Check out a great blog article

One of the blogs I subscribe to is eLearning Technology by Tony Karrer (www.elearningtech.blogspot.com). Dr. Tony Karrer, considered one of the top technologists in e-Learning, is the CEO/CTO of TechEmpower, a software, web and eLearning development firm out of L.A.  His blog post on Monday, January 18^th, 2010, titled “Top 10 eLearning Predictions for 2010: eLearning Technology” is a really interesting read.

My favorite prediction is #2: Convergence Ramps Up Big Time which focuses on the huge growth of mobile devices and how they’ll have an impact on workplace learning solutions as an alternative platform.  Stephanie and I have worked with clients who are challenged by workforces that are diverse and scattered around the globe. We’ve seen the potential for using smartphones, such as the Blackberry, as a vehicle to push bite-sized just-in-time learning content to their employees 24/7. If you’re interested in learning more about mobile learning, contact us here at Limestone Learning Solutions.

In the meantime, grab a cup of coffee or tea and check out the article.  It’s a good read – and don’t miss prediction #10.

A new ice-breaker

I recently attended a BC HRMA consultants’ roundtable event on Visioning and Strategic Planning for 2010. It was a very informative event and made for a great networking opportunity.  The roundtable was comprised of HR and training professionals who were either currently running or starting up their own consulting companies. Having facilitated or participated in many, many ice-breaker activities over the years, it’s challenging to find an activity that impresses a room full of HR and training professionals. The facilitator at this event managed to do that admirably!

At the start of the session, the icebreaker activity was conducted to help us focus on the evening’s topic. Before the roundtable event started, the organizer printed 50 to 60 postcard-sized color images on card stock. The images were an assortment of stock image photos (i.e., crossword puzzle piece with a keyhole and key inserted, a bonfire, a ladder, a treasure chest full of gold coins, a storm over an ocean, etc.). The postcards were scattered randomly around the tables in the room. We were asked to get up and choose two images: one that represented us in 2009 and the other that represented where we wanted to be or wanted to accomplish in 2010. Everyone chose their two cards then sat back down. We then introduced ourselves and showed each card, in turn, to the audience explaining why we chose them. There were some very interesting and thought provoking choices and explanations. We also got to know each other very quickly on a more personal level and it provided some great discussions during the networking chat at the end of the evening. 

Most everyone agreed that the icebreaker was one of the most effective and interesting activities of the evening. It gave us each the opportunity to reflect on our successes and challenges from the past year but also focused us on what we wanted to accomplish in the coming year. 

This icebreaker can easily be adapted for a variety of topics and purposes – not just for training but for group meetings and team building events. I’m looking forward to trying it out soon. My challenge will be to find just the right images to match the topic.

Why edit?

Recently at Limestone we’ve been working with a client who has stringent style guidelines for all their company documentation, including the training program that we've been developing. The process of editing - by our editing team and the client’s internal style and subject matter experts (SMEs) - has been a critical part of the overall project. 

 Reflecting on this makes me think about how the editing process is an important but often overlooked part of any training project. The learner experience and an organization’s credibility are greatly influenced by the quality of the written content - just think of how many times you’ve taken training that’s poorly organized, has spelling mistakes and grammatical errors that make it confusing or provides incorrect information. How did this affect your opinion of the training and the organization providing it?  

 We’ve found through experience that incorporating professional editing up front is well worth the time and cost involved. Editing your own work can be challenging – even the best writers realize the value of a second set of eyes.  For projects that involve written content, we include editing tasks in our training project plans to ensure this process isn’t missed. There are many different types including Subject Matter Expert (SME) edits and reviews, copy edits, production edits, and style edits. Choose the type of editing that’s right for your project.

 This makes me realize that validating training content for accuracy before your intended audience actually sees your information is really important, from both a technical and editorial perspective. Editing ensures that your content is not only technically accurate but is easy for learners to read and understand. It also ensures that information is consistent regardless of how many ways it’s used.