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News
Research Digest from IT Skills Research
(Apr 06)
E-Learning Market Briefing from Kineo for
Apr 06 and
May 06
Steve Rayson of
Kineo gives his latest insights
in the
market update
of the e-learning market in the UK.
©2006 Kineo
UK Training Contract Wins - April to May 2006 from TrainingZONE
Industry News from IT Skills Research
(May
06)
IT Training Press Releases (May 06)
Survey - Skills Trump Certifications in New
Pay Research (Apr 25)
Vantage Sees 58 Percent Growth over Last Year
(Apr 27)
Saba Reaffirms Support for Industry Standards
(Apr 27)
Silent Alarm Test Pacing Wristwatch Helps
Students Improve Scores (Apr 28)
ExcellerateHRO Picks SumTotal For Learning
Software (May 01)
Hatsize Announces Nonstop Help Desk Customer
Support (May 01)
Interdent Renews On-Demand LearnCenter
Contract with Learn.com (May 02)
SumTotal Systems Reports First-Quarter Results
(May 02)
SkillSoft Connects Corporate Strategy to
Performance Needs (May 03)
SumTotal Unveils Enterprise Suite 7.2 (May 04)
Zeroed-In Releases CLO Dashboard v2.0 (May 04)
Learn.com Forms Alliance With ITG Competency
Group (May 04)
DHS Selects Plateau Systems (May 08)
GeoLearning Awarded Cabelas Hosted LMS
Contract Through 2010 (May 08)
HunterStone Announces Strategic Agreement with
IntraLearn (May 08)
Eedo Knowledgeware Extends ForceTen (May 09)
SumTotal Systems Partners with Google (May 15)
Learn.com Announces a Distribution Agreement
with the Matchett Group (May 15)
Performtech Wins Major Contract to Manage
Training Development
(May 17)
Survey - EquaTerra Study on ERP and BPO
Patterns in US and Europe (May 17)
Survey - Computers Are Tech Device of Choice
(May 17)
SumTotal Systems and Satyam Learning Center
Join Together (May 19)
ACS Signs Agreement to Acquire Intellinex (May
19)
Study - EquaTerra Releases Outsourcing Results
(May 24)
GeoLearning and Xyleme Partner Up (May 24)
First Interstate Bank Selects LearnCenter for
Distributing Distance Learning (May 24)
Thomson Prometric and The Open Group Form
Contract (24 May)
Informatica Launches Virtual Academy for
Interactive Online Training (May 24)
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Reviews and Current Trends
What Does the Future of Learning and
Development Hold? (May 06)
Senior learning
and development executives, much like their counterparts in
technology and other people-centric industries, are always talking
or at least thinking about the next big thing. That doesn’t
necessarily mean the latest gadgets or innovative new systems that
frequently promise to cure all learning needs and performance ills
at the push of a button. The next big thing in learning could be an
idea or a theory, a concept that if properly planned and executed,
will offer learning leaders strategic direction and guidance in
addition to bottom-line results. In a recent discussion about the
future of learning and development, Claire Schooley, senior industry
analyst at Forrester Research, speculated on a few hot buttons that
might bear consideration.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
ICT Inquiry issue 5 - Q4 2005
(May 06)
New research from
the latest e-skills UK quarterly ICT Inquiry, shows that nearly
seven out of ten (67%) employers consider the level of IT user
skills held by their staff to have a 'large' or 'defining' impact on
their companies' productivity. ©2000-2006 e-skills UK Sector
Skills Council Ltd
Survey research on the future of blended learning (May 06)
A Survey of the
Present and Future State of Blended Learning in Corporate and Other
Training Settings – UK Respondents.
©2006 Curtis Bonk
In UK, Managers Receive Majority of Training
(May 06)
61% of respondents felt
management-level employees received greatest access to training.
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
Market Monitor 2006 Q1 (from IT Skills
Research) - May 06
© IT Skills
Research Programme 1998-2006, last modified 16 May 2006
Employee Surveys Find Missing Links between
Training and Application (May 06)
Often,
circumstances in the work environment keep employees from
effectively applying new skills, and a yearly employee survey can
identify those obstacles.
ASTD Links,
©2006 ASTD
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Training
Manager/Director Development
Learning Strategy Master Plan (Feb 06)
The
elusive search for the holy grail of learning and development has
always been the creation of a learning organisation. So how do
organisations get there?
Kineo
consultants have seen all the successful learning strategies in
practice. Following the ASTD framework, here are three briefings on
Alignment,
Effectiveness and
Efficiency. Sustainability
will follow in due course.
©2006 Kineo
The Link Between Learning and Performance (May
06)
The future of learning might focus significantly on the integration
of work and learning. This naturally draws senior-level learning
executives’ attention to issues of performance and how to increase
its levels among strategically targeted areas of the workforce. But
is learning always the direct link to performance? According to
Harold D. Stolovitch, emeritus professor at Université de Montréal
and principal of HSA Learning and Performance Solutions LLC, the
answer is no.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Creating Passionate Learners (May 06)
As co-creator of
the award-winning Head First series of programming how-to
books, Kathy Sierra has spent years examining what inspires
"passionate users" - research, she says, that has produced some
"surprising, counterintuitive, and immediately usable results" for
training professionals.
Training Directors’ Forum E-Net,
18 May,
©2006 VNU Business Media
Remote Working: Does It Make Business Sense?
(May 06)
With 3.1 million
UK employees now working from home, flexible working practices are
increasingly commanding attention in employee benefits strategies.
Work Wise UK is urging staff to work from home on Friday May 5, but
does this make business sense? Sarah Fletcher investigates.
TrainingZONE, ©2006
Before You Edit That Short List, Avoid These
Top-4 Thinking Traps
(May 06)
OK, by this point, you
should have a short list created from your initial group of résumés.
But certain beliefs shared by many recruiters will prevent them from
passing along excellent resumes to the hiring manager, so let’s nip
these in the bud here and now.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
External Consultants for Curriculum
Development and Design Services (May 06)
Designing
individual or continuous instructional plans and training materials
can be an overwhelming task for organizations. That’s why many
companies seek external consultants for curriculum development and
design services. In fact, most organizations use a combination of
internal resources and external partners to develop and deliver
quality coursework for their employees because this enables them to
provide efficient, cost-effective training.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
The Way I See It ... Maximise Your Training
Budget (May 06)
When finances are strained, the training budget is often quick to
get the chop. Amanda Clark, Managing Director of Optimum Training,
shows how to ensure the survival of training processes through
cost-effective business strategies.
TrainingZONE, ©2006
Tuition Assistance: Corporate Entitlement or
Strategic Investment?
(May 06)
CLOs
are increasingly responsible for the management of both enterprise
learning as well as tuition assistance programs, but are they
prepared to manage both strategically?
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
In The Thick of It - Under siege but ready to
fight (May 06)
The learning function
may be at risk, says Nigel Paine, but we can take steps to come back
stronger.
Learning and Development,
©2006 Human
Resources
Beware the “everybody's doing it” argument
(Apr 06)
“I don't know about
you, but nothing gets my back up more than someone trying to
persuade me to do something because everyone else is doing it. The
ASTD managed to achieve this unwittingly in one day, with two
articles that they published through their 'e-learning community'.”
(Clive Shepherd)
©2001 - 2006 The
Training Foundation
To Be or Not to Be a Training Manager (May 06)
We have all heard the
saying, “Beware what you wish for because you might get it.” That
might be something you want to keep in mind as you consider your
decision to stay a trainer or become a training manager. There is no
right or wrong choice when you look at the possibility of the
change. I just think that this option, like all major changes, must
be looked at carefully so that you will find continued happiness in
the training field.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Addressing Workplace Violence - Before,
During, and After (May 06)
From disgruntled
employee shootings, to robbery, to acts of sabotage or harassment,
workplace violence is now gaining world-wide attention. Assaults and
violent acts, even if non-fatal, result in time away from work for
the target of the violent behavior, as well as for co-workers.
ASTD Links,
©2006 ASTD
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top
Selling and Marketing
Education
Working With the Marketing Department (May 06)
A company’s training and
marketing departments can form a truly collaborative team from a
learning and development perspective. The former can create
effective and interesting training, and the latter can help inform
the target audience of what’s ahead on their training calendars and
help them understand why the proposed training is so important to
attend. A joint effort between training and marketing can brand and
market training, and ensure that training is targeted to the right
audience using training objectives as guidelines before any
initiatives actually get underway.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Building Enthusiasm for Learning with
Advertising (May 06)
Training was once
understood by most employees as a necessary—if not somewhat
idle—affair that they thankfully had to endure only once in a while.
For employees, employers and trainers alike, enthusiasm had little
to do with any part of this process, except perhaps when the workers
completed a class and got to return to their jobs. However,
eagerness of students for learning is now understood to be a
prerequisite of engagement and retention, which translates into
improved performance. To get learners involved in their programs
from the outset, corporate training professionals need more than
didactic skills. These days, they have to be masters of marketing to
get employees’ enthusiasm up for educational events.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
PR for the Training Industry (May 06)
Public relations is one of the most misunderstood of all marketing
tactics. If done wrong, you can waste lots of time and money. If
done right, you could take your training company to a whole new
level. We talked to Linda Galloway of Apollo Associates, who is a
specialist in PR for the training industry.
©2006 Apollo
Associates
Top 10 Strategies for Growing Your Training
Business (May 06)
There’s no industry quite like the training industry. The marketing
strategies that work in other industries sometimes have little or no
effect on training buyers. On the flip side, some strategies have
proven to work exceptionally well in the training industry, and not
in others.
©2006
HowToMarketTraining.com
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Learning Media
The Economics of Learning 101 (May 06)
There's more to training costs than
computer programs and instructors.
Elearning!,
©2006 B2BMediaco
Business Drivers for Real-Time
Learning (May 06)
From the front line to the boardroom, there is a growing awareness
among managers that significant productivity gains remain to be made
in the area of human capital. Specifically, there is an increased
focus by businesses to improve the quality of their workforce as
well as provide them with the training, access to information and
decision support that allows them to execute higher-value tasks with
greater precision, quality and speed. Although traditional
approaches to learning have made some impact on productivity and
quality, the impact has arguably reached a plateau.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Informally Speaking: Is There Support for
Informal Learning? (May 06)
In today's ever-changing economy, companies rely on their people to
subscribe to a code of life-long learning and be self-directed,
self-motivated learners who can adapt quickly in a dynamic
workplace. To support them in this initiative, smart companies
invest in formal training offerings. Still smarter companies take a
more holistic approach by supporting both the formal and informal
learning that occurs at work.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Five things to tell others about e-Learning
(May 06)
An
organization that is not taking advantage of e-learning is slipping
away from the leaders and can't stay competitive.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Why does Distance Learning often feel so
Distancing? (May 06)
Our
early efforts at bringing courseware into the e-learning domain
taught us that content designed for one environment may not play out
equally as well in another. The same is true in distance learning.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Open Source Courseware for Learning and
Collaboration (May 06)
A growing number
of organizations are turning to free, open-source software for
everything from computer networks to Web browsers to
office-productivity tools. The benefits of open-source software
include cost effectiveness, security, flexibility and adaptability
as well as ongoing support and development. Learning organizations
worldwide also are implementing open-source courseware to manage
learning and collaboration activities. Let’s look at some of the top
providers of open-source courseware.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Learning Games and Simulations: Make Adult
Learning Fun (May 06)
For most of you,
learning was chiefly considered fun during your stint in grade
school when learning games were commonplace. However, once you hit
junior high and then high school, learning seemed to be required and
was not necessarily fun anymore. Games were no longer commonplace,
long lectures, extensive reading assignments and homework became the
routine.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
9 Paradoxes of Educational Simulations (May 06)
There are nine
interrelated simulation paradoxes that most people find surprising.
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
Learning Can Be Fun (May 06)
Why should workplace
learning and performance professionals care about simulation
technology?
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
Simulations Create Real-World Experiences (May 06)
SAP's partnership
with Enspire creates an out-of-this-world product.
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
Tools for On-Demand Information (May
06)
As a society that increasingly embraces—and is embraced
by—technology, we’ve come to expect that almost any information,
technology or entertainment resource we want will be available on
demand. From 24-hour cable news channels to downloading the latest
television shows, technology allows people to access resources when
they want and need them.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Innovation through Collaboration (May 06)
We are at a dawn of a new way or working together, thanks in large
part to technological advances that make possible a radically
superior mode of innovation. Soon, businesses throughout the world
will be looking at ways to unleash the power of their Collaborative
innovation Networks. Some will be scrambling to figure out how to
innovate in the new business environment.
Elearning!,
©2006 B2BMediaco
There's No Such Thing as a Learning Object
(May 06)
“We learn by doing. We consider. We compare.
We measure, discuss, debate, critique, test, and explore. We try,
fail, and try again. Learning is an activity. It's a process. Given
this undeniable fact, the term "learning object" can only be an
oxymoron. An object is a thing. We don't learn from things. We learn
from doing things.”
eLearn Magazine,
©2001-2006 by the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.
7 Things You Should Know About Google Jockeying (May 06)
A Google Jockey is
a participant in a presentation or class session who surfs the
Internet for terms, ideas, or Web sites mentioned by the presenter
or related to the topic at hand. A screen displays the jockey’s
searches for all participants to see.
©2006
Educause Learning Initiative
Web Conferencing: Take Training, Meetings and
More to the Web (May 06)
Today’s global,
competitive marketplace requires advanced communication technologies
that not only can extend an organization’s reach worldwide, but also
do so in a cost-effective manner. Web conferencing services might be
the answer to an organization’s unique communication conundrum
because not only can this technology be used to hold large training
events, meetings, etc., it also will likely slash travel costs,
increase employee productivity and ensure that course content or
business-critical information is delivered consistently. Let’s look
at some of today’s leading Web conferencing service providers.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Keeping Web Conferencing Secure (May 06)
Ensuring security in Web conferencing is a key element in doing
business.
Elearning!,
©2006 B2BMediaco
Building
21st
Century Universities with e-Learning:
Summary
and
Charts
(May 06)
Kineo and Intel
recently collaborated to look to the future on a research project.
The modest objective was to identify how 21st century universities
will use e-learning to achieve their goals. There are some
interesting conclusions.
©2006 Kineo and Intel
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Case Studies and Projects
An integrated approach to performance
management - Cathay Pacific (Apr 06)
This case study details changes made to the performance management
process, including the identified four stages of performance
management, how competencies and key result areas factor into
performance assessments, how competencies are analyzed and measured,
and the calculation of performance scores. The case study also
discusses how performance assessments are tied into employee
learning.
©2006
Bersin and Associates
Initial Security Shares E-Learning Strategy
(May 06)
When San Antonio, Texas-based Initial Security launched its Initial
Online Academy in February, it learned a few pointers on creating an
effective e-learning program for its employees that it doesn’t mind
passing along.
Inside Training
Newsletter,
3 May 05, ©2006 VNU Business Media
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top
Measuring Education Value
Benchmarking with Specificity (May 06)
Learning leaders have
reported significant pressure from their top management to move
towards a much more specific level of benchmarking.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
DaimlerChrysler Quantifies Training Quality
(May 06)
DaimlerChrysler Academy is in the
fourth year of an initiative to prove its business contribution to
dealers.
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
Effectively Evaluating Online Learning Programs (May 06)
“Effectively evaluating online learning
programs starts with two simple ideas: Apply tried-and-true
approaches, and take advantage of the opportunity to use new ones.
In practice, while there are many effective approaches to evaluating
online learning programs, many organizations do not know these
approaches or how to apply them.”
eLearn Magazine,
©2001-2006 by the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.
The ROI Basics (May 06)
C-suite executives
almost universally value ROI when they look to the CLO to account
for not only where learning dollars go and to whom, but also to know
that learning investments have a significant impact on the business.
Learning dollars must be justified and results clearly illustrated
to warrant future investments and to establish the correct direction
learning activities should take in order to illicit the greatest
impact on the enterprise.
Chief
Learning Officer,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Back to
top
Processes/Managing
Costs/Outsourcing
Learning in Synch with Life: New Models, New Processes (Apr 06)
Learning is a
strategic tool which enables corporations to achieve their business
goals. Complex environments provide challenges of rapid change and
global competition, requiring organizations to align professional
development with business realities. Models of learning that have
served the industrial era are not capable of addressing the
opportunities inherent in quickly changing environments. Google
2006 Training Summit,
©2006 Complexive Systems Inc
Integration of Learning and Performance Management Processes (May
06)
Many companies have successfully
integrated learning and performance management, but often their
numbers are relatively small and their investments are fairly large.
However, integration can be accomplished with a significant payoff.
Workforce Performance Solutions,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
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top
Instructor Topics
My First Teach: A Trainer’s Life Behind the Scenes (May 06)
Preparing to teach
technical topics can be a long and complex process. Top-notch
technical instructors rely on four pillars to be the best in their
field--knowledge, experience, personal skills and class preparation.
Certification Magazine,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Keeping Students Attention (May 06)
No matter how
purposeful or strategically motivated, if a training program can’t
keep students’ attention, it’s useless. The employees or users
involved obviously won’t retain the knowledge, and they certainly
won’t apply information they can’t remember. If learners are not
engaged during the learning process, well, just make sure that they
are!
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Tips to Ease Deadline Pressures (May 06)
Deadlines are a way of
life for many of today’s knowledge workers and for the training
professionals who provide tools to keep those knowledge workers on
top of their work game. If you haven’t already developed a system,
setting priorities, delegating certain tasks and planning for the
unexpected can help ease potential strain when you’re under the gun.
Training Prism,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Time Management: For Trainers (May 06)
Training consultant Rich Lucas outlines four ways to effectively
organise your tasks to produce efficient, effective results.
TrainingZONE, ©2006
Special Report: Trainer Training (May 06)
Nobody wants trainers who don't know how to use their laptops, let
alone those who only trade on past experience. Gary Flood reports on
the rising expectations of today's learners.
Learning and Development,
©2006 Human
Resources
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Education Administration
No
articles this month.
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top
Skills Gap/Technical
Certification
Certification: the 10 most common mistakes
(May 06)
Improve the process with comprehensive goals.
Elearning!,
©2006 B2BMediaco
Branching Out: Creating Global IT Communities (May 06)
When you're
preparing for certification exams, sometimes you need a little
helping hand. Luckily, certification vendors and others offer places
for IT professionals to meet--online and offline--to share
information and knowledge.
Certification Magazine,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Sun: Finding the Perfect Blend of Java Certifications (May 06)
A year after its
introduction, Sun's Java had far more impact than expected, and the
company created Java certifications to help IT professionals get up
to speed. Today, Sun's various Java certifications are some of the
most valuable programmer and developer credentials out there.
Certification Magazine,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Targeted Certifications: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (May 06)
Microsoft is still
evolving its certification program to match the needs of technical
professionals and their employers more closely. Learn how the SQL
Server 2005 certifications validate your skill sets and knowledge.
Certification Magazine,
©2006 Media Tec
Publishing
Credentialing: It Matters to You and the
Profession (May 06)
Three workplace
learning and performance experts weigh in.
T+D Magazine,
©2006 ASTD
The Value of Online Testing (May 06)
The longer I work in the
testing industry, the more excited I get about its possibilities.
Progress Newsletter, f©2006
KRYTERION, May 06
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