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Element K's robust Learning Management System (LMS), KnowledgeHub, has continued to garner a lot of attention in the industry -- witness its ranking in the "visionary" quadrant in a recent Gartner report and the two recent Brandon Hall awards it won for its integration of Web 2.0 technologies and its support of blended learning programs.
With more and more customers adopting KnowledgeHub as the technology platform for their learning and development needs, I started to wonder recently about what the most common keyword search terms were on the platform. So I inquired with our platform development group, and they were quick to provide me a report for a recent 10-day period. Here are the top results:
- Excel
- Oracle
- SAP
- *2010*
- SQL
- Excel 2007
- Windows 7
- Access
- SharePoint
- Business*
- Java
- CompTIA*
- ITIL
- Visio
- Adobe
- PMP
- Word 2007
- Cisco
- PowerPoint
- CEU
- Project management
- Linux
- Time management
- Project
- A+
I found these results to be quite interesting, for a few reasons. First, they show the broad range of learning topics that people are using the platform for: office productivity (e.g., Excel, Access, PowerPoint); design and media (e.g., Adobe); IT training (e.g., Oracle, Java); certification areas (e.g., CompTIA*, ITIL, PMP); and business skills (e.g., business*, project management, time management).
I also can note the implicit interest we are seeing for training on the latest desktop software. For instance, "Windows 7" comes in seventh in this list (and no, I didn't rig it to get that odd result with "7" in seventh!) But also I think it is likely that learners searching on "*2010*" indicates an interest in the 2010 editions of Microsoft Office, for which we already have numerous e-Learning courses, with many more on the way (as well as additional resources to complement the e-Learning courses).
I'll admit that, given the significant increase in sales of our Business Skills e-Learning courses and blended learning programs, I was initially surprised to see IT and desktop software keywords dominating this list. There are a few reasons I can come up with to explain this, however. First, there are no doubt still a great many Element K content and KnowledgeHub customers who purchased, years ago, desktop software or IT training content only, and have not yet enhanced those initial purchases with our robust soft-skills offerings such as e-Learning courses with business simulations, strong blended learning assets, short leadership videos, and business book summaries. We have grown a lot over the years, but not all customers know this or have taken advantage of our new strengths yet.
But, I also think that another factor is that people are more likely to use consistent search keywords in the areas of desktop software or IT training than they are for soft-skills topics. For instance, if someone is interested in learning about Microsoft Excel, most often, they would simply search for "excel." But for many soft-skill topics, a range of possible search keywords could be used. I think that at least partially explains why, if you ignore the project management-related terms and the wildcard term "business*," the first real soft-skills term that appears in this ranking is "time management" in 23rd place. (For the record, several other soft-skills keywords and phrases appear in the 25-75 spots in the results I was provided.)
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com and on Twitter @ThomasStone)
For the past few months, a multi-faceted debate has been growing in the L&D industry, particularly amongst proponents of the hottest topic in our industry: social learning. Some of the debate concerns the definition of what a Learning Management System (LMS) is today, what it could be, what it should be, and where LMSes can and should fit into the broader architecture of enterprise systems. First there were some provocative blog postings, including but not limited to:
Then the topic of “LMS – Lessons Learned” was the subject of one of the weekly 90-minute "chats" on Twitter (these go by the name #lrnchat, pronounced "learn-chat.”) This involved a healthy but at times frustrating discussion, with many people sharing their negative experiences with current or past LMSes, but also including David Wilkins of Learn.com, myself, and a few others who provided some balance to the discussion.
Then, a few days later, and after some side email exchanges by some of the lrnchat participants, Wilkins wrote a lengthy blog posting titled, "A Defense of the LMS (and a Case for the Future of Social Learning)." In this posting, Wilkins not only displays his deep understanding of the LMS market, but provides a compelling list of features that "current versions of industry-leading LMS solutions" provide -- including varied Web 2.0 / social learning features. Mentioned as examples in his short list of such LMSes were Learn.com, Saba, Cornerstone OnDemand, and Element K’s KnowledgeHub. His posting is a fun read, and should be very educational even for industry veterans.
Wilkins' blog post generated many great comments, both pro and con his viewpoint, and I chimed in a few times with some thoughts of my own. But the debate didn't end there, as the weeks that have followed have seen numerous responses to Wilkins and additional posts on this topic, including but not limited to:
And then David Mallon from Bersin & Associates further chimed in, linking as I am here to many of the posts in this ongoing debate, and providing some of his own perspectives along the way.
At Element K, our KnowledgeHub LMS has for nearly two years now provided customers with a set of Web 2.0 tools -- such as blogs, forums, and wikis -- integrated into the rest of the platform in some deep and compelling ways (e.g., search results span across both traditional formal learning content and the social learning components that the learner has access to.) For more on these features of our learning solution offerings, see our Collaboration information site. And see also the whitepaper I wrote on Blending Web 2.0 Technologies with Traditional Formal Learning.
In an industry as diverse and complicated as the L&D industry is, no one can predict with certainty what will happen in the future. Nor would anyone in this debate argue that one single solution is best for all organizations or all circumstances. What I can say with certainty is that I find the very fact that we, as an industry, are having this debate at all demonstrates the passion we all feel for providing the best learning and development solutions we can. I strongly encourage all learning leaders to read the above blog postings (fun beach reading this summer?), to stay current on this important topic. At the very least, I suggest that you read Wilkins' excellent posting and the comments and responses to it.
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com and on Twitter @ThomasStone)
It's time for another edition of the Learning and Development Roundup! (See also volumes one, two, three, four, five, and six).
The Future of the Training Department
I'll start off with the most provocative item in this roundup, a blog posting from Harold Jarche titled "The Future of the Training Department." Jarche begins with a whirlwind tour of the history of training, why it developed as it did, why it made sense and worked well enough, and so on. But then along lines similar to columns and postings written by his colleague Jay Cross over the past year, Jarche notes that the world has changed and that people in organization's "training departments" had better change too, or potentially face extinction as such. Jarche's thoughts on this subject, like those of Cross and others, are provocative to say the least, and should be a wake-up call to any learning leaders who are changing very slowly or continuing to do basically the same things they have always done. While you're at Harold's blog, see also his many other excellent posts from this past month, especially his "Increased Complexity Needs Simplified Design," which makes several valuable points about informal learning.
Low-Costs LMSs Do Exist
The August/September issue of Elearning! magazine included an article by Jerry Roche titled "LMSs for Less Than $20,000." In these tough economic times, where everyone is being asked to do more with less (or in some cases making the tough decisions to do less with less), understanding how to maximize value from your Learning Management System is critical for learning leaders. The article starts by noting the absolutely critical point: The trick is finding an LMS that meets your needs, while not buying more LMS than you need. In other words, hitting the sweet spot while spending as little as possible. With this as the context, the good news is that in some cases, a low price tag no longer equates to less functionality than you need. Some low-cost LMSs now include not only basic tracking of e-Learning, but also features such as ILT classroom management, advanced reporting, and even collaborative Web 2.0 features such as forums, blogs, wikis, and more. Element K's KnowledgeHub LMS is one such platform that provides all of these and more. While many in the industry know of Element K for our award-winning e-Learning and print ILT courseware content, in recent years we have spent a lot of effort into building out our KnowledgeHub LMS platform, so we are pleased to be included in this article's listing of low-cost LMSs you should be considering.
If you are in the market for an LMS, another good recent resource to share with you is Clive Shepherd's posting on "The 21st Century LMS," which includes a PDF of the results of a recent gathering of the eLearning Network, and in particular their activity to "identify what was required in an LMS that was fit for the 21st Century."
Don't be Scared to Evaluate
In the August/September issue of Elearning! magazine, Diane Valenti wrote on the importance of evaluation in "Scared to Evaluate? Return on Learning Is Your Lifeline." After introducing the subject and posing the normal difficult questions regarding training ROI, Valenti describes a good example of the role that accountability can play in driving ROI: it can be the extra push users need to apply what they learn from training to their actual jobs. She notes that ROI doesn't always need to be calculated, but does when training "is the solution, in whole or in part, to a specific business challenge. Such challenges could include an increase in customer complaints or employee turnover, a drop in sales or profit margin, or even a lack of leadership bench strength." She then walks the reader through the three high-level steps of determining ROI: determining the benefits of training, determining the costs of training, and finally calculating the value of the training. For each, step she gives useful examples to help anyone new to this process. A recommended read for both novices and veterans alike: you definitely don't need to be scared to evaluate!
Big Question: New Presenter and Learner Methods and Skills?
The latest "big question" at ASTD's Learning Circuits blog is "New Presenter and Learner Methods and Skills?" The list of more focused questions can be pretty well summed up with two concerns: multitasking and backchannel. That is, how can trainers and presenters best handle the inevitable multitasking and backchannel chatter that occurs during their classes and sessions? And what are the best practices for us on the other side, as learners and audience members? As a conference speaker myself, I've certainly been thinking about this a lot lately, especially as the phenomenon that is Twitter has made live-backchannel discussions a reality at almost every presentation at every conference. The response postings to this "big question" come from great industry bloggers including Tony Karrer, Clark Quinn, Clive Shepherd, and others. See also Karrer's additional posting highlighting some of the salient points raised by everyone else.
A Corporate Social Media Use Example: SabreTown
The September 2009 issue of T+D Magazine, in an article titled "Letting Go" (ASTD membership required), provided another good example of using social media technologies in a corporation, this time from Sabre Holdings. The center of their application, SabreTown, revolves around employee-completed profiles, complete with areas of expertise, and online discussion boards. When people ask questions, the system notifies the people it considers to have the most relevant expertise, an innovative way to drive conversation and knowledge exchange. The article details numerous best practices and lessons learned at Sabre, including the following and more:
- Maximize the value of the system by making sure it is used to the greatest extent. In particular, the advice given suggests keeping it simple, making the tool easy to use for all, not worrying about making it perfect technologically, building it to mimic how people already communicate (e.g., Q&A), and not letting it lose its meaning by building it into something larger
- Promote behavior that will increase trust in the system.
- Seed the system with questions and answers for the first month or two by selecting some people to "overuse it."
- In communications about the system, keep returning to its value.
The article notes that SabreTown is credited with substantial savings for the company, including $500,000 in direct savings in the first year. But, based on strong anecdotal evidence, that figure doesn't come close to representing the total savings they are seeing. A truly impressive case study!
New Whitepaper: Social Learning Introduction
Harold Jarche recently announced a new whitepaper, "Social Learning Introduction", from the new "idea lab" group Collaborative Enterprise. A group-authored whitepaper, each writer gave their unique perspective on the question: "How would you describe social learning and why is it important for today's enterprise?" Included are insights from Clark Quinn, Charles Jennings, George Siemens, Jay Cross, and eight others.
22 Power Laws
Dion Hinchcliffe wrote an outstanding article at ZDNet.com titled "Twenty-Two Power Laws of the Emerging Social Economy." Definitely a good read, possibly one of the most thought-provoking things you will read all year. Some of the "laws" he covers will be well-known to you, such as Moore's law, the Long Tail, the Pareto principle, or even Metcalfe's law. But many of the others will be new to you, so I strongly recommend you read this article and consider which of these "power laws" are a major driver for your organization. And for additional reflections, see also Tony Karrer's comments on Dion's article.
Updates from Element K
I'll again end this roundup posting with links to our newsletter service that we launched in June. Each newsletter includes several articles of relevance to the Learning and Development field, as well as updates about Element K events and our latest product releases. You can see the latest newsletters here: June, July, August, September, October, and November.
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com)
The MASIE Center has released the summary results of a 69-question survey conducted earlier this year on Learning Management Systems. The survey participants were from the Learning CONSORTIUM and from their Learning Systems Roundtable held in mid-April. There were 199 responses received, and as Elliott notes, "The data provides interesting insight into how the world of Learning Systems is evolving." I can't briefly recap all that is interesting in these results, but I will draw attention to just a few items:
- Only 50% indicated that they thought the Learning System they purchased was the correct one for their organization. (Question 9)
- 66% indicated that if they had the resources, they would replace their current Learning System. (10)
- 44% indicated they plan to upgrade or change their learning system in the next 6 months or 1 year. (21)
- 50% indicated they were implementing Web 2.0 tools. When asked which ones, the results were Social Networking 74%, Wiki 68%, Blog 66%, Chat 47%, Other 19%. (22, 23)
- Inline with what I've noticed over the years, only 23% manage to the SCORM 2004 standard, while 77% have stayed with SCORM 1.2. (24)
- Even with the dissatisfaction of many respondents with their Learning System software and/or vendors, 85% still believe the benefits of having a Learning System outweigh the costs. (40)
- 68% of organizations develop learning content through a combination of in-house development and external development.
And finally, when asked what is the most important business need that their Learning System does not support (question 55), the number one response was Collaboration at 32%. This is good news for Element K, as we added wiki, blog, and forum functionality to our KnowledgeHub LMS nearly a year ago.
For an additional perspective on the LMS world, see the ASTD Learning Circuits report from earlier this year, which reports on survey responses from their readers.
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com)
On Wednesday April 8th, at 2:00 p.m. (EST) I will be presenting a one-hour webinar on the topic "Blending Web 2.0 Technologies with Traditional Learning Approaches". Registration for this event is free.
Here is a summary of this session:
When learning leaders can successfully integrate the new with the current, everyone benefits. But how do you integrate Web 2.0 technologies -- wikis, blogs, forums, and so on -- with the traditional formal learning methods such as e-Learning and ILT? What collaborative technology is the best to use in various learning program scenarios? What are some strategies for blending Web 2.0 technologies with the learning modalities you've invested so much in over the years? What are the connections with informal learning and performance support?
In this webinar I will give you critical best practices gained from real experience, and provide a dozen actionable strategies for including Web 2.0 technologies to your blended learning solution.
I've delivered a similar presentation a few times at recent industry conferences, and have gotten very positive feedback. This webinar is not a sales pitch or Element K product demo, but rather a presentation that includes lots of key information and valuable best practices, and it gives you the opportunity to ask me your burning questions about integrating Web 2.0 into your learning solutions.
I hope to see you there!
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com)
There are different ways to determine the popular topics and top trends in any industry. You can conduct surveys, review what research reports have to say, or look into what the hot topics are with bloggers in the field.
After attending over a half-dozen conferences in the past year, I realized that another way to gauge forward-looking trends in the learning and training industry would be to categorize all of the conference presentations and see what topic areas occurred most often. So I did that for six conferences that ran from October 2007 through April 2008:
- Training Tech
- Learning 2007
- DevLearn 2007
- Training 2008
- ASTD TK 2008
- eLearningGuild Annual 2008
Before getting into the results of this exercise, I want to note that there is a definite level of subjectivity involved here. Depending on what topic categories you chose to sort by, your results would vary. Also, even with the same category scheme, any two people might assign the categories differently. So take these results with those caveats in mind—this wasn't a scientific exercise, but rather one that provides a rough guide regarding what is being "talked about" the most in our industry.
Also, a large number of presentations were either on the very basics of developing e-learning and other training materials, or were on topics that were not easily categorized. I didn't want to spend days and days on this exercise, so if it wasn't fairly obvious from the title and description what the talk was about, I included it in a large "miscellaneous" category.
That said, here are the top eight topic categories (other than miscellaneous), and the number of presentations for each (there is overlap, as a presentation can be categorized in more than one area):
- Web 2.0 / Collaboration (64)
- Serious Gaming / Robust Simulations (62)
- Mobile Learning (52)
- LMS and LCMS (51)
- Using Rapid E-learning Tools and Techniques (51)
- Virtual Classroom / Synchronous / Webinars (29)
- Immersive Learning / Virtual Worlds / Second Life (28)
- Performance Support / Informal Learning (27)
As you can see, there is a bit of gap between the top five areas which each had 50+ sessions, and the bottom three which each had 27-29 sessions. I tracked another dozen or so areas, but each of those had less than 20 sessions.
I consider three of these areas—LMS, Rapid E-Learning, and Virtual Classroom/Webinars—to be more mature from a vendor perspective than the other five. Innovation is occuring in all of these areas, but some have a longer history than others.
I'll have more to say on these results in the future, but for now let me ask you: Which of the top eight areas above are you using for learning and training in your organization? Which are you investigating for potential use in the future?
Please use the comments form to add your thoughts about this blog posting and these questions. I look forward to hearing from you!
— Thomas Stone (Tom_Stone@elementk.com)
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