Session 610 - Leveraging Technology with Human Expertise for Rewarding Results (Skip Marshall)

Skip Marshall is the Director of eLearning for Intelladon.

What is Learning?

More than just the transfer of knowledge from point A to point B, it's about transferring the knowledge AND augmenting learner behavior. Doesn't matter if they've learned it, it matters if they do it.

The organization's definition of Learning includes Employee/Operation manuals, ILT, OJT, Safety Sheets, FAQs. A learner's take on it, however, involves things such as Podcasts, TV Networks, Online Curriculum Maps, Virtual Learning, Informal Learning, Internal Social Networking and Collaboration Platforms.

Discussion came up as to what groups/industries use/allow 2.0 social technologies. Academia proved the majority that was on Facebook, whereas some corporate folks were as well. The topic came up as to why it is/isn't allowed. Was determined that there should be a separation between personal and professional social networking...

Where do businesses provide learning?

- Content Management Systems
- Learning Management Systems
- Learning Content Management Systems
- Shared Drives

Where do learners seek it?

- Learning on Demand
- Wikis (Confluence, Wikipedia)
- Blogs
- Social Networks

Interesting thing to note - The U.S. Navy is using Wiki technology...just found that interesting and would love to hear more about how it's used...

Learning as a Means

The question posed - Why would any executive allow for multiple LMS-es? Decentralization occurs and, previously, there were 'fat' budgets. Now, though, it's a different story...there's a call across most industries to consolidate back to one platform, for both budgetary and organizational concerns.

Skip's solution? One platform for all your needs through Sharepoint: Individual, Team, Division, Enterprise, Extranet, and Internet...it does it all! QLogic case study illustrated the way in which it can be used to be COMPLIANT (<-- big word in healthcare!).

Another solution presented centered around Cornerstone Talent Management System. Three core features: (1) Engages employees through a highly graphical approach, (2) MyTeam feature pulls in the concepts of Goals, Tasks, and Training and allows management that ability to track short-term assignments, and (3) Integrates Learning, Compliance, Performance, Compensation, and Succession.

Summary/Conclusion
There's no one solution that works for everyone...this really sums up the entire session. For as ideal as we can be, no one solution will work across the board. But the bottom line is that these technologies are out there and, for learners to take us seriously and become experts, we have to begin to come over to their side of expectations, rather than sitting/hiding behind organizational expectation. Great presentation, Skip!