727 - Make My Learning Venti Size, Please; 30 Under 30 Program

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 27, 2012.
#727 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,732 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host: Video for Learning LAB & Seminar - July in Saratoga Springs, NY.

1. Make My Learning “Venti” Size, Please!
2. 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders Program.
3. Video for Learning Skills and Perspectives.

1. Make My Learning “Venti” Size, Please! I just published an article asking for the ability to request learning resources in a variety of “cup” sizes. When I go to a café, I may order a Venti size coffee or just a single shot, depending on my mood and time of day. 

Why not learning? Read my recent article in CLO Magazine at http://www.masie.com/cup

2. 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders Program: We believe in the need to support, develop and feature rising learning professionals on their pathway to being Learning Leaders. For the 3rd year, we are sponsoring a “30 Under 30 Learning Leaders” program at Learning 2012: discounts, mentoring and deep development for 30 of your colleagues who are under the age of 30. Send them to http://www.learning2012.com/2012-details/30-under-thirty.html for details and the application.

3. Video for Learning Skills and Perspectives: As we prepare for our next Video for Learning LAB & Seminar, I have been refreshing our skillsets for learning professionals in this area.  Here are a few of the skills that we will be addressing:

* User Created Video Content.
* Storytelling & Video.
* Intellectual Property Issues in Learning Videos.
* Rapid Editing Models.
* Can Your LMS Handle Increased Video?
* Mixing Video into Classroom and eLearning Courses.
* Video for Performance Support.
* Video Management Systems - Creating a YouTube Internally.

There are several places available at our Saratoga Springs based Video for Learning LAB & Seminar, to be held July 16-18.  Information at http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - New York City.
* Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

726 - Video on Learning Trends; Theater and Learning Lessons

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 19, 2012.
#726 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,732 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host: Video for Learning LAB & Studio - July in Saratoga Springs, NY.

1. Video Briefing on Learning Trends.
2. Learnings from My Theater Producing Experience.

1. Video Briefing on Learning Trends: Watch a free, 19 minute, “chunked” video on 10 Key Learning Themes in 2012. I address themes ranging from Personalizing Learning to Innovation vs. Hype in Learning. View it at http://www.learning2012.com/10themes

2. Learnings from My Theater Producing Experience: As many of you know, over the past year, I have been one of the producers for the Broadway Revival of Godspell. It has been one of the most intense and learning filled experiences of the last two decades for me. After 9 months on Broadway and over 160,000 audience members, Godspell will close on June 24th (and go on National Tour in 2013). I wanted to share some of the key learnings that I have from being on the inside of a Broadway production and how that relates to our field of learning and training:

* The Show Had a “Run”: When we decided to close Godspell it was sad and emotional to inform the cast and crew of the upcoming closing and their loss of jobs. I was intrigued to hear our stars, including Corbin Bleu and Anna Maria de Tagle Perez, refer to it as a “Great Run”. They wrote me that it was an incredible or inspirational “run”. The concept of a “run” meant that the production had a beginning, middle and end, and that their careers would include many runs of unpredictable lengths. Our corporate programs might gain from thinking about their lifespans as “runs”.

* An Open & Transparent Executive Producer: Ken Davenport, who will be one of our featured Keynoters at Learning 2012, was the Executive Producer for Godspell. He has been my mentor as we joined the world of Broadway and I have learned a great deal from several key and powerful open, transparent actions on his part. For the 100 days before we opened, he produced a daily “countdown” blog to let the public see the technical and production elements as they came together. He shared good and bad news on his blog, even being open about lower sales numbers the month before we closed. He has also been deeply engaged with bringing new investors and producers into Godspell, training us along the way. I have copied his countdown blog model for our big events and have used his leadership model as an example of how we produce our conferences and seminars. Ken Davenport brings meaning to the cool word “producer” and we should leverage it in our own field.

* Talent is Everything: I had the chance to watch many rehearsals of Godspell and even the switch of our “Jesus” from Hunter Parrish to Corbin Bleu. I observed talent at the core of every conversation, recognizing the varied talents of each cast member, being up front about how they could improve or better be heard in the audience. They even used one of the understudies as a Dance Captain to give intense feedback on dance moves after hundreds of performances. In the world of theater, talent is everything and the willingness to be both courageous and brave with feedback is key.

* Understudies Work! There are 4 members of the cast who understudied several roles each. They come to all of the performances, instantly ready to take on a role - even in the middle of the night. Watching the role of the understudy was a major eye opener for how it might play in the HR and Learning world. They studied the roles, watched the performances, did rehearsals and were always ready to jump on stage. One of understudies, Julia Mattison, ended up playing a key role at the start of show when one of the actresses was injured. Another was promoted to a full time role after one of our stars, Lindsay Mendez, left to take on the new show Dogfight.  We might think more about how the understudy could be leveraged in the world of business.

* Social Media and Viral Promotion: Every one of the cast members from Godspell has a major presence on Twitter and would send several Tweets every day with some insight into the show or as a promotion of upcoming events. Their social media presence got many of the 160,000 audience members to the theater at a much lower cost than traditional advertising. Our cast members were stars in High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Weeds and Glee, some having over 700,000 Twitter Followers. Their active and personal mini-blogging on social media was a unique and powerful extension of the marketing and promotion campaign, bringing many younger audience members to a Broadway show for the first time in their lives. We can leverage internal corporate social media to better promote and add personality to our leadership and learning programs with active entries from trainers and subject matter experts.

* Elliott as a Learner: Throwing myself into new situations is key to my ever evolving learning personality. While I did not have any formal roles, I spent a lot of time interacting with the cast and crew. That ranged from taking them for sushi after a performance to brainstorming with them about future gigs. The cast and producers taught me an incredible amount about the world of theater and I was able to draw the lines between our world and theirs, even inviting Ken Blanchard and Marshall Goldsmith to watch Godspell and help validate the core message in the show.

* Keep Creating and Designing: Finally, Godspell had a very well tested “curriculum” after playing for 40 years on and off Broadway; yet, Steve Schwartz, the composer, and Dan Goldstein, the director, felt a strong need to Re-Design the show with the energy and enthusiasm of our incredible cast. It takes courage to re-do an “established” show and yet it was critical to make it Godspell 2012. Did everyone like the play? Almost everyone who showed up did. Some critics found it too creative or audience engaging, but as a Jewish producer for a Christian show, wasn’t that how Jesus did it? Godspell taught me again the need to always refresh, redesign and recreate our learning programs.

If you are in NYC for the next week, go see the last few shows www.godspell.com or catch it when it comes to your city in 2013 and 2014.

How did it change Elliott? Well, I am already investing in Allegiance, a new play with George Takei (Star Trek), Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon) and Telly Leung (Glee/Godspell) that opens in San Diego in September. I’ll be working on several other productions and even looking at starting a new event focused on Stories & Storytelling based in New York. Godspell brought me new colleagues, a new newspaper to read every day and tons of ideas that you will see at Learning 2012 and other MASIE Center events. But, most of all, Godspell reminded me, even by the titles of some of the songs, what we are about in the Learning Field:

* Prepare Ye.
* Day by Day.
* All for the Best.
* All Good Gifts.
* Light of the World.
* By My Side.
* Beautiful City.

So, thanks to the Godspell cast and crew, and may we as learning professionals build flexible runs and be focused on talent, have deep openness, social connections and understudies, and continually be redesigning to turn that “light bulb” on for our learners and organizations. Day by Day…

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Dallas or New York City.
* Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

725 - Lighting for Learning; Key Themes for Learning 2012

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 11, 2012.
#725 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,725 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.

1. Lighting for a Class? Dark Exposed by App!
2. Learning 2012 Key Themes: From Mix to Personalized to Fundamentals

1. Lighting for a Class? Dark Exposed by App! I was in an awkward spot last week as a classroom trainer when the light was not just bright enough for learning.

The day before I led a program at a hotel, we were setting up the classroom and I noticed that it seemed sort of dark in the room.  I tried to push the lighting up a notch, but the controls didn’t add any more light. Turns out that the hotel had recently gone to “greener” light bulbs that were not as bright and the room had an air wall divider in the middle, without any down lights.  So, several of the round tables would sit participants in lighting more comfortable for a cocktail lounge than one of our interactive classroom discussions.

The hotel had a different perspective about the lighting levels, so how could I make the case for shifting us to another room? If only I had a light meter, that would help. But, I did have an iPhone so I searched for a lighting reading App and, sure enough, found a free one called “Lightmeter” from a company named Whitegoods.

It used the camera in the phone to take a dozen scans of lighting from each spot in the room and gave a reading in Lux or Foot-candles along with a suggestion of the suitable activities in that spot. Turns out my App validated my hunch. One table had only 14 Lux, good for emergency lighting or movie watching.  The other tuned in at 54 Lux, good for romantic dinners. When I went to a space across the hall of the conference center, the app showed a reading of 114, great for classrooms and corporate meetings.  Using the App, it gave me metrics to make the case for shifting to a better and more appropriate learning space. Check it out at www.whitegoods.com and thanks for advocating for the lighter side of learning :)

2. Learning 2012 Key Themes: From Mix to Personalized to Fundamentals! We are proud to announce the 10 Key Themes for our Learning 2012 event, which will be held in Orlando from October 21st to 24th. These themes are “curated” from conversations with hundreds of learning colleagues in corporations and government agencies around the globe. I am excited by the focus of our Learning 2012 Key Themes, which focus on the current opportunities and challenges in learning without getting swept away by the “buzz, hype or what’s cool” factor. Here are our Learning 2012 Themes:

* The Learning “Mix”.
* Learning Together: Social/Collaborative.
* Learning Everywhere: Mobile, Video & Performance Support.
* Learning Hype OR Innovation?
* The “Learner” in 2012!
* Personalizing Learning.
* Learning Systems: Stretching Beyond eLearning.
* Learning Evidence: Metrics, Scorecards & Impact.
* Learning Fundamentals: Designs, Classrooms & SME’s.
* Learning Strategies & Leadership.

Plus, there is an Early Registration Discount of several hundred dollars available until July 15th. Check out the complete site, including details on keynotes by General Colin Powell USA (Ret) and Susain Cain, best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts, at http://www.learning2012.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Dallas or New York City.
* Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

724 - Colin Powell's 13 Leadership Tips; Midtown Men to Perform

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 24, 2012.
#724 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,718 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host of LeadershipDev Design Studio - Las Vegas, June 2012.

1. General Colin Powell’s 13 Tips for Leadership.
2. Midtown Men: Original Jersey Boys Cast at Learning 2012.
3. Discretion on the Train Response Overwhelming.

1. General Colin Powell’s 13 Tips for Leadership: General Colin Powell, our featured keynoter at Learning 2012, has just published a book that focuses on leadership. My blog for Learning 2012 contains a list of 13 Tips from Colin Powell that I find intriguing, including:

* It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
* Get mad, then get over it.
* Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.

There are 10 more, plus comments from General Powell at http://www.learning2012.com .

2. Midtown Men - Original Jersey Boys Cast at Learning 2012: While on the topic of our Learning 2012 event, we have just signed four of the original “Jersey Boys” (The Midtown Men) to perform an incredible concert for participants and their families. Stars of the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys” - Michael Longoria, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer - will bring their harmonies and music to the thousands of Learning 2012 colleagues. Come join us for the music of the Four Seasons, Beatles, Mama’s & Papa’s and hits from Motown. Details at http://www.learning2012.com/midtown, including a video sampler of their talent.

3. Discretion on the Train Response Overwhelming: Every now and then, one of these Learning TRENDS notes seems to strike a chord in our field. On Tuesday, I shared a story about listening to 3 hours of employee interviews done by a passenger on my Amtrak train, who disclosed a great deal on his cell phone. I have received over 900 notes from colleagues around the world who resonate with the need for our organizations to be more specific and behavioral about sharing corporate communications from a digital device in public. Look 360 before conducting a high energy discussion from your phone! The original article is at http://tinyurl.com/borm9yo

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Dallas or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

723 - Digital Neighbors and Discretion: A Lesson on the Train

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 22, 2012.
#723 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,714 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host of Leadership Design Studio - Las Vegas, June.

Special: Digital Neighbors - Ears & Discretion, Please!

Last week, I spent 3 hours on an Amtrak train listening to a series of senior level job interviews in which corporate and personal information was shared by the passenger in the seat ahead of me, who was talking on his cell phone - oblivious to the setting. 

He was a great interviewer, asking good questions and probing the backgrounds of each candidate for this $140K job while detailing not-yet-released corporate information concerning a takeover. He shared his name, his corporate identity and identified the other various high level candidates.

In between each interview, he called his manager, highlighting core problems and opportunities with these candidates and sharing details about the previous role holder.

He also was using the new online wireless on the train to access the resume of each candidate while checking LinkedIn and conducting a broad web search on each applicant.  And, if I shifted my seat a little, I could have seen the details on the screen.

I almost tapped him on the shoulder and told him he was being indiscreet.  But, as an analyst of the intersection of technology and corporate behavior, it became a fascinating teachable moment for me.

It turned out that I know one of the “C” level officers in his Fortune 100 Company.  She would have been shocked to hear that an employee was so indiscreetly behaving on a public train. It might have even led to disciplinary action or even dismissal.

But, I didn’t “turn him in” since this was about more than his behavior: it is a lack of understanding about discretion and privacy as we operate in a global, wirelessly connected environment.

Instead, I am writing this note to our Learning TRENDS readers with a few of my own learnings from this and other similar incidents. Consider adding a few elements of “Digital Discretion” to your employee orientation and corporate culture:

* A Video or Skit about Digital Discretion! Show employees how easy it is to forget that the person behind or ahead of you on a plane, train or walking down the street can hear your conversation or even read your screen. Build awareness of this challenge.
* Look Left - Look Right - Look Ahead - Look Behind! Just as we train our children to stop at the curb and look in both directions before crossing a street, consider offering the same training for our digital employees. When doing work by mobile phone, do a quick 360 scan of your area. Be discreet and considerate.
* Reminder Prompts: Consider adding a digital reminder or a piece of masking tape on a phone or laptop to prompt people to be discreet.
* Every Comment can be Drilled Down Digitally: It took me just 120 seconds to find out a great deal about the noisy neighbor in front of me and to locate online 2 of the candidates he was interviewing.
* Be Discreet: If you are conducting an interview in that situation, you might even preface it by saying that the conversation is occurring in a public setting so there are issues or content items that are not appropriate for this interaction.

As Learning & Training professionals, this is a perfect moment for us to raise awareness around this important behavioral and corporate challenge. Clearly, we will be using mobile devices for work more and more! Clearly, we will see video conferencing, social collaboration and other forms of social connections migrate to our phones and tablets. And, clearly, many of our colleagues will be collaborating in public settings, including 3 hour rides on Amtrak trains. So, how do we work openly with our colleagues but discreetly in public? It’s not hard, but it will not happen without an intervention from the learning and IT worlds.

Did I tell the interviewer (who really did a great job of interviewing, just in the wrong setting) of my observations at the end of the trip? No. I have “erased” his name, company and applicants’ identities from my memory. But I have not erased the lesson I learned:

“Working Digitally in Public Requires Discretion! - Look Left, Look Right, Look Ahead & Look Behind!”

I’d be curious to hear your comments and reactions. Send a note to emasie@masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
email: emasie@masie.com

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Dallas or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

722 - Results of Learning Directions Survey, Video Adds Multi-Voice Context

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 9, 2012.
#722 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,699 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host of Leadership Design Studio - Las Vegas, June.

1. Results of Learning Directions Pulse Survey.
2. Short Videos Add Multi-Voice Context.
3. Leadership Development Needs a Fresh Design!

1. Results of Learning Directions Pulse Survey: Over 520 organizations around the world responded to our Learning Directions “Pulse” Survey. The results are quite intriguing and I invite you to look at the detailed replies: http://www.masie.com/pulse1

Here are a few of the elements that caught our eye and will be part of our design for both Learning 2012 and the Learning CONSORTIUM:

* 33% of organizations reported they are SHRINKING the use of face-to-face classrooms.
* Greatest planned growth in learning activity mode is in the use of Webinars.
* Strongest interest in change and updates was in Leadership Development.
* While 40% show a strong interest in Social Learning, only 20.1% plan a growing utilization with a strong piloting base.
* Mobile and Tablet Device use for Learning is being piloted by 30.1%

Once again, look at the results at http://www.masie.com/pulse1 We will do these Pulse Surveys several times a year to help track shifts in our field.

2. Short Videos Add Multi-Voice Context: The MASIE Center is tracking a rise in the use of short videos as a supplement to the learning design process in major organizations. I was recently interviewed about the push towards shorter video segments that feature fellow workers. We believe that one of the key drivers is the desire of the learner to hear CONTEXT from multiple voices. The Standard Operating Procedures can be detailed well by headquarters, but learners, especially ones that are learning asynchronously, seem to desire multiple voices for providing context and work examples of the new content. The more the video segments focus on targeted bursts of context, including the “back story” or “field truth”, the more learner consumption and appreciation grows.

3. Leadership Development Needs a Fresh Design! As you can tell from the Learning Directions Pulse Survey, Leadership Development is a major challenge for organizations with changing demographics and expectations around career paths. Much of what we now do with Leadership Development is often rich with “TRIBAL INDUCTION RITUALS”, which are powerful elements like time with the CEO or sessions with Management Gurus, but is the design of Leadership Development ready for the changing world? We invite you and your colleagues to join a select group of learning professionals at an action session:

LeadershipDev Design Studio!
June 5 and 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
http://www.masie.com .

We will provide a “white board” design experience as colleagues from varied organizations will meet and shape up some very different approaches to Leadership Development, facilitated by myself, Michael Wright from Starbucks and our CLO, Bob Baker. Space is limited and we will roll up our sleeves to look at fresh, global and refocused Leadership Development Designs. 

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Dallas or New York City.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

7 Minute Survey on Learning Directions & Shifts!

TO: Learning, Training & Performance Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, The Learning CONSORTIUM

RE: 7 Minute Survey on Learning Directions & Shifts!

Can you please take 7 minutes to respond to this Learning Directions “Pulse” Survey, gathering global data on how organizations are shifting (or not shifting) their Learning Directions or approaches? Are we doing more/less/same levels of classroom, eLearning, social learning and more?

Go to: http://www.masie.com/pulse1.

We will publish these results in two weeks on this site, hosted by our Learning CONSORTIUM.

Thanks for your participation!

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

721 - Follow the Teacher Camera App, Session in Dallas

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 19, 2012.
#721 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,693 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.
Host of LeadershipDev Design Studio - Las Vegas, June.

1. Follow The Teacher Auto-Camera App!
2. Crowd Source Learner Design!
3. Dallas, Texas Added for Learning Directions.

1. Follow The Teacher Auto-Camera App! We are testing a new technology that allows the trainer/instructor to wear a small button that steers and points an iPhone, Camera or Tablet video camera to follow and capture the presentation dynamically. Only $179 per unit.

Check out the video online at http://www.swivl.com/

Next week, I will use this at a one-day session that I am leading to make an archival record of the presentation segments. Interesting and cool - let you know about the experience in a few days.

2. Crowd Source Learner Design! Why not turn to participants as co-developers of performance tools and design innovations? I’ve been taking a massive online class on Robot Programming. The instructors have encouraged the learners to develop and share new performance tools and suggest interactive sessions that would help all of us succeed on the course goals.  One group even programmed a lab studio to practice the new programming skills. Take a deep breath and see what tools and performance support tools can be harvested, almost real-time, from the learners themselves.

3. Dallas, Texas Added for Learning Directions: We are proud to announce that we are bringing one of our programs to Dallas, Texas on May 31st. Learning Directions, a blended program that I lead on changes in our field, will be offered in Dallas, Texas at the Southwest Airlines Headquarters. Space is limited and registration is available at http://www.masie.com   We are also offering another section in New York and more cities to follow.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago, Dallas or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com - twitter: emasie

720 - 70 Inch Screen, Social Employee 360, Visit Godspell on Broadway

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 11, 2012.
#720 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,688 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. A 70 Inch Multi-Touch Screen Arrives!
2. Social Employee Feedback for Performance Review?
3. Join Me at Godspell on Broadway on May 1st.

1. A 70 Inch Multi-Touch Screen Arrives! One of the joys of having a 10,000 square foot Learning LAB is that boxes with very cool things arrive for us to use and test. Yesterday, I took possession of a 70 inch LCD huge monitor for the classroom that is multi-touch (with fingers or digital pens).

We have already started to experiment with how teachers or learners in a face-to-face classroom can use this highly interactive display board. The ability to zoom and move graphics, to annotate and distribute real-time digital class notes, to have a group of learners “curate” a wide set of content in real-time is fascinating. We are also experimenting with bringing video expertise right into a PowerPoint live, via Skype and Google Video, to make a presentation interactively access field-based context live.

The cost of these massive multi-touch screens keeps dropping and we are already experimenting with the ways in which software might supercharge the teaching and learning process in the room, using the “write-ability” of the space. If you want to see the screen that we are using and testing, take a look at the Sharp video for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZlSYT01-4c&feature=related Next week, we will post our MASIE Learning LAB video of how it may help refresh the classroom. At Learning 2012, we will have a major segment on updating and reframing classroom technology for the changing learner and teacher.

2. Social Employee Feedback for Performance Review? Salesforce recently bought a company called Rypple, which is one of the new “cloud” based social feedback platforms. Several organizations have shifted 360 feedback and even performance reviews to an internal social media model. The core concept is that the worker presents areas of feedback and performance improvement that key peers (or managers, or even customers) can provide one-time or ongoing feedback about. We are very curious to look at the shifts that are happening as social media platforms are weaving into talent processes. At our LeadershipDev Design Studio, we will take a look at how Rypple and other social tools might restructure employee feedback in our Social & Performance LAB: http://www.leadershipdev.com To check out Rypple, go to http://www.rypple.com

3. Join Me at Godspell on Broadway May 1st. This is an usual invitation to Learning TRENDS Readers. As you may know, I am one of the co-producers for the Broadway revival of Godspell in Manhattan. It is an amazing, high energy evening with 10 very cool performers. On May 1st, following one of our MASIE seminars in NYC, we are gathering a collection of learning colleagues to go the 8 pm show of Godspell.  There is a discount price available and we will have a chance to look at how the storytelling of a Broadway show serves as a model for corporate learning and education. We will also hang out before and after the show to share some impressions. Info at http://www.godspell.com Discount Tickets at: http://www.broadwayoffers.com/go.aspx?MD=2001&MC=GSPBS729

Note, please send a message to mollie@masie.com if you are planning to come and we will send you contact information for gathering before and after.  There is a new “Jesus” about to begin in Godspell: Corbin Bleu from “High School Musical”, who will add new dimensions to the show. And, most of you probably know “Day by Day” in the back of your brains.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago and New York City.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

719 - OJT Revisited!; What About Learning Previews?

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 9, 2012.
#719 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,679 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. Coming Attractions for Training/Learning?
2. OJT: A Learning Direction to Revisit.

1. Coming Attractions for Training/Learning? When I go to the movies, about 15 minutes of my seat time is spent on “Coming Attractions”. Those 3 minute, high energy previews of upcoming movie choices are critical to my selection process. I rapidly decide if the film has a tone, quality, context or star power that pulls me back to the theater. And, the absence of a coming attraction - either on the big screen or online - would get in the way of my purchasing a ticket at a later date. In other words, I want/need to see a short coming attraction to make the deal. (And, many production companies will spend millions of dollars on that preview - often with a different director - to give the best spin to prospective audiences.)

But, in the world of learning, we rarely have previews. What if I had the opportunity to attend a 3 day leadership program or participate in an online supervisory skills certificate activity? Where are the “previews”? What if I could hear the words of the instructor that might encourage or discourage me from attending? What if I could see rapid sequences from the online class? That might give me a clear understanding of the rigor and intensity of the program.

At Learning 2012, we will focus on the challenge of “Learning Mixes”. As learners have more and more choices, both live and asynchronous, how can we help them make the best choice? As managers decide which learning programs to approve for their employees, can we go beyond the content agenda to a richer set of previews? I want to encourage our learning colleagues around the globe to start designing short previews for upcoming learning activities that can help learners make key choices and add to what Malcolm Knowles called “Excited Anticipation” prior to the start of the events.  

I would love to hear your thoughts, reactions and willingness in participate in a gallery of Learning Preview examples. Send me a note to emasie@masie.com

2. OJT - A Learning Direction to Revisit: One of the key Learning Directions that we are tracking at The MASIE Center is the evolution and growth of OJT. Those three letters that reflect On The Job Training, that are perhaps evolving into On The Job Learning or even On The Job Performing, are actually at the core of how most people learn the details and specifics of their actual work. If you interview 100 people in your organization and ask them how they learned to do their job, prepare to hear that over 50% will say OJT or “from my peers”. 

OJT is evolving in the digital age. When a worker asks a peer or manager for help, the reply might be a link to a user created video segment or a detailed PDF on the intranet. In some organizations, OJT may be happen via Instant Messenger or Video Chat with a peer in a totally different geography.  Or, remote coaches may be available during the ramp-up time for a new hire.

Yet, if we look at organizational learning budgets, very little is spent or focused on OJT. Great OJT requires a set of paper or digital assets to support real-time support. In some instances, a Performance Support or GPS system can be created for the OJT process. There is even a route to building the OJT skills of both the on-site supporter as well as the learner in order to get the most from OJT. Some organizations might even add OJT readiness to a performance review outline for managers.

We will be exploring OJT at our upcoming Learning Directions briefings in Chicago and New York. For details, go to http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

718 - Who Skips Training?; Learning Designer Volunteers Needed

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - April 4, 2012.
#718 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,673 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. Start Collecting Learning Skipping Data!
2. Video 4 Learning LAB Scheduled for Summer.
3. Volunteer Learning Designers Needed: eLearning for Kids.

1. Start Collecting Learning Skipping Data! A simple suggestion: start collecting detailed data on individuals and groups that “skip” learning and training offerings. 

Most organizations have yards of data on attendance and participation in face-to-face and eLearning programs. This includes total hours, distribution of students, impact on business and other metrics. But, few organizations create a detailed analysis of which types of workers systematically “skip” organizational learning programs. It would be fascinating to look at demographics, salary, time in organization, nature of manager, sited at home vs. office and other metrics.

And, let’s dive deeper to find out WHY? Some already knew the information, learned it in a self-study program, had peer coaching or had a manager who did not support training. 

Put the demographics together with the rationale data and we have an important roadmap for evolving the format, timing, branding and positioning of our learning offerings.

2. Video 4 Learning LAB Scheduled for Summer: I just finished facilitating our popular “Video 4 Learning LAB & Seminar” a few hours ago.  Three days of in-depth exploration of how video, both live and on-demand stories, can deeply extend the learning offerings of an organization is powerful and timely. We are proud to open up a new session of “Video 4 Learning” this summer, July 16 to 18 in Saratoga Springs, NY. Details and online registration for this LAB at http://www.masie.com

3. Volunteer Learning Designers Needed: eLearning for Kids. One of the most powerful non-profit organizations in the learning world is “eLearning for Kids”. They provide FREE eLearning content to children in countries around the world. And, they just launched the first 70 lessons for their Math World Curriculum. Over the years, colleagues of Learning TRENDS and The MASIE Center have donated a few hours to help develop storyboards for this key program. If you can spend up to 40 hours over 3 months helping with this project, please send a note to

info@e-learningforkids.org

Thank you very much and they will contact you with information and project options!

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video 4 Learning LAB - July in Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

717 - College and Corporate Learning; New MASIE Center Website

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - March 28, 2012.
#717 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,669 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. College & Corporate Learning - Collaboration Article.
2. Fresh New Masie.Com Website.
3. Learning Directions: Internal Brands & Rituals.

1. College & Corporate Learning - Collaboration Article: I have written the cover story article for EDUCAUSE on “Collaboration Between Higher Education and Corporate Learning”.  There are so many areas where corporations and colleges are facing similar challenges and opportunities ranging from pushing Learning Management Systems to changing faculty teaching modes to getting research on the efficiency and impact of various learning technologies.  Yet, there is very little structured collaboration between our two worlds. EDUCAUSE represents the technology directors of several thousand colleges and universities and we will be working closely with them to bridge the gap.

“Collaboration Between Higher Education & Corporate Learning”
Read Article at: http://tinyurl.com/82sut36

2. Fresh New MASIE.COM Website: We have freshened up our MASIE Center website, including hundreds of hours of video segments, free ebooks and articles. Check it out at http://www.masie.com

3. Learning Directions: Internal Brands & Rituals - One of the topics that we will be addressing in our upcoming Learning Directions events (Chicago and New York City) is Internal Learning Brands. We believe that there is great confusion amongst learners and managers about various learning approaches.  For instance, in many organizations, the webinar is seen as an easy-to-dual-task activity with lower levels of engagement. In others, eLearning is seen as a compliance oriented, check-the-box activity rather than performance driven. We will address how we rebrand and reposition internal learning brands. There are a few spots left in each of the Learning Directions events. Information at http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - April in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

716 - Refreshing Leadership Development; Visuals Going High Def?

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - March 26, 2012.
#716 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,664 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. Leadership Development Needs Refreshing!
2. Visuals & Graphics Going High Def?

1. Leadership Development Needs Refreshing! One of the most frequent conversations that I have these days is with Directors of Leadership Development of major organizations, sharing their desire to give Leadership & Executive Learning Programs a major “refresh”. How do they mix face-to-face with digital assets? How do they add more stretch and in-work intense experiences into the design? What is the ideal timing, density and staging for Leadership Development?

We are pleased to announce an upcoming program aimed at refreshing and redesigning Leadership Development programs:

LeadershipDev Design Studio!
Las Vegas, NV - June 5 & 6, 2012.
Hosted & Curated by: Elliott Masie.
http://www.leadershipdev.com

LeadershipDev Design Studio is a unique MASIE Center program aimed at collectively and collaboratively exploring newer models for Leadership Development in larger organizations.

* Leadership Development DELIVERY? Mixing Face-to-Face with Digital Learning & Social Engagement Activities!
* Leadership Development ALIGNMENT? Changing Content, Context & Skillset Focuses for Executive, Managerial & Leadership Strategies?
* Leadership Development ENGAGEMENT? Beyond the Classroom – Stretch Assignments, Mentoring, Coaching, Competency Models & More!
* Leadership Development MYTHS & RITUALS? What are “Sacred Ground” Activities or Rituals for Reconsideration?
* Leadership Development PARTICIPANTS? Who Participates & at What Stages in their Careers?
* Leadership Development DISRUPTERS? Business Processes, Global Expansions, Technology Changes & Career Shifts That May Disrupt Your Strategies?

LeadershipDev Design Studio will be an exciting two days of interactive conversations, strategy considerations, Leadership Lab experiments and the challenge of looking at the NEXT stage of Leadership Development in your organization.

Space is limited and we have priced LeadershipDev Design Studio to encourage companies to send two or more participants, if possible. Details and registration at: http://www.leadershipdev.com

2. Visuals & Graphics Going High Def? As we play with Apple’s new iPad, with very high def screen display, an interesting factor has emerged. Some of the graphics and visuals that look great on our normal computer or laptop screens actually look pixelated or grainy on the iPad. We are predicting that designers and web page coordinators will start to add more high-def pictures to their overall websites, or use factoring software to sense when a high-def tablet is requesting a page and alter the image appropriately. There are labor, storage and bandwidth implications but watch for these shifts to happen fairly quickly. In fact, we are doing a scan of our own various websites with this factor in mind.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City.
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* LeadershipDev Design Studio - June 5 & 6 - Las Vegas, NV.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - April in Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

715 - The Power of Habits, Charles Duhigg to Keynote Learning 2012

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - March 21, 2012.
#715 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,659 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. “The Power of Habit” - Charles Duhigg to Keynote

Habits must be on the radar screen of learning professionals and learning designs. So much of what will make a worker excellent, will improve a process and will keep us in compliance is all about habits.

I recently read a new book, “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, and said we MUST get him to be one of our keynoters at Learning 2012. Today, I am pleased to announce that he will join us at Learning 2012 along with keynoters General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.), Susan Cain (focusing on Introverts), Jenny Zhu (Asia Learning Project), Ken Davenport (Broadway Producer) and several more that we will announce in the coming weeks.

More About Charles Duhigg:

Charles Duhigg is the author of “The Power of Habit”, a best-selling book about the science of habit formation in our lives, companies and societies. In it, Charles sheds light on scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed, bringing to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.

Charles investigates why some people and companies struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: the key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. Habits aren’t destiny and by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities and our lives.

Charles has worked at the New York Times since 2006. He is currently working on a series about Apple named “The iEconomy,” and before that contributed to other series, including ”Golden Opportunities” (which received the George Polk Award, the Sidney Hillman Award and a Deadline Award), ”The Reckoning,” (which won the Loeb and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) and ”Toxic Waters,” (which received The Scripps Howard National Journalism Award, the Investigative Reporters and Editors’ Medal, the National Academies’ reporting award and others).

Charles is a native of New Mexico. He studied history at Yale and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has appeared on This American Life, N.P.R., The Newshour with Jim Lehrer and Frontline. Before becoming a journalist, Charles worked in private equity and – for one terrifying day – was a bike messenger in San Francisco.

Read more about “The Power of Habit” as well as view a short video interview at http://www.learning2012.com/habit

And, please consider joining us in Orlando on October 21st to explore how the best of learning, from eLearning to classroom, can explore the role of habits as we support workforce performance and excellence.

———————————————-
Special Notes to Learning TRENDS Readers:

* We have 5 spaces left in the Video for Learning LAB to be held in Saratoga Springs from April 2nd to 4th, focusing on rapid and extreme increase in the use of video for organizational learning and education.
* The Learning Directions programs in Chicago and New York will fill up in the coming weeks. If you plan to attend (or if you’re part of a group that would like to attend), please register early.

Info at http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - April in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com

714 - Introverts? Social and Organizational Assumptions

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - March 15, 2012.
#714 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
55,659 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2012 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, FL, USA.

1. Introverts: Social and Organizational Assumptions!

Introverts are learners and colleagues too, even in a high-touch, very social business world.

We are honored to host Susan Cain, the author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” as a keynoter at Learning 2012.

Susan Cain says introverts often make better leaders and have more creative ideas than extroverts; yet, our culture still holds a decided bias toward the “extrovert ideal”. That may soon change.

Susan Cain is a former corporate lawyer and negotiations consultant - and self-described introvert. At least one third of the people we know are introverts, notes Cain in her new book “Quiet”. Although our culture undervalues them dramatically, introverts have made some of the great contributions to society – from Chopin’s nocturnes to the invention of the personal computer to Gandhi’s transformative leadership. Cain argues that we design our schools, workplaces, and religious institutions for extroverts, and that this bias creates a waste of talent, energy, and happiness. Based on intensive research in psychology and neurobiology and on prolific interviews, she also explains why introverts are capable of great love and great achievement, not in spite of their temperaments, but because of them.

Elliott Masie will interview Susan Cain, focusing on the workforce and talent issues that her research highlights.

In addition, The MASIE Center and Learning 2012 will convene a special task force to look at our assumptions, myths and implications of increased social media/learning for the INTROVERTS in our organizations.

For more details and video: http://www.learning2012.com/cain

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:
* Learning Directions - Chicago or New York City
* Learning 2012 - Oct 21 - 24, 2012 - Orlando, Florida.
* New: Video for Learning LAB - April in Saratoga Springs
* Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM
Info and Registration: http://www.masie.com