449 - e-Newspaper; Learner Choice Survey; Talent Search

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 27, 2007.
#449 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,559 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. A Sunday e-Newspaper Morning.
2. Learner Choice & Satisfaction Survey - Volunteers Wanted.
3. Talent Search at The MASIE Center.

1. A Sunday e-Newspaper Morning: Sunday mornings have been all about thick newspapers in my family for decades. I grew up in New York City and we would buy the Sunday Times to start a 3-day intensive reading process.
Different family members would dive for distinct sections (Mom would get the Travel Section, Dad would go to Week in Review and I would head towards Business or Magazine). So, today I took a turn to the digital.

There have been many experiments with on-line newspapers, and most of them have been used just for scanning headlines and little else. However, the New York Times has released a "reader" that is quite provocative. It downloads most of the paper into a form factor that is compelling. So, today I got the free trial and spent a few hours reading the e-Times. Same stories in the same font and with quite a compelling experience.

Try it out. There is a free 30-day trial, which is long enough to experiment with the process of reading online. Go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/timesreader/

I'd love to hear your comments about on-line reading to emasie@masie.com For example, when I viewed this on my Tablet Notebook (with stylus) it was a better experience for me as a reader. Send your comments.

2. Learner Choice & Satisfaction Survey - Volunteers Wanted: On June 1st, we will be starting on a major project that is part of Learning 2007:

Learner Choice & Satisfaction Survey

We will be engaging over 500 companies to survey a large section of their employees about Learner Choice & Satisfaction. We'll be designing a simple survey that will ask workers about how they would like to learn, how they do learn and their levels of satisfaction. These results will be provided to each company and we will roll up the global results to report to TRENDS readers and to discuss deeply at Learning 2007. The MASIE Center will pay all of the costs of this totally non-commercial effort. It is time for us to really ask learners about their satisfaction with existing and new learning choices!

I would like to solicit an Advisory Board for this effort. If you would like to volunteer to assist for a few hours with the design and review of this project, send me an email to emasie@masie.com Thanks!

3. Talent Search at The MASIE Center: We are expanding our team at The MASIE Center and Learning CONSORTIUM and I am looking for 3 people to work full time here in Saratoga Springs:

* Learning and Training Professional: To work with our content team on programs and events. Ideally, you will have been working in the learning and training field for several years and can provide support to our CONSORTIUM and event programs.

* Recent Graduate of Learning Ph.D or Masters Program: I have a cool job for someone who has just graduated with an advanced degree in learning or training. You will be working on learning research and experimental projects with our team.

* Executive Assistant: We are looking for an Executive Assistant to support our senior staff. This person does not need a background in learning but should be comfortable juggling tasks and dealing with a global mix of people.

If you know of anyone interested in these roles, have them send a cover letter and a resume to jobs@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

448 - A New Horse; Returning Soldiers as Learners

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 25, 2007.
#448 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,541 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. A New Horse With 4,841 Bottle Caps.
2. Trainer's Tip: End Class a Little Early.
3. Memorial Day Ponderings: Learning Challenges for New Veterans.

1. A New Horse With 4,841 Bottle Caps: Last night, we added another and very different horse to our stable. As many Learning TRENDS readers know, Cathy and I own 7 racing horses. The 8th horse is unique, as she is a full size horse made from 4,841 Bottle Caps. Saratoga Springs, the home of the MASIE Center, is filling the town with painted and designed horses this summer. So, we sponsored and purchased a special horse to sit in from of The MASIE Center Learning LAB. Handi-Cap is a 7 month old fiberglass horse designed by artist Ali Herrmann. You can take a peek at this cute new member of our stable at http://www.masie.com

2. Trainer's Tip - End Class a Little Early: Learners love to get out of class a bit early. It doesn't need to be hours earlier, but they really appreciate the ability to get to their next meeting or home earlier than expected. Often, we trainers forget how different and tiring a day in a classroom can be. And, many of our learners still have to do a day's work at the end of the day of class. I usually make an earlier end time a sort of deal with the class. "Let's focus hard on this and perhaps take a shorter break and we'll end 45 minutes early!" It has an energizing impact on both learners and this particular trainer!

3. Memorial Day Ponderings: Learning Challenges for New Veterans: Clearly, the conflict and war in Iraq is a controversial and important issue for many readers around the world. But, as we start Memorial Day Weekend, let me send a personal thought to our U.S. readers:

"No matter what your position on the the fighting in Iraq, there is a group of folks that we need to consider from a learning perspective in the years ahead. Hundreds of thousands of women and men will have served in Iraq and return to the U.S. with challenges - from physical to vocational.
It is so important to not confuse the conversations about policy with our concern about the future lives of these veterans who did what their country asked them to do.

Learning professionals have a unique role to advocate for the learning, vocational and career needs and resources to support returning soldiers as they reintegrate. I urge local ASTD and other learning groups to get involved in this issue. Societies are measured by future generations in how they welcome home those that serve."

Email to Elliott Masie 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 12 to 14 - Saratoga Springs.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com

447 - World Without Oil; Data Mining an LMS; Hint: End Class Early

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 23, 2007.
#447 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,535 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. World Without Oil - Alternate Reality.
2. Data Mining with LMS and LCMS.
3. Tom Brokaw on the Real World.
4. Meet in Israel for a Drink.

1. World Without Oil - Alternate Reality: One of our Learning 2007 keynoters, Jane McGonigal, is on the design team for a provactive experience that is live on the web until June 1st. World Without Oil is what is known as an Alternate Reality. In this instance, it engages you (and many other on-line users) in an on-going simulation/game focused on the scenario of an "Oil Shock" - with peaked prices and shortages. Check it out as a glimpse into the future:

http://worldwithoutoil.org

Jane will be one of my keynoters at Learning 2007 and will also present at our Gaming4Learning component of the event. This genre of Alternate Reality has potential uses in organizations for change management training, strategy work and learning. We'll explore the implications in Orlando.

2. Data Mining with LMS and LCMS: Yesterday, we met with 90 members of our Learning CONSORTIUM in Chicago. One of the interesting elements was a conversation about Data Mining and LMS/LCMS.

Data Mining is way more than just a series of reports. Imagine if the CEO asked you to "mine" the data in the LMS/LCMS, linked to both HR and Business Performance data, to yield indicators about "speed to competency factors" or to feed a dashboard with on-going compliance readiness.

To get to a Data Mining capacity, we are going to need to open up the LMS/LCMS for more active and real-time data access by authorized users and to re-conceptualize which types of reports or active indicators really move the business forward.

3. Tom Brokaw on the Real World: Saturday, I had an opportunity to meet and talk with Tom Brokaw, former anchor of NBC News, who was at Skidmore College for the graduation. He had some interesting things to say to the students who were about to get their degrees. This was one of the things that stuck in my brain:

"The real world is not high school. The real world is not college. The real world is more like junior high. You will encounter the same adolescent behavior. That is your burden. We all share it with you."

4. Meet in Israel for a Drink: I will be going to Israel in 12 days to deliver the keynote at a training/learning conference for companies in the region. If you are a learning professional based in Israel and would like to meet for a drink and conversation, 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.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com Email to Elliott at emasie@masie.com

446 - The Future of Meetings; Zero Gravity for Elliott; Conference Phones in Classrooms

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 14, 2007.
#446 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,514 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. The Future of Meetings??
2. A Cool Birthday Gift: ZeroG Flight for Elliott.
3. Trainer's Tip: Conference Phone in Classrooms!

1. The Future of Meetings?? While we spend some time in classrooms and with on-line learning programs, almost every employee spends way more time in meetings. And, it is time for us to look at the future of meeting design.

I am excited to announce that Bruce MacMillan, the CEO and President of Meeting Planners International, will be a keynoter and Thought Leader at Learning 2007. Bruce and I are working together to help envision how "meetings" will evolve in the age of technology and changing collaboration expectations. Both learning professionals and meeting professionals have key roles to play in helping to evolve the design, format and productivity of a wide range of corporate meetings held by our organizations. For information and early registration go to http://www.learning2007.com

2. A Cool Birthday Gift: ZeroG Flight for Elliott: Yesterday was my 57th birthday. My wife, Cathy, gave me a way cool gift. In a few weeks, I will board a plane for the ZeroG Experience. Here is the description that Cathy gave me on my birthday morning:

"Weightless Flight is achieved aboard a special Boeing 727 aircraft named G-FORCE ONE. Weightlessness is achieved by flying G-FORCE ONE through a parabolic flight maneuver. Specially trained pilots fly these maneuvers between approximately 24,000 and 34,000 feet altitude.

The maneuver is somewhat like a roller coaster in that the plane is initially pulled up to approximately 45 degrees 'nose high'. Next the plane is 'pushed over' the top to reach the zero-gravity segment of the parabolas. For the next 25 - 30 seconds everything in the plane is weightless. The maneuver is then repeated over and over again.

The weightlessness experienced by everyone inside the airplane is actually equivalent to the type of "free fall" you experience when sky diving. In this case however, the body of the aircraft surrounds you and protects you from the on-rushing wind. At the end of the free fall period, the aircraft also scoops you up and carries you back up to the top of the arc to begin the free fall process again." Info at http://www.gozerog.com

I will send video and notes from the closest thing to space flight that I will probably get in my lifetime. Thanks, Cathy!

3. Trainer's Tip: Conference Phone in Classrooms! It is interesting how few classrooms have a good quality conference phone. I am always wanting to bring in guest speakers for a few minutes. Yet, most organizations haven't wired their classrooms to be able to integrate the phone into the sound system and to pick up audio from around the room. In addition to having guest speakers, it is always a good idea to add the option of some learners attending remotely. Next budget cycle, add a good conference phone system into your classrooms.

To Email Elliott Masie: emasie@masie.com

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

445 - Diary of a Keynote Speech

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 9, 2007.
#445 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,505 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Diary of a Keynote Speech.
2. Learning Leaders Academy - Filling Fast.

1. Diary of a Keynote Speech: A number of TRENDS readers have asked me to write a short diary about how I go about giving a Keynote speech. I thought the one that I delivered yesterday to the senior leadership of the Coast Guard would be a good case study.

* The Background: About six months ago, my office was contacted by the U.S. Coast Guard to see if I was available to present to the very senior leadership of their organization. They were having a Leadership Retreat that would include Admiral Thad W. Allen, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, their top 56 Admirals and a few dozen spouses. The Coast Guard is embarking on a major reorganization and one of the key challenges is generational change as well as continuous learning.

* Needs Analysis: Planning a speech like this is a combination of traditional needs analysis and expectation negotiating. It starts with the key question of how they heard about Elliott and why I was wanted.

One of their top leaders (and his wife) had heard me deliver a keynote at a Joint Education event for the Pentagon and they wanted me to bring the same message and energy to this leadership activity.

Next, my team and I engage in a series of discussions to determine the audience, the expectations and the "degrees of freedom" that I have as a speaker. It became clear that my speech was going to be a departure from more Coast Guard specific content and needed to be relevant for the leaders as well as their spouses.

Just One Slide? One item that came up here and in other presentations is how many slides would I use. Luckily, the Admiral who had seen my speech before remembered that I used just one slide. I made up a one page mindmap slide - with six bullet points in a circle around the title "Learning in a Flatter World". This gives me the chance to make the keynote more about telling relevant stories and less trapped by successive PowerPoint slides.

On-Site: Once I get onsite, there is a another wave of needs assessment.
Immediately upom arriving, I started to have conversations with my contacts and others about the issues that they are facing and other dialogues that are ongoing at the meeting. I spent time in the elevator and at the bar with random participants gathering "texture".

Final Prep: I woke up at 5 AM to finalize my planning. Some would hate to do this last minute design, but it is where it all comes together for me.
I create a "flow chart" for myself of key points, stories and even audience engagement activities. I have them timed out but there are several "Plan B" options. At 7 AM I meet with the AV Tech to give him my
1 slide and at 7:45, I meet with an Admiral to get a final context briefing. This last conversation adds lots of threads for my stories. In fact, I try out one or two themes and see his reaction.

The Introduction: I walk into the ballroom and mingle with the participants for the few minutes before the session begins at 8 AM. I get a chance to meet and talk with Admiral Thad Allen, the Commandant, and get a sense of his style and process. I immediately remember him from CNN, where he was finally sent into New Orleans after Katrina to pull together the rescue efforts. So, I add a story about a CEO in New Orleans during Katrina. I also see how easily he is relating to his core staff and the tone adds to my sense of "freedom" to push the group.

The Speech: The first 180 seconds are key. In that 180 seconds the audience is evaluating me and making a decision how engaged they will be for the coming 90 minutes. So, I start with a few polls and rapidly have them talking to each other at their tables. In other words, it immediately shifts from a speech to an interactive session.

I take a risk and talk about how most PowerPoint presentations should be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. And, I rapidly pushed into a discussion about how they, as parents, were viewing their children's generation.

For me, a keynote is a blend of pre-planned content, stories and activities ... along with improvisational elements that come from the participants and the "moment". When I ask them to all stand up, walk to another table and talk to each other for 3 minutes, it is all about engagement and dialogue.

Timing: Throughout the keynote, I am monitoring both my design and watch.
I ended up shifting two pieces of the speech, based on their reactions and gathered responses on a key topic. I left myself the last five minutes to pull it all together and to end up a keynote (no pun intended). My final point was that true Leaders must be Learners. I told the story about a newly appointed Commanding Officer of a ship who quietly placed four books on the mess table when he assumed command. He showed the crew that he was an active reader and learner, traits which were key to his style. I repeated the phrase Leaders as Learners and ended the speech.

Feedback: Getting feedback is an interesting process. I got heart-warming applause at the end and thanks for the leadership. But, the real feedback comes from hanging out at the coffee pot a few minutes later. People came up to thank me for speaking or said they liked the speech. My response is always to ask: "What were some of the provocative things about the speech?" It rapidly changes into a discussion about their experiences.

Personal: It is a real "high" to talk to a senior group like this. For 90 minutes, you have an opportunity to share and learn with the leadership of a key organization like the U.S. Coast Guard. It is physically and emotionally exciting. And, my model of continuous design turns it into a personal learning experience for myself. Each speech that I give adds to my knowledge base as a learning professional and helps prepare for the next speech.

Exiting: In some ways, the hardest thing to do is to leave for the
airport. I actually want to stay around, listen to other speeches and
dive deep into conversations with the participants. But, as a keynote, my role is to hit the right "key" and to move on. I can tell they have been coming to our website and have invitations to visit Coast Guard commands in a few parts of the United States, so the conversations will continue.

Nervous?: Finally, people ask me if I get nervous before giving a speech?
Not nervous, but fully engaged and aware. There is that sense that the unknowns will be all clear in a few minutes. My focus is not to have them like me or laugh at my jokes. But, rather I want to connect with them and add content or context to their important realities. This is awesome and can be even overwhelming at times. And, as I said, a good keynote connection can be a "rush" to me as a trainer and learning professional.

2. Learning Leaders Academy: We have opened registration for our Learning Leaders Academy to be held in Saratoga Springs from July 22 to 25th. This is for senior learning executives and is taught by Nigel Paine and myself.
We have already had over a dozen applications. Please register soon.
http://www.masieweb.com/leaders

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

Learning Leaders Academy Invitation

TO: Learning & Training Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, The MASIE Center
RE: Invitation: Learning Leaders Academy

I would like to extend a special invitation to a new, small executive seminar that we are launching this summer:

Learning Leaders Academy.
For: Current and Future Learning Leaders & Executives.
Deans: Nigel Paine and Elliott Masie.
Dates: July 22 to 25, 2007.
Location: The MASIE Center Learning LAB - Saratoga Springs, NY USA.

This new seminar will address these key dimensions of Learning Leadership:

* Learning Leaders: Business Perspectives & Skills
* Learning Leaders: Learning Vision & Strategies
* Learning Leaders: Personal Competencies for Leadership
* Learning Leaders: Organizational Change Leadership

For complete content and registration information:

http://www.masieweb.com/leaders

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
The MASIE Center

444 - Learning CEO to the Peace Corps; Games Researcher Keynoter; Laminate in Classrooms

Learning TRENDS by Elliott Masie - May 3, 2007.
#444 - Updates on Learning, Business & Technology.
53,505 Readers - http://www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host of Learning 2007 - Oct 21-24 - Orlando, Florida, USA

1. Learning CEO Off to the Peace Corp in Senegal.
2. Jane McGonigal, Games Researcher to Keynote at Learning 2007.
3. Tip for Trainers: Laminate Your Own Job Aide.

1. Learning CEO Off to the Peace Corp in Senegal. Today, I had lunch with the CEO and President of Intrepid, Chris Hedrick. He had a surprise announcement - he is retiring from Intrepid and will become the Peace Corps Country Director in Senegal, West Africa. Chris is a young man with a great reputation in both the world of learning and public service. (He and his wife served as Peace Corp volunteers in Senegal). He founded and grew Intrepid into a major provider of learning services. I am really impressed with his return to global service. It is an act of courage and inspiration for all of us in this field. Way to go!

2. Jane McGonigal, Games Researcher to Keynote at Learning 2007: We are pleased to announce that Jane McGonigal, a researcher at the Institute for the Future, will be a keynoter at Learning 2007. She has a Ph.D. in performance studies at the University of California at Berkeley where she also was a member of UC Berkeley's Alpha Lab. She has taught at UC Berkeley and the San Francisco Art Institute. Jane will be a keynoter for our event in Orlando (Oct 21 to 24th). Registration at http://www.learning2007.com

3. Tip for Trainers - Laminate Your Own Job Aide: Purchase a small "laminating machine" for your classrooms! You can have your learners create their own job aides - a one-page personal Performance Support page - and then laminate it in plastic, right in the classroom. The trainer can provide them with a core template with information that the learners can customize and contextualize, as well as print and laminate. You would be amazed at how long and well these plastic learning tools will be used!

Upcoming MASIE Center Events & Services:
* Learning 2007: Oct 21-24 - Orlando, FL.
* Learning Leaders Academy: July - Saratoga Springs, NY.
* Membership in our Learning CONSORTIUM.
Information at http://www.masie.com