As trainers we know that training is defined as knowledge and skill (with the focus on the skill component) for use in your current job. We deliver new information to learners, the learners practice, and then receive feedback on their performance.

So let’s talk about the new technology and its impact on training. Nano learning, for example, is very short bits of learning lasting from 90 seconds to no longer than three minutes. Using Twitter, the maximum number of characters allowed to deliver a message is 144. Mobile learning is short tutorials lasting no longer than 10 minutes. So how do we actually train employees in so little time?

Most of the examples of this type of learning I have seen so far have contained only information. I would probably consider most of them to be online job aids. So the question is, “Where is the practice and feedback?’

I realize that, if every employee in your organization has a hand-held device, it is tempting to use this as a way to train them. Sure, by using these devices we can deliver information anytime, anywhere, and spend less time in training and away from the job, but can we call this training?

As result of all of this, I have viewed training via new technology and social media with scepticism. I didn’t know it, but my perceptions were about to change.

A recent Langevin assignment at a high-tech communications company gave me a change of perspective on the use of technology and social media in the training of employees.

The workshop started, as usual, with introductions and housekeeping. We moved onto key terms and definitions, and then the discussion quickly moved to “mobile learning.” The participants in my workshop proudly told me, “We are already doing mobile learning” and offered to show me some examples. Before I knew what was happening, the device was in my hand. The group said, “Press this, enter this password, go through it, and give us your honest feedback.”

To be honest, I was expecting to see a series of screens on the hand held device crammed with text; I was expecting a “read and click” exercise. To my surprise I went through a well-designed, functional mobile-learning tutorial that took five minutes to complete and, not only that, it contained a quiz with feedback!

I launched the tutorial and viewed an introduction page that was instructionally sound and graphically pleasing. The intro page had a sound instructional objective and a three-bullet point overview. I quickly moved on to the lesson.  The bullets of content flew onto the screen in quick, but readable, succession. I advanced to the next screen and viewed a colour-coded graphic outlining a process, pointing and clicking on various parts of the process when prompted. At two minutes into the tutorial I viewed the third screen—five bullet points. So far, I was quite impressed and was thinking hard to find some constructive feedback.

The next screen was a summary of the previous three and a nice link to an exercise. The knowledge check consisted of two multiple-choice questions, a true/false question, and a series of drag and drop questions relating to the process diagram. Automated and direct feedback let me know if I was correct or incorrect.

After completing the quiz, the final screen congratulated me for completing the tutorial and suggested two post-course performance support activities (PSAs) which would allow me some skill-based practice back on the job—and all this was done in less than five minutes! (Since the practice in the tutorial only checked my knowledge, this blended-learning approach was needed to ensure I also acquired skill.)

The ten participants, almost in unison, then asked, “Well, what do you think?” I was honest in saying that that the mobile learning tutorial was instructional, functional, and looked great. The one piece of constructive feedback I could offer was to add a three-question level 1 evaluation at the end.

Over the three-day session we looked at many examples of mobile and nano learning. We had great discussions about the use of technology and social media in training today and what’s coming next.

I believe that this organization will be successful in the use of technology in their training by sticking to sound instructional design principles that include using PSAs if and when needed, using technology for the right reasons, and not giving up on performance improvement for the sake of saving time and money.

So, my views on mobile learning and nano learning changed during that session. I went from sceptic to a believer; I guess I just had to see some good examples, and meet instructional designers who are committed to doing what they do best. Web-based training is training first and must follow principles of instructional design. The current and future technology must be leveraged to enhance our training and help training professionals to deliver knowledge and skill in the most efficient way possible.

Since that session I am convinced that we can train people using new technology and social media; we just have to do it right. Doing it right means including performance-based practice to ensure we are not just delivering information. So bring on the avatars and second life!

Steve

We all know that technology changes quickly and often times drastically, and Avatar is a perfect example. Just a few months ago, I used to discuss how avatars could be used in training. Many of the people in my class had never heard of an avatar. Now, just about everyone has heard the term. Technology works that way. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. I often tell learners that you cannot be expected to know every new technological tool/gadget, term, innovation, or organization, because it changes so rapidly. It can become overwhelming. Even professionals will tell you the same thing: The amount of information out there is so vast that it is nearly impossible to stay current.

So what is the answer for us busy trainers? I suggest the EX factor:

• EX-plore the various websites and journals that are currently available. Learn what you can from them.
• EX-plain what you learn to others.  Not only will be you helping someone else stay current, you will be reinforcing your own learning.
• EX-periment with some of the new tools you discovered. Don’t be afraid – just play and have fun. Many tools are now free, while others provide free trial periods.

At Langevin, we know how busy your lives are. Therefore when you attend our e-Learning workshops, we will share with you a wealth of resources that will allow you to stay current in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are going to be looking into how technology will be impacting how you train, you do need to keep current on key issues/trends. But don’t panic! I am not asking you to enroll in a college computer programming course. However you do need to talk some of the language of your IT department and staying current can help you do this.

Perhaps most importantly, you will need to create a strong relationship with IT. If you stay in your training speak, then you will instantly lose credibility with the people who may have a big influence on the success of your e-learning projects. Staying current will not only foster positive relationships with IT, it can also help you gain credibility with everyone in your organization as well.

So, if you are not going to the movies anytime soon, then you just created some free time so bring out the popcorn and Explore, Explain, and Experiment – and hopefully I’ll see you at a Langevin course where w e can do this together!

Ron

BEFORE

One area that we can look at is pre-work. Pre-work can take different forms. It can be a preliminary survey, similar to what we do in a traditional class environment. The survey asks the learners to identify some key points related the topic to be covered that they would like walk away with. It can also ask them to identify questions they have about that topic to ensure that they are covered. (You can point them out during the class.)

Pre-work can also be a reading assignment. For example, we can assign a section of reading to a group of learners. The group can be organized by work group, by division, by region, or whatever makes it easier for the learners to contact each other. Let them know that they will be responsible to answer two questions related to the assigned section. We can have them read an article based on the topic and post their response(s) online to specific questions. As the instructor, we should review the responses prior to the session so we can reference them in class. If we do not check/reference this information, we imply that the pre-work is not important. People will stop doing the pre-work.

When I work with instructors in distance learning, we have live classes or we have pre-recorded classes that students can review at their leisure. In live classes we have students either in rooms or on campus with press-and-talk microphones or they bridge in from home using the telephone. We need to find ways to have that human touch. Part of the registration process includes each person’s sharing three things about themselves. This allows the instructor to make a personal connection during the introduction of the class. (Example: “We have a group of world travelers with us today. This group has traveled to over 8 countries.”) The instructor can then share three things about him/herself either in his/her bio or at the beginning of the session.

DURING

There are several things we need to consider to keep the learner engaged. Since we don’t have the eye contact that we have in the traditional learning environment, we need to be more dynamic with our delivery. Our voice – intonation, pitch, volume, enunciation, etc., becomes more important. We should also examine our facial expressions, mannerisms, and gestures to see if they’re going to help engage the learner or become a distraction.

Having effective visuals, while always important, is critically important in a virtual environment. Slides need to be very visual, contain graphics, a punch of color, and should not be crowded with text. Here, less is more. The objective should be to have slides that are clear, concise, and to the point. And, keeping our delivery moving at a fairly brisk pace is key to engagement.

To make the session a little bit more interactive, we can set up an opportunity to do several Q&A sessions. This can be done electronically or structured as part of the pre-work. When there is a demonstration that is live or video-recorded, we can follow it up with Q&A to clarify the understanding of the demonstrated process. If we have an additional person working to support us, we can set up a blackboard, open a chat room so that there could be an ongoing discussion around the information, or use email to address additional questions. The support staff can be monitoring these methods and answering the questions directly or sending us the most frequently asked questions. If there is not enough time to address all the questions, we can create a FAQ page.

When lecturing, we can use a lecture method that creates an exchange of information between instructor and learner. For example the instructor can ask, “When conducting a needs analysis the most common data collection method is: A. interviews, B. Surveys, C. Records, or D. Observation.” The learners either respond via an electronic poll or write their answer on a sheet of paper. After the poll has finished or the time to write it down is over the instructor can respond, “The correct answer is B. (transition to content). Let’s look at some of the criteria for creating a valid survey.” This can be an opportunity to use any pre-assigned reading for this topic.

As the use of technology in training increases, we are challenged to make our training dynamic. Based on the tool(s) that we use, this can be lots of fun and a great way to let our creative juices flow. In this blog I highlighted some of the ways to engage the learner in a virtual classroom (synchronous) environment. The next time I will address some methods for online tutorials (asynchronous training).

What have you done in the virtual classroom to involve your learners? What is the average length of your virtual classes? We’d love to hear from you.

Martha

This is a great time to take action. As I examine the message on a card from my deck of inspirational thoughts, I find it fits perfectly with where I’m going with this blog. “Take action on your ideas. We can have many great ideas, but without action upon that idea, there will be no manifestation, no results, and no reward.” Not only is this great wisdom, but it is also practical advice as our training departments prepare and plan for the year ahead of us. Let’s take a look at three areas where we can apply such “timely” advice.

Our Organization

This is the time to examine how our organizations are executing their strategic plans. Have any major changes been made to the existing strategies and goals? How is our training department linked to such objectives and synergies and how can we support them or help the different departments succeed at achieving them? The current economic panorama demands that companies assess their operations in order to meet their goals and target numbers for the New Year with a more detailed eye than ever before. We, as training professionals, have the responsibility to follow suit and provide a supporting strategy that shows we are in alignment with the bigger picture

It is likely that some of the organizational priorities for last year have shifted in some way or another. This automatically means we need to be tuned in to those changes or developments so that we may provide the training (knowledge and skill) support that the company requires. It is also a key time of the year to conduct a performance analysis of the company’s core processes in order to provide any possible suggestions for improvement or validation of efficiency.

Ourselves

Another important task to consider within our training departments is to carefully assess how our own current level of competencies, talents, and skills are in measure up to those that will be required to satisfactorily support the overall organizational strategy. When was the last time we took a workshop to “sharpen the saw” as Stephen Covey recommends in his highly acclaimed book? The same way we provide courses, job aids, and performance tools to our companies’ employees so they are equipped with the competencies needed to do their jobs and reach targets, we too need to keep our skill set at top speed.  Do you need to brush up on your instructional design skills, or establish a company-wide training advisory board? Maybe you have been given the responsibility of converting a number of your courses into an e-learning strategy. Do you have what it takes to make it happen?

I always find it interesting how quick we are to assess the needs of our companies at the start of the year, or how soon after the first week in January everyone comes up with very important projects for us to work on, yet we tend to forget we need to maintain momentum and keep our skills up-to-date with the demands of the industry. I am often on an airplane and it is always fun to realize that the safety message from the airline always and forever reminds us, “in the case of a sudden change in cabin pressure…put YOUR mask on first before you help others with their masks.” Are we truly and fully making sure our mask is on right? What are we doing to stay on top of our game?

Others

We maintain a broad and big-picture mindset as we move forward and set new objectives and strategies for the year – and paying attention to what other people and companies are doing is helpful. Why reinvent the wheel? If there are models of success out there, let’s find out how they may be applicable to our needs and the needs of the corporations we support. The January-February issue of Harvard Business Review focuses on ways to transform our businesses to meet today’s challenges and demands.

So, as you get set to start this New Year, remember to ask yourself some key questions: What is the focus for your company for the New Year? How are you going to support it? Is your skill-set up-to-date? When was the last time you “sharpened your saw?”

What ideas do you have to help your team gear up for 2010? And, I prompt you to share with our readers your breakthrough ideas for the beginning of the year for the benefit of us all. What suggestions do you have or what advice can you offer about what you have tried but not seen results from so that others have a better chance to succeed. I look forward to hearing from you.

José

A Tweet

Hi Joe, “I’m eating some “killer” cheesecake at the new XYZ restaurant that just opened on Main Street.  The food’s delish, you’ve gotta try it!”

Ralph

Welcome to the world of social networking! What exactly is social networking? Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. – these are all internet-based tools used to communicate with people. They have become the standard means of sharing our lives – the joys, the sorrows, the funny times, as well as the ordinary occurrences of life – with others.

But we’re trainers, so the question we need to ask ourselves is, “How can we use social networking to enhance our training?”

Research shows that as much as 80% of job learning occurs informally. While the traditional classroom will never fade away, we need to think of how we can blend other devices that will meet the needs of a new, and yes, younger workforce.

Let’s look at three examples of how social networking can be used before and after training:

1. Send an email, with a discussion board, to a group of learners before a class, asking them what their main goal(s) is for the class. This information can be invaluable for both the designer and the facilitator when it comes to customizing the program to meet the needs of the learners. This will also motivate the class in advance.
2. Create an internal corporate LinkedIn account for those who took a training program. The participants can share best practices and discuss how they are using what they learned in class back on the job.
3. With the rapid retirement of the baby-boomer generation impacting corporations, it is critical to tap into the expertise of tenured employees before they retire. To avoid this “brain drain” set up a company-wide Facebook account where employees can share experience and best work practices. Create a topic a week and provide incentives for people to contribute. Creating a learning organization where people share valuable knowledge and experience, must become part of a company’s culture.

See how easy, yet powerful, these examples are? Try some social networking yourself – and share your experiences with the rest of us. As Mikey, from the Life cereals TV commercials would say, “Try it, you’ll like it.”

Ooops, gotta go, I feel another tweet coming on…

Ralph