On June 28, KRM International Services hosted a webinar that focused on the proven strategies for successful e-learning. Leading the discussion were Jeff Cobb of Tagoras, Kathy Benton of SCUP, and Barbara Swarthout from IFEBP. View the slides from the presentation here. During the presentation, I learned that more than 93 percent of organizations already use or are planning to use e-learning.  I was pleasantly surprised by the high number, and I could not help but think that not everyone is using e-learning the right way. So, how do organizations incorporate an online learning environment successfully? Learn more by listening to the full recording here or just keep reading.

Companies are becoming savvier with every new, social technology that enters the market to help their employees work easier, more remotely, and on-the-go. These technologies do not just exist for improving communications –  these tools are also applicable to employee development.

In a recent article by CLO media, the author discusses how informal learning has emerged as a critical element in employee development. The piece also cites that collaborative tools and technology help to facilitate this process.  Of course, we see this often with our clients.  We have been implementing collaboration and informal learning into the employee training regimen for years – and not because we are “cutting edge” per se, but because we truly believe it is the most effective way to inspire learning.

If you haven’t read it already, Jeff Cobb, managing director at Tagoras, shares his expertise in a second edition of his Learning 2.0 for Associations white paper. Cobb lays out a few additional key tools that were either not in existence or not as popular in 2007 when his first paper was published. Here, he explains how associations and organizations should shift their thinking regarding learning value. Cobb believes that learning 2.0 is about much more than simply integrating social media into education. “It is about maximizing the potential that the new opportunities for learning represent,” he says.

Cobb tells us that learning 2.0 is the convergence of web, learning, and education. The full report dives into how approaches to learning have evolved over the years and what impact the newer generation of Internet and communication technologies are having on learners. You can download the full report here. Read more from Cobb at the Mission to Learn blog he writes for ongoing learners. In the report, Cobb also explains that learning 2.0 happens outside the bounds of formal education because:

1.    It shifts from the teacher-centric, expert-dominated models and eliminates constraints on time and geography

2.    Learning environment begins to be driven by learners’ knowledge and not just teacher’s expertise

3.    Increased user control over content creation and data management

Let’s face it. The typical approach to educating association members can often be bit of a snooze.  A lack of engagement in the education process inhibits inspiration and can lead to an overall disinterest in the training topic. Why not give association members the one-two punch they are looking for? While a traditional webinar can be effective, it is nearly impossible to get all of your members online and on the phone all at the same time. And let’s face it, clicking through the slides after-the-fact is not all that helpful. Members are hungry for value-add resources that Blackboard Learn™ for Associations offers.