Warp 9 Walt is a change agent with a strong sense of urgency. He's just one of the six buyer personas... A while ago at a conference I had dinner with two people. The first, (we’ll call her Janine) I had known since we worked together six years earlier. The second person (Ed), Janine and I had just met. Janine described a sales challenge she was facing. She’d been working with two prospects at two different organizations, one for over a year and one for almost two. The typical sales cycle is 6 to 9 months, and these were both well beyond. She felt she was nearing a sale with both, but for all she knew, "nearing" might mean a year or two to go. This is a fairly common sales challenge: The sale looks good, but it’s taking forever. Janine happened to be facing two at the same time...      

Too many organizations leave the success of their sellers to chance. More sellers are missing quota, sales cycles are extending, and the competition isn't exactly standing aside to make life easy. If sellers want to win in this environment, they must plan to win from the start. Anything short of this and they set themselves up for failure. In this white paper, RAIN Group Presidents Mike Schultz and John Doerr pose 12 critical questions sales leaders must ask about their approach to sales opportunity management that will help them shorten sales cycles, improve win rates, and grow revenue.     Related StoriesEssentials of an Effective Account Planning ToolHow to Win Big Sales Opportunities with Big PlaysCore Competencies of Successful Sellers 

This post is part of the TriNet ongoing series about the Affordable Care Act and its effects on small business. If you’re a midsize business owner, you may have heard that you will soon be required... Visit site for full story...

As of July 1, 2015, a new earned sick time law in Massachusetts requires all Massachusetts businesses to provide sick time for their employees. If you are a Massachusetts business owner, this new law... Visit site for full story...

When first introduced to the concept of desktop analytics, people often draw comparisons to Net Nanny® or George Orwell’s "Big Brother". WorkiQ Desktop Analytics, for example, is not tracking passwords or bank accounts, but the software does monitor an employee’s computer-based activity in real-time. Initially, this concept may be unsettling to a measured associate, but desktop analytics can improve productivity, eliminate uncertainty, and potentially provide new insight into "actual" performance. Hawthorn Effect (aka. The Observer Effect) People, who know they are being observed, typically improve their behavior. Our customers report an average 10% improvement in productivity after three months of sharing activity reports with their users. Within the first 3 months of measurement, we have seen productivity spikes up to 26%. This does not mean that someone surfing Facebook all day will become a model employee when monitored, but he will be more aware of his actions. Every company will have A+ and C- workers that set the curve, but simply knowing there is a grade will improve the class average. Flexible Workplace Over the last few years, HR analysts have found that professional employees, especially millennials, have prioritized workplace flexibility. Employers that allow flexible hours, telecommuting, and less micro-management are able to attract more qualified candidates. However, employers cannot abandon all oversight. Desktop analytics can serve as a tool to manage telecommute workers with in-office visibility. It also provides an evolved alternative to social media blocking. Instead of forcing employees to hide their social media addictions, companies with desktop analytics can measure time spent in productive vs. non-productive activities. Molina Healthcare’s employees deliver 6.5 hours of productive time per day, and associates are free to use the remaining time as they please. The Workplace Fitbit In addition to measuring application usage, WorkiQ can track how employees process work, even when jumping between several systems. Smart managers are using this crystal ball to build culture of transparency, collaborative process improvement, and performance-based rewards. This starts by providing analytics dashboards to both managers and measured employees, then socializing team productivity and performance. Real-time reinforcement keeps employees engaged and competitive, and eliminates the uncertainty that comes from infrequent performance reviews. I elaborate on the idea of a workplace Fitbit in this blog: Fitness trackers set precedent for work performance management To learn how a WorkiQ saved the job of an underutilized employee, continue reading Measure Twice - Cut Once. The post The positive impact of "Big Brother" software appeared first on WorkiQ Blog.

For a carpenter, hasty cuts can result in an expensive loss of time and materials. Hence, the phrase "measure twice; cut once". Applying this "measure twice & cut once" principle to back-office operations simply means; you can’t improve what you don’t measure. [Whitepaper] IDC Analyst Connection: What Gets Measured Gets Better: Improving Performance "WorkiQ is helping us have effective conversations with employee’s we were previously unable to have." - Manager of Business Intelligence, Top Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plan Many employees, especially those who choose back-office careers, are unable to communicate their challenges to managers or peers. One of the largest health plans in the country recently provided a great example. A claims examiner, who we will call "Mary", was consistently missing production numbers. The health plan’s claims system could report the number of claims Mary worked, and her average time-per-claim, but it could not explain "why" she was below team standards. After several warnings, Mary was on the verge of disciplinary action. With a WorkiQ pilot about to start, her management decided to wait until they could analyze her daily activity. It turns out that Mary was not taking breaks, and her lunch was rarely more than 10 minutes. She spent more time in "productive" applications than anyone on her team, but this effort was not reflected in the output of her work. Mary’s WorkiQ dashboard revealed that she was spending her breaks doing research through company documents and online resources. As a result of real-time data, it was easy to determine she did not have the training to perform at expectations. Working with her manger, Mary was able to join the proper training programs, and she was partnered to a mentor. Employee turnover is a huge expense in money, time and resources, WorkiQ is providing valuable empirical data to help Insurance companies successfully evaluation workforce performance based on facts. By adding a layer of operational visibility through desktop analytics, Mary is now one of her department’s top performers. In the future, Mary can use a peer-comparison dashboard to see if other top performers have found more efficient ways to process claims. Peer Performance Comparison Dashboard - WorkiQ Desktop Analytics Stories like this are fairly common, and a similar case occurred here at OpenConnect with one of our developers. To learn more about how desktop analytics can help your operations department, continue reading The positive impact of "Big Brother" software. The post Measure Twice - Cut Once appeared first on WorkiQ Blog.

A Full Fun Summer It’s been a summer full of work, fun, food, and friendship. Many ping pong battles have been fought, cries of agony and celebration over code, and slow enjoyable summer nights hanging out after work. It hasn’t just been a summer job, but an experience that all eight of us have shared together. Some days this was discussing outdated technology in book club, and other days it was laying on the floor trying to understand the best way to move forward in the project. Now as the summer comes to an end, so does our internship. We may be leaving Rustici, but we take our memories, new friendships, and work experience that we can carry with us into the next part of our lives.   Super Brian We came to know one another over sushi, playing ping pong, and being a part of the Intern Alley. We were all different, coming from different backgrounds, but we came together to form a team of interns under Brian. When things went wrong, there was a problem we couldn’t figure out, or needed a partner for ping pong, Brian was there to help. Thanks for putting up with our craziness, our frustrating days, our happy days, and days where we thought we got a lot done but we probably actually hadn’t. You pushed us in the right direction, allowing us to learn a great deal, but also helped us when we needed it. Thanks for being our leader this summer. Dog Days of Summer The experience provided by Rustici Software was a unique and beneficial experience. We had full days learning from people and working on the intern project. We learned about things like marketing tools such as Marketo from Jeff and Lizelle, how to run a company from Mike and Tim, and what not to do in an interview from Jena and Laura. The work wasn’t always easy when we had to redo code that accidentally got deleted, redraw wrench after wrench for the logo, or when there were large pull requests that created new conflicts and needed rebasing. But we pushed through the hard days, and we can now leave with our heads held high, knowing we worked hard over the summer and we learned a great deal that has made us better students and better people. Rustici has given us a summer we won’t forget, allowing us to build our networks and knowledge   Thank You So thank you Rustici Software, for giving us a unique summer experience that not only gave us a job for 14 weeks, but gave us more knowledge and a community. The post Thanks Rustici Software appeared first on Rustici Software.

Why it's time for GPP3Last week saw the publication of the third version of Good Publication Practice for reporting company-sponsored research (imaginatively, we’re calling it GPP3). To be useful, guidelines must reflect the current situation so they need periodic updating. The first GPP guideline (called GPP for pharmaceutical companies) appeared in 2003 and was revised to form GPP2 in…

There is a bold, compelling line between leadership and fierce leadership.  You will begin to cross the line once you understand and act on the central premise at the heart of all things fierce: If you want to become a great leader, gain the capacity to connect with your colleagues and customers at a deep level … or lower your aim.We are excited to be partnering with Women in Real Life Leadership Summit (WiRL). WiRL is transforming the way professional development happens through an online, webinar-based conference that features sessions led by world-renowned speakers, authors, and experts.This September, Susan Scott will be talking about Fierce Leadership. She will share how to spot the worst "best" practices in your organizations using a technique she calls "squid" eye.Here are the six practices she will dive into:From 360-Degree Anonymous Feedback to "365" Face-to-Face FeedbackFrom Hiring for Smarts to Hiring for Smart + HeartFrom Holding People Accountable to Modeling Accountability and Holding People AbleFrom Employee Engagement Programs to Actually Engaging EmployeesFrom Customer Centricity to Customer ConnectivityFrom Legislated Optimism to Radical Transparency Which practice intrigues you most?Hope you can join us at WiRL this year, especially for Susan Scott’s session on September 24th at 10 AM PST.The post Let’s Talk Fierce Leadership appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Harvard Business Review and outlines the difference between critical and constructive feedback.For most of us, just thinking about feedback elicits a sense of discomfort, anger, and even contempt. We can be so afraid of it that we either avoid it all together or hide behind anonymous feedback. But as a leader, providing honest, clear feedback is one of the best gifts you can give your team.Approach a feedback conversation as an opportunity to deepen an employee’s self-awareness and propel growth. How to Give Tough Feedback That Helps People Grow recommends creating certain conditions in which the receiver can take in feedback and learn from it.What conversations are you not having? "Managers fall into a number of common traps. We might be angry at an employee and use the feedback conversation to blow off steam rather than to coach. Or we may delay giving needed feedback because we anticipate that the employee will become argumentative and refuse to accept responsibility. We might try surrounding negative feedback with positive feedback, like a bitter-tasting pill in a spoonful of honey."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: How to Give Tough Feedback That Helps People Grow appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun. - Randy Pausch In our connected world with constant emails and social media, it is easy to never truly break away from work. Given that, you better have fun along the way. Or what’s the point of all this work?Having fun is not only good for your health, but it makes your team’s discretionary effort rise. The catch to having fun is…as a leader, you can’t force it.This week’s tip is to give your team a set budget to plan something fun together. Don’t put tons of criteria around it. It could be a happy hour, a lunch, a secret costume for team members to wear… whatever makes the team tick. It is a mistake to choose the events and outings for the team members.Let them own it. And go along for the ride.The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Have Fun Together appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

The 56th annual art festival is exploring themes of labor conditions, sustainable identities, and more.

Four years after he set Kanye West's tweets to music on "Kimmel," the singer-songwriter has found a new "worthy" subject: Donald Trump.

The "We Are Your Friends" star played an intense game of "Egg Russian Roulette" with Jimmy Fallon, edging out the "Tonight Show" host to claim victory.

The first thing a "stoned" Vanessa Bayer did when she finally found her way back to the U.S.? She "confronted" Bill Hader during his "Late Night" interview.

The action-horror-comedy hits theaters Nov. 25.

The track comes from the Rhode Island rapper's latest album, "Kill the Wolf."

Did you notice that Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner just joined up with pop icon Stephen Hawking to make a $100 million donation to SETI - search for extraterrestrial intelligence? As you probably know that search has, so far, used big telescopes. They are hugely expensive so the SETI guys don’t get to use them much. The gift will allow them to have significantly expanded use of these eyes in the sky. I have a theory about extraterrestrials though. I figure that they know it’s really expensive for human SETI scientists to use these big telescopes. As these aliens are pretty smart I would bet that they must have figured out a way to get their messages to us in a much, much cheaper way. My bet is that aliens are already sending us messages by email. Or messages through WeChat or WhatsApp. Why would they send us messages that only a few scientists can see when with all their smarts it would be a lot easier to send them to anyone in the world with an iPhone? I figure we are already getting these messages via Gmail and the messaging apps. But in our all-too-human stupidity we confuse them with spam. I think that where you see emails with titles such as "PEEnxs enlargement 2 days" it’s really a coded message from an alien. But our spam filters, which are not very smart and have absolutely no cosmological vision whatsoever, just think they are about improving one’s manhood. Little do they know! In reality they are probably giving us the coordinates of their planet plus the distance to the nearest wormhole. So yours truly thinks that Yuri Milner is a great guy but he’s really off the mark. He should have given his money to kids who we pay peanuts to, to search the trillions of messages that we currently think are spam emails. Or it should go to Big Data types who can find the tell-tale patterns in these troves of "spam" emails to find the juicy ones that give us the skinny on how to get an audience with ET. I also think a smart alien would have figured out by now that he could also use Facebook or LinkedIn to contact anyone. If we can do it, they certainly can. So I think that smart searches of these social media could also yield truly extraterrestrial dividends. In fact I think many of the apparently spurious messages from people called SXxy Laaleeta also come from ET, rather than from some sexpot in Colombia, the currently fashionable but totally inept hypothesis. However there is a fly in this ointment. It’s all these cybersecurity initiatives that have become so de rigeur. The combination of antivirus programs, cyber defense mechanisms and so on are actually preventing these messages from aliens from getting to us. That’s why we aren’t seeing messages from ET! We are confusing alien messages with intrusion by Chinese hackers. In fact I think the Chinese would be well-advised to demonstrate that things like the OPM Federal Office of Personnel Management) hack were clearly of alien origin. After all, were there any Chinese characters in the message? And if there were, wouldn’t you expect aliens to have mastered Mandarin anyway? I think the Chinese should make it clear that they’ve been framed, by aliens. I am sure most fair-minded people would totally agree. I have an even deeper theory. You probably know that our government masters want software companies to insert backdoors into their software so that they (the Feds) can get in and see what’s really going on. That way they can protect us from terrorists, Ukrainian hackers and conservatives But I think that this is really a cover story. I think the real story is that the government has realized that cyber defenses are preventing the aliens who are in favor of liberal democracy from contacting us and want these backdoors so that these potential alien allies can get in too. Makes sense right? The aliens might be useful allies in the forthcoming world war in space and it would pay to sign them up early, before the Russians or ISIS get to them. OK so this forces me to reveal an even deeper theory, no, actually a finding. I think the NSA is actually, right now as we speak, talking to aliens that they have identified coming through these backdoors using secret techniques learned from stopping illegals crossing the Mexican border. But they can’t tell us otherwise the Russians will find out what’s going on and will want in on the act. We can’t have that obviously. I think that’s why Julian Assange is holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. He knows all of this because of his encyclopedic knowledge of what is in WikiLeaks. If we let him out he will tell all. What’s worse he will tell the Swedes. Then it’s all over coz the Russians will then find out from their submarines in the Swedish fjords (assuming the Swedes have them, of course). That could destroy 50 years of work bringing about nuclear nonproliferation. After all, if you don’t get the aliens on your side, you are going to need a lot more bombs. Hence the current Russian effort to get ahead while there's still time. So this is what I am really trying to say. The real backstory here is the Iranian deal. The Iranians have cottoned on to us getting near to a deal with the aliens and want to get the bomb before we sign up with them. That’s why the Feds have got all these secret deals with the Iranians. These secret agreements ("annexes" to those in the know) assure the Iranians that the US won’t sign a deal with the aliens unless the Iranians produce a bomb. The Feds aren’t stupid, you know. But you gotta keep all this stuff secret, otherwise Donald Trump will blow the whistle. And, here’s a shocker. The "Great Satan" doesn’t refer to the US. It refers to the aliens! These Iranians are diabolically (pun intended) clever. Remember you read it here first.            Read More

More and more classrooms are implementing a project-based learning (PBL) approach intended to engage students by having them explore real-world problems and present possible solutions to those problems. Sway is a free resource repository and presentation tool that gives students a platform to creatively express ideas, organize and present material, and demonstrate learning. Resource content can be created within the app or uploaded easily and Sway allows for a variety of multimedia to be brought together simply. Content is hung on the Sway framework or storyline and is placed on "cards" automatically. Content can then be edited or manipulated as needed and the material organized into a presentation using the drag-and-drop feature. Users have a number of design elements available to them and the app is equipped to make design and structural suggestions to the user. Multiple users can collaborate on a single Sway and the tool supports multiple platforms. Screen size adjustments are made automatically when sharing presentations on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube and embedding is a breeze. Have fun! Connie White is the director of learning design & innovation at Woodward Academy in College Park, Ga. A former high school physics, chemistry and math teacher, White has specialized in start-up technology initiatives, strategic planning, laptop integration, brain-based strategies, staff development and digital literacy since 1995. She has conducted many workshops and seminars, in the United States and internationally. She is the current president of Atlanta Area Technology Educators (an ISTE affiliate), a Google Certified Administrator, a finalist for the Tech Leader of the Year Award and a Paul Harris Fellow. White also writes the education column for Southern Distinction magazine and was recently selected as Georgia’s representative writer in EdSurge’s 50 States Project.  ***** Tech Tips is a content collaboration between SmartBrief Education and GreyED Solutions. Have a tech tip to share? Contact us at techtips@greyedsolutions.com Miss a Tech Tip? Visit our Tech Tip archive.  *****   Related Posts: No Related Posts Tech Tip: Using Sway for project-based learning originally published by SmartBlogs

SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter. How well do you stick to priorities after you set them? Very well — I rarely deviate from my priorities: 15% Well — I mostly stick to them but deviate occasionally: 73% Not well — I have difficulty sticking to my priorities: 11% Not at all — I neither set nor stick to priorities: 1% Flexibility Matters. Things change every day. While it’s important to set priorities, don’t be afraid to deviate from them as required. Clearly it’s a balance. The most important thing to do when you do deviate from them is let your team know why the priorities changed. Help them understand why things move up or down. If you don’t explain it to them, they’ll feel whipsawed and won’t be able to see the bigger picture of how priorities are set and managed based upon challenges or opportunities the organization faces. Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS, author of "Lead Inside the Box: How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results" and "One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership." Related Posts: What are the most important "services" you provide your team? How well do reorganizations go in your organization? Would you rather be seen as being a fair leader or a just one? How do you handle someone who’s a "squeaky wheel"? How do you deal with "steamrollers" on your team? How well do you stick to priorities after you set them? originally published by SmartBlogs

At the end of my first year as school leader, I met up for breakfast with someone who was very instrumental in developing school leadership talent, and had founded a graduate level program in educational administration that I attended. He had also been a board chair for multiple area schools. I had asked to meet with him so that I could let him enjoy the fruits of his labor (his graduate program had helped me secure my leadership position) while also gleaning from his wisdom and experience as I planned for Year 2. As we ate we talked about the various challenges and successes of the previous year. At one point the topic shifted to the school board. It was then that he looked me straight in the eye and emphatically said, "You need to own your board." By that he meant that I need to develop them and their thinking in a way that would position them squarely behind me to advance my agenda. Besides for standard school-related conversation about organizational needs, he suggested that I begin the process of developing personal connections with as many individual board members as possible. That included "get to know you" meetings at Starbucks but also something deeper, such as establishing a learning partnership with key board members. (In our community, that meant studying Torah together. In other settings, it may be a different topic of common interest.) I took his advice to heart, and set up a weekly study arrangement with two members of the board’s executive committee. That relationship allowed for a deeper relationship and the deepening of trust. It goes without saying that the chief executive must make board relations a top priority. While board function and impact range significantly among companies and organizations, it is the board’s responsibility, at the minimum, to evaluate you and your work in advancing the organization. (They are also typically tasked with fiduciary oversight and maintenance of the mission.) As with any evaluative process, you want to position yourself on the right side of things — interpersonally and in terms of establishing an agreed-to and properly supported agenda. There are a few other ways that new leaders can ingratiate themselves with key board members and begin the process of effective cultivation. Get to know them well. Find out what each board member does, professionally and otherwise. What are their passions? What other things do they commit personal time to? Learn what you can about their personal lives and families. The more that you get to know them personally, the more you can connect with them about their deepest and most sacred feelings and beliefs. Learn their biases. Ask them about their general feelings about the organization. Is it something that they are proud to be associated with? What are its greatest strengths and biggest opportunities? Discuss their past experiences with your predecessor(s) and with other board members. Ask them about their top issues with the current company performance and culture. Lay out your plan. Develop a 90- to 100-day plan that includes action steps and tangible deliverables. Get feedback on the plan and revise as needed. Then, monitor your progress against the plan and report using that as your basis. If you meet or exceed expectations, wonderful. If not, be willing to notate that and explain why you think that things have not progressed the way that you thought they would. Offer the board a modified plan as warranted. The more that you hold yourself accountable, the more respect and latitude your will garner. Communicate early and often. Develop and maintain a regular, scheduled communication schedule with your board. Update them on developments and don’t hide concerns. Be upright, clear, and responsive. Over-communicate at first so that the board knows that you get it and are on top of things. Then, with the input and approval from the board chair, begin the process of weaning back a bit on the frequency and comprehensiveness of your updates. Start bonding. Where appropriate, invite board members to your home or a location of common interest to interact socially. Let them see another side of you, and vice versa. Also, consider team-building activities that will require you and them to work together toward various outcomes. All of these experiences will build equity and help them see you as more than a distant employee that they have hired to direct their company. And if any blowback reaches them from constituents, they are likelier to cover your back and give you the benefit of the doubt than if you let things run their natural courses. Naphtali Hoff (@impactfulcoach) became an executive coach and consultant following a 15 year career as an educator and school administrator. Read his blog atimpactfulcoaching.com/blog. If you enjoyed this article, join SmartBrief’s e-mail list for our daily newsletter on being a better, smarter leader. Related Posts: Build a team of workplace teachers The 6 R’s of a principal’s summer school Deepening the workplace bond Teeing up for success: Saying yes to corporate golf events and other business golf Succession planning for everyone (almost!) Own your board originally published by SmartBlogs

Many faculty tend to reside in a silo mentality, focusing on their course, their content, and their expectations. What if that thinking was expanded to view the role of faculty as part of a continuum...Continue Reading »

The Lucy Show captured as much as 72% of the total viewing audience on a given night during its time atop television in the first of the 1950s. Since then, television audiences have fragmented; in 2015, top television programs are lucky to draw 10-15%. Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail (2005) argued that this fragmentation would accelerate as more content and more activity moved to the Net. No longer will sales of music, film, television, books and other popular media be dominated by a limited number of "hits" or "blockbusters". The cost of developing, marketing and distributing a wider variety of digital content has declined rapidly. Options for consumers are growing; they’re no longer forced by limited shelf space to buy the most popular fare. And small time content providers will find it increasingly feasible to maintain a viable business offering customers alternatives to the most popular films, books and the like. Chris Anderson, The Long Tail (click for more information) While higher education doesn’t see itself as having much in common with popular media. But as a producer and user of digital media for learning, higher education is inevitably subject to the same forces to some extent. This doesn’t mean that the effects of these forces will be the same, though. Higher education operates in a unique context. The Long Tail suggests that the variety of digital media will grow and with it, choice. But it has implications for cost and quality, too. For teaching and learning, the questions stimulated by the changes Anderson describes include: To what extent is access to greater choices in instructional materials for students and faculty important to improving learning? How will the quality of instructional materials be altered as a result of the long tail? How might the increase in choices and fragmentation of providers act to change the cost of online instructional materials as a result of higher or lower volume of development? Do economies of scale matter more or less than they do in other sectors that deal with digital media? Common and Coordinated Choice of popular media is influenced by social and cultural factors. Consumers will often select the same cultural products as people in their social groups, either because they learnt about it through the group (i.e. word of mouth - which, yes, still matters) or because sharing cultural experiences has social value for them (e.g. a sense of belonging, a chance to demonstrate conformity). Higher education places its own constraints on the diversity of instructional media - most notably the need for institutions to be sufficiently coordinated. Students move from one institution to another; from high school to college, from one university to another, from university to the labour market and so on. Mobility requires, in turn, that each of the participating institutions - in order to be of value to the student and other stakeholders - not deviate sharply from the practices at other institutions. While higher education in North America is not strictly a "system" - indeed in many jurisdictions considerable effort is put into maintaining institutional autonomy - it’s widely recognized that there must be some agreement as to what constitutes, for example, a Bachelor of Science degree. This, in turn, encourages commonality in instructional content used across different institutions and keeps the "tail" relatively short. Instructional materials are most common in lower-level, "survey" courses, such as intro to psychology, intro to business, and the like. The education publishing industry relies on this commonality. Publishers have long offered remarkably similar texts for these courses - similar not only in topics to their competitors, but in the sequence of topics, too. Similarly, Kidwell argued that 25 to 30 unique courses constituted 80% of enrolment. Put another way, approximately 1% of courses offered constitute almost half of enrolment (See Jan Nespor’s excellent notes on common courses here). While rarely discussed in these terms, the commonality of curriculum in higher education is at the root of interest in MOOCs as a cost-saving tactic, as well as system-wide sharing models, such as California community colleges, and the much heralded, but cancelled 500 million fund set aside by the Obama administration early in his presidency to fund the development of common online courses. If we can find commonality we can slowdown escalating costs in higher education and, more importantly, invest more time, talent and resources into the development of the instructional materials offered students. Uncommon and Self-Sufficient But there are also significant obstacles in place that limit the ability and willingness of higher education to take full advantage of common instructional materials. Higher education is a highly decentralized institution. To a much greater extent than other types of organizations, each institution "rolls its’ own", rather than seeking out the best available resources  - regardless of its origins. This sensibility has at least three, overlapping origins: Academics are hired and rewarded on the basis of subject matter expertise. Despite great efforts to elevate the status of teaching, research productivity is firmly embedded as the fuel behind the ascent of faculty and their institutions. In this context, asking faculty to use instructional materials produced by and affiliated with other faculty is counter to self-interests. It challenges established notions of what faculty bring to the table. The model for online course development has its roots in the classroom. In most instances of classroom education, educators work more or less independently to create, deliver and manage the student’s entire learning experience. Despite the presence of service departments that offer technical support and professional development, instructors are still expected to assume full and ultimate responsibility for creating online instructional materials. (LMS systems were created to fit this model and serve ultimately, to reinforce it.) Maintaining difference from other institutions is considered part and parcel of establishing a strong institutional difference in higher education. Overt use of materials from other institutions, for example, puts this difference into question. Online Higher Education: The Long(est) Tail Together, these factors (and others, I suspect) determine the degree to which digital instructional materials are shared across higher education; how "common" they can be. This in turn influences quality, costs and access to the very best materials. As a result of higher ed’s unique practices and logic, there is a rather extraordinary diversity of content being produced across thousands of institutions. This is not a system that emphasizes "hits" or "blockbusters". But unlike other sectors, the diversity of content does not necessarily lead to greater choice for either educators or students in that most of this in-house content being developed remains in-house. Moreover, because these materials are often produced in-house the resources brought to bear on each effort is limited. While this likely appeals to the desire for diversity and, of course, institutional difference and faculty autonomy, it may also be increase the total cost of supporting courses and and lower the quality of higher education by starving the system as a whole of high-end instructional materials and the benefits of economies of scale.

Faculty Attitudes Towards and Experiences with OER & Open Textbooks Useful statistics on why and how faculty use OER (slide format). Many obstacles remain. Read more What 6.9 Million Clicks tell us About How to Fix Online Education Excerpt: In a paper published this spring, the CSAIL team outlined some key findings on what online learners want from videos. These include: Brevity (viewers generally tune out after six minutes) Informality, with professors seated at a desk, not standing behind a podium Lively visuals rather than static PowerPoint slides Fast talkers (professors seen as the most engaging spoke at 254 words per minute) More pauses, so viewers can soak in complex diagrams Web-friendly lessons (existing videos broken into shorter chunks are less effective than ones crafted for online audiences) Read more It’s Hard to Differentiate One Higher-Ed Brand From Another Discusses the challenges of distinguishing universities in the eyes of prospective students. Excerpt: "We prepare the leaders of tomorrow." "We nurture lifelong learners." "We aim to have a global impact, while serving our local community." If mission statements such as these sound familiar to leaders in higher education, it’s no surprise. These statements could easily reflect the mission and purpose of almost every higher education institution — to the point where it’s tough to distinguish one school from the next. In a recent study, Gallup found that the mission, purpose or vision statements of more than 50 higher education institutions share striking similarities, regardless of institution size, public or private status, land-grant status or religious affiliation, or for-profit or not-for-profit status. Read more Competency-Based Education: Leadership Challenges Great article by by Thad Nodine and Sally M. Johnstone about the role of CBE in US higher education from Change Magazine. Excerpt: Competency-based education (CBE) can help the nation meet its graduation goals and address the shortages of skilled workers that are emerging as the economy improves. Several community colleges have developed their own versions of CBE programs, and two states are instituting CBE programs statewide. College leaders report that developing CBE programs offers opportunities to personalize the educational experience for students. They also say that doing so presents challenges and highlights the barriers to individualized educational delivery imbedded in existing systems (e.g., in programs, curricula, enrollment processes, and instructional and learner supports). College leaders also say that CBE offers opportunities to develop partnerships with local business and to work with faculty in cultivating a vision for change in higher education. Read more