455 - Flight Cancellations, Design Changes; Books - Volunteers Wanted; Leaving Class Responses

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 28, 2007.
#455 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,607 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Flight Cancellations...Learning Design Changes?
2. Results of "Leaving Class When You Get It" Question.
3. Books - Volunteers Requested!

1. Flight Cancels...Learning Design Changes? I should be writing this from Minnesota but instead I am in New York City today. Yesterday, after two hours in a plane on the runway, with no water and little air conditioning, they canceled my flight to Minnesota (as well as every other flight that day).

So, with almost 50 members of our Learning CONSORTIUM coming to a Regional session, what to do? Here is a profile of how our Plan B worked:

* Quickly arranged to have Target, which was hosting the meeting, add a conference phone to the room.
* Did a video conference from the room system in my NYC apartment to our office in Saratoga, to create three 5 to 10 minute content chunks. I made these high energy and focused on the key issues that we were going to discuss.
* My staff turned the video into MPEG high resolution files and put them on the server, so that they could be viewed this next morning in the Target meeting room.
* One of the TARGET team volunteered to be the in-room facilitator and keep the conversation going.
* I came in live by phone, asked for key segments to be played and gave the group instructions to process the content in small 2 and 3 person groups. Yes, they listened to a voice over the phone asking them to stand up, walk to another table and spend 7 minutes talking to new colleagues about Learning Changes!

Result: It worked! While it wasn't the same as being there, we had a high energy and very interactive session. The key is to always have a Plan B in your head and to design "continuity" into your learning design. The Blended Learning approach of using live audio and asynchronous video in small chunks ... along with a local facilitator kept the energy and spirit up during the session.

Oh, and it helps to bring your own big bottle of water on to the airplane when you travel. You might be sitting there for a while in these busy travel months.

2. Results of "Leaving Class When You Get It" Question: A few weeks ago, I asked TRENDS readers to react to an interesting idea: Could you imagine a way in which learners left the classroom as soon as they hit "competency", allowing the instructor to concentrate on the remaining students? This was suggested by a colleague from the army in Israel. We got a slew of answers, with a range of concern and excitement about this type of design change. Read a summary of some of these comments at:

http://www.masieweb.com/early

3. Books - Volunteers Requested! In the age of PodCasts, e-Learning and Fingertip Knowledge, there is still a great roll for the reading of books.

At our Learning 2007 event (Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando) we are putting a great focus on BOOKS as learning tools. We will have key sessions led by authors including Dan Pink (A Whole New Mind), Don Tapscott (Wikinomics) and others.

But, we want to address another 20 great business and learning books. So, we are soliciting volunteers who will lead a Book Club session on a key book that you think would be of interest/value to learning professionals.
We'll post a selection of these books, even get some dialogue going on-line prior to the event, and then gather folks who have read this book for Learning Book Club conversations. If you would like to volunteer, please send me a note to emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July 22 to 25 - Saratoga Springs.
* Performance Support LAB: Sept 10 to 12 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com
Email for Elliott to emasie@masie.com

454 - ATM Birthday, Claude Ostyn Dies, Changing Roles for Learning Professionals

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 27, 2007.
#454 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,594 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. The ATM Machine Has a Birthday - 40 Years Old!
2. Claude Ostyn, Learning Pioneer, Dies.
3. Changing Roles for Learning Professionals.

1. The ATM Machine Has a Birthday - 40 Years Old! The age of self-service took a major step forward 40 years ago when the first ATM was deployed in a branch of Barclays Bank in Enfield, north London. There was widespread doubt whether people would trust the machines, use the machines or mourn the loss of face-to-face contact with tellers. Here is an article about the birthday of the ATM machine from the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6230194.stm

2. Claude Ostyn, Learning Pioneer, Dies: We received sad news about the death of a major pioneer in the world of Learning and Learning Standards, Claude Ostyn. Here is a remembrance about him from Tom King, one of our MASIE Learning Fellows:

"The elearning community and especially the specification and standards world mourns the loss of Claude Ostyn (http://www.ostyn.com/) who recently passed away after a battle with terminal illness. From his long-tenure at Asymetrix and Click2learn to his more recent independent consulting, Claude has been an advocate at the vanguard of learning frontiers.

Claude Ostyn made great contributions to elearning, always showing diligence, dedication and great passion in learning technology, as well as all of his other interests. He was a vigorous and active participant in the work of AICC, ADL SCORM, IEEE LTSC and IMS-- you'll find his name as a contributor and reviewer on countless documents & whitepapers, throughout the support forums, and on delightfully precise ballot comments. The Reusable Competencies Definition group is currently working on dedicating a specification to his memory.

Will elearning standards and specifications be the same without Claude Ostyn? Basically, in effect, No."

There will be additional tributes and remembrances of Claude posted on TRENDS.

3. Changing Roles for Learning Professionals: The roles and skillsets of Learning Professionals continue to evolve at a rapid rate. We are pleased to announce that we will have a series of sessions at Learning 2007 (Oct
21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida) focused on YOUR future roles. We will take a look at the profiles of learning professionals in the year 2012 - and how we can prepare our organizations and profession for these changes. Note:
There are now 811 colleagues registered for this event that is 4 months away. Sign up now at http://www.learning2007.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July 22 to 25 - Saratoga Springs.
* Performance Support LAB: Sept 10 to 12 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com
Email for Elliott to emasie@masie.com

453 - On-Line Cheating; Pandemic and Learning Readiness?

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 19, 2007.
#453 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,585 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. On-Line Learning Cheating? Webcam Monitors!
2. Role-Based Learning Focus Grows.
3. Learning & Pandemic Readiness at Learning 2007.

1. On-Line Learning Cheating? Webcam Monitors! As on-line education grows, colleges and other institutions are looking for ways to monitor cheating during "distant exams". A new device is being deployed that includes a 360-degree camera, motion and sound detection software as well as biometric verification, including fingerprint verification. If there is a person prompting the student, if they make a cell phone call or even if their performance suddenly spikes, these are all warnings to the system. A proctor can later review the tapes to see if the student broke the exam rules during the test.

Other colleges are avoiding test-based assessments and using random telephone interviews with students to review and verify their project-based assessments. Check out the article from CNN at http://www.masieweb.com/onlinecheat

2. Role-Based Learning Focus Grows: I recently returned from a trip that took me to Israel, London and the Netherlands. In each region, there was a marked increased focus on "Role-Based Learning". Organizations are more focused on roles than jobs, as roles can and do change rapidly. The key in learning development is to align the content and competencies to these changing roles.

3. Learning & Pandemic Readiness Exercise at Learning 2007: One of the interesting learning options at Learning 2007 will be a Pandemic Readiness Exercise. In a nutshell, how can the learning function in your organization prepare for a massive crisis like a Pandemic? What capabilities can be created to provide "readiness" for an organization to respond to a Pandemic? You will have the option of participating in a high-intensity simulation exercise that will highlight the key elements that a learning function can play in Pandemic Readiness Planning. Actual Pandemic plans and officers will be a part of this exercise. A number of organizations participating in Learning 2007 (Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando) are bringing their Pandemic planning groups to the event.

There are now over 800 colleagues registered. Save money by using our Advanced Registration Discount. Information at http://www.learning2007.com

If you want to send a note to Elliott Masie, email me at emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July 22 to 25 - Saratoga Springs.
* Performance Support LAB: Sept 10 to 12 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com

452 - Early Departure from Class? Stretch Assignments?

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 14, 2007.
#452 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,579 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Can People Leave a Class Early?
2. Stretch Assignments.
3. Two Days Left for Early Registration for Learning 2007.

Hello from Utrecht, Netherlands! I am on the 4th leg of a two-week global trip that started with ASTD in Atlanta, on to Israel for a HR/Training Conference Keynote, then London and the Netherlands for the Moving Learning events.

1. Can People Leave a Class Early? While I was in Israel, a colleague posed a challenging question for me and several other learning
professionals:

"If you are teaching a class and some of the people in the course "get it"
after a few hours, can they leave? In other words, if they are quick and contextual learners and master the content rapidly, can they leave or do they need to stay until the end of the course?"

This got a heated conversation going at our table in Tel Aviv. It challenged the idea that we all stay until the last lesson. This person related it to training in the Army, where people move on as soon as they can show mastery. In that model, the class gets smaller and smaller, until a few people are left with personalized instruction from the instructor to help them achieve the objective.

It is a different metaphor ... but interesting if you consider the use of technology to allow a learner to "test out" in mid-stream. Does it more effectively focus the energy of the instructor on those needing extra coaching?

I'd love to hear your comments. Send me a note to emasie@masie.com with your reactions to the visual of people "peeling off" a class as they master the content. I'll publish a summary in a few days.

2. Stretch Assignments: Another topic that was raised in Europe was the role of "S T R E T C H" Assignments. These are the use of short-term deployments for the express purpose of helping develop an employee.

We have been seeing a dramatic increase in the use of stretch assignments as part of global Talent Development. Learners and managers often see stretch assignments as the single most effective leadership development activity. They are even more effective when the organization provides processing and coaching to help the worker integrate learnings from these assignments.

At Learning 2007, we will have a series of sessions called "S T R E T C H I N G for Learning" focused on the best ways to use and scale stretch deployments as a key element in learning.

3. Two Days Left for Early Registration for Learning 2007: Speaking of Learning 2007, there are only 2 days left to register and receive our lowest rates. The Early Registration deadline is this Friday night, June 15th.
You can register now and pay later. If you are sending groups of five or more team members, we can provide additional discounts and resources.

There are over 700 of your colleagues registered for Learning 2007, which will be held in Orlando, Florida from Oct 21 to 24th. Here are a few
highlights:

* Collective Intelligence and Learning: Don Tapscott (Wikinomics).
* Cooking and Learning: Bobby Flay, Master Chef to Cook and Keynote.
* Gaming 4 Learning Festival: Gaming and Virtual 3-D for Simulations.
* Dan Pink, Author of "A Whole New Mind" to Keynote.
* Jenny Zhu, Chinese Podcaster.
* Nigel Paine, Learning Leadership - Former CLO of the BBC.
* Plus Much More.

Information and Early Registration at http://www.learning2007.com

If you want to send a note to Elliott Masie, email me at emasie@masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July 22 to 25 - Saratoga Springs.
* Performance Support LAB: Sept 10 to 12 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com

451 - Bobby Flay Cooks and Keynotes at Learning 2007

TO: Learning & Training Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Host, Learning 2007
RE: Bobby Flay, Master Chef, Keynotes & Cooks at Learning 2007

Dear Colleague,

I am excited to announce:

Bobby Flay.
Master Chef, Food Network and "Iron Chef".
Cooks and Keynotes on "Cooking and Learning".
Learning 2007 - Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida, USA.

Recently, I asked readers of my Learning TRENDS newsletter a simple question: "How are cooking and learning similar?" Hundreds responded with comments like:

"I think that learning and cooking are very similar. Cooking is a process that usually begins with a recipe, many ingredients, time and finally enjoying the benefit of the process (eating!). Learning is also a process that should begin with a plan (recipe for learning), can consist of many ingredients (classroom, online, blended, etc.), requires time (both on the trainer's part and the learner's part) and also ends with a reward (increased knowledge)." Karen E. Frederick, Utica National Insurance Group

"From fast food and tapas to a five-course Prix Fixe gourmet creation, we have a similar menu of choices in learning and training. It's the role of the chef and the learning professional to offer a variety of choices to fit the needs of the customer. And just as people have tastes as varied as sushi to soul food, learners have their own preferences from mobile and self-directed learning to traditional instructor-led training." Carole J.Adams, Bank of America

"Cooking and learning are almost exactly alike in that you can do everything correctly from the technical perspective and still come up with something mediocre. As long as you follow all the steps and don't tinker with the ingredients the output won't kill anybody but it might not make them want to come back for seconds. On the other hand each--if structured properly--leaves the opportunity for surprise and delight: you connect the new learning with old knowledge in an unexpected way, or you decide to throw a handful of lavender into the pan with the beef even though the recipe didn't tell you to. You may never be able to duplicate that dish but your dinner guests will want to come back for whatever you make next time." Ron Dickinson, Intel Communications

I invite you to read dozens more of these fascinating comments from your colleagues at http://www.masieweb.com/cooking

Bobby Flay will cook for 2,500 learning professionals on stage, in a high definition set that we are building, while we interview him on the process of cooking and how it relates to the world of learning. At the end of this interview, every participant will be able to eat a sample of the dish he his making.

Other keynotes include: Don Tapscott ("Wikinomics"), Dan Pink ("A Whole New Mind"), Jenny Zhu (Chinese Podcaster), Tony Bingham (CEO of ASTD), Jane McGonigal (Gaming, Learning & Performance), Bruce MacMillan (The Meetings of the Future) and 12 Chief Learning Officers. We will also be conducting a session called Learning 2012, to project what YOUR learning structure and activities may be five years from now.

You can save money by using our Early Registration rates until June 15th. Invoicing can be requested as well.

Go to http://www.learning2007.com for information and easy on-line registration.

If you have any questions, just send an email to emasie@masie.com And, yes - your spouse, family or friends will be able to attend the Bobby Flay session at the event as well as the Learning 2007 Party on Tuesday night!

On a personal note, this is the 20th anniversary of MASIE events. Each year, I love the process of designing the event differently and inviting Thought Leaders with very different perspectives. Bobby Flay, as one of our keynoters, is an example of the fun and rich content you and I will experience together in Orlando. I invite you to come to Learning 2007 for interesting recipes, delightful tastes, good professional nutrition and challenging designs.

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie

450 - Cooking and Learning: Are They Similar?

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - June 5, 2007.
#450 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,567 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Cooking & Learning! Similarities?
2. Coach: Here is My Video and Send Me Yours!
3. 10 Days Left for Early Discount to Learning 2007.

1. Cooking & Learning! Similarities? A quick question to my Learning TRENDS readers and colleagues:

"How is the world of Cooking and Food SIMILAR to the world of Learning & Training?"

I would love to get a quick email from as many TRENDS readers as possible with your quick response to this question! Cooking & Learning:
Similarities?

Send an email to emasie@masie.com I'll publish a summary in a few days.

2. Coach: Here is My Video and Send Me Yours! A colleague recently sent me a very interesting URL for a service that provides personalized video-based coaching on golf. The student has a friend videotape specific swings and shots. These are uploaded and sent to their coach. In response, they receive a personalized video that comments on their swing and provides appropriate examples and coaching. This is an interesting example of a blended model that exchanges simple quality video between learner and coach. Check it out at: http://www.swingstargolf.com

3. 10 Days Left for Early Discount to Learning 2007: There are now almost 700 colleagues registered for our Learning 2007 event (Oct 21 to 24 - Walt Disney World - Orlando, Florida). Save on Early Registration by signing up before June 15th. Go to http://www.masie.com

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21 to 24 - Orlando, Florida.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July 22 to 25 - Saratoga Springs.
* Performance Support LAB: Sept 12 to 14 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com