283 - e-Learning WITH or WITHOUT an LMS?

TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 28, 2004
#283 - Updates on Learning, eLearning and Training
47,594 Readers - The MASIE Center - www.masie.com

1. e-Learning WITH or WITHOUT an LMS?
2. TechLearn 2004: Dates & Speaker Proposal
3. Learning Quotation

1. e-Learning WITH or WITHOUT an LMS?: While many large organizations have installed or are installing a Learning Management System to handle their e-Learning delivery, there is a significant segment that has decided to do an LMS-Less approach to e-Learning.

Some of those organizations are using a traditional Training Registration to handle the transaction side of e-Learning and then just serving content from either provider's servers or their own web servers. Others are using a lower footprint Learning Management System, while some are integrating directly into a HRIS system.

We would like to hear from organizations that taking a "pass" on LMS systems, with some details of your experiences. We will share these back with the CONSORTIUM the next week. Just send me an email to emasie@masie.com

2. TechLearn 2004 - Dates & Speaker Proposal: For your information, the dates of this year's TechLearn conference are November 14 to 17th in New York City. Advanstar, the producer of TechLearn 2004, is accepting speaker proposals for the event at:
http://www.advanstartech.com/cfp/

3. Learning Quotation: John Cotton Dana (1856�"1929), American Librarian and Museum Director

"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn." - John Cotton Dana

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
- London e-Learning Briefing: June 14th
- e-Learning Design & Development SIG Roundtable: Las Vegas - June 7-8
- e-Learning SKILLS Lab @ The MASIE Center: Saratoga Springs - Oct 6-8 Information & Registration: http://www.masie.com

282 - Rapid Learning Development Needs Rise & Mesh Networking Technology: Technology Radar Screen

TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 25, 2004
#282 - Updates on Learning, eLearning and Training
47,587 Readers - The MASIE Center - www.masie.com

1. Rapid Learning Development Needs Rise
2. Mesh Networking Technology: Technology Radar Screen
3. London eLearning Briefing & Las Vegas Developer SIG

1. Rapid Learning Development Needs Rise: The number one request that I hear from learning and training colleagues is for tools, methods and approaches that allow for rapid development of content.

As e-Learning becomes more accepted and integrated into daily corporate lives, business units are wanting to deploy MASSIVE amounts of content, rapidly and at a reasonable cost. This demand level cannot be met with traditional full blown instructional design and coding. So, organizations are turning to tools and methods that allow them to:
- Build a sound instructional template and then have subject matter experts populate the content using word processors and other simple tools.
- Deploy drag and drop authoring tools, also using templates, that allow for rapid creation of learning objects.
- Leverage internal processes that are linked directly to Document Management, so that content can be authored ONCE and deployed for both LEARNING and PERFORMANCE SUPPORT.

While there are many circumstances where premium topics will be developed at the high end level, much of the content that is now being created will be developed in a rapid and lower cost format.

2. Mesh Networking Technology - On My Technology Radar Screen: TRENDS tries to track emerging technologies that will impact both the overall corporate computing world and also our world of learning and training.
Keep your eyes on Mesh Networking Technology.

Mesh networking provides an innovative method to build complex data networks very easily. Small batteries can power tiny computing devices that interact with the network by sending data from one device to another, until it reaches the server.

For example, Mesh Networking is being used to have paintings in art galleries communicate their status (have I been moved recently) from one painting to another one and on to the security desk. Small buttons on the back of each painting are all that are needed, rather than wires to every device.

Meshing is a fundamentally different approach to routing through networks, and does not follow the conventions of network design. In a mesh network nodes get given their basic rules of the road, and then they are left to establish their connections autonomously. The node may discover many potential routes through the network, and it will select the most suitable route based upon the shortest distance to reach the other node.

Meshing delivers networks that are: Self Organizing - each node works the routing out for itself, saving time and effort in administration; Wide Ranging - multi-hop networks extend wireless range around obstacles and over greater distances; Scalable - just add more nodes. The routing configuration is automatic, and there is no exponential rise in complexity as the network grows; Resilient - The self organizing functions run continuously, so when changes occur to connections and reception the mesh will automatically re-route around blockages in real time; Affordable - Each mesh node is inexpensive. As there are no central controllers needed the costs are linear.

Keep your ears open for mesh networking as it makes it way into many parts of our lives. The intersection of mesh networking, wireless and context rich learning content will also be intriguing. TRENDS will follow this innovation area in the years ahead.

3. London eLearning Briefing & Las Vegas Developer SIG: There are approximately 10 seats available in each of two MASIE Events that are coming up in the weeks ahead:
* London e-Learning Briefing: June 14th
* Las Vegas e-Learning Design & Developer SIG: June 7 and 8 Complete info and registration at http://www.masie.com/

281 - Training Decisions Later and Later; Business Metrics for Learning

TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 12, 2004
#281 - Updates on Learning, eLearning and Training
47,411 Readers - The MASIE Center - www.masie.com

1. Training Decisions Later and Later
2. Business Metrics for Learning
3. Learning Quotation

1. Training Decisions Later and Later: People are deciding to attend classes, conferences and other learning events later and later. The percentage of last minute registrations are soaring, often creating havoc for the planning logistics of training departments and conference sponsors.

National associations are seeing as many as 60% of their registrations for conferences come in during the last few weeks, often resulting in huge numbers of walk-in, on-site registrations. Managers are often delaying making the final decision about a learner attending a class, even participating in an on-line class, until the last minute, to see what staffing levels and more urgent projects are on the radar screen.

A number of our e-Learning CONSORTIUM members report a pattern of last-minute registrations and cancellations for all types of learning events. One manager found that she had 75 cancellations and 59 last minute registrations for a 200 person in-house conference.

We are seeing a similar pattern for synchronous on-line events. Often as many as 30% of the registered attendees will be no-shows, driven higher by the knowledge that they can view the events asynchronously later on.

Business Metrics for Learning: Here is a quick list of some metrics that organizations are starting to use as indicators of the impact of new approaches to learning:
* Time to Launch a New Product
* Time to Hire and Deploy a New Staff Member
* Time to Compliance for Regulations
* Time to Implement a Systems Change
* Time to Globalize a Process
* Time to Merge with New Company or Organization
* Time to Quality Targets
* Time to Sale
All of these are trackable and can be directly impacted by enterprise learning approaches.

3. Learning Quotation:

"It's what we think we know already that keeps us from learning."
Claude Bernard

Upcoming MASIE Center Events:
* e-Learning Design & Development SIG - Las Vegas
* e-Learning Briefing - London, England
* e-Learning Skills LAB - Saratoga Springs, NY Information and Schedule at http://www.masie.com