e-Learning Leadership Blog

[Upcoming Webinar] Actions Speak Louder Than Words: 6 Steps to Improved e-Learning Activities

Tuesday, April 30, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Central 

Nearly everyone, particularly learners, expresses frustration with the limited range of interactivity found in many e-learning programs. Arbitrary multiple-choice and true-and-false questions, even when masquerading under flashy game-like interfaces, fail to engage learners’ attention. Worse yet, they usually fail to teach.

Too often designers feel bound by the limits of actions available to the learner—senseless button clicking, random dragging, confusing entries. But, even working within the constraints of low-level authoring tools, it is possible to design e-learning activities that will engage, motivate, and captivate the learner’s imagination and enhance post-training performance.

In this webinar, Ethan Edwards will present 6 simple and easily achievable transformations to make your e-learning interactions more impactful. The intent is to provide designers across the board with tangible strategies they can implement immediately. 

In this session, you will learn:

• to recognize and avoid the weaknesses inherent in meaningless actions
• to identify the characteristics of impactful gestures in e-learning interactions
• six simple and graduated techniques to improve e-learning interaction design

[Upcoming Webinar] Individualized Learning is Easier Than You Think

Wednesday, March 27 — 1:00 PM (Central)

Join Christopher Allen, product marketing manager of ZebraZapps, for this 90-minute webinar—Individualized Learning is Easier Than You Think, Wednesday, March 27th, 1:00 - 2:30 PM (Central).

We all learn differently - but wouldn't it be great if the same learning activities could be easily tailored to challenge both pros and newbies? This 90-minute webinar will cover the unique abilities of ZebraZapps Professional to create a learning environment designed to teach software-based tasks with multiple levels of guidance and challenge.

Concepts that will be covered:

• Hotspots
• Using Gadgets
• Arenas
• Asset Import
• Object Replacement
• Event-Flow Basics

The webinar is designed for everyone. Whether you've been working with ZebraZapps for some time, or are a brand new user, you'll find that being able to design a learning environment for anyone is not only important, but fast and simple.

[Upcoming Webinar] 7 Steps to Improved e-Learning Challenges

Thursday, March 28, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Central 

Designers of e-learning are often stuck using the same simplistic interaction formats repeatedly. It isn't that these formats are particularly effective or desirable—in fact, most designers are frustrated with the poor quality of the questioning they create. But timelines and the resources allotted for e-learning projects often discourage any design innovation except to repeat exactly what has been done before.

In this webinar, Ethan Edwards will introduce 7 steps which provide a practical, graduated series of improvements you can immediately apply to your own designs using low- to intermediate-level tools. You will follow these practical and achievable 7 steps to insert incremental improvements to standard question types
and focus on techniques you can apply to any project.

In this session, you will learn:

• the primary weaknesses in standard interactions that you should avoid
• how to manipulate context, challenge, and actions when designing an interaction to enhance motivation and meaning
• 7 simple steps to apply to standard interactions to create a greater chance for learning to occur
• to judge interactions based upon how they serve the learning function rather than simply testing knowledge
• a general strategy for designing interactions that balance development time with instructional effect

[Webinar] Your e-Learning Investment

Your e-Learning Investment: How to Achieve Business Impact and Boost Learner Performance

Thursday, 28 February 2013
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Central Time)

So much of e-learning created and invested in today focuses on content instead of the learner and improving performance – the result – boring
e-learning and wasted budgets!

This webinar covers best practices for creating learning solutions that can generate business impact. Applicable strategies and approaches are shared on how to re-align current training needs for greater budget impact. In addition, business impact and ROI of budget allocation for skill-based and performance-changing learning initiatives are explored in addition to process pitfalls to avoid.

Lastly, a unique and effective instructional design model consisting of four instructional interactivity components is reviewed by looking at real-world case studies and e-learning applications. Learn how to apply these components with gaming principles for maximum learner engagement and performance.

Paul Howe
vice president
Allen Interactions

The Key to Project Success is Commitment

by Angel Green, senior instructional strategist, @LearnerAdvocate

A relationship requires a lot of work and commitment. - Greta Scacchi 

Valentine's Day is upon us once again. Last year, I wrote a blog about how important it is for you to take every opportunity to LOVE your Learners. Tomorrow, I will have the pleasure of being joined by Stephanie Crowe, director of global learning & development, Manhattan Associates, where we will discuss why Manhattan Associates LOVES SAM. 

I remember when I was first informed of the Manhattan Associates project – I honestly thought it couldn't be done. Here was a client who wanted two, one-hour long e-learning courses designed and developed in roughly ten weeks – and over the holiday season! However, we were able to meet their aggressive deadlines and create great interactions due to one thing – a mutual commitment to make it happen. Like any successful relationship, we had shared goals, trust in one another, and commitment to the projects. When these things come together in a project, magic can happen!

So, while the focus of tomorrow’s webinar is on how SAM was used to create great e-learning, what I hope does not go unmentioned is our mutual commitment which was so vital to the success of these projects. 

Also, check out this video to see what’s around the corner for this blog!

Webinar: Why Manhattan Associates ♥ SAM

Thursday, February 14, 2013
1:00 - 2:00 PM Central Time

It didn't take long for Manhattan Associates to fall for SAM. Once the Savvy Start began, it was clear this was a match made in heaven. Abandoning previously held notions of traditional ID process allowed Manhattan Associates to avoid some traditional project heartaches and win the hearts of SMEs, leaders, and learners along the way.

In this webinar, hear how Manhattan Associates and Allen Interactions successfully implemented SAM (the Successive Approximation Model) to create two engaging e-learning courses.

Specifically, we will discuss and demonstrate:

• what SAM is and how it differs from ADDIE
• the role and commitment of project team members
• early prototypes
• project milestone deliverables
• final deliverables

Angel Green
senior instructional strategist
Allen Interactions

Stephanie Crowe
director global learning & development
Manhattan Associates 

Wishes or Woes: Santa Knows How to Help

Hello all you good little boys and girls in e-learning land! Thank you for all the letters you’ve sent me (more are welcome – see below for details).

My elves and I have been busy collecting and reading your learning wishes and woes! The response has been overwhelming and I’m sure you’ll want to join us as we sift through my big, red e-learning mailbag.  While we are all set for our holiday webinar, December 18^th, 1:00 PM, North Pole Central Time, it seems I’m having problems with:

• SCORM implementation (Santa Claus’s Objection to Reading Mail),
• LMS settings (Lost my Mittens in the Snow), and managing
• ADDIE (Attention Deficit Disorder Infecting the Elves)

I’ll be partnering with Lisapingle Stortzcicle, one of my favorite elves, and relying on her to help me deliver the best holiday webinar ever!
 
I’m making my list and checking it twice!

See you online next Tuesday...otherwise who knows what you might find in your stocking?

If you haven’t yet — write me, right now!
I want to hear it all — one line or as long as you want, anything nice or not so nice, send me your wishes or woes at: santa@alleninteractions.com.

Need a new learning strategy? Want to spice up your boring e-learning? Want to increase your ROI? Need help with design ideas or development insights?  Remember, I have a whole workshop full of elves to help, so don't be afraid to ask!

Upcoming Webinar: Meet SAM

Richard Sites, vice president - client services

Join me for an upcoming one-hour complimentary webinar—Meet SAM: An Agile Process for Developing the Best Learning Experiences, Wednesday, November 28th, 1:00 - 2:00 PM (Central).

While the design and end-result of an e-learning project is critical, the process by which you get there can increase the value provided to your stakeholders. A great solution with a flawed process can cause pain points such as:

• Missed milestones
   
• Unexpected work from SME’s and reviewers
   
• Scope creep
   
• Boring learning

In this webinar I will provide best practices for using an iterative process—the Successive Approximation Model (SAM). Learn how SAM can help:

• Manage client expectations and content development
   
• Bring focus to designing performance-focused interactions
   
• Minimize the risk of delay and endless revisions

Upcoming Webinars to Revolutionize Your Training

Complimentary Webinar: Your e-Learning Investment

Your e-Learning Investment:
How Allen Interactions Achieves Business Impact & Boosts Learner Performance

PRESENTED BY: Paul Howe, Vice President of Sales, Allen Interactions

WHEN: Wednesday, August 22, 1:00 - 2:00 pm Central

IN THIS WEBINAR YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:

• maximize your investment in performance-based and skill-based learning initiatives
• re-align current training needs for greater budget impact
• apply a new instructional design model to your learning initiatives for maximum learner engagement and performance

REGISTER NOW!