Teaching as a Design Science Blended learning has traditionally been thought of as a combination of digital and face-to-face learning components. However, as we move towards a greater dependence on technology, the definition of blended learning is changing. An effective blended learning program simply needs to contain a variety of learning elements. These can include virtual or in-person workshops, eLearning modules, learning games, and components that sit outside of all of these, like line manager check-ins and coaching sessions. The work of Professor Diana Laurillard is central to our blended learning design process. In her book 'Teaching As a Design Science1', she discusses how various learning approaches may be supported by technology. We’ve created a blended learning methodology inspired by her work which we use to create blended solutions for a range of clients. This ebook will talk you through the five key elements of effective blended learning design—from understanding how learning works through to the technologies we can use to enhance it. We’ve also included some stories from real projects we’ve worked on to help add some context.

In the past two years, organizations and educational institutions have broken out of the classroom and into the world of digital learning. Discover the lessons they learned and the challenges they encountered on the road to transforming teaching and training for the new normal. Topics in the eBook include: How to boost engagement in distance learning The future of upskilling and reskilling How to build emotional intelligence in your organization Developing relationships digitally How gamification is transforming training 

Onboarding is an opportunity to make a strong impression on your new hires, immerse them in your culture, and set them up for success from day one. But how can you accomplish all of that virtually? Onboarding can be an overwhelming experience in person, and the same is true through a screen. The key is to create an experience with enough structure to keep new hires engaged while also allowing plenty of independent work and break time. In this guide, you'll get tips on putting together an engaging and effective virtual onboarding experience. You'll learn: What you can do in advance for a stress-free first day How to leverage technology without causing screen fatigue Tips for getting employees invested in their own development right away

In 2021, workplaces are all about swift skill building at scale, with 80% of CEOs saying employees need new skills for today. However, digital learning for businesses is failing to keep up when employees need knowledge most — in the flow of work. The result is lost productivity: This eBook is for learning leaders leading the quest for a better, more purposeful learning experience that impacts the bottom line. Read the eBook and discover:  80% of knowledge is almost immediately lost due to lack of practice and retention One entire day a week is lost by employees looking for answers to questions 15 weeks of productivity are lost each year by subject matter experts (usually your best employees) helping people learn Employers need to power up knowledge in the flow of work. Get the eBook to find out the 5 ways to power up productivity with knowledge at work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound—and probably lasting—impacts throughout society, affecting how users consume learning and how learning and development (L&D) teams deliver it. The necessary shift to remote work has made digital and live online learning an invaluable tool for learners and L&D teams alike.  The 2021 survey of 1,276 L&D professionals by Adobe and Training Magazine Network, "What is the future of digital learning in 2021 and beyond?" found that 42 percent of respondents envision using more digital options this year, indicating that digital learning is here to stay as part of a dynamic, hybrid learning model. This will involve a blend of live online, digital self-paced and face-to-face learning aimed, most often, at internal employee upskilling. As blended delivery grows, companies are looking to modern platforms and features to increase personalization in ways that make learning more robust and more effective.  Click below to download the white paper.

Almost 40 percent of American employers say they cannot find people with the skills  they need even for entry-level jobs, and they admit that only 50 percent of new recruits have the skills needed for their new roles.  Another 60 percent of employers complain of lack of preparation and only 42.5 3 percent feel that new hires show the required professionalism and work ethic.  Yet, 89.4 percent of new graduates feel they are work-ready.   Download the eBook to Learn How to Effectively Create Connections and Bridge Skill Gaps in Your Organization

If you want to know how to get ahead of the game and avoid the common mishaps in selling your eLearning courses, you’ve come to the right place! Lambda Solutions has identified the most common and costly challenges faced by eLearning providers today.  These include: Overcoming the high cost of scaling Figuring out what to do when there’s a lack of knowledge or skill Navigating the labyrinth of system integration Measuring the true ROI of your LMS Download this white paper, and we will show you how to identify each of these pitfalls in your organization regardless of industry, organizational size, or learning goals. Let us help you gain insight into how to overcome those obstacles and achieve sustainable, scalable, and successful eLearning, and determine exactly what is required to sell your courses and achieve eLearning success!

The terms trainer, presenter and facilitator are often used interchangeably, but actually mean different things, and each can play a different role in learning events.  Do you know their differences?  Download this eBook to compare trainers, presenters and facilitators, take a deep dive into the different roles facilitators play, and access a tool to assess your current effectiveness as a facilitator.

This white paper explores how the Training Top 100 Hall of Fame L&D leaders are planning for post-pandemic learning and development utilizing lessons learned and best practices from the last year, the future of in-person classroom training, which innovations should be carried forward after the pandemic, and strategies to build stronger organizational engagement.

We’ve seen a rapid rise in the use of technology to automate and streamline many of our day-to-day tasks. This change has caused a shift in the way organization need to train employees. Despite automation replacing many job functions, employees will always have a need for soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, integrity, as well as cognitive skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, and decision making. The tips in this ebook will help upskill and reskill your workforce to complement the advancements in automation. You’ll learn: What skills you should prioritize How to tie training to specific roles Tips for using mixed modalities for maximum results

As the professional landscape evolves and organizations are beginning to finally take action towards the future, many need ways to support their teams safely and efficiently not only during the transition, but for the longer term. Dive into the four key workplace learning trends you should be aware of in 2021 and how they impact your approach to your current learning programs looking ahead.

Learning can and should be fun! Your learners are adults with jobs but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be entertained, challenged, or engaged! But your corporate training demands results, often documenting compliance, in critical areas requiring lasting performance change. Just because you are choosing a digital platform, your training program still needs to mean business. All elearning interactions are not equal in terms of how well they facilitate learning. This playbook explores this complexity and also establishes some straightforward insights into how to best integrate CCAF thinking into your own digital learning design process. In this ebook you’ll gain: 4 essential pillars of transformative learner-experienced design Tips and insights for designing engaging Contexts, motivated Challenges, appropriate Activities, and instructional Feedback with interactive designs Real-life digital learning solutions from a variety of organizations that have applied the 4 pillars

Transforming L&D for a Sustainable Future With the pandemic, mass working from home, and huge changes to working environments, 2020 saw incredible transformations across the working world. L&D teams had to pivot almost overnight. For many organizations, this initially meant transferring predominantly or completely face-to-face learning into the virtual realm. At LEO, we worked closely with, and spoke to, L&D professionals around the world and in many different industries throughout the pandemic, as we helped them respond. In doing so we also began to understand what has and hasn’t worked for them in such a transitional year. One of our favorite analogies heard in discussion with a senior L&D professional went something like this: "Railway tracks were built on the same basic dimensions as roads created for horse and cart. They didn’t think out of the box. We can’t do that this time. We need to develop ground-up virtual strategies." So, what does this mean for learning? Put simply, in order to transform learning in an effective, sustainable, and scalable way for the future, we shouldn’t simply adapt the old ways of doing things. Just because something worked before, that doesn’t mean it will work in a new, digital, distanced, and flexible learning context. We need to embrace the opportunity for innovative and agile transformation. So, as we look at the world of learning in this period of drastic change, what shifts are taking place, what are we learning, and how can we take these trends and observations into consideration as we prepare for the future? In this eBook, we’re looking back over some of the biggest challenges this industry has faced to see what can be learned and what our key takeaways are for 2021 and beyond.

COVID-19 is changing everything. Many of the organizations that survive, emerge, and thrive will be different than they were before all the unpleasantness. Their workforces will have to be, too. We’ve already seen an unprecedented number of workers displaced all around the world. And the redeployments, furloughs, and layoffs will likely continue throughout 2021.That’s forcing countless workers to refresh their current skills, and more importantly, build new ones. But few of us know where to start — and both time and money are in short supply. That's why we created The State of Skills. Degreed surveyed over 5,200 people around the world to assess the effects of recent global events on workforce skills and to gauge their readiness to adapt to new challenges. We segmented our data by identifying the countries, industries, and job roles where skills are most at-risk of becoming obsolete. We hope this will help workers, team managers, and business leaders focus their limited energy and investments on developing the skills they need most. Pay close attention to the data on your country, industry, and role throughout the report. Those who act quickly have a game-changing opportunity to get ahead of the competition.

For many organizations, the learning ecosystem extends far beyond the four walls of the organization. Although, extended enterprise comprises a relatively small chunk of the L&D budget, it represents a huge opportunity for organizations to build their brand, improve customer relationships, and even generate revenue. Brainier partnered with The Brandon Hall Group to develop this research brief on the state of extended enterprise learning and its future. In this research brief, we’ll cover four key considerations in planning an extended enterprise learning endeavor, as well as case studies of organizations finding success in doing so. Key considerations include: Building the business case Finding the right technology Defining the audience and characteristics of requirements Strategizing your revenue goals for the program

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the workplace in unprecedented ways. Whether it’s the dramatic increase in employees working remotely or the blurring of boundaries between our personal and professional lives, the pandemic has created new dynamics between employer and employee. As these trends evolve, employers will need to be proactive and recognize the expanded role they’ll play in their team’s physical, mental and financial well-being. Accepting this role and supporting their employees’ well-being will be essential to maintaining a productive, satisfied workforce. Download the full white paper to learn more. 

Most organizations don't have to time to build custom content for their training program, but they want to be sure the content is high quality and well-vetted. Enter off-the-shelf content. Using off-the-shelf content for training saves time and money and allows you to offer more variety of content than if you had to produce everything yourself. Plus, you can be sure the information employees are getting is more reliable and well researched than something they'd find on Google. In this ebook, you'll learn how to maximize off-the-shelf content. You'll also learn: How to further optimize off-the-shelf content with the right learning technology Tips for choosing an off-the-shelf content provider How to use off-the-shelf content as part of a blended learning solution

The more relevant and relatable a piece of eLearning is to the learner, the more effective it’s going to be. But are you sure that your eLearning remains both relevant and relatable when it’s read by colleagues in another part of the world, or in another language? Creating eLearning for global audiences isn’t just about making the content available in the languages in use at your organization—though that’s obviously important! It requires an extra layer of course planning to ensure that those ‘relevant and relatable’ boxes remain ticked. Download the eBook to discover: How the right localization process will lead you to more engaging results Key language issues that even non-speakers should understand The importance of having imagery that reflects familiar public spaces and local customs The implications of different cultural preferences such as uncertainty avoidance and power distance index How to better use language selection, display conditions, collaboration tools, and other key features to build better courses

Considering whether virtual reality is right for your training needs? In this eBook, you’ll discover 5 training instances where VR excels. We showcase real-world examples and tell you exactly why virtual reality training works! See how organizations across industries saved money, increased learning retention, and more. The examples in this book will also serve as inspiration for your own immersive learning projects. Remember, anything is possible in virtual reality!

As today’s organizations stare down the challenges of ever-increasing compliance regulations, unpredictable turnover, and rapidly expanding cultural and learning style changes among employees, companies are looking for new ways to automate and scale their training efforts. More and more, they’re finding that help in video. Adaptable to both formal and informal learning needs, video overcomes today’s most common training challenges. It helps instructors increase training quality, speed and effectiveness — all while significantly lowering program costs. But of course, today’s learning and development professionals already understand the potential that technology can offer in the modern training environment. Their real challenge? Convincing their organizations to do more. In this paper, we help L&D practitioners tackle that challenge head on, including: 5 benefits that help convince your decision makers to use video in more ways 14 ideas for supporting and scaling formal and informal learning with video 1 technology — the video platform — that simplifies the use of video for L&D Video training is no longer a novel idea. It’s the new normal. Make sure your organization isn’t missing out. Click below to download this White paper from Panopto.

If you oversee a learning program, a few things hold true no matter your business’s market or industry: your learners need to master your course material, your content and experience must be engaging, and your learning program needs to drive revenue for your business. The high-stakes learning market includes any organization selling critical learning products and includes all kinds of businesses— professional certification test prep, highly-skilled professional, continuing education, and more—but there are distinct trends that set them apart from low-stakes learning companies. Download our e-book to find out the top three trends BenchPrep identified after surveying 248 high-stakes training providers. In this e-book you will learn: About the evolution of the high-stakes learning market What business results high-stakes training organizations want to generate What high-stakes training organizations look for in a learning platform

If you oversee a learning program, a few things hold true no matter your business’s market or industry: your learners need to master your course material, your content and experience must be engaging, and your learning program needs to drive revenue for your business. In this new eBook, BenchPrep reveals emerging market trends they identified as key findings after surveying 248 training providers. You will learn: How virtual learning can support your business objectives What training organizations look for in a digital learning platform What business results training providers want to generate How these results lead to maximum organizational ROI: revenue, mastery, and a lifelong learning commitment

McGraw-Hill Education ("McGraw-Hill") is a leading learning science company and publisher that delivers personalized learning experiences. As the world went digital and technology adoption soared in recent years, McGraw-Hill realized a drastic need to reassess digital delivery options for their content to keep pace with competitors and meet the changing expectations of their evolving customer base. How could they digitize their well-known test prep material in a way that would generate more revenue and not abandon their core business model?  Download this case study to learn how BenchPrep's modern LMS increased McGraw-Hill Education's online learner engagement by 10x.

Digital transformation is undeniably here. You have the opportunity to lead your organization into the future... or you could resist and end up left behind. Here's what you need to know: "Digital transformation" is more than a buzzword. There is "no going back" - eLearning is here to stay. The education industry is typically slow to adapt, but now is the time to seize the opportunity! There are 5 key factors driving this transformation... ... and all 5 of them will have a profound impact on how you conduct business in 2022 and beyond. In this free eBook, we share 5 key factors driving digital transformation and how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity.