Page Revision: 5/9/2011 4:37:30 PM
Leveraging New Technologies for Employee Development Programs
Rapid advances in technology have transformed the workplace in recent years. Technology has changed the way we learn. The explosion of technology has impacted the way people communicate and collaborate. Common examples of different tools are wikis, blogs, social networks, webcasts, webconferencing, collaboration workspaces, online course libraries, and podcasts. Web 2.0 tools allow learners to share knowledge and best practices in a wiki, blog, or discussion forum, and form networks through a social network site. Users are able to create and modify content on the internet instead of just reading websites.
Some agencies have begun to implement different technologies into their learning and development programs. In terms of training, organizations are using these tools to cut training costs, reduce carbon footprint, and increase continual learning outside the classroom. Below are examples of agencies who have implemented newer technologies into their employee development programs. Also listed are types of tools, and additional resources.
Solve Problems
WIKI Tech Updates
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Training Design: Spotlight on Blended Learning
While the term ‘Blended Learning’ may have just been coined in recent years, the concept has actually been around for centuries. It is within human nature to be a blended learner, to gain knowledge and experience via multiple avenues. From hunter-gatherer societies, we have been combining firsthand experience with knowledge that is communicated in order to make the best possible judgments and decisions about our environment. While this is a very primitive way of explaining ‘Blended Learning,’ in today’s learning culture it has taken on a much more sophisticated meaning.
High Fidelity: Maximizing the Applicability of Job-Related Training
Time and effort are precious commodities, especially in today’s society where multitasking is the norm and job functions can be scheduled and completed via handheld mobile devices. As a result, there is a high demand for consolidated and effective training – no more mind-numbing, days-long training seminars where lectures and seas of Powerpoint slides almost guarantee the forgetting of information once the session is over. Instead, engaging learners with highly relevant experience and a holistic learning approach will allow for immediate transfer of on-the-job success. “Fidelity” or the ability for learning to apply to real life, has become a priority for training and learning professionals. It can be implemented in the design of an online training program by accurately and dynamically depicting tools or situations.
One-to-One Learning
One-to-one is an up-and-coming learning initiative that allows individuals to learn how and when they want to (anytime, anywhere) via personal, portable, technological devices in a wireless environment. These devices (whether it’s a SmartPhone, laptop, or e-book) are context-sensitive,meaning that they allow courses to be tailored to individual learning style and speed. They are also able to integrate with each other to support learning and development and maximize the effectiveness of the training.
The Future of Communication
Take a second to stop and think about how you communicate now differs from how you communicated in the 1980’s, even in the 1990’s. Then think about the impact this has had on telecommunication providers who have had to cope with the mass shift from landlines and long-distance calling to mobile web and Skype.
Do you have a Millenial Mindset?
We’re all familiar with the dramatic shift towards technology and innovation; it’s evident everywhere you look. Everything can be done online, from buying movie tickets to checking-in for your flight to ordering dinner. While we can observe today’s children whizzing through the Internet, the Wii, and other electronic devices, where does this leave the older generations?
Take the quiz here: How Millenial Are You?
Twitter as a Training Tool
Twitter is a free social networking tool that keeps people connected with one another via status updates,or “tweets”, about what they are doing at a given moment. This ingenious concept fuses the appeal of blogging with the speed and convenience of texting,creating a networking platform that everyone wants to be part of. According to the Twitter Fact Sheet, Twitter is currently home to more than 106 million user accounts, who generate approximately 55 million tweets per day. The site’s growth is expanding by the minute, as it gains an additional 300,000 users per day.
Facebook: Social Media Tool or LMS??
With reported daily participation from over 175 million users, who can compete with the global pervasiveness of Facebook? The easy-to-use interface, coupled with instant access to literally millions of individuals has created a catalyst for information-sharing in the 21st century; and it’s only going to grow.