Patti Shank’s “What Recent Learning Research Says about Designing Synchronous Learning” was my first stop. Before diving in, Patti discussed five key questions to consider when delving into research.

1. What was the number of people involved in the study; (n)?
2. What was the selection method: a convenience sample or a probability sample?
3. What was the methodology? Was it self reporting, observations, or surveys?
4. What were the actual questions asked and methods used?
5. Who were the individuals involved?

She then led the group through the existing literature on synchronous eLearning. Here are three major takeaways:

• Traits and preferences impact how well synchronous works.
• Asynchronous works better for some instruction; synchronous works better for others.
• Good design makes a difference in outcomes in synchronous instruction.

My next stop was “Partnering to Create Dynamic Organizational Learning Interventions” presented by Belinda Brin and Nancy Priest. Brin is the Senior Organization Development Manager at Nestlé Purina PetCare and Priest is a senior executive at Eagle’s Flight in Creative Training Excellence. Both women led a partnership between the organizations to develop training for 7,000 employees. The spoke extensively on “creating a culture of innovation” and how to be a better corporate partner.

Session 508: “Life after eLearning: Realistic Performance Activities in the Workplace” was led by John Low Chief Creative Officer at Carney Inc. He opened with his thoughts on LSCON. John noted a consistent theme, we were all seeking “alternatives to monolithic learning events.” He then took us through a history of learning and training, touching on the Industrial Revolution, systematized training, learning machines, B.F. Skinner, Norman Crowder, all the way to the present with IBM’s Watson and Google Now. John succinctly and accurately stated, “there is a shift from knowing to knowing how to find.”

Because I hadn’t attended any of the Learning Stage events, I left John’s session a little early to head to the Expo Hall where Clark Quinn was leading a panel discussion on mobile mistakes. Robert Gadd, Chad Udell, and Neil Lasher (an official “eLearning Rockstar“) offered some great insights as they took questions from the audience. I wish I had gotten here earlier; it was a lively, no holds barred conversation. Topics ranged from platforms to security to moving beyond apps.

The evening concluded with SolutionFest 2013, which was an opportunity for attendees to showcase their latest tools, technologies, and projects. My only complaint would be the set-up; perhaps next year it should be held in a bigger space. With lots of interested attendees, it was difficult to hear and see all of the demonstrations. However excitement is a good thing; it’s better to have a large crowd than an empty room!

I am really enjoying this year’s conference and looking forward to DevLearn 2013!

Day two began with Morning Buzz, these early morning facilitated discussions are informal share sessions. Today, they ran the gamut from gamification to Section 508 compliance. Afterward attendees gathered for the General Session to listen to Daniel Coyle’s “Hotbed: The Blueprint of High Performance.” This was a real treat. Dan was dynamic, informative, and engaging.

If you are unfamiliar with his work, Dan has been all around the world observing “talent hotbeds” from the slums of Brazil to Beaverton, Oregon. One stage, he shared how high performance relies needs three key habits: REACH, STARE, CONNECT.

1. Maximize Reachfulness: Eliminate passive learning, and try learning on the edge.
2. Fill the Windshield: Find good models to stare at (and emulate), only then will your windshield fill with an image of a better self.
3. Communicate Like a Coach: First connect, and don’t forget to praise effort not ability.

Listening to Dan made me think of “Lords of Dogtown.” Dan asked the audience “Why do kids at play learn the fastest?” Take skateboarders, Dan’s example, who are typically viewed as slackers. In actually they are quite the opposite. Do you know how many times you have to try the trick in order to master it? This is what high performance is all about—practice.

I ended my morning in Kevin Thorn’s session: “How to Communicate to the Visual Cortex—What Learners Don’t See.” Kevin has a background in illustration and animation. The great thing about Kevin is he has taken his passion for visual design and applied it to learning. His session was enjoyable.

Now, the key to a great presentation is holding the audience’s attention. People are inevitably going to meander from room to room at a large conference, but I have to say, I didn’t notice many walking out during Kevin’s session. That’s because he focused on the audience. The exercises were simple but fun; no handouts or complicated questions.

Kevin spoke about the brain’s function in relation to how we view information. He briefly explained the connection between our eyes and our visual cortex, and followed with a brief discussion on central and peripheral vision. What I am about to share is essential for instructional designers: People cannot help but notice objects in the periphery. It is up to you to decide if you want to detract learners or refocus their attention on the screen. I suggest you read Cammy Bean’s article: “Avoiding the Trap of Clicky-Clicky Bling-Bling.”

To close, I leave you with this to ponder: Sometimes we don’t need words, simple shapes and colors can communicate the same idea by tapping into what we already know.

Check back for Part 2.

Earlier today, Marc Rosenberg led a brilliant session: “Building eLearning Strategy for the Future: Nine Key Shifts to Watch.” He first defined what he meant by strategy, he followed with a discussion on how to be strategic vs. tactical, and then spent most of the hour breaking down the 9 key shifts to watch.

1. “From eLearning to eWorking”
   • Forget the classroom, most learning happens in the workplace. We are going to see more integration between working and learning, with most of learning occurring any and everywhere outside of the confines of a “class schedule.”
2. “From Information Scarcity to Information Abundance”
   • Learners want to “carve their own path.” Because we all learn at different paces, users want to guide their own path as they explore various content offerings.
3. “From Target Population to Cyber Intimacy”
   • No one wants to waste time learning what they already know. You must create individual learning experiences for each employee.
4. “From Courses to Apps”
   • Courses don’t work on tablets, smart phones, and other mobile devices. With this shift to mobility, learners want guidance and performance support not courses. They want applications that are not only quick and to the point, but simplify tasks.
5. “From Grades to Experiences”
   • With the integration of social learning and performance, and the emergence of the Experience API, there is less emphasis on “what grade did you get?” and more emphasis “on what do you know?” Rosenberg identified this as resume vs. transcript.
6. “From ‘Teach Me’ to ‘Guide Me'”
   • The instructor’s role is changing. It’s less about lectures and more about practice, creative thinking, and collective problem solving. There is a greater emphasis on informal learning, such as coaching and mentoring.
7. “From Course Catalogs to Knowledge Bases”
   • Information is everywhere! Learners should stop asking “what do you offer?” and instead ask “what do you know?”
8. “From Content Production to Content Curation”
   • There is a lot of bad information out there, especially online. We need knowledge managers and content curators to make sure learners have access to accurate and up-to-date information. Remember everyone is a content consumer and creator.
9. “From Push to Pull”
   • As a learner evolves from the novice to expert stage their needs change. There is less emphasis on training and more on collaborative learning. “Master performers” are more likely to pull from a knowledge database; they want to learn in their own way. Allow it!

If you have not already moved in the direction of change, it’s not to late. Don’t get left behind. And don’t forget to test your strategy!

At the end of every day, we will be recapping the conference from now through Friday. If you want to keep up with detailed play-by-play, check out the conference backchannel, which is being curated by eLearn Mag’s Dave Kelly. You can find the curated stream at http://LSCon.hashcaster.com.

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And don’t forget to check out our Twitter feed for exclusive conference highlights. The official conference hashtag is #LSCon.

Update: (03/20/13)

9 Key Strategic Shifts to Watch

Day 2 of LSCON13: Part 1

Day 2 of LSCON13: Part 2

1. Plan it. What will one episode of the podcast cover? Nielsen recommends using a mindmap (such as Freemind or Mindmanager, for example) to plan the episode. Alternatively, use a bulleted outline. While some podcasters like to write out a full script, Nielsen personally doesn’t like to stick to a written text. He prefers adlibbing and recommends it to other people who know their material cold.
2. Record it. This step, explained in more detail below, involves running a sound check and recording the actual podcast segments. Recordings should be done in an uncompressed wav format (or the Mac alternative) in 44Hz stereo or mono. Audacity is a free piece of software for recording and other functions, which Nielsen highly recommends for its multitude of uses.
3. Edit and mix. Editing and mixing a podcast means simply cleaning it up. Again, Audacity is a great tool that automates a lot of the process of optimizing and compressing the file.
4. Tag it. For any piece of content to be found online, whether an image or an MP3, it needs to be tagged with descriptors that tell users what it is. Again, the free tool Audacity helps podcasters walk through much of the process of tagging each episode: title, associated web site, “artist” or podcast host, and so on.
5. Upload it. Uploading the podcast means putting it somewhere that other people can access it. Nielsen says podcasts (and really any large files) should be uploaded using an FTP client, such as Filezilla or Fetch, both of which are free.
6. Embed it. Create a post for your podcast on a blog or web site with text that introduces it and a link to the uploaded audio file
7. Burn it. “Burning” a podcast means publicizing that it is available on an RSS feed. Before buring a podcast, think through the title and description because these will be included when burned. Use Feedburner, and it will prompt the user through all the steps.

Tips on Podcasting Quality
The most important tip Nielsen shared is: Enjoy what you do. The enthusiasm a podcaster shows absolutely comes through in his or her voice, and if it’s lacking, so too will an audience be lacking.
Other tips:

• Clearly define the podcast’s purpose.
• Know your audience. What is your strategy? Just as an instructor must think through how she or he will engage the learners, a podcast host needs to think about what will engage the podcast listeners. When will they listen — on their commute, while multi-tasking and completing e-learning assignments, in a group? (It would be impossible, says Nielsen, to develop learning objectives without these first two points.)
• Select an episode structure, and use it consistently. A structure with a beginning, middle, and end works best in the podcasting genre. “Having an intro — current events, and just what’s going on,” says Nielse. “Tell what happened to you this morning. People like that. They like knowing a little bit about you.” The intro and outro (an outro might be, “Thanks for listening to the e-Learn Podcast. I’m Jane Doe. Next week in the podcast I’ll be interviewing John Smith.” Also in the outro, Nielsen recommends giving the listener an action, such as visiting a web site or taking a quiz.
• Don’t tackle too much in one episode. Each episode should feature one key segment, or one main topic.
• Develop episode continuity. Build on concepts from one show the next. “These planning and strategy initiatives are community builders in themselves,” Nielsen says.
• Deliver episodes consistently. People hate to be stood up, even in the podcasting world, so if they are expecting an episode weekly or monthly, it’s important to deliver on that promise.
• Choose an appropriate episode length, and stick to it. Nielsen says 20 minutes is just about right for most podcasts. Remember that most listeners take in a podcast in one sitting.

Tools on a Budget
What does it cost to create and publish a podcast?
First, a computer is required, and Nielsen recommends a good laptop for portability. One need not spend more than about $800 for a good notebook these days, says Nielsen, and certainly, many people already own one.
Second, podcasters will need a decent sound card. Oftentimes PCs and Macs will already include one, but to upgrade or buy a new one, it shouldn’t cost more than about $100 for a sound card.
Don’t skimp on good speakers, running upwards of $75.
A USB headset with a microphone for $40-$50 is an indispensable tool. Pick one with a flexible mic, too, such as Plantronics’ USB headset.
While it’s not necessary to build a full sound booth, it is important to find a quiet space with little to no ambient noise. Working on a combo headset/microphone helps a lot with ambient sound, but in general, seek out a small, furnished and carpeted room. Draw the curtains to eliminate additional echo.
Avoid large rooms, tile, linoleum, air conditioning units, mobile phones, heaters, and ceiling fans.
Option tools include a voice recorder with a speaker for remote recording when lugging a laptop is too cumbersome (try the Edirol). And for video podcasts, hosts will need something a little more upscale than a cheap flip cam, such as the Kodak Play Touch (1,080 pixel HD video) or the Kodak Zi8.
For software, Audacity (free) will really meet almost all podcasting needs.
For more about Rick Nielsen, see eLearningRadio.com and businesslearningsystems.com.

1. Informal learning is a key part of workplace learning.
2. There are deficiencies in the formal learning model. “A lot of existing formal learning practices are ineffective and inefficient. Most formal learning is content-heavy and interaction-poor, provides little opportunity for practice in context and for reflection. In other words, a large amount of formal learning is a cost rather than a benefit,” says Charles Jennings, who is also part of the Internet Time Alliance with Hart.
3. Social media is having a big impact in the workplace.
4. Increasing consumerization of IT: This means people are bringing their own tools to work because they don’t feel like they can rely on the tools that they are given at work, or they just prefer their own familiar tools that they already know how to use.
5. Merging of personal, working and learning tools
6. Individuals are doing their own thing: “they know they can get the answers quickly” from Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, and so they turn to them with or without the organization’s knowledge. “Learning is not only happening in the learning department. Learning is happening all around,” says Hart.
“Everyone really has to think about learning while you work — or becoming obsolete,” says Hart.
7. Autonomy has a powerful effect on individual performance and attitude
8. Today’s “learning” systems are not appropriate for the new era of workplace learning.
“When learning is the work, then it has to be integrated with working,” says Harold Jarche, another member of Internet Time Alliance.
9. The changing learning landscape is part of a much wider changing business environment.
10. Senior decision makers think there is a need for change in L&D.

3 Practical Steps Towards the New Era of Workplace Learning

1. Encourage and support individuals and teams to address their own learning and performance problems (very much about trust).
2. Provide performance consulting services.
3. Provide advice on appropriate tools and systems.