Meet Jeff Loube My guest blogger is Jeff Loube. Jeff describes himself as a practitioner who has completed analysis and design projects such as basic, multi-engine and rotary wing pilot training, maintenance training systems, and maintenance training simulator design, prototyping and development. Jeff is managing editor of MS&T (Military Simulation and Training) magazine, http://halldale.com/mst Here is what Jeff has to say about introducing new technology into the organization. Have you ever been the victim of a new technology initiative, like say a new LMS or a mobile learning initiative or even a new accounting system? They … [Read more...]
Deloitte University— What were they thinking?
April 30, 2012 by
When I heard that Deloitte had purchased more than one hundred acres to construct a leader development facility in Dallas, I was stunned. What were they thinking? Then I heard that, in the midst of the great recession, they intended to spend as much as three hundred million dollars in constructing their center. What were they thinking? I harkened back to stays at other facilities devoted to the development of leaders. GTE came to mind. I worked there three or four times, soon after they built a wondrous center in Connecticut. It was surrounded by forest and trails, with lustrous wood floors and dramatic arching bannisters. I also worked … [Read more...]
Instructional Design: Something Old, Something New
April 21, 2012 by
A few years ago, Jim Marshall and I surveyed workplace learning professionals about elearning. Although we set out to learn about the contours of the elearning terrain, our project revealed much about instructional design practice today. We pursued this question: when doing elearning, what are you doing? Were learning professionals relying on webinars, on podcasts, on mobile learning? What of scenario-based online programs, social networks and communities, discussion boards, or personalized programs? We expected to find reliance on podcasts and scenarios, with healthy use of online communities and discussion boards. But when given the … [Read more...]
Webinars are better, but not yet best
April 10, 2012 by
From my sunny office in San Diego, I checked into the happenings at CLO's spring conference in Miami. I did this by tracking the twitter stream, #closym. One tweet grabbed my attention. A researcher reported that the keyword, webinar, was searched more often than the keyword, elearning. Think about that. People are seeking information about webinars more often than they are drawn to elearning. A few years ago, Colleen Cunningham, Antonia Chan and I examined the webinar phenomenon. The article, published in CLO magazine, had this snarky title: What Stinks about Webinars. It traced Colleen and Antonia, graduates of the SDSU EDTEC program, as … [Read more...]
Instructional designers aren’t ready for their interviews
April 2, 2012 by
Often, current and former graduate students ask for advice about how to be successful when they interview for instructional design positions. Yes, I have my opinions, but I wanted you to hear from someone I admire. Let's welcome guest blogger, Alice Cutter, who has been interviewing MANY IDs for positions in her firm. And these are not the first ID positions she has attempted to fill. Not by a long shot. Here's what Alice wrote: We just finished a job search to find four Instructional Designers. One of our requirements is that the ID being hired must have experience in all phases of instructional design. There were hundreds of resumes … [Read more...]
The Tale of a Job Hunt
March 19, 2012 by
Meet guest blogger, Marci Paino. Here is the story of her search for a new position. On the trail to a new position This is the tale of a job hunt that I began in November, 2011. A few hours were spent updating and tweaking a resume. Even more time was spent searching for the ideal job openings and filling out the specialized online applications. A bit more time was spent reaching out to a network of colleagues and mentors. The roller coaster ride was just beginning! Would they like me? I eagerly anticipated a response after submitting an application. Surely one of these openings is the one for me. Some companies sent an automated … [Read more...]
Cal State Online Plays Small Ball
March 12, 2012 by
The California State University (CSU), the largest state university system in the United States, has at long last settled on an online learning strategy for its 23 campuses. With more than three decades as a professor in the CSU, now retired, I decided to take a look. The goal. "The goal is to increase capacity at California State, where massive budget cuts have coincided with a rising demand for higher ed degrees," wrote Steve Kolowich in a review of the plan. The doubts. Many faculty extend their doubts about CSU leadership to online education, an easy target for professorial skepticism. What about quality? What about relationships? … [Read more...]
Making Evidence-based Decisions
March 11, 2012 by
Video: Profiles in Leadership: Making Evidence-based Decisions Click thumbnail to view video … [Read more...]
“Get some coffee and get rid of your guns.”
March 6, 2012 by
Guest blogger Jim Marshall could tell this wasn't going to be your typical training class-- not with that segue to a coffee break. Here's what Jim wrote about his experience observing a class with 22 sworn peace officers from municipal, state and federal agencies. The topic for the class: managing an active shooter. The class began with the history of active shooters— starting with Charles Whitman's 1966 Texas clock tower massacre and extending to Monday's Ohio school shooting. The instructor made it clear. The rules have changed. Managing an active shooter requires a quick response. That differs from the traditional approach … [Read more...]
Harold Stolovitch at ISPI-San Diego
February 21, 2012 by
We were thrilled to welcome Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps, plus some of their friends from Orange County and Quebec, to San Diego on February 16, 2012. Harold, who calls himself a technologist because he applies evidence-based knowledge to practical problems, did just that for us. At the get-go, he got a big laugh by defining himself as somebody who "vulgarizes science," which after some back and forth in French boils down to making science useful. Heck of good idea. Harold Stolovitch reviewed a few of his favorite myths: He asked us to decide if IQ really matters in workplace learning and performance. As it turns out, after … [Read more...]
