965 - 67 Years of Learning - A Birthday Perspective

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - May 13, 2017
#965- Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,646 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 
Host of Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida, USA

Today, I have the thrill of celebrating my 67th Learning Birthday.  May 13th marks 67 years of personal and professional learning.  Some observations and perspectives on this reflective day:

* Learning is Amazing! What an amazing time for learning that we are experiencing now.  We can touch a glass screen and search the world for answers to our right now curiosity.  We have millions of videos to watch - on every topic - in every language.  And, our organizations have recognized that employees are driving more and more of their own learning processes.

* Learning is Personal! How we learn at home will influence how we learn at work.  Our sense of opportunity and openness to new and changing formats of media are expanded at home and can be harvested with innovation at work. 

* Learning is Connective! As we learn, we connect with live people and asynchronous people.  As we learn - we naturally connect, expand, repeat and process our recent learnings.  As social beings we need and want to connect.

* Learning Technology is Evolving: The age of Learning Apps, Learning Layers and Learning API’s is coming - where people or organizations can add a simple layer of access, empowerment and personalization.

* Learning People are Awesome: I am honored to have tens of thousands of learning colleagues around the world - always intrigued about the future of learning in every way.

* Learning is Curiosity Come Alive: Learning is all about Curiosity.  The world of learning is allowing curiosity to come alive in more and more ways.

* Thanks to  Learning TRENDS colleagues for being partners in my explorations of learning.  At age 67, I am at the half-way point of my career.  I am pumped to be exploring how learning will expand, evolve, personalize and be linked with new and disruptive technologies and methods ahead.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - July 11-13, 2017 Saratoga Springs
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.-
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

964 - Blue Screens Enhance Video, Pitch for Learning, Curation LAB

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - May 9, 2017
#964- Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,642 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 
Host of Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Blue Screens Enhance Video.
2. PITCH! for Learning
3. Curation & Learning LAB Again!

1. Blue Screens Enhance Video: The use of a Blue or Green screen to add a virtual background to video sessions has become easier and can enhance the impact of the learning or content segment.

You can purchase a portable Blue Screen that can be placed behind the subjects and then add a “chroma-key” visual either after the video shoot or even in real time, using a webinar tool.

We have been experimenting with Zoom, which has a simple Blue Screen option, to add graphics during a webcast, much like a TV station might use to illustrate the story being shared.

Try it and you will find it can be an alternative to using a PowerPoint box to supplement the video.  It can add fun, energy and focus for a video segment.

2. PITCH! for Learning: There will be several PITCH! for Learning Sessions at Learning 2017 including:

• Start Up PITCH! for Learning
• Reverse PITCH! for Learning
• PITCH! for Learning from Other Fields
• Gadget & Tech Stretch PITCH! for Learning

Follow our details as we grow the design for Learning 2017 (Oct 22 to 25 - Orlando, FL).  Info at http://www.learning2017.com

3. Curation & Learning LAB Again! Our most popular event focused on Curation is now scheduled for the third time in Summer 2017.  These LABs sell out quickly.  Check out the details!

Curation & Learning LAB
Host: Elliott Masie
Location: Learning LAB in Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
Dates: July 11 to 13, 2017
Details: http://www.masie.com
 

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - July 11-13, 2017 Saratoga Springs
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25- Orlando, Florida.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

964 - Blue Screens Enhance Video, Pitch for Learning, Curation LAB

963 - Style Cameras, Musk Memory Tech, Asia Learning Delegations

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - April 26, 2017
#963- Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,637 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 
Host of Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11 - Saratoga Springs, NY

1. Amazon’s Look for Echo: Style, Camera and Machine Learning.
2. Elon Musk’s Neurolink for Memory Assist for Aging Brains.
3. Masie’s Asia Ambassador: Learning Delegations from Asia.
4. Indecent & Anastasia: 2 MASIE Productions on Broadway.

1. Amazon’s Look for Echo: Style, Camera and Machine Learning: Very excited about the just released Amazon Echo “Look” - which is a camera component of the Echo product. 

It will have many features including a provocative one that will take pictures of your clothing and proposed purchases and run that through a Machine Learning interface for “Style Advice”. 

Imagine that applied to other dimensions of movement and pictures, which will bring us into a visual based Performance Support world of tomorrow.

We will feature a “Hackathon” with the Amazon Echo “Look” as applied to Learning at the upcoming Learning 2017 event. Details on the emerging Look product at: http://tinyurl.com/amazlook

2. Elon Musk’s Neurolink for Memory Assist for Aging Brains: In following advances and innovations that may have an impact on Learning, I was quite intrigued to learn of Elon Musk’s (Tesla & SpaceX) new venture: Neurolink. He has some far-out ideas of using brain implants to ultimately allow brain-to-brain to technology communication.

And, there is a closer target: to use technology as a way of helping individuals that have a brain or memory failure to cope and more effectively function. Researchers on this project are looking at memory prompting and image recognition that would assist recall, as well as other assistive devices.

As an owner of a Tesla for 3 years, I have deep intrigue with the work of Musk and one of the major challenges of the years ahead will be the scaling of seniors with Alzheimers and other memory decay/erosion. Imagine the ways in which technology could assist, support and enrich the lives of those with such conditions (and their families). Wow. Stay tuned. And, do a Google search on Neurolink for evolving perspectives.

3. Masie’s Asia Ambassador: Learning Delegations from Asia. We are excited to announce a new Asia Ambassador and Learning Delegations for our Learning 2017 event, featuring Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Ting Huang will be our Ambassador and will lead delegations of Learning Colleagues from Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Korea, China and other Asian Areas. They will meet and collaborate with learning colleagues from around the globe and will have special gatherings in Orlando during the conference (Oct 22nd to 25th).  For information send an email to asia@masie.com

 4. Indecent & Anastasia - New Broadway Shows We Produced: MASIE Productions is proud to be part of the production teams for two amazing shows that have just opened. If you are coming to New York City, check these out:

* Indecent: A powerful play that won rave reviews from the critics. Info: www.indecentbroadway.com

* Anastasia: An awesome musical, which is selling out and is amazing. Info: www.anastasiabroadway.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

962 - 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders; A Learning Cruise; Learning Ideas

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - April 17, 2017
#962 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,631 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.  

1. 30 Under 30 Invitation for Rising Learning Leaders.
2. Learning Ideas for Sessions, Experiences, and Activities.
3. A 3 Day Learning Cruise!

1. 30 Under 30 Invitation for Rising Learning Leaders: One of my favorite projects that I have started in my career is our 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders Program.

Over the past years, over 200 rising learning leaders under the age of 30 have participated in a high-energy, multi-day, deeply engaging program. They have been mentored by senior business leaders such as Marshall Goldsmith and have also cross-mentored learning leaders on the changing perspectives of their generation.

We are pleased to open up this year’s 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders Program. Info and application: https://www.learning2017.com/30under30

2. Learning Ideas for Sessions, Experiences, and Activities: We are “all ears” to hear ideas for cool and engaging sessions and activities that we could offer at Learning 2017. If you would like to facilitate a session or be part of a conversation that you think would be awesome, send us a quick, one-paragraph note using this link: http://www.masie.com/learning2017ideas

3. A 3 Day Learning Cruise! Join Elliott Masie and other learning colleagues on a fun and affordable 3 day Learning Cruise right after Learning 2017 (Oct 26th). We will sail on the Liberty ship from the Port Canaveral area and head towards Nassau and a day at sea. Great time to relax and dream about the futures of learning - while hanging on the Lido Deck. Details: https://www.learning2017.com/index.php/learning-cruise

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

961 - Passover Today: Questions, Storytelling & Learning; Lucky Latkes

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - April 11, 2017
#961 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,626 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.  

1. Passover Today: Learning, Stories and Questions
2. Lucky Latkes: New Horse for MASIE Stable

1. Passover Today: Learning, Stories and Questions: One of my favorite Jewish Holidays is happening today.  Passover is a holiday that taught me the importance of stories, learning and questions.  So, each Passover, I combine an Elliott cooked Matzo Ball soup with reflections on the learning process and importance of questions.

Passover has a ritual of the “4 Questions” that are asked by the youngest family member at the Sedar (celebration dinner).  These questions are part of an evening of telling the Passover Stories of the Jewish Slaves leaving Egypt in olden times.  Songs about liberty, family and faith are mixed with stories about historic events of freedom. We would hear my father read from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address or my mom reading a poem about liberty.  But, asking the 4 Questions were my part, from age 4 on.  Here is a sample of my annual questions:

“What makes this night different from all other nights?”
“On all other nights, we eat either sitting upright or reclining. Why on this night do we all recline?”

The key was to ask this and other questions to trigger conversations and the telling of the stories.  And, it was powerful as a child to be given a key role in a family celebration - where the task was to ask a question and engage in the conversation and learning that it triggered.  I would say that several of my adult skills as a facilitator, interviewer and storyteller could be traced back to my nights of asking the 4 Questions of Passover.

I send Passover greetings to my TRENDS friends and colleagues around the world, in the season where we also celebrate Easter and other holidays.  Let us continue to embrace learning, stories, questions and a passion for celebrating freedom throughout our lives.

2. Lucky Latkes: New Horse for MASIE Stable: As TRENDS readers may know, MASIE Stables owns and breeds racing thoroughbreds.  Miss Matzo (quite an appropriate name in this Passover season) recently gave birth to her sixth filly.  Her father is called Lookin’ at Lucky. We named her yesterday - Lucky Latkes (think amazing potato pancakes).  Here is a pic of her and Miss Matzo:

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25- Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

960 - Encyclopedia Volume Missing, LMS "Worries", Multi-Sided Curation

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - April 7, 2017
#960 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,620 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 

1. Missing an Encyclopedia Volume: What’s J to L?
2. Multi-Sided Curation: Users and Organizations Gather/Sort
3. LMS Worries: Futures, Talent, Personalization & API’s???

1. Missing an Encyclopedia Volume: What’s J to L?  I sometimes pause a moment when thinking about the meaning of things that start with the letters J, K or L.  When I think about a Llama or Kaleidoscope or Jackal, my brain pauses for a moment until the meaning pops up.  Why?

Well, when I was 7 in 1957, my mom would take me to the grocery store each week and we would buy one volume of a our new Encyclopedia.  I remember the first volume that was for letters A & B.  I would take the book home and learn so much - about things, events, words and concepts that were new.  And, I looked forward to the next week when I could dive into C and D.

Then, a few weeks later, when the Encyclopedia volume that covered J to L was supposed to be on sale, a surprise happened.  The store ran out of copies.  While they promised to get the J to L book soon, it never happened.  And, for the next few years, that part of my knowledge was challenged.

While Google, Bing and life experiences have filled many of the gaps from my missing volume, it still lingers slightly. An Elliott curation gap from long ago.

2. Multi-Sided Curation: Users and Organizations Gather/Sort  Curation of Content has many sides - personal curation and organizational curation.  Both the worker/learner and their employer have stakes in curation and we rarely consider both sides.

The learner wants to OPTIMIZE her content - gathering it, sorting it, selecting it, notating it, rejecting it and more.  The employer wants to OPTIMIZE the content that each and every employee has access to and utilizes the ever widening range of internal, external and open content.

We are continuing conversations about the Mulit-Sided Curation of content and invite you and your colleagues to participate in our next Curation & Learning LAB to be held in Saratoga Springs in May.  Info: http://www.masie.com

3. LMS Worries: Futures, Talent, Personalization & API’s???  As we prepare for our upcoming Forum on Learning Systems & Tools, I have been struck by the level of “WORRY” that senior learning colleagues are expressing about their current LMS, LCMS and Social Systems.  Here are a few of the “Worries” that surfaced:

- The LMS is Weak on Experiences.
- The LMS is Weak on Video Utilization
- The LMS is Weak on Learning Personalization.
- The LMS is Weak on Recommending Content.
- The LMS is Weak on API and App Integration.
- The LMS is Weak on Content Curation.
- The LMS is Weak on Talent System Integration.

Our colleagues are not down on their Learning Management Systems.  They know that an LMS is key and critical for Enterprise Learning.  BUT, they are not shy about feeling that we are in a WEAK or GAP moment in the evolution of Learning Systems. 

There are still some spaces in our Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 event that Richard Culatta and I will be co-hosting in Chicago, April 19 and 20. Info and registration: http://www.masie.com

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

Former First Lady Michelle Obama to Keynote Learning 2017

Former First Lady Michelle Obama to Keynote Learning 2017 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will be the keynote speaker at Elliott Masie’s Learning 2017 conference on October 23rd in Orlando, Florida.

Michelle Robinson Obama served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

As a transformative First Lady, Mrs. Obama launched and led four key initiatives: Let’s Move!, to address the challenge of childhood obesity; Joining Forces, to support veterans, service members and their families; Reach Higher, to inspire young people to seek higher education; and Let Girls Learn, to help adolescent girls around the world go to school.

Before becoming First Lady, Michelle Obama attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She started her career as an attorney at the Chicago law firm, Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She later worked in the Chicago mayor’s office, the University of Chicago, and the University of Chicago Medical Center. Mrs. Obama also founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that prepares young people for careers in public service.

Mrs. Obama was born on January 17, 1964. She married Barack Obama in 1992. They currently live in Washington, DC and have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

“Mrs. Obama’s presentation will set the stage for rich dialogues at Learning 2017”, says Elliott Masie, Host and Chair of the event.

Learning 2017 will be held in Orlando, Florida from October 22 to October 25 at Walt Disney World.

Learning 2017 is produced by a collaborative of 200 global corporations, focused on improving workplace learning and training. Hosted and curated by Elliott Masie, Learning 2017 brings together several thousand learning professionals as they focus on the changing nature of workplace education and development. In previous years, keynotes have included General Colin Powell, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, President Bill Clinton, Apolo Ohno, Captain Sully Sullenberger, ABC’s Robin Roberts, and business authors Marshall Goldsmith, Ken Blanchard and Tom Peters.

Content and online registration at http://www.learning2017.com
Contact Elliott Masie: emasie@masie.com

959 - Mentoring & Coaching Frameworks, LMS for Only 20%, Big News by Friday

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - March 28, 2017
#959 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,623 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 

1. Needed: Frameworks for Mentoring & Coaching
2. When an LMS Only Tracks 20% of the Learning
3. Big News about Learning 2017 on Friday

1. Frameworks for Mentoring & Coaching Needed!: Mentoring and Coaching are key pathways for employees to improve skills and develop their readiness for new roles.  Almost every conversation I have with a worker about their own development includes a time they had a powerful and effective Mentor or Coach.

Yet, our understanding of what makes one Coach highly effective and another deeply forgettable is not very strong or evidence based.  Some theories of coaching center around strong listening, feedback and structuring skills.  Other theories point to the level of maturity of the learner to the task at hand - shifting styles of feedback as the maturity goes up or down.

What the Learning Field needs is a stronger, evidence based model for shaping the most effective coaching and mentoring that is needed by a specific learner in a specific situation.  Sometimes, it will need to be highly directive with crisp “behavioral dashboards” for the worker.  Other times it might be a supportive ear to listen and provide support.  And, sometimes it might be a structured Learning Advisor, pointing to possible content or experiences that would be most helpful.

And, we will see the rise of “Machine Learning” coaching, which will use a combination of intense data about a learner with a digital interaction to provide the best mentoring/coaching.

The MASIE Center is interested in dialoguing with colleagues who are interested in building out these Mentoring/Coaching frameworks.  Send me a note to emasie@masie.com

2. When an LMS Only Tracks 20% of the Learning :( Sadly, our learning systems (e.g. LMS and LCMS) track only a small percentage of the learning activities that your workforce undertakes.  Most of our learners are learning from “Experiences” that are not formatted like courses and that usually are not included in the record keeping of an LMS.

In some organizations, only about 20% of the Learning is tracked in Learning Systems.  For example, coaching/mentoring that we talked about in this article is often bypassed.  Attendance at external events is often bypassed.  Access to non-interactive content or even book purchasing is often bypassed.

This is understandable from the perspective of an LMS being used to manage the delivery of Enterprise Digital Assets and focusing on Compliance Reporting.  But, the bypassing often extends to user created videos and even social network collaborative content.  In a nutshell, we are often NOT using the LMS to track the TOTALITY of Learning!

Certainly the work of the xAPI group is pushing for a larger scope of “experiences” to be included. But, there is a need for a deeper shift in our learning systems’ focus and scope.

Richard Culatta and myself, as co-hosts of Learning Systems & Tools ‘17, which we will host in Chicago in April, will dive deeply into extending the reach of what we track, manage, optimize and personalize with changing technologies.  Info and online registration at http://www.masie.com

3. Big News about Learning 2017 by Friday: Watch for our next Learning TRENDS in the next few days with some BIG news as we start to announce the Keynoters for Learning 2017, to be held in Orlando, Florida from October 22nd to 25th.  Or, check our site in a few days at http://www.learning2017.com

Thank You for Notes about Events in London: Thanks to the hundreds of Learning TRENDS colleagues who wrote back after the terror incident at London’s Parliament last week. It was a strange time and also a learning-rich time to be in London as those events happened. Thanks!

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

958 - From London: Shooting & Reactions to Terror

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - March 12, 2017
#958 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,620 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center. 

Dear Learning TRENDS Readers and Colleagues:

Hello. I am in London, England right now and the city is in a sense of shock with the terror attack that has just occurred at the Parliament Building.

The details are still coming in and investigations are underway as over 1,000 people are still at Parliament as the incident reaction is happening.

It was a personal shock, coming after a great London opening of our Broadway Show, An American in Paris, that just opened to rave reviews from the press.  We had just finished a meeting of producers, excited about the show and the desire of people to see a show that had heart, light and historical context.

But, when terror happens, we all stop. And, in the age of constant and global media, terror impacts people far and wide.

One personal perspective is that we need to be able to trust the statements of our government leaders, for we are dependent on them for trusted information and content at times of crisis and emergency. 

And, we will need to think about ways in which we can, as individuals, react to terror incidents.  I think of the citizens of London during World War II, who had to adapt to the regular bombing of their city and try to have both an emergency response alongside a sense of “normal”.

The security in London was quick and widespread with detectives in front of this hotel and conversations underway with the thousand people still at the scene.

Flying back to New York tomorrow.  Thoughts, prayers and wonders about our collective adaption to these changing times.  Thanks for listening at a stressful moment.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

957 - Hello from Dublin: e-Learning Roots and St. Patricks Day

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - March 17, 2017
#957 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,618 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center.  

Dear Learning TRENDS Readers and Colleagues:

Hello from Dublin, Ireland, which I am visiting for meetings and enjoyment for the first time in many years. Ireland has a rich personal past for me and it also has a key history in the development of eLearning over the past few decades. And, today is St. Patricks Day, which has become a huge holiday festival in Ireland.

The first wave of Computer Based Training and several of the first Learning Management and Content Management Systems were developed in Ireland in the early 1990’s. Ireland had the perfect mix of skills in Design, Language, Coding and Literature - which created the earliest hub for Technology and Learning Content Development.  We held several early eLearning forums in Dublin and gave an award to its Prime Minister for support of our field.

And, I had lived and worked in Dublin for two years, right after college, helping to create learning and support programs for teenagers who were runaways or street kids. I worked for the Irish Government and was active in community organizing around changing youth culture.  It was an amazing experience in a rapidly changing country.

So, today the St. Patrick’s Day parade will pass through Dublin: 

The start of our eLearning content came from the culture of Ireland.  Driven by curiosity, love of education, passion for learning and mixing words, images, interactions, plus expanding access to masses who can’t get to the classroom, eLearning pays a big nod to its roots in Ireland.  May we add that to our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.  

“Sláinte - Good Health”
Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. 
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

956 - Curation Futures, LMS Reconsiderations

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - March 8, 2017.
#956 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,616 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center. 

1. Curation Futures! Learning Panorama Expands.
2. LMS Reconsideration? Changes Coming.
3. An American in Paris Opens In London!

1. Curation Futures! Learning Panorama Expands:  For the past two days, we have hosted 42 learning colleagues from around the world in my Curation & Learning LAB.  It has been fascinating to dive deep into Curation - by the learner, by learning designers, by the corporate IT function, and, in the near future, by Machine Learning functionality.  We have been exploring the future of Curation as learners’ Panorama of content expands, including more “Open Content”, user created content, and non-L&D content.  The conversations are clearly validating the role that Curation will play in the future of Learning.  And, our design models, content management, and learning systems will have to adapt.

We sold out the first LAB and are announcing a new edition:

  Curation & Learning LAB
  May 9 to 11, 2017 at The MASIE Center LAB in Saratoga Springs
  Details and Registration: http://www.masie.com

3. LMS Reconsidered? Changes Coming: The conversations about Learning Management Systems continue to reveal a sense of change coming for many Learning Departments.  In the past week, I have been chatting with about 10 Learning Leaders who are reflecting on these key questions:

- Talent Systems and LMS: Will the Talent Systems that are coming in to do widespread management of the HR data function take over the LMS role?  A number of leaders have been asked to prepare for a possible rapid switch to the Talent system that is inbound.

- LMS Underneath - Innovation in Layers Above: I continue to hear a desire to make the LMS the “aggregator and integrator” down deep, with layers of learning apps, tools, and functionality - including the curation systems we discussed above. 

Many Learning TRENDS readers have echoed that in their recent emails.  If you can, consider participating in our annual Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 event.  We will dive deep on these key issues from April 19th to 20th.  Info at http://www.masie.com

3. An American in Paris Opens In London!  Excited to be heading to Dublin and then on to London next week for meetings with Learning Colleagues and then to attend the opening of our show, An American in Paris, on the West End.

If you are in Dublin or London and would like to connect for a drink, please send me an email to emasie@masie.com  And, if you are in the London area in the months ahead, be sure to head over to see An American in Paris.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25- Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

955 - Cloud Goes Down & LMS Risks, Learners' Pins, "SITZPROBE"

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - March 1, 2017.
#955 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,611 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center. 

1. When Amazon Cloud Fails, What Happens to Your LMS?
2. Employees Wearing Learning Pins.
3. “SITZPROBE” and Previews: Broadway Lessons for Learning.

1. When Amazon Cloud Burps, What Happens to Your LMS?  Yesterday, Amazon’s Cloud Servers had a BURP, as many software applications and servers around the world failed or underperformed for several hours. I had difficulty using 3 key software packages that were located on the Amazon Cloud.  Other sites slowed down or had an error message posted.  We all know that IT things sometimes fail or “burp”, but this was one of the most widely experienced cloud based failures.

What if your company had moved the Learning Management System or LCMS to a cloud like Amazon?  What are our “learning vulnerabilities” as we shift from servers located in our corporate IT facility to globally located clouds?  One lesson that many cloud users learned yesterday was to have “redundant or competitive clouds”. If an LMS were on a cloud and it had a short term failure, the user would be automatically shifted to a secondary cloud - either located in a different geography or hosted by a different supplier.

While learning professionals are not responsible for making cloud storage decisions, we should be advocates for redundancy or backups.  Enterprise Learning will need to have a failure roll-over capability.  Time to take your IT manager for a cup of coffee and talk about your cloud failure strategy.

2. Employees Wearing Learning Pins.  Imagine collections of your employees wearing small Learning Pins or Badges, sharing their engagement in a learning program or ability to be a learning resource to fellow learners.  We used this strategy at a government agency where employees were building their global language skills.  Learners enrolled in a language learning program would wear a small flag indicating they were building that skill.  And, employees who were fluent in languages wore a similar flag. It was fascinating to watch folks in the lunchroom connect with others to practice speaking the language while eating their meal.

There is a lot of conversation about digital badges and interest icons, but let’s also add wearable pins as an option.  Fellow employees and even customers can respond to these visual symbols. 

3. “SITZPROBE” and Previews: Broadway Lessons for Learning:  In the next several days, we will be going to several brand new Broadway shows and there are two elements of the production process that are intriguing to the world of learning:

“SITZPROBE” - Putting it Together:  Tonight, we will see the first preview performance of the return of Miss Saigon to Broadway.  It stars Katie Rose Clarke, who was a featured singer at Learning 2016.  Several days ago, they had their Sitzprobe day.  It is the magical moment when the full orchestra and the full cast sing the entire show together - at the same time.  Sitzprobe is the magical time when elements of a production merge and even adjust as tone, sound, pitch and overall effect come together. 

PREVIEWS - Notes and Corrections: Significant Other and Anastasia, two shows that MASIE Productions is engaged with, are in or are about to begin previews.  While there is a real paying audience for a preview, the creative team is actively watching every minute of the production and making an amazing number of “notes”, which become feedback and adjustments for the cast.  Rehearsals the next afternoon will implement some of these adjustments and fixes.

Learning Professionals could learn from the intense creative processes that a Broadway production goes through, even when it has a well tested “curriculum” like Miss Saigon. Sitzprobe and Previews embrace a development model that is intense, agile, honest and reflects a commitment to engage developers and professionals in a non-stop process of improving experiences for our “audiences”. 

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - March 7-9, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. (3 Spots Left)
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Learning Innovations LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017 - October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

954 - Assessment Improvement, Machine Learning Futures, Sensible Shoes for Trainers

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - February 27, 2017.
#954 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
57,604 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center. 

1. Assessment Confusion? Make it Challenging, Predictive & Data Rich!
2. Machine Learning and Your LMS?
3. Comfortable Shoes for Trainers and Presenters.

1. Assessment Confusion? Make it Challenging, Predictive & Data Rich!:  Let’s take a new look at our Assessment Traditions!  Based on conversations with learners, instructional designers, compliance coordinators, trainers and managers, there is a fair amount of Assessment Confusion in the learning world.  

Assessment serves many requirements.  It provides formative and summative feedback to the learning designers and trainers.  It can provide feedback and focus for a learner on their pathway to success.  And, it must keep the “compliance angels” happy with acceptable data results.

The MASIE Center is exploring new models for how we can supercharge and evolve assessments:

- Assessment as Challenging as a Video Game: Let the learner see the Assessment as an Engagement Challenge - with the probability that they will fail some elements on their way to success.  Let them take an eLearning program with the sense that they are making progress towards a much tougher assessment outcome and they are excited when they “pass”.
- Predictive Assessment: We can design short predictive questions or case studies that will accurately predict a learner’s readiness to do a task.  Rather than take an assessment that looks like a final exam in college, give the learner 5 queries that are laddered in difficulty and will be great predictors of success.
- Data Rich Assessment: Take a Big Learning Data approach to Assessment that gives both the learner and the learning designer a better sense of a person’s knowledge or gaps. Tie together the pattern of their responses to reveal that the gap to overcome is they don’t understand the concept of “X” rather than they got 4 answers wrong.  Run data rich assessment to baseline the value of multiple choice answers to avoid questions that are overall too easy or way too confusing.

Let’s go deep as a learning field to innovate on our Assessment models and to make them into valued and even exciting tools for both learners and designers.

2. Machine Learning and Your LMS?  Machine Learning is a growing and exploding field that may have deep impacts on how we design, deliver and personalize learning for our workforce.  Machine Learning is potentially applying an approach to design that will mirror the data rich personalization of Amazon on their shopping site.

We are pleased to announce that a special Machine Learning Forum will be added to our upcoming Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 event in Chicago on April 19th and 20th.  We will explore how some LMS and Learning Systems will add Machine Learning Capability, some will provide interfaces to Machine Learning Capability and others will be ignored in the Machine Learning evolution.  

And, we will do a Real vs. Hype vendor-neutral test of current uses of Machine Learning to enhance Workplace Learning.  Join us in Chicago.  Details: http://www.masie.com

3. Comfortable Shoes for Trainers and Presenters:  I wear very comfortable shoes or sneakers when I teach, facilitate or do a keynote speech. Folks will often ask me why I choose this footware.  In a nutshell, COMFORTABLE SHOES make the job of a classroom leader or presenter so much easier.  We are moving around project based classrooms much more than presenting from the front of the room at the whiteboard.  We want to be agile and nimble, to respond to learner activity and questions.  And, I want to feel like a learning athlete when in the facilitator role.  

While many of us cannot go as casual as sneakers in the more formal corporate learning areas, there are many shoes that look business-like and still have a bounce to them.  I would love to hear from Learning TRENDS readers about your own Comfortable Shoes for Days of Training or Presenting.  Send me a fun email to emasie@masie.com  (Of course, I do like sneakers that are orange or bright - but that is for another day’s column.)

Yours in Learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - March 7-9, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY. (3 Spots Left)
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Learning Innovations LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017- October 22 to 25- Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com

953 - Wages for Home eLearning, Apps and Coaching Mixture, Learning Systems Inside

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - February 21, 2017.
#953 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
57,602 Readers - www.masie.com - twitter: emasie - The MASIE Center. 

1. Learning from Home Wage Laws & Australia Finding
2. App Coaching and Dashboards: Diet and Feedback from Elliott
3. Learning Systems Inside! A Finding from the Field
4. Readers: Text or Rich Text?  Next Edition Here

1. Learning from Home Wage Laws & Australia Finding: Prepare for a series of court cases that will rule on the Wage Law issues of workers accessing online learning from home. Clearly, employees who are on an hourly wage basis must be compensated for access from home. This has led a number of companies to link their LMS to their wage system, to make sure that an employee only accesses courses while at work and on wage.

But, the conversation is getting more complex. If an employee voluntarily accesses content on a voluntary basis, for something that might improve their career, is that also a wage hour? And, if an employee who is not hourly accesses content, does that have an impact on their time off or other benefits? And, does that relate to someone accessing the HR site for benefits and taking an online course about their retirement investments?

The MASIE Center will be tracking and hosting conversations about this topic, including dialogues with labor departments, HR leaders and unions. 

Note, I just received a note from a TRENDS reader in Australia, where there was a finding in late 2016 by Fair Work Australia Federal body (that regulates workers rights, pays and conditions) ordering a major Pharmacy  group to back pay nearly $4million AUD to 6,000 staff that were doing online courses after their work hours.  The compliance monitoring of elearning based wages from home access will continue around the world.

2. App Coaching and Dashboards - Diet Feedback for Elliott: As a person who has had lifelong ups and downs with his weight, I embarked on a new model this year, leveraging a visit to a nutritionist with a Coach Monitored App that has me entering every thing I eat during the day - with almost daily coaching feedback from a designated advisor. 

It is working nicely, for me, giving a Dashboard of Data that helps me self-shape my eating and exercise with benchmarks of weekly weighing and real time feedback on each food item being Green, Yellow or Red, as it maps to my nutrition map. 

I am intrigued by how we combine the amazing work of live coaches working with employees on development and behavior issues with an “app” model to provide more real time feedback and guidance. Linking it with a coach, who might only spend 2 minutes a day scanning your behaviors and typing feedback - even assisted by a Machine Learning advisor - could be a fascinating stretch for the coaching model. Stay tuned for updates.

3. Learning Systems Inside! A Finding from the Field: Reports from the field are showing a number of companies are pushing their Learning Management Systems deeper inside - for sign-on verification and compliance data collection - while using newer Tools and Apps as the “layers” that are providing direct learner support.

We are tracking this rise of Learning Apps and Layers with lines of business asking for customization quicker than the LMS can respond to. So, they reach for another system or tool and integrate the results through an API back to the LMS. As Learning Apps grow, we will also see managers reaching for unique learning experiences for specific learners or situations, and want to then mix them back into the LMS reporting basket.  It might be xAPI or other integration layers from the LMS or App Community.

We will explore this issue in depth at our Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 forum to be held in Chicago on April 19th and 20th. Details and early discounts at http://www.masie.com

4. Readers: Text or Rich Text? Next Edition Here: I heard from several hundred Learning TRENDS readers with their preferences for Text or HTML formats for TRENDS.  The vast majority were voting for plain Text but many wanted some bolding for topics.  So, we are going to experiment with a range of options - and eventually will try to give each reader a preference.  So, today we are using a “rich” but simple format.  Keep the feedback coming to me at emasie@masie.com

Yours in Learning, 

Elliott Masie
Email: emasie@masie.com
Twitter: @emasie 

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services:

- Curation & Learning LAB - March 7-9, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Learning Systems & Tools ‘17 - April 19 & 20, Chicago, IL.
- Learning Innovations LAB - May 9-11, 2017 Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM.
- Learning 2017- October 22 to 25 - Orlando, Florida.

Details and Online Registration: http://www.masie.com