1012 - Taking the Train to Learning: 28th Year

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - October 30, 2018.
#1,012 Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
58,037 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 -  Orlando - 1,854 Colleagues Already Registered. 

Special: Taking the Train to Learning: 28th Year 

Every year, I make the journey to Orlando on an Amtrak Train. 

For 28 years, the fun of “Taking the Train to Learning” is one of my fun experiences, as I head to Florida to host several thousand global learning colleagues. 

Why take the train? Sitting and sleeping in the train as America is seen from the window with the rolling and rocking along the tracks is a relaxing and energizing wind up for the role of being the host and curator of Learning 2018. 

There is a wide diversity of passengers on the train. Some who hate to fly (which I actually quite enjoy), some taking a less expensive route across America, some retired and some college students from Europe on a state-by-state journey. 

My trip on the train provides an opportunity to take a look at the changes that have happened in learning over the past 28 years. 

My earliest conference was “Computer Training & Support”. We gathered together the thousands of computer trainers, help desk managers, and tech folks preparing the workforce for a computer-rich workplace.

Then, there was the Y2K wave of prep. Millions of hours were allocated to training the workforce on what might happen when the calendar turned to the year 2,000. 

TechLearn was my next edition of a learning conference. We welcomed the world of eLearning and leveraging the first wave of learning technologies. The conversations were about picking a good “e-authoring tool” and considering if a Learning Management System was needed in the workplace. 

Learning 2018 is the third generation of my learning events. We have moved beyond the “e” conversation to explore a wider set of learning changes - as content, context, collaboration, compliance, tech innovation, and user experience mix with data analytics, AI, learner evolutions, immersive media, and more.  

The train ride allows reflection about how our field is changing, how the technologies are evolving, and how our roles are expanding and flipping. I examine my own excitements, doubts, and confusions about the changing world of learning as the train rolls towards Orlando. 

I have some work to do on the train. I am finalizing some of the interview topics for my time on stage with Former First Lady Laura Bush, Hamilton Actor Leslie Odom, Jr., and Author Dan Pink. Question generation flows nicely as we zoom past the front and back yards of towns along the way. 

So, tonight I’ll be boarding the Silver Star in Raleigh for the trek to Orlando. 

If you are coming to Learning 2018 - www.learning2018.com - I look forward to learning with you after the train ride. And, we will curate key content for Learning TRENDS readers afterwards. 

All Aboard! 

Yours in learning, 

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

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services: 

- Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 - Orlando  (Advance Registration Discounts Until October 31)
- Learning LABS at MASIE Center and Beyond - Starting January 2019
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

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

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

1011 - Terror Events and Focus, VR Data, and Last Minute Registrations Grow

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - October 29, 2018.
#1,011 Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
58,023 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 -  Orlando - 1,854 Colleagues Already Registered. 

1. Hate Events Stir and Stun Learners.
2. VR and Immersive Data Touching.
3. Last Minute Learning Decisions - People Decide & Act Late :) 

1. Hate Events Stir and Stun Learners: The hateful events in the United States in the last few days impact our learners.  As the bombs were detected in offices in NYC and elsewhere, there were many corporate offices nearby the CNN headquarters or other target sites that had to shut down - often interrupting a class.  

And, when the 11 people were killed in the Pittsburgh Synagogue on Saturday morning, the tears followed from my eyes and people from around the world sent notes of shock, sympathy and being stunned.   A graduate program that was happening in the Northeast changed their focus on Saturday - to deal with the social realities of hate and violence. 

As learning leaders, we should be aware that these and other events of hate have a direct impact on employees as learners.  They interrupt their focus.  They are much more powerful than an agenda or syllabus that is planned.  And, they go to the heart of the need for safe and brave places for work, for our growth and for working through issues and problems. 

Even as I plan the final details of Learning 2018, which starts in 6 days in Orlando, I have been asking what the impact of these events are on the over 1,800 colleagues participating.  In a few ways, they will shape discussions about diversity, inclusion and belonging.  They will form a backdrop of talking about the impact of social networks on community and trust.  And, I am including them in my questions for keynoters. 

Learning and Development has opportunities to be supportive of our employees at times of disruption. 

2. VR and Immersive Data Touching: Imagining wearing a set of VR googles or dealing with Augmented Reality  through a mobile device - except we could be touching and manipulating data and numbers rather than images or objects. 

We are starting to see VR and Immersive Technologies being aimed at our need to touch, analyze, manipulate and have a more 360 view and sense of data.  As we increase our role as Learning Data Analysts, let’s explore the role that these technologies can have in taking a non-traditional approach to illustrating and exploring data! 

3. Last Minute Learning Decisions - People Decide & Act Late :)  Learning and Development professionals must live more and more in the Right Now Moment!  In the busy and changing times of our businesses, colleagues are making or adjusting learning choices to later and later. 

It is amazing to watch registrations for Learning 2018 flow across my screen this morning.  With only 6 days left, some people are just now getting the clearance or making the space in their busy schedules to attend a 3 1/2 day event next week.  It is part of our production design - as we order more manuals, more meals and more seats for an event - knowing that last minute additions and changes will occur.

 It gets wired into our contracts - to allow adjustments in food orders until a few days before.  And, it means that we must be more and more agile in our planning and layouts. 

Don’t get angry when last minute changes happen.  Learning often needs to adjust to the requirements of other elements in the business.  And, be as flexible as possible so that learners who make last minute decisions can have equally great experiences. 

So, for Learning 2018, here is what we are doing: 

* Adding more rooms at the nearby Hilton Hotel, as the block at Disney is all filled with Learning 2018 participants.
* Addeing a free bus to take people from the Hilton to Disney with ease every morning.  Nothing is more frustrating to an attendee to miss the start of the session due to transportation issues.
* Ordering more materials and resources to cover a last minute rush of registrations.
* Adding a Learning TV program for last minute arrivals.
* Video Taping the last day General Session for those that have to rush back.
* Taking care of Extra Food, Tickets to Disney and More - for those that have no time to plan ahead with a last minute decision to come to Orlando. 

If you would like to join us, go to http://www.learning2018.com  There are still a few days left with Early Discounts.  If not, we will share some of the curated content online after the event. 

In any case, Learning Producers need to be ready for Last Minute, Just in Time registrations and changes.  We are agile and we are part of the solution! 

Yours in learning, 

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

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services: 

- Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 - Orlando  (Advance Registration Discounts Until October 31)
- Learning LABS at MASIE Center and Beyond - Starting January 2019
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

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

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Experience Design - Optimizing & Planning Intensity!

TO: Learning Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Publisher, Learning TRENDS
RE: Experience Design: Prepping for Optimizing Learning!

Designing & Producing Experiences for Learning is quite different from developing a course or online module.  In just 12 days, we will have almost 2,000 global learning colleagues in Orlando for Learning 2018 and there will be some intense and engaging Experiences.  I have been traveling around the US in the past few weeks by plane and video to optimize these experiences:

I was off to Pennsylvania to meet with the learning leaders from Allan Myers construction company - who are driving their Construction Equipment simulator to Orlando.  I “drove” several major vehicles and lifted some major virtual boulders on their high tech and physically realistic simulator.  Wow!

Next, Richard Culatta (co-host at Learning 2018) and I flew to Norfolk, VA and met with the six police officers who became YouTube hits when their department did a lip-sync of “Uptown Funk” from Bruno Mars (over 75 million viewers).  They are coming to Learning 2018 to receive our Engagement Award and to fully participate in the event.  We met with them at the SWAT Team school to prep for their visit and Experience:

MIT and The MASIE Learning CONSORTIUM will be doing a real-time research project to study Brain Reactions to Complexity at Learning 2018.  Hundreds of participants will wear brain scan headbands and participate in a real-time experiment - with research results shared on the last day of the event:

Bloomberg is building and offering “Hour of Code” sessions (including one on Monday evening) to provide learning professionals with hands-on experience of doing real visual programming in an exciting 60 minutes.  And, they added a Photo Booth for learners to capture their experience:

Changing the tires on a NASCAR race car as a team requires learning, coordination and timing.  I’ve been working with our Pit Crew training team to prep for their arrival in Orlando as our colleagues suit up and have real time Experiences with tires, power tools and a countdown clock:

Experiences require a different and more hands-on design and production planning.  We invite you and your colleagues to register now for Learning 2018!  We have added more hotel rooms and we are ready for you.  Go to http://www.learning2018.com for details and registration:

100 Page Program Guide for Learning 2018 - All About Learning Changes!

TO: Learning Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Host & Curator
RE: 100 Page Program Guide for Learning 2018!

View or Download The Learning 2018 Program Guide!

Over 200 Learning Experiences, Sessions and More.  Join 1,800+ Learning Colleagues at Learning 2018 - November 4 to 7 - Orlando, Florida. 

Program Guide: http://www.learning2018.com/guide

1010 - AR and Travel, New Numbers, Club Learn Announced

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - October 16, 2018.
#1,010 Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,997 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 -  Orlando - 1,704 Colleagues Already Registered. 

1. AR and Travel: Point for Legal Baggage.
2. New Numbers Needed for Learning Data Analytics.
3. Club Learn Announced! 

1. AR and Travel: Point for Legal Baggage: Our AR/VR analyst, Serene Wang, sent me a quick note from China highlighting the rise of Augmented Reality apps that are flowing to my iPhone.  In my future trends chart, the ability of mobile devices to be “augmented” with data, information or support is so much more impactful than the cool but non-scalable wearing of  wrap-around VR Goggles in the workplace. 

Check out the newest version of Kayak’s app.  It has a simple AR feature that allows you to take a picture of a piece of luggage you are planning on taking on the next airplane trip.  The phone does a multi-scan of the bag and instantly calculates it’s dimensions and indicates where it meets the FAA rules for carry-on luggage. 

AR will be surfacing in a range of applications that can be used by consumers or in the workplace.  Stay tuned. 

2. New Numbers Needed for Learning Data Analytics: One of The MASIE Center’s focuses going into 2019 will be Learning Data Analytics.  We will need to think out of the box about data and numbers that can be used to assess, personalize, evaluate, improve or focus learning activities.  We will need some “New Numbers” to add to our Learning Data Analysis.  At Learning 2018, we will have brainstorming of over 1,800 colleagues to explore the New Numbers for our field. Here are a few working examples: 

* Confidence Levels:  How confident was the employee about the new topic or skill at the end of the learning cycle?  How confident are they when they apply it at the workplace?  And, how do their managers, colleagues or even customers rate their perceived confidence on the topic?

* Memorization vs. Navigational Targets:  As Learning Producers, what are our targets for how much content the learner gets to actively Memorize?  And, how much is in the “I know how to navigate to it online” level? These numbers will change the processes of practice and learning support tools.

* When Do We Deliver Learning?: Continuing our exploration of When? - let’s look at different outcomes based on when the learning activity takes place.  When should we do the bulk of on-boarding?  Before they start, on Day 1 or in Week 3, after they settle in?

* Use Levels:  How do we map the actual degree of use for a new skill or readiness?  Can we build a “Utilization” map for how content that is taught is used or not used on-the-job? 

We hope to create dozens of proposed New Numbers for Learning.  Glad to hear your suggestions.  Send a note to emasie@masie.com 

3. Club Learn Announced: In addition to the over 200 sessions and experiences at Learning 2018, we are now adding a new fun activity - “Club Learn” - a disco party, hosted by our Learning 30 Under 30 Colleagues on Monday night, Nov 5th, at 9:30 pm at Coronado Springs Hotel at Walt Disney World in Orlando. 

There will be music galore and one of our Broadway stars will be teaching a new fun dance, “Learning Soars”. 

Join over 1,700 learning colleagues at Learning 2018.  There are just 70 rooms left at the hotel - so register soon!  Details: http://www.learning2018.com 

Yours in learning, 

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

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services: 

- Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 - Orlando  (Advance Registration Discounts Until October 31)
- Learning LABS at MASIE Center and Beyond - Starting January 2019
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

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

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

1009 - Producing for 2,000 Learners: Elliott's Back Story

Elliott Masie’s Learning TRENDS - October 12, 2018.
#1,009 Updates on Learning, Business & Technology Since 1997.
57,992 Readers - www.masie.com - The MASIE Center.
Host: Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 -  Orlando - 1,704 Colleagues Already Registered. 

Many Learning TRENDS readers have asked me to share some of the Back Story for Producing and Designing a learning event for 2,000 colleagues. 

Here are a few of my perspectives - 23 days before Learning 2018: 

Q: What are the most unusual and different aspects of Producing this experience?
A:  Let me list my top 3:

- Secret Service Security: This is my fourth conference with a keynoter who is protected by Secret Service.  They are amazing folks and for the most part the security aspects work seamlessly - especially since Disney has deep experience.  But, when you add time for sniffing dogs to “clear a room” - it changes the schedule flow.  Personal connection with the Secret Service starts weeks before and we collaborate to make it a perfectly easy experience for both Former First Lady Laura Bush and our 2,000 participants.

- Music Matters: We have several Broadway stars that will be performing at Learning 2018 - including Hamilton lead Leslie Odom, Jr. and Aladdin Star Telly Leung by video from NYC.  We use a combination of “track” music - which is pre-recorded tunes for the star to sing with - or a video conference feed to a studio near Broadway.  Music is critical to hear the amazing voices of our stars.

- Lego Blocks and 4,000 Legs Moving in a Keynote:  We will have a small pile of Lego Blocks at every table - as we explore building content in a BlockChain ready model.  That’s a lot of blocks and I am shopping for some really big ones for the stage.  And, we will ask two thousand people to get up a few times and have a key discussion with others in the room - in the middle of a keynote.  4,000 legs moving is interesting. 

Q: How do you pick the key content early on - for a field that is changing every few months?
A. We don’t pick early.  In fact, the final Program Guide will not be released until next week - as we have added content, context, experiences, challenges and more.  Many events lay out their schedules six months ahead of time.  But, I love the Just in Time alignment of our program to a changing field.  In fact, a few weeks ago when I was in Africa, conversations with learning leaders from that region triggered some changes in our format. 

Q. What is the strangest thing for you as a facilitator on this huge stage?
A. The stage and the 110 foot screen behind it are huge!  It gives us display space for many live and stored video elements - which have to be integrated into the program.  I have to make sure to work the stage - from every angle - and to use the video to bring the conversations personally to the people at the very back of the room.  And, we need to use Disney’s Cosmetologist to make up every keynote speaker - since a pimple or random face hair becomes huge on the high def screen. 

Q. How often do you make big mistakes in the Production of a Learning Event?
A. Every year!!!  In fact, if we don’t make any mistakes - then we are not innovating and evolving how learning is changing.  Here are some mistakes of the past:

​* A few topics that interested no one!  There were 2 sessions with no people in attendance.  But, that is the marketplace of content.

* Keynotes were too long.  I have shortened most presentations to 12 or so minutes - and made almost all of the longer ones into interactive conversations.

* Hype Words.  Sometimes words like Machine Learning are “hot” but also filled with hype.  I have learned to be careful and agile in how we talk about emerging topics.  Remember when Second Life was going to eliminate meetings?

* People Listen at Different Speeds:  Sometimes there is a very exciting speaker, but they are talking twice as fast as people are involved in engaged listening.  Watching the audience is real time UserExperience for me.

* Boring Boring: Confession to make.  14 years ago I brought an expert on content in by satellite.  They were so boring - the audience was about to fall asleep.  So, I asked the satellite company to move the dish to “lose” them with a deep apology.  Wow, it was brave but the right thing to do.  And, we sent great written content from the speaker as follow-up. 

Q: So, Elliott - what is it like to do your 28th Learning Event?
​A.  I make every event feel like my first conference.  As Broadway producers- we know the feel of the excitement of the participants (audience).  I come to the event as a learner - ready to learn from every keynote and every participant I interact with during the event.  Learning comes from Curiosity.  And, being a Learning Producer comes from Honoring and Extending Curiosity and Innovation.  I can’t wait! 

There are still about 110 hotel rooms left at Disney for our event and we can’t wait to add your colleagues as learners at Learning 2018.  Go to http://www.learning2018.com for information and registration. 

Yours in learning, 

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

MASIE Center Seminars, Events and Services: 

- Learning 2018 - Nov 4 to 7 - Orlando  (Advance Registration Discounts Until October 31)
- Learning LABS at MASIE Center and Beyond - Starting January 2019
- Membership in The Learning CONSORTIUM 

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

Learning TRENDS is produced by The MASIE Center.  95 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Learning Blockchain Announcement

TO: Learning Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Publisher, Learning TRENDS
RE: Learning Blockchain Launching at Learning 2018!

The data world is experimenting with and deploying Blockchain as a model for distributed, synchronized, shareable, and secure data sets - without requiring a single server location.

The MASIE Center and our Learning CONSORTIUM will be launching a new global initiative: Learning Blockchain at Learning 2018.

Learning Blockchain will be an open collaboration of learning systems, resources, data systems, badging, CLO/HR/Talent leaders, and others - creating a trusted Blockchain for the widest learning fields (from K-12 to Workplace and Beyond).

Join us at Learning 2018 as we announce and start the organization of Learning Blockchain. Learners, Learning Producers, Learning Systems, and Businesses can imagine a world where learning data is safely shareable in seconds - in a secure and trusted Blockchain.

Meet LearnBot! Chatbot for Learning.

TO: Learning Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Publisher, Learning TRENDS
RE: Meet LearnBot! Chatbot for Learning!

Every colleague at Learning 2018 will have a special “LearnBot” ready on their SMS/Text, Facebook Messenger, or Web Chat window.

“LearnBot” will be ready to answer with interactions, suggestions, and even personal/group curation of over 200 sessions.

“LearnBot“ will have an attitude, opinions, and even launch some serious and fun challenges for prizes during Learning 2018.

“LearnBot” Details: Click Here for Info

Sorting and Scheduling 200 Learning Experiences!

TO: Learning Colleagues
FROM: Elliott Masie, Publisher, Learning TRENDS
RE: Sorting and Scheduling Over 200 Content Experiences!

Imagine organizing 200 magnets, with each representing an awesome one hour learning experience (session, lab, discussion, debate, case study or conversation).  This is the challenge and delight of our Learning 2018 Content Team, led by Brooke Thomas-Record.

These 200+ Learning Experiences, for almost 2,000 learning colleagues from around the world at Learning 2018 (Nov 4 to 7), need to be slotted into 9 time slots in variable size spaces, lecture halls, lab rooms and unusual locations at Walt Disney World.  And, participants can choose their sessions in real time at the event.  So, we have to be both intentional, predictive and even a bit “manipulative” in the sequence and order of content experiences.

Using input from surveys with several hundred participants and mapping content items to the curve of interest over 3 days is a fun “orchestration” of experiences and expertise. 

“Manipulative?” Well, there are topics like “BlockChain & Learning” that will be of more or less interest to participants after a 5 minute segment in the Monday morning General Session.  Or, a dive deep on Game Design will be more appropriate later in the day - after some LAB table work to see how Gamification might look.

Then, we look at spaces and expectations.  There are some conversations ideal for a small room, without projection, where learners can interact with great interest.  Or, a Super Session on “Becoming Super Human with VR” that will be ideal in a large lecture hall, where we can capture it for curation on high def video.

And, some Experiences will be located outside, from a “Construction Equipment Simulator Truck” or “Learn to Change a NASCAR  Car Tire as a Team”.  

As the Executive Producer, my role is to look at the overall curve of learning activities and energy.  What will the sense of the learners be right after the star of Hamilton, Leslie Odom, Jr. sings a song and talks about the role of Failure in Learning?  Or, what is their level of curiosity during the last session on the second day?  I am always supporting our team to create waves of learning experiences to hopefully match their energy.

And, we have to have a few “OOPS” sessions. So, folks can show up for a “No Specific Topic Conversation”, and skip our content map totally.  Plus, we even have a Genius Bar slotted for one to one brainstorming on learning topics.

This is fun and exciting.  We will publish a full listing of the 200+ Experiences on Wednesday, October 3rd.  But, you can view the content, activities and more at http://www.learning2018.com

I love being a Learning Producer.  It is the stimulating and challenging task of producing content buffets that will match changing curiosity!  Hope to see you in Orlando at Learning 2018.