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Mindset, Failure and Silicon Valley Founders: An interview with Carol S. Dweck

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You’re not a growth mindset person (and here’s why): Dweck - YouTube

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You’re not a growth mindset person (and here’s why): Dweck - YouTube

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You’re not a growth mindset person (and here’s why): Dweck

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The Growth Mindset | Carol Dweck | Talks at Google

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Carol Dweck habla sobre la Mentalidad 🧠 de Crecimiento a nivel empresarial

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In a complex world, it's easy to get overwhelmed by a deluge of complex information. This shouldn't be surprising, as working memory (our mental work space), has a limited capacity for processing information.

If the demands placed on working memory, known as cognitive load, are too high, learners may give up in frustration or fail to comprehend. According to cognitive load theory, some inherent cognitive load must occur during the process of learning. In fact, learners can benefit from friction, difficulties and challenge.

What is not a benefit is excessive or extraneous cognitive load, which is under the control of the learning experience designer or facilitator. Extraneous cognitive load does not contribute to the learning process. By reducing the extra mental effort required to learn new information, we can assure greater learner success. Here are some ways to reduce that wasteful cognitive load.

1. Maximize the Signal to Noise Ratio

With this strategy, think of the signal as the message you want to communicate and the noise as the extraneous information that detracts from learning. By removing unnecessary complexity and distraction, you will remove some of the extraneous cognitive load.

What elements become noise during learning? Anything that inadvertently complicates learning, such as poor instructions (see Writing Microcopy), a confusing user interface or a visually cluttered layout. Essentially, anything extraneous to the learning task should be transparent to the learner so that it does not use up limited cognitive resources.

In their often quoted article, Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning, Mayer and Moreno (2003) call this approach weeding. It involves eliminating all extraneous content that embellishes the learning, even when it is interesting. The goal is to avoid promoting incidental processing that is not relevant to the learning task.

2. Promote Generative Strategies

Generative strategies place more of the responsibility for learning on the individual. There are several types of generative strategies you can use, one being elaboration, in which learners use their own words and ideas to expand on a concept in a way that relates to their experience and understanding (Jonassen, 1988).

How can you do this in eLearning? Using a technique known as the query method, include a prompt to "stop and think" about the concepts that were just presented. Instruct learners to generate one sentence from a list of key concepts or vocabulary presented in the training and to submit this sentence online.

In one study, embedding low level elaboration queries into online training resulted in "improved organization, integration, and application of task-relevant knowledge and higher instructional efficiency" (Cuevas & Fiore, 2014).

3. Write Concisely

Although it takes more effort to write with fewer words than with many words, concise writing is a straightforward way to reduce cognitive load. Long-winded explanations, obtuse instructions and irrelevant content make unnecessary demands on cognitive resources. A general guideline is to use only the words that are needed to explain or define a concept or principle.

One study asked participants to read passages of different lengths about a weather process. Subjects learned the least from the passage with 500 hundred words not accompanied by a brief summary. Retention and transfer were greatest for those who read passages that had very short summaries (Mayer, Bove, Bryman, Mars, & Tapangco, 1996).

4. Provide Scaffolding (Supplantive Strategies)

Another way to reduce cognitive load is to provide assistance during the learning task, then eventually withdraw the assistance when the learner can perform the task independently. Educators use the metaphor of scaffolding (a temporary support) to refer to this strategy.

In adult learning, scaffolding makes sense for learning how to perform complex tasks, such as solving difficult problems. One way to accomplish this in online instruction is to identify the parts of a task that cause the most difficulty. Then embed appropriate assistance into the lesson that users can select if they need help. One weaning technique could be to apply hints rather than explicit help.

Another interesting approach comes from a study that created a computer-based matching service for students studying computer science. The service connected the right type of expert to scaffold a particular student's learning. Upon finding the appropriate person, the tutor and student would interact online (Greer et al. 1998, 2000). A similar approach could be devised in large international organizations that have a workforce with diverse expertise.

5. Create Opportunities for Collaborative Learning

According to cognitive load theory, as the difficulty of the content increases, individual learning becomes less efficient when compared to learning with a group. The idea is that under certain conditions, group learning divides the cognitive processing across several individuals. Even though the information needs to be re-integrated and the learning coordinated, collaborative learning is considered to be more efficient under conditions that cause high cognitive load (Kirschner, Paas, & Kirschner 2009).

Recommendations for this strategy usually include providing a team assignment to a group of two to five people. Types of assignments might include solving a difficult problem, generating a plan or developing a checklist. The assignment must include input from every individual and should involve interactions that promote discussion, challenging and defense of ideas and reflection on the learning task. Researchers theorize that under conditions of high cognitive load, this richer collaborative learning environment leads to deeper processing and more meaningful learning than individual learning. In an online environment, you can accomplish this through synchronous video conferencing or asynchronous platforms, such as forums.

6. Provide Cognitive Aids

A cognitive aid is any tool or set of materials that can offload some of the demands on working memory. This can be anything from using paper and pencil as a scratchpad to a mobile app that calculates complex measurements. In the workplace, you may use performance support tools as external memory aids. But what about during a learning intervention? To reduce cognitive load while a person is in the process of learning, you can provide external memory supports such as:

checklists for completing complex instructional tasks,

worked problems as examples,

a quick-reference glossary for new terminology (example: Instructional Design Guru), and

concept maps that diagram concept relationships.

Reducing Cognitive Load Conclusion

According to cognitive load theory, extraneous load consists of the demands on working memory that do not contribute to learning. It is the aspect of instructional interventions that learning experience designers can control. Hopefully, these six strategies are reminders of valuable approaches that can reduce cognitive load in your designs.
References:

Clark, R., Nguyen, F., and J. Sweller (2005). Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load.

Cuevas & Fiore (2014). Enhancing learning outcomes in computer-based training via self-generated elaboration. Instructional Science; Vol. 42 Issue 6, p839-859.

Greer, McCalla, Cooke, Collins, Kumar, Bishop, & Vassileva, (2000). Integrating cognitive tools for peer help: The intelligent intraNet peer help-desk project. In S.P. Lajoie, eds, Computers as Cognitive Tools (Vol.2): No More Walls, Vol. 5, pp. 69-96. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Jonassen (1988). Learning strategies in courseware. In David H. Jonassen (Ed.), Instructional designs for microcomputer courseware, (pp. 151-181). Hillsdale:NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

Kirschner, F., Paas, F., & Kirschner, P (2009). A Cognitive Load Approach to Collaborative Learning: United Brains for Complex Tasks. Educational Psychology Review, Volume 21, Issue 1, pp 31-42.

Mayer, Bove, Bryman, Mars, and Tapangco (1996). When Less Is More: Meaningful Learning From Visual and Verbal Summaries of Science Textbook Lessons. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1996, Vol. 88, No. 1,64-73.

Mayer & Moreno (2003). Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 43-52.

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Six Strategies You May Not Be Using To Reduce Cognitive Load

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In a complex world, it's easy to get overwhelmed by a deluge of complex information. This shouldn't be surprising, as working memory (our mental work space), has a limited capacity for processing information. If the demands placed on working memory, known as cognitive load, are too high, learners may give up in frustration or fail to comprehend.

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We live in a time when many of our daily activities and habits are related to technology. As soon as we wake up, social media, work emails, and funny cat videos start fighting for our attention. In fact, a study by Prof. Dr. Martin Korte showed that digital media makes us more prone to multitasking. In turn, this affects our attention span, concentration, and the capacity of our working memory.

Every time we open a website or an application, our brain has to process tons of information to help us complete a task. But the more information we receive, the harder it gets for our brain to process it. If the cognitive load gets too high, the brain slows down its activity and forces us to abandon the task.
What can cause a high cognitive load in design?

Too many options

Tasks that require too much thought

Lack of clarity

Visual clutter

Our brains naturally seek easier ways to process information and store it in our memories. This limited capacity of human memory is rooted in science.

Miller's law originated in 1956 when cognitive psychologist George A. Miller published a paper in the Psychological Review journal titled The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information. In this study, Miller proved that chunking makes the content easier to scan, comprehend, and identify. Eventually, it helps users achieve their goals much faster and more effectively. Many designers understood Miller's theory too literally, assuming that humans could only keep up to 7±2 pieces of information in their minds when performing a task.

Miller indeed mentioned the magical number 7 but only rhetorically. In reality, the number of items in a chunk can vary depending on the context, users' familiarity with the content, and their individual capacity. Nevertheless, smaller chunks do help users scan, understand, and memorize information more effectively.

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8 Design Tips to Reduce Cognitive Load Lesson | Uxcel

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The term "cognitive load" is closely linked to our working memory - the system that holds information short term. Working memory capacity is finite. It means...

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Learning Through Visual Design: 3 Elements That Impact Cognitive Load

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Picture this: You're five minutes into your boss' presentation on the new report cover sheets, and you're already lost. It's not that the information is rocket science. Your boss is including more than enough information to properly fill out the cover sheets. The presentation looks professional enough.

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Managing Cognitive Load is a Delicate Act of Balance

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Managing the cognitive load of an eLearning course is a delicate act of balance. You need to optimize the use of working memory capacity and avoid cognitive overload.

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ChatGPT prompts are limited to 4096 characters. This tool will divide your prompts into as many chunks are needed to stay under the character limit. It will also modify the prompts so that ChatGPT will wait for further input before responding to the split-up prompt.

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A tool for splitting up ChatGPT prompts into chunks

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Can we prompt ChatGPT to generate reliable references?

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Can we prompt ChatGPT to generate reliable references?

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DR PHILIPPA HARDMAN

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Many of us educators hoped that ChatGPT would operate like The Librarian from the sci-fi novel, . In the novel, The Librarian is an AI-powered super-machine capable of accessing and summarising reliable, peer-reviewed research on demand.

In reality, ChatGPT isn't the powerful librarian and research assistant we hoped it would be.

As many educators have pointed out, ChatGPT's citing capabilities are not great. Errors in encoding and decoding between text and representations mean that in some cases ChatGPT mis-cites references. In some cases, it simply makes references up (more on this below).

OpenAI is keenly aware of "the hallucination problem". They and many others are actively working to improve the quality and reliability of Large Language Models (LLMs) and instruction-following functionality to try to solve the problem.

In the meantime, what can we do - if anything - to improve the quality & reliability of the references ChatGPT cites?

This is the question I asked myself earlier this week, and here's the story so far.

ChatGPT likes structure. My first test was to see whether more structured prompting would generate more reliable references. I did this by writing a structured prompt which gave ChatGPT a specific role, task and instructions.

The Prompt:
ChatGPT's Response:
On first glance, the results are pretty exciting: six references on the topic I requested.

But wait.

On closer inspection, ~ 80% of the sources were made-up. This was the average result across a number of topics using this prompt. Not great.
Lessons Learned

Always assume that ChatGPT is wrong until you prove otherwise.

Validate everything (and require your students to validate everything too).

Google Scholar is a great tool for validating ChatGPT outputs rapidly.

Since I had validated The Reliability Problem, what if I added parameters which restricted ChatGPT's output to only reliable sources?
The Prompt: ChatGPT's Response:
With a little help from Google Scholar, I was able to validate that 100% of the references generated using this prompt were real and reliable. Bingo!

But, hang on.

When I changed topic, the results were more varied. On average, this prompt generates ~75% reliability. Definitely an improvement, but definitely not perfect.
Side Note: in the process of this search, I also confirmed the well known fact that ChatGPT's URLs are not reliable. That said, ChatGPT thrives on intentional repetition; requesting Google Scholar URLs is a helpful way to remind ChatGPT that it should focus only on this source [but ignore the links it provides]. Lessons Learned

The prompt works better when you provide a subject area, e.g. visual anthropology, and then a sub-topic, e.g. film making.

Ignore ChatGPT's links - validate by searching for titles & authors, not URLs.

Use intentional repetition, e.g. of Google Scholar, to focus ChatGPT's attention.

Be aware: ChatGPT's outputs end at 2021. You need to fill in the blanks since then.

Now that I had the beginnings of a prompt formula for generating reliable results, what if I added additional parameters which a) somehow restricted ChatGPT's output to highest-quality references b) made the outputs more useful?

The Prompt:
Note: I changed-up the topic from anthropology to accounting to start from a clean slate. ChatGPT's Response:
With a little help from Google Scholar, I was able to validate that 100% of the references generated using this prompt were real and reliable.

My research is not exhaustive or final (I need you!) but a mixed sample of topics and sub topics across a range disciplines has yielded ~98% accuracy. Bingo.
Lessons Learned:

The prompt works better when you provide a subject area, e.g. visual anthropology, and then a sub-topic, e.g. film making.

Ignore ChatGPT's links - validate by searching for titles & authors, not URLs.

Be aware: ChatGPT's outputs end at 2021. You need to fill in the blanks since then.

Of course, if we want reliable references we can just go straight to Google Scholar. The next stage of my research is to explore the implications of The Librarian for content & activity generation.

If we're able to generate reliable references using ChatGPT as Librarian, what might we then be able to do with those references if we position ChatGPT as Professor? This is where the real magic starts to happen.

Here's a sneak peak at some early experimentation with using ChatGPT to rapidly turn The Librarian's expertise into reliable learning content.
Prompt: ChatGPT Response:
Over to you! This is an ongoing experiment. I'd love you to try some or all of these prompts and share what works and what doesn't work.

Let's experiment and learn together!

Happy designing,
Phil 👋

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Can we prompt ChatGPT to generate reliable references?

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One of the hottest topics in business today is upskilling, reskilling, and redefining jobs for the future of work. It's so rampant that 34% of CEO s now rate it one of their "top three threats to growth."

It's a big and complex topic, and one that I often feel is out of control. Companies are buying vast libraries of content in an attempt to "reskill" their workforce, and they're seeing mixed results. While some focus on "capability academies" with great success (where I believe this market is going), others now buy learning experience platforms and large libraries of content and cross their fingers.

One of our clients, for example, recently licensed a large library of online content for more than 200,000 employees and after a year found that fewer than 100 people had used it. Why? The content was primarily video-based, it was focused on a wide variety of topics, and the employee base just didn't have time. They hadn't really focused the investment on the true capabilities they need.

The lesson learned, as Dave Barone of Comcast just discussed with me, is that real "skilling" takes a deep focus on the end-to-end capabilities various employees need. Service technicians need regular information on products and fixes; salespeople need constant update on messaging, pricing, industry trends, and new solutions; engineers need to understand new technologies and techniques in their discipline; and managers, of course, need to learn all the complexities of leadership, management, supervision, and alignment.

Taken together, it's a complex puzzle.

Vendors like Workday, EdCast, Degreed, Filtered, LinkedIn, and many others have built "skills clouds" that are supposed to crowd-source skills, infer the skills you have (by reading your resume and your experience), and "recommend" content to make you better at your job. They work reasonably well, but honestly, my research with Filtered (more on Magpie from Filtered coming soon) shows that people don't rate this "Recommended" content very high. They really value the proprietary, mandatory content companies design just for them.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
Let's unpack the word "skills." It's a complex idea.

Is learning to create a pivot table in Excel a Skill? Or is "people analytics" a skill? Is managing a team a "skills?" As you can see, there's a huge range of granularity to consider. But without diving into that topic yet, let me talk about the topic of "hard skills" vs. "soft skills."

In most skills-based solutions, companies group their corporate skills needs into two types: the technical or "hard-skills" in a job, and the people and managerial "soft-skills" in a job. There are many ways to define this distinction.

One somewhat odd article calls hard skills the "job skills you need to do the job" (like operating a drill) and soft skills the "skills you're born with" (like communications and collaboration). Others define hard skills as "technical skills" and soft skills as "people skills." ( Indeed's website does a reasonable job at this.)

I've lived in this world for three decades and to be honest, this distinction is now getting in our way. Why? Because most people think "hard skills" are hard, and "soft skills" are soft.

I'd suggest the opposite is true.

Hard Skills are soft (they change all the time, are constantly being obsoleted, and are relatively easy to learn), and Soft Skills are hard (they are difficult to build, critical, and take extreme effort to obtain).

In fact, I was at a conference this week and one of the speakers came up with the idea that we should rename "soft skills" to "power skills," because in reality they are the skills that give you real "power" at work. IBM's new research clearly points this out. And we need to take these "soft skills" seriously.

Let me try to explain.
Power Skills
As I've written about a lot, the skills of the future are not technical, they're behavioral. Yes, engineers, designers, and technical people need to know how to build and fix things (and we all have to know how to use our computers, tools, and systems at work). But as IBM's research points out, CEOs and business leaders are now realizing that they can "buy" these technical skills ( or build them internally, at ever-lower cost) relatively easily. (You can read our case studies here.) It's the soft skills or "power skills" that take effort.

Consider the skills identified in IBM"s latest research. They're all behavioral.

These skills are not "soft" - they're highly complex, take years to learn, and are always changing in their scope.

Take the number one skill CEOs ask for: "willingness to be flexible, agile, and adaptable to change."

This alone is an enormous bag of personality traits, mindsets, abilities, and experiences. I, for example, have become "adaptable to change" because I was laid off 30 years ago, I've worked in 7 different companies, I've lived through several companies during high growth and then massive crisis, and I have a family who supports me regardless of what I do. These things, coupled with my engineer-like personality which makes me always want to "discover" and "fix" things, gives me adaptability, flexibility, and willingness to change.

It has taken me 63 years to build this set of skills. And I'm still learning them every day.

Take the skill "ability to communicate effectively in a business context." I consider myself pretty good at this, and I would attribute it to my experience on the debate team in high school, my near-english degree in college, my years of work in sales and customer service, and my decades of experience working in marketing, giving speeches, and working in a global consulting firm. I took a few Toastmaster's courses and once took a Holden course on enterprise sales (and had a year of sales training at IBM), but most of this I learned on my own.

And take the skill "capacity for innovation and creativity." That one is a big can of worms. Does this mean you can draw beautiful art? Or that you think outside the box? Or that you challenge authority and always try to make things better (and become the "squeeky wheel" at work)? It covers all these things, and includes one of the most interesting new corporate competencies, "curiosity."

Curiosity, a word which we often attribute to children, has now drifted into the center of corporate thinking. Are your people "curious" about why customers don't buy your new offering? Are they "curious" about how to make your offerings and products better? Do they have a growth mindset about curious ways they can become better? This is the newest "power skill" in business.

I won't belabor this point, but let me simply point out that these "soft skills" are the most important and "hardest" skills in business.

Without them you will never be a big success, and developing them takes a life-long commitment.
What Do We Do About This?
So what does this all mean? We as business, HR, and L&D professionals have to stop calling these "soft skills" and start thinking of them as "power skills." They are the most important skills we have in our companies, and we have to build them, nourish them, and continuously evolve them with vigor.

I recently wrote an article about Bill McDermott's move to take over as CEO of ServiceNow. McDermott is a highly esteemed executive who spent time at Xerox, Gartner Group, SAP, and now ServiceNow. I recently watched a video of his career and I could not stop thinking about all the "soft skills" he has learned. (And by the way, courage, tenacity, and optimism belongs in this list, as you'll see from Bill's history).

These "power skills" are essential in the world ahead. Companies like Facebook (which now faces an existential crisis), Amazon (which has become far more extensive than anyone could imagine), Boeing, GE, and many others are not struggling with "technology strategies." They are struggling with problems of strategy, ethics, culture, growth, and values.

So we need to talk about these skills, assess ourselves against them, and build "academies" to teach them.

Just yesterday I had a wonderful talk with Victoria Roberts, the head of HR for a fascinating company called truckstop.com. She has taken their company to new levels of performance through an amazing focus on relationships, learning to be yourself, authenticity, empathy (for customers and the team), and internal collaboration. In the two years she's been there she's totally changed the culture, engagement, and retention, all by focusing on these "power skills" in their workplace. She uses a week-long "onboarding" process to drive this home to everyone. Here's a video to give you a peek.

Simon Brown, the CLO at Novartis, has essentially taken their capability academies and created an entire focus on curiosity, providing games, learning programs, and discussions about what it all means. This is an example of creating a "power skill" in the company, with relentless effort to drive "curiosity" home into every part of the organization.

As far as corporate solutions? We need to use platforms like NovoEd, Percipio, 360 Learning, and other collaborative platforms to build these kinds of skills (The Josh Bersin Academy is designed this way). As I discussed in a prior article, Power Skills are developed through discussion, debate, and challenging situations. (I still remember the speeches I flubbed up, the sales deals we lost, and the times I blew it in the office as the best learning experiences of my life.) We can build these kinds of development programs at work if we design around "experiences" and "activities" and "group interactions" not just content.

By the way, we can learn a lot from higher education in this effort. If you go to an Executive Education program you find yourself thrust into interactive discussions with a challenging professor, forced to work on projects with competitive peers, and exposed to information and theory you may never read. Building these complex Power Skills requires designed interaction and a purposeful way to meet, collaborate, and be challenged by others.

Let's Take Power Skills Seriously
Bottom line is simple. We need to take these "power skills" seriously, and build experiential programs that start at the top. Satya Nadella now teaches "growth mindset" at Microsoft everywhere he goes, and the company is just starting to peel the onion on all the ways this "power skill" impacts work, relationships, teams, and the organization.

Let me add one final point. As I realized in our recent CHRO Summit at UC Berkeley, building "human skills" is now a critical priority for every CHRO. Business topics like growth, innovation, agility, and change are entirely dependent on values like kindness, generosity, trust, and awe. Yes, these "soft skills" are the foundation of human happiness, and human happiness is the foundation of employee engagement, productivity, and corporate growth.

I hope we can throw away the idea of "soft skills" and come to accept that developing Power Skills is hard, takes investment, and is now key to the future. Yes we need lots of engineers and scientists to succeed, but they need Power Skills too.

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Let's Stop Talking About Soft Skills: They're PowerSkills

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One of the hottest topics in business today is upskilling, reskilling, and redefining jobs for the future of work. It's so rampant that 34% of CEO s now rate it one of their "top three threats to growth." It's a big and complex topic, and one that I often feel is out of control.

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Sal Khan: How AI could save (not destroy) education

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Sal Khan, the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, thinks artificial intelligence could spark the greatest positive transformation education has ever seen. He shares the opportunities he sees for students and educators to collaborate with AI tools -- including the potential of a personal AI tutor for every student and an AI teaching assistant for every teacher -- and demos some exciting new features for their educational chatbot, Khanmigo.

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MICROLEARNINGIT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

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MICROLEARNINGIT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

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How can L&D support people in managing their own learning?

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How can L&D support people in managing their own learning?

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https://l4lp.com/curated-resources/scaffolding-self-direction-at-work/

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One of the very real advantages of the internet age is that L&D does not have to be the sole producer of learning and development support in organizations. Employees have the ability to find what they need on their own from the internet's treasure trove of resources, and L&D has the opportunity to curate existing materials to provide learning resources. As with all good things, it's that simple, and at the same time infinitely more complex.

We intuitively recognize that we all have the capability to be independent learners. The evidence is everywhere - in our propensity to Google for quick answers, to find like-minded people to hang with (and learn from/with) and with whom to share our enthusiasm for hobbies, and to simply "figure it out" by rolling up our sleeves and giving something new a try. The ability to learn is a critical human attribute. While that may be true, it doesn't necessarily mean that people who have professional development needs will be ready, willing, and able to tackle those without support.

Even in companies that have done a good job of providing ready access to learning materials and curated collections for key job roles, over half of employees reported that learning resources were hard to find, hard to use, and hard to apply (CEB, 2014). That's a triple whammy that demands our attention.

We don't have to revert to defaulting to course creation when there is a knowledge or skill development need to be addressed. Taking a curation-first approach is often the most impactful, most flexible, and least expensive solution, but it may need to be accompanied by strategies that scaffold self-directed learning. That is, we may need to provide a little support to help people to identify needs, find resources, learn independently, and apply new knowledge and skill to the work.

We have the good fortune that researchers have been studying self-directed learning for decades from a variety of perspectives. The cache of insightful theory and research on self-directed learning writ large contains nuggets we can use to guide our strategies here.

The Self-Directed Learning Process

Self-directed learning is a process "in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating those learning outcomes. ~ Malcolm Knowles (1975)

In general, this is how people manage their own learning:

Identify a learning need. Whether from an external trigger like a job change or disconcerting feedback, or some internal drive, people identify and formulate their own goals for learning (usually informally constructed).

Make a learning plan. With an idea of what they want to learn, people seek out resources and plan out how they will learn. Instinctually, people look around for readily available resources to help them - perhaps using an internet search, or asking around for somebody who knows the subject matter. For bigger, longer-term needs, people may go so far as to craft their own learning curriculum, identifying multiple resources and strategies.

Learn and apply. People then consume the identified resources with an eye toward immediate application against the need that prompted the search in the first place. People watch videos, read articles or books, talk to subject matter experts. They also find ways to apply and test out what they have learned, followed by reflection and feedback-seeking so they can fine tune their understanding or skill.

Self-assess progress. People decide for themselves whether they are "done" learning or need to continue finding and engaging in additional learning activities. This requires self-evaluation as well as persistence to keep learning if needed.

The process described above is of course oversimplified, albeit a good outline of what is going on. It's easy to see that people need to have the wherewithal to engage - certain dispositions and skills to allow them to successfully navigate the process and achieve their goals.

Individual Wherewithal

Self-directed learning is made possible by these individual capabilities and qualities.

Self-assessment. Ability to discern one's own strengths and opportunities and to identify learning needs. Includes self-awareness and ability to set clear goals.

Resourcefulness. Interpersonal and internet savvy to locate people and resources and to set up systems to feed new materials. Includes digital literacy and interpersonal networking skills.

Planning skills. Ability to sketch and implement a well-thought-out strategy for learning over time; understanding of broad strategies for effective learning.

Learning skills. Facility engaging in specific effective learning practices; understanding one's own metacognitive processes. A long list of skills: core learning skills, critical thinking, ability to synthesize, deep reflection, and learning agility among them.

Self-efficacy. Belief in one's own ability to learn and grow. Also a degree of personal responsibility and positive orientation.

Motivation to learn. Impetus to pursue learning projects. A combination of intrinsic motivation, openness to experience, curiosity, and persistence.

If you evaluate the presence or absence of these capabilities and qualities among the learners you want managing their own learning, you can identify what requires bolstering or scaffolding.

Just as importantly, you'll want to evaluate the degree to which the workplace culture supports self-directed learning. The research has advice on what to look for here as well.

Environmental Supports

Self-directed learning can thrive when the immediate organizational culture is characterized by the following supports:

Deep interpersonal connections. Learning is very much a social activity, and it requires connections to an array of people for teaching, feedback, coaching, and advice. These relationships are based in rapport, trust, and psychological safety.

Accessibility of high-quality curated resources. Organizations help self-directed learners tremendously by pointing them in the direction of relevant learning materials and supportive people rather than leaving them to discover these for themselves. Because internet resources are so vast, giving people an expertly curated short list can save tremendous time and effort.

Allocated time for learning. People need time and head space to pursue self-directed learning projects, and they themselves will tell you that feels like quite a luxury in today's demanding workplaces. Allocating time and encouraging its use is a welcome support.

Developmental support for strengthening learning skills. People don't always have experience managing their own learning to this degree, and may need support developing their learning skills.

Management engagement. Managers can assist with defining goals and making plans, making recommendations for resources, facilitating introductions to helpful people, providing needed equipment, time, and budget, and recognizing learning achievements. But they need to be careful to be supportive, not directive so as to not take away the employee's self-management.

Employee control over learning processes. Organizations need to limit controls, requirements, and tracking (in likely uncomfortable ways) so that employees are free to direct their own paths. Employees can be accountable for their skill development and performance outcomes rather than for engaging in specific learning activities.

This summary merely displays the highlights of what is necessary for a self-directed learning strategy to be effective. The resources below dig into these elements in much more detail. If you want to support self-directed learning in your organization (or better manage your own learning), deepening your understanding of the dynamics of these learning processes will be exceedingly useful.

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Scaffolding Self-Direction at Work Curated Resources How can L&D support people in managing their own learning? Curated resources on scaffolding self-directed learning One of the very real advantages of the internet age is that L&D does not have to be

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Use augmented reality when onboarding your new hires to achieve employee retention and drive high performance. Read on to learn more!

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Scenarios are a great way to make your e-learning content more relevant and meaningful for learners. They give context to the training and allow learners to determine whether they're really grasping the knowledge and skills outlined in the course by giving them an opportunity to apply them in a real-life situation.

If you've never designed an e-learning scenario, you might be feeling intimidated and unsure where to start. Don't worry, we've got your back! In this article, we'll walk you through some things to consider during the scenario design process.

1. Identify Real-Life Opportunities to Apply Knowledge

Most courses are designed to help employees improve job performance and gain specific skills, so the key to creating an effective scenario is to identify real-life situations where the learner will need to know or apply the information or skill they're learning.

Let's say, for example, you're a training designer at a company called Pharma Inc. The Product Development VP just gave you a bunch of PowerPoints about a new product, and you need to train the company's sales reps on it. You decide the best way to do that is to design a scenario-based course. Now what?

Start by asking yourself when the sales reps need to know or apply this information about the new product. One likely scenario would be when they're trying to sell said product to a potential customer and need to know how the product works, its benefits, and key selling features. So that could be the basis of your scenario: a sales rep is trying to sell the new product to a client.

2. Think of a Choice or Decision and Potential Actions

Now that you've identified a common real-life situation that the learners would face in the workplace, you need to think of a realistic problem or decision that would require learners to use the training content.

Going back to our Pharma example, what realistic conversation or situation might lead the sales rep to talk about the new product? One idea: maybe an existing or potential client mentions a problem the new product could potentially solve. As such, you could present the learner with a few responses to choose from and ask them which one they think would most likely result in a sale.

3. Use Relatable Characters

Characters are a central piece of your scenario. When developing your characters, it's important to think about your audience and choose characters that will resonate with them. This applies not only to the profile of the character (what's their job?), but also to the image you use, if you choose to show them on the screen.

Another way to make your scenario feel more human and personal is by giving your character a name. In our example, let's say the learner is the sales rep and they're meeting with a potential client named Amir.

4. Incorporate Important Details

It's also a good idea to include any details that would be present in real life to make the scenario feel as relatable as possible by giving your learners all the context they need.

Let's say your sales reps have to sell to a variety of customers. Some are medical professionals, such as doctors and surgeons. Others are regular everyday people with no medical background or experience. Whether or not the customer is a doctor changes the way the sales rep interacts with that customer, so a realistic scenario needs to include that information. For our scenario, we could specify that Amir is a doctor.

5. Provide Feedback That Illustrates Consequences

Instead of simply telling the learner they made the right choice, try showing them the consequences of their choices. This is often more meaningful and effective because it allows them to visualize what would happen in real life.

When it comes to consequences, it's often more effective to showcase worst-case scenarios: for example, lost earnings, wasted time, or maybe-in some serious situations-injury or death. Because they're extreme, these tend to resonate more with learners.

If we go back to our Pharma example, we could imagine a few different potential outcomes. If the learner provides Amir with the info he needs, they land the sale and get promoted. And if they don't, they lose the sale and the bonus they were counting on to pay off their student loans. This kind of feedback feels real to the learner and is more likely to stick with them long after the course is over.

6. Keep It Realistic

Even if you're looking for worst-case situations to make your stories dramatic, you never want to sacrifice realism. Avoid exaggeration and include just enough details so your stories seem authentic and appealing without overwhelming learners with extraneous information.

So if we go back to our example, if the learner chooses the wrong option and Amir decides not to buy the new product, we wouldn't want to say their boss threw their computer out the window and lit their desk on fire. We'd simply state that they didn't get the bonus they were hoping to get to help pay off their student loans.

7. Lean On Your SMEs

Your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are a valuable asset for crafting effective scenarios. They can give you insight into some common problems that come up in real life. They know your audience, so they can help you decide what types of characters to use in your training. Your SME can also fact-check your scenario and let you know if it's plausible or too exaggerated. And they can help you strike the right balance when it comes to the level of details in your scenario.

Don't try to go it alone-lean on your SMEs for help as you design your scenario. Together, you can ensure the scenario is both meaningful and realistic.

The Bottom Line

Like almost everything in life, practice makes perfect. The more scenarios you design, the faster and easier it'll be. It won't be long before you start imagining scenarios the minute someone hands you source content!

Want some more pro tips before you dive in? Check out these articles:

Follow us on Twitter and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning. If you have any questions, please share them in the comments.

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How to Craft Awesome E-Learning Scenarios - E-Learning Heroes

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Scenarios are a great way to make your e-learning content more relevant and meaningful for learners. They give context to the training and allow learners to determine whether they're really grasping the knowledge and skills outlined in the course by giving them an opportunity to apply them in a real-life situation.

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Do you fancy yourself the Greta Gerwig or Bong Joon Ho of the eLearning world? Do you want to write blockbuster audio scripts that will make stars of your on-screen characters and have your audience reaching for popcorn and hoping for a sequel? Most importantly, do you want to be able to connect with your audience members and elicit a meaningful response from them?

If you're already visualizing your acceptance speech, keep reading for our top five tips for writing audio scripts.

From Blockbusters to Rotten Tomatoes: The Payoff and Pitfalls of Writing Audio Scripts

Instructional designers are no strangers to writing. You write educational, instructive, and insightful content every day. You may even write training scripts for role-play activities, or speaker notes for facilitators. But scriptwriting requires a different skill set. You need to think more like a screenwriter. You need to set the tone. You need to win over your audience. You need to get it rooting for the main characters-better yet, your audience needs to the hero of your story. And you need to do all of this in a way that feels authentic and relatable.

When you can do this, you'll create rich learning experiences that enhance engagement, build empathy, elicit an emotional response, and motivate the learner to take action.

And if you miss the mark, if you create experiences that don't feel authentic or relatable, you run the risk of distracting the members of your audience or, even worse, alienating, angering, frustrating, or offending them.

So how do you ensure that your audio script will be Certified Fresh and not deemed a Rotten Tomato ?

Tip 1: Use the Right Voice

Unlike dialogue, which is specific to the actual words your characters will be speaking, voice has more to do with the general feeling you want to evoke.
Voice is usually driven by your client, their brand, and how they talk to their customers.
A simple way to find out more about your customer and their voice is to visit their website. Make a beeline for their About Us and Our Story pages. Here, you'll find out who your client is, where they came from, and what they're about. More importantly, you'll see how they like to present themselves to the world and how they talk to their customers.

As you're reading, notice the language they use and how it makes you feel. Is the language formal or casual? Technical or simple? Does it feel inspiring, intellectual, playful? Pay attention to the voice, and try to use the same language and echo the same feeling when you're writing audio scripts.
If in Doubt, Ask!
Stakeholders may want to use a different voice for their training, so be sure to ask your what they're looking for before you start writing your scripts. If you're using the company voice, ask to see a copy of the brand or style guidelines. Most of these now include examples of the brand voice along with general branding guidelines. Review this carefully, and discuss anything you're unclear on with the stakeholder.

Tip 2: Use the Right Tone

To home in on the tone, think about what you're trying to do. Are you trying to educate and inspire your audience? Do you need to sell them on an idea or persuade them to do or try something new? Perhaps you need to warn them about the dangers of something?
The intention (or purpose) of your training will inform the tone you use when writing audio scripts.
Note: It's important to think about any disconnects between voice and tone at this stage. While it's possible to approach more serious subjects with a lighter tone, it's a skill that requires a practiced hand. Getting it wrong could be disastrous. Work with the stakeholders to get this part right.

Tip 3: Create Character Personas

If your goal is to represent the learner on-screen, you'll need to create dialogue that they recognize and can relate to. Use the words they use. Say the things they say.

What's the best way to find out what they say and how they say it? Talk to the learners! Find out who they are and what they're like.

Once you have a sense of the people you're writing for-and the people you're writing about-you can develop character personas. The character persona is a brief statement that describes who the character is, what they do, what they find challenging, and what they might be thinking or feeling in times of calm or stress. The persona provides guidelines not only for the audio script writing but also for the voiceover actors and the design teams who are bringing the characters to life.

Taking this one step further at SweetRush, our Instructional Designers and Creative Directors are spending more and more time working on characters' backstories. They begin by sketching them out on a virtual whiteboard before introducing them to the illustrators and voice-over actors. Taking the time to complete this step allows the characters' personalities to shine through.

We recommend taking this extra step if you're writing characters for a long program or a series of programs-or if the characters play a large part in your story and content.

Tip 4: Include Direction for the Voice-Over Actor

The voice-over actors typically won't see the entire eLearning script or know the entire story. They'll see only their lines. It's really important, therefore, to give them what they need to bring your characters to life in the way you want.

Share the character personas and context with the actors. Provide the actors with background on your characters along with instructions on how to portray them. Here are a couple of examples:

Character

The setup

Tips for playing this character

Maya

Maya is an experienced recruiter. She's interviewing Jose for a potential promotion opportunity.

Maya is a seasoned professional who knows exactly what to ask to gain the insights she needs from candidates. She's very deliberate in her approach and uses her active listening skills to give candidates the time and space they need to respond. She wants candidates to feel at ease.

Use a warm, open, friendly, and relaxed tone when playing Maya unless otherwise directed.

Jose

Jose is a highly skilled key accounts manager. He recently applied for a promotion to team lead and will be interviewing with Maya.

Jose is applying for an internal promotion. He's usually quite confident and in control during work situations and is well liked by his peers, but he's feeling anxious about the interview. He really wants this position, but he doesn't interview often, and he's worried he'll say or do the wrong thing.

Pay attention to the shifts in Jose's tone as directed. He'll start out anxious and flustered. As the interview proceeds, he'll become more calm and relaxed.

Add direction and prompts to specify tone, inflection, and emotion. Is your character nervous, angry, or elated? Are they trying to inspire, educate, or warn the learner? Annotate your scripts with these directions so the actor can match the emotion and tone you wish to convey.

Maya [warm, friendly]:

"Thanks for taking the time to meet with us today, Jose."

Jose [confident then flustered]:

"Yeah, no problem. ... I mean, thank you ... for meeting with me. I'm excited about this."

Provide instructions for the pronunciation of jargon or unusual words. Spell out jargon phonetically, or better yet, record an example for the actor to have as a reference.

Pop into the "booth" and give direction. If you have access to the actor, schedule time up front to brief them on the overall project and story, the script, and any nuances or special pronunciation that they should be aware of.

Specify how numbers and acronyms should be pronounced. Should the number "123" be spoken as "one, two, three" or "one hundred twenty-three"? Is ACT pronounced like the word "act" or "A, C, T?" Remove any doubts by adding in this detail.

Read it aloud. Before you hand the script off to the production team or actor, read it aloud. Does the dialogue sound natural? Have you provided enough direction around tone and emotions? Hearing your script read aloud will help you catch anything you might have missed.

Tip 5: Get Inspired!

Our final tip is all about getting inspired. Voice, tone, and authenticity are all key elements of great audio script writing. But it doesn't mean that you can't play around with themes or get inspiration from outside the workplace to build your stories.

Here are some of our favorite places to draw inspiration from:

Television and movies: Pay attention to how the writers and actors build suspense in drama. Observe the dialogue and timing used in comedies.

Advertising: This is short-form persuasive writing at its best. Pay attention to how writers pack a punch while being economical with their words.

Podcasts and radio: Neither format relies on visual aids, so how do they gain and maintain your attention? Do they use different guests and voices? How do they make the experience more dynamic?

Novels and audiobooks: Get inspired by stories and narratives, and pay attention to how writers show versus tell.

Articles and print media: Pay attention to the different tones used-are they informative? Instructive? Educational? How do they engage and inspire you to take action?

Remember Heather from the SHRM people manager qualification program? We took inspiration from outside the workplace to create a learning experience that centers around six friends who regularly meet up in a coffee shop to talk about life and work.

Sound familiar?

Wherever you get your inspiration from, keep a record of the things you like. Carry a notebook or make audio recordings on your phone. Make notes or write prompts to remind you of what you liked and where you might use a similar technique in your next audio script.

Elevate Your Audio Script Writing

Well-written audio scripts can enhance learner engagement, build empathy, and elicit an emotional response from your audience. To nail the voice and tone and create authentic and realistic dialogue, engage both the stakeholders and the learner audience in the process.

For more ideas for bringing your characters to life, check out our eBook Virtual Training-SweetRush Style: 5 Inspiring Case Studies for a Learner-Centered Approach . It's packed with real-world examples and tips and tricks from our experts, and you're bound to find something in it to inspire your next audio script!

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Press Play: 5 Tips for Writing Audio Scripts

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Do you fancy yourself the Greta Gerwig or Bong Joon Ho of the eLearning world? Do you want to write blockbuster audio scripts that will make stars of your on-screen characters and have your audience reaching for popcorn and hoping for a sequel?

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Tell a Story Your Most Literal Learners Will Love

You're sold on the value of creative storytelling and scenario-based learning.

You know that sending your learners on quests and engaging their emotions makes learning content engaging, memorable, and actionable-what we call "sticky."[1]

You might have experimented with storytelling in some of your eLearning courses-even a whole curriculum. And your learners are responding with five-star reviews.

At least, most of them are.

So why is that small but vocal group still saying "No thanks" to your narrative flourishes?

The truth is, there will always be a few learners who prefer straight shop talk. This group tends to include folks who make, fix, or sell things for a living: Think engineers, mechanics, technicians, IT professionals, and salespeople.

For these learners, time is money-and they only spend it on the facts. When we ask them about their learning needs (and we should!),[2] they'll probably say something like "Tell me what I need to know, then let me get back to work."

Don't eject these learners from the story circle just yet-you can still engage them in your scenario-based learning experiences. These five tips will help you tell a story even your most fact-focused learners won't want to put down.

Storytelling for the Literal Learner: Five Tips
1. Cast relatable characters.
To buy into a scenario-based learning experience, your makers, fixers, and sellers need to see and hear themselves in the story. Show your fact-focused learners that you value them by giving them characters they relate to.

The three Rs will help you craft a relatable cast:
Representation
Your learners need to see and hear themselves in the story you're telling. That means that your characters need to represent a range of skin colors, genders, bodies, and abilities.[3]

If you've somehow got a monolithic learner audience, you won't for much longer! With a BIPOC population of 53% under 40 in the U.S. alone,[4] there's a good chance that your new hires will boost your team's diversity. Now is the time to ensure that your learning welcomes them into your story.
Real people Real talk
Rather than relying on actors, try casting your characters from the front lines of your business. Fact-focused learners are keenly attuned to authenticity and are more likely to buy into characters who look like real people they'd meet on the job.
2. Connect cause and effect.
Authentic characters need to talk the talk. Dialogue that is overly stilted, "fluffy," or branded rings false-and loses credibility. Let your characters narrate on-the-job issues and solutions using the language, idioms, and degree of formality learners use in real life.[5]

You don't have to look too hard for a great plotline: We use storytelling whenever we show our learners that A leads to B. Fact-focused learners especially appreciate narratives about new skills and how they play out on the job.

You can raise the stakes with a simulation that places the learner at the center of the story and gives them a mission. Then, start the clock!

Our client-partner, a healthcare provider with hundreds of care sites, had the ultimate high-stakes mission for its learner audience of healthcare workers. Healthcare workers face more than 19,000 physical assaults by stressed patients and their families.[6]

The training need was immediate: Healthcare workers needed to keep themselves and others safe by de-escalating verbal and physical aggression. To give learners a safe space to practice their de-escalation skills, our client-partner chose a virtual reality (VR) learning experience.

The VR learning experience takes place in just three rooms, but it is epic. Learners teleport into a hospital hallway, where they immediately hear shouting. Audio and visual prompts guide them toward their mission: Enter the room and de-escalate the patient.

The moment the learner walks in, the patient begins to verbally abuse them. Learners have a few seconds to apply verbal de-escalation methods to defuse the situation and prevent the patient from becoming physically aggressive.

The connection between cause and effect could not be clearer: Apply the right techniques, and the patient calms down. Apply them incorrectly, and the patient escalates to physical aggression.

Learners must then summon a whole new set of skills: responding with movements that protect themselves and others. Real-time feedback helps them get granular about the moments when their tone of voice and body movements cause the situation to escalate-or de-escalate.
3. Use the hero's journey.[7]
This scenario-based learning experience couldn't be more hands-on-but learning solutions don't need to be high-tech to be effective. The key is to give the learner a (figurative) dragon to slay and the skills they need to do it. And that dragon should look a lot like the ones they face every day.

Your learners are great people. Show them how they can become even better-or make the world a better place-by mastering the new content. Whether they're making a sale, repairing an engine, or defeating a phishing attempt, learners will relish the chance to save the day.

Our client-partner, a leading financial services company, wanted to invite its new call-center associates to do just that. Associates have a straightforward job: answer any kind of customer question, anytime. That meant new hires needed to be able to locate banking information in the database and share it with the customer-all while building rapport, of course!

It's a heroic undertaking-and, with our client-partner, we planned a hero's journey that made the most of it. Together, we landed on a scenario-based onboarding adventure with a plot any gamer could appreciate: Players are dropped into an imaginary land to solve the banking problems of its citizens. In the process, they rack up cash rewards, titles of rank, and signature souvenirs.

As they progress along the hero's journey, they practice searching the database and try their hand at simulated customer conversations. These conversations require them to use the empathy and active listening they'll apply on the job to unravel customers' priorities and banking concerns.
4. Use story responsibly.
This scenario-based learning experience is a skill drill-but it feels like a trip to the arcade. And learners return from their adventure feeling confident, even celebrated. By transporting learners to a faraway land and giving them a chance to save the day, they learn how to be heroes at home.

It's uncanny: When we have a learning solution we love, we start seeing use cases everywhere. (You might have heard the analogy about the hammer purveyor seeing nails everywhere!)

Storytelling is a great tool, but it's not the best tool for every job. Overuse can diminish its power-and your learners' patience.

Scenario-based learning is most effective when we need to teach:

Robust content, also known as "a lot of stuff"

Responsiveness to complex situations

Emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills

Complex behaviors and attitudes

Problem-solving

5. Introduce storytelling gradually.
It's not so effective for content that's a simple "tell," e.g., topics that could have been an email.

Got a use case for scenario-based learning?

Don't start typing "It was a dark and stormy night" just yet.

Help your learners get their feet wet by introducing them to your relatable character(s). A few short videos with characters presenting job hacks or stoking interest in upcoming adventures should do the trick.

After your characters have established some rapport with the audience, create a story that invites your learners to help them solve a problem. Keep it close to home with an authentic on-the-job situation, e.g., engaging aggressive patients or curious banking customers.

When you have robust learning content that warrants a truly epic treatment (See No. 4 for use cases), it's time for your learners to ramp up to a hero's journey. The hero might be a character, the learner, or your whole team. Rally them around a cause for a quest that requires them to use their on-the-job skills.

Caveat: Strike emotional highs (and lows) sparingly in your scenario-based learning experiences. Some fact-focused learners feel uncomfortable with-and even manipulated by-learning content that aims for their hearts. All brains and temperaments have their own optimal level of stimulation, and your learners may not feel comfortable "spending" their emotional energy at work.

Write the Sequel to Your Story

Love what narrative can do for your learners? Try extending your story to the way you collaborate, communicate, and care with all of your fellow humans at work.

Our eBook It's All About Your People!: Embracing Human-Centered Business, Workplace Culture, and Learning Design will show you how to re-create work as a source of resilience and tell a story that includes your entire team.

It's a curated collection of the best mindsets, practices, and lessons from our two decades together as a human-centered organization-and decade-plus as a fully remote team. Whether you're a leader, manager, or individual contributor, you'll find plenty of proven steps you can take today (or anytime!) to be happier and healthier at work.

References

1. https://elearningindustry.com/how-creative-storytelling-brings-interactive-scenario-based-learning-experiences-to-life

2. https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/trainingindustry/tiq_20191112/index.php#/p/24

3. https://elearningindustry.com/diverse-audience-for-virtual-training-tips-to-improve-inclusivity-and-diversity-in-imagery-and-voice-over

4. https://www.brookings.edu/research/all-recent-us-population-growth-comes-from-people-of-color-new-census-estimates-show/

5. https://www.sweetrush.com/press-play-5-tips-for-writing-audio-scripts/

6. https://business.libertymutual.com/insights/workplace-violence-and-unique-exposures-in-the-healthcare-industry/

7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Zxt28ff-E

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Just The Facts: Five Storytelling Tips For Skeptical Learners

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You're sold on the value of creative storytelling and scenario-based learning. You know that sending your learners on quests and engaging their emotions makes learning content engaging, memorable, and actionable-what we call "sticky."[1] You might have experimented with storytelling in some of your eLearning courses-even a whole curriculum.

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Storytelling In Digital Learning

Humans have always been fascinated by stories. The simple reason behind this is the fact that we love narrative, and the scientific one, according to neurologists, is that the constant firing of our neurons in response to fictional stimuli (i.e., stories) strengthens and refines the neural pathways that lead to a better social and empathetic ability as well as skillful navigation of life's problems. Stories also evoke emotions in us humans, which is why they have been used in business as long as there has been business to speak of. The first businessmen knew that facts speak to the mind, but stories speak to the heart. After all, what is marketing and advertising if not storytelling? You market and advertise a product or service alongside a story, in order to get customers to buy the product or service. But the benefits of storytelling for a business organization aren't limited to marketing and advertising. In this article, we'll discuss how corporate organizations can use storytelling to create compelling digital learning.

1. Get People Invested In Your Story

Although stories inherently evoke emotions in people and get them invested in the narrative, not all stories are good at it, which is why in order to get your learners invested in the story in your digital learning courses, you need to create characters in the story that they can relate to. Your characters need to reflect the learner, so that they can see themselves in the character, care about what happens to the character and have a vested interest in helping the character win in the story.

2. Make Sure The Story Has Memorable Parts

What makes a great story is certain parts that make it memorable. When using storytelling in your digital learning course, make sure that it has sections that are memorable. Doing so ensures that the information you pass on through the story will also be retained. This happens because they remember the memorable part, and the information around it comes to them naturally when they try to recall it.

3. Serve Information On The Story, Rather Than Vice Versa

As mentioned before, the story in your course should be the vehicle to deliver information, rather than the information being the vehicle to deliver the story. Keep your focus on delivering skills and knowledge to the learner, just in the form of a story. Learners know that they're taking the course to learn, not to be engaged or entertained. But while they take the course, if they're engaged or entertained, that increases absorption and retention.

4. Don't Use Storytelling In The Entire Content

Now comes the important part. Your whole digital learning content doesn't have to be a story. In fact, it shouldn't be. Instead of one narrative throughout the whole length of the course, create an individual short story in each module or learning bit. This way, you don't have to create and remember complex relationships between characters, which learners would remember, and thus you don't run the chance of making a mistake in presenting their relationships inaccurately down the line.

5. Keep The Story Interesting And Unpredictable

An important aspect of a good story is that it raises curiosity in the minds of the audience, who, in this case, are the learners. A story that is unpredictable keeps learners interested, and their eyes glued to the screen to see what will happen next. When learners continuously try to predict what will happen next, it ignites active learning because they're paying attention.

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to relate to your audience and facilitate a connection with the content, enhancing learning and memory recall. This is why L&D professionals and digital learning designers should try to use storytelling in the courses they create as much as they can. The idea is to put the learner in the middle of the story so that they can feel the events in the story happening in front of them. If you can manage that, your course will be engaging, entertaining and edifying.

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How To Use Storytelling To Create Compelling Digital Learning

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Humans have always been fascinated by stories. The simple reason behind this is the fact that we love narrative, and the scientific one, according to neurologists, is that the constant firing of our neurons in response to fictional stimuli (i.e., stories) strengthens and refines the neural pathways that lead to a better social and empathetic ability as well as skillful navigation of life's problems. Stories also evoke emotions in us humans, which is why they have been used in business as long as there has been business to speak of.

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Storytelling for Learning with Rance Greene

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12 (sm)ART Storytelling Lenses For Any Scenario

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Storytelling is a great way to convey a message. Learn about 12 (sm)ART lenses that can help you improve your story writing skills.

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How Creative Storytelling Brings Interactive Scenario-Based Learning Experiences To Life

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Creative storytelling brings eLearning subject matter to life. Get the eBook to learn how to foster emotional connectivity in online training.

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Think about a movie you've seen recently, or a book you've read. Can you imagine the first scene?

It's been weeks since I've seen The Martian, but I can still remember its opening moments: The howl of the wind, the red dust, and the sound of rockets.

Now think about an eLearning course from your recent experience. If it's like many courses I've seen, it started with an introduction ("Welcome to Ruby's Ravioli kitchen safety training!"), an overview of concepts that are obvious to everyone ("Kitchens can be dangerous places."), and a few bullet points pretending to be learning objectives ("Today, you'll learn about the importance of oven cleaning.").

Do learners remember details from their eLearning as clearly as they recall scenes from recent films or novels? Probably not, but maybe it's not fair to compare the eLearning industry to Hollywood. We're making training, not entertainment, after all.

On the other hand, there are at least two important factors that we eLearning developers share with creators in the entertainment industry:

1. We're constructing an experience for people.

2. The experience requires the person's attention.

Modern storytelling takes many forms, but movies, books, video games, and comic books all draw upon effective strategies for capturing their consumers' attention. That's why I'm always a little bit surprised to see eLearning that starts with flat welcome text, because that doesn't reflect what we know about capturing a person's focus and keeping it.

Here are 4 storytelling principles that can apply to eLearning and capture learners' attention:

1. Offer an interesting problem.

Perhaps the most effective way to grab a person's attention is to ask them to solve a problem. As Dr. Michael Allen puts it:

"When do our senses become most acute? When are we most alive and ready to respond? It's when we are at risk...when we see an opportunity to win and the possibility of losing."

The Martian applies this approach by getting viewers to empathize with a character in a truly unique survival situation.

Fortunately, we don't have to rely upon novelty to make problems interesting. We have access to stories and challenges that are immediately relevant to learners - the situations that they deal with every day on the job.

If you're not sure what challenging situations your audience will find compelling, go out and interview some real learners. Ask questions like:

What mistakes do people make?

What type of restrictions do you deal with?

What tips or tricks would you tell someone new to this role?

What is the most difficult aspect of [specific task]?

How do you know if you've done a good job?

(Additional questions on p. 24 of Leaving ADDIE for SAM: Field Guide)

2. Start with the action.

The Martian didn't start by telling the audience that Mars is very dangerous (duh). Nor did it begin with a primer on Martian geography, soil chemistry, and atmospheric science (yawn).

Instead, the film begins with the NASA crew making an emergency departure from Mars and leaving astronaut Mark Watney behind, injured and millions of miles from his home planet.

Starting with the action doesn't mean we have to present learners with life-or-death choices from the very first slide, although that might be appropriate for certain audiences. It means we get learners to the action as soon as possible. It's the power of "test-then-tell".

3. Details are important...

Mark Watney's fictional commander loved disco music. NASA sent potatoes for a Thanksgiving dinner that the Martian astronauts never got to eat. Nuanced details like this make a fictional situation come alive. They send a message to the viewer: "This is real. This is important. You should pay attention."

Here's an example of how we've applied this approach in a recent prototype we made for a client. Note: This is draft/sketch media and content. I've removed some elements of the interface so you can more easily see the environment.

4. ...but don't overdo it.

The Martian included a lot of interesting character detail, but it omitted a lot more. We don't learn anything significant about Mark Watney's family. We don't see into the personal lives of the fictional NASA management. These things weren't relevant to the story.

For eLearning, it's an issue of balancing engagement against return on investment. Be cautious of adding features and minutiae that don't enhance learners' performance. A rich and realistic learning context is important, but after a point, each extra detail might add cognitive load and make it harder for the learner to focus on what's important. The cost of developing an intricately imagined world may not be worth the boost in engagement, as measured by your organization's mission or bottom line.

Don't Leave Your Learners Behind!

Sometimes, eLearning design can feel a little bit like a NASA mission, with tight deadlines and tighter budgets, eventually leading up to the moment when we launch our course onto the LMS. Just like a Martian dust storm, high-level stakeholders can blow in unexpectedly and whisk away our initial efforts at analysis and design.

We can't always control or predict the variables that affect our eLearning. What we can do is design so that learners have the best shot at succeeding. Don't leave your learners' attention up to chance - real learning can't happen without it!

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4 Storytelling Strategies To Capture Learners' Attention - eLearning Industry

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Think about a movie you've seen recently, or a book you've read. Can you imagine the first scene? It's been weeks since I've seen The Martian, but I can still remember its opening moments: The howl of the wind, the red dust, and the sound of rockets.

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From Storytelling To Scenario-Based Learning
"Analogy, it is true, decides nothing, but they can make one feel more at home."

- Sigmund Freud (The father of human psychology)

Like Sanskrit, many languages and subjects are taught along stories. We can enlighten our morals, enrich our vocabulary, and even alleviate our grammatical confusions-through strategic storytelling. Ever wondered why? Because stories help us to build an analogy to help us relate and learn. Stories are capable of creating a comfortable yet conducive environment that helps in absorption, and assimilation of knowledge. We can relate more to stories, even if that's not our own. They help us to communicate with the pre-existing schemas in our memory, so that we not only receive information but also remember and when required, recall that.

The stories might not always guarantee an authentic background, or a regional, cultural, historical, or mythological support. Neither would they float unleashed. They are deliberately buckled to a foundation-of belief, fact, truth, and mostly, experience.

The plot that we select to build our stories on, could be hypothetical, analogous to real, or a real one. The characters or examples that we cite could exist in reality or in the plane of our imagination. But at the end, it's not only the story that matters, it is the extent to which your audience could associate to the story you narrated. If they appraise the analogy that you tried to create, you have met your purpose for storytelling.

You should be able to justify your selection of plot, characters, or examples for the sake of its objective in the first place. It's the sheer purpose that should guide your decision for selecting a particular plot, characters, examples, and nothing else.

Every period and era has seen some "great" storytellers, in the form of teachers, authors, animators, philosophers, even scientists, and astrophysicists. The stories have been as vivid as their experiences. We might never be able to elicit if the stories they told were real or surreal, however, assuming them as realistic certainly gave those storytellers more points, for obvious reasons.

There's a common belief that life-like or real-life experiences enhance the degree of learning. So, for the sake of narrating a real-life story, what would you prefer:

Letting your audience create an analogy and help themselves to relate and learn, or

Imposing the scenario on them to configure themselves as per your story?

Perhaps you would be able to select your preference at the end of this discussion.

A Paradigm Shift In Storytelling: Scenario-Based Learning

Nowadays, storytelling is known to be one of the dearest techniques to deliver knowledge in institutions. It is said that even the vastness or complexity of a subject can be mellowed down through stories and apt examples. Growth, development, and inventions have created an earnestness for knowledge. Storytelling is somehow considered as a fool-proof strategy for training people to repair those knowledge gaps. Hence, we can discover that storytelling has gradually found its purpose in the corporate sector as well. With the popularity that the technique has gained over a past few decades, perhaps the term 'storytelling' was jargonized to suit the corporate style of learning and training requirements; so now we have replaced that with the names like 'scenario-based learning' or 'contextual learning technique'.

Scenario-based learning often proves to be effective in systems training, compliance related training, and topics involving policies, procedures, and decision making.

What Is A Scenario Expected To Do In A Course?

The scenario in a course introduces you to the plot, the characters, and most importantly, gives you the purpose of taking up the course-by triggering your motivation through a puzzle, a problem statement, or a near-life experience example.

The scenario should help you to create an analogy between the plot and the enabler objectives of the course; so that you can identify and comprehend what is expected of you after you have completed the course.

The scenario should promote your intuitive thoughts, and propel you perform the practice exercises sensibly.

The scenario should give you the comfort of imagination, yet keep you adhered to your purpose.

What A Scenario Is Not Expected To Do

The scenario should not be biased to a person, role, or organization. The audience should never attach themselves to the scenario characters. This would only aggravate the complexity instead of mellowing it down.

There should be no conflicts between your actual identity and the story characters. The scenario should not hamper any individual thoughts or beliefs.

The scenario should not confuse or misguide your audience between what is promised and what really exists.

Real-life scenarios should not contain or cite the actual names of people, or organizations.

To conclude; scenario learning is definitely a good practice. However, limiting the usage of instances where a potent conflict or confusion is expected, can be a better decision. Let our scenarios attenuate the cognitive load-because there's a still a long way to go, many many things to learn...

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From Storytelling To Scenario Writing: A Mindful Approach... - eLearning Industry

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Wondering whether there is an effective transition from storytelling to Scenario-Based Learning today? Check these definitions of storytelling and Scenario-Based Learning to first understand the terms and then follow the steps to a successful transition from the one to the other.

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In this article, I outline how you can use storytelling in corporate Training. I also share 5 examples that showcase the impact storytelling can create for corporate training.

5 Effective Examples Of How To Use Storytelling In Corporate Training

Not only do they entertain us, but they are also a great source of knowledge and wisdom.

They introduce us to new ideas and they push us to rethink and reevaluate our assumptions.

They motivate us and inspire us to push our boundaries.

Where Does The Magic Of Storytelling Lie And How Can It Be Leveraged For Corporate Training?

In the context of corporate training, we can use the narrative as a thread to organize information that can provide structured learning (and achieve specific learning outcomes).

Often, a narrative may not be able to connect all aspects of the training. In such cases, storytelling can be used to connect the key aspects and lead the learner through the learning path. This scaffold (of the narrative) can have branched off to the other aspects of the training.

How Can You Use Storytelling In Corporate Training?

1. The compelling narrative of storytelling

2. Creative Instructional Design principles

1. A beginning (background or origin)

2. A middle (build-up through challenges)

3. An end (a logical conclusion with take-aways or that triggers the required action)

Can Storytelling Be Used As A Strategic Learning Tool In Corporate Training?

1. Set a context that is relatable to learners.

2. Connect learners meaningfully to the content.

3. Drive action.

4. Add dollops of interest to dry or complex content.

5. Facilitate higher recall and better retention.

Why Should You Invest In Storytelling Or A Story-based Learning Approach In Corporate Training?

1. Since stories help learners connect emotionally to the content, they can be used to drive attitudinal change.

2. They can be used to highlight certain nuances. Hence, they can be used to sensitize learners on specific issues.

3. They can be used to simplify a complex subject.

4. They can also be used to convert an abstract concept into something that is relatable and easy to assimilate.

5. They can be used to drive the desired action.

6. They can be used to help learners understand the consequences of their choices and help them correct their future actions.

Examples

1. Induction

2. Professional skills

3. Product training

4. Application simulation

5. Soft skills

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How You Can Use Storytelling In Corporate Training: Featuring 5 Effective Examples - EI Design

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In this article, I outline how you can use storytelling in corporate Training. I also share 5 examples that showcase the impact storytelling can create for corporate training. Not only do they entertain us, but they are also a great source of knowledge and wisdom.

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Summary: Can you weave a story that catches the hearts and minds of your audience? In this article, I'll share the 7 top tips and tricks to include storytelling in eLearning and craft provoking tales for your eLearning content.

7 Tips And Tricks To Include Storytelling In eLearning

Storytelling in eLearning might seem easy enough. You brainstorm a few characters, toss them into the middle of a realistic environment, and put some obstacles in their way. But there is a lot more to spinning yarns and telling tall tales. eLearning professionals must be able to create persuasive eLearning stories that motivate online learners and foster an emotional connection. We have to make them feel for the eLearning characters and their plight, and then tie it all into real world benefits, objectives and applications. Here are 7 tips to help you take on the storytelling challenge and write a winning tale for your online learners.

1. Follow the story arc.
Every eLearning story should follow an arc that introduces the eLearning character or situation, gradually builds up to a conflict or challenge, and then offers a resolution. You cannot suddenly thrust your online learners into the middle of the action and expect them to sympathize with the protagonist or get emotionally invested in the eLearning story. On the other hand, they don't want to spend 10 minutes familiarizing themselves with theeLearning characters, only to discover that there is no point to the plot. This is why it's imperative to create a structure for your eLearning story and ensure that includes the all-important arc.

2. Create the perfect "hook".
You need to grab your online learners' attention right from the start. Keep in mind that they don't have a lot of time to participate in eLearning experience, and they are dealing with distractions on a regular basis, especially if they are accessing theeLearning course on their mobile device. Lead off with an attention grabbing statement or question that prompts them to continue reading. Challenge their assumptions or pique their curiosity. Just make sure that it doesn't push the boundaries too far or offend members of our audience. For example, you probably don't want to start your eLearning story with profanity. It might grab their attention, but it's also going to make them uncomfortable.

3. Evoke emotion.
The main purpose of storytelling in eLearning is to create an emotional connection with your audience. You want them to feel what the eLearning characters are feeling and to see how they can use the information in their own lives. Creating the perfect plot and developing your eLearning characters is important, but cultivating an emotional atmosphere should be a top priority. Before you start crafting your eLearning story identify which emotions you want to convey. Do you want them to feel a sense of fear? Are they supposed to feel inspired by the eLearning characters' actions? Describe how your main protagonist feels and reveal the true nature of an eLearning character in order to create emotional depth.

4. Keep it action-packed.
Nobody wants to read a flat eLearning story that meanders through the plot at a snail's pace. We want action, suspense, and drama. When you are crafting your eLearning story, consider the relevance of each detail. Do youronline learners really need to know how a room looks or what an eLearning character is thinking? Remove any events that seem out of place or extraneous details that don't add to the plot. Every item in your eLearning story should contribute to the emotional atmosphere or shed light on an eLearning character's motivation. That being said, it's also important to have some ups and downs in your eLearning story. Not every second can be filled with explosive action. Include moments where the eLearning character reflects on an event or evaluates the situation.

5. Make your eLearning story multi-sensory.
Your online learners are already reading the eLearning story, so that takes care of the visual componentin eLearning. However, multi-sensory eLearning stories are much more effective. There are two ways to achieve this: by writing it directly into your eLearning story or by including multimedia. You can write it into your eLearning story by using imagery and descriptors. For example, describing how something feels or tastes. This helps your online learners to create a complete picture within their minds. The alternative is integrating multimedia, such as images, background music, and sound effects.

6. Create an obstacle.
We all must overcome problems and challenges in our lives, and we expect the characters in our eLearning stories to do the same. This is not to say that you have to include extreme obstacles, such as life-altering events or monsters that must be slayed. In fact, everyday challenges are usually more effective. For example, aworkplace conflict can be a great addition to your eLearning story. Just make certain that you offer a resolution to the problem and describe HOW the protagonist overcame the obstacle. This gives your online learners the information and tools they need to resolve the issue when they encounter it in their own lives.

7. Catch online learners by surprise.
Online learners love a good plot twist. They enjoy being or being caught off guard, particularly when they are already invested in the story.Brainstorm a variety of different outcomes for your eLearning story and then choose the one that your online learners would least expect, provided that it still makes sense and is relevant. You can also include minor plot twists throughout the eLearning story that keep online learners on the edge of their seats. There is a caveat: don't make the twist the focal point of your eLearning story. It's perfectly alright for online learners to talk about the twist after they complete the eLearning course, but they should also remember the key takeaways.

The secret to crafting amazing eLearning stories is to plan out every element in advance. Create a detailed outline that covers your eLearning characters, storyline, and key takeaways. Always keep the learning goals and objectives in sight, and remember that literary devices should never overshadow the subject matter.

Would you like to learn more how to integrate storytelling in eLearning design? Read the article 7 Tips To Integrate Storytelling Into Your Next eLearning Course to discover how to integrate storytelling in eLearning design in order to create a highly effective and engaging eLearning experiences for your online learners.

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Storytelling In eLearning: 7 Tips And Tricks For eLearning Professionals

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Summary: Can you weave a story that catches the hearts and minds of your audience? In this article, I'll share the 7 top tips and tricks to include storytelling in eLearning and craft provoking tales for your eLearning content. Storytelling in eLearning might seem easy enough.

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Tips, Strategies, And Examples On Storytelling For eLearning

Storytelling is applicable beyond childhood learning, and has been told in film, print, orally, and online.

You should use storytelling because information becomes more memorable when you combine emotions and information. Nick Shackleton-Jones' affective context model provides a great explanation on this idea.

"Push" and "pull" learning differences also matter. Engaging learners is more difficult when Learning and Development creates "just-in-case" or "pushed" content and provides affective context, as opposed to the simplistic "pulled" content or affective context that learners bring when they seek data as needed.

Here are some ideas on how you can use storytelling for eLearning.

1. What Makes A Good Story?

Go beyond the beginning, middle, and end of a story by including:

The Journey and Transformation.
Discovering information, understanding it, and changing as a result of the journey is vital, because this contains the emotion that pulls learning into being engaged.

Artful Character Creation.
Avoid common mistakes when creating characters, such as absent or weak context and backstory, caricatures and stereotypes.

Point of View.
Consider using a single character's point of view to add nuance, emotional depth, and impact. It can make the difference between a story and a report.

2. Digital Storytelling Strategies

Try some of these digital storytelling strategies that you can accomplish with Elucidat's Layout Designer, including creating links and building scrolling pages:

Graphics and images.
Use photos or illustrations in combination with recorded or well-written dialogue to tell a story without large expenses. Get inspired by magazine photo series or graphic novels to get started.

Interactive scenarios.
Give your learners control of their learning journey by enabling them to decide what happens and play through the outcomes.

Scrolling pages.
Use this simple technique to create an immersive story. Cleverly control when and how information appears, while empowering your learners to control the pace. You can even exploreusing parallax scrolling.

Film.
If you want to convey lots of information in a short time, filming is the way to go. Just keep in mind that this route requires professional actors and scripting.

3. Storytelling Examples

When used correctly, digital storytelling can be impactful, engaging and beautiful. Here's what digital storytelling looks like in practice:

The Boat: This digital storytelling masterclass makes it easy to be engaged in the story even though it's just a scrolling page, thanks to its audio, sense of movement and visuals.

Slavery Footprint: This educational example tells a story by using the scrolling technique to drive the user to take the next desired step. Its brief and clever use of language in the heading instantly makes this story the learner's story.

Utility Warehouse: This example was built using Elucidat's eLearning authoring tool, and combines real employee voices with an interactive scenario. It asks viewers to think about the story and provide feedback as it unfolds. By bringing in opinions from leaders or peers, the story becomes directly relevant to the organization.

The New York Times: This example demonstrates how combining real voices, well-chosen images and captivating stories can work. People are some of the best resources to use, because they offer true experiences and stories to achieve engagement and authenticity. You can interview them, or even try scripted content.

Conclusion

Storytelling is vital to increasing learner engagement. Ready to learn more about storytelling? You can enjoy topics such as "Memory, Learning and Sticky Content" and "The Power of Storytelling" by signing up for Elucidat's Masterclass training product.

Click here to sign up for the free Elucidat Masterclass series to get started today.

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Storytelling For eLearning: Tips, Strategies, Examples - eLearning Industry

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Storytelling is applicable beyond childhood learning, and has been told in film, print, orally, and online. You should use storytelling because information becomes more memorable when you combine emotions and information. Nick Shackleton-Jones' affective context model provides a great explanation on this idea. "Push" and "pull" learning differences also matter.

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Architecting Technical Content With Stories

Technical trainings are a crucial part of corporate training. The learning effectiveness is directly proportional to the Return On Investment (ROI) of training programs and a company's growth. In this context, technical content design plays an important role in improving the learning effectiveness of technical trainings. Consider a scenario where an eCommerce organization wants to upgrade its mobile app to Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled mobile application. This creates a need for the training to upskill developers on relevant technologies. In such scenarios, Learning and Development (L&D) faces multifold challenges in designing the training content and imparting technical knowledge because of various facts:

Rapid technological advancements/disruptions

Inclusiveness of multiple technologies

Content complexity

High abstraction

Skills application

Because of the above-said facets of technical content, its design poses challenges in terms of learning effectiveness: learner engagement, learning experience, and knowledge retention and application.

Story Elements And Bloom's Objectives

Stories are used for effective communication from time immemorial. Stories can improve one's perspective or change insights, motivate an audience, convey information, and share knowledge [1]. Stories influence and inspire people and create an impact as they emotionally connect with them.

Storytelling demonstrates concepts better than simply stating them directly. It can be an effective tool to impart complex technical skills and thus help achieve the learning objectives. Good design of basic story elements and narration helps depict different aspects of technical content: context, challenge, process, logic, application and more. The following table proposes how story elements align with Bloom's Taxonomy to achieve learning objectives.

Place and Context (Beginning)

Connects to situations in which the challenges occur

Knowledge

Purpose

Provides the prospect to open on issues/challenges that form the basis of the story

Knowledge, Comprehension

People

Relates to the characters/emotions that pose challenges and try out resolutions

Knowledge, Comprehension

Strategy

Unfolds the idea, process/procedures for a solution that the audience wishes to understand

Understand, Application, Analysis

End

The outcome/resolution for the problems/challenges and inferences

Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation/Create

Benefits Of Implementing Storytelling In Technical Content Design

Technical content designed by using stories that have relevant content, powerful construction, and narration appeal to the audience.

Simplify complex concepts
The story elements explain the complex technical features, data, concepts, logic, and application in a simpler way.

Accommodate different learner types
Stories have the power to engross the audience of any learner type. Visual learners learn by the mental images that stories induce. Auditory learners converge on the words in narration, and kinesthetic learners absorb emotions, connections, and feelings in the story.

Peter Guber says, "Purposeful storytelling isn't show business, it's good business." A story with a purpose, scenario/s filled with characters, emotions, narration in the design has huge benefits in improving learning effectiveness.

Critical thinking and problem solving
Stories call for the learning of new terms and exploring the imagination. Learners through stories organize their understanding of technical terms and concepts and come up with different interpretations, backing them up with details and reasoning.

Learning absorption and retention
According to Peg Neuhauser, an organizational psychologist, learning from a well-narrated tale is retained more accurately and for far longer, than learning from mere facts and numbers. Likewise, a study by Jerome Bruner, a psychologist, indicates the fact retention rate is supposedly 20 times greater when learners are taught through a story [2]. The context and relevance explained in stories through their elements help learners remember technical concepts and skills easily.

Learning experience
Stories connect with emotions and learners are more participative in learning through stories. This involvement makes the audience feel that the idea explained is their own and thus enhances their learning experience.

Learner engagement
Stories engage learners through relevant situations and emotions. They recognize themselves in the characters and emotions in the story. Learners relate to experiences in the story (scenario/s filled with characters, emotions, and narration), thereby, keeping them hooked on the content.

Narrative Structure In Technical Content Design

Stories deliver content in order. A resolution follows challenges in stories. The narrative structure of stories, while architecting technical content, can easily explain the problem statement, the context in which the problem occurs, the processes used to arrive at the problem solution and, finally, the resolution, as said below:

Stories pave the way for effective communication through emotions and connections. The story elements and its narrative structure convey the core and abstract concepts and help with the better reception and absorption by an audience.
References:
[1] Storytelling in Mentoring: An Exploratory, Qualitative Study of Facilitating Learning in Developmental Interactions

[2] What Makes Storytelling So Effective For Learning?

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Storytelling For Technical Content Design: Bloom's Objectives And Structure

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Technical trainings are a crucial part of corporate training. The learning effectiveness is directly proportional to the Return On Investment (ROI) of training programs and a company's growth. In this context, technical content design plays an important role in improving the learning effectiveness of technical trainings.

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8 Storytelling Elements To Integrate In Online Training

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Storytelling is an age-old tradition. Since the beginning of time, people have been weaving tales to pass onto the next generation. Stories are the first form of entertainment, while they also possess undeniable educational value. In fact, you can even integrate storytelling in online training to make your compliance online training fun and engaging.

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In this guide, we will be discussing everything you need to know about storyboards.

1. What is a Storyboard?

2. Why You Need a Storyboard?

3. How Storyboarding Can Help Your Business

4. How to Create a Storyboard?

5. Go-to Storyboard Checklist

6. Popular Storyboarding Methods

7. Helpful Storyboarding Tips

8. Popular Storyboarding Software

9. Create Storyboards with Vyond

Let's dive in:
When you make a video for your business, be it an explainer video, marketing video, sales video, microlearning video, or any short online business video, planning is extremely important. One of the most important stages of planning out your video is creating a storyboard.

What is a Storyboard?
A storyboard is a graphic representation of how your video will unfold, shot by shot.
It's made up of a number of squares with illustrations or pictures representing each shot, with notes about what's going on in the scene and what's being said in the script during that shot. Think of it as sort of a comic book version of your script.

A storyboard is your roadmap when you make a video.

Like a script, your storyboard visually guides you throughout the production process. By planning your video, you know which shots you need to create and how to create them when filming begins. You can get others' feedback early on and make simple adjustments to your storyboard, rather than making major changes while filming.

To make a good storyboard, you don't need to be a visual artist (though you can be). A storyboard can be anything from comic book-like rough sketches to stick figures to computer-generated drawings. To help you plan your own video, we'll walk through the basics of creating storyboards, including:

The basic elements of every storyboard

A breakdown of two popular storyboarding methods

Understanding different ways to storyboard, you'll be set to visually plan your own video. Regardless of your budget or design experience, you'll be able to create a clear map that seamlessly guides you through production.

Why You Need a Storyboard?

Creating a storyboard might just sound like an extra step in the process of making a video for your business, but trust us - it's a step you won't want to ignore. Here are three reasons why you need a storyboard:

Best way to share your vision

A visual aid makes it much easier for you to share and explain your vision for your video with others.

We've all had experiences where we were trying to explain something and the other person just can't see your vision. The core of this issue is that most stakeholders don't have the experience of visualizing something off of a text deliverable, such as a script.

When you have a storyboard, you can show people exactly how your video is going to be mapped out and what it will look like. This makes it infinitely easier for other people to understand your idea.

Makes production much easier

When you storyboard a video you're setting up a plan for production, including all the shots you'll need, the order that they'll be laid out, and how the visuals will interact with the script.

The video storyboard is a starting point or suggested thoroughline around which you can plan your coverage (all the angles you will shoot of a scene). This really comes in handy when you're making your video, as it ensures you won't forget any scenes and helps you piece together the video according to your vision.

Saves you time

While it may take you a little while to put your storyboard together, in the long run it will save you time in revisions later. Not only will it help you explain your vision to your team, but it will also make the creation process go more smoothly.

How Storyboarding Can Help Your Business

Storyboarding can also help you:

Get buy-in from stakeholders: While a script can help others conceptualize your video, the visual nature of a storyboard is often a more effective way to bring it to life pre-production. Sharing your storyboard early on in the process will ensure collaborators and decision-makers understand your vision - and make them much less likely to put up a fight down the line.

Streamline production: Creating a storyboard forces you to work out a lot of the details of your video ahead of time - what shots you want, what order they'll go in, what props or tools you need, etc. Storyboarding might also help you realize that you're missing a key piece of logic or dialogue in your script, or that your visuals don't tie together as cohesively as you thought. Identifying and working through these problems before you start creating your video will prevent wasted effort later on.

Save time: It's much easier and less time-consuming to make revisions to a storyboard than a video.

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How to Create a Storyboard

Ultimately, a storyboard is a series of images representing each frame of your video. How you put the storyboard together, and how much detail you add, is up you - you can do it on paper, in a word processing program, or using specialized software.

Here's how to go about creating a storyboard for your video:

1) Create blank slides

The first step in creating a storyboard is to draw a series of squares on a piece of paper

Here's an example of a blank storyboard:

Download this: US Letter | A4

You can also find tons of printable storyboard templates on Google). And here are more template options to help organize your frames. Don't worry about your drawing skills - stick figures will suffice. Just make sure to leave room to jot down the accompanying text (whether it appears on the screen or is spoken by your characters or narrator) for each visual.

Creating a PowerPoint deck or simple word processing document on the computer is another easy option. Specialized software is also available if you're looking for a more comprehensive solution (check out a few options below).

Think of these squares as the video frame. In each square a different shot or scene will take place. You can sketch the scenes by hand, create them on a computer or even take photographs. Make sure to leave space to write notes and lines from the script beneath or next to each frame.

2) Add your script

Beneath each picture, write the lines from the script that will be spoken in that scene and jot down some notes about what is happening.

Your storyboard should read like a comic book, so readers (coworkers, clients, etc.) can get a sense of exactly what will happen in your video.

Read more about scripting for short videos.

3) Sketch your story

Next, you should sketch how each scene will look visually. Note that your storyboard doesn't have to be incredibly detailed - you don't have to draw in all of the props or even use color. (Hint: You don't have to be great at drawing either. Bad drawings are far better than no drawings at all.)

Just provide enough visual detail to give an impression of what is happening, which characters are in the scene and what the general framing will look like. The script and notes will help fill in the rest of the details.

You can also make notes about camera angles and movement, transitions between shots and other details that will come in handy during production and post-production.
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Our talented animation team creates storyboards and animatics (video drafts) like this one:

Not everyone has the time or skill for such storyboards, but this level of detail is especially helpful for complex projects with a variety of stakeholders.

Whatever method you choose, be sure that your storyboard conveys what's happening in the frame, the setting, which characters are present, any essential props, and what text (if any) will appear on screen and where. You can also include important notes about camera angles and movements, transitions between shots, and any other production or post-production details.

If you're creating an extensive training program with multiple microlearning videos, consider completing the scripts and storyboards for each unit before beginning production on your videos. This will ensure that all the major topics you want to hit are covered, and that the videos fit together logically with minimal repetition.

As you storyboard, keep each video's objective top of mind, and don't be afraid to make revisions. This early stage of the process is the best time to tweak your visuals and script in order to create the most compelling and effective microlearning video possible.

Once your storyboard is approved, you're finally ready to create a video! Read on for tips to creating an animated microlearning video.

Go-to Storyboard Checklist

Whether they're drawn by a storyboard artist or diagrammed on a computer, all storyboards share the same information. They need to touch on the main actions, speech, and effects in every shot to clearly communicate how a video will appear.

Here are the key elements that every storyboard should include:

Shot images: Individual panels featuring 2D drawings to show what's happening-actions, characters-throughout a video

Shot number: The number indicating when a shot appears according to a video's shot list

Action: The primary activity happening in a shot

Dialogue (or narration: Any speech that is heard throughout a video

FX: Technical details that explain how the shot is created in production and post-production (e.g. aspect ratio, camera angles, camera movement, shot type, sound effects, special effects)

A full storyboard has all of the information necessary to imagine how your finished video will appear. Reviewing your images and notes for each shot, you and your team can brainstorm how your video should be adjusted and what resources you will need in production.

Popular Storyboarding Methods

When most people hear the word "storyboard," they think of a professional animator quickly sketching out a cartoon feature film.

As it turns out, a storyboard doesn't have to be a work of art-it doesn't even have to be hand-drawn. With video production software, there are options for all types of users-regardless of their industry, design experience, or budget-to create useful professional-grade storyboards.

Hand-drawn storyboards

The classic storyboarding process is drawing by hand. You sketch out a mock-up of what each shot will look like.

As mentioned, you don't need to be a great artist to create a storyboard-stick figures are enough. The principal goal is to convey the main action that is happening in the shot, so each frame doesn't need to be very detailed.

A longhand storyboard cuts costs, but it's not necessarily the most efficient option, as seen in these pros and cons:

If you hope to keep video costs low, a hand-drawn storyboard is probably the best method for you. Just keep in mind that you will need to devote at least a few hours, if not more, to complete the task, and you'll need to scan or make copies of your storyboard for everyone working on your video.

Helpful Storyboarding Tips

Here are some tips that can help you as you storyboard your video:

Show, don't tell. Use the storyboard as a litmus test to determine if your story is truly being visualized.

Be cinematic. Does your video do things that movies do? Do people, places and things move or stand still? Does the camera move? Keep these factors in mind and bring them all together to create a cinematic video.

Make sure it's logical and coherent. You're creating a story, so the video should look visually consistent from beginning to end

Pick a theme. If you want to create a video infographic, add relevant charts and graphs. Want to highlight a customer pain point, show a character on screen and take them through a journey.

Here's a great example of a story-based video that was planned to perfection:

Include all relevant details. Break up your script into smaller chunks and make note of important information:

What is the setting or background for the scene?

Is there a character on screen? If so, what action is the character performing?

What props are in the scene? This should fit in with the context of the background/setting you're using

Will any text appear on screen? What is the size, color, and position of the text?

What message are you trying to deliver?

Popular Storyboarding Software

People with less time to hand-draw frames and/or larger budgets may opt to use specialized storyboarding software. These programs are built with robust customization and automation features to help you quickly create your storyboards.

Here are a few options to consider for creating your storyboards:
With any of these storyboarding tools, there are a few pros and cons to consider.
While these storyboarding tools are powerful, many organizations don't need these features to create their storyboards. Only companies with elaborate videos and full production teams need to create these hyper-detailed storyboards with specialized software.

Create Storyboards with Vyond

Vyond allows people of all skill levels in all industries and job roles to create dynamic and powerful media. With features that go beyond moving text and images, you can build storyboards, character-driven stories, or compelling data visualizations that engage audiences and deliver results.

Start making your own videos and storyboards today. Sign up for a free 14-day trial and attend our weekly tour of Vyond Studio.
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What is a Storyboard? Illustrated Guide (Trial Included) | Vyond

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In this guide, we will be discussing everything you need to know about storyboards. What is a Storyboard? Why You Need a Storyboard? How Storyboarding Can Help Your Business How to Create a Storyboard?

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In this article, you'll learn all the important details about xAPI to help you decide if you should utilize it in your learning process, and what the benefits and difficulties of switching from SCORM to xAPI are. As a part of practical training, we'll create a course, set up the reporting, and see it in action.

What Is xAPI?

xAPI (Experience API) is the most recent and versatile eLearning standard. This eLearning software specification was developed in 2013 by an ADL initiative with the intention of capturing the learner's experience as it is. It was initially called "Project Tin Can" (as the requirements were intended to be based on a two-way conversation with the community), but it was later officially named Experience API. The new xAPI approach addresses other modern eLearning problems that older standards couldn't overcome.

xAPI history

In 2010, eLearning reporting technology lagged behind the tech progress in other areas. The world started its steady movement towards mobile and cloud. SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and former learning standards couldn't function inside of mobile apps. They required a browser, LMS login, constant Wi-Fi connection, and they didn't report all the details that course developers wanted.

Just imagine the situation: you are taking a quiz, and suddenly, the Wi-Fi connection is getting dropped. The worst-case scenario is that you lose all your quiz results and have to start over! As you can see, SCORM wasn't very promising in terms of the future of eLearning.

Here are some of the learning cases that needed a new approach:

Offline learning (Wi-Fi and cellular networks may be interrupted as you move)

Mobile learning (apps for tablets and smartphones are actively used in education)

Collaborative learning (groups of learners can solve tasks together)

Games and simulations (usually software simulations, frequently used in corporate learning)

Real-world activities (Internet of Things, simulation dashboards and other devices)

Augmented and virtual reality (the future of educational technologies in some areas)

Security concerns (quiz answers may contain personal info, and should be encoded and transmitted over https:// protocol)

How xAPI Works

Application programming interface (API) is an option to exchange data between various systems, applications, websites, etc.

An xAPI specification describes a Client entity (a course, app, simulation, etc.), also called an Activity Provider, which generates xAPI statements; and an LRS Endpoint, which receives statements and stores them in a database.

An Activity Provider can be an LMS, a standalone course, video, game, simulator, a medical device, etc. The xAPI statement can be transmitted at the same time as the action being completed or any time later when the internet connection is restored. Also, the Activity Provider can perform an action in the real world not connected to any tracking system, so that it uses Tin Can API to update the statement afterward.

If you have a chunk of learner's data in your corporate database and you need it for analysis, along with the most recent results, you can submit the selected data objects into the LRS by means of xAPI too.

LRS as a center of all your learning activities

Experience data is a combination of activity, learners' behaviors, and performance data. Learners complete a plethora of actions throughout their learning process and assessments. Sometimes, specific choices are more important than the overall result, and xAPI is capable of capturing user's choices precisely.

The centerpiece of every xAPI ecosystem is a cloud repository that stores all experiences from all the Activity Providers that are connected to it. This storage is called the Learning Record Store (LRS). Each Activity Provider (an xAPI course) should have an LRS address specified prior to publishing, so it knows where to report.

Unlike a Learning Management System (LMS), which performs many functions, such as:

Managing users and content

Providing courses to learners

Storing learning paths

Calendars, chats, etc.

A Learning Record Store doesn't do any of that, and it wasn't designed to. It only receives and stores statements in one list, offers learning analytics, and reports. So, it's merely a database for learning activities.

An LRS releases learners from conventional learning platforms. You're free to place eLearning content wherever you want.
The LRS can be a standalone system placed in the cloud: The LRS can also be incorporated into traditional learning management systems (LMSs) within the same domain:
These are the most common environment configurations. There could be numerous other configurations with many connected LRSs, with local LRSs, etc.

If you want to place courses locally, or in the Ethernet, you can still open specific firewall ports so they can send the results to a distant server. A hardcore option is to deploy an LRS in your corporate's Ethernet, but for that, you need to obtain one that's available for installation. In general, LRSs are distributed by the SaaS model.

xAPI statement structure

Surprisingly, Experience API speaks human language. No convoluted statements like SCORM uses:

Experience API, in contrast, provides full freedom to express whatever the learning activity needs.

At its core, an xAPI statement is a JSON object (JSON = JavaScript Object Notation). The basic formula of the statement is: Actor+Verb+Object.

This is an exact piece of data that will go to an LRS and will be subsequently used for analysis and generating reports. The basic xAPI statement answers the question "who did what on what learning activity."

There are unlimited possibilities for customizing statements to specific requirements. The statement may contain a timestamp, a quiz question ID, question text, and other extra parameters.

xAPI statement example: John D successfully Completed the math course, Fractions.

It can be translated as: John D answered ' 0.7' to the question number 6 with text ' ½ + 0.2 = ?' in the math course, Fractions, with ID 0134 on date and time 2019-12-20T14:20:50.52 with a duration of 5 seconds, on an Android device with resolution 1080×1920 px.

The flexibility and simplicity of the Tin Can API allows you to realize more accurate learning process tracking as opposed to just submitting SCORM quiz results to an LMS.

To explore the xAPI specification in greater detail, please visit the GitHub repository.

What xAPI Tracks

Unlike its predecessors, xAPI can track any activity that a learner undertakes (e.g., watching a video, reading an e-book, interacting with a simulation) and even real-world job performance - not merely offer points and progress percentages. Here are some examples of what needs to be tracked by an admin or an instructor in different fields of study:

Which video parts a learner skipped through the economy course,

What physical buttons were pressed on a plane simulator during takeoff,

What tool was used first in a VR simulation of a neurosurgery procedure,

Heart rate and geolocation data of a runner who is preparing for a marathon,

... and hundreds of other activities, details, and various parameters.

Tin Can API doesn't have any predetermined sets of commands. It's all up to a course designer and authoring tool developers who configure an xAPI course component (add a javascript wrapper) what activities to report and when.

If you use one of the eLearning authoring tools that are capable of publishing xAPI courses, they will already have the wrapper that is configured to publish statements. Learn more about how xAPI is supported in iSpring course publication from this article about Tin Can API statements descriptions.

What Devices Are Supported?

One of the main reasons that xAPI development was initiated is that tablets and other mobile devices were used by the majority of people. An important task was to support all possible devices that have access to the Internet and provide the highest level of interoperability between learning activities and the reporting system.

For example, this real simulator cabin below can generate events - when the landing gear is put up after takeoff, it allows evaluation of the accuracy of how a pilot follows instructions.

xAPI vs. SCORM

LMS and SCORM are like a school with textbooks and quizzes to complete there. Remember the class grade sheet that teachers used in schools? eLearning technology wasn't that far from this concept in terms of grading and tracking learners' progress.

xAPI was created to be the next-gen version of SCORM, but in practice, there are too many differences between them. xAPI is capable of tracking all learning activities and steps made by learners, whereas SCORM is designed to be used for packaged courses with quizzes as the main assessment tool.

On the other hand, xAPI doesn't describe the course structure and packaging, while SCORM does. It was intentionally not included in the specification, because a single sign-on mechanism can be used to get learners from one system to another (e.g., from an LMS to a game on your domain). xAPI is explicitly used to get the tracking data to an LRS, where you can do whatever you want with the data: analyze it, create reports, etc.

Each standard has its time and purpose, and they're primarily built on top of each other's functionality. cmi5 is "the modern version of SCORM" that describes packaging on top of the xAPI functionality. Look at the simplified learning standards' timeline:

AICC → SCORM 1.2 → SCORM 2004 → xAPI (you are here) → cmi5
Learn more about comparison with other eLearning standards →
Hands-on Experience with xAPI

Nothing helps the comprehension of Experience API technology better than testing it out and experimenting with it. Setting everything up is not that hard, and it'll only take 10 minutes. We'll need LRS and xAPI course authoring software. We'll be using iSpring Suite for publishing an xAPI course.

Step 1. Setting up an LRS

Register an account at SCORM Cloud to create an LRS for testing purposes. Rustici software are developers of SCORM and xAPI standards, and they offer sandbox solutions for free to test your courses or authoring tools if you're a developer.

1. Log in to your SCORM Cloud.

2. Select Apps /API from the main menu in the bottom left corner.

3. Click Add Application, and name it, e.g., iSpring LRS.

4. Select xAPI LRS from the left-hand side menu.

5. Copy the link for iSpring LRS, as it'll be required in the course authoring step.

Step 2: Creating an xAPI course

To create an xAPI course, you can use any authoring tool with this format supported. iSpring Suite is an early adopter of xAPI and can help you produce an xAPI-ready course in no time.

3. Fill your eLearning course with the necessary content.

4. Click Publish on the ribbon.

5. Choose the LMS publishing destination, and then select Experience API in the LMS profile menu.

6. Click Customize next to the drop-down menu and paste the endpoint link that you got from the LRS (Step 1). Click Save to close the Learning Course window.

7. Click Publish on the bottom, and iSpring will publish your course into an xAPI format.

That's it, launch it locally or upload to the web. As you run through the course, watch the statements show up in the LRS.

Learning First, Technology Last

Experience API is just one of a few standards that makes eLearning possible. It introduces some new concepts, such as LRS, offline and detailed tracking, which addresses most of the problems that earlier standards had.

However, it may be overwhelming for course authors to take care of not just the material but all the methods to report the results. It's a whole new level of developing digital training and online courses.

Fiddling with LRSs might be tricky too. If the LRS of your choice doesn't offer good reporting/analytics tools, you'll most probably have to hire a data analyst who'll help you to deal with a large amount of data.

For a general learning approach, SCORM might be just fine. It's simple and useful when you evaluate learner's success based on quizzes and the fact of opening course materials. However, if you have higher ideas of organizing learning processes and have the resources for that, the xAPI is the perfect solution.

Have questions about xAPI and publishing to this format? Leave a comment below to open a discussion with learning experts.

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What is xAPI? All You Wanted to Know in Simple Words

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Learn what kind of eLearning format xAPI (Tin Can) is, how it works, and what potential xAPI has for the future.

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Let's say you've created a training course and put it online. You run a report on your course a few days later and discover that nobody has opened it. Then you send a personal reminder to each student, emphasizing the importance of the content - and still get only a few views. So what's wrong with your content? Chances are the issue is poor writing.

Now how to write an online course that will be both interesting and useful for the learner? Good eLearning writing includes two aspects: writing a captivating title to entice the learner to open the course, and laying out the subject clearly to keep them engaged. In this article, we will cover both aspects with two simple eLearning writing techniques.

The Title: Addressing Learners' Pain Points to Spark Interest

The reason companies are creating online courses is that they need to train their employees on loads of important things quickly: from workplace safety to product updates and sales methods. All these aspects are important for a business, but such things rarely engage employees - especially if they're struggling with a heavy workload or project deadlines.

Here are a few examples of boring, but necessary topics:

"Warehouse Safety Rules"

"Digital Transformation: Trends and Challenges"

"Sales Techniques 101: General Principles of Working With Clients"

Each of the topics listed above conveys something that is important to the business and therefore must be learned by all employees.

The trick is that you can't make people learn something. If you want them to invest their time and effort and truly immerse themselves in the content, you need to inspire and motivate them to do so.

The course title should promise the learner a concrete solution to their problem

Learners will be far more interested in taking the course if it promises to resolve their pain points. Therefore, the topic of the course should clearly state why this content is worth exploring and how it can make learners' lives easier.

How can you tell if a topic is sufficiently motivational to the employee? Here's a simple test: ask yourself if the employee has this issue on their mind when they wake up in the morning. It's rare that a person will think about warehouse safety while sipping their morning cup of coffee. But if they're struggling with a conflict in their team, it hardly leaves their mind - even outside the office.

The course topic shouldn't simply promise the reader a benefit but correlate with the specific problem they are trying to solve.

To find out what bothers employees, immerse yourself in their environment: communicate in person, listen to conversations in the corridors, and read chats and forum posts.

Apart from telling the learner how the course will be useful for them, the title also gives the course a specific orientation. For example, when you present the course as a guide for beginners, you assign the learner a certain role.

The trick is to make the learner feel that the course will help them become a better version of themselves.

Let the reader feel that the course will make them a better version of themselves

Avoid intimidating the learner by referring to them as a dummy, disorganized, mediocre specialist, etc. Instead, make them believe that they are smart and successful if they are about to take your course. Here are a few examples:

Once you come up with the course title, ask yourself two simple questions:

1. Did the learner wake up with this idea in mind?

2. Does this title make them believe they are (or will be) smart and successful?

If you answered "yes" to both questions, chances are your course title will grasp a learner's attention.

If your course is industry-specific, it is also a good idea to make this clear in the title. This way, the course will look even more relevant to people in that industry.

For example, the course title "Advanced Techniques for Handling Objections When Selling Smartphones" will immediately attract the attention of digital equipment salespeople.

The information itself may be quite generic (because the same sales principles work in most areas), but the fact that the title is personalized will definitely spark the interest of the target audience.

The Message: Using Examples to Stimulate Behavior Change

Now that you've gotten their attention, the goal is to keep them engaged. Learners often quit a course because the content seems difficult to understand and irrelevant to their life.

On the other hand, when the content is crystal clear, it becomes easy for them to apply knowledge. The key to making your writing clear and understandable is giving a lot of examples.

To convey the idea, give examples and show possible outcomes

Let's say you're writing a course for sales reps. You give learners one simple piece of advice:
"It is important to be in a good mood when communicating with a client."
In theory, this idea is clear and useful, but in practice, it is very difficult to maintain a good mood - especially when dealing with a difficult client. This advice won't trigger any change in behavior.

But if you enhance this abstract idea with a couple of examples to illustrate possible outcomes, it immediately becomes a practical technique that sales reps can apply to their work.

Here's how it works:

When an abstract idea is supported by an example and an opposite outcome, it gives the learner a clear understanding of the situation and possible consequences.

To make your examples as descriptive as possible, avoid using the passive voice. When there's a character in the sentence, and this character acts in a certain way, it always paints a picture.

Once a learner has looked at the situation from several angles, they gain a deeper understanding of the topic and are prepared to handle similar situations in real life.

Giving many examples often makes your course longer, but if they are written in the active voice, they are usually easy to read or scan.

To Wrap Up

In order to write an online training course that will hook learners at first sight, follow these simple rules:

1. Address the reader's pain points in the title to motivate them to take the course.

2. Make sure the title makes the learner feel smart and successful.

3. Stimulate behavior change by giving concrete examples and describing possible outcomes.

iSpring Suite

Create online courses and assessments in record time.

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Two Simple Tips to Write a Course That Will Hook Learners

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Let's say you've created a training course and put it online. You run a report on your course a few days later and discover that nobody has opened it. Then you send a personal reminder to each student, emphasizing the importance of the content - and still get only a few views.

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As an e-learning pro, you're always looking for new ways to connect with learners, to grab their attention and keep them engaged so they can get the most out of your courses.

So how do you hook your learners right from the start, so they're motivated-and maybe even excited-about learning something new? Let's take a look at some tried-and-true techniques.

1. A Surprising Fact

One way to grab your learners' attention is to start off with a surprising fact. This could be something that most people don't know or that challenges a commonly held belief.

Here are a few example courses that use this simple but effective method.
View example View example View example View example and download template View example
2. An Eye-Catching Animation

Another way to catch your learner's eye is by using animations. This could be anything from a simple GIF to a more elaborate combination of moving objects.

Take a peek at these effective examples for inspiration.
View example View example View example View example View example View example View example and download template
3. An Intriguing Video

There's something captivating about the combination of imagery, animations, and audio in a video that captures attention.

Here are a few examples of using compelling video footage.
View example View example View example
4. A Realistic Scenario

Scenarios invite learners to interact and understand the practical application of the content you're sharing. But they don't need to be buried in the middle of the course! Use them to kick-start your course, or as the basis for your entire course.

See for yourself how engaging this technique can be by checking out the examples below.
View example View example View example View example
5. A Thought-Provoking Question (or Two!)

Asking curious questions is a great way to start a conversation-and an e-learning course. Questions pique the learner's interest in your course right off the bat!

You can use questions that you write on the screen, inviting learners to reflect on their own, or ask quiz questions learners must answer to move forward in the course. It's up to you to decide what makes the most sense for your situation.

Here are some examples to get your creative wheels spinning.
View example View example View example
6. A Stimulating Challenge

When faced with a challenge, most people are naturally motivated to solve it. That's why challenging your learners from the start can be a really powerful engagement strategy.

These two courses will give you ideas on how to go about it.
View example View example
7. A Powerful Quote

Having trouble coming up with the exact words to say? Then find a relevant quote and include it in your course. Sharing the wisdom of others can be inspiring and give your content instant credibility.

Here's an example course that starts with a quote from the Declaration of Independence.
View example
8. An Unexpected or Unique Interaction

Most e-learning courses behave in a similar way . . . a Start button here, a Next button there. And while that makes it easy for learners to know how to move forward, it can also be a little boring. Why not throw in a couple of surprises? As long as navigation is still clear, there's no harm in shaking things up!

Here are a couple examples to show you what I mean.
View example View example
9. A Humorous Image or Statement

People love to laugh, but humor can be hard to get right in a corporate setting, so many course designers shy away from it. However, if you strike the right balance and ensure your humor is appropriate, it can be a great way to catch people off guard and leave them wanting more.

Here's a great example of that.
View example View example
10. Evoke an Emotional Response

A lot of our memories are derived from life experiences and how they made us feel. For this reason, starting with something that learners emotionally connect with can be a good way to get them to engage with your course. And if you continue on that path throughout the course, they're more likely to retain what they learn.

Check out these courses for some tips on appealing to your learners' emotions.
View example View example View example
More Resources

This list of attention-getters is far from exhaustive, but it's a good place to start! And if you looked at the examples I shared, you probably noticed that course designers often use a combination of these ideas to maximize their effect. As you're deciding how to capture your learners' attention, make sure to keep your subject matter, learning objectives, and audience in mind. After all, those should always be your guiding principles as you design your course!

If you're looking for more examples of attention-getters, be sure to check out E-Learning Challenge #279: 23 Creative Ways to Motivate and Grab Attention in E-Learning Courses.

And for more instructional design tips, check out the following articles:

Follow us on Twitter and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning. If you have any questions, please share them in the comments.

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10 E-Learning Attention-Getters That Really Work - E-Learning Heroes

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As an e-learning pro, you're always looking for new ways to connect with learners, to grab their attention and keep them engaged so they can get the most out of your courses. So how do you hook your learners right from the start, so they're motivated-and maybe even excited-about learning something new?

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If you make videos - especially how-to and explainer videos - you will almost certainly need to record voice overs. In fact, depending on how many videos you create, you may have to do a lot of voice over work.

For many people, the thought of recording their voice and sharing it with the world is horrifying. Or at least genuinely uncomfortable.

But it doesn't have to be difficult or stressful!

So how do you record voice overs that grab and keep your audience's attention?

You're about to find out!
Here's what you"ll learn:
What is a voice over?

A voice over recording (often just "voice over") is a person speaking (but not seen) during a video - often describing, highlighting, explaining, or providing additional context to what a viewer sees.

It's often confused (or equated) with narration. And, while they are similar, they are not quite the same thing.

Narration is a specific type of voice over that describes all of the on-screen action, often telling a story based on what's happening.

Non-narration voice overs are more common with instructional, informational, and educational videos, while narration is more commonly used for entertainment.

An easy way to think about it: All narration is a voice over, but not all voice overs are narration.

Why is a good voice over important for your video?

Some might think that the audio portion of a video is less important than the visual portions, but that's not true.

Most video watchers say they are more likely to stop watching a video with bad audio vs. lower-quality video.

In fact, a recent TechSmith study of video viewing habits showed that more than 25% of video viewers watched a video all the way through because the audio was good - more than those who said professional video style was most important.

It's really not that surprising. While the on-screen elements of your video are what makes it a video, in many cases, it's the voice over that helps people truly understand what's being shown.

Muddy, muffled, or otherwise garbled or difficult-to-understand audio tracks are frustrating to viewers. And, for people who are blind, but still need the information your video provides, good audio is absolutely essential for their consumption.

So great audio isn't just important. It's necessary to keep an audience interested and engaged - and to ensure they learned what they needed to.

Do I need a professional voice talent for great voice over?

The short answer: No.

Just because quality voice over is important for the success of your video, that doesn't mean you need to go to great lengths to get it.

A lot of people think you need to have one of those super-snazzy radio voices to do good voice overs for your videos.

That just isn't true. Sure, if you have the budget and you're making professional videos, you can hire professional voice over talent But it's really not necessary.

Using the tips in this guide, you'll discover that most videos don't need professional voice over. You can do it yourself!

So, how can you record your voice over a video?

It helps to know what good voice over is.

The essential elements of a good voice over

When most of us think of great video voice overs, we probably think of great actors like Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones. We tend to associate voice over with having a really great voice. And, while that can help, it's not necessary.

In fact, with practice, nearly anyone can do professional-quality voice over work.

Great video voice audio over comprises several elements:

Audio clarity and volume

Pacing

Vocal tone and inflection

Pronunciation

1. Audio clarity and volume

The clarity of your voice and a comfortable volume may be the most essential parts of great audio. If your voice over recording is fuzzy or muddy sounding, it will be difficult for people to understand. Audiences will be distracted and unable to absorb the information or may simply move on. Either way, they miss your message and you miss an opportunity to share what your knowledge.

Similarly, if your audio's volume is too low, it may be difficult for people to hear. Too loud and you risk annoying distortion.

Luckily, there's a pretty solid sweet spot for volume. See the section on recording your voice over for more information on audio levels.

2. Pacing

Ever talk with someone who has a really exciting story to tell, but they're so excited about it that they rush through it and when they're done you can't even remember what they were talking about? Or, someone who drones on and on with no end in sight, threatening to put you to sleep?

This is pacing. Too fast and your audience won't know what hit them. To slow and they're likely to get bored. The best voice overs have a natural and deliberate pace. Start with a script and practice it before you record to help you speak at a more natural pace.

And remember, pacing also includes things like pausing occasionally to take a breath, for effect, or just to give them listener a break to process important information.

3. Vocal tone and inflection

Like pacing, vocal tone and inflection refer to ensuring you speak in a natural and pleasant manner. You want to be friendly and engaging, but not so much that you sound fake.

No one wants to sound like a game show host. But, you also want to avoid monotone robot voice which, like pacing that's too slow, can be boring and off-putting for listeners.

4. Pronunciation and enunciation

The final element of great voice over work is ensuring that you pronounce each word correctly and that you speak clearly enough to be understood. Avoid mumbling - but don't shout or over-enunciate, either.

Be mindful of your regional accent (yes, we all have them) and pronunciations as they relate to your audience. While it's perfectly acceptable to "warsh" your hands in Missouri or have a great "idear" in New England, those pronunciations may confuse people from other locations.

Don't worry, though. No one expects you to sound like a professional voice actor. The best thing you can do is speak naturally and clearly and the rest will follow with practice.

How can I make my voice sound better on voice overs?

This is the number-one issue most people bring up when they have to do voice over work for their video.

Let's face it. Most of us rarely have to hear our own voices in audio recordings. We're used to the rich, warm sound of our own voices in our own ears. There's no way around the fact that you sound different on recording that you do to yourself.

So how do you stop hating the sound of your own voice?

The answer, unfortunately, is that you just have to get used to it.

Think of it this way: Your voice on recordings is how you actually sound to everyone around you. When you speak to others, that's what they hear. the only one who hears a difference is you.

So, there's really nothing to be embarrassed about, is there?

In all seriousness, though, everyone who does voice work has to overcome this hurdle. Luckily, like most things, it gets easier the more you do it. Do enough voice over work and soon your voice on recordings will sound almost as natural to you as the one you hear in your ears.

If you simply can't get over it, though. You can always enlist the help of another person. You can grab a friend or colleague, or you can even hire a professional to do the work for you.

How to record a voice over

1. Preparing to record

Not all videos need a ton of preparation. Quick one-off screencasts or a fast demonstration of a new user interface for a colleague probably can be done mostly on the fly.

But, for videos where you want a more polish or that need to cover more information, a bit of preparation goes a long way.

Find a quiet place to work

I'm sure you've seen what a typical recording studio looks like. Professional voice over artists typically have a room somewhere with walls covered in sound-absorbing foam, a fancy microphone setup with a pop screen and a computer workstation that looks like it could be straight out of NASA's Mission Control.

Luckily, you don't have to go that far to achieve great results. You can create a great voice recording space with minimal effort and very little expenditure.

Most importantly, you want a space free of distracting noises and where you aren't likely to be interrupted. Most decent microphones pick up even faint ambient sounds, and those sounds will ultimately make it into your recording.

If your space is at work, avoid areas where you can hear your coworkers conversing, etc. Or, plan to record when no one else is in the office.

Wherever you are, be mindful of the sounds of your heating and cooling system. If you can't find a spot where you can't hear air rushing through your ducts, you may want to shut down your furnace or AC for the duration of your recording.

If your recording space is near a window, listen for sounds from outside, such as wind, birds chirping, dogs barking, etc. Be especially mindful of traffic sounds - especially loud delivery trucks. They will definitely show up in your recording.

No place is totally silent, so find the best place you can - even if that means thinking outside the box.

I have a friend who regularly records his podcast in his car. He lives in a small house with dogs and kids, so there really isn't anywhere else quiet enough. He takes his laptop and mic out to his driveway, shuts himself in the car and records. The results are surprisingly good!

Choose a microphone

Next, you need a decent microphone. I won't go too in-depth with this, but my colleague Matt Pierce did an amazing post on choosing a good mic.

That said, if at all possible, try not to record your voice over using your laptop microphone. While built-in mics are fine for Skype meetings and the like, you will get much better results with even a low-cost external microphone.

Even your smart phone's earbuds will give you a better sound than just your computer's built-in mic.

You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars, either. You can get a very nice USB microphone for between $50-$100. If you will be doing a lot of voice over work, it's well worth the investment.

If you intend to use an external mic, I also recommend investing in a pop filter. They're cheap and they help minimize the distracting sounds caused by hard consonants such as "p" and "b."

Choose your audio software

There's no shortage of audio recording software on the market and most of them do relatively the same things.

But, for most of us, these will be far too complicated and will have too high a learning curve to to be of practical use.

That's why I highly recommend TechSmith Audiate.

TechSmith Audiate

TechSmith Audiate takes voice over recording and editing to an entirely different level by transcribing your voice in real time - as you record.

There are no unnecessary settings to figure out, no confusing and complicated interface.

Just click the record button and start talking. It's really that simple.

Then, you can literally edit your audio just like you would edit text in a document.

So, rather than staring at a wave form and trying to figure out exactly what you said and where, you can see it right on your screen.

And check out this game-changer: Audiate even automatically flags all your "ums," "uhs," and other hesitations so you can easily find and delete them.

You can even delete them all at once.

But Audiate's simplicity doesn't mean you lose out on power or control. You can do finer edits and adjustments, too.

Already have a voice over recorded? That's no problem. Import your recording into Audiate and it will transcribe it for you.

When you're done, save your audio file and import it into Camtasia. You can even export the edited text as a transcript or as an SRT file for captions.

I've been doing video and audio recording work for years and I'm quite comfortable using professional audio recording software. But if I'm doing voice over work, you can bet I'm using Audiate because it's the best and easiest way to record voice overs.

TechSmith Camtasia

Camtasia has an audio recorder built in that will allow you to record your voice as you record your screen when appropriate. You can also record your voice over by itself. You can even edit your audio right in the Camtasia editor.

2. Write a script

Having a script is probably the single most important thing you can do to ensure your voice over sounds professional. Nothing ruins a good voice over faster than a lot of hemming and hawing or 23 umms in a row as you try to remember what you wanted to say next.

The best scripts will include word-for-word everything you intend to say. Taking the time to write this out before recording helps ensure that you will cover everything you want to without the danger of meandering off into unrelated topics.

Outline the points you want to make and then write the full script based on that outline.

A script also gives you a chance to practice.

Read your script aloud several times before you record. Be mindful of words or phrases that may feel awkward or difficult to say. A script often sounds and feels different when read aloud vs. in your head.

Then adjust your script as necessary and you're ready to record.

This great blog post will give you more information on writing your script.

3. Do a test recording

Now that all the essential tools are in place, it's time to record your voice over!

Before you get down to the real thing, though, do a test recording to ensure your equipment works properly and your audio levels are good.

Even if nothing has changed from the last time you did a voice over, it's still a best practice to test first. I've skipped this step myself and then discovered after my recording was finished that something wasn't set up properly and I had to go back and do it again.

You don't need to record the entire script for your test recording, but a few paragraphs will give you enough to ensure that the audio is clear, at an appropriate level, and doesn't include any stray or ambient noises.

Important: When you listen back to your test recording, use headphones to check the audio quality. Your computer speakers will not be good enough for this. Headphones allow you to listen closely to ensure clear audio - especially for things like weird room noises and such.

Obviously, you want the audio to sound good on even the cheapest speaker, but you (and your audience) will be much happier if you use headphones to check for quality.

Remember, a good portion of your video viewers will listen via headphones, so you want to be sure they'll have an optimal experience.

Microphone placement

You also want to consider where to place your microphone. Too close to the person speaking and it will be subject to all kinds of weird mouth noises and air puffs. Too far away and it may sound lost in a large room.

Ideally, place the microphone about six to eight inches from the person's mouth, and slightly below their chin.

If you're using a LAV (clip-on mic), make sure it's about six to eight inches below the speaker's mouth.

Be mindful, too, of the surface where you place your mic. Some microphone stands will be quite susceptible to picking up noises from the desk or table they're sitting on. Listen for those types of sounds on your test recording.

Check your volume levels

Proper volume level for your audio ensures that it's easily heard and not distorted. Too low and people will have trouble hearing what you say. Too high and you risk garbled audio or blowing out your viewers' ear drums.

While you can adjust levels as necessary when you edit your audio, starting with the best possible audio level as you record is always your best bet.

The folks over at Premium Beat have a great post on recommended audio levels setting s, but here are a few basics.

1. Audio levels are measured in decibels (db).

2. In audio editing, 0db is actually the maximum you want to achieve. Weird, eh?

3. For the most part, your ideal audio level is between -10db to -20db. Your audio should peak around -6db.

4. Never go above 0db, as your audio will distort or "clip."

Most audio recording software will have indicators that let you know when your audio is in danger of being too loud and clipping.

The image above shows the TechSmith Camtasia interface with the waveform (a graphical representation of your audio recording) on the left and the level indicator on the right.

The indicator shows that the audio peaked at just under -6db and is well within the acceptable levels.

4. Record your voice over

Once you're satisfied with your microphone placement and audio test, you're ready to record your voice over!

Seriously! Do it!

With Audiate, it's as simple as clicking the record button and speaking.

As you record your script, remember these key tips for ensuring a great voice over:

Speak slowly and clearly. Enunciate each word, but don't concentrate on it so much you sound like a robot.

Consider your tone. You want to sound pleasant, but not overjoyed or overly excited. Pro tip: Smiling while you read your script can help you sound happier and more natural.

Don't stop if you make a mistake or misspeak. You don't have to start over! You can always fix it when you edit. Just go back a sentence or two in your script and start again. Pro tip: Remember, with TechSmith Audiate, you'll be able to see and edit your voice over s text, so you can easily go back and fix any mistakes when you're done.

If you struggle with the script or it just gets too hard to keep going, pause your recording and take a break. Rewrite any parts of the script that may be giving you too much trouble and try it again.

As with anything, voice overs get easier the more you do them. Don't give up if it's not perfect the first time!

5. Edit your audio

When you finish recording, it's time to edit. Even if you made no mistakes, there are likely a few things to fix. At the very least, you'll want to trim the beginning and end to remove any dead space.

Again, Audiate makes it so easy to edit. The video below gives a great overview of how to work in Audiate.

With traditional audio software, you have to hunt through your recording to find your mistakes and edit them out individually. Even a short video could take an hour or more to edit depending on how complicated your edits were.

Traditional audio software only displays your recording as an audio wave, making it much more difficult to edit your audio.

But with Audiate, you can just read the text and highlight and delete any mistakes you find.

With Audiate, you can still edit with the wave form if you like but you can see that the text is displayed, allowing you to more easily see where to make your edits.

Also notice that the Audiate interface is so much less complicated and than in the first example.

When I edit my voice over audio, I like to listen to the entire recording from start to finish before I start making any changes.

I may make notes here and there to remind myself of something I want to go back and edit, but this time through I really just want to concentrate on the overall pacing and tone of the recording.

Does it sound like I hoped? Did I rush or speak too slowly? Did I flub any words, or did I mumble or misspeak? Are there weird silences or unknown or errant sounds?

Next, go back to the beginning and start editing out your mistakes. I also like to edit out any abnormally long silences between sentences or statements and any weird sounds that don't belong.

Remember, though, that pauses are ok (and even necessary) to help break up the audio and make it feel more natural and conversational.

To learn more about this, check out this cool post on reducing audio noise in your recordings.

6. Import your audio into your video editor

In Camtasia, importing and working with audio is as simple as a couple of clicks. For more information, check out this post on syncing audio and video in Camtasia.

That's it! You've successfully recorded your voice over!

Don't forget the captions and audio transcription

I noted above that a large portion of your audience will listen to your video via headphones. But, what if I told that there's a high likelihood that a large number may watch your video with no sound at all?

And, there will always be viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

This is why captioning your video and providing an audio transcription are so important. For those who can't or otherwise won't listen to the audio elements of your video, captions and transcriptions give them the opportunity to get all of the information your video provides.

And it's another reason that TechSmith Audiate is such a helpful tool.

With other audio tools, you would likely have to send your audio out to a professional transcription service to have your audio file transcribed and timestamped. Even if you typed out a full script, it won't have the necessary time stamps to be used as a captions file.

But with Audiate, the transcription happens automatically, complete with time stamps for captions.

Once you've recorded and edited your voice over, you can export that transcription as a caption (.SRT) file and import it directly into Camtasia. Camtasia then automatically inserts the captions into your video.

How's it feel to be a voice over pro?

Recording voice overs like a pro is easy when you know how to do it and you have the right tools.

Taking the proper steps before you hit the record button and then taking the time to edit your audio appropriately will go a long way to ensuring your voice overs sound professional and engaging.

And remember, practice makes perfect! The more you do it, the more natural it will become.
Note: This post was updated in October 2020 to include new information.

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How to Do Voice Overs Like a Pro: The Complete Guide

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If you make videos - especially how-to and explainer videos - you will need to record voice overs. In fact, depending on how many videos you create, you may have to do a lot of them. From prep to recording and editing, learn the secrets to doing voice overs that grab - and keep - your audience's attention.

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Video-Based Training Is Back In A Big Way

The rise in remote work has necessitated a transition to virtual training. But no one can spend an entire day on a live Zoom training, as was previously the norm with in-person training. There is a greater need for more asynchronous learning. Enter video-based training, which is seeing a resurgence in popularity for a wider range of topics.

Producing videos involves significant time and financial investment. For these reasons, it is important to know what good looks like if you're going to start producing videos.

My goal in this article is to share my insights from over a decade of working on corporate training solutions, primarily using video-based training. I've also included video clips so you can see and hear the difference for yourself!

I've spent hours talking to film school graduates and I kept being recommended the seminal textbook on the topic of filmmaking: Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics by Herbert Zettl. In his book, he identifies 5 interconnected aesthetic fields or dimensions in which to study the art of filmmaking:

Using Zettl's five dimensions, I am going to cover 5 principles and show how to apply these film school techniques to video-based training. Click each link to jump to the relevant section.

1. Conveying feeling through color

2. Applying the rule of thirds to manage essential processing

3. Manipulating point of view (POV) and camera angles to convey new information about characters

4. Varying rhythm and momentum to control your narrative

5. Using sound to convey new information

First up is how you can convey feeling efficiently using color to manage cognitive load.

How To Convey Feeling Through Color

This is a simple trick you can employ in your videos right away to significantly reduce the time you might otherwise have to spend in the script describing the mood of a character. Use color grading in post-production to signify certain feelings. Say you want to show the consequences of incorrect action. Or you want to give your learner a sense of having achieved something. In both cases, simple color grading can do a lot of the work for you.

How To Use The Rule Of Thirds To Manage Essential Processing

Managing essential processing is one of the most crucial aspects of learning design, and part of that involves selecting and organizing information that is relevant to the objective of a lesson. You can follow the rule of thirds to strategically position the most important information or object for a learner.

Use the tips outlined in this next video to thoughtfully position subjects for interviews, place text on screen, or focus attention on diagrams or animation.

How To Use POV And Camera Angles To Convey New Information About Characters

Next up, let's dig into how to use depth and volume to manipulate POV and angles to convey new information about characters.

I'm going to use two narrated clips from this original in-depth video essay on the movie The Imposter to demonstrate this technique. The first video shows you how the filmmaker uses a different POV for all characters except the "bad guy."

Why Do You Think This Is So?

This is a subtle way to influence how you feel about a character. Without using dialogue, you can tell a lot about your character by their placement on the screen and the way they interact with the camera. Check out the next video clip to see what I mean.

Wow. Notice how the background for the "bad guy" is blurred? There's some great symbolism right there with his history being such a mystery. The fact that he looks you in the eye while the other characters look off-camera also has a profound effect on your relationship to the characters. If you've watched the movie, you will see how persuasive this guy is. If you haven't watched it yet, you'll have to check it out to see if he's telling the truth at the end there.

Finally, let's explore what Herbert Zettl refers to as the 4th and 5th dimensions of film-making-motion and sound.

How To Use Rhythm And Momentum To Control Your Narrative

The 4th dimension of motion can best be applied to transitions between scenes in learning videos. Using rhythm, momentum, and directional movement, the legendary director Edgar Wright is able to transport his viewers through time and space in a seamless piecing together of his narrative.

We are often limited by attention spans reducing our total learning time. Smart use of transitions between scenes can be a way to speed up the action and link together learning objectives in a seamless way.

How To Use Sound To Convey New Information

The 5th dimension of sound concerns how to convey additional information in much the same way camera angles and POV can convey meaning. Watch (and listen) how the writers and sound designers for A Quiet Place incorporated sound to tell their story.

In video-based training, we often use sound effects to set the scene, adding depth and context to an office scene for example with the background hum associated with offices. You can also explore using indicative sound effects (think ping! or ding!) to draw the learner's attention to key learning outcomes.

There you have it: 5 lenses through which to review your video-based training so you can now feel more confident you know what good looks like.

Originally published at curiouslionlearning.com.

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Video-Based Training Using Film Techniques - eLearning Industry

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The rise in remote work has necessitated a transition to virtual training. But no one can spend an entire day on a live Zoom training, as was previously the norm with in-person training. There is a greater need for more asynchronous learning. Enter video-based training, which is seeing a resurgence in popularity for a wider range of topics.

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Can you even remember the last time you sat in a classroom training or conference event? It feels like years ago, right? I know a lot of people who rely on in-person education and they're now asking me - "how do I convert this into online learning?"

For example, I have a sales coach friend who used to deliver live business development workshops but now needs to do it over Zoom and is trying to figure it out

The best piece of advice I can give is this:

"Don't try to cover the knowledge, uncover it."

A digital environment is vastly different from a classroom setting, primarily from the perspective of the learner. Your approach to designing your training should, therefore, be vastly different too.

If there is nothing else you take away from this article, let this be it: join your audience on a journey of discovery. Prompt them to ask the right questions. Guide them by asking open questions. Map out the journey for them. But let them discover the path.

For those looking for more practical guidance on how to do this, let's get into it.
If you want to jump straight to the 5 steps, click here.
This guide is for anyone that transfers knowledge to others.

You're an expert in your domain. Perhaps you're in charge of talent development at the company you work for. Perhaps educating prospects is part of your business development strategy as a business owner.

You can no longer rely on gathering people and delivering training the way you've always done. The energy in that room. The ability for people to feed off each other and learn from each other. It's going to be different now.

But it's not all a bad thing.

There is an opportunity here that a few of our clients at Curious Lion have taken advantage of already. Most early adopters of online training solutions do so to save on costs of flying people around for live training - the dollar costs, but also the time costs. Sometimes there is only one subject matter expert who can't be in twenty places at the same time.

So what are the benefits of transferring your knowledge in online training?

By eliminating logistics like flights, accommodation, meeting space, and presentation technology, you can reach way more people with just a computer and a Zoom account.

Anyone, anywhere in the world, can log in to watch and participate in your learning experience. And as you will see, if you design the experience intentionally, you may even increase the knowledge transfer you are used to seeing.

We'll discuss live virtual sessions later in this post, but with online learning, you open up the possibility of participants viewing recorded sessions at their own pace in their own time.

Suddenly, your learning experience is available to anyone in any timezone. You can be teaching and training 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

We've all seen it in classroom settings, especially in the after-lunch session. Glazed-over eyes, drooping eyelids, nodding heads. These are the obvious signs, but how do you really know anyone is paying attention?

With online learning. you can measure intangibles like attention. You can track this by looking at active windows, clicks, playtime of videos, and participation in interactive elements like polls.

With the ability to measure comes the ability to improve. You can pinpoint the exact slide where your participants lose focus. You can ask for feedback through simple online voting or instant feedback questions.

It is far easier to give feedback online, in-the-moment than by filling out a post-session paper questionnaire. Likewise, it is far easier to implement feedback digitally, where assets are editable, than having to wait for your next in-person session to test your changes.

When you have a question or want to learn something, where do you turn?

If you're like 86% of YouTube's massive user base , that's where you go. This trend is increasing. In fact, Cisco predicts that by 2022, video will account for 82% of all internet traffic.

You can now watch live TV on your phone. It's clear that if you want to reach an audience, video is the most familiar digital medium for consuming training content.

Video may be the number one way to consume information, but do people retain it?

John Medina, in his book Brain Rules , shows that we remember only 10% of the information we hear three days later. If the audio is paired with a relevant image, knowledge retention jumps to 65% three days later.

For all the reasons highlighted above - the ability to scale your reach to larger audiences, the ability to cross multiple timezones, the ability to measure the success of your online learning offering and improve upon it - you're creating a digital asset. Think of the time and money you need to develop it as an investment that will continue to pay off over time.

There are a few fundamental differences, from the perspective of the learner, between consuming content in-person versus online. We need to consider these carefully before going about creating a great online learning course.

Perhaps the most important area of research to refresh ourselves on is how the human mind processes information.

There are three states of memory that we need to consider: sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory.

Our goal, of course, is to embed knowledge in the long-term memory of our learners, so what do we need to keep in mind as we set out to do this?

There are 3 things, actually. They are the concepts of dual-channel, limited capacity, and active processing.

1. Dual-channel - we have separate channels for processing verbal and visual information.

2. Limited capacity - there is only a limited amount of processing capacity available in the verbal and visual channels (working memory).

3. - learning requires the use of both verbal and visual channels to pay attention to presented material, organize it into a structure that makes sense, and Active processing integrate it with prior knowledge

The key is that in a virtual setting, visual and verbal information is originating from the same source: the computer. There is no presenter walking around a room, no flipchart or slideshow to look at as a break from the presenter. There are no participant questions randomly asked out loud.

There is simply one source of information, which is coming at you in both a visual and verbal form, and there is distraction. It's binary in a virtual setting, and as a result, we need to follow certain principles for designing multimedia training, which we will go over later in this piece.

So how do we overcome the limited capacity of working memory?

Your digital content competes with every other piece of digital content out there, from Facebook posts, to YouTube videos, to Instagram images, to tweets.

First, capture your learner's attention. This is essential to be able to stimulate active processing. The most effective way to do this is to connect with someone on an emotional level.

Video has a powerful quality to tap into emotion. The combination of images, music, and sounds can elevate any written text or spoken word into a potent concoction that captivates emotion.

Emotion shapes the information we receive in that when our emotions are aroused, our attention is heightened. Attention is one of the most valuable commodities we possess. With all the competing distractions, any good teacher must spend time thinking about how to capture and hold the attention of their learners.

Emotional connection produces motivation. For learners to become and remain motivated, digital instruction needs to satisfy four conditions. It must:

Knowing the prior knowledge levels of your audience will help you keep your content relevant. Promote confidence by including knowledge checks and opportunities for feedback throughout. And by using entertainment as well as education, you can produce a more satisfying learning experience.

Autonomy - our desire to direct our own lives.

Mastery - the urge to make progress and get better at something that matters.

Purpose - the yearning to do what we do for a higher purpose that is larger than ourselves.

Motivated learners engage more with content, finish courses in less time and retain more of the knowledge after the course. These are some pretty great reasons to use a blended approach in your training (more on this later).

Everything from working through problem-solving scenarios, to participating in a facilitated discussion, to pausing and replaying sections of videos helps promote active learning.

Do you feel like you have a handle on what a learner needs in a virtual environment?

We're now in a good position to discuss design, or more specifically, instructional design.
This is where you should be spending most of your time.
Even if you work in a talent development role and are familiar with these concepts, it is worth refreshing yourself on these fundamentals as they're going to become even more important in designing online learning.

Remember that piece of advice I gave earlier?

"Don't try to cover the knowledge, uncover it."

You need to think critically about how you're going to uncover knowledge for your learners.

According to Hattie and Yates (2014) , the necessary ingredients for learning are:

I know you probably want to jump to the how-to guide of this article but stay with me here because this part is important.

Before we get into the step-by-step on how to develop an online learning course, it's important to build a firm understanding of two things: (1) fundamental instructional design concepts, and (2) multimedia principles for managing cognitive load.

There are seven crucial concepts to keep front of mind as you embark on designing your online learning course.

Let's explore each of them to lay the foundation for the approach we're going to follow.

Prior knowledge

Educational psychologist David Ausubel said:

" The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach accordingly."

We construct understanding by building on the knowledge we have.

Think about the first time you learned a new language. In the beginning, you have no prior knowledge. Learning vocabulary and the proper use of tense is demanding. But as you develop experience with the language, you start to take things for granted. You "just know" how to construct a sentence. Of course, that's your prior knowledge coming to the rescue.

Therefore, taking the time to understand the prior knowledge levels of your audience is an important first step.

Pattern recognition

There is a classic result in cognitive science which shows that chess masters can recall briefly presented positions better than novice players when those positions are actual chess games, but that their superiority disappears with random board positions.

You can influence pattern recognition by organizing your content intentionally. Like the table of contents in a book, the organization of your course sets your learner up with an outline of what they will learn, and serves as an easily referenced reminder of what they've covered and where they're headed.

Principles over facts

True understanding cannot be reduced to sets of isolated facts or propositions.

Understanding reflects context and applies differently in different circumstances.

If you had a similar high school or college to me, you were confronted with a barrage of lists to memorize. Countries and capitals. Steps to complete a procedure. Definitions.

To demonstrate your understanding, you had to regurgitate these from rote memory.

This ability is pretty much worthless in the age of Google, Alexa, and Siri.

The transfer of true knowledge occurs through an understanding rather than a memorization of facts or a thoughtless following of fixed procedures.

Understanding promotes flexibility when contexts change. When faced with a new problem you are more likely to internalize concepts if you have to deconstruct and reorganize them to solve the problem.

Motivation

Concentration spans are short. In fact, most of us have a maximum span of 15-20 minutes before our minds begin to wander.

Learning requires motivation and it is your job to put the right elements in place to motivate learners to return their attention to the topic at hand.

The rule for motivation is that all creative decisions made in the production of online learning material must be motivated based on their impact on the learner.

Scaffolding

interaction with you, or the expert you're featuring;

your awareness of the learner's current level of knowledge (there it is again); and

the gradual removal of support and guidance as the learner becomes more proficient.

The idea here is that you set your students up with all the support and guidance they need and then gradually remove it over time, just like if you were teaching them to ride a bike with training wheels.

Deliberate practice & retrieval

Spaced repetition

Trying to learn something in a single block of time isn't nearly as effective as learning that same thing, in shorter blocks of time spread out over a longer period.

Think back to when you learned how to drive a car.

Do you think you'd learn more from a 3-hour driving session, or 6 days of 30-minutes a day, with the opportunity to reflect on how you did in between?

As we'll see, once you've identified your key learning points, the more you can repeat them, the more effective your online learning will be in transferring knowledge.

Let's move on to the second category learning design theory and then we'll be ready to dive into our 5-step process.

Our minds respond well to multimedia inputs. As we've discussed earlier, images convey information 60,000 times faster than words.

Luckily, we have the work of one of the most published researchers in online learning, Richard Mayer, to refer to here.

Clearly, his findings are going to be instrumental in our design, so let's do a quick refresh of them here:

- for complex topics, especially where there is a Front-load it low level of prior knowledge, Pretraining principle studies have proven that those that received definitions and concepts upfront (followed by a focus on the causal connections between concepts in the rest of the lesson) had higher knowledge retention than those that did not.

If you want to explore these concepts in more depth, check out our post packed with examples analogizing each of these 8 principles.

Ok, we covered a lot in that section on instructional design. Do you feel like you have a clearer picture of the tools at your disposal? Revisit that section as you develop your online learning. Let it be the north star for your design. For more on the development process see our complete guide on training material development.

Let's now explore the additional tools in your toolbox for delivering the best possible experience for your learners.

Great for: managing cognitive load and motivation.

Taking full advantage of the benefits we discussed earlier, recorded video, whether in the form of live-action (think human actors or talking heads) or animation, is one of the most powerful tools any learning leader has.

Images are more powerful than written words. Consider the word 'lion' and this image.

We're talking milliseconds for this single word, but you processed the image of the lion 60,000 faster than the word. Now add in the ability to show 25-100 frames (images) per second like you can with video, and you have an extremely efficient delivery mechanism for information!

Beyond efficiency, video has a significantly more powerful quality that we can take advantage of - video connects with you on an emotional level. Emotion helps shape what we pay attention to. Attention, as we've seen, is one of the most valuable commodities we possess.

Finally, delivering content in a micro-format (short series of videos covering sections of content) allows you to take advantage of a learner's moments of need as they access content when needed in a continuous learning cycle.

Great for: capturing attention and interaction.

On the other end of the broadcast spectrum is the live stream, typically through a tool like Zoom or Google Hangouts. This is often referred to as a webinar for larger groups, but can be used as an interactive training for groups of 10-20.

By default, this option is synchronous, meaning your participants are joining in real-time and interacting with you and each other. Of course, you can record these sessions and make them available for playback, capitalizing on the benefits of asynchronous delivery we touched on earlier.

Audience interaction is the big plus here. With a live webinar, you can ask your participants questions and have them respond in the chat, or directly through their mics. You can also invite them to work together in groups, which is a powerful way to facilitate social learning.

Another great reason to use a live webinar tool like Zoom is if you have a call-to-action (CTA) that you want to make at the end. It is much easier to capture and hold attention in a live setting, giving you the perfect opportunity to present your CTA and motivate why your learners should take the next step.

Great for: concentrated study, factual information.

have shown that print is most suitable for concentrated study, at an individual pace, of information with fine detail, such as diagrams, and equations, or where learners will benefit from random access for skimming or revising material.

Examples include PDFs, infographics, workbooks and study guides.

Great for: attention, motivation and curiosity!

Finally, it is worth pointing out that not all content needs to be custom-created.

Companies like Degreed pioneered the idea of a platform to make corporate learning content easy to find through curation. Instead of creating everything from scratch, pull in content from across the web (both free and paid) to supplement your core expertise.

Remember, you're on a journey of discovery with your audience, and your job is to surface the right knowledge at the right time for them. Much of it is already out there.

Are you ready for the guide?

I've arranged this as a checklist. As Alfred Whitehead once said: "Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking of them." My goal here is to provide a resource you can refer back to such that, over time, you don't need to think about how you develop online learning. You just do it.

1. Identify the building blocks of your course.

2. Outline sections that each have a distinct learning objective.

3. Pick your media, delivery format, and tone.

4. Storyboard or script how you're going to transfer your knowledge. a. Craft a narrative flow for your content. b. Apply multimedia principles for managing cognitive load. c. If you are using video, follow filming guidelines for rapid video development. d. Provide ways for learners to practice in new contexts. e. Provide opportunities for interaction with the expert. f. Check on the progress of your learners by performing regular knowledge checks. g. Promote community by encouraging students to give feedback to each other.

5. Consider how you will reinforce learning after the course.

Let's dive into each of these in more detail.

It's important to start with an inventory of everything you're going to use in creating your training.

The content itself is an obvious starting point - slide decks, PDF's, workbooks, product documentation.

Now, shine a light on concepts and principles, not facts and formulas.

Finally, pinpoint the level of prior knowledge of your learners and anchor your content to this.

Armed with this information, you're now ready to map out your approach.

Media

Are you looking to capture attention, or increase motivation? Do you have a complex topic and need ways to manage cognitive load?

In instructional design, there is a concept known as a "blended approach". The principle here is that no single solution can meet all the learning needs of your audience. Instead, use a combination of multimedia to transfer the knowledge you're looking to transfer.

Use video to capture attention and explain complex topics.

Use live Zoom-based sessions to interact with your audience and provide them with opportunities to practice the concepts you teach.

Supplement your own content by including curated material from outside sources.

Delivery Format

There are five formats common in training videos:

The talking head format is what you see in news broadcasts.

Interviews and conversations have one major difference: usually there is only one person visible at a time in an interview whereas a conversation has both people on screen, like in a talk show.

Presenter formats are most often used in educational content and work best with visual aids.

Finally, action videos are primarily narrator driven, with visuals shown as support. Animated videos and documentaries are excellent examples of this.

Tone

The tone or mood of online learning is heavily influenced by the presenter's voice and body language, no matter what format you choose.

Consider tone from the perspective of the learner. Do you want your training to come across as formal or informal? Collaborative or instructional? Authoritative or exploratory? The answers to these questions will affect your scripting, so it is important to be clear on them during this step.

If you are going to feature an expert in your training, consider what brings out the best in the person presenting the video.

The following are a set of specific guidelines for the design of your storyboard or script. Some may be obvious, but in that case, treat this as a checklist to remind you to consider each without thinking about it every time.

Craft a narrative flow for your content.

Narrative flow works best within a structure:

The hook is where you capture attention by shocking, surprising, or delighting your audience. Entertain. Amuse. Create suspense. Grab your learner by the collar and drag them in.

Sensitizing your audience means facilitating a receptive mindset by being consistent. Music choice can signal changes in mood or topic. Familiar colors and images can also help sensitive an audience.

With these things in place, you can then explain the more complex topics of your content. Specify the implications and consequences you want learners to be aware of. Use comparisons and analogies to show relationships.

In online learning, repetition is a good thing. Reinforce your first principle points early and often.

Finally, conclude by linking everything back to your opening hook. Provide your audience with the dramatic climax they've been craving and summarize your key points one last time.

Apply multimedia principles for managing cognitive load.

Remember: Less is more. Every element in your training should serve a purpose. If it doesn't - cut it out!

Refer back to the 7 multimedia principles we covered earlier and make sure you are adhering to them when designing your learning assets.

For video-based learning, follow filming guidelines for rapid video development.

Framing - Proper framing is one of the simplest hacks to instantly improve any learning video. Just follow the rule of thirds .

The rule of thirds teaches you to split your screen into thirds vertically and horizontally. Most cameras have a gridline setting to do this for you. Then you place the most relevant information at the intersection points of the gridlines. These points carry magnetic "weight" that naturally draws our eyes.

Create a pleasing effect for the viewer by placing focal points, such as the eyes of a person, at these intersection points.

Some additional considerations for framing:

1. The edges of a frame are magnetic too. Objects too close to the edges will appear as if they're being pulled out of the screen. Leave space between the edges of your frame and your subject.

2. We read frames, just like text, from left to right. We pay more attention to the right of the screen (the last place our eye rests after a scan), so place your focal points there.

Background - The key to background is to add depth. Where the rule of thirds deals with the 2nd dimension of space, here we look at the 3rd dimension of depth.

Lighting - The classic lighting mistake is to point your camera at your subject with a light source behind them.

If you want to show an outside location in your frame, position your subject at an angle , and balance the light from the window with artificial light from the opposite direction.

There are 3 things to remember here:

1. Rely on natural light as much as possible.

2. Place the primary light source behind the camera.

3. Balance lighting across the frame to avoid shadows.

Sound - Sound can be used to convey all kinds of information to support the dialogue.

There are also three simple rules here:

1. Record any background noise for 10 seconds. This 'noise print' can be used later in editing to remove it from your final cut.

2. The subject and the microphone should be the same distance apart throughout. It may help to use a separate microphone from the one on your camera or phone. If you do this, make your editors life easier by clapping your hands at the start of filming to aid in syncing.

3. One more tip to help with editing: pause for longer than natural between takes.

Provide ways for learners to practice in new contexts.

These are the findings of Harvard professor of psychology B.F. Skinner.

Reinforce the behaviors you want learners to demonstrate by using scenarios and role-plays as ways to introduce new contexts in which to apply the knowledge they're gathering. These are equally effective in online learning when using a blended approach that also considers offline reinforcement. More on this in the final steps.

Experiencing content in multiple ways also helps learners to make meaningful connections between concepts, thus maximizing recall.

Incorporate group work into practice elements. Moving from the main class forum to a smaller group forum, which is often student-led, creates a less formal space and greater ease for connecting socially . When students communicate amongst themselves, they feel more at ease and equal to their peers .

Provide opportunities for interaction with the expert.

As access to information becomes more readily available in remote, asynchronous settings, learners assume more responsibility for their own learning.

As learners assume more responsibility, the role of the expert changes, shifting from an instructor and sole information source to a facilitator, coach or mentor.

Learners should be doing, building, or exploring in virtual settings. The design of your program should reflect that. Include ample opportunities for interventions like Q&A segments to allow learners to get answers to their questions; facilitated discussions to provide an opportunity to reflect and debate; and worked examples where the class can work through a problem together with the expert.

Check on the progress of your learners by performing regular knowledge checks.

Regular knowledge checks provide an instant "pulse check" for learners to calibrate their progress in your course.

In a digital environment, there are ample opportunities to embed knowledge checks in your presentation materials, in the courseware, and in the offline communications used to inform learners about the course.

But remember, these should be designed to test the knowledge level only. You should already be dedicating large portions of your online learning to facilitated discussions, worked examples and deliberate moments of reflection.

Use knowledge checks as pulse checks and you won't disrupt the flow you set up at the beginning of this framework.

Promote community by encouraging students to give feedback to each other.

The hardest part of learning anything is knowing what to do and when to do it. It's not access to content that's the problem. But you can't always respond to everyone in an individual capacity with online learning. Peers, support, and deadlines provide a structure to help you do this.

Encourage a "buddy" system, whereby learners pair up after the training and check-in with each other at regular intervals. Social exchanges serve to build cohesiveness.

Not only does this benefit the person receiving feedback, but the giver must apply what they've learned to be able to give constructive feedback.

Here are a few feedback frameworks you can use:

As we've seen, attention spans are severely tested in a digital environment. Your training videos should be bite-size (generally 2-5 minutes). Your live virtual sessions should be concise (generally 45-60 minutes).

As we've also seen, spacing out your online learning and repeating key concepts is a good instructional tactic.

Clearly, though, there is room for learning in the spaces between. The final step in designing your online learning course is to consider the support you will provide learners after the course is over.

The "buddy" system from the previous section continuously reinforces content through pre-designed interventions.

Office hours can be used to address follow-up questions from your learners. Typically hosted in online chat groups like Slack, Yammer, or even Facebook, it's many-to-many instead of one-to-many, produces a record of Q&As to refer back to, everyone can participate no matter where they are, and once the expert logs off the conversation usually continues. This is an excellent way to foster community.

Email check-ins can be pre-scheduled to go out to learners after the course to ask them how they are doing if they have any questions, and how they have applied the knowledge covered in the course.

Discussion boards are another asynchronous opportunity for engagement. Building these into the flow of your course can also seed the discussions that will hopefully continue long after the course has been delivered.

Experiment with these interventions and always get feedback from your learners about what is working and what isn't.

Now that you have a blueprint for creating online learning, here are a few ideas for where to apply this new skill:

Translate corporate culture for new hires.

Develop product knowledge.

Hone customer service skills.

Introduce departments to each other to remove silos.

Translate new corporate policies.

Demonstrate new work processes.

Upskill remote work teams.

Educate prospects on how to use your product or service.

For more on the learning development process see our complete guide on training material development.
How will you use online learning to educate your employees or customers?
Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1991). Cognitive load theory and the format of instruction. Cognition and Instruction, 8, 293-332.

Dick, W., L. Carey, and J. O. Carey. (2001). The systematic design of instruction . New York: Addison-Wesley.

Fogg, B.J. (2012). Keynote, Health User Experience Design Conference, Boston, March 26, 2014 ( )

Guo, P.J., Kim, J., Rubin, R., (2014) How video production affects student engagement: An empirical study of MOOC videos.

Jonassen, D. H., K. L. Peck, and B. G. Wilson. (1999). Learning with technology: A constructivist perspective . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Krathwohl, D. R., (2002): A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview , Theory Into Practice, 41:4, 212-218

Mayer, R.E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed) . New York: Cambridge University Press.

Mayer, R.E. (2011). Applying the science of learning . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Mayer, R. E., Fennell, S., Farmer, L., & Campbell, J. (2004). A personalization effect in multimedia learning: Students learn better when words are in conversational style rather . Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 389-395.

Mayer, R.E., & Fiorella, L. (2014). Principles for reducing extraneous processing in multimedia learning: Coherence, signaling, redundancy, spatial contiguity, and temporal contiguity principles . The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Mayer, R.E., & Moreno, R. (2010). Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning . Educational Psychologist Vol. 38 , Iss. 1,2003

Mayer, R.E., & Pilegard, C. (2014). Principles for managing essential processing in multimedia learning: Segmenting, pre-training, and modality principles . The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

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5 Steps for Creating Online Learning - Are You Missing Any? | Curious Lion

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Everything you need to know to create custom online learning in 5 easy steps, with examples and guidance from 15+ years of research and experience.

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Is it possible to create great visual design when you are not a designer? In this article, I'll share 10 simple tips to improve your visual design skills and ensure that, despite your lack of knowledge or experience, you can create your own high quality visual design eLearning environment.

How To Improve Your Visual Design Skills For Non-Designers

You know very few things about visual design and yet you are determined to be the best you can be in this area. Is this possible? Of course it is. We all know that great sense of visual art is inherent, but with a little bit of practice you can certainly learn the art of visual communication and improve your aesthetic skills, even if you are not a designer. Like many things, good visual design can be created by skills that anyone can develop. In this article, I will share 10 tips to improve your visual design skills when you are a non-designer and make sure that after a while you will be able to create beautiful visual design for your eLearning courses.

1. Seek inspiration everywhere.
This is something that literally all designers do all the time, even the well-known and highly-experienced ones. There are very few people in this world who don't need to look for inspiration around them in order to get better with time. The amazing thing about inspiration in visual design is that it can strike you at the most unexpected hours; not only when you study visual design books, but also while you're watching a movie, you're flipping a magazine, or you're stuck in traffic and looking at street ads. Creativity is a state of mind, and being open minded, asking questions, thinking out of the box, being observant, and always assuming there are better ways to do things will enhance your ability to boost your imagination and be innovative in order to upgrade your work.

2. Follow the "less is more" approach.
The thing about non-designers is that, due to their lack of graphic design skills and knowledge, they usually get anxious and try to apply everything they know to every single attempt to design anything. Don't forget to follow the "less is more" mantra. Effective design is clear cut and balanced, to help viewers focus on important information. Of course, you will make mistakes; don't let failure discourage you. In time you will realize that learning the art of visual communication takes a lot of time and practice, but trying not to combine many contrasting elements and pile multiple textures on top of each other is a very, very, good start.

3. Know how texture works.
Speaking of textures, texture in visual design is defined by the surface characteristics of a material which can be experienced through the illusion of touch. It can be used to accent an area that you want to focus on and make it more dominant than another; or, on the contrary, to avoid attention for an element. Texture can be a very powerful tool. Adding too much texture creates highly busy spaces and tires the eye. Consider studying layouts that you like and see how to use certain textures to create depth.

4. Utilize typography.
It may sound strange, buttypography is great part of visual design. Knowing your fonts is key; choosing the right fonts for your next eLearning project can make a world of difference, as fonts speak louder than words. Fonts and typefaces carry a lot of meaning and they can completely change not only your intended message depending on how you use them, but also the visual impact of your eLearning course. If you don't feel confident, stick to the basics: Experiment with different types, but don't change fonts without a good reason. Also, don't hesitate to ask for help from the professionals to strengthen your visual presence.

5. Pay attention to color.
Studying a little bit of color psychology would not be a bad idea, as plays a vital role in creatingemotional connections between your audience and your eLearning content. There is only one way to learn how to use color effectively: Have your eyes open and practice. Experiment with different color palettes, the Adobe Kuler's color wheel is a great tool for seeing what works and what doesn't. Also check how color and contrast in visual design works in order to help you highlight or fade out elements.

6. Use whitespace wisely.
Whitespace is practically the empty space between, , graphics, , margins, and other elements. It is also called "negative space" in contrast to "positive space" which is filled with information. Using whitespace effectively improves readability, transforms every page into something elegant and sophisticated, and delivers an overall enjoyable experience to the viewer. Although it is called "white" space, it doesn't mean it should be white; but the truth is that white is by far the friendliest color you can use for creating clean, beautiful visual design. Whitespace is a great way to draw attention to something without using extravagant colors or images, but a very busy whitespace, let's say very large spaces left empty, can be tiring for the eye. A great trick to determine whether you use whitespace effectively is to take a picture of your visual design (use the Prt Sc key on your keyboard) and flip it horizontally. This will allow you to see how your design looks through a mirror, which will make it remarkably easy to evaluate your whitespace balance compared to other screen elements.

7. Go for balance and harmony.
Even the ugliest visual design can get better simply by pulling all pieces together to achieve harmony. Harmony in visual design means that all visual units relate to and complement each other. How can you achieve this? Simply by using the same type of images, and not combining, for example, photos and clip art, fonts, and layout in all of your pages. Consider focusing on creating a rhythm, as rhythm influences the visual flow and helps eye movement. Also, find creative ways to arrange repeating patterns, to achieve visual unity so that your visuals come together and be in agreement.

8. Learn how to use size, scale, and proportion.
Big and small, light and dark, strong and weak: Contrast is a fundamental principle of visual design, but too much contrast between sizes and colors can contribute to wrong visual quality. Consider enhancing your understanding of size (the physical dimension of an object), scale (the relative size of different objects), and proportion (the harmony of scale) by using the good old pen and paper method. This will help you understand the relationship between different design elements and use it to draw attention to the areas you want.

9. Understand how and when to use icons.
Learning how to choose or create icons can make a real difference in your visual design. The right icons will grab your audience's attention and convince them to begin reading. On the other hand, icons should only support your eLearning content, so you should never let them steal the spotlight. Use them wisely to break up long texts, add information, and sustain your learners' attention. Remember that visual design is all about communication, so make sure that the icons you are using convey and communicate messages effectively.

10. Be meticulous.
Being meticulous is a crucial aspect of being a professional, no matter in what area, and visual design is no exception to the rule. After all, attention to detail conveys a love for the end product. Great visual designers pay attention to everything and take care of every single detail, no matter how small it is. What does this mean in practice? It means that the more attention you pay in placing elements, organizing things, using color and contrast, and so on, the more immersed will be your audience into the world you are creating for them. In other words, study carefully visual design works you like, and practice as much as you can.

Now that you know how to improve your visual design skills with these simple tricks, you may be interested in learning some visual design tricks. Read the article Top 5 Tips for Visual Design in eLearning and find out how to take the visual design of your eLearning course to the next level.

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10 Tips To Improve Your Visual Design Skills For Non-Designers - eLearning Industry

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Is it possible to create great visual design when you are not a designer? In this article, I'll share 10 simple tips to improve your visual design skills and ensure that, despite your lack of knowledge or experience, you can create your own high quality visual design eLearning environment.

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Using text and images in your online course will definitely aid your students' learning, however research says wrong combination of text and images in learning materials can cause cognitive load. In this article, I will explain the scientific reason behind it and offer some multimedia principles and useful tips for creating effective multimedia content for your online course.

5 Multimedia Principles You Need To Consider When Creating Multimedia Content

One of the rules of thumb in online content creation is "Don't use only text in your course" simply because it is boring, but more importantly it does not enhance effective learning, and here is the science behind it. According to the Dual Code Theory, humans have two separate information processing channels for verbal and pictorial information. Verbal information includes on-screen text and narration. Pictorial information includes pictures and graphics. Presenting a piece of information in both channels helps learners construct connections between two forms of mental representations: verbal and non-verbal. Therefore, it is easier to learn and then recall a particular concept when explained with both text and images. When you present the information via only verbal channel, there is a lower chance that your students retain it.

Thanks to online tools available now, it is easier to integrate different types of media like images, audio, video, animation, and graphics into online courses to make them more engaging and motivating. Most of the time we create our own multimedia material such as videos produced via screen recording tools. In such cases, it gets even more important to be aware of some multimedia principles that would help us design effective content. Although putting some text, images and audio together looks straightforward, some principles need to be taken into consideration. A large amount of research suggests that multimedia elements should be combined carefully not to cause cognitive load because our cognitive capacity for processing information is in fact quite limited. Therefore, we cannot just put some random visuals, audio, and text together expecting that they would guarantee deep learning. Now here is a quick guide for creating multimedia material in online learning without causing extraneous cognitive load (Mayer, 2009).

1. Coherence Principle.
Any kind of visuals, audio elements, or text not directly related to the content should be excluded from the presentation. Therefore, any distractive and seductive details should be removed from the online content. It also needs to be kept in mind that less is more.

2. Signaling Principle.
It refers to the cues that you provide to highlight the important elements in your presentation. This is especially helpful when there is a lot of information to be absorbed in your content. Using visual and vocal signaling techniques such as headings, separating items and vocal emphasis on key words help your learners direct their attention to the important elements.

3. Redundancy Principle.
This principle suggests that it is better to use graphics and audio narration instead of graphics, audio narration, and on-screen text. When you present narration and on-screen text at the same time, cognitive load is caused because learners need to work harder to process all the verbal information coming from both narration and on-screen text.

4. Spatial Contiguity.
This refers to the spatial alignment of words and picture. Essential words need to be placed next to corresponding graphics. This helps guide your learners' cognitive processing.

5. Temporal Contiguity.
This is helpful when you have an animation, picture, or graphic, and a narration that goes with them. Presenting the visual and auditory information simultaneously rather than successively makes it easier for learners to make the connection between the visual and auditory input.

Meaningful learning occurs when learners' essential cognitive processing is used carefully. As humans' cognitive resources are limited, Instructional Designers and content creators should design multimedia content in ways that minimize unnecessary cognitive load, and Mayer's set of principles are a great guide to achieving this.

Reference:

Mayer, R. (2009). Multimedia Learning. New York: Cambridge University Press

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5 Multimedia Principles For Your Online Course - eLearning Industry

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Using text and images in your online course will definitely aid your students' learning, however research says wrong combination of text and images in learning materials can cause cognitive load. In this article, I will explain the scientific reason behind it and offer some multimedia principles and useful tips for creating effective multimedia content for your online course.

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Understanding The Power Of Visuals: The Advantages Of Visual Learning
Which of the following will appeal to a student more?

Textual description of a chemical process.

A video or pictorial representation of that chemical process.

A majority will learn better with the second option. It's simply because visuals hold more appeal than plain text to those curious and intuitive young minds.

Till date, several studies have been conducted which prove the power of visual aids in eLearning. And there are some interesting results drawn from them. Such as, learners respond to visual information faster as compared to text only materials. Also, visuals help improve learning tremendously and on multiple levels. Hence, around 65% of the population comprises visual learners.

There are several advantages of visual aids. Let's learn what they are to help you better understand the power of visuals in eLearning:

1. Help Store Information Longer

Images are the simplest and the most effective way to make sure that the information gets stored as a long-term memory. As per Dr. Lynell Burmark, an education consultant, our short term memory processes words and can only retain about seven bits of information. Whereas, images are directly processed by our long-term memory, where they get indelibly etched.

2. Make Communication Quicker And Simpler

Information listed in bullets is no doubt simpler to process. But, that same information in the form of an image or a video is processed even more quickly. As per the Visual Teaching Alliance -

Of all the information transmitted to brain, 90% is visual.

As opposed to text, visuals are processed 60,000x faster.

Humans are capable of getting the sense of a visual scene in less than 1/10th of a second.

40% of nerve fibres are linked to the retina.

Our brain can see images that last for only 13 milliseconds.

Human eye can register 36,000 visual messages every hour.

Hence, the eLearning programs which incorporate suitable visuals gain a higher preference over the text-only ones.

3. Aid Better Comprehension

Visuals help learners grasp concepts easily by stimulating imagination and affecting their cognitive capabilities. Besides, the visual language is also known to have the potential to stretch 'human bandwidth' - which comprises absorbing, comprehending and analysing new information. For example, the infographic below represents how we are pre-wired to automatically interpret relationships between objects which ensures instant comprehension with almost zero effort:

4. Act As Stimulators For Emotions

Emotions and visual information are processed in the same part of the human brain. Visual stimuli and emotional response are linked in a simple way and these two together generate what we call memories. Hence, powerful images and visual metaphors create strong impressions and lasting memories in learners.

5. Drive Motivation

Most of the students struggle with some of their subjects because they find them uninteresting and hence lack the motivation to put in the required efforts. Visuals are the best bet in such scenarios. Captivating images, engaging videos, interesting info graphics, etc. help learners fight the boredom and motivate them to do better.

6. Unsuitable Visuals Equals Unhappy Learners

The positive aspects of visuals hold true only when they are used appropriately. The quality and relevance of visuals matter a lot. Say for example, you have the most meaningful images, charts and videos which make your online tutorial way better than those of your competitors. But, if the images are of low resolution or pixelated, they fail to solve their purpose and the learner loses interest. Apart from poor quality, if the visual aids are generic in nature and fail to explain the subject in a specific and clear way, it will not appeal to the learners.

The images which will add value to your course material and actually help the learners should meet the following requirements:

Simplify the difficult-to-understand and text heavy topics.

Explain using actual people, places, or objects.

Help the learners connect the familiar materials with the unfamiliar.

Hence, the key is to treat visuals like power boosters for your eLearning courses. If irrelevant they can cause distractions from the actual topic and in worst case scenarios, put off your audience. But, if used effectively, it can add value to your online tutorials and draw more learners to your online education platform.

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Visual Learning: 6 Reasons Why Visuals Are The Most Powerful Aspect Of eLearning

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Which of the following will appeal to a student more? Textual description of a chemical process. A video or pictorial representation of that chemical process. A majority will learn better with the second option. It's simply because visuals hold more appeal than plain text to those curious and intuitive young minds.

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5 Strategies For Using Images In Online Learning

Human beings are highly visual creatures. We are attracted to images. We buy art, go to photography exhibits, read graphic novels, share millions of photos and videos daily on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and carry cherished images with us in our wallets and phones. Certain images can make us laugh or cry. We remember iconic images from history ( John F. Kennedy Jr. saluting his father's casket; the worn and worried face of a migrant mother during the Great Depression; the first image of the Earth from space by the Apollo 11 spacecraft).

We are both outraged and comforted by, fall in love with, and are repulsed by certain images. We believe something if we have seen it (even when we know the image or video has been doctored). A certain image can draw us to a book or situation we would never otherwise read or pay attention to. Five years into the Syrian Civil War, a single image of the corpse of Aylan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian washed up on Turkish beach suddenly focused the world's attention on the plight of Syrian refugees in a way that thousands of previous broadcasts, statistics, and reports had failed to do.

The human brain is wired for images. Advertisers know this. They spend lots of money getting the right image, color, and composition because they know that images communicate feelings which in turn drive consumption. But as online learning designers, how much do we appreciate the power of images even though we, too, are selling an online experience? In many online courses, we often pay little attention to images, eschewing them altogether or relegating them to the literal margins or background of online content.

Why Are Images Important To Online Learning?

In contrast to text, images-still and moving-are a powerful shorthand for communication. They are concise-several pages of text can be encapsulated by one image (thus the aphorism of a picture equaling a thousand words). They are not bound by language. Their very imprecision renders them more evocative and open to subjective interpretation. Unlike text, the mind does not have to consciously recognize what the eye sees for an image to have an effect on the subconscious (Burns & Martinez, 2002; Taflinger, 2011).

Yet, a good deal of course content either lacks or fails to carefully select and use images that can encapsulate learning or communicate a feeling-despite the fact that most content authoring software comes with a huge library of images. Though high-quality, high-resolution, and copyright-free, the same image libraries are often generic and all-purpose: photos of ambiguous locations, technology as a cliché (close-ups of keyboards, laptops, screens), and corporate (men and women sitting in a board room, a team leaning over a laptop, people shaking hands).

These images are impersonal; they don't speak to educators, health professionals, and the many others who design and take online courses. They are used as "fillers" or background; not as the critical cognitive and affective content they could be.

Inspiration And Information

Images can inform and inspire (as the visual artist, Man Ray, noted) but we have to recognize them as an important component in online learning, not as decoration or background. The remainder of this article outlines 5 ways to capitalize on using images in online learning.

1. Select Specific Images To Capture A Feeling, Spark Curiosity, Or Summarize A Message

Online learners (like all humans) are instinctively drawn to images and generally experience positive emotions when they see visually appealing images. Carefully selected, beautiful visual images can create an aesthetic feel, a mood, spark a learner's interest in the subject matter, and "keep eyes on the site" longer. Further, carefully selected images can encapsulate the theme or dominant emotion of a piece of writing or provide a visual mnemonic or organizer that connects learners to the text.

I'm a total amateur in this regard, but I've tried (perhaps unsuccessfully) to use images where I can in some of my eLearning Industry posts to motivate users to read my posts (Shameless, I know!), to create analogies between new content and familiar knowledge, and to spark curiosity or a sense of connection to the article I'm writing. I explain this process, in reference to certain articles, in Figure 1.
(Figure 1: My use of images for eLearning Industry articles.)
If you want to judge how well/poorly I've fared, you can find the above articles here, here and here.

2. Use Images To Lighten The Cognitive Load

We know that reading online, processing text-based information while simultaneously scrolling and moving between screens increases an online learner's cognitive load. A carefully considered and composed image or graphic can do much to lighten this cognitive load by drawing attention to specific content elements. For example, a series of photos of a healthy versus non-healthy heart may be far more valuable than pages of text about the human heart. Carefully selected images can also break up large blocks of text, making it more readable and meaningful. Research shows that when we lighten the learner's cognitive load, the brain has an easier time absorbing information and storing it as memory.

3. Select Meaningful Images, Not Generic Ones

Stock photos are great resources...but enough with the carefully calibrated demographic representation of millennials staring at computers; ubiquitous handshakes; corporate warriors with arms folded; or sitting around a table at a meeting (looked improbably engaged, no less)! Such images are generic, boring (sorry!), and represent a waste of valuable screen real estate and lost learning opportunities. This isn't just my opinion. Research shows that users will "linger" over real images versus random "feel good, decorative" stock images often used on websites or in online content (Nielsen, 2010).

Thus, it's important to use images that are meaningful and relevant to our online learners, that represent a professional field (like education), or that capture a theme-for example, for online math courses, images of people using real-world math, mathematical symbols, or great mathematicians. For an online course on how to be a coach, I used the theme of a toolbox, and thus each module used the image of a different tool. This added visual cohesion to the course but also emphasized that coaching involves using a set of cognitive tools.

Where can you find interesting and evocative images? Numerous sites offer imaginative and interesting copyright-free images: Death to Stock, Reshot, Pics4Learning, Burst, and Wikimedia Commons are just a few. For free vector drawings and clipart, check out Freepik and Openclipart. You can draw and scan your own art by hand or use a free drawing tool like Sketch.io. If your drawings aren't totally what you want, turn them into PNGs and use either Google's image search or a tool like TinEye to do a reverse image search and find a better version of your artwork! Better yet, hire a talented artist, graphic design artist, or take your own high-resolution photos.

Once you've found your images, do your own editing with fun open source tools, like GIMP and Inkscape (the latter is an open-source vector drawing tool), or free tools like BeFunky, Deviantart, PhotoScissors, and remove.bg.

4. Use Images To Teach

Images, indeed visuals, are amazing teaching tools. Research suggests that a majority of people are visual learners and that we process visual information in milliseconds. We can use images to model, to illustrate complex concepts, structures, and functions. Video is an especially powerful tool to model processes and procedures and demonstrate intended behavior.

Mayer (2001) shows that images in combination with text can help students learn more effectively and meaningfully. This "dual coding" of information, in which the learner processes text and images simultaneously, aids a learner's working memory.

It's important to note two admonitions about teaching with images. First, using images to support text is only valuable if they follow Mayer's cognitive principals on using images for teaching (see figure 2).
(Figure 2: Mayer's Cognitive Principles on Multimedia (Mayer, 2001) (I've used 3 of the 7 here)
A Thousand Words

Second, when using images, it's important that we teach online learners how to "read" images as they would text. Every image is composed of a structure (various elements like color, objects, angles, light, etc.) and syntax (how these elements are organized) so that online learners develop visual literacy skills to complement other types of literacy (Burns, 2006).

Though not images, per se, graphic organizers-visual displays that demonstrate the relationship between facts, ideas, and concepts-help learners organize, comprehend, and internalize new learning. Graphic organizers include concept maps (Venn diagrams, fishbone maps, pictograms), diagrams, graphs, and other non-linguistic, visual representations of data (for example, the periodic table of elements). Free mind mapping tools include Mindomo and Bubbl.us.

Both graphic organizers and visual representations of data aid retention and recall of concepts and their relationships and allow for a deeper understanding of the content. The very visual nature of these pictorial representations helps students more easily grasp ideas or concepts than is the case with text or numbers alone (Marzano, Pickering & Pollard, 2001).

5. Stop Playing It Safe With Images And Trust The Learner

Online learning is a visual medium and we need to capitalize on the evocative power of images as we design our online courses. Let's use images to do what they do best-attract, communicate a feeling, be provocative, capture a mood, make us think, laugh, get angry, be sad, and teach. For far too long, online course and content designers have played it too safe with images with the result that visuals are almost a non-entity in the learning process, more background and filler than the powerful emotional driver and teaching tool that they are.
References:

Burns, M. (2006, February). A thousand words: Improving teachers' visual literacy skills. Multimedia Schools, 13 (1), 16-20.

Burns, M. & Martinez, D. (2002, March). Visual imagery and the art of persuasion. Learning and Leading with Technology. Eugene, Oregon: International Society of Technology in Education

Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D.J. & Pollock, J.E. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development

Mayer, R. (2001). Multimedia Learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Nielsen, J. (2010). Photos as web content.

Taflinger, R. F. (2011). Taking Advantage: Consumer Psychology and Advertising. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.

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To Inform And Inspire: Images In Online Learning - eLearning Industry

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Human beings are highly visual creatures. We are attracted to images. We buy art, go to photography exhibits, read graphic novels, share millions of photos and videos daily on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and carry cherished images with us in our wallets and phones. Certain images can make us laugh or cry.

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"A thing of beauty is a joy forever..." said John Keats in the eighteenth century. In the twenty-first century, it has become much more relevant. We humans are naturally attracted to beauty in everything, be it a natural landscape, a painting, a sculpture, or even learning content!

by Satyabrata Das

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Images In eLearning Archives - eLearning Industry

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"A thing of beauty is a joy forever..." said John Keats in the eighteenth century. In the twenty-first century, it has become much more relevant. We humans are naturally attracted to beauty in everything, be it a natural landscape, a painting, a sculpture, or even learning content! by Satyabrata Das

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Looking for a comprehensive "must-have" eLearning checklist for your next eLearning Course Design project? This is a checklist that every eLearning professional should have on hand, especially since there are so many steps involved in the eLearning course design process.

eLearning Professionals' Must-Have eLearning Course Design Checklist

Ensuring that you've crossed off every item, this "to-do" list will allow you to create and implement successful, effective, informative, and practical eLearning courses for learners in both educational and professional settings. Without further ado, here is an in depth eLearning Course Design checklist that you can use to get your eLearning courses ready for launch:

eLearning Course Objectives

1. Have you analyzed the eLearning needs and identified the budget and time constraints?

2. Have all eLearning course audiences been examined and analyzed?

3. Are the eLearning course objectives clear and do they include the criteria for evaluation?

4. Are the eLearning course requirements consistent with the overall objectives?

5. Does the structure of the eLearning course meet instructional goals?

6. Have you completed the task analysis?

7. Have you utilized a number of different instructional models or theories?

8. Is the content offered in smaller, "bite sized" chunks for the learner?

9. Have you made the headings clear and concise?

10. Is the information grouped together in a practical way?

11. Have you included a sufficient number of presentations (multimedia, etc)?

12. Is the information broken down into bullet points (at least 5 per slide)?

13. Does every eLearning course's module contain a summary and your eLearning course a glossary of key terms?

eLearning Course Objectives' Resources

eLearning Course Assessments

1. Are all assessments relevant, challenging, clear, and complete?

2. Have you used a variety of testing methods throughout the eLearning course?

3. Do you have a final assessment (test or exam) at the end of the eLearning course?

4. Do you have a pass/fail structure in place?

5. Are the assessments interactive and engaging, and do they clearly focus on the objective?

6. Is there a feedback system that allows for instructor feedback in a reasonable time frame?

7. Have you included a post eLearning course evaluation at the end of the course?

8. Are the assessments free of new content that the learner has not yet acquired?

eLearning Course Assessments Resources

eLearning Course Content Creation

1. Does the content flow, free of grammatical or spelling errors?

2. Is the content current and in-line with the core curriculum?

3. Does the content help to achieve the desired learning objectives?

4. Is referenced content properly credited and quoted?

5. Is the language used clear and descriptive (without being verbose)?

6. Have you chosen text that is appropriate for the target audience and not gender specific?

7. Is your tone consistent and appropriate?

8. Have all stats, facts, and dates been checked and referenced?

9. Is the information consistent? For example, are all dates listed in the same manner?

10. Has correct capitalization and punctuation been used throughout?

11. Is the content available in all local languages?

eLearning Course Content Creation Resources

eLearning Course Graphics and Fonts

1. Have you only used a maximum of four fonts throughout the entire course?

2. Is the body text in the same font, and decorative text only used in the headers?

3. Have you included the right line spacing and paragraph length?

4. Have you used the correct font sizes and colors (are they all visible)?

5. Is the body text left justified?

6. Have you included a minimal amount of bold/italicized words?

7. Are the images relevant, compressed and re-sized? Do you legally own all of them?

8. Are all of the images the right file type and consistent (in terms of quality and size)?

9. Are screen captures free of personal data and current?

eLearning Course Multimedia

1. Have you included relevant and legally owned images and video elements in the eLearning course?

2. Are all files compressed for easy download?

3. Are all of the multimedia elements consistent (in terms of size and quality)?

4. Is the audio synced to the video presentations within the eLearning course?

5. Is the narration clear and easy to understand?

6. Have you ensured that the audio or video can be controlled by the user (i.e. paused)?

eLearning Course Multimedia Resources

10 Tips To Effectively Use Videos in eLearning. Some say that videos hold the future of eLearning. I wouldn't go that far. But what I can say is that videos can be a great medium in our domain if are well produced and strategically used together with other methods and techniques for the delivery of an effective eLearning course

The Best Practices: Using Video in E-Learning article is intended to expand on the idea of video by giving tips and examples of best practices for using video in e-Learning.

Video as a learning tool: A mixed blessing? Do you think the use of video during the instructional process helps or distracts the learner? Is video a mixed blessing? In our world of e-Learning, video has become an important element in the eLearning process as, according to research, visual demonstration of something new can lead to successful results. Yet, many eLearning developers hesitate to use this powerful tool. But is this hesitation an unfounded fear?

Video in training and education. At least partly because of the huge success of YouTube, people get excited today about the potential of video for training and education particularly in the context of e-learning and distance learning. There is a lot of hype about it but we need to examine the real benefits before plunging in.

Educational Video Production. Multimedia age has changed the role of teachers. The need for audiovisual aids to support e-learning, mobile learning, distance and blended learning have reformed the role of educators, who are now becoming producers to enrich their teaching with mediums like podcasts, videos, animations, interactive presentations, etc.

eLearning Course Accessibility

1. Can you easily navigate through the entire eLearning course using just the keyboard and mouse?

2. Have you used all of the ALT tags available?

3. Are captions included for all audio or video elements that deal with core content?

4. Are all of your fields and clickable areas easy to use?

5. Have you included text for all of the elements that aren't text-based?

eLearning Course Accessibility Resources

eLearning Course Navigation

1. Is the eLearning course easy to navigate for the learner?

2. Are all eLearning course modules featured in their correct sequence?

3. Are hyperlinks displayed clearly and do they all work properly?

4. Have you included backward links so that learners can return to previous screens?

5. Is there an abundance of navigation graphics? If so, whittle down to only what's needed.

6. Is there a table of contents and a map of the course?

eLearning Course Navigation Resources

How To Improve eLearning Course Design Usability By Adopting The 10 Usability Heuristics. Asynchronous eLearning is different from traditional classroom studying and requires strong motivation and self-discipline from learners. As there is no person-to-person contact and immediate reaction to problems emerging in the process of learning, eLearning professionals should pay special attention to eLearning course navigation and usability. To help you remove all the barriers to effective eLearning course design the article provides an idea of what eLearning usability is and how to improve it by applying common usability heuristics.

Site Navigation in Online Education. Like any other website, online courses need to be easy to navigate. Most online courses fall into two styles. Each has its own benefits. Which style do you prefer?

eLearning Course Technical Issues

1. Does the eLearning course load within a reasonable time frame?

2. Are shortcut keys available to the learner?

3. Has an FAQ page, with hyperlinks to other areas of the eLearning course, been created?

4. Have all hardware and software requirements and recommendations been listed?

5. Have the dimensions of the eLearning course been optimized for users?

6. Is the eLearning course viewable in all of the major web browsers?

7. Can the eLearning course material be printed with ease?

8. Are assessments being timed properly?

Overall eLearning Course Design

1. Do you have a clear syllabus in place at the beginning of the eLearning course?

2. Is the eLearning course aesthetically uniform and have you included branding elements throughout?

3. Is the color usage consistent and appropriate?

4. Are all of the elements visible with the chosen color scheme?

5. Does at least half the screen consists of white space, to keep the look clean and organized?

6. Have you verified that all content fits the screen (no horizontal/vertical scrolling)?

7. Have you avoided backgrounds/patterns that may be distracting for the learner?

8. Can instructors easily add or modify the content within the course?

Overall eLearning Course Design Resources

Your guide to designing and implementing awesome eLearning courses. At the Awesome e-Learning Course Guide you will find the top 10 tips for creating awesome eLearning courses that are effective, engaging, and immersive.

TOP 5 tips to Convert your Traditional Course into an eLearning format. Several eLearning professionals in the eLearning industry want to convert their f2f courses into an eLearning format. However, several of them do the same mistake again and again. They believe that by simply moving their content such as PowerPoint presentations, videos, audios, and documents to a Learning Management System with the use of an eLearning Content Authoring tool they have converted their face to face courses to an eLearning format. In my opinion, they have converted their traditional courses to an electronic format.

Would you be interested in a Compact Instructional Design Review Checklist? What would you say, if I tell you that at this article you will find 12 Free Instructional Design and eLearning Review Checklists?

Are you interested in integrating Micro-eLearning techniques into your eLearning course? Would you like to improve performance and provide your students or employees with the most beneficial eLearning course design? Check the 7 Micro-eLearning Techniques to Improve Performance article.

In The Basics of Scenario-Based e-Learning article, I will walk you through the various aspects of scenario-based eLearning, so that you can design eLearning courses which not only keep the learners motivated and engaged, but also provide them with the best possible educational experience that effectively enhances their skill sets and/or knowledge base.

Last but not least, before launching the eLearning course, you'll also want to conduct a final eLearning course test, to ensure that all of the elements are working. Watch all of the videos in their entirety, make sure that the overall appearance is cohesive and adheres to your brand, and verify that even those who may not be "tech savvy" can navigate through the eLearning course. Also, don't forget to include contact information on the eLearning course, so that learners can receive assistance if they do run into any issues.

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The Ultimate eLearning Course Design Checklist - eLearning Industry

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Looking for a comprehensive "must-have" eLearning checklist for your next eLearning Course Design project? This is a checklist that every eLearning professional should have on hand, especially since there are so many steps involved in the eLearning course design process.

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In this article I will take a closer look at how to choose images and graphics for your eLearning course. I'll share some invaluable tips and advice that can help you to select the ideal visuals for your deliverable, so that you can develop eLearning content that is both informative and immersive.

How To Choose Images and Graphics for Your eLearning Course

Incorporating images and graphics when designing your eLearning course can boost learner engagement while making your eLearning course more aesthetically appealing. However, knowing how to effectively integrate these visual elements into your eLearning course is essential. Too much of a good thing (i.e. clipart or royalty free photos) can actually overshadow the core content, while not making proper use of images will lead to dull or text-heavy modules.

7 Tips To Choose The Appropriate Images And Graphics for Your eLearning Course

1. Opt for eLearning images that are relevant and on-topic.
Images and graphics that you utilize should serve a purpose, whether this is to add a bit of anaesthetic appeal or to illustrate an important point. Either way, be sure to stay on topic when selecting eLearning graphics and opt for visual elements that are relevant to the subject matter. There are a number of stock photo sites that are free or low cost and offer images that you can use when designing your eLearning course. However, if you can't find a graphic that suits your needs, then you may want to consider creating your own by using photo editing software, or even taking your own photos, if you have the resources to do so. Another key issue with incorporating graphics or images into your eLearning course design is that you ensure that graphics and images are royalty free, so you don't have to worry about copyright infringement.

2. Go with quality over quantity.
The key to selecting the right eLearning images and graphics is to be very picky about which ones you will ultimately choose. High quality images will create a more immersive experience, while graphics or images that have a poor resolution can have a direct impact upon the aesthetic appeal of your eLearning course. You should also keep in mind that it's all about quality over quantity. Don't include an excessive amount of graphics simply to make up for a lack of text or to boost the visual aspect of your eLearning modules. If you can't find any suitable image or graphic online, then it may be worthwhile to design your own or even have one created for you.

3. Is the eLearning image/graphic going to distract or engage the learner?
One of the most important questions that you'll want to ask when going through the process of choosing the right images/graphics is whether or not these are going to reinforce or hinder your content. Is the photo you are considering to add to your eLearning module going to distract the learner, or improve engagement? Is the photo too large for the page? Does it include imagery that may be too provocative? While you want to use eLearning graphics and images that are attractive to the learner, such as detailed photos or graphics with eye-catching colors, you'll also want to avoid those that take the learner's focus away from the actual content.

4. Include navigation graphics that make the eLearning course more user-friendly.
If you find that your eLearning course may be a bit difficult to navigate, then you could integrate navigation aids. To illustrate, use arrows or even images that will let the learners know how to move on to the next module or page, and draw their attention to navigation icons by using bright colors. Also, be sure to place in every page the navigation aids in the same specific spot to make the eLearning modules more user friendly.

5. Utilize eLearning graphics that are in-line with your brand and the message you want to deliver to your audience.
The eLearning images you use should all convey your image or message. This goes for both the eLearning course objectives themselves, and for your organization. Opt for eLearning graphics that stress important aspects of the eLearning course or those that help the learners to effectively acquire and retain the information. For example, the photos that you have carefully chosen, ideally, should allow learners to associate the visual image with the written content delivered. Additionally, you should also include eLearning graphics that may help the learners link the content to real life scenarios or examples. For instance, you may want to include images of the stock room if you are creating an eLearning training module for inventory specialists. Or, add photos of the company's board of directors which often boosts morale and fosters a stronger company culture, since the employees can put a face to a name.

6. Choose detailed eLearning photos or graphics if your content is technical or complex.
If you have content that may be complicated or difficult for the learners to comprehend, then consider incorporating detailed eLearning photos or graphics that illustrate the main points. Diagrams and graphs are also useful tools when creating eLearning courses that deal with complex technical subject matter or statistics. This can help to make even the most challenging eLearning modules more digestible while boosting retention.

7. Make sure that the overall eLearning design is cohesive and consistent.
When all is said and done, you want the entire eLearning course to look cohesive, well organized, and consistent. Think it as each image you choose is like a piece of the puzzle. If one just doesn't fit in, then it can take away from the overall look and feel of the eLearning course. The ultimate goal is to create a flow that allows the learners to engage in an interactive, exciting, and highly informative eLearning course. So, as you are choosing each and every graphic or image, ask yourself whether this particular selection is going to serve the overall learning objective. If not, then you may want to leave it out and opt for a more suitable visual element.

Make your course aesthetically appealing with the Right Vendor!

Find, choose and compare the top eLearning Content Development Companies for Graphic Design!

Last but not least, are you wondering how to choose the proper multimedia for your eLearning course? If so, have a look at the 7 Tips To Choose Multimedia For Your eLearning Course article.

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7 Tips To Choose Images And Graphics For Your eLearning Course - eLearning Industry

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In this article I will take a closer look at how to choose images and graphics for your eLearning course. I'll share some invaluable tips and advice that can help you to select the ideal visuals for your deliverable, so that you can develop eLearning content that is both informative and immersive.

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Brain Hacks - Learning Myths Busted | Accenture

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6 Guidelines for Building a Learning Culture

At a time when organizations are facing increased pressures to manage talent shortages, learning is gaining traction as a source of strategic advantage for firms. Taiwan-based Cathay United and Chicago-based Vi are two organizations that are using a culture of learning to drive engagement and build leadership bench strength.

At Cathay United Bank, a financial services firm, talent development and a culture of learning play major roles in making the institution, with 165 branch offices, the top bank in the Asia Pacific region. HR staff, along with learning leaders at three regional training centers, serve as business partners and stewards of talent development strategies. Such focus helps the bank develop financial strategists and managers who can rapidly position the company as it expands into new markets.

At Chicago-based Vi, a senior-living retirement community, more than 450 employees have participated in the company's yearlong Management Development Program (MDP), now entering its sixth year. This signature experience provides frontline employees and emerging managers with a variety of learning opportunities including classes, executive coaching, webinars, projects, reading assignments, job rotations and action learning assignments - or "teach backs" - that reinforce learning.

Within one year of completion, 25 percent of Vi's MDP participants have moved into a higher-level position. In addition, Vi's attrition rate is substantially lower than its competitors - 21 percent in 2012 compared to an industry average of 33 percent and as high as 65 to 70 percent.

Executives know that high performance depends upon committed and capable talent. Capability-building is cited as a top three priority by half of all business leaders in a 2105 McKinsey & Company survey. According to research by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), having a culture of learning is a hallmark of organizations that consistently produce the best business results in terms of revenue growth, profitability, market share and customer satisfaction.

Learning vs. Training

A culture of learning enables employees to continuously seek, share and apply new knowledge and skills. Learning cultures provide continuous, accessible and progressive learning experiences that accelerate skill development, engagement and innovation for employees and organizations. The focus is upon creating meaningful learning experiences versus isolated training events.

In a world of constant change and disruption, employees increasingly value a workplace that nurtures learning. Growth and development opportunities are highly correlated with attraction, retention and engagement, especially among Millennials. Time and again studies show that if employees aren't learning, they're leaving.

Best Practices

To become the kind of employer that fosters a high-impact learning culture, follow these best practice guidelines:

1. Make it a leadership imperative. Organizations with mature learning cultures - like WD40 and Accenture -- hold leaders, at all levels, accountable for actively demonstrating the importance of learning. Leverage leadership development to cultivate a "growth mindset" among senior, mid-level and front-line leaders. Encourage leaders and managers to model and reinforce key behaviors: intellectual curiosity, risk-taking, learning from experimentation and failure, and managing change.

2. Make it social. In high-performance learning organizations, employees share knowledge with their colleagues at a rate four times greater than that of workers in lower-performing firms. Today's learning is as much about communities, networks, sharing and collaboration as it is about knowledge and skill. Provide tools, technologies and resources - coaches, mentors, wikis, smartphones and tablets - for creating and sharing learning content. Make knowledge sharing a performance expectation.

3. Make it modern. Many learning functions are stuck in a business as usual mindset and are ill-equipped to meet the needs of the modern learner. Modern learners expect learning to be:

On-demand (as needed) and continuous, rather than just an intermittent activity.

In short bursts (minutes), rather than long periods (hours, days, etc.)

Easily accessible on mobile devices (smart phones and tablets) and able to "pull" learning modules at the time and place of need as opposed to only reacting to required "push" courses.

Personalized to allow individuals to organize and manage their own continuous self-improvement and self-development rather than adhere to a one-size-fits-all experience, designed by someone else (usually L&D).

Largely experiential to involve learning by doing rather than just theorizing.

4. Make it performance-based. High-impact learning organizations like SAP or Adobe are nearly three times more likely to measure either or both employee behavior change and business outcomes. In mature learning cultures, it's less about the output of training programs and more about using a defined measurement strategy to consistently determine how learning makes a value-added difference for individuals, teams and the entire organization.

5. Make it collective. Shift learning's strategic focus from creating individual, course-centric development strategies to building collective learning capabilities, in which learning is embedded into everyday roles. Create "collective leadership" versus "hero leadership" learning experiences to build a pool of talented people who can assume any leadership role when the need arises.

6. Make it integrated. Demonstrate an organization's commitment to learning throughout all phases of the talent acquisition and talent management process. Discussing an employer's commitments to ongoing talent development during pre-hire interviews is a distinguishing trait of robust learning cultures. Teach hiring managers and recruiters how to assess a candidate's penchant for learning by "hiring smart." Overhaul performance management processes to reward and reinforce continuous learning and development.

As automation and robotics improve, globalization increases, and workplaces become more complex, multigenerational, and diverse, the only competitive advantage for today's organization is to learn faster than the competition. One of the best ways HR leaders can help their organizations survive and thrive in this new world of 21st century work is by growing the kind of culture that will help employees be smarter, more agile and more innovative than ever before.
Holly Burkett, Ph.D., SPHR, is an accomplished talent builder, strategic change agent, HRD consultant, speaker, coach, trainer, and award-winning author of Learning for the Long Run. Her Twitter handle is @evalworks.

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6 Guidelines for Building a Learning Culture

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At a time when organizations are facing increased pressures to manage talent shortages, learning is gaining traction as a source of strategic advantage for firms. Taiwan-based Cathay United and Chicago-based Vi are two organizations that are using a culture of learning to drive engagement and build leadership bench strength.

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You've invested a great deal of resources into employee training and development. And with that comes an expectation to measure its impact. After all, if you can't measure it, you can't improve it.

You're all about improvement, so you're looking for a guide that'll tell you everything you need to know about how to evaluate a training program. This comprehensive training evaluation guide will help you identify what's working, what's not, and why. Together we'll explore the following practical topics:

Select the appropriate training evaluation techniques

When it comes to the evaluation of training programs, it's best to start at the beginning. So before you decide what to measure, or how to measure it, choose the evaluation technique that's most helpful for your needs.

Not sure which training evaluation techniques are on the menu? Here are some of the most popular methods used today.

What are the methods of training evaluation?

There's a long (and we mean long!) list of training evaluation techniques to choose from, and this can be overwhelming. But there are five techniques that are most often trusted by companies today. Some of these techniques are referred to as models, or training evaluation methods, and we'll use these terms interchangeably.

Kirkpatrick's Four-level Training Evaluation Model

This method of evaluating training programs might be one of the oldest, but it's still one of the most well-loved. Why? Because it breaks the evaluation process down into 4 simple levels - or rather, steps. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Evaluate learners' reactions to training. This is commonly measured after training. Ask learners to complete a survey about their overall satisfaction with the learning experience.

Step 2: Measure what was learned during training. Use assessments to measure how much knowledge and skills have changed from before to after training.

Step 3: Assess whether or not (and how much) behavior has changed as a result of training. The best way to measure behavior change is through workplace observations and comparing 360-degree reviews from pre- and post-training.

Step 4: The final and most important step is to evaluate the impact of your employee training program on business results. Here, it's common to measure results like productivity, quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction ratings.

In modern times, professionals have suggested that this process should actually be reversed. After all, step 4 is the most important one. If you agree with this approach, start by identifying the results you want to achieve, and work backward from there.

Whichever direction you choose to apply the steps toward, the eLearning industry has come to rely on Kirkpatrick's model for good reason. Its logical, staged approach is easy to apply, and once the evaluation is complete, you'll have a deep and wide understanding of employee learning during training.

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The Phillips ROI Model

This model is the same as Kirkpatrick's (see technique above), but with an extra step. The fifth step of the Phillips ROI model is to evaluate the program's return on investment (ROI). To do this, you need to measure the difference between your training cost and training results.

When the results of training are so great that they exceed the cost, then you've achieved a positive training ROI. You can pat yourself on the back and continue the great work.

When the cost of training is larger than the results, something needs to change. But what?

Well, the awesome thing about using methods like the Phillips ROI model is that it's easy to spot the areas that need improvement. Let's look at an example.

Imagine that you measure positive results at steps 1 and 2 of the evaluation process, but not at steps 3 and up. This tells you that learners enjoyed the training experience (step 1), and that they demonstrated new knowledge and skills when they were tested after training (step 2). However, when it came to changing their behavior in the workplace (step 3), something went wrong.

You might do some investigation and discover that managers aren't encouraging employees to practice their new skills on the job. Maybe they're even discouraging it. Once you fix that broken link in the chain by getting managers to support training, your ROI improves. Useful, right?

Kaufman's Five Levels of Evaluation

Kaufman's model is another one of the training evaluation methods that takes Kirkpatrick's approach a step further. You can think of this model as Kirkpatrick's with a twist. This is what it looks like in practice:

Step 1a: Measure the resources that were invested into your training program, like time and costs in developing materials.

Step 1b: Evaluate learners' reaction to the training process. (This step is similar to the first step in Kirkpatrick's model.)

Step 2: Assess whether or not the training objectives for individual learners or small teams were met. For example, did they learn new skills? The focus here is on individual (or micro) benefits of training.

Step 3: Measure the practical impact of the benefits in Step 2. For example, are employees applying their new skills on their job? This is similar to Kirkpatrick's third step.

Step 4: Measure the greater (or macro) benefits for the business, like increased profitability or reduced costs. Think of this as step 4 of Kirkpatrick's model.

Step 5: Evaluate the effectiveness of your employee training program in relation to societal benefits. For example, how did training improve your company's ability to add value to its clients or society as a whole?

The main advantage of using Kaufman's Five Levels, rather than Kirkpatrick's Four Levels, is Step 1a. Evaluating the benefits of training against the resources invested in training gives you ROI. And the great thing about ROI is that it can be a very persuasive tool when requesting more training resources from company leaders.

We know what you're thinking: this model could be difficult to apply in reality, particularly when it comes to step 5. If you're wondering how to evaluate a training program in a way that's more focused on your business strategy than society as a whole, this next one's for you.

Anderson's Model of Learning Evaluation

This is one of the training managers' favorite evaluation techniques for training, because it helps them keep their business strategy a priority. And what happens when your training directly supports your strategic priorities? Success!

The easiest way to explain this technique is with an example. So here it goes.

Suppose that a private healthcare facility only has enough staff and equipment to treat 100 patients with the level of care they promise. Now, suppose that their training manager develops a program to help the marketing team win new patients.

If the training is effective, and many new patients are admitted to the facility, the business is at risk of taking on too many patients. The increased volume might have a negative impact on the level of care patients receive, which could damage the facility's reputation.

On the other hand, a training program that gives nurses the knowledge and skills to avoid waste, and thus reduce costs, would benefit the business. So, quite simply, this model ensures that training is delivered (and evaluated) where it's needed the most.

If you're interested in this technique, then follow the three stages of Anderson's Model:

Stage 1: Evaluate your current training programs against the business' strategic priorities. If we return to the healthcare facility example above, we'd realize that there is a misalignment between the training program that aims to increase patients, and the strategic priority to deliver high-quality care for patients.

Stage 2: Measure the contribution of training to strategic results. For example, a training program that helps nurses reduce waste could be measured by the percentage of decrease in material costs at the healthcare facility.

Stage 3: Find the most relevant approaches for your company. Here's where you decide whether the ROI is worthwhile. This final step will depend on your company's approach. For example, you might compare the contribution you measured in stage 2 to the resources that were invested in training. Or, you might ask whether the percentage of decrease in costs was big enough: did it meet your expectations?

If you're not satisfied with the ROI measured in stage 3, then it's time to make some improvements to your training programs.

Summative vs Formative Evaluation

A thorough evaluation will give you the best insight into the drawbacks of your training. So, it's important to know how to assess a training program both while it's being developed (formative evaluation), and after it's been delivered (summative evaluation).

Let's dive a little deeper.

Formative techniques of training evaluation aim to catch problems (and fix them) early on, before they negatively impact learning. For example, before a new course is delivered, you might run a user-acceptance test to ensure that the platform is user-friendly. Or, you could ask a subject matter expert to evaluate the course content against the difficulty level of assessments.

Summative techniques are also known as post-training evaluation techniques, because they happen after training is completed. Typical examples include Kirkpatrick's four levels of training evaluation and Anderson's Model of Learning Evaluation.

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Determine what you'll measure when evaluating your employee training program

Before you evaluate the effectiveness of your employee training program, you need to decide what the indicators of "effectiveness" are. Is training a success when employees become better at their jobs? Or is a happier, healthier company culture a sign that training is working? Is it, maybe, both?

The point is, you'll probably want to include more than one measure of training effectiveness. The more measures you include, the more information you'll have to help you improve your program.

Wondering where to start? Pick any or all of the popular training effectiveness measures below, and you'll be on the right track.

New skills and knowledge

When it comes to learning, training is the pillar, right? For example, if you were training sales staff in persuasion techniques, you'd want them to be more persuasive when the training was over. This makes the acquisition of new skills and knowledge one of the top measures of training effectiveness.

The measure of knowledge and skills development is sometimes referred to as 'learning performance', because it relates to an employee's performance as a learner, rather than their performance on the job. There are lots of easy ways to evaluate learner performance using a learning management system (LMS), but we'll discuss those in the next section of this article.

Learning experience

One measure of training effectiveness that's often overlooked, even when using the best types of training evaluation methods, is the learning experience. Why does this matter? Because when the learning experience is poor, employees are less likely to engage with training content, which means that they're less likely to learn the skills that will make them better at their jobs.

This, of course, is a big problem. In fact, it could result in loads of time and resources being wasted on a training program that never achieved its objectives. So, be sure to measure employees' perceptions of training delivery and content. Their feedback could be one of the best ways to measure training effectiveness, offering the best tips for improving your training.

Employee happiness

Did you know that for many employees, learning is the number one reason they feel happy at work? This is because learning helps employees to grow and develop, and often opens up new career opportunities, too. Wouldn't that make you happy?

And the great thing about happy employees is that they tend to work harder, stay committed for longer, and produce better results. So, while employee happiness might sound like a strange indicator at first, it's actually one of the best results you can hope to see for your business.

Cultural impact

If you've never considered measuring the impact of training on your company's culture, it's time to start. Culture is the special ingredient that makes your business unique in a highly competitive world. So, you need to protect it with training that fosters workplace norms and values that are good for business.

When you deliver employee onboarding training, sensitivity training, or anything else that might impact culture, make sure to evaluate success based on culture. You can do this by looking for changes in the number of HR complaints (for example, harassment) after training, or assessing peer review scores for teamwork and positive attitudes.

Efficiency impact

So far we've mentioned four measures to use when you evaluate the impact of your employee training program, but none of them are business results. So, for this next measure we'll look at the impact of training on the efficiency of employees or teams.

Efficiency can be measured in different ways depending on your industry and the specific department you're training. For example, a manufacturing company might train their assembly line staff on new equipment, and then measure how many more units can be completed per day. On the other hand, an online tech business could measure how many tickets their customer support team closes after completing a training program.

Financial impact

Finally, it's crucial to evaluate the real impact of a company's employee training program on its financial position. The real economic impact of your training can be measured by changes in revenue and profit.

When training is successful, and all the measures of training effectiveness you use show positive results, then you should see an increase in sales and income, or a reduction in costs - or both! When it's both, you'll certainly also benefit from a rise in profits.

Choose the right training evaluation tools

You wouldn't measure length with a thermometer, right? So, before you start collecting information about the results of your training, make sure that you have the right tools for the job. Here are some of the most common training evaluation tools to choose from. Feel free to use more than just one to measure training effectiveness and track employee training.

Observations

This is the process of observing employees as they complete a task or process, or engage in a team activity. Often, the observer will use a journal to record what they see (it's true, even the best evaluators can't remember everything!).

There are many advantages to using observation as a training evaluation tool. You get to observe learning and behavior changes in a real workplace setting, and it costs nothing more than the observer's time. It also tends to be more accurate than self-report questionnaires which can be biased, or influenced by poor memory.

Still, this tool has some downsides. First, you need to find someone objective and knowledgeable with enough time on their hands to watch each employee for an hour or more. Then, even if you find an observer, there's the risk that employee behavior will change simply because they know they're being watched. This can skew the results.

Sometimes, though, observation is the best tool. This is especially true when behavior changes aren't easy to measure quantitatively. For example, sales skills are easy to measure by the number of sales an employee makes. Creativity, on the other hand, is tough to measure on the job. So, observing an employee's creative ideas and input during meetings is a good solution.

Tests

Tests are a great way to measure changes in knowledge and skills, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Written assignments can be time-consuming to grade, but luckily the right LMS will give you the tools to create automatically-graded quizzes that are fun and interactive, too.

Perhaps the best part about tests is that you can measure a specific skill or knowledge area without the distraction of being observed. For example, you could measure a medical sales rep's understanding of a new product with a few multiple-choice questions completed in a private and quiet environment. Plus, once you've set up a quiz on your LMS, you don't have to invest any more time into this tool.

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But there's a catch. Tests usually don't measure knowledge and skills in the same environment in which they'll be used - the workplace, that is. So you won't know whether an employee is able to apply what they've learned when there are other distractions and pressures at play.

It's also worth mentioning that tests aren't the best measure for skills like persuasion, which are better assessed in practice (think role-plays). And when it comes to skills for high-risk jobs, like pilots and surgeons, tests aren't enough on their own. More realistic assessments, like simulations, are necessary, too.

Surveys

Perhaps one of the most common training evaluation tools and techniques used today is the survey. A survey, or training evaluation questionnaire, collects data through a series of questions, usually in the form of multiple choice.

Why are surveys so popular? Probably because they're highly efficient! You can design one survey, and send it out to millions of employees at the click of a button. If your survey is delivered via your employee training software, it gets even better, because you can access the results as an easy-to-interpret and downloadable report.

There's just one important limitation that you should know about: not many people like questionnaires! Sadly, surveys get an average response rate of 30% to 40%. So it's important to explain to employees that surveys help you improve training, and that you really do want to hear their feedback.

Because surveys ask for people's perceptions and opinions, rather than hard data, this tool is best suited to measuring how successful the learning experience was. You can ask employees what they liked about training, whether the platform was easy to use, and if the content was useful to improving their work.

Interviews

Interviews can be conducted face-to-face or online. But either way, they're as effective as questionnaires - and even more so. Why? Because not only can you ask employees a set of questions, but you can answer their questions and delve deeper into their responses, too. This flexibility often means that you get more valuable and detailed information from employees about their training.

Unfortunately, the same flexibility can result in a few problems for this evaluation tool. Each interview has to be conducted separately, which means that you lose valuable time that both the employee and the interviewer could be using to get work done. Plus, if each interview includes slightly different questions, it can become tricky to compare or summarize results.

Still, if you're exploring the reasons behind other results, this is the tool to do it. For example, if most employees rate the learning experience poorly on a questionnaire, then interviews could help you find out why. Or, if they rate the learning experience favorably, but don't improve on-the-job performance, you could use interviews to identify the reason for this gap.

Focus groups

Focus groups are carefully facilitated discussions among a small group of employees who all completed the same training. These are great tools for exploring what employees think and feel about training, and to get suggestions for future improvements.

Of course, focus groups are a little less time-consuming than interviews, because you can question a number of people at the same time. A group dialogue can also lead to deeper conversations about topics that might not have been explored in a one-to-one setting.

This makes interviews a particularly effective way to unpack obstacles to training success, and to explore ideas for improvement. Just watch out for group conflict or any other dynamics that could damage your ability to gather constructive information about training.

Performance records

If training doesn't improve job performance, it isn't working. So, performance records are surely an important measure to include in any training evaluation. The performance records you choose to use will depend on your training. But some common examples are deals closed, support tickets solved, units made and customer satisfaction ratings.

The biggest advantage of performance records is that they're based on numbers, not opinions. This makes them free from bias, and a trusted source of information to judge your training success by. Plus, if your LMS software integrates with your HR tool (like TalentLMS integrates with BambooHR), you can compare training and performance records more easily.

The only downside when it comes to performance records is that they sometimes create more questions than they answer. Yup, performance data shows you where a problem exists, but not why it exists. So to get to the bottom of "why", you'll need to leverage more qualitative tools, like interviews or focus groups.

Next steps

If excellent training results are a top priority for you, then you need to find ways to continuously improve your training program. Just follow the three steps in this article. Start by deciding on a method, then select your measurements, and choose the right training evaluation tools. Once you've set up the right method for you, it will be much easier to evaluate and improve your employee training program. And your colleagues will be celebrating your training success in no time!

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How to Evaluate Training - Criteria, Methods & Tools for 2021

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You've invested a great deal of resources into employee training and development. And with that comes an expectation to measure its impact. After all, if you can't measure it, you can't improve it. You're all about improvement, so you're looking for a guide that'll tell you everything you need to know about how to evaluate a training program.

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In a recent article, we introduced you to the well-documented forgetting curve in training and explained that something called spaced practice can help reduce or even eliminate the forgetting curve.

In this article, we're going to give you a few more tips for how to design training that combats the forgetting curve and creates memorable training that employees will not only understand during the training, but that they'll also remember after the training and put to use on the job.

Sounds like good stuff to know, no?

Let's get started, then.

What Is the Forgetting Curve: A Reminder

So what's the forgetting curve, for those of you who forgot? (Ha!)

The forgetting curve is the very well-documented tendency for people to begin to forget something they learned (such as your training) almost immediately.

One result of the forgetting curve is that if you do one-and-done training, people may understand the concepts at the end of the training, remember them, and be able to pass a test that day, but that ability to pass the test is already seriously in jeopardy the next morning and those test scores are going to continue downward unless that learning is reinforced.

We have an earlier blog post that explains the forgetting curve and gives some graphs and charts if you want to review that.

In addition, you may want to check out the excellent white paper on spacing learning and the forgetting curve by Dr. Will Thalheimer. This is one of the better resources on the topic I'm aware of. Set aside a few hours, pour a refreshing glass of your favorite beverage, and take a deep dive into the concept with this one.

And this is another nice resource on the forgetting curve if you want something a little shorter than Dr. Thalheimer's magnus opus.

But to wrap this up in a bow, the basic idea is people forget training very quickly unless it's reinforced.

How to Design Training that Defeats the Forgetting Curve

We train people for a reason-because we want them to apply that knowledge or those skills on the job.

So the idea of training people only to have them lose that knowledge or those skills as the result of the inevitable forgetting curve should be pretty horrifying from a "wasted time, effort, and money" view and "I want my training to be effective and contribute to reaching objectives, business goals, and positively affecting KPIs " kind of way.

And so it only makes sense that we should design training that is intentionally structured to help employees remember the knowledge and/or retain the skills over time. Let's see a few simple tips how to do this.

One of the things you're going to notice in many of the suggestions below is the idea of building in " desirable difficulties" into your training. For more about desirable difficulties, we recommend you check out the book Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel.

Develop Training Campaigns and Learning Environments, Not Isolated Training Events

The first thing to know is that isolated training events in a one-and-done format are basically doomed to fail from the start, especially if workers don't get to put the training into practice immediately.

This is how humans and their brains work. It doesn't matter how charming and engaging you were during training, or how well-designed your visuals were, or how closely you followed and integrated adult learning principles. You can basically translate "one-and-done training" to "pull the plug on memory."

As a result, you'll want to spread learning out over time, creating training campaigns with multiple touch points. That's the point of the shorter article about the forgetting curve we linked you to earlier.

Relate New Knowledge to Prior Knowledge

Let's start with a metaphor here. If you want a seed to grow into a beautiful plant, you are going to want to put it into nice, healthy soil.

And to take that further, you may want to plow that soil up a little bit first. You know, kind of ACTIVATE it.

The same basic wisdom applies to training.

When you're teaching people new information, or trying to help them develop new skills, you want to try to relate it to information the learners already have in their brains first. And so you want to "stir up the soil" in their brains by awakening that prior knowledge before you start "planting the seeds" of new knowledge with them.

Why? Because it will make it easier for the learners to make neural connections that help that new information "stick" in their brains, meaning they'll be more likely to remember and use it later.

How? Well, there are a lot of ways to do it. One is to simply start a training session by asking the learners what they know about the topic before you begin. This is addressed a little further in our article on Gagne's Nine Events of Learning. Figurative language, including metaphors, similes, comparisons, and contrasts, help too. And another thing that helps is asking the learners to solve a problem before you teach them how to do it. That last one sounds counter-intuitive, I know. But you're going to see that's a trend here. For the time being, trust me that it works.

Just think of this as priming the pump for learning.

Use Spaced Practice for Training

Our earlier article on spaced practice and the forgetting curve calls this out in more detail, and we also addressed this above when we said one-and-done training won't cut it.

But it's important to know that coming back to training people on the same information and/or training topic at different points over time helps the person retain that information.

The basic idea behind spaced practice is to come back to a specific training topic again and again, leaving enough time for people to forget stuff before you come back. That process of learning something, forgetting, then coming back and learning it again (especially retrieving the information and/or recreating it) makes learning "stick" in the long term.

There are two basic ways to think about spaced practice. The first is during the initial, primary, or main training event, and the second is to think of the initial training event plus the training event that follows the initial one.

When you are designing that initial training session, think about coming back to the idea at multiple times within the same session-build in some repetition. Also, although I'm now stretching the meaning of the term initial training session, think about adding a pre-training assignment. For example, maybe a self-guided online course before the initial/primary training.

In addition, you should also think about building in additional training after the primary training. This is where a microlearning course can help-you don't need to have a full, one-hour session, but maybe a series of shorter session just to keep the memory alive. For example, if you're doing safety training, even something as simple as these online safety training word games can help fight the forgetting curve.

Make Sure Training Includes Retrieval Practice

After the initial training, have the workers try to retrieve the information.

If the training focused on knowledge, have the learners try to call it back to mind. Name it. List it. Explain it.

If the training focused on a skill, have the learners practice and demonstrate it. And give them proper feedback, or let them see the consequences of their decisions.

Folding this form of retrieval into that spaced practice will improve retention.

One quick note: retrieval is different than recognition. So, if it's knowledge, asking the employees to repeat something in their own words or fill in a blank (both of which are forms of retrieval) is better than having them answer a multiple-choice question (which is a form of recognition).

Keep in mind that idea of a desirable difficulty-make their brains "grind" to retrieve that information.

Try Some Interleaved Practice

In common language, interleaving can be said to mean something like "shuffle it up."

Here's an example: If you do all your Haz-Com training in January and then put it away for the year, then do all your Lockout/Tagout training in February, and all your Pedestrian Safety training in March, you are not interleaving.

But if you cover Haz-Com, then Lockout, then Pedestrian Safety (in that order) in January, then come back to Haz-Com in February, Pedestrian Safety in March, and all three again in April, you're interleaving. You're shuffling topics so you come back to them, but only after you've introduced something else.

Interleaving, like retrieval, causes a desirable difficulty that improves retention. Try it and see how it works for you.

Try Some Varied Practice

This is another form of "mixing it up." With varied practice, when employees are practicing (and/or retrieving) the knowledge/skill from training, don't have them practice it in the same way every time.

So, for example, in the first spaced practice, ask them to state the information in their own words. Then the next time, try an interactive word game. Then the next time, do something different.

That variety adds to retention as well.

Take Advantage of the Testing Effect in Your Training

Testing is good for at least two reasons.

First, because it's a form of retrieval, and we've already mentioned that retrieval is good. That retrieval causes the learner's brain to grind and improves learning over time.

But second, because it gives the employee the chance to get an objective understanding of how well he/she is doing. It's easy to float along thinking you know something well or can do something well when the reality is that you don't. Testing is a wake-up call that can help the employee realize he/she doesn't have something mastered as well as he/she thought, or confirm that he/she does.

Here are some tips for good testing.

Add Desirable Difficulties to Training (and Teach Learners to Be Comfortable With It)

People are notoriously poor judges of how well they are learning.

For example, we already addressed this in a great detail in an earlier article about " smile sheets, " the post-training evaluation forms people fill out after training. In that article, we learned that there's almost no correlation to how much people said they learned in training on smile sheets and how much they actually learned (as measured by tests). People often said they learned a lot, when they learned little, and that they learned little, when they learned a lot. They often gave high marks to training sessions that were fun, saying they learned a lot (even if they didn't), and low marks to training sessions that were less fun and/or that required more work (even if they did learn a lot).

In a similar manner, people have a tendency to switch from a difficult form of learning experience to one that seems easier, assuming that that easier one, the one that feels more comfortable, will lead to better learning.

But as you've seen, due to this idea of desirable difficulties, people often learn better when the learning experience is a little harder. And that means people have to come to realize that it's OK for training to be difficult at times, and for them to be a little uncomfortable with an apparent lack of progress or even temporary regression.

And that means that it's your job as a trainer to help support people in this process, to let them know that learning takes a little grind and a little grit, and to make them comfortable with all that. And to not always focus simply on making things easy all the time, but to build in some of these desirable difficulties we've talked about.

Conclusion: Take That, Forgetting Curve-Training Doesn't Have to be Forgotten

We hope you found this article helpful.

If there's one key fact to keep in mind, it's the forgetting curve. One-time training is doomed to failure.

And acting on that, remember that spacing out training, and having workers perform desirable difficulties such as retrieval, is a great way to combat the forgetting curve.

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Combatting the Training Forgetting Curve | Convergence Training

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In a recent article, we introduced you to the well-documented forgetting curve in training and explained that something called spaced practice can help reduce or even eliminate the forgetting curve.

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What is Flow Theory? What does this mean for our students?

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This article is based on a talk by Daniela Kaufer, associate professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, for the GSI Teaching & Research Center's How Students Learn series in Spring 2011.

On this page:
Key Learning Principles
Research Fundamentals
Applications to Teaching
Further Reading

Also available:
Video and full summary of Daniela Kaufer's talk "What Can Neuroscience Research Teach Us about Teaching?"

Key Learning Principles

From the point of view of neurobiology, learning involves changing the brain.

Moderate stress is beneficial for learning, while mild and extreme stress are detrimental to learning.

Adequate sleep, nutrition, and exercise encourage robust learning.

Active learning takes advantage of processes that stimulate multiple neural connections in the brain and promote memory.

Research Fundamentals

Changing the brain: For optimal learning to occur, the brain needs conditions under which it is able to change in response to stimuli (neuroplasticity) and able to produce new neurons (neurogenesis).

The most effective learning involves recruiting multiple regions of the brain for the learning task. These regions are associated with such functions as memory, the various senses, volitional control, and higher levels of cognitive functioning.

Moderate stress: Stress and performance are related in an "inverted U curve" (see right). Stimulation to learn requires a moderate amount of stress (measured in the level of cortisol). A low degree of stress is associated with low performance, as is high stress, which can set the system into fight-or-flight mode so there is less brain activity in the cortical areas where higher-level learning happens. Moderate levels of cortisol tend to correlate with the highest performance on tasks of any type. We can therefore conclude that moderate stress is beneficial for learning, while mild and extreme stress are both detrimental to learning.

Moderate stress can be introduced in many ways: by playing unfamiliar music before class, for example, or changing up the format of discussion, or introducing any learning activity that requires individual participation or movement. However, people do not all react the same way to an event. The production of cortisol in response to an event varies significantly between individuals; what constitutes "moderate stress" for one person might constitute mild or extreme stress for another. So, for example, cold-calling on individual students in a large-group setting might introduce just the right amount of stress to increase some students' performance, but it might produce excessive stress and anxiety for other students, so their performance is below the level you know they are capable of. Any group dynamic that tends to stereotype or exclude some students also adds stress for them.

Adequate sleep, good nutrition, and regular exercise: These common-sense healthy habits promote optimal learning performance in two ways. First, they promote neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Second, they keep cortisol and dopamine (stress and happiness hormones, respectively) at appropriate levels. All-night cramming sessions, skipped meals, and skipped exercise can actually reduce the brain's capacity for high academic performance. (This is true for instructors as well as students.)

Active learning: Cognitive functions associated with the lower levels of Bloom's taxonomy (see diagram at left), such as understanding and remembering, are associated with the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for memory and spatial awareness). The higher-level cognitive functions of Bloom's taxonomy, such as creating, evaluating, analyzing, and applying, involve the cortical areas responsible for decision-making, association, and motivation.

More complex thought processes are more beneficial for learning because they involve a greater number of neural connections and more neurological cross-talk. Active learning takes advantage of this cross-talk, stimulating a variety of areas of the brain and promoting memory.

Applications to Teaching

Classroom Activities, from the Teaching Guide for GSIs

Some Basic Active Learning Strategies, from the University of Minnesota Center for Educational Innovation

Further Reading
Please note that some links may require Library proxy access. Please see the Library's page Connect from Off Campus.
Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne and Uta Frith (2005). The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Felder, Richard M. and Rebecca Brent (1996). " Navigating the Bumpy Road to Student-Centered Instruction." An abridged version of this article was published in College Teaching 44: 43-7.

Tokuhama-Espinosa, Tracey (2011). Mind, Brain, and Education Science: A Comprehensive Guide to the New Brain-Based Teaching. New York: W. W. Norton.

Walker, J. D. et al. (2008). " A Delicate Balance: Integrating Active Learning into a Large Lecture Course." CBE Life Sciences Education 7.4: 361-67.

Winter, Dale et al. (2001). " Novice Instructors and Student-Centered Instruction: Identifying and Addressing Obstacles to Learning in the College Science Laboratory." The Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 2.1: 14-42.

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This article is based on a talk by Daniela Kaufer, associate professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, for the GSI Teaching & Research Center's How Students Learn series in Spring 2011. On this page: Key Learning Principles Research Fundamentals Applications to Teaching Further Reading Also available: Video and full summary of Daniela Kaufer's talk "What Can Neuroscience Research Teach Us about Teaching?"

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Since the mid-1950s, cognitive science has sought to understand how the human brain acquires, uses, and transmits knowledge. Stanislas Dehaene, professor at the Collège de France, is a prominent representative of this discipline.

As a cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist, he has highlighted the main contributors to successful learning, which are attention, active engagement, feedback, and consolidation. He refers to these four fundamental elements as the "four pillars of learning".

Attention

One can't learn without paying attention to what must be learned. According to Dehaene, this is the first condition for successful learning. In practice, that means a teacher must first draw the students' attention, by quizzing them or adjusting the tone of their voice.

That is not all, though: it is also important to highlight what students must pay attention to, by prioritising or repeating the most important information. Attention is selective, after all: it acts as a filter which catches some bits of information and lets others slip through.

Not convinced? Take the following selective attention tests by counting the number of passes made by basketball players in this video and deducing who committed murder in this case.

Active engagement

If one wants to remember new information, passively listening to the teacher is insufficient. It's better to ask oneself questions, speculate about potential hypotheses, or perform experiments to fully understand what one is learning.

According to Stanisalas Dehaene, nothing implants new knowledge in one's brain and memory better than that intellectual struggle. In that sense, active learning favours efficient learning.

Feedback

Who said one shouldn't make mistakes? Certainly not Stanislas Dehaene! On the contrary, he believes making errors can be beneficial - if one understands what caused them. This is why feedback is important: it allows the learner to move past the mistake and correct it, provided they feel confident and encouraged rather than criticised and mocked.

Though this is not a new discovery, professor Dehaene sheds light on the process that takes place inside the brain: the learner makes a prediction, the error causes a discrepancy between that prediction and reality, which leads them to make a new prediction. These successive adjustments favour learning.

Consolidation

Memorising new information or acquiring new skills is merely the first step: that knowledge must be consolidated if it is to be durable and used automatically, almost unconsciously.

Whether learning how to count, how to read fluently, or how to drive a car, the brain must repeat the mechanisms which govern that learning many times, until it is truly mastered. Professor Dehaene also notes that sleep plays an essential part in this process.

Over time, the effort fades and transforms into routine, which frees up space in the brain to learn and do new things!

Wooclap is a tool which favours all four of these pillars for successful learning. Sign up for free here!

Find Stanislas Dehaene's courses from the Collège de France as well as his speeches about the fundamentals of learning: https://www.college-de-france.fr/site/stanislas-dehaene/symposium-2012-11-20-10h00.htm

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Stanislas Dehaene: The four pillars of learning

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Since the mid-1950s, cognitive science has sought to understand how the human brain acquires, uses, and transmits knowledge. Stanislas Dehaene, professor at the Collège de France, is a prominent representative of this discipline. As a cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist, he has highlighted the main contributors to successful learning, which are attention, active engagement, feedback, and consolidation.

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The evidence is in the practice

ESSA Level 3 correlation evidence in math and ELA, earned by teachers running frequent formative assessments.

When teachers run 30+ formative questions a week, the research is clear: they get more data-driven, their students get more engaged. Wayground is built to make that practice enjoyable ot run, attainable to fit a class period, and habitual enough to last past September.

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Quizizz is now Wayground | Teacher AI and Resources

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Find standards-aligned resources that engage every student. Wayground (formerly Quizizz) helps teachers differentiate instruction with AI and track student progress.

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Wordwall - Crea mejores lecciones de forma más rápida

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¿Necesitas un nuevo recurso que se ajuste a tu estilo de clase y didáctico? Crea un paquete personalizado de actividades interactivas e imprimibles en un solo minuto.

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The learning experience platform (LXP) market is growing up fast. Only a few years ago startup companies like Pathgather, Degreed, and EdCast pioneered the idea of a platform to make corporate learning content easy to find. These next-generation portals took off and now thousands of companies are looking to put their Learning Management System in the basement.

Since then this market has exploded (it's over $300M and growing at 50%+ per year) and it now shows signs of age: vendors are getting bigger; products are becoming complex; the players are moving in different directions.

Will the LXP market replace the $4 Billion+ LMS market? I think this is starting to happen, which is why every Learning Management System (LMS) vendor has jumped into this space.
Why Do We Have Learning Experience Platforms?
The original problem these products solved was what I would call discovery.

I want to learn something or take a course and I simply cannot find it in the course catalog (LMS).

LMS systems were never designed to be employee-centric. They were developed as "Management" systems for learning, focused on business rules, compliance, and catalog management for courses.

The LXP, which looks more like YouTube or Netflix, is a true content delivery system, which makes modern content easy to find and and consume.

Fig 1: What an LXP Typically Looks Like
Both systems are needed (LXP and LMS), but over time these lines have blurred. To make it simple to understand, consider the picture below.

Fig 2: LMS vs. LXP

In the early days of the LXP, the green layer was very thin. All these products did was serve as aggregation portals.

As the product category grew, however, they became more functional. Not only does the LXP need intelligent methods to recommend content (discussed below), but they can also be used to recommend third-party articles, find people who are experts, and potentially index documents, videos, and other digital assets. In a sense, they are content management, knowledge management, and learning systems all in one - which is why the market is growing so quickly.
The Problem of Discovery Is Complex
The core problem, that of discovery, is very complex. (This is what made Google a multi-billion dollar company.) Inside a business, there are thousands of courses to find, and as you build more content (using tools like 360Learning), the library explodes. And the LXP reaches the internet, where every video, article, podcast, and webpage is possible a way to learn.

As the founder of EdCast puts it, the real LXP mission is to "index the world of learning," to make it easy to find just what you need. (Sounds like "The Google of Learning.") Much harder to do than it is to say.

I've talked with many of the early users of LXP platforms and they love the systems at first ... but as they become full of content the problem of "intelligent discovery" becomes hard. And that's where the market is going next.
How Will Content Discovery Evolve?
Let me suggest this market is moving in six directions at the same time.

Fig 3: How LXP Products Recommend Content 1. Skills-Based Learning.
Vendors like Degreed, LinkedIn, EdCast, Percipio, and IBM have started to add skills-based discovery tools into their systems. While all LXP systems have skills-based tagging, these vendors are starting to build skills assessments, skills inferences, and skills-based learning paths. Companies have always wanted a skills-based approach to learning. It's just much harder than it looks.

IBM's Watson Talent Frameworks, for example, one of the most robust skills frameworks in the world, has over 3,000 job profiles and 2,000 skills integrated. An LXP that tries to map all these skills to content has a lot of work to do. Degreed has launched its own internal skills assessment engine, and I believe others will as well.

Pluralsight, one of the leading providers of software technical skills programs, has its own learning portal and has built a very innovative skills assessment engine called Skill IQ. This offering came through the acquisition of Smarterer, which was a very innovative system to crowd-source assessment based on the skills of others. While Pluralsight is not in the LXP market, one may ask "how can the LXP use the skills data from a content provider?"
2. Usage-Based Recommendations.
Vendors like EdCast, SkillSoft, Cornerstone, LinkedIn, and Fuse, aggregate massive amounts of data to recommend learning based on the usage of others. While this sounds like a good idea (this is the idea of Google PageRank or Facebook EdgeRank), it creates problems. When one program is widely used it becomes widely recommended, and it starts to "crowd out" other content that might have more value and credibility. And what if I"m in the Paris sales office, should I see the most popular content in China?

Vendors will build smarter recommendation engines over time, but I've heard stories of buyers who purchased an LXP and found it recommending incorrect content on the public internet because it had high rates of traffic. I'm not saying this approach is not a good idea, it just takes lots of R&D to make it work well.

When EdCast started working with NASSCOM and other major institutions its goal was to create faster and better machine learning recommendations. They now do it for each client, as do Degreed, Valamis, and CrossKnowledge. Degreed's new OEM relationship with Harvard Publishing promises to help them better understand patterns of usage for Harvard's content. Wiley, the owners of CrossKnowledge and one of the biggest book publishers in the world, is embarking on a data lake project to better recommend content.

And there are some important subtleties to this. Fuse lets teams segment themselves into communities, so the system can recommend the most popular content within that group. Their clients found this to be far more relevant than any type of enterprise-wide usage tracking. (ie. If I work in a certain hotel, I may want to see content most useful among my peers, not necessarily across an entire global network.)
3. AI-Based Content Analysis.
The third approach to discovery is far more innovative and powerful. These vendors (the leader here is a company called Volley.com, followed by Valamis, IBM, and Docebo) actually injest instructional content (text, video, audio) and then identify the instruction within.

In other words, they read the content and figure out "what is this trying to teach people?"

Volley.com is widely used on Wall Street, for example, and the company's system can crawl through CyberSecurity documentation and "create" training, micro-learning, and assessments on security procedures for the bank. This approach has enormous potential as these systems identify "level of expertise" and "credibility" of content through pedagogical analysis.

IBM and Valamis's new learning platform does this as well. Valamis, which is used by Boeing, for example, can fast-forward to a video segment and show you precisely what to watch based on instructional needs. The domain of content analysis is going to be huge.
4. Chat With and Understand The Learner.
The fourth way to recommend content is to ask the learner.

In the best of all worlds, the Learning platform should know your role, your experience in that role, what content you have consumed, your learning preferences, and of course what aspirations and goals you have.

Most of the LXP products let the user define their interests when they log in. But that's not enough. The system may need to know your tenure, aspirations, levels of expertise, and even your "way of learning." In my case, I like to read a lot so I want more books; others may want podcasts or videos.

LinkedIn Learning has a lot of potential in this area, but companies like Filtered, Degreed, and Valamis are working on this too. Degreed, for example, has worked with clients like Bank of America to map specific job roles to learning recommendations. IBM's YourLearning platform does this using IBM's Watson Talent Frameworks. Filtered's product Magpie, asks you lots of questions when you get started to make sure the engine knows your role, interests, learning needs, and skills profile.

Fig 4: Filtered's Magpie Recommendations 5. Expand The Learning Business Rules.
The fourth approach to discovery is the boring, well-known, but badly needed model of "business rules for learning." Every LMS has lots of this.

Every quarter we need people to take sexual harassment training; salespeople have to finish their new hire training by the end of the quarter; engineers in a pharma company need to be recertified on equipment; and on and on.

All these business rules, which we have heretofore left in the LMS, are creeping into the LXP. And why not? If we are going to put hundreds of content objects into the LXP, why can't we get it to formalize, recommend, track, and manage curricula and programs too? This is a heavy lift for the LXP players, but hey whoever said being a learning platform company was going to be easy.

(PS the conversational interface is a new way of managing this, look at Valamis's Digital Learning Assistant.)

Fig 5: Digital Learning Assistant from Valamis 6. Store and Manage Data and Analytics.
The sixth new dimension of the LXP market is data. Where are all the utilization, history, tracking, assessment, and compliance data going to be stored? Right now most companies put their LXP in front of their LMS. It's only a matter of time before companies start saying "why do we have two platforms anyway?" Can't this LXP store the data in our LMS? Or can we just buy one system?

Right now LXP systems don't store much learning history data, but they are collecting a lot. You as a buyer have to decide where you put all this information, and how the machine learning can best use it all.
What Happens To The Business Rules of Learning?
There's still a big open question in the market: where do the business rules go?
A Few of the Business Rules for Learning:

Compliance: Some content is mandatory, so we have to track completion and manage compliance. When the content changes we may need to "recertify" people.

Career programs: Onboarding, new hire training, and career development are learning tracks. They may have pre-requisites, branching, and tests at the end.

Customer education: Customers may have to pay for certain courses; they may only see content which is externally licensed; we need e-commerce, training credits, and discounts.

Performance support: Sometimes employees just want to search for the answer to a question, they want to search within the content.

Development plans: after a performance review and an employee puts together a custom development plan, where do they store it?

Manager approval: do managers have to approve this course? Do they need to know someone has completed it?

Ad-Hoc learning: Sometimes employees don't know what they need to learn: they just want the system to nudge them to read or learn something that's important or adjacent to their current jobs.

There's the whole new world of "learning in the flow of work." How do I take learning content and make it relevant to me from my job?

One could argue that most of this functionality is in the LMS, so let's leave it there. I think this will change. Much of this functionality will migrate into the core HR system over time (this is certainly Workday's strategy), leaving the LXP as a more and more important system in the architecture.
Will the LXP Become an LMS?
The LMS vendors would have you believe that the LXP is a simple and easy system to build. Companies like Cornerstone want to give the LXP away.

I believe the opposite may be true. The LXP is the learning delivery platform of the future, and the level of investment in that platform is growing exponentially. Vendors with legacy LMS systems are trying to catch up, but they're finding it's harder than they thought.

And now this market is too big to ignore. Most LMS vendors are building this type of functionality, including companies like LinkedIn, SkillSoft, Saba, and even Microsoft.

Long ago when I was at IBM I learned something important from one of the most senior leaders in IBM research. It's hard to make old software do new tricks.

Software is hard, but hardware is soft.

In other words, it's not easy for legacy LMS vendors to turn their old systems into new platforms. In most cases, they have to start over (this is certainly what Skillsoft has done with Percipio), and I could expect to see acquisitions start this year. (Including LXP vendors buying LMS vendors.)
The Economics Really Matter
The final point I want to make is about the economics of this market.

As the LXP space grows in size and value, training departments have to decide where they want to spend their money. One of our clients, a pioneering user of an LXP, has a plan to replace their LXP with the planned solution from their new LMS vendor. Why? They just don't want to pay for two systems.

In the other direction, there's a lot of demand to reduce spending on the LMS. I know of two global enterprises who plan on "turning off" their LMS in the next few years.

The market is dynamic, exciting, and filled with innovation. If you are searching for an LXP or need help figuring this all out, just let me know. I'm here to help.

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Learning Experience Platform (LXP) Market Grows Up: Now Too Big To Ignore - JOSH BERSIN

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The learning experience platform (LXP) market is growing up fast. Only a few years ago startup companies like Pathgather, Degreed, and EdCast pioneered the idea of a platform to make corporate learning content easy to find. These next-generation portals took off and now thousands of companies are looking to put their Learning Management System in the basement.

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We spent the summer and fall of 2020 collecting data on the learning tech space--first, because it's been a couple of years since we addressed it and wanted to find out what has changed, and second, because, honestly, what else were we going to do?

In the process, we polled vendors which have been very generous with their information, and checked in with learning leaders to get their thoughts on learning technology and how they're thinking about it differently.

So what's changed? The short answer is: There's just more. More market, more choices, more confusion, more vendors, more functionalities, and more options. The data and insights we share with you in this report are based on the data we collected from vendors--via a survey and by understanding their offerings through their websites.

Let's jump in.

More growth

As learning has become more of a strategic imperative for organizations, C-suites have been more likely to allocate budget for continued employee development. In fact, according to LinkedIn's 2020 Workplace Learning report, 83% of L&D pros say that executive buy-in is not a challenge. Anecdotally, we've seen this buy-in as L&D leaders have less of a challenge securing budget.

As purse strings loosen for L&D teams, we also see increased action on the learning tech side. Number of vendors, number of users, number of solutions, number of functionalities, and amount of revenue have all increased significantly over the last 2 years.

More vendors

There are more learning tech vendors than probably any other time in history. As leaders demand better learning experiences and as vendors provide different types of functionality, more vendors continue to pop up.

We currently have 223 in our database, and we know that isn't even close to all of them. If we look at just the vendors in our database and plot them by the year founded, we see tremendous growth in the last decade--and that growth is accelerating (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Number of Surveyed Vendors by Founding Year, 1980-2020
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Incidentally, the leveling off in recent years isn't because things are slowing down; rather, it represents the lag between the time a vendor organization is incorporated or established, and the time we actually see it in the market.

Growth in the number of vendors can likely be attributed to a couple of sources. First, there are lower barriers to entry than we've had in years past. Two people with a great idea, an AWS account, and a decent understanding of social media marketing have a shot at making a go of it--and we're talking to more founders in this very situation.

Secondly, we're seeing more money being invested in the ed tech space. Venture capital investments in ed tech during 2020 are already at about $9.7 billion, more than twice the amount in 2019.

More revenue from more customers

Even while more vendors are entering the marketplace, established vendors are reporting more revenue between 2018 and 2019--by a significant amount (see Figure 2). In fact, between 2019 and 2020, vendors collectively reported year-over-year growth of about 69%.

Figure 2: Total Revenue from Surveyed Vendors, 2018-2020
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Likewise, total number of customers reported by vendors has also grown significantly in the past 2 years. Collectively, vendors in our study reported strong growth--33% from 2018 to 2019, and 48% from 2019 to 2020--again indicating the adoption of more learning technology (see Figure 3).

Figure 3: Total Number of Customers of Surveyed Vendors, 2018-2020

Source: RedThread Research, 2020

The impressive growth of both vendor revenue and customers in 2019 indicates that adoption of learning tech preceded the COVID-19 crisis. Along with more enlightened C-suites and bigger or more stable budgets, learning leaders have also begun to understand the benefits, scalability, and flexibility of new types of learning technology.

That's not to say COVID-19 hasn't had an impact. As much as we would like to wish COVID away, its existence has a positive correlation with learning tech adoption. Anecdotally, even smaller players just getting their start are seeing some pretty good success, given that organizations are having to rethink their employee development strategies for remote workers.

More users

Finally, we're also seeing more users of learning tech in general. A full 43% of vendors say they have more than 500,000 users and 35% report more than a million (see Figure 4). Anecdotally, in 2020, many orgs that had been planning a learning tech rollout over months or years were surprised by COVID-19, but then took advantage of it to get more users up and running than they'd originally anticipated for 2020.

Figure 4: Number of Users by Surveyed Vendors*

*Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
What industries are these users coming from? According to our vendor data, the top 3 industries served are technology, banking, and life sciences (see Figure 5).

Figure 5: Top 3 Industries Served by Surveyed Vendors
Source: RedThread Research, 2020
More functionalities in more combinations

When we started talking to vendors a couple of years ago, we learned that they tend to categorize the things they do much more granularly. And, as organizations have begun to focus more on the experience employees have in their development, so do leaders.

To date, we have identified 30 functionalities that vendors are offering and which orgs are considering when it comes to employee development (see Figure 6). Two functionalities popped this year that weren't a big deal in 2018: podcasts and knowledge bases.

Figure 6: 30 Functionalities Offered by Surveyed Vendors
Source: RedThread Research, 2020. Podcasts
As learning leaders have expanded their view of learning and increased the number of ways for employees to learn, podcasting has become a thing. Why? Some of the reasons we've heard include that they:

Are portable--and can be easily consumed anytime and anywhere

Provide a touchpoint with leaders--allowing them to communicate key information or tell their stories in an engaging way

Are serial in nature--giving organizations the opportunity to create a conversation

Can be industry-specific or off the shelf--allowing L&D functions to provide them as part of a wider portfolio

Podcasts give organizations the opportunity to tap into a medium familiar to employees--one they likely use in their everyday lives (104 million Americans have listened to a podcast in the last month) and reach them in a way that traditional corporate learning content may not.
Knowledge management
Expanding the definition of learning has also led organizations to include knowledge bases in the functionalities they consider when evaluating learning tech. Increasingly, orgs are utilizing repositories, such as SharePoint, Confluence, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Inkling, and others, to gather and organize information useful to employees while doing their jobs.

Uses of these knowledge bases run the gamut--anything from manually pointing employees to existing knowledge bases to connecting those knowledge bases to the learning tech ecosystem and surfacing content in LXPs, LMXs, and other platforms.

Interestingly, as with many of the functionalities we see pop up on our list, podcasting and knowledge bases weren't originally created for corporate L&D, but have been adopted. In fact, most vendors playing in these spaces aren't traditional "learning tech" vendors at all, but rather media and workplace collaboration vendors. This speaks to the increasingly closer tie between learning and the real world.

More focus on enabling behaviors

As a part of the initial research on learning tech, we spent a lot of time talking with L&D leaders about their goals. Those who are more forward-thinking tend to be enabling behaviors rather than providing training.

From those discussions, we identified 6 behaviors that L&D functions should be enabling and 2 they should pay attention to in order to keep the proverbial train on the tracks (see Figure 7). Unsurprisingly, functionalities surfaced by vendors fit nicely within that framework.

Figure 7: Learning Ecosystem Framework
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
A quick review of these behaviors:

Plan: How do we enable our employees to understand their career options and empower their own development?

Explore: How do we enable our employees to find the opportunities and content they need to develop in their careers?

Consume: How do we enable our employees to consume content--courses, job aids, etc.--and how easy do we make it?

Experiment: How do we encourage employees to introduce new skills into their workflow or practice new skills on the job?

Connect: How do we help employees find and learn from each other?

Perform: How do we help employees get better at their jobs in the flow of work?

Manage & Create: How are we, as the employee development function, at creating necessary content and tracking learning?

Analyze: Which metrics and measures do we use to determine progress?

As organizations build out their learning tech ecosystems, this model in Figure 7 can help them understand their many tech options and what potential behaviors those options may encourage.

We don't think that all orgs need all functionalities; we do think, however, that all orgs should be encouraging all behaviors (even if they encourage some of them without using tech).

We also use this model to help frame exactly what we're seeing in the learning tech space. The good news is that we're seeing more organizations begin to understand what they need to do, recognize functionalities, and think beyond the LXP. For example, 2020 vendor data shows these categories are beginning to fill out: More vendors are providing functionalities pertaining to each desired behavior (see Figure 8).

Figure 8: Number of Surveyed Vendors Supporting These Behaviors*

*These numbers are based on the 223 surveyed vendors participating in this research.
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Not surprisingly (and not much of a change from 2018), the behavior still being supported most by learning tech vendors is consume: The most functionalities are associated with consume as learning leaders and vendors alike try to increase engagement with employees, and interest them in skills and knowledge development.

Also, not surprisingly, the behavior being supported least is experiment. While we've seen some efforts in this area (i.e., more video practice and more AR / VR), we think there are other ways to help employees experiment on the job and we're excited to see what vendors come up with.

The behavior that's grown the most in terms of vendors supporting it is perform. This aligns with our theory that learning, performance, and career are all becoming 1 conversation instead of 3. It's difficult to provide personalized development opportunities to employees unless you know how they're currently performing, and can enable them to develop skills and knowledge on the job.

As this model continues to fill out, it offers opportunities for both vendors and leaders.

More point solutions

A bigger focus on behavior is also encouraged by the many point solution vendors we've seen in the learning tech space. The number of vendors offering 5 or fewer functionalities has more than doubled in the past 2 years (see Figure 9). We previously mentioned some of the reasons for this growth.

Figure 9: Number of Functionalities Offered by Surveyed Vendors, 2020 vs 2018
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
There's an ongoing debate about whether there'll be a consolidation of smaller vendors as they merge or get acquired by larger platform vendors. We think there'll always be consolidation. Our data, however, indicates that organizations are using point solutions more than ever. This is likely for a few reasons:

Integration is easier now. (We had a vendor tell us a few years ago that integration would soon be table stakes. While, at the time, that seemed slightly farfetched, we're seeing it happen. Vendors are more aware of other parts of the learning tech ecosystem, more willing to play nicely with them, and more thoughtful with their backends to make it easier.)

No longer a need to choose. Learning leaders no longer have to choose between point solutions or platforms.

Change in Philosophy. Organizations used to have a philosophy: String a bunch of best-in-class point solutions together or choose a platform that claimed to do everything. That's no longer the case. Organizations now often use point solutions to round out a platform offering.

Point solutions can be more tailorable. L&D leaders looking for a very specific experience can find one that aligns the best with their culture, rather than simply accepting what a platform may offer.

The availability of more point solutions has also likely increased the number of vendors offering the same functionality, which we talk about next.

More choices for the same functionality

Our 2020 data also shows that more vendors are offering the same functionality than in the past. In fact, more vendors are offering all but 2 of the functionalities we asked about. Figure 10 offers some insight into the popularity and adoption of the different functionalities.

Figure 10: Number of Solutions Offering Each of the 30 Functionalities, 2020 vs 2018
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
What are the biggest changes? A few caught our eye.
Microlearning
Microlearning was the buzzword a few years ago. As the learning tech market has grown up around it, this is receiving less emphasis--partly because so many functionalities (besides just consuming content) make use of it and partly because it has become table stakes.

As organizations move away from courses and as vendors offer more ways to learn, microlearning has become a way of describing many things rather than just chunking up courses.
LXP
Not surprisingly, a number of vendors have either entered the market or changed directions to become LXPs. Two years ago, when we asked what exactly an LXP is, no one had a really good answer--and we had vendors with all kinds of functionalities claiming to be an LXP.

While the definition has stabilized a bit (largely due to Josh Bersin, who coined the phrase, finally defining it), LXP functionality varies widely, and is incorporated and / or combined with many others. We advise anyone looking for an LXP to ask lots and lots of questions to make sure it does what you want it to do.
Adaptive learning
As AI, machine learning, and data have gotten better, we're seeing more vendors offer some type of adaptive learning. This can be anything from branching, to microlearning bits pieced together in different ways, to AI algorithms determining an employee's knowledge and guiding future learning.
Assessments
Finally, assessments. Frankly, we aren't sure what happened here. The number of vendors telling us they offered some sort of assessment plummeted between 2018 and 2020.

We think this may be due to 2 things.

First, manual assessment is not as important as it once was; it's being rolled into skills assessment and verification rather than knowledge assessment.

Second, assessments may still exist in these solutions, but marketing doesn't necessarily want to emphasize it to the extent they have in the past.

It also may be due to the assessment that's starting to take place in the background--utilizing latent data or data from other systems to assess knowledge and skills, rather than doing it overtly.

More options for learning leaders

Changes in the learning tech landscape obviously offer learning leaders more options. While more options are generally good, some of them require changes to other parts of the L&D function in order to be useful.

More analytics & measurement

The most frequently offered functionality by vendors was analytics and measurement. In the past 2 years, the importance of data and analytics has increased significantly as leaders across the org have begun to realize their power (see Figure 11).

Figure 11: Number of Surveyed Learning Tech Vendors Offering Analytics, 2020 vs 2018
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Whereas reports and dashboards (and interactive dashboards, if you want to get fancy) used to be enough, we're seeing much more complete offerings. Vendors are going beyond solutions that simply provide a report card on how things are going (like dashboards) to refunneling and using the data created and absorbed by learning systems to create additional functionality.

AI and machine learning have become learning tech marketing buzzwords, for sure. But when implemented well, these technologies can offer much more personalized and better experiences--allowing employees to plot out specific learning journeys, understand their performance and what they can do to improve it, and build needed skills for their desired careers.

Not only that, analytics and measurement are key to solving some of organization's biggest challenges today, particularly around skills and mobility. Vendors are beginning to craft solutions that help orgs answer questions like:

What skills does my organization need?

What skills does my organization have?

How do we enable and optimize career mobility?

All that said, further research is needed to understand how individual vendors stand up to some of these new functionalities. (This is one of those times we wish we would have asked much more detailed questions.)

More flexibility & speed

One of the other exciting things we've seen in the market is the ability of vendors to implement much more quickly. Our 2020 data tells us that 38% of all vendors can have a technology implemented in less than a month. A full 88% say that they can have one implemented in 3 months or less. (See Figure 12.)

Figure 12: Time to Implement Learning Tech Solutions
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Why do we care about this? Because speed in this day and age is good. Skills change rapidly, industries shift, and, yes, pandemics happen. Organizations that can quickly implement new tech have a leg up in developing their workforces, and keeping their skills fresh and relevant.

Quick implementation times also minimize the investment that orgs must make in using learning tech. By minimizing the investment, it's easier to "cry uncle" when things aren't working, and easier and more cost-effective to try out new technologies

Also, quick implementation allows learning leaders to build a continuously evolving, effective learning tech ecosystem. If technologies can easily be plugged in or taken out, learning leaders can tailor tech and functionalities to their culture, function, or business unit quickly.

In many cases, we're also seeing learning become such a priority that many purchases aren't made through the L&D function, but rather through the business function. In such cases, quick implementation times and point solutions allow business functions to meet the development needs of their employees quickly and easily.

More help for bigger problems

Learning leaders are also finally getting help with some of the larger challenges they face. Whereas employee development used to consist of creating and distributing courses, modern employee development broadens the responsibilities of learning leaders and, therefore, the support they need.

Specifically, there are 3 or 4 challenges that learning leaders are voicing in the current environment: mobility, coaching, learning in the flow of work, and upskilling and reskilling. Luckily, the learning tech market has begun to think through these challenges as well as where it can help. We briefly review these areas below, but will be providing separate studies on each, complete with associated vendors in the first part of 2021.

Upskilling & Reskilling

We've been following the skills verification and tracking conversation for a few years now, and it just barely started to get interesting. Organizations are hot to understand the skills their employees have and the skills they'll need to compete.

This is one tech area in which we think vendors beat learning leaders to the line: Vendors have been thinking about this challenge and trying to solve it for a while now. In fact, when looking at the number of vendors that say they track skills in 2020 vs the number in 2018, there's little movement (see Figure 13). (We think there are more than are showing in our data and that the COVID-19 crisis has prompted many vendors to act on this since they initially shared their data with us.)

Figure 13: Number of Solutions Offering Skills Tracking, 2020 vs 2018

Source: RedThread Research, 2020.

While skills verification and explicit data are still a large part of what skills tracking vendors offer, we're also seeing some interesting things happen with AI and existing data. Vendors are getting better at inferring skills based on other skills they know employees may have, or by tapping into other organizational data to determine the frequency of employees completing a task to determine proficiency.

Mobility

We haven't been able to have a discussion about skills this year without also discussing mobility; they seem to go hand in hand. This discussion has also been prompted by the COVID-19 crisis as many organizations try to secure positions for employees who may have been temporarily or permanently displaced.

Turns out, mobility is a complicated beast. It's generally not handled by just 1 function and takes more than 1 technology to enable it. When we combine talent marketplaces and career planning tech solutions, the growth in the number of vendors over the last 2 years has more than doubled (see Figure 14).

Figure 14: Number of Vendors Talent Marketplaces & Career Planning, 2020 vs 2018
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Since we collected this data, we've also been briefed by several vendors which focus specifically on mobility solutions--some that incorporate these 2 functionalities, and some that are much more complete and complex.

As this challenge is two-fold--moving employees where their skills can best be taken advantage of by the organization, and ensuring that employees have opportunities to learn and grow to keep them engaged--we imagine we'll see more growth in this area in the near future.

Enablement

In 2018, we were just beginning to see the emergence of a new functionality--one that helped employees get better at their work while on the job, such as onscreen help, step-by-step directions when performing a new task, QR codes built into learning, and the like. There weren't many vendors focusing on it at the time.

In 2020, however, our data tells a different story: Thirty-seven vendors are offering some sort of enablement (see Figure 15). This follows the trends associated with AI and machine learning--necessary technologies to provide some of the enablement functionality. We expect this segment to continue to grow.

Figure 15: Enablement Solution Providers, 2020 vs 2018
Source: RedThread Research, 2020.
Coaching

Finally, we've seen a large influx of coaching vendors or vendors that've also developed coaching functionality (see Figure 16). More and more, coaching is seen as an employee development tool that should be offered to all levels in the org, rather than retained for leadership only.

Figure 16: Number of Solutions Offering Coaching, 2020 vs 2018

Source: RedThread Research, 2020.

Not only are we seeing new vendors in this space, we're also seeing some interesting solutions. For example:

Internally focused coaching--reverse coaching, group coaching, and peer-to-peer manager coaching. Software generally focuses on pairing people internally, and providing platforms and tools to enable good sessions.

Coach on the shoulder, which utilizes AI and latent data to provide feedback to individuals about their behavior and what they can do better. This type of software generally eliminates human coaches and instead relies solely on the technology.

Coaches for different topics. Whereas most traditional coaching and coaching tech has addressed leadership and business topics, new coaching offerings include financial, health, wellbeing, and early career help as well.

As AI, data, and tech get better, we're very interested to see what's next for coaching software. We'll be doing a separate study on this topic in early 2021.

What's Next?

This article is an introductory piece on learning tech and provides information about the market, what it has done the past couple of years, and how we see it continue to evolve.

This is just the beginning of the research we'll be doing on learning tech in the next 3 months. You can also expect:

An updated learning tech landscape tool

An infographic summary of learning tech details

A guide for helping leaders choose learning technology

An overview of the coaching market, vendors, and differentiators

An overview of the mobility and skills market, vendors, and differentiators

An overview of enablement vendor market, vendors, and differentiators

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The Learning Tech Landscape: More - Just More (complimentary) - RedThread Research

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We spent the summer and fall of 2020 collecting data on the learning tech space--first, because it's been a couple of years since we addressed it and wanted to find out what has changed, and second, because, honestly, what else were we going to do?

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A learning experience platform (LXP) is an AI-driven peer learning experience platform delivered using software as a service ( SaaS). LXPs were born out of a new approach to corporate learning platforms, addressing perceived shortcomings with learning management systems ( LMS). While a learning management system focuses on the needs of the Learning & Development (L&D) department to deliver education, policy and compliance training to employees, an LXP flips the model to focus on employee needs.

An LXP is an intuitive learning and development platform. LXPs help employees answer key business questions and provide them with opportunities for professional development. Learning experience platforms signal a shift away from the top-down, management-administered style of learning management systems and toward a more independent, autonomous and self-directed style of learning.

Industry analyst Josh Bersin coined the term "learning experience platform." Bersin estimated the market opportunity at over $300 million and projected an annual growth rate of over 50%. While the user experience ( UX) of conventional corporate learning platforms may be perceived as outdated or stale, LXPs deliver a modern, consumer-grade look and feel, much like the experience of popular social networking and multimedia sites. In addition, LXPs provide fully functional mobile device experiences, delivered through responsive design and mobile apps.

LXPs can support a wide array of content, sourced from inside and outside a company's firewall. Content types in an LXP can include blog posts, industry articles, videos, podcasts and courses. LXPs enable end users to create and publish content, along with social profiles that include users' bios, achievements and activity.

What are LXPs used for?

LXPs are used to satisfy the self-directed learning needs of employees seeking skills development and professional development. While an LMS is well-suited as a compliance training software, it falls short for open-ended discovery and goal-based learning. For example, employees might state, "We want to learn more about Java programming," but discover that no entries in the LMS course catalog suit their needs.

An LXP uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recommend content to users, including third-party blog posts, articles, documents and videos available on the Internet. The use of AI enables personalized learning for users, based on their past activity, stated goals or inferred learning style. An LXP supports peer-based social learning as well, connecting users with peers or experts in a manner similar to social networking platforms.

Key features

The following are key features of a learning experience platform.

Content creation. An LXP supports user-generated content from end users. Employees can use a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor to create posts and lessons, which can include hyperlinks, images, videos and documents. Other LXP users can leave ratings and comments on the posts and lessons.

Content curation. LXPs provide machine learning services to intelligently select and organize third-party content discovered on the web and provide personalized recommendations to users. In addition, users can manually curate both internal and third-party content to share with peers.

AI-based recommendations and training. Some LXPs can ingest training content (e.g., documents or videos) and apply AI and machine learning to determine what the material is teaching. The AI can then generate microlearning, training and recommendations. Some LXPs can understand the instructional needs of a user, then fast forward to the specific point in a video where the learner should begin watching.

Analytics. LXPs collect and store usage and learning data to display in dashboards and reports used by both end users and administrators. The dashboards help employees track their progress toward goals and help administrators understand learning and usage trends across the platform.

Chatbots. Some LXPs provide AI-based chatbots that are available to users on a 24/7 basis. The chatbots can assist users with their current task and make intelligent recommendations. Users interact with chatbots by typing messages in a text-based chat area.

Gamification. LXPs utilize gamification, or gaming mechanics, to spur engagement and competition (e.g., leaderboards, badges, achievements and special privileges).

Integration with e-learning content providers. LXPs integrate with free and paid e-learning providers, giving users access to course materials from platforms such as Coursera, LinkedIn Learning and Udacity.

Integration with third-party technology platforms. API integration enables an LXP to connect with third-party business applications used by the company, such as communications, cloud storage, document management, CRM and ERP.

LXP benefits

The following are key benefits of a learning experience platform.

Tailored and customized learning paths. An LXP uses machine learning and AI to guide employees' learning paths using personalized recommendations. Personalized learning enables employees get more out of the platform, with content and interactions geared toward their learning goals. In addition, LXPs give administrators the option of manually configuring training recommendations offered to users.

Agile learning. Traditional learning requires an upfront planning process: Employees must set aside an hour (or more) of time to view an online course. These days, allocating a few hours out of a day's schedule may not be feasible. Employees would much rather have agile learning experiences that can deliver content quickly and flexibly in the flow of work to better suit their busy schedules. LXPs deliver microlearning content that solves a need at a particular moment in time.

Difference between LXP and LMS

In an LMS, the course sequences and learning paths are determined by the LMS administrators, giving employees very little control over the content they consume or the activities they participate in. An LXP democratizes the learning experience, putting full control in the hands of end users. Employees can set their own goals and determine their own learning paths. While an LMS confines learners' experience to a defined curriculum, an LXP provides an open-ended discovery platform that can take employees in any direction they choose.

An LMS is a closed system, with learning content confined to the modules and courses provided by the administrators. LMS systems do not incorporate resources from third-party providers, nor do they permit end users to create content. LXPs, on the other hand, are open systems that freely permit the incorporation and sharing of third-party content. In addition, LXPs enable users to curate and add content for discovery by other users. In an LXP, end users can elevate their profile and reputation with the knowledge and information they share.

A chart comparing LMSes to LXPs

Future of LXP

Digital learning platforms such as LMSes and LXPs are expected to be crucial to business success in the future. LMS vendors are rushing to add LXP features to their platforms. Meanwhile, business buyers seek clarity on how the vendor landscape will shake out. While some companies run LXPs and LMSes simultaneously, others will look to consolidate systems, choosing one or the other. While some will choose an LMS over the LXP, others will choose the LXP and eliminate their LMS. Organizations that have not deployed either solution will need to assess whether to deploy one solution, both solutions, or neither.

Proponents of LXPs believe that they are the learning platform of the future. Legacy LMS vendors and pure-play LMS upstarts alike are investing heavily in LXP platforms. In the coming years, mergers and acquisitions are likely. While conventional wisdom says that LMS vendors will acquire LXP companies, it's possible that the reverse could be true.

Continue Reading About learning experience platform (LXP)

Dig Deeper on HR learning and development software

Margaret Rouse asks:

What areas of study, topics or trainings do you think a learning experience platform would significantly aid in teaching?

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What is a Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and How is it Used?

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A learning experience platform (LXP) is an AI-driven peer learning experience platform delivered using software as a service ( SaaS). LXPs were born out of a new approach to corporate learning platforms, addressing perceived shortcomings with learning management systems ( LMS).

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AI (Artificial Intelligence) concept. Deep learning. Mindfulness.
getty

Digital learning has been around for more than two decades but has often been seen as the unloved stepchild of development in the workplace. Online learning was often seen as cheesy compliance videos for such things as harassment prevention training or technical training. Long, boring content that most clicked through where possible.

But Covid-19 and the quarantine changed all that. Suddenly, the majority of the workforce was sheltering at home and virtual became the new norm. As this year has stretched on, digital learning is showing up as one of the critical resources during the pandemic. And it's not showing any signs of slowing down. What do we do to get the most out of this resource?

Then what do we need to do now that we may have skipped or neglected before this digital explosion?

Make the most of the time saving benefits of digital learning. "The biggest barrier to employee learning is time. As a result, the trend is increasingly moving from the classroom to digital. This doesn't mean there won't still be a need for traditional classroom-based experiences," advises Will Wiess, a Learning and Development Manager at The Walt Disney Company. The truth is that topics such as processes, best practices and guides are easier to digest through short, simple and clear overviews. This enables learning to happen within a schedule vs. having to be the focus of the day, week or year.

Recognize that personalization and immediate application are critical for retention. Robert Bogue shared in his article, " Everything You Know about Learning Retention Rates Is Wrong," for The Training Industry that although there are precious few studies that have focused on learning retention rates when the delivery mode was changed, there are some things that we do know that influences learning retention rates. We know that the time between the person learning the information and using it is important - thus why Cognitive Behavior Training (CBT) can offer an advantage over scheduled Instructor Lead Training (ILT). "By borrowing from marketing studies, we know that we can drive more behavior change the more personalized we make the instruction and that we can get better response rates by utilizing multiple models for delivery. It's not a question of either-or - it's a question of either-and," cautions Bogue.

Ensure the individual is able to digest information in chunks and apply in between sessions. Research has shown that learners tend to retain more when learning information is broken into smaller doses and organized into easily recognized categories. In-person workshops tend to use this as a way to organize content but not to change the timing and amount of content delivered. In steps digital learning. This enables a more targeted, efficient and strategic approach to providing training.

Consider multiple forms of delivery that are available to connect with leaders at several levels. "It's important to note that digital learning isn't just about flipping a PowerPoint deck into a video. It's about bringing learning to our learners, wherever they may be. From a learning and development perspective, it forces us to focus on user-oriented design approaches," shares Wiess. Though it's an option that has become the most popular in these past months, there are other types of digital learning such as simulations, animation, quizzes, games and e-books. All of these can create the variety and perspectives that help keep the learner engaged. These options can also help diversify the type of learner you are reaching.

Prioritize content curation over content creation by learning departments. More and more content is being created by the experts vs. the generalists. This means that the challenge of not having enough content is dying off but the mass of information is fast becoming the biggest hurdle for learners.

"Our learning teams have seen a mindset shift as well. Though we may produce content, our focus is really about enabling people to do their jobs better and less about content creation and more about curation. Employees are looking up information instead of memorizing and watching short videos instead of reading. We need to adapt accordingly," cautions Wiess.

The expertise that a learning team can bring to the table helps the learner weed out the subpar content and engage with higher quality content from the mass supply of information available. Teams who can effectively locate, qualify, contextualize and filter will be a critical resource for individuals at all levels of any organization.

Digital learning is going to be a critical component to add efficiency, engagement and equity to every organization's growth and development efforts. It's worth investing in building the skills needed to get the most out of this trend.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

... Read More

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Digital Learning: How To Use It For Effective Growth & Development

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As this year has stretched on, digital learning is showing up as one of the critical resources during the pandemic. And it's not showing any signs of slowing down. What do we do to get the most out of this resource?

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El mejor m é todo para aprender casi cualquier cosa:

Si busca una forma de potenciar su aprendizaje la T é cnica Feynman podría ser la mejor manera de aprender absolutamente cualquier cosa. Exploremos el método que utilizó el físico ganador del premio Nobel Richard Feynman para asegurarse de que entendía todo lo que estudiaba mejor que nadie.

¿Quién era Richard Feynman?

Richard Feynman no fue un genio cualquiera. Vivió de 1918 a 1988. Dejó su huella como un genio original, comenzando con su trabajo en el Proyecto Manhattan a los veinte años, ganó un Premio Nobel por su trabajo en el desarrollo de la comprensión de la mecánica cuántica, y finalmente como un muy querido profesor de física en Caltech.
" El primer principio es que no debes engañarte a ti mismo, y eres la persona más fácil de engañar".
El método de pensamiento de Feynman fue desarrollado por un hombre que rechazó la sabiduría convencional en todo momento y que trató de construir su computadora mental desde cero, transformando su t é cnica en la más usada y efectiva forma de aprender usada por empresarios como Elon Musk, Larry Page y Jeff Bezos, entre otros.

El M é todo Feynam. Hay cuatro pasos para la técnica de aprendizaje:

1) Elija un concepto sobre el que quiera aprender

2) Imagina que lo estás enseñando a un alumno de sexto o séptimo grado.

3) Identifique las lagunas o gaps en su explicación.

4) Revise y simplifique hasta que queden los elementos esenciales

¿Cómo podemos aplicar la t é cnica de Feynman?

Paso 1: enséñelo a un niño

Saque una hoja de papel en blanco. En la parte superior, escriba el tema que desea aprender.

Ahora escriba todo lo que sabe sobre el tema que desea comprender como si se lo estuviera enseñando a un niño.

¿Qué entiendo y transmito con claridad? ¿Qué es confuso? ¿Dónde están los gaps o "lagunas" de lo que quiero aprender? ¿Qué descubrí que aún no sé? ¿Qué tengo que investigar más?
Resulta que una de las formas en que nos engañamos a nosotros mismos es que usamos un vocabulario complicado y esto enmascara nuestra falta de comprensión. Cuando escribe una idea de principio a fin en un lenguaje simple que un niño pueda entender, se obliga a comprender el concepto a un nivel más profundo y simplifica las relaciones y conexiones entre ideas.

Algo de esto será fácil. Estos son los lugares en los que tiene una comprensión clara del tema. En otros puntos, tendrás dificultades. Estos son los puntos en los que tiene algunas lagunas en su comprensión.

Paso 2: revisión

Solo cuando encuentre lagunas en su conocimiento, cuando olvide algo importante, no sea capaz de explicarlo o simplemente tenga problemas para pensar en cómo interactúan las variables, puede realmente comenzar a aprender.

Ahora que sabe dónde se quedó atascado, vuelva al material original, investiga un poco más o busca ayuda y vuelva a aprenderlo hasta que pueda explicarlo en términos básicos. Solo cuando pueda explicar su comprensión sin jerga y en términos simples, podrá demostrar su comprensión. Este es el trabajo necesario para aprender, y omitirlo conduce a la ilusión de conocimiento.

Identificar los límites de su comprensión también limita los errores que puede cometer y aumenta sus posibilidades de éxito al aplicar el conocimiento.

Paso 3: organizar y simplificar

Ahora tienes un conjunto de notas hechas a mano. Revíselos para asegurarse de no haber tomado prestada por error ninguna jerga o lenguaje técnico. Organícelos en una narrativa simple que pueda contar. Léelo en voz alta. Si la explicación no es simple o suena confusa, es una buena indicación de que su comprensión en esa área aún necesita algo de trabajo.

Si sigue este enfoque una y otra vez, terminará con una carpeta llena de páginas sobre diferentes temas que te interesan o nuevos skills. Si se tomas el tiempo suficiente con esta técnica podrás adquirir entre dos o tres nuevos skills por año.

¿Crees que en 12 meses con 3 skills nuevos estarías en el mismo lugar que hoy y con los mismos resultados? Estoy seguro que no.

Paso 4 : transmitir
La prueba definitiva de su conocimiento es su capacidad para transmitirlo a otro.
Si realmente quiere estar seguro de su comprensión, enséñaselo a alguien (idealmente que sepa poco del tema).

Una Historia personal

Les cuento una historia personal de mis vivencias aplicando este método. Lo empecé a usar en los primeros años de mi carrera comercial como herramienta para crear las presentaciones a posibles clientes sobre mis productos.

Llevaba adelante cada uno de estos pasos:

Se lo explicaba a mi hija y si ella no entendía o si usaba palabras muy técnicas, o si aburría, volvía para atrás y buscaba más claridad, más simpleza, menos pasos, una mejor y más efectiva narración hasta llegar a un momento que ya no había nada mas para quitar.

Ahí tenia la presentación lista para hacer...

¿Los resultados?

A pesar de ser un ingeniero introvertido sin experiencia alguna en ventas (era casi una "rata de laboratorio") esta metodología me ayudó para mantenerme en la cima de la profesión durante casi 20 añ os.

No le pongas fecha de vencimiento a tu carrera. En esta Nueva Normalidad no hay opciones si queremos reinventarnos y sobrevivir en un mundo alocado y voraz, el aprendizaje continuo es el único camino para que no nos pongan "fecha de vencimiento" y la t é cnica Feyman está más vigente que nunca.

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Qué es el método Feymann, la técnica que usan los gigantes de los negocios

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Si busca una forma de potenciar su aprendizaje la T é cnica Feynman podría ser la mejor manera de aprender absolutamente cualquier cosa. Exploremos el método que utilizó el físico ganador del premio Nobel Richard Feynman para asegurarse de que entendía todo lo que estudiaba mejor que nadie.

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Aunque tiene bastantes puntos en común con la enseñanza tradicional o presencial, la educación virtual requiere otro tipo de técnicas y herramientas para que ofrezca los resultados esperados. Aunque muchas de ellas ya las conocen, les contamos en este post las estrategias de enseñanza virtual más exitosas tanto para el profesor como para el alumno.

Ser un docente online no es solo cambiar una clase presencial por una online, enviar documentos electrónicos o crear foros para mostrar información adicional a la clase. Un tutor virtual debe reinventarse para aprovechar las herramientas que ofrece la tecnología, y, en muchos casos, debe diseñar nuevas tácticas que permitan un mejor aprendizaje en un medio virtual.

En esta ocasión vamos a tratar la enseñanza virtual en directo. No obstante, entendemos que este tipo de formación requiere algunos complementos o estrategias online adicionales que ayuden aún más al alumnado a recibir una formación de calidad. Y esta opción no está sólo en el profesor, sino en las características de la plataforma online que sustenta su enseñanza, que debe contar con las herramientas necesarias para que éste logre sus objetivos educacionales.

Estrategias de enseñanza virtual

1. Blogs. Es una herramienta muy rica en cuanto a funcionalidades. Puede actualizarse con mucha frecuencia y la información aparece categorizada según el interés de su creador. Tiene un estilo informal o conversacional y posibilita el intercambio de opiniones entre alumnos y docentes. Como profesor online, puedes utilizarlo para colocar información adicional o páginas de interés, ahondar en temas que requieren mayor extensión o son difíciles de entender, tareas o asignaciones, imágenes o vídeos de cualquier tipo, etc.

2. Comunidades o Foros. Los foros se convirtieron durante un tiempo en el mayor recurso de contacto con el alumnado de las empresas de e-learning. Sin embargo, seguro que tu experiencia personal no tiene buena opinión de esta herramienta. Por eso en Classonlive hemos dado un paso más allá y hemos creado comunidades, más pequeñas, que se pueden crear por curso, donde alumnos y profesor pueden resolver dudas e intercambiar opiniones de una manera mucho más ágil y eficaz que en los antiguos foros.

3. Chat. Como hemos dicho, nuestra plataforma permite la creación de cursos en directo de muy distintas formas. En cursos para 150 asistentes, se hace necesario un chat donde todos los participantes puedan decir lo que deseen sin que el profesor pierda el ritmo de la clase. Las preguntas se guardan para que en el momento oportuno el profesor la resuelva una por una, aunque por supuesto, puede contestar al momento si lo desea.

4. Correo electrónico. No es novedoso, pero si una de las estrategias más exitosas de enseñanza online. Tener la posibilidad de enviar mensajes al email del grupo de alumnos de un curso concreto no es algo que todas las plataformas de enseñanza ofrecen, por increíble que parezca. Las funcionalidades ya las conocéis.

5. M-Learning. El aprendizaje móvil está en continuo crecimiento y es una estrategia de enseñanza que no debemos olvidar. El acceso a contenidos es rápido y facilita la colaboración entre los participantes.

6. E-Training. El término describe la formación empresarial conducida vía e-learning. Más que una estrategia de enseñanza, puede ser un uso perfecto de la formación, pero queríamos incluirla en este listado porque es una de las opciones más utilizadas de la enseñanza virtual y siempre con una alta tasa de éxito.

Recuperación de información: permite al estudiante construir su propio conocimiento a través de la búsqueda y localización de información en Internet, el análisis y valoración de la misma. Es importante que el docente intervenga en forma mínima, dando solamente las pautas de orientación necesarias para la actividad; además, que prevenga al estudiante, haciéndole saber que no siempre la información que encontrará es totalmente válida y que, por lo tanto, la comparación de fuentes es necesaria.

Trabajo con materiales multimedia interactivos: esta modalidad consiste en el trabajo autónomo con materiales multimedia interactivos. Algunos ejemplos son: los tutoriales, ejercicios y actividades prácticas, cuyo objetivo es la ejercitación del pensamiento crítico o del pensamiento creativo mediante métodos de análisis, ejercitación, solución de problemas o experimentación. Un aspecto importante en esta técnica es que el docente debe evaluar muy bien el material que le entregará al estudiante, de manera que posea todos los requerimientos tanto en el área de competencias para su utilización como en los contenidos. Además, deberá establecer la guía para la utilización de éste, como por ejemplo, secuencias, ejercicios que deberá realizar como requisito, entre otras.

Contratos de aprendizaje: es una técnica muy interesante que establece una división de responsabilidades entre el docente y el estudiante. Se trata de elaborar un currículo adaptado a las necesidades educativas individuales, por cuanto el estudiante construye los conocimientos mediante los procedimientos que más lo motiven a aprender y los docentes establecen las metas que el estudiante deberá alcanzar. Esta técnica también puede ser utilizada en forma grupal. Debe realizarse en forma escrita, donde se establezcan todos los aspectos como metas, tiempo, procedimientos, personas involucradas, entre otros, con el fin de que sea de carácter formal.

Prácticas: como su nombre lo indica, esta técnica consiste en establecer un conjunto de prácticas que por medio de la red pueden ser supervisadas por profesionales calificados, brindando así un acercamiento controlado a una situación real. Es importante establecer exactamente qué se espera del estudiante durante el período de práctica, las actividades, el tiempo y sus funciones. El docente debe estar involucrado en el proceso y ofrecer las guías necesarias.

El aprendiz (apprenticeship): es una técnica en la que se establecen lineamientos para una situación determinada, donde el estudiante tiene el rol de aprendiz e interactúa con un experto. En la terminología anglosajona existen dos modalidades como aprendiz: el mentorage, donde el alumno trabaja como ayudante orientando y guiando a otros estudiantes-compañeros más inexpertos, y el estudiante colaborador, donde éste, además de guiar y orientar, se implica en la realización de trabajos individuales de los compañeros.

Técnicas centradas en el pensamiento crítico: se pueden utilizar actividades para seleccionar y evaluar información o soluciones potenciales, así como la organización de la misma. Pueden ser la creación de gráficos, ensayos sobre pros y contras, aspectos positivos y negativos, síntesis de lluvia de ideas, sumarios, reflexiones, esquemas, entre otros.

Técnicas centradas en la creatividad: pretende motivar y potenciar la habilidad creativa de los estudiantes para la solución de un problema o situaciones, incitando la imaginación, la intuición, pensamiento metafórico, la elaboración de ideas, la curiosidad, implicación personal en la tarea, conexión con las experiencias previas, habilidad artística, búsqueda de problemas, entre otras. El docente debe asumir un rol de gestor para la distribución de las actividades, así como apoyar en los ejercicios que se realicen.

Exposición didáctica: consiste en una presentación de un tema, donde se organizan los aspectos más importantes en unidades, haciendo énfasis en la diferenciación de los elementos básicos y secundarios. Usualmente, son clases cortas y persiguen objetivos que serán reforzados con otras actividades, porque son, por lo general, introducciones. Es importante que se apoyen en elementos gráficos, visuales o auditivos en forma de demostraciones, para después ser ampliadas con técnicas de actividad, pensamiento crítico, análisis u otras.

Preguntas al grupo: como su nombre lo indica es el lanzamiento de preguntas generadoras al grupo, que pueden ser a partir de un tema específico de investigación o de resultados o trabajos realizados por los estudiantes, lo que permitirá la apertura de un diálogo. Esta técnica es muy utilizada para foros como motivación inicial. Además, incentiva la participación, la autovaloración y permite al docente observar progresos y diagnosticar áreas que necesitan ser fortalecidas en los estudiantes.

Simposio, mesa redonda o panel: el simposio y la mesa redonda consisten en reunir varias presentaciones formales a cargo de un grupo de expertos que exponen diferentes visiones o aspectos divergentes de un mismo tema, guiados por un moderador. Posteriormente, se abrirá un espacio para las intervenciones de los estudiantes, para plantear preguntas o reflexiones. La mesa redonda, a diferencia del simposio, presenta una estructura más formal, y los expertos, además de presentar la información, poseen el espacio para discutir entre ellos las divergencias. Por su parte, en el simposio los participantes pueden mostrar puntos de vista divergentes o hablar de las mismas tendencias. En el panel los participantes discuten en forma de diálogo entre sí ante el grupo. Esta técnica es idónea para utilizar la herramienta del foro.

Entrevista o consulta pública: consiste en que los estudiantes puedan realizar preguntas y reflexiones a un experto acerca de un tema en concreto, así los estudiantes pueden ampliar información sobre la temática, resolver dudas o cuestiones, aclarar conceptos o procedimientos, entre otras. Es importante que los estudiantes realicen una investigación previa sobre el tema a tratar, con el fin de que puedan preparar las preguntas para la actividad.

Tutoría pública: esta técnica establece que el docente brindará a los estudiantes un espacio de conferencia electrónica con el objetivo de aclarar dudas, anunciar eventos, contestar preguntas frecuentes, entre otros aspectos que se pueden tratar.

Tablón de anuncios: el tablón de anuncios es un espacio para la interacción social entre los estudiantes donde intercambian inquietudes, problemas y puntos de vista. El tablón de anuncios permite ofrecer y buscar ayuda entre los miembros del grupo, comparten problemas, experiencias, reflexiones, recursos localizados, entre otros.

Exposiciones: son presentaciones de trabajos asignados previamente por el docente, pueden haber sido realizados en forma individual o grupal. Lo que pretenden es desarrollar el análisis y la síntesis de información, la reflexión, la creatividad, entre otros aspectos, ya que se presentan ante los demás miembros del grupo. Paralelamente, se puede abrir un espacio de discusión para las preguntas y aportes de todo el grupo, o mediante la moderación del docente, quien guiará los temas que son de interés o que necesitan profundizar.

Trabajo en parejas: existen varias formas para realizar esta actividad, por ejemplo, puede ser: asignar actividades dividiendo al grupo en parejas, analizar resultados con un compañero, realizar una entrevista, intercambiar los trabajos para revisión, entre otras.

Lluvia de ideas: su objetivo es poner en común el conjunto de ideas o conocimientos que cada uno de los miembros del grupo posea acerca de un tema determinado, y que con la moderación del docente (o persona designada para esa función) se pueda llegar colectivamente a una síntesis, conclusión o acuerdo. Toda idea es importante, por lo tanto, debe ser tomada en cuenta y escrita en forma textual con el fin de no sesgar los aportes. Cuando todos los miembros hayan expresado sus ideas, se procede a la clasificación y, por último, a la generación y votación de resultados.

Rueda de ideas: es similar a la lluvia de ideas, pero con la diferencia de que el grupo se divide en pequeños subgrupos, realizan sus aportes y seleccionan las 5 ideas que más identifiquen la situación o problema propuesto por el docente.

Votación: cada miembro del grupo o subgrupo aporta ideas, sugerencias o soluciones del tema establecido por el docente, que luego son sometidas a votación.

Valoración de decisiones: es realizar un análisis previo o posterior a una decisión según sea el caso, con el fin de determinar aspectos positivos y negativos, consecuencias, entre otros.

Debate y foro: es básicamente una discusión abierta de carácter formal; se cuenta con un moderador que puede ser el docente, quien tendrá la función de iniciar el debate, aclarar términos o cualquier otro aspecto y realizará el cierre mediante las conclusiones. La otra parte involucrada será el grupo de estudiantes, quienes tendrán la posibilidad de expresar opiniones sobre el tema, contrastar puntos de vista, hechos y teorías opuestas. El debate puede organizarse a partir de una experiencia o documentación previa, y en torno a una cuestión que presente diferentes partes o puntos de vista a tratar. Se debe, además, motivar la participación de los estudiantes e incentivar el análisis.

Subgrupos de discusión: en esta técnica el docente divide el grupo en subgrupos de 4 ó 5 personas, se les propone un tema que debe ser analizado desde diferentes perspectivas; los subgrupos deberán exponer sus conclusiones o resultados al grupo y, según la guía de moderación que establezca el docente, pueden entrar en un debate.

Controversia estructurada: se divide el grupo en dos grandes subgrupos, el docente asigna un tema y a cada grupo se le solicita buscar aspectos positivos o negativos del tema propuesto. Puede realizarse un debate en el momento, si los estudiantes están preparados, o en su defecto, dar un tiempo para la investigación.

Grupos de investigación: se le presenta al grupo un problema y cada subgrupo se encargará de estudiar una parte del mismo. Los miembros del subgrupo deberán realizar una exhaustiva investigación con el fin de convertirse en expertos del tema y compartirá sus conocimientos con los demás miembros del grupo. Por último, se unen todos los tópicos y se redacta un documento final.

Juegos de rol: su objetivo es analizar las diferentes actitudes y reacciones de los estudiantes frente a situaciones o hechos en concreto. Esta técnica se caracteriza por representación de "papeles", es decir, los comportamientos de las personas. El docente establece un tema, determina los roles que se presentarán, y se indica a cada estudiante qué rol debe desempeñar. Seguidamente, se brinda un espacio para reflexión y construcción de argumentos, por lo general, en forma grupal. Para finalizar, se procede a la presentación mediante un debate o discusión, moderada por el docente.

Estudio de casos: su objetivo es llegar a conclusiones o a formular alternativas sobre una situación o problema determinado. El docente prepara un resumen de una situación o problema, contemplando todos los aspectos que necesitan los estudiantes para alcanzar las conclusiones de acuerdo con los objetivos que se persiguen. Les presenta el caso que puede ser resuelto en forma grupal, los grupos deberán exponer los resultados y se cierra con una discusión para comparar conclusiones.

Trabajo por proyectos: esta técnica parte de un tema ya sea propuesto por el docente o los estudiantes, se realizan actividades que irán generando resultados, que en forma acumulativa constituirán el producto final. Dicho producto puede ser expuesto a los compañeros con el fin de generar reacciones y opiniones al respecto.

Afiche: tiene como objetivo presentar en forma simbólica la opinión de un grupo sobre un determinado tema. Consiste en solicitarle a los estudiantes que se organicen en subgrupos y construyan un afiche sobre un tema asignado, donde se plasmen los resultados de la discusión en torno al tema. El subgrupo deberá presentar dicho afiche al grupo y solicitará que se realice una pequeña descripción de lo que se visualiza. Seguidamente, se les pedirá a los estudiantes del grupo que interpreten el afiche y, como cierre, los diseñadores del afiche explicarán el significado de los elementos y su intención.

Glosarios colaborativos: Para la construcción de un glosario colaborativo el facilitador puede utilizar varias estrategias tanto centradas en el trabajo individual como recuperación de información, técnicas centradas en el pensamiento crítico y la creatividad, así como las de trabajo colaborativo, trabajo en parejas y valoración de ideas. Este ejemplo consiste que en lugar de que el facilitador realice un glosario solo, inste a sus estudiantes a que lo vayan construyendo a medida que encuentran términos desconocidos. De esta manera, los estudiantes tienen la responsabilidad de aportar las definiciones al glosario y esto ayuda a que recuerden la palabra y la definición correcta. En la documentación del sitio Moodle (Glosario, 2008, ¶ 8), en la sección de Usos didácticos del glosario encontramos la siguiente estrategia: A cada participante del curso se le podría asignar la tarea de contribuir al glosario con un término, una definición, o bien comentarios acerca de definiciones previamente incorporadas. Las definiciones múltiples (duplicadas), por ejemplo, podrían ser calificadas por usted y sus estudiantes de forma que sólo aquellas que obtuviesen la mayor puntuación quedasen definitivamente incorporadas al glosario. La organización de esta actividad es muy variable y depende de la cantidad de grupos y estudiantes con los que se cuenten, además de las temáticas que se desean abarcar, por lo tanto, se puede dividir en parejas o grupos, crear categorías por temas, clasificar las definiciones y puntuarlas o comentarlas entre otras.

Subgrupos de discusión: Las estrategias de trabajo colaborativo que implican discusión son recursos con un arma que puede utilizar el facilitador para la construcción de conocimiento entre los participantes y observar el avance de los mismos; este ejemplo consiste en dividir el grupo en subgrupos de 4 ó 5 personas, y se les propone un tema que debe ser analizado desde diferentes perspectivas. Los subgrupos deberán exponer en un foro sus conclusiones o resultados al grupo y, según la guía de moderación que establezca el facilitador, pueden entrar en un debate. La herramienta de la plataforma a utilizar será el foro.

Recuperación de información y juegos de roles: Esta estrategia de trabajo colaborativo une dos de las técnicas que citamos anteriormente, consiste en asignar al estudiante la investigación y análisis de un determinado tema y abrir un espacio con la herramienta taller para que cada estudiante exponga su trabajo ante los demás compañeros. Para la evaluación se asignarán diferentes estudiantes con responsabilidades vinculadas a sus fortalezas, así por ejemplo, el estudiante que a lo largo del curso demostró buena redacción calificará ese rubro, el que tiene buena ortografía califica ese aspecto, y así sucesivamente con cada uno de los aspectos. Podemos utilizar diferentes tipos de estrategias de evaluación que ofrece la plataforma Moodle, por ejemplo: "No se ha calificado" con el fin de sólo obtener los comentarios de los miembros del grupo, o acumulativa, estipulando de manera que exista un balance o por criterio. Además, el facilitador puede asignar que se realice la autoevaluación con el fin de enriquecer más la actividad.

Crédito por uso de palabras: En este ejemplo se emplea la estrategia de recuperación de información y se utiliza la herramienta foro y la característica de autoenlace del glosario de moodle. Consiste en que después de que usted y sus estudiantes han definido los términos del glosario, se les puede animar a que utilicen dichas palabras en sus aportes a los foros y asignarle una parte de la puntuación o puntos extra cuando los términos sean usados de manera correcta según lo definido en el glosario. A medida que el facilitador u otros estudiantes puntúan entradas, pueden buscar rápidamente palabras del glosario resaltadas y conceder puntos por uso.

Preguntas y premios: Esta estrategia de trabajo individual consiste en asignar algún tipo de puntuación extraída en el curso, por ejemplo, en temas específicos que pueden servir como práctica para un examen. En momentos aleatorios, el docente coloca una pregunta en un foro, cuando el primer estudiante ingrese y coloque la respuesta correcta será premiado de alguna forma.

Exposición: Dependiendo de la modalidad del curso, los estudiantes podrían evaluar y retroalimentar a sus compañeros utilizando la herramienta taller. El facilitador podría emplear la técnica de exposición didáctica y solicitar a los expositores que compartan su presentación en la plataforma Moodle mediante la herramienta taller y ahí los estudiantes, después de observar y escuchar la exposición, podrán hacer los comentarios al respecto. Esta actividad se puede mediar de diferentes maneras, por ejemplo: el estudiante puede aportar la presentación antes de la exposición para recibir retroalimentación y mejorarla, se pueden establecer las personas que evaluarán la presentación antes -o si se quiere- después, para concentrar la atención de los estudiantes en las exposiciones, ya que no sabrán cuál presentación deberán evaluar.

Lluvia de ideas: Esta estrategia de trabajo colaborativo se puede utilizar para la apertura de foros de diagnóstico o introducción de un tema en particular. El facilitador solicita a los estudiantes que coloquen en común el conjunto de ideas o conocimientos que cada uno posea acerca de un tema determinado, y con la moderación del facilitador o de un estudiante que se designe como moderador, se puede llegar colectivamente a una síntesis, conclusión o acuerdo; así mismo, se pueden valorar los conocimientos que poseen los estudiantes sobre el tema y tomar las acciones necesarias para reforzarlo o avanzar según corresponda.

Portafolio: La técnica de elaboración de portafolio forma parte de las estrategias de trabajo individual y las centradas en la presentación de información. Para este caso, la herramienta idónea de la plataforma Moodle es un WIKI de forma personal, donde cada alumno dispondrá de un espacio de acceso personal y restringido en la plataforma. El uso del portafolio girará en torno a la resolución de actividades generales, para las que los estudiantes irán creando nuevas páginas en su "Wikicuaderno" personal. El facilitador podrá realizar un seguimiento continuo de su actividad sin más que ir revisando el WIKI de cada estudiante. De esta forma, los estudiantes podrán disponer de todo su trabajo centralizado con una página inicial a modo de índice.

Controversia estructurada: Mediante el uso del foro y la estrategia de trabajo colaborativo "controversia estructurada", el facilitador puede dividir el grupo en dos grandes subgrupos, asignarles un tema, solicitar a cada grupo que investigue más sobre el tema clasificando la información en aspectos positivos o negativos del tema propuesto y, por último, cada grupo deberá publicar en el foro los resultados de la investigación. Seguidamente, el facilitador abrirá un periodo de debate en el mismo.

Trabajos de investigación con retroalimentación: La realización de trabajos de investigación puede realizarse como una estrategia didáctica individual o grupal. En cualquiera de los dos casos, la herramienta taller puede ser muy útil, ya que permite establecer varias entregas de avances y recibir retroalimentación de los miembros del grupo, con el fin de culminar con un exitoso producto que de una u otra forma ha sido validado. Por ejemplo, el facilitador puede asignar la revisión de los avances dividiéndolos entre los participantes o grupos de los trabajos de investigación, así cada uno de los estudiantes observa los trabajos de investigación de los demás y realiza sus aportes y, de la misma forma, sus compañeros retroalimentan el trabajo de él. Es muy importante recordar la puntualidad en la entrega de valoraciones de los trabajos y es un punto que el facilitador puede tomar en consideración a la hora de calificar.

Exposición digital: El uso de diferentes estrategias ya sea individuales o colaborativas con la ayuda de la plataforma virtual Moodle da la posibilidad de que el facilitador proponga a los integrantes la búsqueda, o creación, de materiales digitales creativos para la representación de un tema, por ejemplo, crear una revista, periódico, boletín, presentación, cartel, afiche, video, un cuento, poesía, canción, entre otros. Después, los materiales serán compartidos utilizando la herramienta de la plataforma más conveniente (foro, etiquetas, archivo de audio, taller, Wiki, entre otras).

Entrevista o consulta pública: Para esta técnica de trabajo colaborativo el facilitador puede utilizar la herramienta foro o chat de la plataforma Moodle e invitar a un experto, en alguna de las temáticas a tratar en el curso, solicitarles a los participantes que realicen aportaciones en el foro, por ejemplo realizar consultas, debatir con él, aclarar conceptos o procedimientos, entre otras. Es importante que los estudiantes realicen una investigación previa sobre el tema a tratar, con el fin de que puedan preparar las preguntas para la actividad.

Estudios de casos: Otra técnica de trabajo colaborativo es la evaluación de estudio de casos, donde el profesor asignará, ya sea en forma grupal o individual, un caso determinado, luego, los estudiantes lo resuelven y aportan sus resultados en la plataforma Moodle mediante la herramienta taller para compartirlos con los demás miembros del grupo y que estos los retroalimenten según la estrategia de evaluación establecida por el facilitador.

Resolución de ejercicios en grupos: Una estrategia de trabajo colaborativo puede ser la solución de casos con ayuda de la herramienta foro. En esta técnica se divide el grupo en subgrupos de 4 ó 5 personas, a cada grupo se le asigna una parte del ejercicio, cuando la resuelvan deben colocar su solución en el foro para que el grupo siguiente pueda resolver su parte. Es muy importante poner fechas máximas de entrega a cada subgrupo, para que así todos los subgrupos puedan realizar su parte y el ejercicio se termine en el tiempo previsto.

Rueda de ideas: Es una técnica de trabajo colaborativo, similar a la lluvia de ideas y que se puede emplear la herramienta foro o el Wiki. El primer paso es dividir el grupo en pequeños subgrupos, cada uno de los integrantes de estos subgrupos deberán realizar sus aportes y al final seleccionar las cinco ideas que más identifiquen la situación o problema propuesto por el facilitador. Se puede considerar la apertura de un chat o foro para que los participantes concilien la respuesta y abrir un Wiki o foro final para que publiquen las respuestas definitivas.

Trabajos de investigación colaborativos: Para la utilización de estrategias didácticas colaborativas la herramienta Wiki de la plataforma Moodle es una alternativa muy práctica que nos permite la creación de trabajos de investigación. El facilitador puede utilizar el foro o un chat como mecanismo de debate entre los participantes sobre el contenido del proyecto, cada grupo puede ir dando forma a su trabajo y puliéndolo a través de un Wiki. Además, el facilitador puede ir observando los avances y realizar las observaciones necesarias antes de que se entregue la versión final.

Apuntes de grupo: Normalmente, los apuntes de clase se hacen en forma individual. Una opción de trabajo en grupo puede ser la creación de apuntes de clase mediante la utilización del Wiki donde todos pueden colaborar y hacer las observaciones correspondientes hasta obtener un producto final que sirva de apoyo para los exámenes. El facilitador también puede ver el resumen realizado por los estudiantes y realizar los comentarios o modificaciones que considere.

Contrato de aprendizaje: Es una técnica que puede utilizarse como estrategia didáctica de trabajo colaborativo. Mediante la utilización de la herramienta Wiki, el facilitador establece la elaboración de un contrato de aprendizaje de forma grupal, donde los estudiantes establezcan las necesidades educativas, la forma en que les gustaría construir el conocimiento, las metas, el tiempo, entre otros aspectos. Éstos serán evaluados y negociados con el facilitador, quien también aportará sus condiciones y lo que espera de los estudiantes con el fin de obtener un acuerdo en firme y que beneficie a ambas partes. Como apoyo adicional se puede utilizar la técnica de valoración de decisiones mediante un foro si existiera alguna necesidad de llegar a un consenso en el contrato. Esta estrategia establece las pautas de calificación y comportamiento entre el facilitador y estudiante, transformando las clases, que eran vistas como una imposición, a un negocio en igualdad de condiciones parar lograr un fin en común.

Técnicas y estrategias de la enseñanza virtual

Enseñar bien siempre supone un vínculo sólido con quien está en situación de aprender. Es importante hacer sentir al alumno que esto es posible, además de generar su interés y acercamiento hacia la temática. Tu compromiso como docente se basa en desarrollar competencias que permitan responder a las exigencias del mercado laboral y social. Por ello, es necesario que te replantees cuáles son las técnicas y estrategias de enseñanza virtual que debes implementar para contribuir a un aprendizaje significativo. ¡Descubre la respuesta leyendo este post!

Enseñanza virtual, una cuestión de didáctica

Por todos es sabido de la importancia de la planificación para el desarrollo de un curso virtual y la implementación adecuada de las TIC, al menos si esperas promover el compromiso del alumno con su aprendizaje. Lo primero a tener en cuenta a la hora de lograr este objetivo es definir la didáctica que efectuarás en tu contenido.

Esta disciplina, encargada de las técnicas y métodos de enseñanza, te permitirá hacer un análisis previo de los alumnos en general y de cada individuo en particular. Dicho de otro modo, será una verdadera aliada para conseguir que todos los clientes de tu curso interioricen el contenido y puedan aplicarlo en su vida diaria.
La didáctica debe basarse en estrategias
Dentro del entorno digital, los elementos que interactúan en el acto didáctico son: el docente, el estudiante, la materia y el contexto de aprendizaje. Estos componentes, en conjunto, conforman unas estrategias divididas en dos grupos principales:

Estrategias de aprendizaje. Consisten en un procedimiento o conjunto de pasos que un estudiante adquiere y emplea de forma intencional como instrumento flexible para aprender significativamente y solucionar las demandas académicas.

Estrategias de enseñanza. Éstas, que son las que nos interesan ahora, son aquellas ayudas ofrecidas por el docente para facilitar un procesamiento más profundo de la información.

Como ves, ser un docente virtual no sólo implica conocer la materia de estudio, sino en ser un especialista en la aplicación del contenido. Ahora te preguntarás: "¿qué estrategias de enseñanza aplicar en mi curso virtual?"

Centradas en el individuo. Aquí nos referimos a la utilización de técnicas que se adaptan exclusivamente a las necesidades e intereses del estudiante individual. Las herramientas que ofrece el entorno digital permiten que se eleve la autonomía, el control del ritmo respecto a la enseñanza y las secuencias que marcan el aprendizaje del estudiante.

Centradas para la enseñanza en grupo. Parte de la construcción de conocimiento grupal a partir de la información ofrecida. Dentro de esta categoría intervienen dos roles: la figura del expositor (docente, experto o estudiante) y el grupo receptor del contenido. Sobre este último recaerá la responsabilidad de realizar actividades de forma individual para después compartir con el colectivo sus resultados.

Centradas en el trabajo colaborativo. Basadas en la construcción de conocimiento en forma grupo recurriendo a estructuras de comunicación centradas en la colaboración. Los resultados han de ser siempre compartidos por el grupo, donde es fundamental la participación activa de todos los miembros para conseguir una cooperación equilibrada y abierta hacia el intercambio de ideas. Por su parte, el docente debe brindar las normas y estructuras de las actividades además de realizar un seguimiento continuo y su posterior valoración.

¿Cómo definir las técnicas?

Una vez que hayas definido la estrategia que vas a implementar dentro de tu curso online, es necesario pasar a las técnicas que potencializarán tu contenido. Puedes abastecerte de muchas, incluso de las más innovadoras, aunque eso no significa que todas ellas sean factibles para tu producto.

Glosarios colaborativos. Con ellas fomentarás el pensamiento crítico, el trabajo colaborativo y la valoración de ideas. Evidentemente, ten en cuenta la cantidad de estudiantes a los que te diriges.

Subgrupos de discusión. La participación activa de los estudiantes hará que este elemento triunfe o no. Mostrar interés por la voz de los alumnos es importante, y la construcción de conocimiento a través de sus ideas, conclusiones o resultados un recurso que no debe dejarse de lado. ¡Propón debates entre ellos!

Lluvia de ideas. Los estudiantes comparten el conocimiento que tienen sobre un tema y el docente concluye para generar una síntesis sobre el mismo. Un aprendizaje significativo entre todos.

Preguntas y premios. Asigna algún tipo de puntuación para el alumno que responda correctamente a una pregunta lanzada durante la clase o en el foro para que perciba un premio de cara a las calificaciones.

Como puedes ver, este tipo de estrategias no son capaces de generar conocimiento por sí solas, la importancia del mediador y el correcto desarrollo de sus funciones marcará la diferencia. Aplica efectivamente estas técnicas y construye un espacio atractivo para el aprendizaje.

Estas son algunas estrategias que puedes poner en marcha para implementar actividades colaborativas en tu curso:

1. Intervenir en la formación de grupos:

Esta estrategia es muy importante para evitar que sean los propios alumnos quienes se reúnan según afiliación o preferencia. Los grupos colaborativos deben ser máximo de tres estudiantes de esta forma la responsabilidad del trabajo será equitativa.

Establece un determinado tiempo para conocer a los estudiantes, así podrás conocer las características de cada uno y organizarlos grupalmente de acuerdo a sus habilidades y capacidades. Si vas a realizar varias actividades, es recomendable que rotes a los integrantes, así conocerán a otros compañeros del curso y cambiarán la dinámica de trabajo grupal.

Otro método que puede ser bastante atractivo es que los grupos se organicen de acuerdo por el interés de cada estudiante por las temáticas a estudiar o desarrollar. O bien, puedes organizarlos según la región geográfica.

2. Motivar el intercambio colectivo de conocimientos

Esta es una estrategia muy efectiva que puede ayudarte para desarrollar en tus alumnos la resolución de conflictos y negociación. Si la actividad promueve intercambiar propuestas o contenidos entre los integrantes, se desarrollarán habilidades de comunicación.

Además, se fomentará el respeto por el criterio de las demás personas y los adentrará en la toma de decisiones consensuadas para presentar la respuesta que en grupo, consideren es la más apropiada. Así también, estarás fomentando el liderazgo.

Esto permite al mismo tiempo observar los comportamientos en el desarrollo de las tareas asignadas por grupo y cómo los estudiantes resuelven los problemas que surgen en el proceso de colaboración.

3. Fomentar la comunicación entre los estudiantes:

Si bien la comunicación entre compañeros puede ser complicada por los horarios o compromisos personales, el acompañamiento en su comunicación es necesaria.

Para ello, puedes presentarles las opciones que faciliten este intercambio: las redes sociales, una plataforma web específica para compartir información, etc. Es así como al organizar los lineamientos específicos para aclarar expectativas y responsabilidades, obtendrán mejores resultados.

El objetivo será que el grupo tenga una comunicación fluida. Puedes incluso pedirles a los alumnos que al final del curso compartan su experiencia de comunicación con todos sus compañeros que permita saber las ventajas o desventajas del medio utilizado.

Tu acompañamiento es vital en el proceso, es por ello que al ejercer como guía y conductor de la actividad al principio les dará a tus alumnos la seguridad para que, paulatinamente, ellos asuman su responsabilidad.

Esto les brinda la oportunidad para que ellos más tarde, desarrollen sus propias ideas o proyectos. Para esto, puedes orientarlos en los procesos a seguir para completar las fases del proyecto, que las planifiquen, definan el aporte de cada uno y se organicen.

Llegado ese punto, tu rol será solo el de supervisar y resolver dudas específicas. Así podrás intervenir para orientar a tus alumnos durante el desarrollo del trabajo.

5. Brindar acceso a los recursos de desarrollo de habilidades:

Si bien las actividades colaborativas promueven el intercambio de conocimientos, este proceso requiere de habilidades específicas.

La resolución de conflictos, el análisis crítico, organización de tiempos, etc., son algunas habilidades que los estudiantes necesitan desarrollar. Para ello, puedes brindarles un repositorio de microaprendizaje que presente contenido, técnicas o escenarios de estos temas.

Otra opción es proporcionarles enlaces que contribuirán a su desarrollo en estas áreas. Ten en cuenta que tiene que ser un contenido dinámico y concreto, de forma que aporte a su formación sin recargarlos de trabajo.

Las actividades colaborativas son muy enriquecedoras en los ambientes virtuales puesto que posibilita a los estudiantes que no coinciden en tiempo y espacio, a trabajar en conjunto por un objetivo común mientras que aprenden a trabajar en equipo y a organizar sus responsabilidades.

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Las estrategias de enseñanza virtual más exitosas, las técnicas más utilizadas y los mejores consejos para su clase virtual

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Aunque tiene bastantes puntos en común con la enseñanza tradicional o presencial, la educación virtual requiere otro tipo de técnicas y herramientas para que ofrezca los resultados esperados. Aunque muchas de ellas ya las conocen, les contamos en este post las estrategias de enseñanza virtual más exitosas tanto para el profesor como para el alumno.

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Cuando estamos perdidos siempre buscamos el norte para orientarnos. No es fácil para los docentes buscar referencias en nuestra labor diaria, pero si queremos ubicarnos, nuestro norte siempre lo podemos encontrar en la taxonomía de Bloom independientemente de la metodología que utilicemos en nuestra práctica educativa.

En los últimos años hemos hablado mucho de la Taxonomía de Bloom en nuestras formaciones, ligándola con diferentes temáticas como pueden ser el aprendizaje por proyectos, las destrezas del pensamiento, el aprendizaje cooperativo o las inteligencias múltiples. Nos hemos dado cuenta, sin embargo, que nunca hemos tratado la Bloom y su taxonomía individualmente, con la importancia que este tiene. Es como si le hubiéramos hecho un menosprecio al autor y su obra.

Por este motivo y también porque nos hemos encontrado que muchos docentes no conocen la forma de categorizar los aprendizajes de su alumnado, hablaremos en este artículo sobre la taxonomía de Bloom.

A finales de los años 50 del pasado siglo, había una corriente psicológica en los Estados Unidos encabezada por la escuela de Chicago que estaba muy preocupada por cómo se aprende y cómo evaluar los aprendizajes. Se comprobó rápidamente que no todas las acciones cognitivas tenían la misma complejidad, por ejemplo, no es lo mismo recordar un cierto dato que analizarlo o valorarlo.

Bloom desarrolló una jerarquía de los objetivos educativos que se querían alcanzar con el alumnado, dividiéndolo en tres ámbitos: Ámbito cognitivo, ámbito afectivo y ámbito psicomotor. Es del primer ámbito del que surge la tabla de la taxonomía de Bloom.

El equipo de Bloom jerarquizaba el ámbito congnitivo de la siguiente forma:

Esta no es la forma en la que la taxonomía ha llegado hasta nosotros puesto que en el 2001 sufrió una revisión por parte de Lorin Anderson y David R. Krathwohl antiguos alumnos del propio Bloom. Los cambios que realizaron estos discípulos supuso:

Cambiar los sustantivos por verbos.

La denominación del primer nivel pasa a ser recordar en vez de conocimiento o conocer.

Ampliar el nivel de síntesis relacionándolo con la creación como un concepto más amplio.

Cambiar el orden de los dos últimos niveles, anteponiendo el la evaluación a la creación. De esta manera crear supone el pensamiento mayor orden.

La taxonomía quedó finalmente de esta forma:

Posteriormente al trabajo de Anderson y Krathwohl, el doctor Andrew Churches actualizó la taxonomía para la era digital. Churches introdujo nuevas acciones relacionadas con las tecnologías digitales. Acciones o verbos que no existían al finales del siglo pasado y que de alguna manera teníamos que tener también categorizadas.

Es importante hacer notar que esta última revisión no cambia los niveles de la taxonomía ni en orden ni en denominación, simplemente la enriquece introduciendo una serie de aprendizajes propios de los nuevos tiempos. Se introdujeron acciones que deberían ser realizadas por el alumnado tales como "hacer búsquedas en Google", "subir archivos a un servidor", "recopilar información de medios", "publicar", "programar" etc.

Con todo esto, nos gustaría mostrarles una herramienta basada en la taxonomía de Bloom que categoriza los aprendizajes, mostrando una breve explicación de cada nivel además de distintas palabras claves, acciones y resultados para esas acciones, así como preguntas clave que hacen ejercitar cada nivel de aprendizaje.

La taxonomía de Bloom debe formar parte de nuestra mochila docente. Esta en nuestra labor como CEP, llenar esta mochila con herramientas útiles. En este sentido, Bloom nos ofrece la brújula imprescindible para no perdernos en nuestra profesión.

Taxonomía de Bloom y G Suite for Education

Recomendamos a la Comunidad Educativa Digital tener en cuenta que, el enlace y/o la carpeta en donde están alojados los libros, recursos y/o materiales, no es administrado por la Web del Maestro CMF, pueda ser que en cuestión de días (o según el tiempo transcurrido desde su publicación), los enlaces no funcionen y el material ya no se encuentre disponible. Gracias por su comprensión.

ENLACE DE LECTURA:

¡Comparte y así más docentes utilizarán estos recursos gratis! Muchas gracias.

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La taxonomía de Bloom, una herramienta imprescindible para enseñar y aprender

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Cuando estamos perdidos siempre buscamos el norte para orientarnos. No es fácil para los docentes buscar referencias en nuestra labor diaria, pero si queremos ubicarnos, nuestro norte siempre lo podemos encontrar en la taxonomía de Bloom independientemente de la metodología que utilicemos en nuestra práctica educativa.

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¡Atención docentes! una excelente colección de más de 400 libros didácticos en formato digital.

Gracias a la base de datos de la biblioteca OpenLibra podemos tener acceso a una recopilación de libros digitales con fines educativos. Se trata de una maravillosa oportunidad para profundizar en una serie de temáticas sobre educación inclusiva, metodología, recursos didácticos, problemas sociales, integración escolar, entre otras áreas.

Todo el material educativo que veremos en esta biblioteca se encuentra disponible de forma gratuita y legal para el acceso público. Sólo tienes que dirigirte al enlace incluido después de cada título para iniciar la gestión del contenido.

Una vez dentro de la plataforma de OpenLibra tenemos la posibilidad de hacer una lectura online desde el navegador, o en su defecto, bajar el libro completo en formato PDF desde cualquier dispositivo conectado a Internet.

¿Cómo descargar los libros?

El siguiente video tutorial te ayudará:

NUEVO CONTENIDO:

NUEVO CONTENIDO:

#1 Compendio de Pedagogía Teórico-Práctica / Pedro de Alcántara García: leer aquí

#2 Pedagogía de la Esperanza / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#3 Pedagogía del Oprimido / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#4 Pedagogía General / Claudia Bravo Castañeda: leer aquí

#5 Pedagogía de la Indignación / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#6 Paulo Freire Contribuciones para la Pedagogía / Moacir Gadotti, Margarita Victoria Gómez, Jason Mafra, Anderson Fernandes de Alencar: leer aquí

#7 Innovaciones y Educación para la Paz / Julio César Arboleda Aparicio (Editor): leer aquí

#8 Psicología y Pedagogía / Jean Piaget: leer aquí

#9 Una Pedagogía de la Comunicación / Mario Kaplún: leer aquí

#10 Pedagogía y Currículo / Margarita Pansza: leer aquí

#11 La Educación como Práctica de la Libertad / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#12 Pedagogía / Immanuel Kant: leer aquí

#13 Pedagogía, Didáctica y Autismo / Óscar Picardo Joao, Ana Delmy Miranda de Escobar, Jaime Escobar Salmerón, Herberth Oliva: leer aquí

#14 Nuevos Retos de la Profesión Docente / Paulino Carnicero Duque, Patricia Silva García, Trinidad Mentado Labao (coordinadores): leer aquí

#15 Educación No Formal y Educación Popular / Germán Mariño S. y Lola Cendales G.: leer aquí

#16 Cartas a Quien Pretende Enseñar / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#17 Educación y Arte: leer aquí

#18 Educación para el Desarrollo Sostenible / ONU: leer aquí

#19 Una Pedagogía Praxeológica / Carlos Germán Juliao Vargas: leer aquí

#20 La Escuela y el Maestro / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#21 Manual de Pedagogía Teatral / Verónica García-Huidrobo: leer aquí

#22 La Pedagogía Hospitalaria y de la Salud / Red Educativa Mundial: leer aquí

#23 Pedagogía Universitaria en América Latina / Centro Interuniversitario del Desarrollo: leer aquí

#24 Historia de la Pedagogía / N. Abbagnano y A. Visalberghi: leer aquí

#25 Docencia Constructivista en la Universidad / Marco V. Gutiérrez-Soto, Luis Ángel Piedra (Editores): leer aquí

#26 La Educación Ayer, Hoy y Mañana / Silvina Gvirtz, Silvia Grinberg, Victoria Abregú: leer aquí

#27 Pedagogía Aplicada a la Conducción / María Luisa García Ortíz de Villajos: leer aquí

#28 Las Nuevas Tecnologías en la Educación / Manuel Santiago Fernández Prieto: leer aquí

#29 Diccionario Pedagógico / Óscar Picardo Joao: leer aquí

#30 Buenas Prácticas para una Pedagogía Efectiva / UNICEF: leer aquí

#31 La Vida en las Escuelas / Peter McLaren: leer aquí

#32 Aprender la Condición Humana: Una Pedagogía de la Ternura / Alejandro Cussiáovich: leer aquí

#33 La Importancia de Leer y el Proceso de Liberación / Paulo Freire: leer aquí

#34 El Valor de Educar / Fernando Savater: leer aquí

#35 Pedagogía Social y Educación Popular / Marcelo Krichesky: leer aquí

#36 Educación y Democracia: Un campo de combate / Estanislao Zuleta: leer aquí

#37 La Pedagógica Latinoamericana / Enrique Dussel: leer aquí

#38 Educaciones y Pedagogías Críticas desde el Sur / Marco Raúl Mejía Jiménez: leer aquí

#39 El Aprendizaje Significativo en la Práctica / Antoni Vallester Ballori: leer aquí

#40 Educación Expandida: leer aquí

#41 Investigación de los Saberes Pedagógicos / Ministerio de Educación (Colombia): leer aquí

#42 La Enseñanza de las Ciencias Naturales en las Primeras Edades / Silvio Daza Rosales: leer aquí

#43 El Museo y la Escuela / Claudia Aguirre Ríos: leer aquí

#44 Educar para Ser / Rebeca y Mauricio Wild: leer aquí

#45 Modelos Educativos y Académicos / Carlos Tünnerman-Bernheim: leer aquí

#46 Tratado Elemental de Pedagogía / Dr. Luis E. Ruiz: leer aquí

#47 Modelo Andragógico: Fundamentos / Universidad del Valle de México: leer aquí

#48 Pedagogía Tradicional y Pedagogía Crítica / Rigoberto Martínez Escárcega: leer aquí

#49 Diversidad Cultural e Igualdad Escolar / Varios Autores: leer aquí

#50 Los Gajes del Oficio: Enseñanza, pedagogía y formación / Andrea Alliaud, Estanislao Antelo: leer aquí

#51 El Tacto en la Enseñanza / Max Van Manen: leer aquí

#52 La Formación y el Desarrollo Profesional Docente: leer aquí

Más de 130 libros didácticos para profesores

#1. Tendencias Universidad: En pos de la educación activa (leer aquí)

#2. Educación mediática y competencia digital (leer aquí)

#3. Mi Taller de Creación de Videojuegos: Manual del Estudiante (leer aquí)

#4. Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales, currículo escolar y formación del profesorado (leer aquí)

#5. La diferencia sexual en el análisis de los videojuegos (leer aquí)

#6. Ciberbullying: Guía de recursos para centros educativos en caso de ciberacoso (leer aquí)

#7. Guía didáctica para el análisis de los videojuegos (leer aquí)

#8. El niño y el juego: Planteamientos teóricos y aplicaciones pedagógicas (leer aquí)

#9. Fichero de actividades de fomento a la lectura en las bibliotecas públicas (leer aquí)

#10. La lectura: clave del aprendizaje permanente (leer aquí)

#11. Hacia la formación de lectores en la biblioteca pública (leer aquí)

#12. Leer con los más pequeños (leer aquí)

#13. Visibilidad y divulgación de la investigación desde las Humanidades digitales (leer aquí)

#14. Un territorio en construcción: la literatura argentina para niños (leer aquí)

#15. El día que las máquinas se volvieron locas (leer aquí)

#16. Investigación Educativa: abriendo puertas al conocimiento (leer aquí)

#17. Guía Didáctica para el Aprendizaje del Ábaco Japonés (leer aquí)

#18. Mirando a la Discapacidad con Humor (leer aquí)

#19. Los Ábacos: Instrumentos Didácticos (leer aquí)

#20. ¿Cómo se hace un trabajo académico? (leer aquí)

#21. A-Educación o Educación (leer aquí)

#22. Profesores excelentes (leer aquí)

#23. Guía de buenas prácticas para el uso docente de Wikipedia en la Universidad (leer aquí)

#24. Hacia una nueva didáctica de la Lengua y la Literatura (leer aquí)

#25. Evolución y Retos de la Educación Virtual (leer aquí)

#26. Tendencias emergentes en Educación con TIC (leer aquí)

#27. Educar para Emprender: Guía didáctica de educación emprendedora en Primaria (leer aquí)

#28. Manual de Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para Alumnos de 10 a 12 años (leer aquí)

#29. Manual de Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para Alumnos de 6 a 8 años (leer aquí)

#30. Diseño Universal para la Instrucción (DUI) (leer aquí)

#31. Las TIC: del aula a la agenda política (leer aquí)

#32. Trabajos colaborativos. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#33. Tecnología y escuela: lo que funciona y por qué (leer aquí)

#34. Educación 2.0: retos educativos en las sociedades hiper-conectadas (leer aquí)

#35. Educación 2.0: el docente en la encrucijada (leer aquí)

#36. Historia 1. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#37. TIC, Educación y Sociedad. Vol 2 (leer aquí)

#38. TIC, Educación y Sociedad. Vol 1 (leer aquí)

#39. TIC para la inclusión social: una apuesta por la diversidad (leer aquí)

#40. Metas Educativas 2021 (leer aquí)

#41. La primera infancia (0-6 años) y su futuro (leer aquí)

#42. Retos Actuales de la educación técnico-profesional (leer aquí)

#43. Gerenaciones y Tecnología (leer aquí)

#44. Avances y desafíos en la evaluación educativa (leer aquí)

#45. Educación artística, cultura y ciudadanía (leer aquí)

#46. 10 Mitos sobre la Cultura Libre y el Acceso Abierto al Conocimiento (leer aquí)

#47. Lecturas y Bibliotecas Escolares (leer aquí)

#48. Grooming: Guía práctica para adultos (leer aquí)

#49. Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para [email protected] de 14 a 16 años (leer aquí)

#50. Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para [email protected] de 12 a 14 años (leer aquí)

#51. Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para [email protected] de 10 a 12 años (leer aquí)

#52. Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías para [email protected] de 8 a 10 años (leer aquí)

#53. Lengua 2. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#54. Lengua 1. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#55. Física 1. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#56. Filosofía. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#57. Geografía 2. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#58. Geografía 1. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#59. Artes Visuales. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#60. Biología 2. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#61. Simulaciones. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#62. Síndrome de Asperger: Guía práctica para la intervención en el ámbito escolar (leer aquí)

#63. Física 2. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#64. Animación a la lectura y TIC: creando situaciones y espacios (leer aquí)

#65. Mapa conceptuales digitales. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#66. Producción Multimedia: vídeos y animaciones. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#67. Videojuegos y cultura visual (leer aquí)

#68. Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades Digitales (leer aquí)

#69. Manual de gestión con el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#70. Geometría. Serie para la enseñanza en el modelo 1 a 1 (leer aquí)

#71. Concepción didáctica para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la geometría (leer aquí)

#72. Selección de experiencias innovadoras en las aulas (leer aquí)

#73. El Laboratorio de Idiomas y la enseñanza aprendizaje de lenguas (leer aquí)

#74. El devenir docente de una profesora de Lengua inglesa en Secundaria (leer aquí)

#75. Libres de Monopolios sobre el Conocimiento y la Vida: Hacia una Convergencia de Movimientos (leer aquí)

#76. Tratado sobre la Sabiduría (leer aquí)

#77. Guía para la integración del alumnado con TEA en Educación Primaria (leer aquí)

#78. Educación y nuevas tecnologías: los desafíos pedagógicos ante el mundo digital (leer aquí)

#79. HOMO VIDEOLUDENS 2.0: De Pacmana la gamification (leer aquí)

#80. Las TIC y la Crisis de la Educación: algunas claves para su comprensión (leer aquí)

#81. Aprendizaje activo en ambientes enriquecidos con tecnología (leer aquí)

#82. Aprender y enseñar en la cultura digital (leer aquí)

#83. Manual para la formación en competencias informáticas e informacionales (leer aquí)

#84. Crear y Publicar con las TIC en la escuela (leer aquí)

#85. Las TIC en Educación (leer aquí)

#86. Uso Inteligente de las Nuevas Tecnologías. Consejos Prácticos (leer aquí)

#87. Las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en la Educación: Retos Y Posibilidades (leer aquí)

#88. Calidad, equidad y reformas en la enseñanza (leer aquí)

#89. Educación Expandida (leer aquí)

#90. Universidad e investigación científica (leer aquí)

#91. Innovación Docente Universitaria en Entornos de Aprendizaje Enriquecidos (leer aquí)

#92. SCOPEO #3: M-learning en España, Portugal y América Latina (leer aquí)

#93. SCOPEO #2: Aproximación pedagógica a las plataformas Open Source en la universidad española (leer aquí)

#94. El Conocimiento Libre y los recursos educativos abiertos (leer aquí)

#95. El acceso abierto al conocimiento científico (leer aquí)

#96. Manual de Teorías Emocionales y Motivacionales (leer aquí)

#97. Guía para una escuela acogedora e integradora desde el inicio del año escolar (leer aquí)

#98. Aprendiendo a transformar el entorno. El uso del aprendizaje servicio en la educación superior (leer aquí)

#99. Manual de Cambio Social y Movimientos Sociales (leer aquí)

#100. Entorno Mediado para la Medición Cognitiva (leer aquí)

#101. Década de la Educación para la Sostenibilidad (leer aquí)

#102. Educación, Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad (leer aquí)

#103. Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad en Iberoamérica (leer aquí)

#104. Las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación en la Formación Docente (leer aquí)

#105. Producción de Contenidos para Educación Virtual (leer aquí)

#106. Las Nuevas Fronteras de la Educación a Distancia (leer aquí)

#107. Edupunk aplicado: Aprender para emprender (leer aquí)

#108. La Universidad en la Nube (leer aquí)

#109. Evolución y Retos de la Educación Virtual (leer aquí)

#110. Tecnología y cambio social (leer aquí)

#111. El Gran Ajedrez para Pequeños Ajedrecistas (leer aquí)

#112. Claves para el Ecosistema Educativo en Red (leer aquí)

#113. Videojuegos y juventud (leer aquí)

#114. Educación 2.0. Aprendizajes en red y construcción abierta (leer aquí)

#115. Cultura Libre Digital Nociones Básicas Para Defender lo que es de Todxs (leer aquí)

#116. Educación y Tecnologías: Las voces de los expertos (leer aquí)

#117. El Videojuego en la cultura contemporánea (leer aquí)

#118. Software Libre para gente pequeña (leer aquí)

#119. La Promesa del Gobierno Abierto (leer aquí)

#120. Software libre - para trabajar en el nivel medio (leer aquí)

#121. Satisfacción de Usuarios: la investigación sobre las necesidades de información (leer aquí)

#122. Bibliotecas y Publicaciones Digitales (leer aquí)

#123. Acceso al Conocimiento. Una Guía para Todos (leer aquí)

#124. Experiencias Educativas en las Aulas del Siglo XXI (leer aquí)

#125. La Diferencia Sexual en el Análisis de los Videojuegos (leer aquí)

#126. Gobierno Abierto y transparencia focalizada: Tendencias y desafíos para América Latina y el Caribe (leer aquí)

#127. La fábrica de la infelicidad (leer aquí)

#128. Los desafíos de las TIC para el cambio educativo (leer aquí)

#129. Introducción a la Tecnología Educativa (leer aquí)

#130. Hacia las Sociedades del Conocimiento (leer aquí)

#131. Estimulación Cognitiva (leer aquí)

#132. Organización del centro escolar (leer aquí)

Este contenido ha sido publicado originalmente por Red Iberoamericana de Docentes en la siguiente dirección: redesib.formacionib.org
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En este artículo veremos la importancia de hacer un buen análisis de situación a la hora de comenzar cualquier curso o taller de formación, y algunas herramientas efectivas para conseguirlo.
En 1969 los pasajeros del metro de Londres escuchaban por primera vez este mensaje de audio a través de los altavoces.

Sí, es el famoso " Mind the gap " (en castellano, "cuidado con la separación") que advertía a los usuarios que tuvieran cuidado con el espacio entre el vagón y el andén al bajar y subir del tren.

¿Y por qué no usaron una frase más completa como por ejemplo la que se usa hoy en día en el Metro de Madrid: "al salir, tengan cuidado para no introducir el pie entre coche y andén"? Resulta que para aquel primer audio se utilizó uno de los primeros sistemas de grabación digital y el coste del almacenamiento de esa breve locución era elevadísimo. Así que decidieron reducir el mensaje a su mínima expresión.

Y dirás, pero bueno Juanda ¿qué tiene que ver todo eso con la formación? ¡Pues muchísimo!

Personalmente, "mind the gap" es una de esas perlas que un formador debería tener siempre presente.

En cualquier curso o taller, lo que buscamos con nuestra formación es que se produzca un aprendizaje. Queremos acompañar al participante desde el punto A al B. El punto A es donde está antes de empezar la formación, la casilla de salida, el punto de partida. Y el punto B, es el destino deseado, haber adquirido ese nuevo saber (conocimiento), ese nuevo saber hacer (habilidad) o ese querer hacer (actitud). Y la distancia entre A y B es el salto o gap que tenemos tener en cuenta.

El análisis de necesidades al diseñar una formación.

Normalmente, en todos los libros, manuales
y cursos para formadores te hablarán de la enorme importancia del análisis de necesidades a la hora de diseñar una formación. Y es verdad que es muy importante. Un buen análisis te permitirá establecer objetivos y expectativas adecuados, así como elegir los contenidos y ejercicios más convenientes.

Este análisis puede requerir bastante tiempo y esfuerzo. A veces, para poder conseguir una foto lo más completa de la situación inicial, es necesario realizar entrevistas a todos o varios de los agentes implicados (personal, gerentes, recursos humanos, clientes, etc.).

Pero este análisis previo no es suficiente para asegurar que un curso tenga éxito, entendiendo por éxito que realmente se produzca un aprendizaje útil para los participantes.

Y es que podemos haber hecho un análisis de necesidades de los destinatarios perfecto. Pero la realidad es que a veces (más de las que te gustaría) te encontrarás con participantes que han sido seleccionados incorrectamente, alumnos sin ningún interés que van obligados a la formación, un grupo totalmente heterogéneo si solicitaste un nivel parecido, o un grupo demasiado homogéneo si pediste distintos perfiles. Las leyes de Murphy siempre se cumplen.

Esta diferencia entre el destinatario ideal y el real puede ser aún mayor si quien diseñó el curso no es la misma persona o equipo que organiza su facilitación.

El análisis de necesidades al empezar el curso: el Análisis del Gap

Independientemente del análisis de necesidades realizado para el diseño del curso, al empezar cualquier curso o taller deberíamos hacer un análisis rápido de la situación de partida de los participantes. Esto es el Análisis del Gap o Gap Analysis.

Este es el análisis que nos va a indicar cuál es el verdadero nivel de experiencia, conocimientos e interés de cada asistente sobre el tema de la formación. Nos va a dar una idea del tamaño del gap que los participantes deben saltar.

Aunque te parezca increíble, muy pocos formadores hacen este análisis inicial. Normalmente, el instructor llega con la charla o ejercicios que tiene preparados y los desarrolla en piloto automático, más preocupado de cumplir estrictamente los tiempos marcados en la agenda que de facilitar un verdadero aprendizaje. Y en parte, esto lo hacen así porque es más fácil para ellos y también más seguro (se mueven dentro del entorno que dominan).

Sin embargo, te aseguro que dedicando 10-15 minutos al Análisis del Gap, te será mucho más fácil conducir el curso. Con él obtendrás una información supervaliosa para ajustar el ritmo, detectar lagunas, conocer el nivel de los participantes y decidir cuáles son las mejores estrategias para crear experiencias de aprendizaje eficaces.

Cómo hacer el Análisis del Gap.

Existen muchísimas formas (por no decir infinitas)en las que puedes llevar a cabo este análisis inicial. Elegiremos una u otra en función de la información que queramos obtener.

Por ejemplo, en los cursos de formación que realizo sobre venta de equipamiento médico para quirófano a mí me ayuda muchísimo saber qué experiencia traen consigo los participantes en el entorno quirúrgico y qué experiencia tienen con los equipos específicos que vayamos a tratar en la formación. Por ejemplo, podría haber un nuevo empleado en la empresa sin conocimiento de los productos pero con más de 20 años de experiencia vendiendo equipos similares. Identificar esa experiencia me permite hacer mejores grupos de trabajo, solicitar ejemplos o experiencias a los participantes y ajustar el ritmo de los contenidos.

A continuación, tienes 3 ejemplos de ejercicios que puedes utilizar para hacer el Análisis del Gap.

#1 Ejercicio de la gráfica.

En una hoja de rotafolios puedes dibujar dos ejes de coordenadas y hacer varias marcas en los mismos. Cada uno de estos ejes responderá a una pregunta que lógicamente debe poder ser respondida con algún tipo de valor comparable. Después puedes pedir a cada participante que escriba su nombre ubicándolo dentro de la gráfica donde corresponda.
Así obtendrás una representación visual inmediata de cuál es el punto de partida del grupo y si hay participantes con muy poca o con mucha experiencia que destaquen.

Aquí tienes un ejemplo. Para un curso de ventas, el eje vertical podría representar la experiencia en ventas en general y el eje horizontal, el conocimiento en un determinado producto o servicio. Puedes hacer unas marcas indicando en el eje vertical la experiencia (5 años, 10 años y 15 años) y en el horizontal el conocimiento (bajo, medio, alto).
Cada participante tendrá que colocar su nombre en función de la experiencia que tenga vendiendo y del conocimiento del producto.

Después de que los participantes hayan escrito su nombre en la gráfica, toca interpretar los datos. Si ves que la mayoría tienen mucha experiencia en ventas en general pero poco conocimiento del producto (deberías ver una nube de nombres en la parte superior izquierda), significa que tendrás que hacer más hincapié en los contenidos y ejercicios relacionados con el aprendizaje de las características y beneficios específicos del producto porque es donde está la mayor carencia.

Pero si por ejemplo, la experiencia en ventas en general es pequeña (por ejemplo, en un grupo junior) pero el conocimiento del producto es elevado, puede ser interesante que la formación se centre más en el proceso de la venta comercial.

#2 Ejercicio de las 4 preguntas.
Otra opción para hacer el análisis inicial es plantear 4 preguntas relevantes para que sean respondidas por todos.
Una opción sería darle una hoja con las 4 preguntas a cada participante, que cada uno tuviera que escribir sus respuestas y luego, uno por uno, ir leyendo las respuestas de todos. Es correcto, pero un poco aburrido.

Otra opción es la siguiente. Puedes dividir a los participantes en 4 grupos. Si los participantes no se conocen o es una formación de varios días, aprovecha a hacer los grupos usando algún ejercicio divertido con el que tengan que moverse e interaccionar. Recuerda, los participantes aprenden más y mejor no solo cuando conectan con los contenidos, si no cuando conectan con otros participantes.
Una vez creado los grupos, asigna a cada grupo una de las 4 preguntas. Explica a todos que el objetivo de cada grupo es recoger las respuestas individuales de todos los asistentes a la pregunta que les ha tocado. Después cada grupo deberá agrupar y resumir las ideas de todas las respuestas. Por último, cada grupo tendrá que presentar sus hallazgos en 1 minuto al resto de grupos.
Respecto a los tiempos, los grupos tendrán 5 minutos para decidir qué estrategia van a seguir para conseguir las respuestas de todos los compañeros. Después los grupos tendrán 5 minutos para poner en marcha la estrategia decidida y recoger las respuestas. Tras esto, cada grupo tendrá 5 minutos para resumir las respuestas. Y por último, cada grupo contará con 1 minuto para exponer al resto de grupos los resultados que ha obtenido. Como ves, en total es una actividad de unos 25 minutos si contamos con una introducción de 5 minutos para hacer los grupos y explicar el funcionamiento del ejercicio.

Dependiendo del tipo de formación te interesará realizar unas preguntas u otras. A modo de sugerencia quizá puedas usar alguna de estas:

¿Qué te gustaría aprender sobre TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN?

¿Qué sabes sobre el TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN?

¿Qué dos cosas te gustaría conseguir con esta formación?

¿Qué asunto te parece clave tratar con relación al TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN?

¿Cuál es tu mayor reto en relación con el TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN?

En relación al ASUNTO relacionado con el TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN, ¿cuál es tu opinión?

¿Te parece correcta la AFIRMACIÓN sobre el TEMA DE LA FORMACIÓN? ¿Por qué?

Las partes escritas en mayúscula son para que las sustituyas por los temas que te interesan.

#3 Ejercicio KWL (Know-Wonder-Learned).

Esta es una técnica que me gusta mucho y que aprendí de Irene Escarpenter.
Si son pocos participantes (menos de 10) puedes pedir que cada uno lea lo que ha escrito en su hoja. O incluso, que intercambien su hoja con la persona que tienen al lado y lean en voz alta la hoja KWL del compañero.
Entrega a cada participantes una hoja de papel
con tres columnas encabezadas como Know, Wonder y Learned (aquí puedes descargar una plantilla). Durante 5 minutos los participantes tendrán que escribir en la columna Know, tres cosas que sepan sobre el tema que se va a tratar en la formación. En la columna Wonder, tendrán que escribir tres cosas que les gustaría aprender sobre el tema de la formación. Puedes utilizar alguna música tranquila para ambientar el momento de reflexión.

Si son muchos participantes puedes darles otros 2 minutos para que copien en una nota adhesiva una de las cosas de la columna Know y una de cosas de la columna Wonder, se levanten y lo peguen en el rotafolios o en la pared. Conforme vayan pegando notas adhesivas, puedes irlas agrupando según la temática. Una vez pasado el tiempo puedes resumir para todos "lo que sabe el grupo" (notas tipo Know) y "lo que al grupo le gustaría aprender" (notas tipo Wonder).
Antes de finalizar el curso, puedes pedir a los participantes que saquen de nuevo su hoja KWL y que completen la columna Learned con tres cosas que hayan aprendido durante la formación.
Aprovecha este momento también para establecer el nivel de las expectativas. Siempre hay alguna persona que pone en su deseo Wonder: "aprenderlo todo". Es bueno que los participantes vengan tan motivados, pero también es importante que sepan hasta donde pueden llegar con la formación (si trabajan activamente y realizan los ejercicios que se propongan).

Puedes pedirles también que incluyan cómo van a aplicar o poner en práctica ese aprendizaje en los próximos días o semanas. Cualquier aprendizaje requiere compromiso, práctica y un plan de acción. Si no, se lo habrán pasado muy bien en tu formación pero se quedará solo en eso, en un agradable recuerdo.

Me gusta el ejercicio KWL porque ofrece una forma interesante de empezar y terminar la formación redonda, cerrando el círculo. Si quieres información adicional también te recomiendo escuchar el episodio 17 del podcast Skillopment de Rául Hernández

Cómo usar la información obtenida en el Análisis del Gap.

Ok. Imaginemos que ya has realizado alguno de los ejercicios que te proponía y que has obtenido la información de los participantes. ¿Ahora qué? ¿Cómo puedes usar esa información? La respuesta es SuperMarioBros 3.

Te explico. Hace mucho, mucho tiempo, existía un lugar llamado videoclub. Un extraño lugar, que con 13 años visitaba a menudo para alquilar películas y videojuegos.
Y uno de los juegos que me encantaba alquilar era el SuperMarioBros 3 para la Nes (por supuesto no era la original).

Lo que me flipaba de esta edición respecto a las anteriores es que Mario además de coger y lanzar caparazones de tortuga o lanzar fuego, también podía convertirse en Mapache, volar y evitar tener que hacerse a pie gran parte del recorrido.

Al igual que Mario, u na vez hayas realizado el Análisis del Gap, estarás en condiciones de valorar si dentro del recorrido de la agenda, hay contenidos en los que merezca la pena meterse en la tubería y profundizar, si tienes que volver hacia atrás para aclarar alguna idea, o si por el contrario, puedes tomar carrerilla y sobrevolar cosas que los participantes ya conozcan y tengan muy claras. Al final se trata de ajustar sobre la marcha el ritmo a las necesidades e intereses del grupo.

Lógicamente, si estás empezando a realizar formaciones, cambiar el orden o incluso los contenidos sobre la marcha puede parecerte algo de ciencia ficción. Pero t e aseguro, que conforme vayas realizando esa formación varias veces, cogiendo experiencia y detectando qué puntos clave hay en el curso (por dificultad, interés o intensidad), irás mejorando también en la flexibilidad y tu capacidad para adaptarte a imprevistos o peticiones sobre la marcha.

Para terminar, te invito a que pienses si ya estás haciendo este Análisis del Gap (a lo mejor ya lo haces pero de forma inconsciente o en algún otro formato). Y si no es así, que valores si en tu caso puede resultar interesante hacerlo, e intentes hacer alguna prueba en tu próxima formación y compartir tu experiencia. Sinceramente, creo que es una herramienta muy potente, que pocos formadores utilizan, pero que puede ayudarte a crear experiencias de aprendizaje mucho mejores.

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Mind the gap: Análisis inicial en una formación por @juanda_learning

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En este artículo veremos la importancia de hacer un buen análisis de situación a la hora de comenzar cualquier curso o taller de formación, y algunas herramientas efectivas para conseguirlo. En 1969 los pasajeros del metro de Londres escuchaban por primera vez este mensaje de audio a través de los altavoces.

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What To Do Under Quarantine?

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Can't decide? Wheel Decide for you! Set your own custom choices and then spin the wheel to make the random decision of lunch, movie, or anything! Make your own wheel of dinner or whatever now!

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La gamificación es un término anglosajón que Sebastian Deterding definió como El uso de las mecánicas de juego en entornos ajenos al juego. Aunque el término gamificación abarca muchas disciplinas como, por ejemplo, el ámbito empresarial o la psicología, en este artículo me centraré en la gamificación vista desde el entorno educativo.

A día de hoy se trata de un término que goza de una enorme popularidad en los entornos digitales, al aportar ingredientes altamente atractivos para los alumnos. Aún así hay voces que opinan que la gamificación no supone una mejora en el ámbito educativo, ya que no se ve como una herramienta significativa para el aprendizaje.

Por su parte, hay un sector educativo que ve en la gamificación una gran oportunidad para trabajar aspectos como la motivación, el esfuerzo, la fidelización y la cooperación, entre otros, dentro del ámbito escolar.
Imagen extraída de Shutterstock
¿En qué consiste la gamificación y cómo es su funcionamiento?

1. Mecánicas o reglas de la gamificación. Como cualquier juego que se preste, la gamificación no está exenta de unas normas de funcionamiento. Dichas mecánicas permiten que los alumnos adquieran un compromiso para superar los distintos retos a los que se somete a los alumnos. De entre las mecánicas que más aceptación tienen destacan:

Colección: Se parte de la importancia que tiene para los alumnos los logros y las recompensas.

Puntos: Muy usados para conseguir la fidelización de tus alumnos en la tarea que se les ha sido asignada.

Ranking: Se establece una clasificación o comparación entre los alumnos de una misma clase o de un mismo curso.

Nivel: Muy comunes en los deportes como, por ejemplo, el fútbol o el baloncesto (cadete, junio, senior, veterano, etc.) los niveles dan fe de los progresos de los alumnos en las actividades a las que han sido asignadas.

Progresión: La progresión es otra técnica muy usual en la gamificación y consiste en completar el 100% de la actividad que se ha encomendado. En perfiles sociales (Facebook) es una práctica habitual.

2. Dinámicas de juego de la gamificación. Las dinámicas de juego son un aspecto indispensable para la elaboración de cualquier actividad relacionada con la gamificación.

Si antes te hablaba de la importancia de que tus alumnos conocieran las normas de cualquier juego, en este caso de cara a la gamificación se hace imprescindible que los alumnos tengan perfectamente asimiladas qué dinámicas de juego se llevarán a cabo. Dichas dinámicas de juego tienen por objeto la motivación y la implicación del alumno en la realización de una actividad.

Es a través de las dinámicas de juego que se consigue despertar el interés de los alumnos por las actividades que están llevando a cabo. Entre las dinámicas destacan:

Recompensa: La recompensa en una actividad no tiene otra función que despertar el interés por el juego en el alumno.

Competición: Aunque no siempre es vista como una cualidad positiva en el ámbito educativo, la buena gestión de la competición es un magnífico instrumento para atraer el interés del alumno por una actividad. Además, dicha competición tiene la ventaja de poder realizarse de forma individual, por parejas o en grupo.

Estatus: El estatus logrado a través de la gamificación incentiva enormemente al alumno en la consecución y realización de la actividad que se le ha encomendado.

Cooperativismo: Se trata de otra forma de competir, pero en este caso se juega con el hecho de que es un mismo grupo el que persigue un mismo fin.

Solidaridad: Se trata de una dinámica muy interesante y muy ligada con el cooperativismo. Mediante la solidaridad se fomenta la ayuda mutua entre compañeros y de una manera altruista, es decir, sin esperar ninguna recompensa a cambio.

3. Componentes de la gamificación.

Logros: Son muy valorados por los alumnos y permiten claramente visualizar la progresión de un alumno a lo largo de una actividad.

Avatares: Muy comunes en los perfiles sociales, los avatares son una representación gráfica, generalmente, de carácter humano y que se asociaría en este caso a un alumno.

Badges: Se trata de una insignia, distintivo o señal por la consecución de algún objetivo determinado.

Desbloqueos: Los desbloqueos permiten avanzar en la dinámica de las actividades.

Regalos: Se trata de entregar al alumno un presente ante la realización correcta de una determinada actividad o reto.
4. Tipos de jugadores.

Triunfador: Se centra en el jugador cuya finalidad es la consecución de logros y retos.

Social: Tipo de jugador al que le encanta interactuar y socializarse con el resto de compañeros (Moodle, chat, etc.)

Explorador: Alumno que tiene una clara tendencia a descubrir aquello desconocido.

Competidor: Su finalidad primera y última es demostrar su superioridad frente a los demás.
5. Proceso de la gamificación.

Viabilidad: En primer lugar hay que valorar si la gamificación es aplacable al contenido que se quiere enseñar en el aula.

Objetivos: Hay que definir cuáles serán los objetivos de la gamificación.

Motivación: Otro aspecto a valorar es la predisposición y el perfil de un grupo clase para llevar a cabo la gamificación en una actividad.

Implementación: Se trata de sopesar qué relación existe entre la gamificación y el contenido que se enseña de una materia.

Resultados: Es imprescindible realizar una evaluación de los resultados de la propuesta de gamificación que se haya llevado a cabo.

6. Plataformas de gamificación. Las plataformas permiten básicamente monitorizar de forma automática y continuada los procesos de gamificación de una actividad. Algunas plataformas de gamificación son:

Badgeville: Se trata de la plataforma de referencia en el ámbito de la gamificación.

Bigdoor: Tiene una versión gratuita y se puede implementar en una web o blog.

Openbadges: Otra iniciativa gratuita de la Fundación Mozilla.

ClassDojo: Específica para educación. Es gratuita.

Karmacrazy: Aunque no está relacionada con el ámbito educativo, creo que es una excelente plataforma para que aprendas cómo funciona el proceso de gamificación. En mi caso se trata de una plataforma que utilizo con mucha frecuencia para publicar mis artículos en las redes sociales a través de un acortador de url's creado por esta compañía.

7. Finalidad de la gamificación. Los objetivos que persigue cualquier actividad en el ámbito de la gamificación son:

Fidelización: La gamificación establece un vínculo del alumno con el contenido que se está trabajando cambiando la perspectiva que tiene del mismo.

Motivación: La gamificación quiere ser una herramienta contra el aburrimiento de determinados contenidos aplicados en el aula.

Optimización: Por optimización se entiende el hecho de recompensar al alumno en aquellas tareas en las que no tienes previsto ningún incentivo.

Acabaré este artículo con una frase que me ha gustado mucho del diseñador de juegos Ralph Kosler y que reza así:
That's what games are, in the end. Teachers. Fun is just another word for learning
(Eso es lo que los juegos son, al final. Profesores. La diversión es sólo otra palabra para el aprendizaje )

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Gamificación: 7 claves para entender qué es y cómo funciona

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La gamificación es un término anglosajón que Sebastian Deterding definió como El uso de las mecánicas de juego en entornos ajenos al juego.

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Las distancias ya no son un obstáculo para las reuniones profesionales entre dos o más interlocutores que hablan desde distintos lugares del mundo. Además, podemos utilizar la tecnología para impartir formación, hacer presentaciones, dar charlas... Cada vez son más frecuentes los webinars, hangouts y otras versiones de comunicación audiovisual a distancia. Y cada vez son más los profesionales que responden al concepto knowmad (know + nomad): trabajadores del conocimiento desde cualquier parte.

Skype, Face Time o Whatsapp han puesto al alcance de todos la posibilidad de hablar viéndonos las caras. Con las llamadas telefónicas convencionales nos perdíamos una gran parte de la información, pero precisamente por esto, podían resultar mucho más cómodas; no teníamos que prestar atención a todo lo no verbal: el escenario, nuestro aspecto, la gesticulación o la expresión del rostro.

Con las videollamadas, se acabó hablar con alguien y estar distraído, garabatear, caminar en círculos, hurgarte la nariz, guiñar un ojo a la compañera. Activar la opción de vídeo significa ahora tener que diseñar la imagen de cada "teleencuentro", especialmente si es de empresa. Porque además de lo que decimos y cómo lo decimos tenemos que contar con el impacto del aspecto, la influencia del entorno y la información que transmite el lenguaje corporal.

Exactamente igual que en un encuentro presencial, me dirás. Así es, con algunas ventajas y algunos inconvenientes.

Las ventajas son claras. Podemos percibir la imagen de una persona en tiempo real o en diferido en cualquier momento. Pero este tipo de conexiones puede tener algunos inconvenientes porque estamos enviando multitud de mensajes que a veces no controlamos, precisamente porque a veces improvisamos o no somos conscientes de lo que transmitimos a través de la pantalla.

La diferencia principal respecto a una reunión presencial es que tu interlocutor solo ve una parte de ti y una parte muy pequeña del entorno. En el espacio de la pantalla, cualquier detalle toma una relevancia especial y lo que pasaría desapercibido en la escena real, destaca mucho más en la pantalla.
La comunicación en una videollamada

La imagen que proyectamos a través de una videollamada tiene que adaptarse al grado de formalidad y tipo de relación que tenemos con nuestro interlocutor o interlocutores.

Podemos asegurarnos el éxito de nuestras acciones de comunicación, si sabemos manejar bien las herramientas y si además planificamos el mensaje verbal y todo lo que transmitimos a través de nuestra comunicación no verbal.
Diseñar el entorno
El interlocutor se formará una idea de ti y de tu empresa según lo que vea dentro del marco de la imagen. ¿Esto es bueno o malo? Depende. Si lo manejas conscientemente, puedes obtener grandes resultados. Tienes que crear el clima adecuado a tus objetivos: cercanía/neutralidad, calidez/frialdad, formalidad/informalidad, modernidad/clasicismo, orden/desorden, etc.

Especialmente, cuando se trata de interacciones profesionales, nos interesa reflejar orden, pulcritud y organización. Evita, pues, que se vean montones de papeles, vasos o tazas sucios, botellas de agua, armarios abiertos o restos de comida.

Si trabajas desde casa o no tienes oficina propia, elige el sitio que va a ser tu plató para realizar estas vídeollamadas. Los vídeobloggers lo hacen también y muchos diseñan escenarios específicos para grabar sus vídeos. El decorado es parte de tu imagen.
La gestión de tu imagen personal
Ya sabes lo importante que es una primera impresión. Si es la primera vez que conectas con esta persona, ¿cómo quieres que te perciba? Que hables desde la comodidad de tu salón, de un hotel donde estás de paso, de un coworking o de tu oficina corporativa no significa que puedas presentarte de cualquier manera.

La imagen personal en una videollamada es tan importante como en el cara a cara presencial. O incluso más. La mayoría de las veces lo único que se ve es el rostro, por este motivo, debes cuidar al máximo tu aspecto. A no ser que sea una urgencia, no aceptes una videollamada si consideras que no estás preparado para ello.

Cuida tu aspecto. Elige la ropa según la imagen profesional que quieras transmitir, ten en cuenta los colores que más te favorecen para el tipo de iluminación. Las cámaras de los portátiles, smartphones y otros aparatos no suelen favorecer. Busca la distancia en la que no se deforme tu cara y una iluminación que evite estas sombras que te envejecen.
Lenguaje no verbal
En una videollamada el rostro es el protagonista y desaparece la comunicación no verbal del resto del cuerpo. Procura que el ángulo de la cámara sea el adecuado para que la imagen sea correcta. Evita ponerte a contraluz o que la cámara te coja de perfil. Tu interlocutor debería verte del pecho hacia arriba.

Toda la atención está, por lo tanto, centrada en la expresión facial. Evita expresiones del rostro que puedan ser malinterpretadas o simplemente descorteses.

También intervienen las manos, que deberían estar visibles si estamos en una mesa y tenemos un plano medio. La gesticulación con las manos es mejor que sea moderada, porque tiene que enmarcarse en el espacio de la pantalla. Cualquier gesto muy amplio o que pase por delante del rostro puede ser molesto y dificultar la comunicación. No realices gestos de tensión, y te recomiendo que no te toques (pelo, nariz, boca, gafas, oreja, etc.).

Mantén el contacto visual y saluda con una sonrisa, al principio y al final, en la despedida.

A pesar de que el cuerpo normalmente no aparece, tiene su importancia. S i nos movemos continuamente en la silla, si estamos mal sentados, si caminamos, si gesticulamos demasiado... será percibido por el otro y puede recibirlo como señales de informalidad o nerviosismo.

Voz
Piensa que las conexiones no siempre son perfectas, por lo que es mejor tomar precauciones en cuanto a la comprensión correcta del mensaje, ante la eventual aparición de ruidos o interferencias, con preguntas del tipo: "Se me ha entendido bien"; "No sé si queréis que lo vuelva a detallar"; "Así, hemos quedado en que...".

Habla articulando claramente, despacio y suficientemente alto. Haz preguntas para comprobar si ha llegado el mensaje. Repite lo que has dicho o lo que te han dicho para evitar lagunas en la comprensión. Tu expresión oral será decisiva para que tus interlocutores no pierdan la atención.

Buenas maneras en las vídeoconexiones. 10 consejos
1. Pon toda la atención en la conversación. Procura mirar hacia la cámara para que se produzca el efecto de contacto visual. No te distraigas. Como tu interlocutor no ve toda la escena, tienes que garantizarle que estás escuchando atentamente.

2. Evita el ruido exterior, de la calle o del propio establecimiento o despacho; no es solo por la molestia que causa sino también porque transmite una imagen de poco orden. Procura no hacer ruidos tú mismo mientras tu interlocutor está hablando: clic del bolígrafo, dedos tamborileando, etc.

3. Si la conversación tiene que ser confidencial, evita que se vean otras personas en el espacio, o que crucen por detrás, que se oigan ruidos o conversaciones. En este caso, elige un lugar con suficiente privacidad y asegúrate de que no entrará nadie en la sala.

4. Mantén en modo avión o en silencio los teléfonos para que no suenen mientras estás en conexión. Procura que no se oigan alarmas o señales acústicas de llamadas o mensajes. Puede causar distracción y causar estrés.

5. Si por algún motivo debes desaparecer de la pantalla, consultar tus notas, escribir o hacer algún movimiento extraño, explícalo.

6. Es poco considerado comer o beber durante la interacción. En cuanto a fumar, creo que ya sabemos todos la imagen que transmite el tabaco, tanto presencialmente como a distancia.

7. Concierta previamente la reunión. Aunque veas que alguien está conectado a Skype, a Google, etc., puede que no esté disponible para ti en ese momento. Llamar directamente a alguien sin haber acordado antes el encuentro puede ser una forma de intrusión.

8. Sé puntual. Procura conectarte unos minutos antes de la reunión. Así podrás comprobar que todo funciona adecuadamente y estarás listo a la hora acordada.

9. A menos que se pacte de otra forma, lo cortés es que ambos interlocutores tengan el modo vídeo encendido y estén en las mismas condiciones.

10. Si se corta la comunicación y no se puede restablecer, estaría bien acabar la conversación por algún otro medio (SMS, Whatsapp, correo electrónico o teléfono), al menos para despediros.

Con las vídeollamadas estamos en condiciones de sustituir muchos encuentros presenciales. Pero de momento, no podemos contrarrestar la visión parcial que obtenemos del interlocutor, la percepción incompleta de un entorno mucho más amplio que el que abarca la imagen en pantalla o la falta de contacto físico.

A pesar de los avances de la tecnología, preferimos las relaciones presenciales, porque nos sentimos más capaces de evaluar al otro y muchas veces también necesitamos evaluar su contexto. Es por esta razón que nos seguimos desplazando - a veces con altos costes- para calibrar la confianza que nos merecemos el uno al otro, cara a cara y sin ningún filtro.

Este artículo fue publicado originalmente por Createch540.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Conectar a través de una cámara: vídeoconferencia, webinar, skype...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Las distancias ya no son un obstáculo para las reuniones profesionales entre dos o más interlocutores que hablan desde distintos lugares del mundo. Además, podemos utilizar la tecnología para impartir formación, hacer presentaciones, dar charlas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Las distancias ya no son un obstáculo para las reuniones profesionales entre dos o más interlocutores que hablan desde distintos lugares del mundo. Además, podemos utilizar la tecnología para impartir formación, hacer presentaciones, dar charlas... Cada vez son más frecuentes los webinars, hangouts y otras versiones de comunicación audiovisual a distancia. Y cada vez son más los profesionales que responden al concepto knowmad (know + nomad): trabajadores del conocimiento desde cualquier parte.

Skype, Face Time o Whatsapp han puesto al alcance de todos la posibilidad de hablar viéndonos las caras. Con las llamadas telefónicas convencionales nos perdíamos una gran parte de la información, pero precisamente por esto, podían resultar mucho más cómodas; no teníamos que prestar atención a todo lo no verbal: el escenario, nuestro aspecto, la gesticulación o la expresión del rostro.

Con las videollamadas, se acabó hablar con alguien y estar distraído, garabatear, caminar en círculos, hurgarte la nariz, guiñar un ojo a la compañera. Activar la opción de vídeo significa ahora tener que diseñar la imagen de cada "teleencuentro", especialmente si es de empresa. Porque además de lo que decimos y cómo lo decimos tenemos que contar con el impacto del aspecto, la influencia del entorno y la información que transmite el lenguaje corporal.

Exactamente igual que en un encuentro presencial, me dirás. Así es, con algunas ventajas y algunos inconvenientes.

Las ventajas son claras. Podemos percibir la imagen de una persona en tiempo real o en diferido en cualquier momento. Pero este tipo de conexiones puede tener algunos inconvenientes porque estamos enviando multitud de mensajes que a veces no controlamos, precisamente porque a veces improvisamos o no somos conscientes de lo que transmitimos a través de la pantalla.

La diferencia principal respecto a una reunión presencial es que tu interlocutor solo ve una parte de ti y una parte muy pequeña del entorno. En el espacio de la pantalla, cualquier detalle toma una relevancia especial y lo que pasaría desapercibido en la escena real, destaca mucho más en la pantalla.
La comunicación en una videollamada

La imagen que proyectamos a través de una videollamada tiene que adaptarse al grado de formalidad y tipo de relación que tenemos con nuestro interlocutor o interlocutores.

Podemos asegurarnos el éxito de nuestras acciones de comunicación, si sabemos manejar bien las herramientas y si además planificamos el mensaje verbal y todo lo que transmitimos a través de nuestra comunicación no verbal.
Diseñar el entorno
El interlocutor se formará una idea de ti y de tu empresa según lo que vea dentro del marco de la imagen. ¿Esto es bueno o malo? Depende. Si lo manejas conscientemente, puedes obtener grandes resultados. Tienes que crear el clima adecuado a tus objetivos: cercanía/neutralidad, calidez/frialdad, formalidad/informalidad, modernidad/clasicismo, orden/desorden, etc.

Especialmente, cuando se trata de interacciones profesionales, nos interesa reflejar orden, pulcritud y organización. Evita, pues, que se vean montones de papeles, vasos o tazas sucios, botellas de agua, armarios abiertos o restos de comida.

Si trabajas desde casa o no tienes oficina propia, elige el sitio que va a ser tu plató para realizar estas vídeollamadas. Los vídeobloggers lo hacen también y muchos diseñan escenarios específicos para grabar sus vídeos. El decorado es parte de tu imagen.
La gestión de tu imagen personal
Ya sabes lo importante que es una primera impresión. Si es la primera vez que conectas con esta persona, ¿cómo quieres que te perciba? Que hables desde la comodidad de tu salón, de un hotel donde estás de paso, de un coworking o de tu oficina corporativa no significa que puedas presentarte de cualquier manera.

La imagen personal en una videollamada es tan importante como en el cara a cara presencial. O incluso más. La mayoría de las veces lo único que se ve es el rostro, por este motivo, debes cuidar al máximo tu aspecto. A no ser que sea una urgencia, no aceptes una videollamada si consideras que no estás preparado para ello.

Cuida tu aspecto. Elige la ropa según la imagen profesional que quieras transmitir, ten en cuenta los colores que más te favorecen para el tipo de iluminación. Las cámaras de los portátiles, smartphones y otros aparatos no suelen favorecer. Busca la distancia en la que no se deforme tu cara y una iluminación que evite estas sombras que te envejecen.
Lenguaje no verbal
En una videollamada el rostro es el protagonista y desaparece la comunicación no verbal del resto del cuerpo. Procura que el ángulo de la cámara sea el adecuado para que la imagen sea correcta. Evita ponerte a contraluz o que la cámara te coja de perfil. Tu interlocutor debería verte del pecho hacia arriba.

Toda la atención está, por lo tanto, centrada en la expresión facial. Evita expresiones del rostro que puedan ser malinterpretadas o simplemente descorteses.

También intervienen las manos, que deberían estar visibles si estamos en una mesa y tenemos un plano medio. La gesticulación con las manos es mejor que sea moderada, porque tiene que enmarcarse en el espacio de la pantalla. Cualquier gesto muy amplio o que pase por delante del rostro puede ser molesto y dificultar la comunicación. No realices gestos de tensión, y te recomiendo que no te toques (pelo, nariz, boca, gafas, oreja, etc.).

Mantén el contacto visual y saluda con una sonrisa, al principio y al final, en la despedida.

A pesar de que el cuerpo normalmente no aparece, tiene su importancia. S i nos movemos continuamente en la silla, si estamos mal sentados, si caminamos, si gesticulamos demasiado... será percibido por el otro y puede recibirlo como señales de informalidad o nerviosismo.

Voz
Piensa que las conexiones no siempre son perfectas, por lo que es mejor tomar precauciones en cuanto a la comprensión correcta del mensaje, ante la eventual aparición de ruidos o interferencias, con preguntas del tipo: "Se me ha entendido bien"; "No sé si queréis que lo vuelva a detallar"; "Así, hemos quedado en que...".

Habla articulando claramente, despacio y suficientemente alto. Haz preguntas para comprobar si ha llegado el mensaje. Repite lo que has dicho o lo que te han dicho para evitar lagunas en la comprensión. Tu expresión oral será decisiva para que tus interlocutores no pierdan la atención.

Buenas maneras en las vídeoconexiones. 10 consejos
1. Pon toda la atención en la conversación. Procura mirar hacia la cámara para que se produzca el efecto de contacto visual. No te distraigas. Como tu interlocutor no ve toda la escena, tienes que garantizarle que estás escuchando atentamente.

2. Evita el ruido exterior, de la calle o del propio establecimiento o despacho; no es solo por la molestia que causa sino también porque transmite una imagen de poco orden. Procura no hacer ruidos tú mismo mientras tu interlocutor está hablando: clic del bolígrafo, dedos tamborileando, etc.

3. Si la conversación tiene que ser confidencial, evita que se vean otras personas en el espacio, o que crucen por detrás, que se oigan ruidos o conversaciones. En este caso, elige un lugar con suficiente privacidad y asegúrate de que no entrará nadie en la sala.

4. Mantén en modo avión o en silencio los teléfonos para que no suenen mientras estás en conexión. Procura que no se oigan alarmas o señales acústicas de llamadas o mensajes. Puede causar distracción y causar estrés.

5. Si por algún motivo debes desaparecer de la pantalla, consultar tus notas, escribir o hacer algún movimiento extraño, explícalo.

6. Es poco considerado comer o beber durante la interacción. En cuanto a fumar, creo que ya sabemos todos la imagen que transmite el tabaco, tanto presencialmente como a distancia.

7. Concierta previamente la reunión. Aunque veas que alguien está conectado a Skype, a Google, etc., puede que no esté disponible para ti en ese momento. Llamar directamente a alguien sin haber acordado antes el encuentro puede ser una forma de intrusión.

8. Sé puntual. Procura conectarte unos minutos antes de la reunión. Así podrás comprobar que todo funciona adecuadamente y estarás listo a la hora acordada.

9. A menos que se pacte de otra forma, lo cortés es que ambos interlocutores tengan el modo vídeo encendido y estén en las mismas condiciones.

10. Si se corta la comunicación y no se puede restablecer, estaría bien acabar la conversación por algún otro medio (SMS, Whatsapp, correo electrónico o teléfono), al menos para despediros.

Con las vídeollamadas estamos en condiciones de sustituir muchos encuentros presenciales. Pero de momento, no podemos contrarrestar la visión parcial que obtenemos del interlocutor, la percepción incompleta de un entorno mucho más amplio que el que abarca la imagen en pantalla o la falta de contacto físico.

A pesar de los avances de la tecnología, preferimos las relaciones presenciales, porque nos sentimos más capaces de evaluar al otro y muchas veces también necesitamos evaluar su contexto. Es por esta razón que nos seguimos desplazando - a veces con altos costes- para calibrar la confianza que nos merecemos el uno al otro, cara a cara y sin ningún filtro.

Este artículo fue publicado originalmente por Createch540.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Conectar a través de una cámara: vídeoconferencia, webinar, skype...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Las distancias ya no son un obstáculo para las reuniones profesionales entre dos o más interlocutores que hablan desde distintos lugares del mundo. Además, podemos utilizar la tecnología para impartir formación, hacer presentaciones, dar charlas.

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Uno de los mayores retos en la formación es generar y mantener la motivación de los participantes durante cursos y talleres, tanto presenciales como online. En este artículo encontrarás las principales claves de la motivación y, sobre todo, ideas prácticas que podrás empezar a aplicar desde ya para facilitar la motivación de los participantes.

Antes de empezar

Emergencias para formadores. Dígame.

¡No sé si respiran!

Tranquilícese. ¿Cuánto tiempo llevan así?

No sé. Creo que una hora o más. Estaba haciendo una formación, mirando mi presentación en la pantalla...

Ok. Cálmese. Vaya al puesto de emergencia más cercano. Vera una vitrina con un desfibrilador. Olvídelo. Al lado verá otra vitrina con el Manual de emergencia de la motivación en formación. Rompa el cristal y úsela.

¡Muchas gracias!

Claramente esto era una parodia pero ¿te suena algo de esto otro?:

"Los alumnos no me prestan atención".

"Cuando intento que participen apenas hacen preguntas".

"Siento que no conectamos".

"Los asistentes muestran poco interés.".

Si has empezado hace poco en el mundo de la formación te invito a que leas esta guía y experimentes. No creas nada de lo que te digo. Pruébalo. Si te funciona, quédatelo. Adáptalo y hazlo tuyo. Si no, deséchalo.

Y si llevas años trabajando en el mundo de la formación, valora si alguna de estas herramientas podría ayudarte a obtener mejores resultados. Quizá ya conozcas varias de estas ideas. La pregunta clave aquí es ¿lo aplicas?

Por último, te invito también a que compartas tu experiencia y cualquier herramienta que utilices para aumentar la motivación en tus alumnos.

El deseo de aprender.
¿Qué es la motivación?
Si buscas en Internet encontrarás cientos de definiciones. Personalmente me gusta esta: La motivación es la fuerza impulsora que lleva a la acción.

Por ejemplo, el hambre es una motivación que genera el deseo de comer. El sueño es una motivación que genera el deseo de dormir.

Pero ¿cuál es la motivación que genera el deseo de aprender?

En general, las personas buscamos aprender cuando:

Necesitamos resolver o evitar un problema.

Buscamos aprovechar una oportunidad.

Queremos crecer personal o profesionalmente.

Sin embargo, esta necesidad no es suficiente. Y esto se demuestra en que:

Algunas personas son conscientes de que tienen un problema y viven años sin plantearse solucionarlo, ignorándolo o quejándose.

Algunas personas miran con envidia y/o critican a otras que aprovechan oportunidades, pero no hacen nada para cambiar su situación.

Algunas personas querrían mejorar, pero no están dispuestas a invertir tiempo y/o dinero en su propio desarrollo.

Entonces, ¿cómo logramos que esas personas estén dispuestas a realizar ese esfuerzo que requiere el verdadero aprendizaje?

Y todavía más complicado. En un curso o taller ¿cómo podemos motivar a participantes que no han elegido voluntariamente estar allí?

La motivación intrínseca y la motivación extrínseca.

Un coche puede desplazarse de muchas maneras. La más habitual es usando la gasolina del propio depósito. Pero también puede moverse al ser remolcado por una grúa, por inercia o al dejarse caer por una pendiente.

Al hablar de motivación, la mayoría de expertos diferencian dos tipos: la motivación intrínseca y la motivación extrínseca.
La motivación intrínseca es la que surge de uno mismo, por el mero placer que obtienes al hacer algo. El impulso y el disfrute vienen de dentro.
La extrínseca es la motivación que se origina afuera. Es generada por fuerzas externas como puedan ser obtener una recompensa (reconocimiento, dinero, una calificación, un certificado) o evitar un castigo (suspenso, exposición, ranking).

También hay fuerzas externas que parecen internas. Por ejemplo, un valor o una creencia inculcada en el pasado que determina tu comportamiento presente: "En el trabajo hay dar lo máximo y por eso yo voy a todos los cursos que me ofrezcan, quiera o no".

¿Qué tipo de motivación (intrinsecas o extrinseca) crees que tiene cada persona en los siguientes ejemplos?:

Iván participa activamente en un ejercicio del taller porque lo encuentra divertido y desafiante.

Eva participa en un taller porque dan el resto del día libre a los que asisten.

Irene se ofrece voluntaria porque lo ve como una oportunidad para ponerse a prueba y mejorar.

Esperanza se ofrece voluntaria para un ejercicio para que hablen bien de ella ante su jefe.

Eduardo participa en una formación para ganar un premio en su departamento.

Ignacio asiste a un curso porque el tema le parece fascinante.

Inés participa en un curso porque le parece una actividad que puede disfrutar.

Eloi se está aplicando mucho porque quiere conseguir la mejor nota del grupo.

Para conocer la solución, fíjate en la inicial de cada nombre.

Idealmente, como facilitadores del aprendizaje, deberíamos buscar esa transformación de los participantes partiendo de la motivación intrínseca de los mismos. Motivar es dar motivos para que el conductor de ese coche (el participante) siga poniéndole gasolina.

Las recompensas pueden funcionar a corto plazo, pero motivar a los participantes con incentivos externos de forma continuada hace que la motivación intrínseca disminuya. El día que se acaban los premios, se acaba el interés. Cuando el curso o la formación termina, las ganas desaparecen. Cuando la grúa se para, el coche no avanza más.

Pero ¿cómo podemos ayudar a facilitar esa motivación intrínseca? ¿Cómo podemos motivar más allá del palo y zanahoria?

Factores clave en la motivación interna.

Se han realizado muchos estudios con el objetivo de explicar el comportamiento humano en distintos ámbitos, y especialmente, para explicar cuáles son los factores clave que hacen posible la motivación interna.

En su teoría de la autodeterminación ( Self-determination theory (SDT)) Edward L. Deci y Richard M. Ryan, identifican tres elementos básicos: la competencia (saber hacer algo), la autonomía (poder tomar sus propias decisiones) y las relaciones (necesidad de establecer conexiones con otros).

Por otra parte, R.E. Clark en su modelo CANE (Commitment and Necessary Effort) de la motivación, contempla tres variables: valor (importancia) de la tarea, confianza de la persona en poder realizarla y la actitud de esa persona hacia la tarea.

Daniel Pink en su libro Drive habla de tres factores clave: autonomía, maestría y propósito.

Y Jurgen Appelo en Managing for Happiness ofrece su modelo CHAMPFROG con diez elementos clave: curiosidad, honor (orgullo), aceptación social, maestría, poder (capacidad de influencia), libertad, relaciones, orden (estabilidad) y objetivos.

Aunque hay diferencias en todos ellos, habrás podido observar ciertos factores que se repiten y se relacionan.

Sabiendo esto y si pensamos en los factores para fomentar la motivación interna para el aprendizaje, podemos resumir estos factores en un mapa del tesoro. ¿Un mapa? Sí. El MAPA:

Maestría y progreso: "Quiero mejorar y seguir aprendiendo".

Autonomía: "Yo decido y participo activamente en mi proceso de aprendizaje".

Propósito: "Lo que aprendo tiene una aplicación práctica. Lo que aprendo me ayuda a alcanzar un objetivo mayor".

Ambiente: "Puedo aprender en un entorno físico y social positivo que me permite expresarme, experimentar y relacionarme con otros de forma segura y constructiva."

Maestría y progreso.
Conforme desarrollamos nuestra maestría en algo tenemos un mayor deseo de profundizar y seguir mejorando. Tenemos una mayor motivación para aprender.
Cuando aprendía a tocar la guitarra (lo justito para animar una fiesta), el día que conseguí poner la cejilla y cambiar con soltura de una nota a otra con cejilla, estaba completamente flipado.

Para desarrollar esa maestría en cualquier proceso de aprendizaje es importante que el participante esté seguro de que tiene la capacidad para aprender.

Si la persona se siente incapaz de aprender o el objetivo de aprendizaje parece imposible de alcanzar, estará poco motivada.

¿Cuántas veces te has encontrado con alguien diciéndote "es que esto no es lo mío" o "es que a mí estas cosas no se me dan bien"?

Frente a una mentalidad fija, es muy importante fomentar una mentalidad de crecimiento en el participante. Debe ser consciente de que las capacidades se pueden desarrollar, que los retos son oportunidades para crecer, que el esfuerzo y la práctica son necesarios para aprender y que el feedback nos ayuda a mejorar.
Hay que re-sintonizar esa voz interior que nos dice "no puedo hacerlo" a "no puedo hacerlo todavía".

En el otro extremo, un exceso de confianza también puede hacer que la motivación descienda. "Esto es tan fácil que ni lo voy a intentar" o "esto ya me lo sé yo".

Toda persona lleva consigo una experiencia adquirida. Una parte esencial en la capacidad para aprender es relacionar las nuevas ideas con el conocimiento previo, incluso aunque a veces sea necesario "desaprender" ciertas cosas que creíamos válidas o ciertas.

Por último, es muy importante mostrar el progreso. El participante está más motivado a aprender cuándo es consciente (y puede ver) de los avances que ha hecho. Personalmente, me gusta imaginar los procesos de aprendizaje como si fueran viajes.

Durante mi época de monitor en los scouts, hacíamos muchas excursiones. Era normal que algunos chavales se desanimaran por el cansancio. Acompañábamos a un grupo de unos veinticinco adolescentes, las mochilas eran pesadas y el terreno era difícil. Se acercaban a mí y me preguntaban cuánto quedaba para llegar al destino. Siempre que podía, sacaba el mapa de la mochila, les indicaba donde estábamos, lo que habíamos recorrido y lo que faltaba para llegar al destino. Era una forma de ofrecerles perspectiva sobre lo logrado, de motivarles y de que apreciaran el progreso que habían hecho.
En general a las personas nos gusta poder tomar nuestras propias decisiones. Tener control sobre las cosas que hacemos.
En los procesos de aprendizaje sucede igual. Una persona estará mucho más motivada para aprender si ha elegido aprender algo (parece de cajón, ¿no?).

Todavía hay muchos profesionales que ven la formación como una transmisión de contenidos. El formador tiene un conocimiento y de alguna forma, tiene que hacerlo llegar a los alumnos. Normalmente, esa forma es la charla, la presentación, la clase magistral, etc. Así funciona todavía la formación en la mayoría de colegios, universidades, módulos, cursos en prestigiosas escuelas y en las empresas.

Sin embargo, el aprendizaje no consiste solo en transmitir conocimientos. Eso es solo una pequeña parte. Importante, pero pequeña. El aprendizaje consiste en generar y vivir experiencias.

En estas dos formas de entender el aprendizaje, ¿cuál crees que ofrece más autonomía al alumno para participar y tomar decisiones?

Efectivamente. Cuando se facilita el aprendizaje a través de ejercicios y retos, se da voz, protagonismo, capacidad de actuación y oportunidades para experimentar a los participantes.

Recuerda: "El aprendizaje no es como un vaso de agua que hay que llenar si no como un fuego que hay que avivar."
Cuanto más valoramos algo más dispuestos estamos a invertir nuestro tiempo y esfuerzo.
¿Cuántas veces has estado en alguna formación o en algún curso preguntándote "y esto para que lo necesito"? Estoy seguro de que al sentirte así no te entraban unas ganas locas de aprender.
Cualquier experiencia de aprendizaje debe responder desde el primer minuto a estas preguntas: ¿Lo que va a aprender el participante tiene una aplicación directa? ¿Es relevante para desarrollar mejor su trabajo? ¿Está directamente conectado con sus objetivos?
La triste realidad es que el único objetivo de muchas formaciones es que los asistentes carguen los contenidos del curso en su memoria (y quizá luego los vomiten en un examen). Pero aprender es mucho más que entender y memorizar, y por eso, en este tipo de cursos no producen ninguna transformación significativa.

Recuerda: el valor de una formación lo otorga el participante. Que la compañía, la dirección o cualquier otra autoridad considere que aprender algo es importante no significa que el participante también lo vea así.

Además, es importante facilitar que el participante pueda relacionar este aprendizaje útil con un objetivo mayor o propósito. Ayudarle a subir al "mirador" para que obtenga una perspectiva más amplia y trascendente (por qué este aprendizaje hace que las cosas sean mejores).
Las emociones positivas facilitan el aprendizaje.
Es importante que el entorno en el que vamos a desarrollar la experiencias transmita optimismo y seguridad.
El participante debe saber que está en lugar donde puede expresarse, experimentar, preguntar, probar y, por qué no, divertirse.
Un entorno positivo no quiere decir que no haya conflicto o que todo el mundo tenga que estar de acuerdo. Significa que las ideas se pueden plantear y discutir en un ambiente de respeto.
Fomentar el contacto social y las relaciones positivas entre los participantes también contribuyen a incrementar la motivación.
Cuando conseguimos crear un ambiente positivo, abierto y optimista el participante está más motivado y orientado hacia el aprendizaje.

Ideas prácticas para la motivación en el aprendizaje.

Ok, Juanda. Lo de los factores está muy bien. Lo entiendo. ¿Pero cómo lo aplico en mis cursos, talleres y formaciones?
Aquí tienes una lista de propuestas prácticas para trabajar cada uno de los factores que facilitan la motivación interna.
Como verás hay cosas (muchísimas) que podemos hacer antes, durante y después de la formación para potenciar cada una de estas áreas.

Cómo te decía al principio, tu mejor que nadie conoces a tus participantes y sus necesidades. Prueba, experimenta y quédate con lo que funcione.

Ideas para fomentar la maestría y el progreso.

Las siguientes herramientas y actividades tienen como finalidad situar al participante respecto a su proceso de aprendizaje (como el cartel en la habitación del hotel diciéndote "usted está aquí"), darle perspectiva sobre qué más puede aprender para seguir mejorando y reconocer lo que ya sabe y lo que ha aprendido hasta el momento.

#1 La Escalera del aprendizaje.

La escalera del aprendizaje describe 4 estados en el proceso de aprendizaje:

Incompetencia inconsciente: No sé que no sé.

Incompetencia inconsciente: Sé que no sé.

Competencia consciente: Sé que sé.

Competencia inconsciente: No sé que sé.

Los participantes deben ser conscientes de que no saben para querer aprender. Es decir, deben pasar de la incompetencia inconsciente a la incompetencia consciente.
Ejercicio: Puedes plantear un reto sencillo relacionado con el tema del curso. Ese reto puede ser un ejercicio práctico o incluso una pregunta a responder en parejas o en grupos.

#2 El Mapa mental.

Un mapa mental no es más que una representación visual de ideas y conceptos que se conectan entre sí. Un mapa mental mostrando todos los temas más importantes de una materia puede ayudar a los participantes a darse cuenta de su nivel de conocimiento. Pueden obtener una perspectiva global de dónde están ahora mismo y cuánto más pueden aprender.

Ejercicio: Puedes hacer un mapa mental con los principales elementos de un determinado tema, incluyendo tanto lo que se verá en el curso cómo lo que no. Proyecta (imprime o dibuja) ese mapa mental y pide a los participantes que indiquen qué áreas creen que conocen y cuáles no. También puedes pedir a los participantes que dibujen en grupos de 3 o 4 su mapa mental sobre el tema. Después, puedes mostrar tu mapa para que comparen con el suyo. Esto les ayudará a tomar conciencia de que ámbitos o áreas no estaban en su radar.

#3 ¿Algún experto en la sala?

Muchos formadores creen que deben ser la persona que más sabe en la sala. Depende. Si tienes la suerte contar en una formación con algún participante con experiencia, aprovecha esa oportunidad para que esa persona te ayude.

Ejercicio: Puedes solicitar que haga una demostración a sus compañeros o que comparta alguna experiencia en la que haya podido aplicar lo que se está aprendiendo. También puedes dividir a los participantes por parejas, juntando a personas con y sin experiencia, y que la persona con experiencia enseñe a la otra.

#4 Evalúate a ti.

Una rúbrica no es más que una declaración de los elementos que serían deseables en el desarrollo de una determinada habilidad. Las rúbricas también funcionan muy bien para que los participantes sean conscientes de su nivel de competencia.

Ejercicio: Puedes imprimir las rúbricas sobre las habilidades que se vayan a trabajar, solicitar a los participantes que valoren donde están y que lo comenten con la persona que tengan más cerca.

Si nunca has visto una rúbrica puedes echar un vistazo a las rúbricas de las competencias claves que debería desarrollar un profesional de la educación/formación seleccionadas por Microsoft (Education competencies for teachers and school leaders).

#5 Buenas prácticas.

Dependiendo del tipo de formación, otra forma de que los participantes puedan demostrar su maestría y conocimiento es recogiendo esa experiencia que traen consigo.

Ejercicio: Puedes dividir a los participantes en grupos. Durante 10 minutos pide a una mitad de los grupos que anoten todas las "Buenas prácticas" que se les ocurra sobre el tema en cuestión y a la otra mitad que hagan una lista con "Errores comunes". Dependiendo del tema a trabajar también puedes utilizar otras categorías como "Mitos", "Falsas creencias", "Recomendaciones", "Claves".

#6 La montaña del progreso.
Durante el curso o taller también es útil mostrar de forma visual cuánto se ha avanzado.
Ejercicio: Puedes colocar un papel alargado en la pared y dibujar el perfil de una montaña. A continuación, añade puntos o hitos con el nombre de los temas o áreas a trabajar durante el curso. Dibuja algún muñeco (el montañero) que puedas ir moviendo durante el curso conforme avances en los distintos temas. También puedes usar otros símiles como un mapa con una ruta dibujada, o un coche moviéndose a través de un circuito. El caso es que esta metáfora visual esté siempre visible para que los participantes sean conscientes de las cosas que ya se han trabajado y del progreso que están realizando.

El aprendizaje de algo nuevo se aprende con la práctica deliberada y el feedback sobre cómo lo estamos haciendo. Ofrece multitud de oportunidades diversas para que lo participantes puedan practicar aquello que están aprendiendo a la vez que ofreces feedback constructivo en cada una de esas ocasiones.

Ejercicio: Aquí tienes un listado de ideas sobre ejercicios que puedes plantear a los participantes. Te invito a que le eches un vistazo y elijas un ejercicio que creas puede serte útil y que no hayas hecho hasta ahora.

Ideas para fomentar la autonomía.

Hace años pensaba en la formación como en una obra de teatro. En ese espectáculo el formador decidía todo (guion, duración, decorados, descansos, estilo de la obra y hasta la butaca en la que tenía que sentarse cada persona del público). Y por supuesto, el formador era el protagonista de la actuación y quien debía recibir la luz de los focos. Ahora sé que una formación eficaz se parece más a un ensayo. Un ensayo en el que los participantes son actores sobre el escenario. Un espacio en el que pueden proponer y probar sus ideas. Y el formador, un facilitador que desde el patio de butacas, reta y da feedback constructivo para que los actores sobre el escenario saquen lo mejor de sí.
A continuación tienes varias propuestas de ideas para fomentar la autonomía y libertad en tus formaciones.
#1 Deja que decidan.

En tus cursos ¿cuántas cosas dejas que escojan los participantes? Es cierto que puede que no tengan el conocimiento ni la experiencia para decidir algunas cosas pero seguro que sí otras.

Ejercicio: Escoge alguna de las formaciones (talleres, cursos, clase) que hayas hecho recientemente y valora en qué cosa podrías pedir su opinión. ¿Podrían tomar decisión sobre algunos contenidos, modalidad presencial u online, sobre el tipo de ejercicios o dinámicas, horarios, normas, grupos de trabajo, formato de evaluación, seguimiento tras el curso, cómo quieren recibir feedback?

#2 Tu responsabilidad.

"No aprendí nada. El profesor era muy malo". Es la excusa que todos hemos utilizado alguna vez. Curiosamente, se ha demostrado que importa menos el éxito o fracaso (resultado) de una experiencia previa de aprendizaje que la historia que esa persona se cuenta a sí misma. Es decir, si el participante atribuye ese éxito o fracaso al esfuerzo que ha realizado, a su capacidad para aprender, a su talento, es más probable que esté motivado y con más predisposición a aprender algo nuevo. Si en cambio, el participante atribuye ese éxito o fracaso a sus profesores, la calidad de los materiales o la suerte, es más probable que no esté tan abierto.
Por eso es fundamental que el participante sea consciente de que "él o ella es responsable de su proceso de aprendizaje".

Ejercicio: Para trabajar este aspecto de la responsabilidad personal puedes utilizar la dinámica del billete de 20 euros que planteaba Josepe. Una vez hecho, puedes reflexionar con los participantes si en vez de tratarse de un billete de 20 euros estuviéramos hablando de algo valioso que desean aprender:

#3 No estoy para juegos.

La autonomía también implica permitir a los participantes que si no se encuentran con la energía o con las ganas de querer hacer una determinada actividad puede mantenerse al margen. Hay que respetar el derecho a decidir en qué cosas y hasta que nivel quieren involucrarse los participantes.

Idea: Nadie puede aprender a nadar sin tirarse a la piscina, pero no dudes que llegará alguien al curso diciendo que no le gusta mojarse. Si los ejercicios prácticos son una parte imprescindible de tu formación, es importante que los participantes sepan esto antes de comenzar y decidan si quieren unirse o no.

#4 Plan de acción personal.

Cualquier actividad formativa debería incluir al finalizar un plan de acción personal. El objetivo de cualquier aprendizaje es que haya un cambio y para que haya cambio debe haber acción.

Ejercicio: Antes de finalizar la formación, ofrece a los participantes un momento para que puedan reflexionar de forma individual sobre cómo van a aplicar las cosas que ha aprendido en su vida, puesto de trabajo. Aquí puedes descargar una plantilla para que los participantes completen su plan de acción. También puede ser buena idea que cada participante escoja y comparta con todos, una acción que vaya a hacer. Si se trata de un grupo muy grande, puedes hacer grupos de 3-4 personas y que lo compartan entre sí.

El objetivo de compartir es doble. Por una parte, al hacer público lo que queremos conseguir aumenta la probabilidad de hacerlo (de alguna forma es cómo adquirir un compromiso público). Por otra, las ideas de un participante pueden servir para inspirar a otros.

#5 Autoevaluación.
Otra forma de dar autonomía es que los propios participantes participen en la construcción de los ejercicios de evaluación.
Ejercicio: Puedes dividir a los participantes en grupos y facilitar varias tarjetas a cada uno. Durante 15 minutos cada grupo puede pensar en varias preguntas (5-7) sobre los contenidos que se han ido viendo. Pide que escriban una pregunta por tarjeta, indicando también el nombre del grupo (pueden ponerse nombres divertidos). Y por la otra cara de la tarjeta, que escriban la respuesta. Las preguntas pueden ser abiertas o tipo test.

Recoge todas las tarjetas. A continuación, puedes hacer un concurso tipo trivial. Cada grupo, por turnos, deberá responder a una de las preguntas que ha elaborado otro grupo. Si dan la respuesta correcta ganan un punto y si no, eligen qué otro grupo puede responder a la pregunta. Puedes poner también un tiempo límite de 30 segundos para responder.

Este ejercicio es una buena forma de que los participantes reflexionen sobre los contenidos, hacerlo de una forma diferente y además, detectar qué puntos han sido de más interés.

Ideas para fomentar el propósito.
Aquí tienes algunas ideas para conseguir que los participantes vean el valor que pueden recibir con este aprendizaje y también, conectar ese beneficio con un propósito mayor.
#1 Parte de sus intereses.

La primera pregunta que debe responder cualquier formación es "qué hay aquí para mí". Los participantes deben ser conscientes lo antes posible del beneficio que obtendrán con ese aprendizaje. Y es clave que ese aprendizaje responda a las necesidades reales de los participantes.

Ejercicio: Un ejercicio sencillo al iniciar una formación, que puedes utilizar también como icebreaker, es pedir a los participantes que durante un minuto caminen por la sala y cuando se encuentren con alguien se presenten y compartan qué es lo que más les gustaría aprender. A continuación, puedes pedir a cada participante que lo escriba en una nota adhesiva y lo pegue en un rotafolios para recoger los objetivos de todos. Si el espacio no es apropiado, también puedes pedir a los participantes que hagan esta misma presentación con las personas que estén a su lado.

#2 Casos de éxito.

Todos tenemos personas en nuestra vida que nos inspiran. Una de las formas en las que podemos conseguir que los participantes piensen "vale la pena trabajar por aprender esto" es ponerles en contacto con alguien que ya haya pasado por ese proceso de aprendizaje y lo esté aplicando con éxito.

No me refiero a alguien que haya ganado un premio nobel o sea millonario. Me refiero a que conozcan la historia de una persona que como ellos haya conseguido mejorar su vida (trabajo, relaciones, personalmente) al poner en práctica lo que ha aprendido. Puedes utilizar videos, audios o incluso alguna lectura contando esa historia.

#3 Entrevista con el experto.

Si tienes oportunidad, localiza a algún antiguo alumno o a alguien que haya destacado por aplicar sobre lo que estás formando. Pide a esa persona que comparta su historia y en qué sentido ese aprendizaje le ayudó a mejorar. Permite que los participantes puedan hacerle sus preguntas (ten preparadas algunas por si estas no surgieran). Recuerda que puedes utilizar herramientas de videoconferencia como Zoom o Skype para hacer este tipo de entrevistas en línea.

#4 5 estrellas.

Si has comprado en alguna tienda online como Amazon seguro que habrás fijado en las estrellitas que reflejan la opinión de otros compradores. En internet, 8 de cada 10 compras están influenciadas por la recomendación de otra persona o de un conocido.
En una formación, las recomendaciones de otras personas que hayan hecho ese entrenamiento también pueden ayudar aumentar la motivación de los participantes. Antes de comenzar un curso puedes compartir recomendaciones de otras personas que ya lo hayan hecho.
Si vas a pedir testimonios puedes hacer estas preguntas:
- ¿Qué problema/oportunidad veías y cómo lo gestionabas antes de la formación?
- ¿Qué cambio conseguiste con la formación (cómo haces ahora)?

Ante todo, es importante que las recomendaciones sean sinceras y no generar falsas expectativas que luego pudieran provocar el efecto contrario al que estamos buscando.

#5 KWL+A.

Al principio del curso o taller entrega a cada participante una hoja de papel con tres columnas encabezadas como Know, Wonder y Learned ( aquí puedes descargar una plantilla). Durante 5 minutos los participantes tendrán que escribir en la columna Know, tres cosas que sepan sobre el tema que se va a tratar en la formación. En la columna Wonder, tendrán que escribir tres cosas que les gustaría aprender sobre el tema de la formación.

Si son pocos participantes puedes pedir que cada uno lea lo que ha escrito en su hoja. O incluso, que intercambien su hoja con la persona que tienen al lado y lean en voz alta la hoja KWL del compañero.

Antes de finalizar el curso, puedes pedir a los participantes que saquen de nuevo su hoja KWL y que completen la columna Learned con tres cosas relevantes que hayan aprendido durante la formación. Puedes pedirles también que incluyan cómo van a aplicar (una cuarta columna Action) o poner en práctica ese aprendizaje.

#6 El mundo está cambiando.

Otra forma de mostrar la relevancia de un determinado aprendizaje es utilizar algún material para demostrar la necesidad o utilidad del mismo. Puedes utilizar un vídeo, noticias, artículos, estadísticas, etc.

Ejercicio: Por ejemplo, puedes situar distintos de estos materiales en las paredes de la sala. Haz parejas de participantes y pídeles que recorran dichos materiales como si fuera un museo. Que anoten aquellas cosas que más le llamen la atención o les parezcan más relevantes. Seguidamente, puedes hacer una puesta en común y comentarlo todos juntos. Una vez que hayan filtrado esa información clave puedes relacionarla con los objetivos de tu curso o taller.

Ideas para trabajar el ambiente.

Recuerdo cuando empece a estudiar Ingeniería de Telecomunicaciones. En una de las primeras clases un profesor nos soltó su "motivador" discurso de bienvenida: "Esto no es como el colegio ni como el instituto (cabrones). Tendréis que trabajar duro (cabrones). Y aún así, solo una tercera parte de los que estáis aquí acabareis la carrera (cabrones)".
Bueno lo de "(cabrones)" no lo decía pero nosotros lo imaginábamos.
¿Decía la verdad? Completamente. ¿Era motivante? No mucho.

Consciente o inconscientemente este profesor había creado un ambiente no muy positivo. Seguro que lo hacía con buena intención y quería que nos diéramos cuenta de que era necesario esforzarse mucho. Pero eso ya lo suponíamos. Así que nos aportó más bien poco.
A continuación, tienes algunas ideas que sí que puedan aportar para construir un entorno de aprendizaje positivo, constructivo y motivador.
#1 Clima de respeto y confianza.
Es muy importante que exista un ambiente de respeto en el que los participantes se puedan expresar libremente y sin miedos a qué se les reproche o se les juzgue.
Propuesta: Personalmente me gusta utilizar la metáfora del laboratorio. Al inicio del curso doy la bienvenida a los participantes al laboratorio. Un laboratorio donde estamos para experimentar, para fallar, y sobre todo para aprender. Aquí es donde podemos cometer todos los errores que no queremos cometer "fuera" (en la calle, con los clientes, en nuestro trabajo, etc.). Y por supuesto lo que se dice en Las Vegas se queda en Las Vegas.

#2 Reducir el anonimato.

La palabra que más despierta nuestra atención y que más oímos a lo largo de nuestra vida es nuestro propio nombre. Cuando alguien se dirige a ti por tu nombre tiene muchas más probabilidades de que su mensaje te llegue mejor. En general, las personas aprecian cuando un desconocido recuerda y les llama por su nombre. Nos hace sentir reconocidos. Recordar y llamar a los participantes por su nombre facilita un entorno más cercano y personal.

Y si crees que no se te da bien recordar cómo se llama la gente, piensa que esto es una habilidad que se puede trabajar como otra cualquiera. Aquí tienes algunas ideas sobre cómo recordar fácilmente nombres de personas.

#3 Música.
La música es una excelente herramienta para modular los niveles de energía y crear un ambiente más favorable al aprendizaje.
Ejercicio: Se puede utilizar de muchas maneras. Por ejemplo, puedes utilizar distintas sintonías para distintos momentos de la formación (una música para repartir documentación, una música para reflexionar, una música para sesiones de ideas, etc.). También puedes utilizar la música en los momentos de arranque (al comenzar el curso o tras un descanso). Yo incluso utilizo músicas de concursos televisivos para generar momentos divertidos por ejemplo a la hora de plantear preguntas de repaso sobre los contenidos que se han visto.

#4 Uso del humor.
El humor es otro de esos superpoderes que muchas veces infravaloramos.
Para utilizar el humor no hace falta tener gracia. Puedes utilizar el humor de muchísimas formas. Por ejemplo, de forma visual incluyendo imágenes en los contenidos la presentación, a la hora de dibujar en un rotafolio, o incluso en tus gestos a la hora de expresarte o simular situaciones.

También puedes utilizar la música para generar momentos de humor. Por ejemplo, utilizando canciones que sean conocidas por los participantes y que encajen en el contexto de lo que se esté haciendo en la formación. Puedes buscar audios o videos de cosas graciosas (monologuistas, anuncios de tv, videos de YouTube (o Vimeo si tienes un gusto más refinado;), trozos de películas, etc.) que refuercen el mensaje que quieras transmitir.

Si te gustaría aprender más sobre recursos humorísticos te recomiendo que escuches el podcast de Humor en público.

#5 Uso del juego y/o de las dinámicas del juego.

Prácticamente cualquier juego se puede modificar o adaptar para que tenga un contenido de aprendizaje detrás. El juego puede ser una muy buena herramienta para presentar o repasar los contenidos de forma diferente y activando la curiosidad de la gente.

Ejercicio: Por ejemplo podrías hacer un con cartas de conceptos y definiciones. Con las cartas bocabajo y los participantes deben ir por turnos levantando dos cartas y encontrando parejas (en este caso, el concepto con su definición).

Si te interesa aprender más sobre gamificación te recomiendo que escuches la entrevista Aprendizaje participativo y Gamificación con Nieves Solana.

#5 Entorno (preparación del lugar).

Cuando un participante entra en una sala de formación consciente e inconscientemente capta mensajes sobre cómo va a ser dicha formación y lo que se espera de los asistentes. Por ejemplo, la distribución de los asientos y/o mesas es clave si quieres facilitar la participación y el trabajo en grupos.

Que haya ventanas para que entre la luz y se pueda airear la clase también ayuda. Que haya varios rotafolios con rotuladores y notas adhesivas transmite que va a haber que hacer cosas.

Algo que también me gusta (cuando tengo ocasión) es pegar frases inspiradoras relacionadas con los contenidos del taller en las paredes que los participantes puedan ir descubriendo.
Puedes utilizar este artículo como lista de comprobación a la hora de preparar una sala para una formación.
Y tú, ¿cuánta motivación tienes?

Quizá por ser bastante obvio, olvidé mencionar este punto al principio.
Es muy difícil (por no decir imposible) conseguir motivar a otros si no tienes esa motivación dentro de ti.
Quizá puedas forzar la máquina y te funcione algún tiempo, pero no es sostenible a largo plazo.
Necesitas motivación para ayudar a otros a encontrar la suya.

Así que si, por lo que sea, crees que perdiste tu motivación por el camino, aquí tienes algunas ideas para volver a encontrarla:

Reflexiona y recuerda porqué decidiste dedicarte a la formación.

Intenta situarte mentalmente (o recupera fotografías si las tienes) en los mejores momentos que hayas vivido haciendo formación.

Recuerda todas esas personas que se han podido beneficiar de aprender contigo.

Escribe y lee frases de agradecimiento que hayas podido recibir en el pasado.

Inspírate con historias que te gusten o personas a las que admires.

Comparte tus emociones con una persona cercana que sepa entenderte y apoyarte.

Encuentra en redes sociales grupos de profesionales motivados que estén trabajando en lo mismo que tú y comparte experiencias.

Haz una lista con todas las cosas positivas que te aporta trabajar haciendo formación y léela cada mañana.

Encuentra una canción, video, película, texto que te de energía. El mío es este: Usa protección solar.

La pregunta no es cómo puedes motivar a los participantes. La pregunta es cómo puedes crear las condiciones para que ellos se motiven a sí mismos.

Y si tienes alguna pregunta o comentario sobre este artículo puedes dejar un mensaje en https://learninglegendario.com/pregunta y te responderé próximamente en el podcast.

Referencias.
Y si te apetece seguir aprendiendo más sobre este tema de la motivación aquí tienes unas cuantas referencias muy interesantes.
La teoría de la autodeterminación de Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/application-education/
Libro "Why do We do what We do: Understanding Self Motivation" de Edward L. Deci y Richard Flaste: https://amzn.to/32zmYlI
También puedes ver a Deci explicándolo en este video:

Publicación "Motivating Performance Diagnosing and Solving Motivation Problems and Opportunities" de R.E. Clark: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282271185_Motivating_Performance_Part_1-Diagnosing_and_Solving_Motivation_Problems Artículo "A manager's toolkit for exploring employee motivation": http://debwagner.info/hpttoolkit/MotivationToolkit.pdf Libro "La sorprendente verdad sobre qué nos motiva" (título original es Drive) de Daniel Pink: https://amzn.to/32CFVUZ Artículo How Learners Are Motivated de Matthew Richter: http://www.thiagi.com/articles/2014/12/28/motivation Artículo Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: What's the Difference? de Kendra Cherry: https://www.verywellmind.com/differences-between-extrinsic-and-intrinsic-motivation-2795384 Libro "Managing for Happiness: Games, Tools, and Practices to Motivate Any Team" de Jurgen Appelo: https://amzn.to/2CsmWBB Libro "Mindset, la actitud del éxito" de Carol Dweck (hablando sobre la mentalidad fija y la mentalidad de crecimiento): https://amzn.to/2Q2kgCP
Libro "Intrinsic Motivation at Work. Building Energy and Commitment" de Kenneth Thomas: https://amzn.to/2NUjrJK.

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Cómo motivar a los alumnos para el aprendizaje: Manual de emergencia de la motivación en formación. - Learning Legendario

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Uno de los mayores retos en la formación es generar y mantener la motivación de los participantes durante cursos y talleres, tanto presenciales como online. En este artículo encontrarás las principales claves de la motivación y, sobre todo, ideas prácticas que podrás empezar a aplicar desde ya para facilitar la motivación de los participantes.

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El diseño de objetivos es la etapa más difícil del proceso de planeación didáctica, pero si se lleva a cabo de manera correcta, brinda al profesor certeza y dirección y lo apoya para situar correctamente el programa educativo.

Un objetivo educativo es el comportamiento esperado en el alumno como consecuencia de determinadas actividades didácticas y docentes, comportamiento que debe ser susceptible de observación y evaluación.

Las metas de la educación son cambios en la manera como se relacionan los individuos con el medio y en la forma como se perciben a sí mismos y a los demás. Los objetivos señalan estos cambios a promover y son descritos como:

Adquisición y desarrollo de habilidades y aptitudes.

Adquisición de información, desarrollo de nuevas relaciones conceptuales.

Cambios de puntos de vista, hábitos, actitudes relacionadas con los valores (objetivos formativos).

Estos cambios ocurren a los alumnos a partir de las actividades que se realizan en el proceso educativo, así los objetivos indican cómo se van a manifestar estos cambios y qué pautas buscar para saber si se han logrado.

A continuación compartimos con fines educativos - pastorales la publicación de Nueria Vallejo para el blog OJU LEARNING. Esperamos que la siguiente información sea de utilidad para la comunidad docente.

Cómo redactar los objetivos de aprendizaje perfectos

Cuando se trabaja una acción formativa o contenidos didácticos en equipos multidisciplinares, es habitual, que la persona experta en el contenido se encuentre con ciertas dificultades a la hora de formular los objetivos. En este post vamos a explicar la función de los objetivos y cómo redactarlos correctamente. Además os daremos una lista de verbos que os facilitará mucho la tarea, ¡Vamos al lío!

¿Qué función tienen los objetivos de aprendizaje?

Los objetivos representan las metas de aprendizaje que queremos alcanzar con la acción formativa y suponen, a su vez, la base para establecer criterios en la selección y secuenciación de los contenidos, y en la evaluación del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje.

Los objetivos se convierten en una pieza clave del diseño porque:

Expresan una meta.

Mediante ellos se alcanza la capacitación profesional, conformada por una serie de competencias.

Se refieren a lo que los alumnos/as serán capaces de hacer, una vez adquiridas las competencias necesarias.

¿Cómo se definen los objetivos?

Los objetivos se redactan comenzando por un verbo en infinitivo y deben ser evaluables permitiendo comprobar si se alcanza el resultado.

Los objetivos deben definirse:

De forma clara: Objetivos concretos que no confundan o de vía libre a interpretaciones.

Medibles: formulados de forma que tenga un resultado alcanzable.

Reales: referidos a procesos reales que se puedan observar.

¿Os parecería correcto el objetivo "Conocer las diferentes variedades de cactus"? Nuestra respuesta es no, porque el verbo conocer no se puede medir bien. Sería más correcto formular el objetivo de esta forma "Enumerar/Identificar/Señalar las diferentes variedades de cactus".

¿Qué tipos de objetivos hay y cómo se formula cada uno?

Algunos ejemplos de objetivos de aprendizaje para terminar...

Así, debes enunciar los objetivos en términos de capacidades que hagan referencia a la adquisición de las mismas, a continuación te ponemos varios ejemplos:

El saber:

Nombrar los elementos de un aparato sanitario

Reconocer en qué consisten las ayudas y subvenciones, y qué organismos estatales promueven subvenciones en materia de formación.

El saber hacer:

Instalar un aparato sanitario.

Elaborar una programación didáctica, atendiendo a cada uno de sus elementos en base a un colectivo concreto.

El saber ser y estar:

Observar y atender a las normas de seguridad en la instalación

Tomar conciencia de los modelos de intervención formativa a los que podemos acceder.

Este contenido ha sido publicado originalmente por OJU LEARNING en la siguiente dirección: ojulearning.es
Recomendamos a la Comunidad Educativa Digital tener en cuenta que, el enlace y/o la carpeta en donde están alojados los libros, recursos y/o materiales, no es administrado por la Web del Maestro CMF, pueda ser que en cuestión de días (o según el tiempo transcurrido desde su publicación), los enlaces no funcionen y el material ya no se encuentre disponible. Gracias por su comprensión.

ENLACE DE LECTURA:

¡Comparte y así más docentes utilizarán estos recursos gratis! Muchas gracias.

PREPARACIÓN DE OBJETIVOS DE APRENDIZAJE

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¿Qué son los Objetivos de aprendizaje y cómo redactarlos de forma perfecta?

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El diseño de objetivos es la etapa más difícil del proceso de planeación didáctica, pero si se lleva a cabo de manera correcta, brinda al profesor certeza y dirección y lo apoya para situar correctamente el programa educativo.

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by Connie Malamed

When you're designing learning experiences, long-term memory is your ultimate destination. It's the promised land-where you want newly learned content and skills to find their place.

So shouldn't we be more familiar with the characteristics and dynamics of long-term memory? I think we need a user's guide.

The Basics

1. Long-term memory (LTM) is a hypothetical construct. Although you won't find a matching structure in the brain, it's a helpful mental model to think of long-term memory as a dynamic yet permanent store of information.

2. Rather than being a distinct structure, researchers have found regions in every lobe of the brain that store and retrieve memories of facts and events.

3. We are usually referring to long-term memory when we talk about remembering something.

4. Long-term memory encompasses three operations: encoding, storage and retrieval. These are all examined below.

5. Long-term memory is more than a knowledge archive. It provides the background information that we need to understand the world by bringing relevant knowledge into working memory as it's needed.

Types of Long-term Memory

1. Cognitive psychologists think of long-term memory as divided into two broad types. Explicit memory, also called declarative memory, consists of memories we are aware of or conscious memories. Implicit memory, also called nondeclarative memory, is unconscious. It consists of memories used without our conscious awareness.

2. Explicit memory (the conscious kind) consists of semantic memory-memory for facts and knowledge about the world-and episodic memory-memory for personal experiences.

3. There are several types of implicit memories (the unconscious kind). Most relevant to training is procedural memory. This is our memory for doing things that usually require action. When use a mouse on the computer or dial a phone number we are not consciously aware of the memories that enable us to perform these skills.

Capacity, Duration and Speed

1. It is unknown how long information in long-term memory can last. It could be stored indefinitely. Think of the older people you know who are experts in their field or who remember details of their childhood. Some information appears to last forever.

2. It is equally unknown how much information long-term memory can store. In practical terms, think of long-term memory as having an infinite capacity because it never gets used up.

3. The time it takes to access information in long-term memory is thought to be 200 milliseconds or .200 second.

Encoding

1. When information is transformed and "written" to long-term memory it is known as encoding. There are varied strategies that instructional designers and learners can use to improve encoding. See the Strategies below.

2. Information in long-term memory is most likely stored in network-type structures called schemas. Schemas are an efficient way to organize interrelated concepts in a meaningful way.

3. When we learn or experience something new and connect it with previously stored information, the process is known as assimilation.

4. Sometimes we learn something new or have experiences that don't fit in with existing schemas. We then alter existing schemas or create new ones in a process is known as accommodation.

Retrieval

1. Retrieval is the process of activating and using information from long-term memory. Retrieval is facilitated through retrieval cues, which is any stimulus that helps us recall information from long-term memory.

2. Some cognitive psychologists think that not being able to remember something is more a failure of not having the right cue than the fact that the information is not present in long-term memory.

3. Recognition memory is almost always better than recall. Recognition involves determining whether you've seen something before. With recall, you have to generate the remembered information.

4. Memories are more than a simple construction of recalled information. Rather, what we recall is influenced by attitudes, beliefs and previous experiences. So memories are reconstructed events.

Strategies to Enhance Encoding and Retrieval

1. The transfer of information into long-term memory is facilitated by elaboration or elaborative rehearsal. Some elaboration strategies include: thinking of related ideas or examples of the content, mentally tying the information together or creating a mental image of the information. Course designers and instructors can encourage this behavior.

2. Most likely, retrieval is improved when the type of elaboration used for encoding matches the type of task required for retrieval.

3. Making purposeful connections and associations with prior knowledge improves transfer to long-term memory. Many designers and instructors use this strategy and it is one of Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction.

4. Organizing information, such as categorizing it into subsets, can facilitate retrieval. Many people do this spontaneously and instructional designers spend a great deal of effort at organizing information into meaningful chunks.

5. Retention is improved through distributed practice across multiple study sessions rather than concentrating the same amount of practice into one session. This allows information to be consolidated into memory over time.

6. People can recall facts better when the facts are associated with a personal experience. Pairing semantic memories with episodic memories facilitates learning.

References

1. Gagne, Ellen. The Cognitive Psychology of School Learning. Allyn & Bacon, 1997

2. Goldstein, E. Bruce. Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research and Everyday Experience. Wadsworth Publishing, 2010.

3. Sternberg, Robert J. Cognitive Psychology. Wadsworth Publishing, 2011.

4. Smith, Patricia L. and Tillman J Ragan. Instructional Design, Wiley, 2004.

Join me on Twitter and Facebook for more resources and discussion.

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by Connie Malamed When you're designing learning experiences, long-term memory is your ultimate destination. It's the promised land-where you want newly learned content and skills to find their place. So shouldn't we be more familiar with the characteristics and dynamics of long-term memory? I think we need a user's guide.

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Excelente entrevista a Melina Jajamovich

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Excelente entrevista a Melina Jajamovich

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Learning agility. Con Melina Jajamovich by Inside HR

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Learning agility. Con Melina Jajamovich by Inside HR

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Conversamos con Melina Jajamovich acerca de la importancia del learning agility para construir organizaciones ágiles en tiempos de pandemia.

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Cómo aprender toda la vida - Conferencia de Santiago Bilinkis

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This is a page of the first FREE section of the MWL 2021 resource. You can purchase access to the full resource HERE << INTRODUCTION TO MODERN WORKPLACE LEARNING
Learning in the modern workplace is everyone's responsibility - not just L&D but the manager and the individuals themselves. However, their roles and responsibilities will overlap as illustrated on this diagram below - and explained below.

INDIVIDUALS will need to become more self-sufficient and self-reliant. This includes trying to solve their own performance problems - rather than waiting to be spoon-fed everything they need to do their daily job. They will need to take (more) responsibility for their own continuous self-improvement, learning and development to stay relevant in their jobs. They will also need to recognise that they learn every day through problem solving, experimentation, working with others, by asking questions, talking to experts, learning from one's mistakes, and so on. Every day is a learning experience. In summary, it is individuals who lie at the centre of organisational learning and development

MANAGERS will need to take (much more) responsibility for the growth and development of their people in their daily working lives - and not just pass this off to their L&D department. It means valuing non-training ways of learning, adopting modern learning practices themselves, and encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experiences in their teams.

L&D's role will no longer be just designing, delivering and managing training but enabling and supporting learning in all these ways. After all they can no longer provide and manage everything everyone needs to learn to do their job and prepare them and the organisation for the future. Their work will need to be more about enabling and supporting a continuous learning culture and mindset in the organisation.

In the modern workplace L&D will no longer have sole responsibility for learning at work. Consequently they will need to form a new relationship with the business.
(1) A new relationship with managers
L&D needs to move away from being a "course order taker" - simply taking instructions for training or courses from managers. This situation has arisen since managers tend to see solutions to work problems as courses, but courses are often not the best solution, as Ron Carucci points out in When companies should invest in training their employees - and when they shouldn't.

"Training is useful at times but often fails, especially when it is used to address problems that it can't actually solve ... Many well-intended leaders view training as a panacea to obvious learning opportunities or behavioral problems."

Training has to be a valid and appropriate response to a need. So if L&D continues to act as "course order takers", nothing will change. L&D therefore need to work with managers as a consultant, partner or advisor.

The key to continuous learning lies with managers, so this will involve helping managers adopt a new management style that is not focused on simply directing people to do their job and making sure they do it, but growing and developing their team.
(2) A new relationship with individuals
L&D needs to move away from being the "learning gatekeeper" where they control access to all learning in the workplace, and from the "learning police" where they enforce the process, as this tongue-in-cheek graphic highlights!

L&D professionals need to foster self-sufficient modern workers who are not reliant on being spoon-fed everything they need to do their job, but enabling and supporting their learning in all its ways - at, for or through work.

What does MWL mean in practice?

⇒ MWL in practice

Last updated: August 20, 2021 at 12:32 pm

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This is a page of the first FREE section of the MWL 2021 resource. You can purchase access to the full resource HERE << INTRODUCTION TO MODERN WORKPLACE LEARNING Learning in the modern workplace is everyone's responsibility - not just L&D but the manager and the individuals themselves.

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Crowdsourced by Michelle Ockers.  Anyone can add resources.  Michelle reviews, updates and tidies the board up monthly.  Disclaimer:  Inclusion of a resource on this board is not a personal endorsement from Michelle Ockers.  If you have a concern or comment about a resource please email michelle@michelleockers.com

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Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk all take this one approach.

One question Jeff Bezos is often asked is one we all need to ask ourselves, "What's going to change in the next 10 years?"

It's a profound question because the world is changing so rapidly, and because the decisions we make now will determine our destiny.

Decide wrong, and you might find yourself on a sinking ship, watching as your whole industry goes bankrupt and the skills you spent years honing become obsolete. Millions of people from journalists to financial analysts now find themselves in this position.

Decide right, and you could be set for life. The top artificial intelligence programmers, for example, make as much as NFL superstars. These programmers have suddenly found that the skill set they spent years honing has become incredibly valuable.

These two groups, top AI programmers and people whose skills have become devalued, might have spent the same amount of time learning and be equally smart. But selecting different fields took them down completely different paths.

Over the last few years, I've come across a group of people who have spent their whole careers expertly predicting the future, investing based off of their predictions, and then massively profiting decade after decade. What I've noticed is that they share a common and completely counterintuitive approach toward investing their money and time that bucks conventional wisdom. In this article, I'll share how you can copy the approaches of self-made billionaire entrepreneurs and investors like Jeff Bezos, Ray Dalio, Howard Marks, and Warren Buffett so that you too can 'win' your future.

Like I said above, Jeff Bezos is often asked, "What's going to change in the next 10 years?" That's actually not the key question though. Listen to how he reframes it (emphasis mine):

That is a very interesting question; it's a very common one. I almost never get the question: 'What's NOT going to change in the next 10 years?'

And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two - because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time.

He then goes on to explain how Amazon has profited from focusing on the second question (emphasis mine):

[I]n our retail business, we know that customers want low prices, and I know that's going to be true 10 years from now. They want fast delivery; they want vast selection. It's impossible to imagine a future 10 years from now where a customer comes up and says, 'Jeff, I love Amazon; I just wish the prices were a little higher,' [or] 'I love Amazon; I just wish you'd deliver a little more slowly.' Impossible.

And so the effort we put into those things, spinning those things up, we know the energy we put into it today will still be paying off dividends for our customers 10 years from now. When you have something that you know is true, even over the long term, you can afford to put a lot of energy into it.

I remember the thoughts running through my head the first time I read this quote. It felt intuitive and counterintuitive at the same time. On the one hand, I thought to myself, "This makes so much sense! Why not just focus on what's guaranteed to be valuable rather than speculating?" On the other hand, Bezos' response flies in the face of conventional wisdom and was jarring. The typical approach to planning for the future resembles betting at the roulette wheel:

Identify what you think is going to be really important (i.e., artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, synthetic biology, nanotechnology).

Pick one of those areas to invest in and master.

Hope it hits big and that you have the right timing so that you can profit.

While the conventional approach does sometimes work, it's not a dependable strategy. It's not what I'd tell my kids to do. A 2012 study from the Kauffman Foundation shows that "The [venture capital] industry hasn't returned the cash invested since 1997." And if you take out a few companies like Uber, Amazon, Google, and Facebook, the returns are abysmal. In other words, the odds of you investing in, starting, or being an early employee at a billion-dollar company are like the odds of winning a lottery. Just 200 out of all the startups out there are valued at $1 billion or more right now! You have a tenfold better chance of being hit by lightning.

Why doesn't focusing on trends work as well as you might think?

"You can't predict, you can prepare." - Howard Marks

Self-made billionaire, entrepreneur, and investor Howard Marks runs the investment firm Oaktree Capital and has $100 billion under management, making it one of the largest hedge funds in the world. Each year, Marks writes a widely-circulated letter to shareholders. One of these memos gives a masterclass in how investing in future trends isn't always smart:

1. The seemingly sure bets will have the most competition, which will make them less profitable. Marks writes: "Most great investments begin in discomfort. The things most people feel good about - investments where the underlying premise is widely accepted, the recent performance has been positive and the outlook is rosy - are unlikely to be available at bargain prices. Rather, bargains are usually found among things that are controversial, that people are pessimistic about, and that have been performing badly of late."

2. Luck and randomness are big, unavoidable factors. "It's far from certain that even 'right' decisions will be successful, since every decision requires assumptions about what the future will look like, and even reasonable assumptions can be thwarted by the world's randomness," says Marks. There are certain random events that are so influential that they completely change the game for everyone. Nassim Taleb calls these events "Black Swans." (A great example is the 2008 financial crisis.)

3. It's much harder than you think to be consistently right. "It's hard to consistently make decisions that correctly factor in all of the relevant facts and considerations (i.e., it's hard to be right)," Marks notes with humility, a key trait of many of the world's top-performing investors. Self-made billionaire Ray Dalio, the founder of the largest hedge fund in the world, drives home how hard investing is in the first sentence of his new book: "Before I begin telling you what I think, I want to establish that I'm a 'dumb shit' who doesn't know much relative to what I need to know."

4. Even if you get the prediction right, you are likely to get the timing wrong. Marks says: "Even well-founded decisions that eventually turn out to be right are unlikely to do so promptly. This is because not only are future events uncertain, their timing is particularly variable." And the problem with this is that having the wrong timing is functionally equivalent to making the wrong decision.

The field of artificial intelligence is a case in point for Marks' argument. While artificial intelligence sounds like a sure bet now, it wasn't always that way. From 1974-1980 and 1987-1993, the field went through "AI winters." In these periods, AI reeled from being overhyped and lost credibility and funding. Talented young programmers left in droves. Many of the most successful people in the field now are those who survived these winters and kept going even when it didn't seem smart to do so. Now, someone entering the AI field has to compete against droves of the smartest people in the world.

My point is that picking which fields will be hot in 20 years is not as simple as it sounds. Predicting third-, fourth-, and fifth-order consequences is almost impossible. Who would've predicted in the early 1900s that the invention of the automobile would ultimately lead to the creation of suburban sprawl, the hotel industry (because of the Interstate highway system), and the insurance industry.

Notice how Warren Buffett, the best investor in history, doesn't invest in the hottest tech startups of the day. Instead, he has made his career by identifying businesses whose rock-solid fundamentals don't change, or which change very slowly. As a result, Buffett is able to invest in companies for the long-term. He's held stock in companies like Geico, Coca-Cola, and American Express for decades.

So if predicting the future isn't the answer, what can you do instead?

"Predicting rain doesn't count. Building arks does." - Warren Buffett

At the heart of the methods used by Buffett, Dalio, Marks, Taleb, and Bezos is a common theme: focus on areas that are virtually guaranteed to be valuable in the future no matter what happens.

Bezos talks about how focusing on stable customer preferences is a powerful foundation to build a company around. I'd take that a step further: focusing on stable knowledge is a powerful approach to build a life around. I call this skill the Trunk Technique...

Some forms of knowledge arise quickly and then just as quickly become obsolete. Other forms stay relevant for a very long time. In my article, Why Being Great Is So Much Harder Than People Realize, I share how the rate at which information goes obsolete is increasing:

One academic study, for example, found that the decay rate in the accuracy of clinical knowledge about cirrhosis and hepatitis was 45 years. In other words, if you're talking to a 70-year-old liver specialist who hasn't updated his skills, you have a 50 percent chance of getting bad information. Engineering degrees went from a half life of 35 years in 1930 to about 10 years in 1960.

So what's the difference between knowledge that expires relatively quickly versus knowledge with staying power?

Broadly speaking, "transitional" or quickly-expiring knowledge is the kind that helps us navigate a specific environment (such as the specialized field of liver medicine). Whereas "pillar" or longer-lasting knowledge is based on fundamental principles and mental models that can be applied in many contexts including unforeseen future ones.

Let me explain. As I share in How Elon Musk Learns Faster and Better Than Everyone Else, when most people think about knowledge, they think about it horizontally, viewing knowledge across different subjects. The problem with this is that when you look at things in one dimension, you miss important connections:

What many miss is that knowledge is vertical as well. Great thinkers and doers, I have noticed, view reality this way. There are deeper principles and mental models that connect the various subjects that we study:

In the example above, by learning the universal mental models of network science that apply to all networks, you can more easily understand specific patterns in how the brain functions and how social networks work.

And it's not just one layer deep. There are many layers. In one of Elon Musk's Reddit AMAs he explains it like this:

It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree - make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang onto.

Here's one way of visualizing Musk's semantic tree:

People who use the Trunk Technique focus on mastering the fundamental mental models or first principles first and then move on to the leaves second. By doing this, they build a more stable and adaptable tree, and therefore career. Trees lose their leaves every winter, but they thrive for decades (and sometimes hundreds of years) because they have strong trunks and roots.

Let's take the topic of experimentation as an example. Understanding the 10,000-experiment rule is crucial for success at an individual, company, and societal level. The Leave Approach to getting better at experimentation would be to first focus on hacks like understanding how to A/B test a button on your website. The Trunk Technique would be to understand what the scientific method is first (i.e., controlled experimentation; peer-reviewed refereed journals; blind, randomized design; falsifiability; controlled placebo; double blind experimentation; computer simulations; and meta-analysis). By understanding the few core principles that make up the scientific method, one can then create thousands of experiments across every area of life and career forever. As new hacks and software tools arise, you'd be able to quickly understand their significance and use them. Then, when those specific tools become obsolete, you'd still have your trunk to grow new branches and leaves from. I attribute a large part of any success I've had as a writer to applying the scientific method to the creation of ideas.

Another example: I'm obsessed with health, so I've learned hacks for getting micronutrients, intermittent fasting, cold showers, saunas, and interval training. These are fine, but even more fundamental to my health has been learning the underlying principle of post-traumatic growth. All of the hacks above can be derived by understanding that systems grow by being stressed and then being given time to recover.

I share more details on how they specifically apply the Trunk Technique to your life in How Elon Musk Learns Faster And Better Than Everyone Else, How One Life Hack From A Self-Made Billionaire Leads To Exceptional Success, and How To Tell If Someone Is Truly Smart Or Just Average, which have collectively been read over 1 million times.

In summary, the Trunk Technique allows you to:

Build a knowledge tree that lasts forever. Winston Churchill once said: "The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see." More recently, this phenomenon has been called the Lindy Effect: "The future life expectancy of some non-perishable things like a technology or an idea is proportional to their current age, so that every additional period of survival implies a longer remaining life expectancy." The corollary of this for the information age is: "The more you focus on fundamental knowledge, the longer your knowledge tree will last."

Adapt to any future fast and thrive. The nature of fundamental mental models is that they appear across all fields. Therefore, when you go into an emerging field, you'll enter with a head start, because you'll immediately see how the principles you already know are relevant.

Better understand what's happening and what it means. Similar to how an expert chess player can see several moves ahead, mental models will allow you to put what's happening in context so you can react appropriately and think farther ahead.

Reduce the risk of investing in an area that turns out to not be a winner. In this article, I'm not suggesting that you ignore the future completely. What I'm saying is that you balance your understanding of trends with what is never going to change: timeless principles and mental models. In his book, Antifragile, Nassim Taleb, a very successful investor rumored to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, suggests an approach to investing resources that maximizes returns while eliminating losses. He calls it the Barbell Strategy: the idea of building a portfolio of extremes (extremely safe assets + high risk-reward assets) rather than building a big mix with everything in the middle.

Source: Nassim Taleb

The Trunk Technique functions in the same way as Taleb's Barbell Strategy. By building a strong base of risk-free knowledge, we cap our downside while also giving ourselves more flexibility and confidence to make speculative bets on the future that might hit it big. That's why I argue that learning how to apply the Trunk Technique is one of the main skills that anyone should learn in order to create the future they want.

Are you convinced of the power of Mental Models? I've learned from personal experience that it literally takes years to develop true mastery of these. Therefore, I created two resources for you:

Resource #1: Free Mental Model Course (For Newbies)
Sign up for the free mini-course here >>
If you're just learning about mental models for the first time, my free email course will help you get started. My team and I have spent dozens of hours creating it. It includes the top mental models from many of the world's top leaders, a guide on how to create a checklist based on the best practices from medicine and aviation so that you use your mental models throughout the day, and a guide that more deeply explains what a mental model is and how to get value from one.

Resource #2: Mental Model Of The Month Club (For Those Who Want Mastery)

If you're already are convinced of the power of mental models and want to deliberately set about mastering them, then this resource is for you. It's the program I wish I'd had when I was just getting started with mental models.

Every month, you'll master one new mental model.

We'll focus on the most powerful and universal models first.

We'll provide you with a condensed and simple Mastery Manual (think: Cliff's Notes) to help you deeply understand the model and integrate it into your life.

Here's how it works:

A 101 Overview of the mental model (why it's important, how it works, its vocabulary, etc.)

An Advanced Overview that includes a more nuanced explanation.

Examples of hacks you can use immediately to apply that mental model to every area of your life and career. These hacks are based on my personal experience and are crowdsourced as well.

Exercises & templates that you can use on a daily basis to integrate the lessons in the manual and achieve maximum results in your life.

A Facebook community where you can meet other mental model collectors and learn from one another.

Each master manual includes:

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Be Prepared To Lose Your Job In The Future... If You Don't Learn This One Skill Now

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One question Jeff Bezos is often asked is one we all need to ask ourselves, "What's going to change in the next 10 years?" It's a profound question because the world is changing so rapidly, and because the decisions we make now will determine our destiny.

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Y es que para comprender, estás relacionando los nuevos contenidos con algo que ya sabes, de modo que estás accediendo a la información que tienes almacenada en tu memoria a largo plazo. Y eso te está generando enlaces hacia esa galería. Estás aumentando tus redes sinápticas, alimentándolas con nuevas información.

Aplica lo que aprendes: explícale a tu cerebro cuándo vas a necesitar esa información. Puedes aplicarlo directamente o buscar ejemplos: la visualización para el cerebro es como estar viviéndolo.

Así que a partir de ahora, cuando tengas que retener información, empieza por poner foco desde el inicio: junto con otras técnicas, esta es la más importante para asegurar que la información que incorporas, pasa a la memoria a largo plazo. A tu galería de datos.

Pero no pasará como información vacía, sino como contenido con sentido, que forma parte de un pensamiento más elaborado, de un conjunto sináptico más grande. Un conjunto que además es sólo tuyo.

El aprendizaje tiene esto de maravilloso: que cada uno de nosotros tenemos nuestras propias conexiones y es en estas relaciones entre lo que aprendemos y lo que ya sabemos, donde generamos contenido único.
La memoria no son sólo datos: si fuera eso, tendría sentido delegar nuestra memoria a Google (y sobre eso reflexionaba hace ya tiempo, en otro post). Pero la memoria es cómo, dónde y con qué otra información guardamos esos datos.

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Y es que para comprender, estás relacionando los nuevos contenidos con algo que ya sabes, de modo que estás accediendo a la información que tienes almacenada en tu memoria a largo plazo. Y eso te está generando enlaces hacia esa galería. Estás aumentando tus redes sinápticas, alimentándolas con nuevas información.

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Esta pregunta es tan sencilla y al mismo tiempo tan difícil de responder. Implica revisar nuestras prácticas: qué hacemos bien y qué hacemos mal. Y estas prácticas, muchas veces, son inconscientes. Quizás tengamos un método, nuestro propio método, probablemente descubierto o desarrollado a fuerza de prueba y error. Y lo más seguro es que nuestro método esté relacionado con la disciplina que hayamos estudiado.

Por ejemplo, la mayor parte de las evaluaciones de mi carrera (Letras) eran trabajos prácticos o evaluaciones con libro abierto. Una de las cosas que más se valoraba era nuestro análisis y creatividad. Esto condicionó mi forma de aprender, leía prestando mucha atención, releía los textos varias veces, anotaba los márgenes, relacionaba las ideas y creaba en los trabajos. Podíamos decir lo que quisiéramos en la medida que pudiéramos sostenerlo con los textos. Salí de la facultad creyendo que todas las monografías eran argumentativas y consistían en plantear una hipótesis. Uno de los primeros talleres de escritura que di fue en la Facultad de Derecho y ahí descubrí que no hacía falta tener una hipótesis para escribir un texto que agregara valor. Yo estaba viciada por las prácticas de una disciplina.

Tenemos tantos preconceptos de lo que sirve y lo que no sirve, de lo que necesitamos para aprender, de lo que realmente podemos aprender y lo que sentimos que está fuera de nuestro alcance. Y esto nos modela, interviene en nuestro aprendizaje y en nuestra vida. Todo lo que aprendemos es parte de nuestra experiencia, y lo que decidimos no aprender también. A veces me sorprende que temas que ahora me apasionan estuvieron muy cerca de mí hace muchos años y yo los ignoré de una forma consciente, dejándolos fuera de mi universo. Simplemente no me interesaron. Pero esa falta de interés fue previa a entrar en contacto con ellos. Creo que por eso es tan importante replantearnos qué y cómo aprendemos.

Hay dos libros que me sirvieron mucho para repensar mi forma de aprender e incluso conocer las respuestas a algunas preguntas que me fastidiaban en los momentos en que tenía la necesidad de aprender rápido: ¿Por qué soy lenta para aprender? ¿Por qué me cuesta incorporar nuevos conocimientos? U otra pregunta fundamental que hizo que dejara de lado aprendizajes o proyectos interesantes: ¿Por qué me desmotivo fácilmente cuando creo que "no es para mí"?

El primero de esos libros es Mindset de Carol Dweck. Si quieren conocer la teoría, hay muchos videos de ella explicando la diferencia entre la mentalidad fija y la mentalidad de crecimiento. Si les interesa el tema, les recomiendo el libro, porque da muchos ejemplos de distintos ámbitos (los niños, los estudiantes, los adultos, los deportistas, la pareja, los amigos).

La siguiente infografía aparece al final del libro y resume las principales características de ambas mentalidades.

Cuando aprendes algo nuevo, esas minúsculas conexiones del cerebro se multiplican y se hacen más fuertes. Cuanto más desafíes a tu mente a aprender, tanto más crecerán tus neuronas. Entonces, aquello que una vez te pareció muy difícil, o incluso imposible ─como hablar una lengua extranjera o estudiar álgebra─, de repente resulta fácil. El resultado es un cerebro más fuerte y más inteligente.

Carol Dweck

Confieso que, en este camino del aprender a aprender y de facilitar el aprendizaje de los otros, la persona que más me desafía es mi hijo. Es increíble como lo que decimos y es "ley" para los otros (no es que sea precisamente ley, pero sí que tenga un halo de "conocimiento experto") se desarma y pasa a ser "perogrullada" cuando ese consejo se lo das a tu hijo adolescente. Lo último que me dijo cuando intentaba ayudarlo es "Vos no sos neurocientífica, leés libros de neurocientíficos." Y confieso que, en esos momentos, todo lo que aplico con los participantes se desvanece y, a veces, respondo con poca inteligencia. En este terreno, tengo que aprender a controlar mis emociones. Mi hijo y mi curiosidad por cómo aprender a aprender me llevaron a pensar y revisar los métodos de aprendizaje.

Este camino me llevó al libro Apréndetelo de Peter Brown, Henry Roediger III y Mark McDaniel. Ellos dan la explicación científica de cuáles son las mejores maneras de incorporar conocimientos. En las pautas reconocí varias que yo hacía y otras que puedo incorporar. Y un montón que mi hijo no hace, y me arriesgo a decir que muy pocos estudiantes, incluso universitarios, hacen.

Les dejo un resumen de los principales consejos que dan los autores:

Practica recuperar el aprendizaje nuevo

La práctica de recuperación quiere decir hacerse preguntas a uno mismo. Recuperar el conocimiento y la destreza de la memoria debería convertirse en tu estrategia primordial de estudio y sustituir al repaso con lecturas repetidas. Tras repasar el texto una o dos veces, hacerse preguntas es muchísimo más eficiente para aprender que seguir releyendo.

Plantearse y hacerse preguntas proporciona una medida confiable de lo que has aprendido y de lo que aún te queda por dominar. Además, hacerse preguntas frena el olvido.

Espacia tus prácticas de recuperación

Espaciar la práctica quiere decir estudiar la información más de una vez, pero dejando un tiempo considerable entre las sesiones de práctica. Es una creencia común, pero errónea que se pueda grabar algo en la memoria a base de pura repetición. Mucha práctica sí funciona, pero solo si se hace de manera espaciada.

Si te haces preguntas como tu estrategia primordial de estudio y espacias tus sesiones de estudio de manera que haya tenido lugar algo de olvido desde tu sesión anterior, tendrás que esforzarte un poco más para reconstruir lo que ya habías estudiado. De hecho, estás "recargándolo" desde la memoria a largo plazo. Este esfuerzo por reconstruir el aprendizaje hace que las ideas importantes sobresalgan y resulten más fáciles de recordar, y las conecta con mayor seguridad con otros conocimientos y con lo aprendido más recientemente.

Intercala el estudio de tipos de problemas diferentes

Si estás intentando aprenderte fórmulas matemáticas, estudia más de un tipo a la vez, de manera que alternes entre problemas diferentes que exigen soluciones diferentes. Si estás estudiando especímenes de biología, pintores holandeses o los principios de la macroeconomía, mezcla los ejemplos.

Mezclar tipos de problemas y de especímenes mejora tu capacidad de discriminar entre tipos, de identificar las características unificadoras dentro de cada tipo, y mejora tu resultado en un examen posterior o en escenarios reales donde debes distinguir el tipo de problemas que estás intentando resolver para poder aplicar la solución correcta.

También recomiendan como estrategias de estudio:

La elaboración: proceso de encontrar capas adicionales de significado en el material nuevo.

La generación: intento de responder una pregunta o de resolver un problema antes de que a uno se le enseñe la respuesta o la solución.

La reflexión: revisión de lo aprendido, por ejemplo, ¿Qué fue bien? ¿Qué podría haber ido mejor? ¿Qué debes aprender para mejorar tu dominio? ¿Qué estrategias podrías utilizar la próxima vez para obtener mejores resultados?

La calibración: alineamiento de tus juicios sobre lo que sabes y lo que no sabes con una revisión objetiva.

Las reglas mnemotécnicas: formas prácticas de almacenar información y encontrarla cuando la necesitas de nuevo. Los mnemónicos no son instrumentos para aprender per se, sino para crear estructuras mentales que faciliten recuperar lo que ya has aprendido.

Estas son solo las principales recomendaciones, tengan en cuenta que los autores explican todo con mucho detalle. Por lo cual, si les interesa profundizar el tema y conocer los fundamentos sobre cada consejo, les recomiendo leer el libro.

Estos libros son interesantes para todos, pero son fundamentales para los docentes. Como facilitadores del aprendizaje, tenemos que ser conscientes de qué cosas realmente sirven para generar una mentalidad de crecimiento y para anclar los nuevos conocimientos en la memoria a largo plazo.

En esta era donde el acceso a los conocimientos es tan fácil e inmediato, aprender a adquirirlos es clave. Desarrollar nuestra capacidad de aprendizaje es la llave para hacernos cargo de nuestro propio desarrollo y aprovechar todos los recursos que tenemos disponibles para abrir nuestro mundo y volvernos más inteligentes.

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Esta pregunta es tan sencilla y al mismo tiempo tan difícil de responder. Implica revisar nuestras prácticas: qué hacemos bien y qué hacemos mal.

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Listen to this episode from Flecha podcast on Spotify. La educación a distancia es la modalidad de enseñanza en que la transmisión del conocimiento se hace a partir del uso de tecnologías educativas. Es decir, se utilizan herramientas online que permiten a los estudiantes y profesores compartir informaciones sin estar juntos en un mismo lugar, día y hora.

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03 - Aprender a aprender con Neus Portas - Humanismo Digital

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Listen to this episode from Humanismo Digital on Spotify. Conversación con Neus Portas, fundadora de Learnability Hub, mentora y coach de aprendedores y emprendedores. Neus es una apasionada por el aprendizaje y una personas con vocación de ayudar a otros a aprender, una competencia clave.

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(En días de pandemia el gran reto es adaptarnos a los cambios y esto requiere aprendizaje. Por eso hoy quiero compartirte el Manifiesto de Agile Learning e invitarte a que (re)pensemos nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje).
El aprendizaje es cosa de todos.
El aprendizaje es la pieza clave para el desarrollo personal y para construir organizaciones inteligentes. Sin embargo, la mayoría de sistemas de aprendizaje suelen replicar dos lógicas que no van en esta dirección:

La industrial, enfocándose en el desarrollo del puesto de trabajo (en vez de enfocarse en el desarrollo personal).

La academicista-enciclopedista, desarrollando itinerarios individuales y horas de formación en espacios desvinculados al día a día.

Recursos Humanos y/o Capacitación han tenido la enorme responsabilidad de ocuparse del aprendizaje de la organización y han sostenido este modelo. ¡¿Te suena?! ¡¿Sigue teniendo sentido hoy?!

Dicen por ahí que tenemos sistemas de aprendizaje del siglo XIX, entrenadores del siglo XX y participantes del siglo XXI. Y sumo una: ¡desafíos del siglo XXII! El Manifiesto de Agile Learning nos invita a reflexionar sobre nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje (no individuos de aprendizaje) y los valores en los que se sustenta (no sus herramientas). Hoy me gustaría contarte qué se esconde detrás de cada valor. ¡¿Me acompañás?!
Modelo Pull (a demanda del aprendiz: protagonista y autónomo) sobre modelo de Push (a piacere de la organización)
Los tiempos VUCA -volátiles, inciertos, complejos y ambiguos- nos exigen recalcular, necesitamos ser resilientes, flexibles, adaptables. Ahora bien, ¡¿nuestras organizaciones lo son?! ¡¿Trabajan para serlo?!

Nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje deberían ser el lugar seguro en el que las personas puedan ser protagonistas, donde puedan tomar decisiones, donde puedan "crecer" y desarrollarse para ser más flexibles y resilientes. Cuando las personas eligen qué quieren aprender -cómo y cuándo-, la motivación y el aprendizaje se disparan. Y también los resultados... Cuando las organizaciones permiten y promueven que las personas decidan, están diciendo que confían en ellas y en sus criterios. Este es un modelo de aprendizaje pull, on-demand y centrado en el participante. Un win-win para todas las partes y necesario para un mundo del conocimiento.

Ahora, ¡¿eso significa que el "push" desaparecerá de la tierra (o de la organización)?! No exactamente. Aún hay cosas que no son negociables y que tendremos que aprender, aún habrá momentos en los que la organización nos "invite" a formarnos. Por eso el manifiesto no dice "o" sino "sobre". En un mundo incierto, la pregunta es ¡¿cuáles son las mínimas instancias de "push" que puede haber en mi sistema para darle el máximo poder a los aprendices?! ¡¿cómo puedo empoderar a las personas y construir modelos de aprendizaje de pull?!

¡¿Dónde está tu organización hoy?! ¡¿Qué es lo que promueve?! Y, ¡¿vos?! ¡¿cómo lo ves?! Te pregunto esto y te recuerdo que el modelo de Pull es un desafío enorme ¡para las organizaciones y para las personas! Ser protagonistas y hacer uso de su poder es un reto para muchos...

Tags #pull #ondemand #protagonistas #empoderamiento
Experiencias reales de aprendizaje (en el flow del trabajo) sobre aprendizaje en espacios de formación.
Hasta ahora, los modelos de aprendizaje organizacionales se apalancaron en el aula, en el modelo enciclopedista, en contabilizar número de asistentes y horas de formación. Y, ojo, muchas personas se sienten cómodas con ese modelo: confían en los especialistas que los van a iluminar (alumno); creen que cuanto más toman nota más aprenden y que esto no debería cambiar.

Sin embargo, cuando pregunto a las personas si aprendieron más estudiando o trabajando, la respuesta es unánime: "trabajando". Maximizamos nuestro aprendizaje en el flujo del trabajo de distintas formas: cuando aprendemos algo que necesitamos en ese momento; cuando le sacamos jugo a la experiencia; cuando aplicamos y creamos nuevas realidades. Léase: no basta con tener experiencias, necesitamos bajar un cambio para comprender qué ocurrió, para dar sentido y apropiarnos de lo ocurrido... ¡y así dar lugar al aprendizaje generativo!

Hackear la lógica de los "espacios de formación" es recordar que la vida es un espacio de aprendizaje constante y que aprendemos orgánicamente y en tres dimensiones interrelacionadas: sobre nosotros mismos (conciencia); sobre nuestros vínculos (las relaciones) y sobre la tarea (el trabajo). Ahora, ¡¿basta con poder o con querer?! Cuando hablamos de organizaciones, la respuesta es no.

Más allá del deseo y la voluntad de las personas por aprender en el flow del trabajo, esto requiere una tierra fértil de vulnerabilidad, confianza y seguridad que va más allá de lo personal. Necesitamos que en nuestros equipos y organizaciones las personas puedan tener mentalidad de aprendiz (y no se les exija ser sabelotodos); necesitamos que el "no sé" y "no puedo" sean parte de nuestros días y, fundamentalmente, que nuestros líderes sean los que habiliten estos espacios...

¡¿Eso significa que es hora de poner fin a todos los espacios de formación "tradicionales"?! Not really. Sigue habiendo ciertos conocimientos (sobre todo técnicos) que requieren del aula, del estudio, del formato de siempre. La pregunta es ¡¿cómo podemos hacer que nuestro día a día se convierta en la escuela de las personas... y de los equipos?!

Y tu organización, ¡¿qué promueve?! ¡¿Crea espacios seguros para el aprendizaje en el flow del trabajo?! Y vos, como líder, ¡¿qué fomentás?!

Tags: #learningontheflowofwork #learningagility #leanlearning
Aprendizaje en red y líquido (más allá de jerarquías, áreas, adentro y afuera) sobre aprendizaje en solitario
El estudio es en solitario, sí pero, en nuestro mundo creativo y del conocimiento, el aprendizaje se dispara y maximiza con otros: no somos nada solos y el aprendizaje "de la organización" no ocurre en los individuos sino en los equipos y entre los equipos. Si learning agility es la capacidad de extraer el máximo aprendizaje a partir de la experiencia, las organizaciones inteligentes son aquellas que entienden que el aprendizaje se completa en la "wide picture", en el conjunto de la organización.

Ahora, esto se basa en una premisa fundamental: cada persona puede aportar a los otros, cada persona puede aprender de las demás. Todos enseñamos, todos aprendemos, los diversos puntos de vista "multiplican" el valor. Y la mejor forma de hacerlo es creando espacios para la experiencia conjunta: espacios reales de trabajo en los que se mezclan personas de distintas áreas y jerarquías, en los que los "diversos" se arremanguen, trabajen y desafíen juntos. En el net-learning entendemos que nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje requieren fomentar y promover comunidades de prácticas, comunidades de aprendices, comunidades de "los diversos".

¡¿Eso significa que ya no necesitamos del aprendizaje en solitario?! ¡En lo absoluto! El aprendizaje empieza en el aprendiz: no hay otra unidad básica. Sin embargo, si queremos hablar de aprendizaje organizacional, tenemos que tender puentes para que ese aprendizaje circule, se expanda y crezca con otros y por toda la organización. La pregunta es ¡¿cómo maximizamos las interacciones en nuestros equipos (al interior de cada equipo) y entre ellos?! ¡¿Cómo fomentamos espacios de colaboración y aprendizaje conjunto más allá de las "etiquetas" -áreas y jerarquías-?!

Y en tu organización, ¡¿se escuchan todas las voces?! ¡¿Circula el aprendizaje o se queda varado?! ¡¿Crece el aprendizaje en el equipo y entre los equipos?!

Tags: #netlearning #co-creación #comunidaddeprácticas #liqueedlearning
Pedagogía y aprendizaje vivencial en 4 Cs (sobre herramientas tecnológicas)
Hoy en día, muchas organizaciones procuran entender cuáles son las herramientas tecnológicas necesarias para potenciar sus sistemas de aprendizaje: aplicaciones, plataformas y un mundo de bits. Sin embargo, en esa visión, muchas veces pasa por alto que la clave del aprendizaje está en la pedagogía y que la tecnología solo es un medio para el fin. El aprendizaje se dispara en la vivencia y esta mueve las 3Cs: la cabeza, el cuerpo y el corazón. ¡Y aún hay más! Para que el aprendizaje sea transformador, hace falta la C del coraje.

La pedagogía es clave hoy para el aprendizaje... ¡y para el liderazgo! La forma es tan importante como el contenido, de hecho, la forma es parte del contenido. El formador tiene que dar un paso atrás (al igual que el líder) para fomentar que se escuchen todas las voces y se arme un buen ensamble. El formador (y líder) tiene que ser el que facilita el espacio de trabajo en el que las personas brillan, saliendo de sus cuadernos, de las pantallas y entrando en sí mismos para, desde ahí, conectar con los otros.

Ahora, ¡¿esto significa que no necesitamos herramientas?! ¡En lo absoluto! Las herramientas tienen que estar al servicio de nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje y de sus valores: tienen que ser nuestro medio para que las personas aprendan on-demand, para que haya más personas enseñando, para que haya más conversaciones y comunidades de prácticas. En otras palabras: las herramientas tecnológicas tienen que potenciar al protagonista, al creador, al storyteller.

Y en tu organización, ¡¿cuán (pre)ocupados están con la tecnología?! ¡¿Están prestando atención a la pedagogía?!

Tsss , ¡¿lo vas viendo?! ¡Todos los valores se cruzan! El aprendizaje orgánico (en las tres dimensiones) requiere las 4Cs.

#4Csdelaprendizaje #TBR #experiencias #vivencial
Desarrollo personal (orgánico, con conciencia y propósito) sobre desarrollo del puesto de trabajo (y mirada mecanicista)
(Y así llegamos al último de los valores que... ¡¿tal vez debería ser el primero?!)

Los sistemas de aprendizaje tradicionales tienen un propósito: que las personas desarrollen su puesto de trabajo, que sean útiles y funcionales a la organización. En un mundo industrial "funcionaba" pero en un mundo del conocimiento genera un gran mal: la desmotivación. Planes de carrera, desarrollo de puesto de trabajo y un apego a lo extrínseco (lo de fuera) en detrimento de lo propio.

Muchas personas entran en las organizaciones y trabajan por un propósito "mayor" que no da amparo a sus propios propósitos y que, incluso, a veces choca con él. Así van cediendo su autonomía para crecer en la compañía, aunque eso implique hacerse cada vez "más chiquitas". Poco a poco, van dejando atrás quiénes son y aquello que las hace brillar... ¡y cada vez se hace más difícil "volver a casa"!

La organización inteligente es aquella en la que las personas desarrollan su máximo potencial; la organización inteligente es el vehículo para que eso ocurra. ¡¿Eso significa que hay que acabar con el desarrollo del puesto de trabajo?! ¡Difícil contestar a la pregunta! Tal vez sea muy romántica pero creo fervientemente en que cuando estamos conectados con nosotros mismos... ¡el resto fluye!

En un mundo en el que los robots (y la revolución tecnológica) toman cada vez más metros cuadrados, las personas deberíamos ir a lo más humano que hay en nosotros, a nuestro ser creador, con conciencia, conectándonos con nuestro propósito y de forma orgánica. Y, tal vez, este sea el primer reto de nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje, dar el lugar para que cada uno saque el artista que hay en él (*)

(*) Artista en cuanto a creador.

¡¿Y tu organización?! ¡¿Trabaja por planes de carrera y desarrollo de puestos de trabajo o por el desarrollo de las personas?! ¡¿En dónde pone el foco?! ¡¿Y las personas que trabajan en ella?!

#motivación #propósito #sentido #sercreador

De los valores a la tierra

Aquí te dejo el Manifiesto, como una invitación a reflexionar, a abrir conversaciones con otros y, sobre todo, a construir nuevas organizaciones en las que Learning sea una responsabilidad de todos.

Si te gustó, ¡compartilo! y, si querés debatir, ¡hazlo! Estos caracteres crecen cuando jugamos juntos :)

#LinkedInarticulosLatam #learningagility #agilelearning #agilidad #aprendizaje

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(En días de pandemia el gran reto es adaptarnos a los cambios y esto requiere aprendizaje. Por eso hoy quiero compartirte el Manifiesto de Agile Learning e invitarte a que (re)pensemos nuestros sistemas de aprendizaje).

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You Don't Have to Know How to Draw, Just How to Think
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/start-visual-model-tim-hamons

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Notas del curso "Learning to Learn Efficiently: Zero to Mastery" de Andrei Neagoie, disponible en Udemy

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Notas del curso "Learning to Learn Efficiently: Zero to Mastery" de Andrei Neagoie, disponible en Udemy

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Estas notas las hizo una participante.

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"Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]: Zero to Mastery" - Course Review and Notes

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In this blog post, I'll post my notes and thoughts about the course "Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]: Zero to Mastery." ( Udemy Link).

The course has four main sections: Principles, Pillars, Lies, and Techniques.

The Principles⌗

The section establishes some useful principles for motivated self-learners.

Learning vs. Winning The System

shift from trying to win the game (get good grades, get a promotion) to a mindset of long-term learning (see "The Lesson to Unlearn" by Paul Graham)

define your measure of success

you need drive and persistence

embrace the obstacle: you'll be bad first until you get good

know when to quit, make a smart choice (not everyone can become an Olympic athlete)

compound learning: learn in chunks instead of cramming

improve by 1% every day

failures don't count against you: people know you right now, they don't care about the test you failed five years ago

use failure as a feedback loop

mindset: choice vs. chore: shift your focus from "I must do that" to "I want to do that."

framing: use a frame/context to change your perspective

Pareto principle (80/20 rule): eliminate until you've boiled it down the essentials

focus on the critical 20% and make efficient use of your time

Robert Greene - "Mastery": 3 principles: curiosity, value learning about all else, skill-stacking (uniquely combine your skills)

the trick is to have skills that work well together, but are varied enough to allow you to stand out (avoid the most obvious path)

happiness factors: identify the areas/things/people that make you happy - if you're happy, you will be able to learn better

monitor your happiness factors

productivity time: find the time where you are most productive

self-learning paradigm: find your identity as a self-learner

The section deals with debunking myths.

"Follow your passion" is terrible advice - you don't need to be passionate to start to become good at something and enjoy improving your craft (craftman's mindset)

aim for creativity, control and impact instead

Lie "You can avoid risk": you have to get out of your comfort zone, you can't play it safe all the time

Lie "Trust this one person": don't believe the gurus: find various teachers and opinions, unique perspectives, combine different sources

"The 10,000 Hours Rule" (become a master by practicing more) is debunked

practice smart, not hard (efficiency)

The Pillars⌗

The section introduces four pillars as foundations for implementing the learning techniques.

1. Everything is a Game⌗

Adopt a growth mindset: everything is trainable. Seek out challenges to grow.

If you believe you have control over your life ("locus of control"), you realize that you can it's in your hand to improve your skills instead of blaming undesirable results on external factors.

2. The Feynman Technique⌗

To understand something, you need to be able to explain in simple terms. You'll also be able to identify gaps in your knowledge.

The Feynman Technique is the best way to learn anything:

1. Choose a concept you want to learn about

2. Pretend you are teaching it to a student in grade 6

3. Identify gaps in your explanation; Go back to the source material, to better understand it.

4. Review and simplify (optional)

3. Trunk-Based Knowledge⌗

(This reminds me of the idea of first principles).

4. Efficiency Trumps Grit⌗

Being busy, busy, busy is not a good thing.

Manage your time and energy, be efficient, instead of hustling all the time.

Remember that resources are limited. Use the right strategies to get ahead.

The Science⌗

Here we learn about the science behind the study methods from the last section.

focus vs. diffuse mode of thinking: both ways are essential for learning, you have to jump between both modes

sleep: during sleep your brain flushes toxins, your mind forms new neural connections

brain training: strengthen the connections between brain cells - physical exercise also helps (encourages diffuse mode of thinking)

science of feedback: both negative feedback (rather: corrective feedback) and positive feedback (for motivation) are crucial; immediate feedback is best

procrastination: everybody battles procrastination: you have to learn to manage your emotions, not your time

doing hard things (like learning) will not initially feel good

ask, "what's the next action?": just get started

long-term and short-term memory: use spaced repetition to help with storing in long-term memory

active vs. passive learning: can you learn soccer by watching videos? No, you have to practice

prefer recall over re-reading (test your knowledge)

intrinsic motivation: 3 factors for an inherent drive - autonomy, mastery, and purpose

small steps (Kaizen)

SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound

It pays not to be busy

combine chunks of knowledge into a big picture - how do these chunks connect?

use different strategies to learn how to solve problems: focussed thinking and diffuse mode (intuition)

deliberate practice (Anders Ericsson - "Peak"): you'll hit a plateau and use deliberate practice to break through the limit (train on the edge)

use specific goals, intense focus, and immediate feedback (be active and use maximum effort)

spaced repetition: spread out practice/learning sessions

habits save energy

be adventurous (excitement, experience new things)

have an endpoint: plan your finishing time

be bored: allows for the diffuse mode of thinking

The Techniques⌗

1. Pomodoro Technique⌗

The Pomodoro Technique is a method for time-blocking and chunking. Work for a certain time (25 minutes or more), then take a break. Rinse and repeat.
It also helps against procrastination, as you define the time block before starting.

According to Wikipedia, there are six steps:

1. Decide on the task to be done.

2. Set the pomodoro timer (traditionally to 25 minutes).

3. Work on the task.

4. End work when the timer rings and put a checkmark on a piece of paper.

5. If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a short break (3-5 minutes), then go to step 2.

6. After four pomodoros, take a longer break (15-30 minutes), reset your checkmark count to zero, then go to step 1.

Andrei, the instructor for the course, recommends starting with your most challenging task first.

2. Chunk The Subject⌗

Combine subjects and concepts to give it meaning.

A popular method for cracking particular algorithm challenges is the Divide and Conquer method.

You break down the problem into small parts and use them to learn or solve problems.

Examples for chunk-based learning curriculums are Khan Academy or Duolingo.

Exercise: Write a 1-page summary of everything you need to learn.
If it's too tricky, you have to chunk more. Example.

3. Spaced Repetition (Revisited)⌗

Avoid over-learning. There is a forgetting curve.

The effort of recalling and retrieving information enables reconciliation in your brain. Reconciliation leads to strengthening the required neural pathways.

(That's why the Feynman Technique works so well.)

A popular flash-card tool is Anki.

Another method is to use diagrams or mind-maps to distill the main concepts.

4. Deliberate Practice (Revisited)⌗

Avoid the easy tasks. Take on challenging projects.

Every day, carve out focus time (you can use the Pomodoro technique, for example).

Then, push yourself to the edge of your ability: "Have I done this before? What's the +1?"

Aim for immediate feedback.

Measure it. Write it down.

5. Create a Roadmap⌗

You need a plan. Prepare. Create a curriculum. Research.

What do industry leaders say? What are the topics I need to learn? Where are the quality resources?

What are the most important topics? What are my measures of success? How does that benefit me or someone else?

6. Interleaving⌗

Vary learning methods, vary practicing different skills: "mix it up."

7. Einstellung⌗

German Einstellung Effect: a rigid mindset that hinders you from broadening your horizons.

Be willing to be wrong.

"What is option C?" You thought of options A and B, but might there be another way?

7. Importance of Community⌗

A community can help you to identify blind spots, can assist you and provide feedback. Others can hold you accountable.

8. Habits (Revisited)⌗

Habits are automatic and thus save energy.

The habit loop: cue (trigger), a routine, then reward. You also believe in the habit (that it's right for you, or that the reward is tied to the routine ("smoking relaxes me"). (See The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg).

Instead of using willpower (depletable resource), it's better to use habits.

Four of behavior change (from "Atomic Habits"):

Don't break the chain - a method for building consistency.

9. System vs. Goals⌗

Create systems instead of goals:

For example, losing ten pounds is a goal (that most people can't maintain), whereas learning to eat right is a system that substitutes knowledge for willpower.

10. The Power of the Senses⌗

Stories and metaphors are essential. You have to try to make sense of the material.

Example: You can learn in stimulating environments to make it memorable.

11. Method of Loci⌗

The technique helps with invoking many senses.

12. The Pareto Principle (Revisited)⌗

Use the 80/20 rule to identify the critical skills you need to acquire.

Ask yourself: "Is this the best use of my time?" - "Is this the most critical piece of information?"

Try to remove the unnecessary.

13. Parkinson's Law⌗

From Wikipedia:

Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". It is sometimes applied to the growth of bureaucracy in an organization.

Use the law to your advantage. For example, use the Pomodoro technique to constrain yourself. Set deadlines to force yourself to limit your project to a particular time-frame.

14. Deep Work⌗

Deep work is focussed, highly engaged work/practice.

Here's a book summary of "Deep Work":

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.
Shallow work is non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style work, often performed while distracted.

15. Stakes and Rewards⌗

Aim for small wins to stay motivated.

"What's at stake?" - what happens when you don't achieve your goal? What are the consequences? You have to have skin in the game.

Hold yourself accountable.

16. Concepts vs. Facts⌗

Facts are easy to search for (Wikipedia, Google).

How are things connected? Concepts are high-level topics that you can use to come up with unique solutions.

Concepts are the "trunks" of your knowledge tree. After you've incorporated them, it's easier to learn the "leaves" of a topic. Focus on the foundations first.

Ask: why?

17. Test Yourself⌗

What are the key ideas? How can I summarize this?

What did you just learn? Quiz yourself. Use recall to gain feedback on your understanding.

The course impresses with entertaining videos and brief and clear explanations. The lectures are engaging and offer exercises (like the Loci method). The course has a clear structure and is easy to follow.
I enjoyed having a visual roadmap for the class. The instructor also provides worksheets where you can note critical takeaways.

While the class offers bite-sized methods and self-help wisdom, you won't encounter anything new under the sun.

If you know courses and books like "Learning How to Learn" or "Ultralearning", you will already be familiar with the topic and methods.

The instructor, Andrei Neagoie, showcases the remarkable skill of breaking down ideas into digestible pieces. Sometimes, nuances fall prey to the simplification of a topic.

For me, the class was a delightful repetition of learning strategies and theory that I already knew. As a whirlwind tour, the course certainly delivers.

The course will be most useful for someone who has never busied themselves with learning theory. You will get to know all the important strategies for improving meta-learning.
Experienced "productivity hackers" should look elsewhere.

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"Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]: Zero to Mastery" - Course Review and Notes :: rockyourcode

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In this blog post, I'll post my notes and thoughts about the course "Learning to Learn [Efficient Learning]: Zero to Mastery." (Udemy Link). The course has four main sections: Principles, Pillars, Lies, and Techniques. The Principles The section establishes some useful principles for motivated self-learners. Learning vs.

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Modern Workplace Learning 2020 [Magazine]

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When people talk about "continuous learning" or "lifelong learning" they often mean by that term "continuous education" or "continuous training", i.e. regularly attending courses or programmes, but in this article I want to show how continuous learning is, in fact, a process of incremental learning, i.e constantly adding to one's knowledge and expertise over time. I also want to show how this is a key aspect of learning that can be enabled and supported in the workplace.

First of all, let's recap on some of the features of a training course or educational event.

1. It is a one-off block of learning. It is generally measured in hours, days weeks or, months, and has a start and end date, e.g. a training day or a 3-month online course or programme. It happens in a defined place or space, for instance in a classroom or training room, or an online course or in a virtual training event.

2. It is instructional. The content has been designed in a logical sequence so that it takes the learner through the material in an organised way. starting with the fundamentals and then building upon that, It tends to provide a complete and comprehensive coverage of a topic (at least at the required level).

3. Working through the "block of learning" may be a purely passive experience for an individual (e.g. listening to broadcast information or clicking through a series of slides of an online course), although there might be some interactive elements e.g. carrying out online activities, or working with others on collaborative tasks.

4. It often concludes with a test of learning comprehension.

5. The learning process is usually managed by an instructor or even a system (LMS) that tracks and monitors that the individual has completed the block of learning and passed any required tests. The learning process is often (but not always) supported by someone to help the learner understand the content.

Once the block of learning is over, however, that's pretty much it, it's a one-and-done experience. So in a "continuous training" view of the world, an individual then moves onto another next block of instruction either to acquire more knowledge on the same or to receive some instruction on a different topic.

But continuous, incremental learning is different as we can see when we compare it below.

1. It is an ongoing process of learning. It is not measured by the amount of time it takes. It has no start or end date because learning never ends. It happens little-by-little, day-by-day, and knowledge and experience builds up over time.

2. It happens in all settings as people do their jobs, browse on the Web, carry out their daily lives, and interact with their friends, family, colleagues and other contacts.

3. Although incremental learning can happen by chance (as a by product of doing something else) an individual also proactively seeks out relevant activities and experiences to help them learn. Although these may be complete in and of themselves, an individual has to actively make the connection with what he/she already knows in order to learn from it, it's not just about doing lots of things!

4. Success is measured in different ways, e.g. (in the short term) through improved job performance and (in the longer term) through career progression.

5. The individual manages their own continuous learning. It's a personal or professional decision and choice about what is to be learned and how it is best achieved. Generally, there is little or no support for this type of learning, the individual is entirely on their own.

Continuous, incremental learning is not seen as the traditional way to learn at work, so little emphasis or even value is given to it, so that only what is taught is seen as important or valid. Although one response might be to design some stuff to underpin it; this is not the total answer, rather managers and L&D have a different part to play in (1) promoting, (2) enabling and (3) supporting incremental learning. Here is some key messaging:

(1) Promoting - new mindsets - Workers need to understand what the term continuous learning really means

Learning is as a continuous process not just a series of one-off events but something that happens all the time, in all contexts - on the job, on the Web, and in daily life. In other words, learning doesn't just happen through instruction but through information, interactions and experiences. It doesn't just come in nice neat packages (courses) but through diverse activities and experiences - either by choice or by chance. Learning doesn't have a start or end date; learning never ends.

(2) Enabling - flexibility and autonomy - Workers need to understand what it means for them in practice

Learning agility (or learnability) is a vital skill for today's workplace; it is the capacity to keep learning and developing new skills and expertise, even if they are not obviously linked to one's current job. It is therefore up to everyone to take more responsibility for their own learning and development - not just wait to be taught. Everyone needs to be proactive and learn something new every day - in the way that suits them best.

(3) Supporting - new opportunities and skills - Workers need to understand that this is valued and also what help is available

Continuous learning is a key way of learning in the modern workplace. Managers will support their team members to ensure they get the most out of their daily work experiences. L&D will help individuals discover the wide world of learning opportunities open to them as well as help them develop the modern learning skills they will need to thrive.

Organisations are beginning to recognise that learning and development in today's world is more than providing training and online courses, and that they now need to offer a more flexible approach to continuous learning at work. So, if you would like to find out more how you can help your people, then in the upcoming workshop, Enabling and Supporting Self-Learning and Self-Development, running 15 June - 4 July 2020, we'll be looking at this topic in greater depth. Here is the agenda:

Week 1: Fostering learning agility or learnability

Week 2: Encouraging a daily self-learning habit

Week 3: Building modern learning skills

Week 4: Curating learning opportunities

Week 5: Running a learning campaign

Week 6: Adopting a formal process of continuous self-development

Click this link to find out more about how the workshop runs and how to sign up.

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Incremental Learning - the real continuous learning : Modern Workplace Learning 2020 [Magazine]

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When people talk about "continuous learning" or "lifelong learning" they often mean by that term "continuous education" or "continuous training", i.e. regularly attending courses or programmes, but in this article I want to show how continuous learning is, in fact, a process of incremental learning, i.e constantly adding to one's knowledge and expertise over time.

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In our constantly changing world, continuous learning is crucial for any organization. When time is of the essence, it can be difficult to facilitate formal courses and programs. In such cases, it becomes the learners' responsibility to allocate the information and resources they need to propel their professional development forward. This scenario is becoming more common in the modern workplace, and employers and learners are now showing more interest in self-directed forms of learning. However, according to a Towards Maturity study in 2017, only a quarter of L&D leaders feel they have successfully supported self-directed learning (SDL) in their organizations.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Catherine Lombardozzi, L&D consultant at Learning 4 Learning Professionals and author of Self-directed Learning: Essential Strategy for a Rapidly Changing World, to get a more in-depth analysis of the current and future states of SDL and how it will affect both learners and leaders.

Megan Dybczak: Tell me a little about your background, and how you became interested in self-directed learning.

Catherine Lombardozzi: I have been a learning professional for my entire career, and I am a bit of a theory geek. When new initiatives or techniques begin to rise in prominence, my instinct is to find the theory, research, and case studies that help me to understand the next new thing so that I have the deep knowledge I need to work with my clients and help them succeed.

When L&D first started to become more actively interested in informal, social, and experiential learning (a few decades ago!), it was clear to me that we would be relying on people to be more self-directed. That became even more imperative when we embraced the notion of curating resources instead of designing courses. When I wrote Learning Environments by Design (2015)-which is about how to deliberately curate a variety of resources and activities to support specific development goals-I included a chapter on self-directed learning so that people could understand what might need to be in place for these strategies to work.

MD: Why are organizations today pivoting to self-directed learning initiatives?

CL: For organizations, it is a response to the speed of change. I think they need employees to manage their own development, and they are willing to dedicate resources to supporting their efforts. Organizations recognize that resources, people, and activities that can support learning are abundant-especially to anyone with an internet connection-so it's entirely possible for people to find what they need without L&D having to create a formal course. It is less resource-intensive to curate resources than it is to design programs from scratch. SDL is often seen as more personal, more efficient, and more up-to-date than formal learning.

Here's another interesting point. As I was writing the research report, it felt odd in some ways to focus on what the organization can do to support SDL. People are pivoting to SDL as well-they are choosing to pursue their own learning goals independent of their organizations. That may be because they're changing careers, they're pursuing non-work learning projects, or they're not getting the support they need from those who should be helping them to develop.

And isn't self-directed learning, by definition, something that people do for themselves? It might be more important to address people directly-to inform them about what they need to do to effectively manage their learning. That's another paper altogether. Some of my work involves coaching professionals to define and achieve their learning goals, and in those interactions, I am often coaching on the "wherewithal" that was identified in the research report-helping them to develop the deep skills and qualities that allow them to thrive in learning on their own.

MD: What are the benefits of self-directed learning?

CL: Self-directed learning is often more targeted, more personal, more efficient, and more impactful. It enables people to develop capabilities as they need them. And it helps people to make career changes and learn personal pursuits without having to involve their managers or other formal guides in that process. To me, self-directed learning feels empowering and stimulating-it's part of what allows humans to thrive in a provocative, fascinating, challenging, and rapidly changing world.

MD: What are the most common reasons why companies avoid or resist self-directed learning?

CL: Organizations like to keep track of learning and development activities, and self-directed learning isn't amenable to that. More importantly, companies need to ensure their employees are indeed attaining needed capabilities and it feels risky to not take a direct hand in people's development. In some instances, organizations worry that people will learn the wrong thing, or learn it badly, with negative consequences falling on the organization as well as the individual. Some L&D organizations are leery as well-they are concerned that their profiles will be lessened-that they'll be replaced by Google or any number of other algorithmic tools that purport to direct people to what they need very efficiently.

MD: How can L&D leaders best support self-directed learning?

CL: The self-directed learning research report named seven specific environmental supports for self-directed learning, and L&D leaders will do well to ensure these supports are in place.

Deep interpersonal connections. L&D leaders can collaborate to cultivate a learning culture that encourages people to help one another and creates an atmosphere of psychological safety. They can also actively help people connect with others who can support their learning.

Accessibility of high-quality curated resources. L&D should curate resources for high-impact skills in the organization so people can quickly access learning resources when they need them.

Allocated time for learning. I would love to see L&D leaders advocate for dedicated time for learning-in whatever fashion is best for their particular organization and its employees. We can start with our own departments-setting aside a specific amount of time for people to work on their learning projects, perhaps holding a "study hall" for all on a regular basis.

Developmental support for strengthening learning skills. L&D can make learn-to-learn resources available to the organization, and perhaps have an ongoing communication or microlearning effort to strengthen learning skills. Many people are used to having learning plans devised for them, and they may need to learn how to effectively self-direct. However, Arun Pradhan, who has done a lot of work in this area, cautions that we'll be more successful if learn-to-learn programs are connected to specific business initiatives and not offered as a stand-alone topic.

Management engagement. As part of leadership development efforts, L&D can help prepare managers for their role in supporting, but not taking over, their employee's ongoing growth and development. Strengthening employee development and coaching skills might be a good place to start if this is not already on your leader development agenda.

Employee control over learning processes. This is the hard one. If employees are to be encouraged to self-direct their learning, we can't impose our own goals, requirements, and constraints on what they do. It's best to hold people accountable for skill advancement rather than holding them accountable for proving they undertook learning activities.

MD: How have recent events like the global pandemic affected self-directed learning?

CL: Oh, my-in so many ways. It certainly raised the profile of SDL, with so many people needing to upskill very quickly and a limited number of organizational resources to go around in supporting them. The pandemic affected people differently, and their needs for SDL had diverse drivers.

Many people lost their jobs, and it's not clear they are going to get them back. They may need to reskill for different roles in the future, and without an employer, it's up to them to figure out what they want to learn and how.

Other people found their jobs change dramatically, needing to interact virtually, use tools that were unfamiliar, and take on new roles and tasks. So they had to jump in to get themselves up to speed.

Some folks actually found themselves with time on their hands-they were getting paid, but the work wasn't filling up as much time as before. These folks could embark on addressing their development goals and advance their skill sets while the work was on pause.

I had a call with one such learning professional early on in the shutdown. She had actually been laid off, although she expected she would get to go back to work when retail opened back up again. But in the meantime, she took advantage of the time to do some research and find learning resources to better position herself for higher-level L&D roles in her future. Good for her!

MD: What in your opinion is the future of self-directed learning?

CL: Humans are learners. Learning is what allows us to flourish. When the need arises, people figure out how to gain the appropriate knowledge base and skill. That will most certainly continue into the future, as the speed of change is not slowing down. I think we will continue to experiment with ways that technology can support our efforts, and there is no shortage of exciting technology on the horizon that will be fun to engage for learning purposes.

My dream is that we make it possible for people to dedicate more time to learning, to support career changes that come more often, upskilling as roles change, and even to learn more about personal interest topics and skills to enrich our lives. Having grown up on Star Trek, I have a utopian vision of people being enabled and encouraged to not only master their jobs, but pursue other interests for the intellectual exercise and pleasure they bring.

Even with all the stress of being locked down in our homes these last few months, people took time to reevaluate and consider their life goals and choices, and I think we're looking to not "go back to normal" but instead make some changes for the better. I believe self-directed learning will be part of what's needed to achieve our new vision for our lives.

● ● ●

Dive deeper into the three principal dynamics of self-directed learning by downloading your free copy of Catherine's research report, Self-directed Learning: Essential Strategy for a Rapidly Changing World.

Not a member of The Learning Guild? No problem-join today for free!

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In our constantly changing world, continuous learning is crucial for any organization. When time is of the essence, it can be difficult to facilitate formal courses and programs. In such cases, it becomes the learners' responsibility to allocate the information and resources they need to propel their professional development forward.

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Technology is disrupting every industry and area of life, and work is no exception. One of the main career implications of the digital revolution is a shift in demand for human expertise. For instance, LinkedIn's talent research shows that half of today's most in-demand skills weren't even on the list three years ago.

As a result, there is now a premium on intellectual curiosity and learnability, the desire and ability to quickly grow and adapt one's skill set to remain employable. What you know is less relevant than what you may learn, and knowing the answer to questions is less critical than having the ability to ask the right questions in the first place. Unsurprisingly, employers such as Google, American Express, and Bridgewater Associates make learning an integral part of their talent management systems. As a Bersin report pointed out: "The single biggest driver of business impact is the strength of an organization's learning culture."

You and Your Team Series

Learning

However, true learning cultures, defined by CEB as "a culture that supports an open mindset, an independent quest for knowledge, and shared learning directed toward the mission and goals of the organization," are still the exception rather than the norm. Recent research found that only 10% of organizations have managed to create them, with just 20% of employees demonstrating effective learning behaviors at work. Research by Bersin examined the issue of learning culture in great detail and found that companies who effectively nurture their workforce's desire to learn are at least 30% more likely to be market leaders in their industries over an extended period of time.

Here are four science-based recommendations to help you create a learning culture on your team or in your organization:

Reward continuous learning. It is impossible to trigger deliberate changes in your team's or organization's culture unless you actually put in place formal reward systems to entice them - and even then there is no guarantee you will achieve change unless the rewards are effective. Sadly, even when managers understand the importance of learning - at least in theory - they are often more interested in boosting short-term results and performance, which can be an enemy of learning. By definition, performance is highest when we are not learning. Equally, it is hard for employees to find the necessary time and space to learn when they are asked to maximize results, efficiency, and productivity. A report by Bersin found that among the more than 700 organizations studied, the average employee had only 24 minutes a week for formal learning. Note that rewarding curiosity is not just about praising and promoting those who display an effort to learn and develop; it's also about creating a climate that nurtures critical thinking, where challenging authority and speaking up are encouraged, even if it means creating discord. This is particularly important if you want your team to produce something innovative.

Give meaningful and constructive feedback. In an age where many organizations focus their developmental interventions on "strengths," and feel-good approaches to management have substituted "flaws" and "weaknesses" with the popular euphemism of "opportunities," it is easy to forget the value of negative feedback. However, it is hard to improve on anything when you are unaware of your limitations, fully satisfied with your potential, or unjustifiably pleased with yourself. Although one of the best ways to improve employees' performance is to tell them what they are doing wrong, managers often avoid difficult conversations, so they end up providing more positive than negative feedback. This is particularly problematic when it comes to curiosity and learning, since the best way to trigger curiosity is to highlight a knowledge gap - that is, making people aware of what they don't know, especially if that makes them feel uncomfortable. Note that people are generally unaware of their ignorance and limitations, especially when they are not very competent, so guidance and feedback from others is critical to helping them improve. However, negative feedback must be provided in a constructive and delicate way - it is a true art - as people are generally less receptive of it than of praise and appreciation, especially in individualistic (aka narcissistic) cultures.

Lead by example. Another critical driver of employee learning is what you, as a manager or leader, actually do. As illustrated by the leadership value chain model, leaders' behaviors - particularly what they routinely do - have a strong influence on the behavior and performance of their teams. And the more senior that leaders are, the more impactful their behaviors will be on the rest of the organization. Accordingly, if you want to nurture your team's curiosity or unlock learning in your organization, you should practice what you preach. Start by displaying some learning and unlocking your own curiosity. It is a sort of Kantian imperative: Don't ask your employees to do what you don't do yourself. If you want people to read more, then read - and make others aware of your voracious reading habits (share your favorite books or most recent learnings with them). If you want them to take on novel and challenging tasks, then take on novel and challenging tasks yourself. For example, learn a new skill, volunteer to work on something unrelated to your main job, or take on tasks outside your comfort zone even if you are not good at it - you will be able to show that with a bit of curiosity and discipline you can get better, and this should inspire others. And if you want them to question the status quo and be critical and nonconformist, then don't be a sucker for order and rules!

Hire curious people. Too often with big management problems, we focus on training and development while undermining the importance of proper selection. But the reality is that it's easier to prevent and predict than to fix and change. When selection works, there's far less need for training and development, and good selection makes training and development much more effective because it is easier to augment potential than to go against someone's nature. Learning and curiosity are no exception: If you hire people who are naturally curious, and maximize the fit between their interests and the role they are in, you will not have to worry so much about their willingness to learn or be on their case to unlock their curiosity. Fortunately, meta-analytic studies provide a detailed catalogue of traits - and their corresponding measures - that increase an individual's propensity to learn and develop intellectually, even after adulthood. And there is a well-established science to predicting people's probability of displaying such traits (for example, personality assessments measuring openness to new experience, tolerance for ambiguity, critical thinking, and inquisitiveness). Likewise, decades of research into vocational interests show that aligning people's drive and interests to the characteristics of the job and culture of the organization tends to increase not just their motivation to learn but also their performance.

In sum, if you want to nurture curiosity and learning in your employees, there's no need to rely on your organization's formal learning and development programs. Reinforcing positive learning behaviors, giving constructive and critical feedback to align employees' efforts with the right learning goals, showcasing your own curiosity, and hiring people with high learnability and a hungry mind are all likely to create a stronger learning culture within your team and your organization.

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4 Ways to Create a Learning Culture on Your Team

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Technology is disrupting every industry and area of life, and work is no exception. One of the main career implications of the digital revolution is a shift in demand for human expertise. For instance, LinkedIn's talent research shows that half of today's most in-demand skills weren't even on the list three years ago.

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On January 4th, 2016, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an opinion piece written by 15 undergraduates, all of them writing-seminar students at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The next day, The Chronicle's republished this piece, A Lecture from the Lectured, with the catchy hook: " We're tired of sitting silently in the dark, listening to you read the PowerPoint."

Well, that's that then.

To be fair, the students' writing was well-considered and more reflective than dismissive. Their university has an enrollment of in excess of 44,000 students; they understand that large lectures are necessary.

Lecture courses with enrollments of 800 to 900 students are common at Urbana-Champaign. Some of those lectures are boring. Some students have to squeeze assignments into an already busy schedule that includes work, commute times, extracurricular activities, friends, family, and hopefully, sleep. Some students may be surfing the internet and posting on Facebook during lecture time. Some students are tired, stressed and over-committed.

But, occasionally, say these 15 students, things are different:

We don't all agree that the lecture is doomed. A number of us have found professors who have really inspired us with their lectures. They convey their subject with energy, and engage us as people. One gathers students on stage to act out what he is teaching. Another, a climatologist, asks us to send him photos of the day's weather. Professors who ask us questions, make jokes, bring in their dogs - do anything to humanize themselves - make us feel less like just a body in the room.

So, sometimes these very large lectures are INTERESTING. They make the students feel noticed, even among hundreds. They make the students feel more engaged in course materials. The students recognize good teaching when they see it. This kind of engagement is perhaps the simplest and first step towards active learning.

Active learning has become a buzzword for many things, and not all commentators agree on what those things are. For some, it's a student-driven learning session. For others it's about the expensive moveable furniture. There might be a technology aspect involved, for example, in screens in in on room so ideas can be compared. It might include online components. It often declares that something or another concerning education is "dead," usually targeting"The Lecture," as destructive, ineffectual, or otherwise on the waiting list for that pedagogical hospice where old idea go into hibernation (until someone thinks them up again).

Here's the foundational definition of active learning, authored by one of its founders:
Active learning is a process where students engage in classroom activities that promote critical engagement with course materials. Activities may include text analysis, collaborative writing, various forms of discussion or problem solving. Although active learning transfers, in part, the responsibility of learning to the student, the course must also be designed to make student activities meaningful and goal-oriented.
In one definition, when done well, "active learning engages students in two aspects - doing things and thinking about the things they are doing (Bonwell, 1991).

The 15 students from Indiana were not just complaining about boring lectures; they were writing in explicit response to two recently published essays about the university lecture. One, " Lecture Me. Really." (New York Times, October 15, 2015) by Molly Worthen, assistant professor of history at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Worthen begins her essay by recounting an arduous, eventually successful, search for a wooden podium she wanted in her technology-rich classroom. It is an unapologetic plea for the centrality of the lecture in learning.

Worthen traces active learning to ideas expressed eloquently and repeated by educators since the 19th century. Charles William Eliot, for instance, thought most student's minds were like 'sieves,' through which 'much good water' was poured: for Eliot, the fundamental work of higher education was to simply keep on pouring.

Worthen believes that the lecture is " essential for teaching the humanities' most basic skills: comprehension and reasoning, skills whose value extends beyond the classroom to the essential demands of working life and citizenship," and, as such, is critical as the primary method for transmitting knowledge.

Students, today, in Worthen's opinion, are problematic. Her argument that listening to a good lecture helps teach the art of critical thinking by internalizing and reflecting upon a well-delivered argument is somewhat undermined by the admission that other colleagues find it necessary to first teach students how to listen. Then teach them how to take notes effectively. The lecture, says Worthen, " keeps students' minds in energetic and simultaneous action. And it teaches a rare skill in our smartphone-app-addled culture: the art of attention, the crucial first step in the 'critical thinking' that educational theorists prize." The crux of Worthen's argument is in defense of humanistic studies. Student-centered learning, of which active learning is one facet, like many other educational technologies in the last two decades, was first adopted by STEM disciplines. That, in itself, to Worthen, is yet another death knell for funding humanities in the modern university.

She is pretty clear about what she thinks of active learning:

In many quarters, the active learning craze is only the latest development in a long tradition of complaining about boring professors, flavored with a dash of that other great American pastime, populist resentment of experts. But there is an ominous note in the most recent chorus of calls to replace the "sage on the stage" with student-led discussion. These criticisms intersect with a broader crisis of confidence in the humanities. They are an attempt to further assimilate history, philosophy, literature and their sister disciplines to the goals and methods of the hard sciences - fields whose stars are rising in the eyes of administrators, politicians and higher-education entrepreneurs.

I'm not certain that many undergraduates learn how to think critically by listening to an experienced critical thinker speaking, any more than reading great academic writing teaches them to write that way. Both skills need a more direct mechanical transmission that should be part of college education, but in an explicit fashion, not by osmosis. Also, the assumption that student-led discussion in active learning is done in the absence of a "sage" in the room makes the difference between a great seminar meeting and a fabulous dining hall conversation.

A post on Slate rebuts Worthen's essay, and the "Lectured" students reviewed it. The post is authored by Rebecca Schuman, a writer based in St. Louis. The title " Professors shouldn't only teach to younger versions of themselves,," sums up her argument. Not all students have the skills (at least not yet) to take in much information in the 50- minute lecture - there is a mismatch between what the instructor thinks the students can assimilate (often based on assumptions of prior knowledge) and what each student might actually take away from the lecture. Critical thinking and argument-making rely upon a synthetic process that requires practice and experience. However, warns, Schumann, don't assume that all students would prefer NOT to attend a lecture. The more a class approaches the application of "active learning," the more it asks of students:

It's actually often the seminar format that students don't want, because it forces them to be present in the classroom. In 75 minutes loaded with the "learner-centered" activities that Worthen dismisses as callow consumerism, the class still works through that "long, complex argument," but they do it together, with a measure of involvement, investment, and sometimes even retention (the kind not even the most meticulous notes can provide).

That sounds like a different kind of hard work.

Where do the delivery methods used in your class fall on the pyramid of knowledge?

Want to learn more? A short reading list might help.

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What is passive learning? (and how to avoid it)

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On January 4th, 2016, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an opinion piece written by 15 undergraduates, all of them writing-seminar students at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The next day, The Chronicle's republished this piece, A Lecture from the Lectured , with the catchy hook: " We're tired of sitting silently in the dark, listening to you read the PowerPoint."

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Recuerdo como si fuera hoy cuando uno de mis primeros jefes en una empresa multinacional (hace más de 15 años) se sentó a "leerme" el feedback que había escrito sobre mi primer año en la compañía aclarándome "te lo doy ahora porque los de RRHH me están apurando que tienen que cerrar el tema de las evaluaciones y el bono, y dicen que estoy atrasado". Acto seguido me empezó a leer sus comentarios sobre cosas que habían ocurrido hacía 11 o 9 meses, y que nunca las habíamos conversado -y además yo casi ni me acordaba-. Yo no podía creer la cantidad de tiempo que había perdido para mejorar y viví una montaña de emociones, sumado a que sentía que esa conversación en ese momento, ya no tenía sentido, porque no observaba una intención de que yo aprenda y crezca, sino de cumplir con un "trámite".

Las conversaciones de feedback, retroalimentación o devolución, muchas veces en las organizaciones generan temor ("ay ¿con que me saldrá esta vez?" "¿qué me va a criticar ahora?), fastidio ("que ganas de perder el tiempo, nunca saco nada productivo de estas charlas!" "ufffffff, las próximas semanas vamos a estar con las devoluciones de la evaluación de desempeño!"), frustración ("esperaba escuchar otra cosa, pero es más de lo mismo") y la menor de las veces, entusiasmo por descubrir que se puede aprender y hacer diferente a partir de esa charla.

Posiblemente una de las causas sea que durante mucho tiempo en las empresas se asoció -y aun en algunas sucede- el feedback a momentos puntuales relacionados con una evaluación de desempeño, una conversación por aumento de sueldo e incluso a un premio, y no a una instancia de aprendizaje.

También en el día a día acompañando a equipos, observo lo difícil que se hace el recibir feedback de clientes internos o externos. El temor de que lo que desarrollamos o creamos no sea recibido con aplausos ("no es necesario ir mostrándo y pidiendo feedback, sabemos lo que el cliente necesita") nos lleva a no escucharlo, o a no indagar todo lo que podríamos, con el objetivo de aprender del otro y su mirada, sino a intentar justificar lo que hicimos o dejamos de hacer ("no entendió bien, le vamos a explicar").

Generalmente cuando doy talleres o charlas, pido feedback a quienes depositaron su confianza en mí -además de las típicas encuestas- y me encuentro que muchas personas se sorprenden, y algunas pueden decirme rápidamente lo que les gustó y/o se ajustó a sus expectativas, pero no les resulta sencillo decirme aquello que no fue así, aunque insista que no me voy a ofender :) por el contrario, les voy a estar agradecida de encontrar posibilidades de mejora. El feedback por momento parece algo amenazante, temido.

Como si la opinión del otro sobre lo que hicimos nos hiciera tambalear como personas.

Como si no tener todas las respuestas correctas sino solo un montón de preguntas pusiera en duda nuestro profesionalismo.

En un mundo tan cambiante y diverso, donde tal vez la mayor habilidad que podemos desarrrollar es la de Aprender a Aprender, el feedback se vuelve un tesoro.

En palabras del Dr. Stanislas Dehaene "la calidad y la precisión en las devoluciones son cruciales para la velocidad en la que aprendemos". Sin embargo, ya desde pequeños, en la escuela o la universidad, muchas veces hemos recibido un feedback reducido a su máxima expresión como son las notas, sin mayor explicación y a destiempo: un 3 a los 20 días de que realizamos una prueba! Ni recordamos como era que habíamos hecho esos cálculos o porque habíamos respondido eso, sumado a que no recibimos un feedback detallado que nos invite a ajustar nuestro modelo mental, nuestro mapa del mundo para mejorar en la próxima!

El feedback en si mismo, lejos de ser algo a temer, es un potenciador del proceso de aprendizaje personal y organizacional.

Qué importante reflexionar sobre su rol en equipos, aprender a darlo, pero también a recibirlo... y a pedirlo! Por eso es que aquí van algunas reflexiones:

Al dar feedback:

¿Cúal es la intención que tenés al momento de dar feedback? ¿Cúal es el propósito de esa conversación? ¿Para qué lo hacés? ¿Por qué es importante para vos tener esa conversación? ¿Cúal es la necesidad que hay detrás de esta conversación?

Las respuestas pueden ser variadas: Para acompañar a la otra persona en su crecimiento, para mejorar la relación, para agradecer o apreciar algo que el otro hizo, para criticarlo, para quejarse de algo, para satisfacer el ego dando una opinión sobre "como es el otro", etc. Cuanto más clara esté la intención para vos, más adecuada es la forma del mensaje que vas a transmitir, y si lo clarificás a quién recibe el feedback, mayor será el impacto positivo! (siempre y cuando la intención no sea criticar o juzgar)

¿Tenés el permiso de la otra persona para ofrecerle feedback?

Muchas veces se considera el feedback como una opinión que siempre la otra persona debería escuchar. Sin embargo, un feedback productivo debería ser dado siempre y cuando la otra persona esté disponible.

Un aspecto interesante es interesante entender cúal es la dinámica de poder entre las personas que intervienen en la conversación: ¿Se ven como pares o hay una relación jerárquica? En este último caso, podría ser que un jefe pueda ponerse más a la defensiva si es que alguien de su equipo le da feedback, que si sucede a la inversa, ya que se estaría invirtiendo la dinámica de poder. En relaciones jerárquicas, se entiende que es más habitual que un empleado reciba feedback, y no que lo de a alguien con un rango "superior" -jefe/empleado, padre/hijo, maestro/alumno-.

Algunas variantes para comenzar el diálogo podrían ser: Puedo comentarle algo que observé y que creo puede contribuir a...? Me gustaría compartirte algo que... me permitis hacerlo?

¿Lo que vas a traer a la conversación son hechos o meramente opiniones?

Un feedback productivo debería poder traer hechos puntuales / datos.

Decirle a una persona: Sos una genia! Sos brillante! Sos un desastre! puede servir para alimentar o golpear el ego, pero no proveé ninguna información concreta para que la persona identifique que es lo que el otro está valorando positiva o negativamente. Ser "una persona poco comprometida" o "de pocas luces" son solo opiniones que tiene una persona sobre otra y no suman a su proceso de aprendizaje. Distinto es decir: "me pareció brillante tu idea de hacer xx porque xx", "en mi opinión no fué satisfactorio tu informe dado que habíamos definido que xx y eso no se cumplió". Allí hay hechos concretos que le permiten observar al otro en que se basa esa opinión. Para que el feedback sume al aprendizaje necesita ser específico y no solo un juicio de valor. Sumado a eso, el hecho de poner etiquetas "inteligente" "creativo" "poco avivado" solo refuerza la mentalidad fija (Carol Dweck), es decir la creencia de que una persona "es" de determinada forma, y no que siempre puede aprender y cambiar (mentalidad de crecimiento).

¿Podés identificar la emocionalidad reinante?

A veces damos poco espacio a nuestras emociones, pero ellas tienen mensajes para darnos. Identificar cual es la emocionalidad en la que me encuentro es clave para comprender el espacio de conversación que voy a generar. Por ej, si estoy enojad@ o frustrad@ ¿podré generar el tipo de conversación que deseo?

Por otra parte, también es interesante poder empatizar con la otra persona y comprender que emociones le genera la conversación de feedback. Por ej, si siente miedo o se siente amenazada ¿podremos generar una conversación que cree opciones a futuro o solo será estar a la defensiva?

Al recibir feedback:

Abrirse a escuchar para comprender y aprender. Salir del piloto automático (si fuera el caso) de escuchar para contestar, justificar y rebatir.

Comprender que cuando se escuchan opiniones, son solo eso, juicios con los que se puede no estar de acuerdo.

Indagar para encontrar hechos concretos, datos, información que permita comprender cuál es el punto de vista desde el cual nos habla la otra persona.

No suponer segundas intenciones. Eventualmente, indagar sobre el "para qué" de la conversación si no está claro.

Agradecer el espacio.

Y vos, qué experiencias has tenido?

Qué otras sugerencias tenés para seguir mejorando la práctica de dar, recibir y pedir feedback?

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El feedback como motor de aprendizaje personal y organizacional

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Recuerdo como si fuera hoy cuando uno de mis primeros jefes en una empresa multinacional (hace más de 15 años) se sentó a "leerme" el feedback que había escrito sobre mi primer año en la compañía aclarándome "te lo doy ahora porque los de RRHH me están apurando que tienen que cerrar el tema de las e

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COVID-19: 10 steps for transferring your course online

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Guidance for schools, universities and learning and development professionals shifting from in-person to online learning.

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Muy buenos consejos para dar clases on line o a través de videos

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Muy buenos consejos para dar clases on line o a través de videos

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Helping you understand the convergence of learning, tech, games & game-thinking w/analysis, research, laughter & insight

The good news about having to suddenly teach online is that there are many lessons and experiences from others being shared all over the Internet--what a great community and "coming together" time for us all. So if you are new to online teaching or need a refresher, you can leverage those folks to avoid common mistakes and to maximize your own online teaching effectiveness.

First just a little of my own history, I remember back in 1998 when we first wrote a grant to purchase a newfangled software, called "Centra". It was mind blowing back then, we had never before seen a virtual classroom software tool and we were fascinated by the possibilities. Hat Tip to Mary Nicholson who found the software and pushed it for our grant.

With this software, we could imitate an actual classroom instructional environment with the ability to have learners raise their hands, tell us to slow down or speed up if needed and to see our instructional materials and, even, screen share or create breakout rooms, all from anywhere that had an internet connection.

Fast forward to today and many software tools have those same functions. Today the university uses Zoom but I've used Adobe Connect, WebEx, Blue Jeans, and many others. From those years of trial and error, I've created some tips that may help as you transition from classroom to online instruction.

I've also been fortunate enough to have done a number of video-based classes for Lynda.com and now LinkedIn Learning. So for those who have been forced by the recent pandemic to go online and pre-record video lessons or slide-based lesson, I've also learned some lessons.

Based on those experiences, here are tips for each type of environment, they are not comprehensive but I hope they will be helpful as you begin your journey.
Tips Live, Instructor-led

1. Communication is Key. It's hard to over communicate with students who have never been in a virtual classroom environment. Send an email a few days before with the link and maybe an image or two of a screen capture of the virtual classroom. Show students what to expect and what the virtual classroom will look like. Send a message the night before the online class and then a few moments before class resend an email with the URL. The less anxiety about getting into the virtual classroom, the better. Logging on should be a breeze, not the beginning of an ordeal.

2. Frame the Instruction. Often how you frame an event, shapes how you interpret and conduct an event. For me, I like to think of an online, live virtual event as a radio show. In fact, as an NPR radio show, it has conversation, ambient noise, a story and is griping often on topics that I would normally not even care about. So, frame this as you being a moderator of a show, you are going to direct the dialogue and manage process but, make no mistake, how you first appear, speak and present yourself sets the tone. Be positive, be a host and let everyone know you are in this together. "So today, we are here online, welcome to the Professor Xxx show, it's a new experience for many of us but we'll get through it. First, let's talk about..."

3. Start with orientation. Provide opening slides that describe the functions that are available to the students. "For the first few moments of today's first online class, I'd like to go over the features and functionality that we'll be using to approximate our live class" So start with something like: "If you have a question, you can write it in the chat, notice the icon on the bottom right of the screen that looks like a speech bubble, click on that." The time you take to explain the interface will be repaid tenfold in the smooth functioning of the class and the instruction later on. But believe me, you are not "wasting time" by reviewing the interface. It removes barriers and helps the learners.

4. Log into the virtual classroom early. When you first arrive, put a message in the chat, "Hi, it's Professor Kapp, we'll be starting in a few moments, in the meantime, are there any questions?" Turn on your video camera and wave, or say hi. Lots of times when students log into online learning for the first time, they aren't sure if any one is even there. Make your presence known right away. You might want to periodically repeat the agenda. "For those of you just joining, let me review what we are going to be discussing."

5. Show Your Face. At beginning of the session keep the camera on. For many students, hearing a disembodied voice over their computer is not a normal or natural way of thinking about "being in class." So take a few moments at the beginning to reinforce the human element by showing yourself, wave to the students, make a joke, tell them, I have my water (hold up your glass). You want to show that it's you, that you are still yourself and that you are settled and ready to teach. Now, you may want to turn off the camera as class continues because video still uses a lot of bandwidth but, periodically, turn it back on. If you can't use video, at least start with some pictures of yourself. The human connection is key.

6. If you want Conversation, ask Questions and Wait. As mentioned earlier, try thinking of the virtual classroom as a radio show. This works especially well if you have content that you'd like to have as a class discussion. Place a question or statement on a shared slide and then ask "Ok, let's hear from some one who disagrees with this statement..." You'll inevitably hear silence. Wait longer than is comfortable, there could be a lag in audio, they might be trying to figure out how to technically respond, they might be thinking of an answer. Ask again. Then if still silence. Consider that the students don't know how to get audio working (so now is a good time to do a quick refresher) even if you did one at beginning of class. Also, your students might be shy about speaking online. But hopefully, you have that one student who always has a question and likes to talk. Leverage that enthusiasm or even the student who likes new experiences like this "online learning" thing. If you have those students, ask them what they think. It almost always works and when it does, then typically others follow. Also, if audio is not an option, have them enter info in the chat and, if you have time to get comfortable with the online whiteboard tools, ask them to write their thoughts on a shared whiteboard.

7. Don't be Afraid to Fumble. I use a lot of online virtual classroom tools and I am always forgetting where something might be or forgetting to check the chat because it's somewhere else. Ask students for help. "Who would like to be in charge of watching the chat for thought provoking questions? Thanks, please alert me when you see a question that..." Or "Where is the screenshare button, can anyone tell me where it is, I know it's here somewhere." Again, this is a human experience mediated by technology so be human. You don't need to be perfect (tip: you probably aren't perfect in the classroom either and, that's ok--it's why robots and AI can't replace exceptional teachers.)

8. Create a Pre-Class Checklist. When you teach online, you are managing the content, the environment and the experience, that's a lot to manage. Create a checklist or agenda to help you along. Put things on the check list like "remember to check the chat" and "clear the raised hands after calling on all students" or "Get a glass of water before class" and "show my camera before break" and "take a break after the section on American History." The first few times a check list is very important, once you've done it a while it becomes less important. I've even held it up to students and sometimes shared it so they remind me to take a break or clear the chat.

9. Provide Contingency Plans to Students. It's technology, you don't use it every day and now everyone in the world is trying to use it. Video will lag, connections will be lost, you will suddenly freeze, your computer will want to reboot. Before any of this happens tell students that if you disappear or have tech issues, here is what we'll do. Maybe you set up an email message that you'll send to let everyone know you are rebooting or, one thing I've done is use old fashioned "phone trees" (but with text messages). I designate one student with whom I'll contact (because if computer goes down I might have trouble sending an everyone email to my class) then I text or have even called that student, explained what was happening and had them convey those messages to the other students.

10. Stay After Class. The world is a scary place and teachers, professors and even trainers do more than just teach, they help students make sense of the world around them. Sometimes in a very narrow context like "change management" or sometimes in a broader context like "growing up." Tell the students that you are going to stay online afterwards to answer questions, address concerns, review assignments, etc. Yes, we are all worried but you can help allay some anxiety by making the virtual experience pleasurable, safe and fun.

Pre-Recorded Content

1. Write a Script or Storyboard. Yes, you can lecture off the top of you head, you've been doing it for years. But sometimes, sitting in front of a camera (even one on your own laptop) can cause a form of amnesia and unless you have jelly fish enhanced memory pills, you'll need a script or storyboard. I am distinguishing between the two because with a storyboard, I include what I am showing on the screen at the same time I am talking. A storyboard allows you to choreography the entire session. It can really help if you are nervous or have never done this before. A script, to me, are simply the words you are going to say (but of course it could have blocking as well). But regardless, you should map out what you are going to say and do on the recording so you can be comfortable when you actually do the recording.

2. Audio First, Video/Images Second. Students will tolerate more easily poor or grainy video than they will poor audio. If you have limited resources, time and budget invest in creating good audio. Can't stress this enough, poor audio is one of the fastest ways to lose people. This also goes for the live but I find it to be a bigger issue in recording instructional content. Think Audio first, how can you get the best audio. Seriously, audio is critically important.

3. If Using Video, Amplify Yourself. If you are recording a presentation of you speaking as in a "talking head" video, then you need to exaggerate your teaching style. A lot can be lost on video and audio. Think about it. It's tough to sit in a classroom with an unanimated, monotone instructor---it's even worse in a pre-recorded video. You have to up your game by varying the tone and pitch of your voice, the pacing of the instruction and your delivery. Now is the time to go big, exaggerate your gestures, pause dramatically, raise your voice, whisper. You need to be interesting if you want to hold the attention of the student. You need to be a "video version" of yourself. You need to act...just a little bit. Don't be inauthentic, be the best, most excited version of yourself. Be as enthusiastic and excited as you can about the topic.

4. Start with a Hook. Ask a thought provoking question, give startling statistics, create a sense of mystery. One of my favorite shows is Forensic Files (the original). The show opens with a provocative question that is ultimately solved by forensic science. Open your pre-recorded instruction with a question that is ultimately answered by your instruction. Create curiosity and a compelling reason for watching the entire instructional recording.

5. Keep it Short. Yes, you give hour long lectures and students are fine but classroom dynamics are not the same as watching a recording online. In the case of online pre-recorded instruction, shoot for between 2-6 minute segments. Researcher Phil Guo found that engagement in video based instruction drops sharply after about 6 minutes so be aware of that time frame. See research here. Yes, you can be longer or shorter but remember, optimally (for video at least) do 6 minutes. You can always do three 5-minute segments (DO NOT simply cut up an hour lecture into 10 6-minute segments, for recorded instruction you need a script and a plan for each of the 6 minutes. One script/storyboard per six-minute lesson.)

6. Bookend the Recording. Videos or recorded slides are great but they provide the learner with plenty of opportunities for their mind to wander. So tell the learners what you are going to tell them (or ask a question about the subject), then tell them, then tell them what you just told them. It might seem redundant but our minds move faster than other people can talk so repeating yourself is helpful in a recorded session and providing "advanced organizers" and summaries are great for helping the learner gain the most out of the instruction.

7. Show Your Face. Just as in live instruction, showing your face interspersed with slides is a good way of showing the human side of the instruction. Again, Guo's research reinforces this concept as well. He found that videos that intersperse an instructor's talking head with slides are more engaging than showing only slides.

8. Tell Stories. Storytelling is a great way to gain and hold a student's attention. One technique that works is to weave the story in as an example. So consider setting up the story with an intro about the learning outcome or lesson of the story and then tell the story. Don't be afraid to be a little dramatic or to use images to convey the message (think documentary not classroom instruction). Then ask the learners to stop the recording and write down their lesson's learned, thoughts and ideas about the story and then have them pick up where they left off. In the rest of the recording, you explain the lessons you were trying to convey with the story.

9. More Slides. In a classroom, one of the visuals is you, the instructor. And while I strongly recommend showing your face at various times during the pre-recorded instruction, sometimes you need slides because students don't have the option of always looking at you if you are showing an online slide. And to paraphrase Neo from the Matrix responding to Tank who asked, "what do you need"? "slides...lots of slides." You want to keep the action (err instruction) moving in a pre-recorded lesson so you need to incorporate more slides than usual. It can be tough on the student when nothing is happening on screen, slides can draw attention, illustrate points, provide visual images of points and help keep the learner focused on the screen. So take apart your existing slides and make them separate entities that hold their own and map to your instruction. This can be tricky to do properly but is extremely helpful in holding attention.

10. Ask Students to Do Stuff. Just because it's a pre-recorded lesson doesn't mean that you can't mix media. Create a handout or use a handout you've already created and ask the student to take out a pen or pencil and complete the handout as they listen/watch your pre-recorded lesson. If you do something like that in class, there is no reason not to have the students do it while listening/watching/following your online instruction. Often online learning platforms have a mechanism to have worksheets or assignments uploaded once they are complete so you can check student work.

I hope these tips help in some way for those new to online learning environments. And, yes, it does seem like it will take longer and it will. Creating good online instruction is work just as when you first created good classroom instruction (we tend to forget the early days when everything was a new prep and we stayed up the night before wondering how to deliver the instruction.) The good news is that lots of people have been successful and tips and techniques are everywhere and the technologies are way better than in the late 1990's.

Best of luck in these trying times.
If you are an experienced online instructor, please leave your helpful tips. Bio Karl Kapp, Ed.D. has been teaching online in the field of Instructional Technology for over 20 years as a professor and as a practitioner at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, PA. During that time, he's shared his knowledge and insights through teaching online and face-to-face, books, LinkedIn Learning courses, peer reviewed articles, and keynote sessions at industry and academic events. Follow him on Twitter @kkapp

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Tips for Those Who are New to Online Teaching

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The good news about having to suddenly teach online is that there are many lessons and experiences from others being shared all over the Internet--what a great community and "coming together" time for us all.

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How do you define a learning organization? by Peter Senge, Author of The Fifth Discipline

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Learning is the eternal gift. Every single day provides us all with so many opportunities to learn and grow. Life is one big adventure in so many ways and when we adopt a curious and open mindset it's amazing what we can discover. I certainly know from personal experience that curiosity has helped me to be more resilient in challenging times, and life is never boring for a curious person.

Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures.
- Anonymous

In many ways curiosity is the catalyst of innovation. Curious people have an ongoing, intrinsic interest in both their inner experience and the world around them. Curiosity is also the engine of intellectual achievement and those who are more interested in a topic will learn faster and prime the brain better for learning. It is also associated with high performance in both academic and work settings and there is an increasing amount of evidence that suggests that the more you learn, the more you want to learn.

Curious minds are active minds, and active minds become smart minds. Curiosity is associated with intelligence, creativity and problem-solving ability. Curious people cultivate interesting and creative environments for themselves as they seek out new experiences and are open to exploring new ideas and possibilities.

Everyone possesses curiosity to some degree, although people will differ according to the depth and strength of their curiosity and their willingness to act on it. In this article, I'll offer some suggestions to help you become more curious.

Embrace diversity

Globalisation means that we now work and share our lives with people from so many different backgrounds. We are also working with people across a wide range of age groups. This can be so enlightening and educational and will help you to broaden your perspective by listening and learning from others. Being curious about differences will help you to expand your mind and expose you to other viewpoints, values and beliefs.

Ask open questions

There is a great benefit to asking open questions, i.e. ones that start with why, how, where, what, when, which, who? These types of questions open up opportunities to gain further information and avoid shutting down conversation with closed questions that only require a simple yes or no answer. It is also important to be aware of your tone when you ask questions to ensure that you avoid turning a curious conversation into an interrogation.

Listen

It's essential to be genuinely interested in what other people have to say. Appreciate that all the time your mouth is open, you are not learning. Do this without making assumptions and judgments so that you can fully absorb all the information. By demonstrating active listening skills through body language and interpersonal skills, you will also encourage the other person to open up to you.

Be present

Being fully present when you are with someone will help you to focus and attend to what someone is actually saying. Switching mobile technology off when you are with them will help you to be mindfully present. Also, quieting your own mind chatter and being calm when you are in any situation will help you to be absorbed in what is actually going on around you. Being mindfully present is something you have to practice, as it's a very necessary discipline.

Adopt a growth mindset

When you adopt a growth mindset, you understand that even your most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Brains and talent are just the starting point and the potential to learn and grow is an opportunity available to everyone at any age. The ability to learn, unlearn and relearn will help you to keep what you do relevant and useful. Being open-minded and willing to learn are the key ingredients to fresh thinking.

Be comfortable with not knowing

It would be impossible to know absolutely everything and there will always be something new to learn. You don't need to be afraid to admit that you don't have the answer. It doesn't mean you have failed or lack intelligence. Saying 'I don't know, but I can find out' gives you an opportunity to embark on a whole new chapter of discovery.

Be open to surprises

The conundrum with surprises is that too many can make us anxious, but conversely too much certainty in our lives can make things a bit dull and boring. You may well feel comfortable with certainty. In many ways you will feel more alert and alive when you don't know what's going to happen next, however. Introducing new situations into your life, talking to strangers, eating new food, or taking a different route, are just small ways that you bring an element of surprise into your life. Learn to be comfortable with uncertainty and surprises because you never know what you might discover.

Let go of the past

It can be easy to get trapped in the past and rely on what you have always done. If you want different outcomes, however, you need to be prepared to let go of the past and not let it affect your future. Starting each day with a beginner's mindset and looking to the future with an open mind will help you to see every situation you are in from a fresh perspective. Remember that was then and this is now, and every day of your life can be the beginning of a curious new journey.

Take time to pause

Curiosity in many ways comes from intentional pauses. Human beings are creatures of habits in many ways and can get caught up in habitual behaviours that lead them down the same old path and routine. Making time to be more curious and to explore new ways of doing things can be the catalyst to fresh thinking, new discoveries and exciting adventures.

If you would like to read more on curiosity in learning, or explore other topics such as wellbeing, resilience and creativity, you can find Liggy Webb's collection of bite-sized books here.
Interested in this topic? Read Learning culture: why we must champion curiosity and cultivate critical thinking.

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Why the key to lifelong learning is developing curiosity

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Learning is the eternal gift. Every single day provides us all with so many opportunities to learn and grow. Life is one big adventure in so many ways and when we adopt a curious and open mindset it's amazing what we can discover.

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Research tells us that asynchronous and synchronous online learning elements serve different purposes. In this article, I'm going for a deeper dive into the use and selection of asynchronous elements, as many suggest that they should be the major part of most online courses.

The Right Asynchronous Learning Elements

Asynchronous digital learning elements are used on demand and, unlike synchronous elements, don't require use at a specific time. Here are some typical asynchronous learning elements: on-demand audio and video, recorded presentations and demos, self-paced online courses, downloadable documents, and asynchronous discussion forums. The image below indicates the range of asynchronous content and social interactions.

Common Content And Social Asynchronous Interactions

In this article, I'll discuss the benefits of using asynchronous elements and how to use them.

Let's consider a situation where asynchronous learning elements would be extremely valuable. People are requesting online Microsoft Office classes in addition to classroom courses because attending in person requires travel and more options for training are needed. What would work well in this situation? One of the main considerations is how geographically spread out participants are and their need for flexibility. We don't want to make people attend live sessions at times that are very difficult or cause other problems. The first rule of training: First, do no harm. Wait, that's the Hippocratic Oath in medicine. But it's true for training as well.

People requesting online classes have varying skill levels. One common problem in face-to-face and synchronous classes is that the classes go too fast for some people and they're left behind. Asynchronous learning lets people take the time they need. That's one of its superpowers.

The bullets below show one way to meet the needs of this audience. Build an online course with mostly asynchronous elements (the first three bullets) and supplement with some synchronous elements (the fourth bullet) to add the benefits of social interaction.

Videos showing tasks and steps

Practice exercises

Job aid(s) to help people perform the exercises and perform the tasks in real life

Live, weekly question-and-answer sessions in various time zones

This is not the only way to build this course, of course, but it's a good starting plan.

In Part 1, I discussed digital learning tools used asynchronously (on demand, when and where the user chooses) and synchronously (live, at the same time for all users). Both modes of learning support learning, but differently, according to research. In Part 2, l analyzed how asynchronous and synchronous tools support different types of learning interactions and what each is best for. There are some key ideas discussed in Part 1 and 2 that are helpful for understanding the ideas in Part 3:

Asynchronous elements include on-demand instructional elements, such as recorded audio and video.

Synchronous elements include live delivery and communications. One of the most common synchronous elements is live instructional sessions.

Content interactions prompt participants to interact with the content, including reading, watching, listening, and doing activities. It often makes sense to use asynchronous elements for content interactions because they allow flexibility and time to process.

Social interactions are synchronous or asynchronous interactions among participants and with the instructor. They are valuable for getting answers, fixing misunderstandings, and gaining insights and feedback.

Processing is what leads to learning, not content. The primary purpose of content and social interactions is to prompt needed processing.

Note: I used the term self-paced for describing asynchronous learning in Parts 1 and Part 2. In a very helpful discussion on Twitter recently, Stephanie Moore (@steph_moore) reminded me that asynchronous elements aren't always strictly self-paced, and she's right. In some online courses, asynchronous elements are used as desired but during specific times so participants are traveling the learning journey together. This is common in online higher education and blended courses. My online courses are now largely asynchronous, but they are currently group paced so I can do a better job of instructing and mentoring. Holly MacDonald (@sparkandco) suggested using the term "on-demand" instead of self-paced. I like it. (Thank you, Holly!)

Flexibility And Deep Processing

In Part 2, I described the major advantages and limitations of asynchronous and synchronous learning. Many online and blended learning researchers say we should combine asynchronous elements and synchronous elements. That's because asynchronous elements, such as on-demand video, readings, and self-paced activities, provide flexibility and time to process. And synchronous elements, such as live meetings, offer valuable social interaction and immediacy.

Research by Kim, Sitzmann, and others reveals many benefits of combining these elements to get the best of the benefits and overcome the weaknesses of each. This table recaps what research shows are the primary advantages of asynchronous elements.

Asynchronous Learning Benefits

Flexibility Deep Processing

Use when and where needed

Incorporate multiple media

No waiting (use what you need when you need it, ability to take the time you need, ability to review)

More mental processing can happen with more time

Allows more time for practice and feedback

Allows more time to read, process, and respond to others' social contributions

Let's talk more about flexibility and deep processing, as they are important.

Flexibility

One of the reasons for digital learning is flexibility. This includes flexibility to learn at times and places that work for participants and when the need arises. If you are working with an audience that is spread out geographically or people with many life demands, flexibility is often not nice-to-have but need-to-have. Remove flexibility and you may well be making it hard or impossible to learn. (First, do no harm.) Hrastinski calls asynchronous learning elements a key component of flexible digital learning.

For example, during the COVID-19 quarantine, many parents, whose work hours weren't reduced or eliminated, are working from home while also taking care of family members, such as children and elderly parents. Would this have been a good time to also ask them to attend live synchronous sessions at 2:30 AM their time or when it was very hard to do so?

Deep Processing

Deep processing is a beneficial mental effort used to learn new information, integrate it with what is already known, and use it. Deep processing must occur or learning doesn't. Asynchronous learning allows people to take the time they need. Synchronous learning requires people to follow along.

Furst discusses how processing must be meaningful to work its magic (encoding into long-term memory so it can be used). Meaningful processing means thinking through and using new information in the context it needs to be used. Kirschner, Sweller & Clark explain, "The aim of all instruction is to alter long-term memory. If nothing has changed in long-term memory, nothing has been learned."

The need to deeply process is why we use new words in sentences in school, as that's the context of how words communicate specific information. It's why we should teach opticians about new optical lens materials in the context of use (different prescription types; different needs, such as computer and sports use; etc.).

Designing for deep processing means intentionally helping participants make sense of what they are learning, combine it with what they already know, and use the combined knowledge, as it will be used in real life or work tasks.

For example, new optical lenses with a higher refraction index result in thinner, lighter lenses because they can bend light more (the purpose of optical lenses). Deep processing by answering questions, handling situations, and the like helps participants determine what this means for a variety of optical situations. For example, we might have participants:

Explain the meaning of "refractive index" in their own words.

Answer important questions about the properties of the new lens material.

Describe where a higher refractive index would be most valuable in practice.

In a variety of real-life situations, choose when to use the new material and when another lens material would make more sense.

The fact that asynchronous learning makes deep processing easier because it allows more time for processing is no small deal.

Selecting Asynchronous Learning Elements

Commonly (in workplace learning), asynchronous learning elements are interactions with content. The goal of content interactions according to Bernard, Kirschner, and others is to increase mental processing to create changes to memory. This deep processing supports the progression from knowing to understanding to being able to use, according to Furst. People can and do process without formal learning interventions, of course. But the primary reason for formal learning is to build in needed processing.

The right content interactions are the foundation of good instruction, says Xiao. Well-designed content interactions are a primary force for deep processing. Social interaction is also unbelievably valuable, as I described in Part 2.

We can offer content interactions in synchronous learning. But the pace is typically set by the instructor, so some people will be left behind and others will be bored. In the following tables, I show common asynchronous content and social interactions and their typical uses, advantages, and problems.

Typical Content Interactions Common Uses Typical Advantages/Problems

Audio and video

Files

Course pages

Track usage

Need for organization

Participant can ignore

Unnecessary elements

Quizzes

Activities

Assess understanding

Practice and feedback

Assess course objectives

(Asynchronous Content Interactions)

Typical Social Interactions Common Uses Typical Advantages/Problems

Email

Fairly reliable, inexpensive, well-known

Lost or undelivered emails

Confusion due to fragmented communications

Texts
Like email but shorter messages

Like email but shorter messages

Discussion forums

Respond as available

Lack of participation

May need to moderate

(Asynchronous Social Interactions)
The following chart breaks asynchronous interactions down into various levels (know-understand-apply) so we can see how asynchronous interactions support learning at the levels described by Furst.

Interaction Level Examples of Asynchronous Interactions

Apply

Decision exercises, cases, simulations, problems, plans, troubleshooting, tasks

Understand

Examples and non-examples, animations, demonstrations, questions and answers, discussions, critiques, content maps, quizzes

Know

Narrated slide presentations, readings, prerecorded audio and video, links to more information, knowledge checks, remembering exercises (retrieval practice), quizzes with feedback

(Levels of Asynchronous Interactions, adapted from Dunlap and Stouppe)
When Should We Use Asynchronous Learning?

Researchers and very perceptive L&D folks, such as Guy Wallace (@guywallace), say that the bulk of our online course elements should be asynchronous because in most cases it's effective and the flexibility of these elements is a major reason for online learning. But, plenty of researchers tell us to add synchronous elements for immediacy (help, support, answers to questions) and engagement (insights, collaboration, multiple viewpoints).

In Part 4, I'll go into detail about choosing the right synchronous learning elements. I'd love to have a discussion about the topics in this series. If you're interested, join my email list at the top of my site and I'll contact you when I set these up.

If you're looking for what I consider to be a good system for delivering mostly asynchronous interactions (with some synchronous options), including social interactions, check out Zenler. It's what I use for my courses because it supports the interactions most critical for learning. I tried out most of the major course delivery platforms before choosing it and this was the only one I felt had the right capabilities.

References:

Anderson, L. A. (nd). The effect of synchronous and asynchronous communication on social presence and isolation in online education.

Beer, C. Clark, K., & Jones, D. (2010). Indicators of engagement. In C.H. Steel, M.J. Keppell, P. Gerbic & S. Housego (Eds.), Curriculum, technology & transformation for an unknown future. Proceedings ascilite Sydney 2010, 75-86.

Bernard, Robert & Abrami, Philip & Borokhovski, Eugene & Wade, C. Anne & Tamim, Rana & Surkes, Michael & Bethel, Edward. (2009). A Meta-Analysis of Three Types of Interaction Treatments in Distance Education. Review of Educational Research, 79(2), 1243-1288.

Chou, C. C. (2002). A comparative content analysis of student interaction in synchronous and asynchronous learning networks, Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

Clark, D. (August 6, 2018). Video is good but never enough - how to supplement it in minutes to get great learning. Plan B blog. http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com/2018/08/video-is-good-but-never-enough-how-to.html

Craik, F. I. M., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal behavior, 11, 671-684.

Darabi, A., Liang, X., Suryavanshi. R. & Yurekli, H. (2013) Effectiveness of online discussion strategies: A meta-analysis, American Journal of Distance Education, 27:4, 228-241

Dunlap, J. C., Sobel, D. & Sands, D. I. (2007). Designing for deep and meaningful student-to-content interactions. TechTrends, 51(4), 20-31.

Farrel, D., Ray, K., Rich, T., Suarez, Z., Christenson, B. & Jennigs, L. (2018) A meta-analysis of approaches to engage social work students online. Journal of Teaching in Social Work. 38:2, 183-197.

Furst, E. (nd). Introduction: Learning in the brain. Teaching with Learning in Mind. https://sites.google.com/view/efratfurst/teaching-with-learning-in-mind

Furst, E. (nd). Unerstanding 'understanding.' Teaching with Learning in Mind. https://sites.google.com/view/efratfurst/understanding-understanding

Furst, E. (nd). Meaning first. Teaching with Learning in Mind. https://sites.google.com/view/efratfurst/meaning-first

Giesbers, B., Rienties, B., Tempelaar, D., & Gijselaers, W. (2013). A dynamic analysis of the interplay between asynchronous and synchronous communication in online learning: The impact of motivation. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.

Guo, P. J., Kim, J., & Rubin, R. (2014). How video production affects student engagement: An empirical study of MOOC videos. In Proceedings of the first ACM conference on Learning@ scale conference, 41-50.

Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. Educause Quarterly, 4, 51-55.

Kim, K. J., Bonk, C. J. Teng, Y. T., Zeng, T. & Oh, E. J. (2006). Future trends of blended learning in workplace learning settings across different cultures, 20th Annual Proceedings of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, 176-183.

Kirschner , P.A. Sweller, J. & Clark, R. E. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: an analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 75-86.

Offir, B., Lev, Y., & Bezalel, R. (2008). Surface and deep learning processes in distance education: Synchronous versus asynchronous systems. Computers & Education. 51, 1172-1183.

Owusu-Agyeman, Y., & Larbi-Siaw, O. (2018). Exploring the factors that enhance student-content interaction in a technology-mediated learning environment. Cogent Education, 5(1), 1-21.

Sitzmann, T., Kraiger, K., Stewart, D., & Wisher, R. (2006). The comparative effectiveness of web-based and classroom instruction: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 59(3), 623-664.

Stouppe, J. (1998). Measuring interactivity. Performance Improvement, 37(9), 19-23.

Thurmond, V. A., & Wombach, K. (2004). Understanding interactions in distance education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance.

Watts, L. (2016). Synchronous and asynchronous communication in distance learning: A review of the literature.

Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don't students like school? A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. John Wiley & Sons.

Xiao, J. (2017). Learner-content interaction in distance education: the weakest link in interaction research. Distance Education, 38(1), 123-135.

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The Right Asynchronous Learning Elements - eLearning Industry

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Research tells us that asynchronous and synchronous online learning elements serve different purposes. In this article, I'm going for a deeper dive into the use and selection of asynchronous elements, as many suggest that they should be the major part of most online courses.