Tuesday
Apr102007
440 - Why I Declined a Learning Award; Your LMS Challenges Please!
April 10, 2007
Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 10, 2007.
#440 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,426 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21 - 24 - Orlando, Florida, USA
1. Your LMS Challenges, Please! Input into Conversations.
2. Why I Declined a Learning "Award"
1. Your LMS Challenges, Please! Input into Conversations: I would like to enlist the 50,000+ TRENDS readers in a vibrant conversation about Learning Systems (LMS and LCMS). As I write, 450 executives from companies are arriving in Las Vegas for our LMS 2007 User Group. Can you take a few minutes to send me a quick email with your thoughts about Learning Management and Content Systems. I will inject them into our discussions over the next two days and send a summary to TRENDS readers. Please send me an email as soon as possible at: emasie@masie.com
2. Why I Declined a Learning "Award": Recently, someone called our office to tell us that I had won an award as one of the influential people in the training industry. We told them that I would decline the award. It seems that they had posted a poll on the web and people were voting for names of folks online. Why did I decline?
While I have great respect for my colleagues and friends who are featured in the list that was just published, it felt like time to take a stand against the flurry of "awards" and "honors". When I look at a list of most influential folks in learning, I am surprised to not see many of the key Chief Learning Officers who make a difference and leaders who have been working on Learning Standards like SCORM, AICC and IEEE. Where are the learning leaders in the U.S. military and colleagues who are pushing the envelope in Asia, Africa and the NGO community? I also missed seeing leaders like Tony Bingham, the highly influential global leader of ASTD.
We have way too many "awards" and "beauty shows" in our field. In fact, there is a small "industry" that has sprung up to charge people for entering their companies in Best of Learning/Training/e-Learning and then making awards without a great deal of deep investigation. There are now even consultants to help get you more awards. One CLO was called on the carpet when his company dropped 10 slots in a "Best" competition. Same great company, same great learning innovation, but more players so he was dropped. He actually got a smaller annual bonus! Yuk!
While I actually enjoy American Idol and have voted on Dancing With the Stars, that's not how we should go about creating recognition for innovation and influence in the learning field. I know that I might get lots of on-line votes, since I have a "brand" and send out hundreds of thousands of emails a year as well as high visibility conferences.
The MASIE Center has given 12 pioneering awards over ten years to learning leaders at McDonalds, US Dept of Defense, Wal-Mart, Verizon, Cathay Pacific and Emirates Airlines, yet we never charged for it and you can't even apply. But, as a field, it is time to rethink this award flurry. I love the idea of competition and of recognizing excellence and innovation, but many of these awards are not really helping us get to deep excellence.
So, at Learning 2007 this year, we aren't giving any awards. Rather, we will be starting a contest for the "L Prize". Like the X Prize, we'll give a significant cash award (no entry fee) for a key learning innovation that is placed in the public domain.
Upcoming MASIE Center Events & Services:
* Performance Support LAB & Seminar: April 25-27 - Saratoga Springs, NY.
* Extreme Learning LAB & Seminar: May 9-11 - Saratoga Springs, NY.
* Learning 2007: Oct 21-24 - Orlando, FL.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com Notes to Elliott: emasie@masie.com
#440 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,426 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21 - 24 - Orlando, Florida, USA
1. Your LMS Challenges, Please! Input into Conversations.
2. Why I Declined a Learning "Award"
1. Your LMS Challenges, Please! Input into Conversations: I would like to enlist the 50,000+ TRENDS readers in a vibrant conversation about Learning Systems (LMS and LCMS). As I write, 450 executives from companies are arriving in Las Vegas for our LMS 2007 User Group. Can you take a few minutes to send me a quick email with your thoughts about Learning Management and Content Systems. I will inject them into our discussions over the next two days and send a summary to TRENDS readers. Please send me an email as soon as possible at: emasie@masie.com
2. Why I Declined a Learning "Award": Recently, someone called our office to tell us that I had won an award as one of the influential people in the training industry. We told them that I would decline the award. It seems that they had posted a poll on the web and people were voting for names of folks online. Why did I decline?
While I have great respect for my colleagues and friends who are featured in the list that was just published, it felt like time to take a stand against the flurry of "awards" and "honors". When I look at a list of most influential folks in learning, I am surprised to not see many of the key Chief Learning Officers who make a difference and leaders who have been working on Learning Standards like SCORM, AICC and IEEE. Where are the learning leaders in the U.S. military and colleagues who are pushing the envelope in Asia, Africa and the NGO community? I also missed seeing leaders like Tony Bingham, the highly influential global leader of ASTD.
We have way too many "awards" and "beauty shows" in our field. In fact, there is a small "industry" that has sprung up to charge people for entering their companies in Best of Learning/Training/e-Learning and then making awards without a great deal of deep investigation. There are now even consultants to help get you more awards. One CLO was called on the carpet when his company dropped 10 slots in a "Best" competition. Same great company, same great learning innovation, but more players so he was dropped. He actually got a smaller annual bonus! Yuk!
While I actually enjoy American Idol and have voted on Dancing With the Stars, that's not how we should go about creating recognition for innovation and influence in the learning field. I know that I might get lots of on-line votes, since I have a "brand" and send out hundreds of thousands of emails a year as well as high visibility conferences.
The MASIE Center has given 12 pioneering awards over ten years to learning leaders at McDonalds, US Dept of Defense, Wal-Mart, Verizon, Cathay Pacific and Emirates Airlines, yet we never charged for it and you can't even apply. But, as a field, it is time to rethink this award flurry. I love the idea of competition and of recognizing excellence and innovation, but many of these awards are not really helping us get to deep excellence.
So, at Learning 2007 this year, we aren't giving any awards. Rather, we will be starting a contest for the "L Prize". Like the X Prize, we'll give a significant cash award (no entry fee) for a key learning innovation that is placed in the public domain.
Upcoming MASIE Center Events & Services:
* Performance Support LAB & Seminar: April 25-27 - Saratoga Springs, NY.
* Extreme Learning LAB & Seminar: May 9-11 - Saratoga Springs, NY.
* Learning 2007: Oct 21-24 - Orlando, FL.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com Notes to Elliott: emasie@masie.com
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