Time for the U.S. to Reskill?: What the Survey of Adult Skills Says, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264204904-en Source: OECD (2013), Time for the U.S. to Reskill?: What the Survey of Adult Skills Says, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264204904-en Per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) survey of 2013, the US was ranked at the 7th position in literacy and 11th in numeracy skills among the top 13 countries. The US ranks below Korea and is only just ahead of Poland, Spain, and Italy. One in six US adults has low literacy skills. Approximately one in three has poor numeracy skills against an average of one in five across countries. (See Figures 2.1 & 2.2) If this can happen in one of the most developed economies of the world, we can well imagine the situation in other places (both companies and institutions). Make it a part of your change management process Thus, standalone and fringe solutions of eLearning, ILT, mobile learning, and collaboration platforms etc., or a combination of these is perhaps not the complete answer. Learning and skill enhancement should rather be seen as part of a larger continuous change management process instead of dollops of learning content and learning technology solutions. This holistic approach to constantly analyze the ever-evolving business scenario and putting in place continuous improvement mechanisms as part of the larger change management process can only bring about qualitative and quantitative improvements in performance and create a much desired ROI. So, now is the time to MODERNIZE and keep at it! About the author: S M Nafay Kumail is Director—Learning Strategies at InfoPro Learning Inc. Nafay is co-author of ‘e-Learning an Expression of the Knowledge Economy’ (McGraw-Hill 2002) and a regular commentator on learning, knowledge management, and new media trends. The post Learning and Training: Managed Through Transformation and Change appeared first on .

Disengagement—we’ve all experienced it. After a few years (or even months) on the job, monotony and habituation inevitably set in. Suddenly what was once inspiring becomes numbingly dull. Enthusiasm is all too readily replaced with complacency, and in the business world, the result is decreased productivity and a vulnerable bottom line. So what can we do about it? In recent years, more and more organizations have turned to gamification to combat day-to-day doldrums and put an end to disengagement. You’ve heard the success stories, but wouldn’t it be nice to become one of them? The Dos and Don’ts of Gamification DO Take advantage of intrinsic motivators. One key to successful gamification, according to Gabe Zichermann, author of The Gamification Revolution and founder of Dopamine, is to remember that it’s not all about winning. In fact, Zichermann asserts that most people aren’t strictly or particularly "winning-oriented," but rather, "rewarded through a feeling that they control their own destiny." The task then is to create an environment that satisfies this craving by way of clearly illustrated progress, invigorating competition, the creation of challenges, and a tangible sense of accomplishment. DON’T Rely on novelty and hype. According to Brian Burke, research vice president at Gartner, one of the deadliest mistakes a business can make is to place too much emphasis on "obvious game mechanics, such as points, badges, and leader boards" and not enough on "more subtle and more important game design elements, such balancing competition and collaboration, or defining a meaningful game economy." DO Know your audience. What works for one learner, won’t always work for another—and the same goes for employees. Rich Hein, Senior Managing Editor for CIO.com points to Target and Omnicare as two examples of businesses that have successfully incorporated gamification, but in two very different ways. Target stores, Hein explains, "have implemented a little game cashiers play when checking people out." The object is to scan customer items in the optimum amount of time. Depending on his/her success or failure, the cashier is shown a red or green light and an updated overall score. With the introduction of the game, Target was able to increase employee engagement, and therefore productivity. Hein goes on to explain however, that when Omnicare introduced a similar model, their productivity actually plummeted. At Omnicare, the culture and the employees themselves are vastly different than at Target, and thus require different strategies for success. Whereas a scoring system satisfied Target’s need, creating challenges and recognition-oriented rewards proved more successful for Omnicare. DON’T Assume that games are juvenile. On the contrary, the right game with the right design can be utterly transformative. According to a recent study, the average adult learner recalls roughly 20% of what they hear and only about 10% of what they read. But when learners are given the opportunity to "do the job themselves" that number skyrockets to 90%, "even if only as a simulation." DO Zero in on key business objectives. In the same way that you must consider your audience’s motivations, your own bottom line should be given equal attention. What is your business going to accomplish through gamification? According to Brian Burke, the answer will most certainly be: Changes in behavior The development of skills Increased innovation All of the above Without a clear set of objectives in mind, businesses run the risk of "simply slapping meaningless badges on activities and creating applications that are simply not engaging for the target audience," and thereby miss the mark completely from an investment standpoint. Above all, experts agree that the biggest misstep in any gamification initiative is poor design—and alongside every success story, there is a tale of equally impressive failure. If you are considering gamification to combat disengagement in your business, remember the dos and don’ts to ensure your place among the successful. About the author: Nolan spends the majority of his time performing marketing research in the L&D industry to help understand the most common and pressing challenges of the industry.  He uses this information to help formulate cutting-edge learning solutions that are designed to maximize business performance and return on investment. The post Use Gamification to Combat Disengagement at Work appeared first on .

These days, asking someone to leave their mobile device at the door is like suggesting that a fish go a day without water. Whether it’s our phones, tablets, laptops or watches, most of us feel as dependent on our devices as we do air. It doesn’t matter if we are out to dinner, on top of a mountain or in a meeting—we can’t help but wonder what we’re missing on the screens tucked away in our pockets and briefcases. It makes sense then that progressive employers the world over are embracing—and even capitalizing on—today’s device-dependent culture by implementing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiatives in the workplace. Because with the promise of increased productivity, lowered costs, and happier employees, why not? Well, there are a few reasons… First of all, BYOD policies are likely to represent a massive headache for your IT department. With compatibility issues to tackle on top of looming security risks, BYOD may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Particularly in an eLearning environment with mobile learning, these factors threaten business communication and have the potential to disrupt training operations in a big way. So before your business takes the BYOD plunge, consider these pros and cons. PRO People like using their own devices—even for work-related tasks and learning. The only thing employees love more than being able to use mobile devices at work is being able to use their own devices. There is something about using your own phone, tablet, or laptop that is simply more comfortable and, studies have shown, more efficient. BYOD policies often mean more time for work to be completed and less time spent fiddling with unfamiliar, company-issued devices. CON With any number of different devices being used in the workplace, compatibility becomes an issue. BYOD companies have to be prepared to support a huge range of devices and platforms. Depending on the size of your business, it’s possible that no two employees will be using the same type, model or version of a device at any given time. Your systems will need to run smoothly on a variety of platforms, taking into consideration everything from variations in screen size to an individual employee’s browser of choice. As if keeping up with today’s devices wasn’t a challenge enough, there’s also the future to consider. Because even the most popular device can end up having the shelf-life of a mayfly, you’ll need to be prepared to tweak it all over again in a year or two. PRO Employees pay for their own devices. This one is simple. BYOD means transferring the cost of purchasing, maintaining and replacing devices from the employer to the employee. And that means more money—a lot more—in your pocket. Need I say more? CON BYOD policies invite major security risks. In a recent interview for CLOmedia, Rebecca M. Abrahams, chief communications officer for Ziklag Systems LLC, a mobile security technology company, pointed out that for any business, protecting sensitive information is a crucial priority. "This means you worry about people getting a hold of your company emails, reading your text messages or listening in on conversations, especially if important board meetings or strategy sessions can be compromised." With BYOD, this becomes an even greater concern, because of the inevitable mix of work and play. When your employee goes home for the day—or leaves the company for good—your information, unfortunately, goes with them. Like our love for all things backlit and palm-sized, the BYOD trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. But is it right for your business? About the author: Nolan spends the majority of his time performing marketing research in the L&D industry to help understand the most common and pressing challenges of the industry.  He uses this information to help formulate cutting-edge learning solutions that are designed to maximize business performance and return on investment. The post Is BYOD Right for Your Business? appeared first on .

I have been pondering on the topic-Performance Improvement. My thoughts have taken shape in this blog and I hope reading it will be worthwhile. Read on… The prolonged practice of creating conventional training made me feel like I was part of a bucket brigade, passing buckets for someone else to put out the fire-writing my own decline into obsolescence. But, for me conventional training is now passé. As L&D professionals, we all wish to explore something new, innovative, and challenging. For those reasons, it greatly motivates me to witness this transition from a conventional training mindset to that of a performance improvement mindset. More often than not, organizations seeking to solve a performance issue resort to Training as a solution without analyzing the nature of the problem. In most cases, training alone does not help to overcome the issue. Here’s where Performance Improvement, also referred to as Human Performance Improvement (HPI), comes into play. Performance Improvement is not a solution but a methodology for identifying the appropriate solution and setting up systems to ensure "good", "worthy", and "desired" performance. This change in mindset towards corporate learning has been the single-most exciting phase of my career because it is resulting in measurable performance improvements and training that people actually WANT to take. Quite often the opportunity for Performance Improvement comes in the form of a request for training from the customer. Sometimes, it comes from organizations, inclining towards upskilling the staff. At other times, the need for training may stem within organizations introducing a new role or looking to address a specific performance issue in a specific group/department. Performance Improvement in a nutshell . . . Performance Improvement targets a whole range of problems; Lack of motivation to learn Inadequate feedback Poor business processes Management issues These are not problems that can be tackled by training alone. Training can be a contributing factor only when the problem is caused by lack of knowledge or skill. To effectively address the problem, we must first consider the organization’s business goal and then analyze the existing performance system-expected to be aligned with the goal. Next, we begin by defining the desired outcome by gathering relevant data, analyzing the gap in the existing system, identifying and implementing a refined performance model and measuring its effectiveness. Overwhelming! Isn’t it? Let’s break it down into parts. How do I gather relevant data? As learning partners/consultants, your goal is to identify the major performance issue by means of ‘relevant data’. This data can be captured by interviewing key decision makers, SMEs and/or representative stakeholders. More often than not, you hit the nail on the head at one meeting and sometimes, though not too often, it takes more than three. Next, you summarize, review, and verify your findings with the key decision makers to get a buy-in/consensus on the desired outcome from the client and other stakeholders. This data will also help you identify the actual ‘performance state’ of the employees. How do I define desired performance? Take note of the desired performance statements agreed-upon during your meetings. Convert those statements into measurable outcomes by attaching to it, a quality, quantity, time, or cost indicator. Now, our primary goal is in identifying the current state of the "desired performance", map it against the expected state to identify the gap (gap analysis) and recommend an intervention that would enable the organization in making the best use of its resources and technology to perform at its full potential. Next, you create an evaluation plan to identify the gap between the current and expected state of "desired performance". Our solution typically starts to take shape when analyzing this gap. It is on the basis of this evaluation that you identify actual performance and design interventions to overcome these problems. How do I design interventions? You must ensure that you have identified the performance gaps BEFORE designing the interventions! The most critical information that contributes to designing any intervention is identifying the root cause for the "performance gap" (root cause analysis). There are several tools available for root cause analysis-fishbone diagram, Pareto Chart, Scatter Diagram and many more. The result sometimes could be overwhelming, so, be prepared to uncover numerous root causes. Next, you eliminate the causes that need not be addressed-again, you will need the expertise of your SMEs, stakeholders, and key decision makers. The key here is to map these root causes against the problems/performance factors suggested earlier (lack of motivation, hiring of a wrong person for the job, poor feedback, and so on). Once you have the list of primary causes at your disposal, you are in a better position to decide on the interventions. The interventions should address the root causes closest to the performance factors. Next, you design your interventions for each root cause. For example, if there is a need to address the knowledge and skill of the staff then you suggest a training intervention. But, this is not a one-man job, you need a team of specialists, seasoned professionals of the field and of course the key decision makers and stakeholders on the client side. Depending on the expanse of the interventions, you may need to gather more data from your SMEs, stakeholders, or relevant functions/departments of the organization. You may be expected to create a design for each intervention and get the client’s buy-in on it. After which, you implement these interventions and evaluate its results, to conclude if the "desired performance" is met. Evaluation is not an independent phase or the last phase of the Performance Improvement methodology, it is a repetitive practice. You will be expected to evaluate the effectiveness of each activity/solution/intervention at regular intervals during each lifecycle for Performance Improvement. There are several Performance Improvement tools and models that can be used to enhance performance. Here are some of the "highly recommended" Performance Improvement Models that can help you design your solution/interventions. The ATD HPI Model The ATD HPI (Human Performance Improvement) model is one of the highly recommended models for successful performance interventions. It is a results-based, systematic process used to identify performance problems; analyze root causes; select, design, and manage performance solutions in the workplace; measure results; and continually improve performance within an organization. Here’s a snapshot: Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) for Performance Analysis In 1978, Thomas Gilbert published Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance which described the Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) for performance analysis. Thomas Gilbert is considered as the father of performance technology. His methodology focuses on the variables in the work environment that must be modified or changed to provide performance support. He suggests, "For any given accomplishment, a deficiency in performance always has as its immediate cause a deficiency in a behavior repertory (P), or in the environment that supports the repertory (E), or in both. But its immediate cause will be found in a deficiency of the management system (M)." Aligned with the theory, he proposes the following approach for creating a solution that would help design sustainable performance: Determining worthy (desired) performance. Determining the Potential for Improving Performance (PIP). Diagnosing possible influences on behavior. According to Gilbert, to design an intervention that can help achieve "worthy" performance, we must identify the influences on behavior. Gilbert states that behavior is the product of the personal characteristics of an individual (repertory) and the environment where behaviors occur. Within each of these aspects of behavior there are conditions that can be examined for deficiencies and ultimately manipulated to improve performance. These six conditions of behavior, numbered according to Gilbert’s suggested sequence for analysis, are outlined in the table below: Data Instruments Incentives Knowledge Capacity Motives Some tips to help you along the way! Here are some additional points that you must consider when setting-up systems/processes to ensure performance improvement. Ensure that everyone is on the same page. When introducing an intervention to overcome or solve a problem, you must ensure that everyone involved is either a witness to the factors causing the problem or is at least aware of its existence. Align the business goals with the objectives of the performance improvement initiative. Recognize the fact that these models only help you collect data/facts. It is your responsibility to review and analyze the data to identify the critical problems/root cause(s). Define specific, measurable and achievable solutions to effectively evaluate the success of the interventions. Expect that the implementation of these interventions may result in a change that you may not have considered in your solution. Therefore, always consider the consequences of each intervention you suggest. About the author:  Harsha is an L&D professional with 9 years of experience in the industry. She is committed to supporting your strategic business objectives by enhancing organizational performance and employee engagement through the design, development, and implementation of effective learning strategies and solutions. Harsha has expertise in designing and executing high performing training initiatives and employee development programs that ensure employee performance, competency development, and employee engagement to achieve strategically aligned business objectives. The post Tips for Managing Performance Improvement appeared first on .

Note from InfoPro Learning: We are not affiliated with Xyleme and did not receive any compensation for this article. Our team uses various L&D technologies and we encourage open and honest reviews to provide better insight to our customers, colleagues, and peers in the industry. "Content is king." We have heard this phrase time and again. Considering the dynamic business environment, content is one of the biggest assets that many companies strive to manage. With continuously evolving technology, we have a fleet of powerful content authoring and publishing tools at our disposal. These powerful tools help us to manage, reuse, and repurpose content in an Agile way. One of the many tools that we use is the Xyleme Learning Content Management System (LCMS) for rapid content development and reuse. Xyleme LCMS (Xyleme) is an efficient single-source LCMS that provides the flexibility to work cohesively with our geographically dispersed team of instructional designers, subject matter experts, and customers. Xyleme not only eases the pace for content development, but also reduces the development time and effort. It is the most effective tool to create sharable, reusable, dynamic, and measurable content. How does the Xyleme LCMS enable Agile content development? With our project management and execution process going Agile, it is important to ensure agility in the way we develop our content. Let us explore how Xyleme helps to marry our project management methodology with our content development process. Quick and Easy: Agile literally means to be able to move quickly and easily. Xyleme is a 100% XML Rich Content Editor, which helps create content faster than ever before. More importantly, the pre-defined templates help to reduce the overall development time. Incremental and Iterative: Agile focuses on incremental development in fixed iterations, also referred to as sprints. The idea is to have multiple cycles of Plan-Do-Check-Act before a release. Xyleme allows us to create content incrementally because it has an open structure. This enables the addition of components to our courses anytime and with ease. Collaborative: Agile encourages daily interaction and collaboration between members involved in the process. Xyleme fosters communication and collaboration between instructional designers, subject matter experts, and reviewers to ensure that the content is current at all times. Our Project Management team also uses Xyleme for planning and tracking the training development projects using workflows and task planners. The Project Management team utilizes Xyleme reports for enhancing project visibility, mitigating risks, ensuring impactful reviews, and so on. These reports are periodically shared with our customers ensure transparency. With Xyleme, we are flexible… we are fluid… we are Agile! How is Xyleme an instructional designer’s best friend? The Instructional Design team at InfoPro Learning uses Xyleme to create content for several customers and listed below are the benefits we reap. Store all the training content and assets. Xyleme helps to store all the training content and assets under one roof for ready retrieval and reuse. Create training content in different formats from one source. Xyleme supports single-source publishing, wherein multiple outputs can be produced from one source (one source many outputs). This essentially means that instructional designers can create content once and publish it to various modalities such as instructor-led training, web-based training, virtual classroom training, mLearning nuggets, eBooks, and many others formats, including responsive design outputs. Reuse content by utilizing the shared document and media library. Xyleme offers a shared document and media library. Instructional designers can reuse content, images, and audio/sound effects from the library by dragging and dropping them into a course. This helps speed-up the overall development process and maintain consistency across modules/courses. Create personalized learning for multiple target groups. A very useful feature of Xyleme is content metadata. Xyleme enables the addition of metadata or design data to content at the most granular level. This information can be used to publish multiple versions of the same course for different user profiles and helps to make the content searchable. Build interactive content with a wide variety of templates. Xyleme includes a wide range of predefined templates that the instructional designers can use to create content easily, without concern regarding formatting or aspects of functionality. The use of standardized templates also helps to maintain a consistent look and feel across modules and courses. We can create custom templates, if required. Track content review in the published output. The Review engine in Xyleme is a game-changer for our instructional design reviewers and subject matter experts because they can review the same piece of content simultaneously. Xyleme sends separate instances of the same piece of content to different reviewers and all they need to do is click the link and add comments. Once content is released for review, it is no longer editable, so no changes can be made to it until the review is complete. Easily reorganize content within a course. Xyleme helps us restructure content within a course by dragging and dropping the required elements to appropriate locations. This helps to keep the structure fluid and make changes quickly and easily. Leverage legacy content to create new content. Xyleme provides an amazing import functionality, which allows importing content from multiple formats like, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, HTML, and make it available for use. It also saves media elements from these formats into the media library. Maintain versions of content and output. Xyleme provides advanced versioning functionality. As instructional designers, all we need to do is check-in and check-out the learning objects to maintain versions. Once a version is saved, it can be opened, viewed, compared with other versions, or rolled back to a previous version. So, if content is king, Xyleme is undoubtedly one of the safest abodes for the king. If you are wondering whether Xyleme is the right solution for your training requirements, please reach out to us. Our team has used virtually every LCMS on the market today and since we refuse compensation from the providers, we can provide a truly unbiased perspective. About the author:  Vaishali is a dynamic and enthusiastic L&D professional with expertise in training design and development. Vaishali is committed to devising solutions and strategies for better learner retention and engagement. She is also keen on employing processes, methods, and tools for enhancing profitability and meeting strategic business objectives. Follow me on Twitter @Vaishalidashora The post Learning Content Development: The Agile Way With Xyleme appeared first on .

Filed under: App Generation, Carroll Reflections, Carroll University, Commencement, Curious David, Personal Learning Environments, Screencasting, Statistics and Experimental Design, teaching statistics Tagged: Carroll Alumni, Carroll University USA, ScreenCasting, Teaching Statistics

I see that Carroll University’s theme this year is "Change." Here are some possible avenues to explore: Petitioning Change Climate Change Social Change Language Change LGBTU Creating Change Change Through Charitable Contributions Champions of Change Playing for Change Quotations Behavior Change  Filed under: Curious David Tagged: Carroll University, Change, Curious David, Education

Tomorrow I’ll doff my invisibility cloak for a few hours while listening to President Hastad’s opening remarks. Then I’ll attend a talk about changes in the higher education market and trends in strategic enrollment management. It is always good to reconnect with colleagues and other members of the Carroll community after a rejuvenating summer. I read a number of interesting books this summer (As always, I hope to give them away to those who love to read). Ann Morgan’s The World Between Two Covers: Reading the Globe could easily be a foundation for some of our global education courses. My bibliophile friends might enjoy her thoughtful reflections about books, reading, publishing, and the role of global/international literature. She writes well, thinks clearly, and raises important questions. (See also her marvelous blog documenting her ambitious project to read a book translated into English from each of 196+ countries in a year). Naomi S. Baron’s Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World. I published a PsycCritiques review of this marvelous book this summer. Neal Stephenson’s seveneves. Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See. Kazuo Ishhiguro’s The Buried Giant. Cixin Liu’s first two translated books The Three Body Problem and The Dark Forest of his three part science fiction trilogy. Sian Beilock’s How the Body Knows Its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel. I have a review of this interesting book scheduled for publication in PsycCritiques later this year. I’ve begun exploring the marvelous Words Without Borders resources as an attempt to expand my reading diet. What books do you recommend that I read?   Filed under: Curious David Tagged: Books, Curious David, Global/International, Reading

I am sitting in front of my Mac in the office listening to the hammering of destruction construction outside while I do the homework to ask intelligent, informed questions of President Hastad and our invited speaker. I am delighted to have just received a "check-in" from my research assistant Tia. Right now preparation for playing soccer (and staying healthy) should be her priority. Just quickly reviewed this week’s Chronicle of Higher Education with particular focus on articles dealing with "discount rates" and enrollment trends. Usually the updated figures occur around October 1. Here are resources I draw upon to give me a context for trends in higher education. Several of them allow me to create my own comparison group data bases (e.g. for salaries and endowments). Ten Resources for Putting Into Context My Academic Institution’s Well Being Oberlin Strategic Plan Reading List: Source: Web Page shared by David Simpson’s alma mater Oberlin College College and University Endowments: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education Tuition and Fees: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education AAUP Salary Data: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education Money Raised by Colleges, 2014 Fiscal Year: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac of Higher Education:  Source: Chronicle of Higher Education Student Data: Enrollment Trends: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education Executive Compensation at Private Colleges: Source: Chronicle of Higher Education IPEDS (individual institutions and comparisons) CUPA Surveys  Filed under: Carroll University USA, Curious David, Higher Education Data Bases Tagged: Carroll University USA, Curious David, Education, Higher Education Data Bases

I confess that I am addicted to buying office and school supplies and have been since I was a first-grader. With the beginning of classes imminent (and the deadline for Jane Hart’s top  tools for learning survey on the horizon), it’s time to go to revisit my school toolbox. See Profhacker (and do a search for "tools") for the preferred tools of younger and more digitally oriented colleagues. Here are my top 10 tools NONTECHNOLOGY learning tools for razing the bars  (homophone intended—in fact I toyed with the idea of writing this blog piece entirely in homophones AND publishing an audio version!)—i.e. for liberating the potential of students and of me from barriers that impede learning: An assortment of number two pencils, plenty of erasers and some G2 bold thickness pens. (Yes, I COULD use a stylus with my Ipads). An assortment of high lighters. Yes, I am aware of the research about the efficacy of highlighting for studying. Moleskin-like notebooks. (Yes, I am aware of the online capabilities.) Small legal pads at each of my desks at home and at school. My Ipod nano and my Loksak splashsak fanny pack (like to listen to NPR and podcasts) A Dymo label maker and an assortment of paper file folders. A rolodex for keeping track of my myriad different web page and email logins Printed copies of books. See my PsycCRITIQUES review "Lego ergo sum". Time protected against distractions, interruptions, and distractions. I prefer to use self-discipline to using electronic defenses against distractions. My mind (whose thinking ability is always in need of sharpening). Fortunately I have frequent stimulating interactions with faculty colleagues, trustee friends, alumni, and students—and you, my non RSS reader. Filed under: Curious David Tagged: Curious David, Jane Hart, Top 100 Learning Tools, Turning Off the Internet

Shoveling Cleaning my office today I came across this history of the spell checker poem  "Candidate for a Pullet Surprise:" "I have a spelling checker, It came with my PC. It plane lee marks four my revue Miss steaks aye can knot sea…" I sometimes use it as a "screen" for hiring student assistants who can proofread carefully, spell, and have a good sense of humor. Sometimes I have them read it aloud or dictate it to a computer.    Filed under: Curious David Tagged: dictation software, Humor, poetry

I am blessed here at school with the opportunity to interact with a number of bright, creative, and fun to be with colleagues. Those interactions, whether in person or via social media, invariably both humble me and enrich me and my teaching. Today I shared with my students a poem written by Antler which my poet/author/Lego-fanatic/musician colleague BJ Best had shared  on his Face Book page not long ago when his son entered Kindergarten. Antler (from his Selected Poems) "Raising My Hand One of the first things we learn in school is if we know the answer to a question We must raise our hand and be called on before we can speak. How strange it seemed to me then, raising my hand to be called on, How at first I just blurted out, but that was not permitted. How often I knew the answer And the teacher (knowing I knew) Called on others I knew (and she knew) had it wrong! How I’d stretch out my arm as if it would break free and shoot through the roof like a rocket! How I’d wave and groan and sigh, Even hold my aching arm with my other hand Begging to be called on. Please, me, I know the answer! Almost leaping from my seat hoping to hear my name. Twenty-nine now, alone in the wilds, Seated on some rocky outcrop under all the stars, I find myself raising my hand as I did in first grade Mimicking the excitement and expectancy felt then. No one calls on me but the wind." My first week of teaching has been rewarding. Time to load the car before heading to North Lake for a swim. I wish everyone in the USA an enjoyable Labor Day holiday. Filed under: Curious David Tagged: poetry, teaching

Caveat Lector: This blog piece is laden with hypertext links that lead you to additional thoughts I have about these learning tools! With the deadline for responding to Jane Hart’s annual list of top learning tools imminent, here are my present thoughts on my top technology learning tools: Reading: I need tools that increases the likelihood of my being able to stay abreast of current events and aware of current research findings that I then can incorporate into my classes in an ongoing basis. Driving to school today while listening to NPR I was alerted to some research dealing with "nudging" individuals to buy more healthy foods by partitioning grocery carts. When my commute was temporarily blocked by a Waukesha train, I took the time to dictate into my cell phone that I should incorporate "nudging research" into my experimental social psychology class. I later added that particular NPR stream to my RSS reader/aggregator.  Though I have tried Feedly, I am presently using Inoreader. I do a lot of online reading, (though I am convinced by Naomi Baron that the printed book has a bright future- Lego Ergo Sum) heeding and feeding my need to learn from Twitter (where I tend to follow a selective list of individuals who share or enlarge my interests), Facebook (where I maintain relationships with former students), and LinkedIn (which has some interesting capabilities for also keeping in touch with alumnae, Board of Trustees, and professional contacts). Writing: I enjoy writing, and have investigated all of the writing tools on Jane’s list. I also have far-too-many writing (and other) apps on my far-too-many computers which I use across the day. My favorite journaling app of the moment is Day One. Its simplicity (and beauty) intrigues me and it motivates (nags) me to write. Of the six blogging pieces of software I have investigated I continue to use WordPress . It continues to teach me, and it gives me access to a number of individuals who write better than I. It is important to me that I learn from them. As I continue to try and reach out to non-English speaking audiences I am always looking for good language translation software that improves upon Google Translate. Arithmetic: Among the courses I teach is "Statistics and Experimental Design." I am also a partner of a consulting firm with Gregory K. Schneider and Jane Schneider. For data analysis purposes I use (and teach) SPSS, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences though I follow very closely  the possibility of switching to something (which is as all encompassing but more user-friendly and which is open source) such as JASP.  For conducting surveys I teach and use SurveyMonkey. Testing/ Quizzing: I continue to search for the ideal Testing/Quizzing tool. Though I have examined ProProfs Quizmaker and Quizlet, I still find of most value a much outdated but still reliably serving my needs software StarQuiz. Screen Casting: Of the many screen casting tools I have explored, I keep coming back to using Screenflow though I am determined to give Camtasia (both Mac and PC versions) a thorough examination this academic year. I’ve been able to use such software to incorporate into my Statistics classes supplemental tutorials on the use of SPSS.  I prefer using Vimeo to YouTube as an outlet for my video productions. Other Tools on my shortlist for mastering this academic year are Evernote, Imovie, and either Scoopit or Paperli. What tools do you use to augment your teaching capabilities? What evidence do you have of their success—-or failure? I welcome your thoughts. Filed under: Curious David Tagged: app generation, blogging tools, Carroll Alumni, Carroll University, Curious David, Education, Favorite_MAC Applications, Jane Hart, Top 100 Learning Tools, Twitter

Subsequent to hearing remarks by Carroll University President Doug Hastad about "Changes at Carroll", attendees heard a presentation "The end of the ‘gilded age’ in higher education" by Kevin Crockett (President of Ruffalo Noel Levit’z enrollment management division) about changes in post secondary enrollment trends. The August 27, 2015 Waukesha Freeman article is available online. In an earlier post (found here) I offered ten resources that may help an individual  better (or put into context) the health of his/her academic institution. I actually enjoyed the consultant’s quality data-filled 69-slide PowerPoint presentation (though several of my colleagues’ reactions reminded me of the infamous "Death by Powerpoint" and "PowerPoint is Evil" internet compositions. CollegeScoreCard (click on link and try it) wonderfully introduces an important trend toward TRUE TRANSPARENCY in data sharing and a very useful interactive data base for comparing schools. the UW Accountability Dashboard similarly exemplifies this healthy trend. College Results Online is a third such gem. Colleague John Garrison just alerted  me to this nugget which like glass, about which John’s new book provides a fascinating history, may enhance transparency. …and here is a link to the U.S. Department of Education’s  data base "trove" that drives the data base. Let all of us users use it wisely.Filed under: Curious David Tagged: Carroll University, Curious David, Higher Education

The sound of the bagpiper at Opening Convocation has almost settled. I’m proctoring the 2nd of two two-hours exams I am giving today—and reflecting as I begin teaching year number 38 at Carroll. I first got into the habit of awakening at 5:30 am. and being on campus by 7:00 a.m. when I was Faculty and Assembly President.  The sun-rise colored, dewy campus is beautiful in the early morning and bustling with activity. The football team is often practicing. The physical plant staff are inspecting their hard work before heading to the Campus Center for some much needed and deserved coffee and heading home after an eight hour shift. In those earlier days of my Carroll experiences, I got to know many of our physical plant staff personally and friendships developed that continue today (Thank you Dennis W. and your Dad, "Ott"). I had a number of their children as students (thanks for sending Heather my way—and yes, you have reason to be proud that she graduated summa cum laude).  I  learned much from them about the challenges they faced in making the campus a welcoming, safe, environment conducive to working and learning. They play an especially vital role right now polishing the campus in anticipation of our imminent Home Coming weekend. Of course, there are others on campus already. If I so wanted I could text John G. or many other colleagues to join me for a quick coffee and conversation—either now or later in the day. Some of my staff friends are already working in their offices.  Some are no longer here, having retired after more than 25 years of service. I miss Jean Olsen’s red car parked by Voorhees. A stream of student nurses (identifiable by their uniforms) passes me as I walk up the hill from the theater building where I must park my car because of the new science building construction. Construction cranes tower above Rankin Hall and where Maxon Hall used to be. Hours ago the construction workers restarted their work from the day before. A chorus of their hammering accompanies me as I climb up the stairs to my office. I send an email invitation to the daughter of one of my former students suggesting that she stop by and say hello. I promised her Mom (Kit V.) at an Admissions’ Day event that I would be an unobtrusive guardian angel for her daughter if she was attended Carroll. I give my research assistants (I am again blessed with talented youth) some unsupervised tasks to do for me and head off to my morning classes. So much positive activity goes on "behind the scenes" and keeps me here. I have been afforded numerous on and off-campus and virtual interactions with Board of Trustee Members. Thank you trustees and former trustees Charmaine P., Cathy D., John R. and Jim S. for enlarging my perspectives about this institution which you love. I appreciate your support across the years that we have worked together. Thank you, PE MacAllister for your recent guidance about when I should retire. Regular interactions with former and present students continue to enrich and inspire me. Michelle B. informs me that she just started a five-year position as an oral examiner for the ABPP neuropsychology boards and that she will soon start a position as a national advocacy liaison on behalf of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. She will be starting the APA Women in psychology leadership training program in DC next month. Current student Davis E. stops by to share an idea for an honor’s thesis for his English Communication major He modestly shares that he had recently published a Milwaukee Journal "article". We make an appointment for him to teach me what he knows about EverNote. Once he has taught this Old Dog, I’ll probably add it to my list of learning technology tools I use. Current student Kevin S. stops by to drop off a thank you letter for my Uncle James Stover for funding his summer research (which was recently recognized as best in its class). These two world-wise military veteran students enrich the campus and my life through their unique perspectives. Uncle Jim is so pleased by the return on his investment in Kevin that he decides to invest again, this time targeting deserving freshmen and sophomores. Fortunately we have many needy and deserving students who meet our criteria. Thanks to all members of my extended Carroll Community for sharing, caring and daring to preserve the integrity of the institution while being aware of where there might be a need to change.Filed under: Curious David Tagged: Carroll Alumni, Carroll University, Commencement, Curious David, Technology Learning Tools