Designing SUCCESSful eLearning
There is nothing worse than opening an eLearning course and finding a wall of words! Even at the onset of the wall — learners are often hopeful it will get better. Sadly, there are instances in which learners review paragraph after paragraph of new information. Our job as designers is to avoid the wall and... View Article
Read MoreApril 12, 2016
Cynthia Brendza
Designing Interactive and COLLABORATIVE Virtual Learning
Question: Can you design learning for the virtual classroom using the same techniques that you would apply to designing for the traditional classroom? Answer: For the most part — yes. Today, we all see examples of virtual instructor-led training (VILT) that basically equate to a talking head. We observe the facilitator sharing slide after slide... View Article
April 7, 2016
Christine Garcia
The Newest Blended Learning Trends
Today, organizations globally are using a variety of techniques and tools in their blended learning strategies to help develop talent and improve performance. But what does blended learning look like in 2016? Show Your Work In this age of transparency brought about by social media and always-on devices, the theme of showing your work is... View Article
April 5, 2016
Tim Elliott
The Theory of Adult Learning
If all of the books, articles and speech scripts related to adult learning were stacked upon each other, the total number of items would probably surpass the number of adults who actually participated in a learning session. In other words, a lot has been written! There is so much great information out there. The purpose... View Article
March 31, 2016
Lauren Barela
Resources to Elevate Your Instructional Design Skills
As instructional designers, it falls on us to come to each position with the skills our employer (or client) requires and to be able to fall in step alongside full-time employees with little to no lag time. To each job we must bring with us intimate and extensive knowledge of systems, processes, methodologies, and styles.... View Article
March 29, 2016
Janine Anderson
How to Establish Credibility in Your Field
Among other things, becoming an effective learning services professional requires that you establish yourself as a leader. While earning a degree or adding certifications to your resume is certainly necessary in establishing yourself as a leader in your field — that’s not what we are here to talk about. I’m talking about what happens after... View Article
March 24, 2016
ttcInnovations
What to Do When the Work Is Not Coming In
You set your own hours, you work in your PJ’s, and you do what you love for a living. The life of a freelancer doesn’t sound half bad does it? But with our flexibility and freedom we often forfeit one very important thing: work stability. As a freelancer, our next project isn’t always guaranteed. You... View Article
March 23, 2016
Kat Bourgeois
Learning that Lasts, Part III
This is the last of a three-part series on creating learning experiences that participants can recall easily when needed. These 10 practices can be used during the learning experience. Read Part I and Part II. “Stickiness” is an elusive aspect of learning that can be difficult to define and track. If it hasn’t occurred, its... View Article
March 17, 2016
Cynthia Brendza
Can Aroma Therapy or Essential Oils Improve Concentration and Focus?
Like most of my fellow instructional designers, I am working on a curriculum for a client. Only this time, I will be facilitating the training. I haven’t facilitated in many years and I am hoping it will be similar to riding a bike, in that it will all come back to me as I climb... View Article
March 15, 2016
Sandi Matuschka
Unlock Your Writing Muse, or, How to Begin Writing Anything
The secret to beginning any piece of writing is simply to begin, no matter what you say or how you say it. Putting fingers to keys — we used to say, “putting pen to paper” — is as easy as doing precisely that. Many beginning writers, or those who only need to write once in... View Article
March 10, 2016
Sandi Matuschka
Ingredients of an Extraordinary New Hire Program
Over the years, many companies have had challenges integrating new hires into their organization quickly to deliver better results faster. Some New Hire programs create a far bigger impact than others. It is all too often that participants leave the experience un-inspired, let alone thoroughly equipped with the right mindset and capabilities to execute the... View Article