MB29 Docent Morning Buzz 3: Taking it Home
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Montego A
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Karen Hyder
Online Event Producer and Speaker Coach
Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting
Karen Hyder, online event producer and speaker coach at Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting, has been teaching about technology since 1991, when she delivered instructor-led software courses for Logical Operations. She was promoted to director of trainer development, helping trainers improve skills and earn certifications. In 1999 she created a course for trainers using virtual classrooms, and helped launch The eLearning Guild Online Forums in 2004. She continues to host The Guild’s Best of DemoFest, and was honored with the Guild’s Guild Master Award. Currently, Karen provides coaching and production support for a series of online courses at Hearing First, a not-for-profit that serves audiology professionals earning CEUs.
Tracy Parish
Education Technology Specialist
Parish Creative Solutions
Tracy Parish is an accomplished instructional designer, eLearning developer, and consultant based in the Greater Toronto area. With a unique blend of skills in computer programming, adult education, and eLearning design/development, she has built a successful career in instructional design. With over 18 years of experience in instructional design, development, LMS implementation and administration, Tracy is a respected figure in her field. She is a speaker, active Articulate Community Hero, co-host of the Toronto Storyline User Group and webcast Nerdy Shop Talk, the marketing director for the Canadian eLearning Conference, and moderator of the monthly Twitter event #lrnchat.
Melissa Chambers
Online Instructional Specialist
MSC Consulting
Melissa Chambers is an online instructional specialist at MSC Consulting and a contract speaker coach/host for The Learning Guild's Online Forums and Guild Academy. Melissa has over 20 years' experience in creative media production, project and change management, online instructional design, and eLearning strategy development, and has been designing, producing, and coaching for synchronous online programs since 2002. She holds a master's degree in instructional design for online learning, and has spearheaded award-winning programs in eLearning, process improvement, and strategic development. Melissa has a passion for lifelong learning, technology, cultivating creativity, and having fun while working.
MB30 How to Write a Winning Conference Speaking Proposal
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Jamaica AB
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Mark Britz
Director of Event Programming
Learning Guild
Mark Britz is the director of event programming at The Learning Guild. Previously he worked for more than 15 years designing and managing learning solutions with organizations such as Smartforce, Pearson Digital Learning, the SUNY Research Foundation, Aspen Dental Management, and Systems Made Simple. Mark is also an organizational social designer, helping businesses achieve the benefits of becoming more connected and collaborative to improve learning and engagement. Mark is the author of Social By Design: How to create and scale a collaborative company, and regularly presents and writes about the use of social media for learning, collaborative networks, and organizational design.
David Kelly
Chairman
The Learning Guild
David Kelly is the Chairman of the Learning Guild. David has been a learning and performance consultant and training director for over 20 years. He is a leading voice exploring how technology can be used to enhance training, education, learning, and organizational performance. David is an active member of the learning community, and can frequently be found speaking at industry events. He has previously contributed to organizations including ATD, eLearn Magazine, LINGOs, and more.
Bianca Woods
Customer Advocacy Manager
Articulate
Bianca Woods is a customer advocacy manager at Articulate. Her past experience includes working on the community and event programming for the Learning Guild, learning and communications roles at BMO Financial Group, and teaching art. Bianca is passionate about how visual design and multimedia can help people learn, loves test-driving new technology, and collects photos of bizarre warning signs.
MB31 Project Management Jam Session—What Works, What Doesn't
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Montego DE
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Megan Torrance
CEO
TorranceLearning
Megan Torrance is CEO and founder of TorranceLearning, which helps organizations connect learning strategy to design, development, data, and ultimately performance. She has more than 25 years of experience in learning design, deployment, and consulting . Megan and the TorranceLearning team are passionate about sharing what works in learning, so they devote considerable time to teaching and sharing about Agile project management for learning experience design and the xAPI. She is the author of Agile for Instructional Designers, The Quick Guide to LLAMA, and Making Sense of xAPI. Megan is also an eCornell Facilitator in the Women's Executive Leadership curriculum.
MB32 Designing Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Andros AB
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Brian Dusablon
Founder
Learning Ninjas
Brian Dusablon, the founder of Learning Ninjas, is an entrepreneur, coach, and generalist who has worked in the eLearning industry for over 20 years as a trainer, developer, instructional designer, LMS administrator, project manager, and consultant. At Learning Ninjas, Brian leads a collaborative consultancy focused on creating and teaching about accessible and effective learning solutions and technologies. Working with organizations and individuals, he applies existing and emerging technologies to simplify processes, improve performance, and measure outcomes. Brian frequently speaks on a range of topics, including accessibility, user experience, innovative technologies, and entrepreneurship.
MB33 Creating Great Audio
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
St. Croix B
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Matthew Pierce
Learning & Video Ambassador
TechSmith
Matthew Pierce, learning & video ambassador from TechSmith, has created videos for learning and marketing for over a decade. He is the lead behind TechSmith Academy, a free platform teaching video and image creation for business, which has been used by tens of thousands of users. He is host of The Visual Lounge Podcast from TechSmith, which streams live on Youtube and LinkedIn weekly. Matthew is a regular speaker at multiple learning and development-focused conferences and is a regular contributor to various training publications.
MB34 Bite-Sized Video
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Antigua B
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Andrew Barry
CEO
Curious Lion
Andrew Barry is the CEO of Curious Lion. He is a qualified CPA and previously worked at KPMG for 12 years. During that time, he rolled out national training for over 4,000 audit professionals a year and served as a technical advisor on the International Accounting Education Standards Board. He pivoted to video-based learning when he joined Lobster Ink, a leading learning platform in the hospitality industry. There he led the development of their learning methodology, combining the best of adult learning and filmmaking. Andrew founded Curious Lion, where he and his team now create custom video-based learning solutions for clients across industries.
MB35 Engaging eLearning Strategies
7:30 AM - 8:15 AM Friday, October 26
Montego C
Jump-start your day—and your networking—with Morning Buzz, the popular early-bird discussions held each morning of DevLearn. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join a casual conversation around an important topic. Share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.
Clark Quinn
Chief Learning Strategist
Upside Learning
Clark Quinn, PhD is the executive director of Quinnovation, co-director of the Learning Development Accelerator, and chief learning strategist for Upside Learning. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education, not-for-profit, and government organizations.
701 Transforming Skills Development Through Communities of Practice
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Montego C
Communities of practice have been around since humans started using stories to share knowledge and information. People instinctively rely on the expertise of their social and professional networks to solve problems and learn new things—it’s practically in our collective DNA. Why, then, do countless attempts to create and cultivate communities of practice in the workplace either lose momentum or fail to get off the ground altogether?
In this session, you’ll learn how communities of practice can amplify skills development within an organization. Find out how to define a clear value proposition for a community that gets buy-in from key stakeholders and community members, as well as the success factors needed to generate and sustain member enthusiasm. In addition, you’ll learn how stories can help capture and demonstrate the short- and long-term value of a community.
In this session, you will learn:
- Practical techniques for establishing and fostering communities of practice
- How to articulate a clear purpose and a value proposition that builds credibility for a community
- How to use stories and value creation data to demonstrate the success of learning communities
- The key differentiators between communities of practice and social and network groups
- Techniques for energizing community members and sustaining engagement
Audience:
Designers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Online social learning and user-generated content platforms.
Allan McKinley
Principal Learning Consultant
Capital One
Allan McKinley is a principal learning consultant at Capital One. He has designed learning experiences in partnership with organizations including Drexel University, University of Michigan, Corporate Executive Board, MIT, and Penn State University. He has also advised and consulted numerous Fortune 500 companies on creating digital, social-collaborative learning journeys. Allan’s areas of focus include video-based learning, social learning, and virtual communities that showcase and leverage peer expertise. Allan has degrees from the University of Delaware and Saint Joseph’s University, and spent the early portion of his career as a journalist and writer.
702 eLearning Science 101
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Jamaica AB
Too much of instructional design is about what to do, rather than why. And there’s the small problem that when push comes to shove—when the answers aren’t obvious, or when recommendations collide—you need a basis for deciding. That basis is a deeper understanding of the cognitive science behind learning. It’s not rocket science, but it is more complex than “post content and ask quiz questions.”
In this interactive session, you’ll find out about the basis of learning science from the neural level on up. You’ll explore the mechanisms that underpin effective learning, as well as the implications. You’ll also look at the myths and superstitions that pervade L&D yet lead to wrong predictions, empty promises, and ultimately wasted money. You’ll explore when and why scenarios and simulations make sense, learn how to write better quiz questions, and unpack terms like microlearning and retrieval practice. You’ll leave with a basis to refine your own practices and evaluate new proposals. Come get the underpinnings of being a professional.
In this session, you will learn:
- The simple neural picture
- How learning works
- What hinders learning
- About science-based learning strategies
Audience:
Designers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Clark Quinn
Chief Learning Strategist
Upside Learning
Clark Quinn, PhD is the executive director of Quinnovation, co-director of the Learning Development Accelerator, and chief learning strategist for Upside Learning. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education, not-for-profit, and government organizations.
703 Interact and Engage! Activities for Spectacular Live Online Events
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Montego DE
Whether it’s an online meeting, a presentation via webinar, or live online training, engagement is the main question on everyone’s mind. Interaction is the answer to engagement, and leveraging the features of the platform you use is the answer to interaction. However, the features alone do not engage participants. It is what you choose to do with those features that will make the difference in your next virtual training, webinar, or meeting.
In this session, you’ll learn how to create interaction, accountability, and engagement in your live online events. You’ll review specific activity examples along with a platform checklist to help you learn online meeting technology. You’ll discuss the challenges attendees face each day, and brainstorm and share ideas on how to overcome them. You’ll also receive an activity design job aid, so you have a guideline to create your own engaging activities for your events. Interaction, laughter, and discussion are expected, so come prepared to contribute and learn how to make engaging virtual events a reality!
In this session, you will learn:
- How engaging live online meetings, webinars, and training events are delivered
- Tips for determining the appropriate level of interaction to create effective live online events
- Strategies for analyzing activities for specific engagement techniques to apply to your own activity design
- How to use a checklist of platform features to optimize the investment in your virtual meeting technology
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, presenters, and trainers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Live online virtual sessions using: WebEx, Adobe Connect, Zoom, MS Skype for Business, AirClass, GoToMeeting, GoToTraining, GoToWebinar, and anything else the participants mention they are using.
Kassy LaBorie
Founder & Principal Consultant
Kassy LaBorie Consulting
Kassy LaBorie is the founder and principal consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting. She is a professional speaker, author, facilitator, and instructional designer who specializes in virtual engagement for learning and development professionals and business owners who get to use web conferencing technology to connect with people around the globe. In her previous role at Dale Carnegie & Associates, she was the director of virtual training services, a corporate consultancy that partnered with organizations to help them develop, design, and develop successful online training strategies. Kassy is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. She's known for believing that "being online is certainly equal to, and in some cases, better than, being in-person!"
704 Multiplying Your L&D Capacity with Employee-Generated Learning
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Andros AB
Tighter budgets, smaller L&D teams, and an increasing number of learning requests. You can’t do more with less. Or can you? L&D needs a new approach—and one that can be built in-house by leveraging internal expertise. What if there were an option for L&D to put the employees at the center of the learning ecosystem and enable them to drive and self-serve their training needs?
In this session, you’ll learn how an employee-generated learning (EGL) model can help L&D overcome these challenges and why it complements the existing L&D interventions. You’ll uncover how to practically implement EGL, and explore the best practices drawn from companies such as Nielsen, Unilever, and Electrolux. You’ll analyze the barriers and opportunities (including didactics and technical aspects) to implement EGL at scale. Finally, you’ll leave the session with actionable ideas on how to get started with this approach and an understanding of the suitability of this approach to your organization.
In this session, you will learn:
- What employee-generated learning (EGL) is, and what it can mean for your organization
- How to start the shift toward EGL
- Practical L&D applications and examples of EGL
- Challenges and opportunities when implementing EGL
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Kasper Spiro
CEO
Easygenerator
Kasper Spiro is the CEO of Easygenerator. He has over 30 years of experience in the field of learning: teaching, authoring textbooks, designing and creating eLearning, and developing knowledge management systems, user performance support systems, and eLearning systems. Kasper’s experience as a manager also includes being CEO of an early internet startup in the 1990s. At Easygenerator, the goal is to facilitate non-learning professionals in sharing knowledge and creating effective eLearning through Easygenerator’s cloud- based eLearning service.
705 Learning Professionals as True Business Partners
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
St. Croix B
As a training manager or instructional designer, have you found yourself on the outside looking in when business decisions are made? Do you have a seat at the table when business strategy is discussed within your organization? Are you in the unenviable position of reacting to others’ decisions regarding employee training rather than influencing or leading the conversation? That doesn’t have to stop you from changing the situation and becoming a true business partner who can help drive strategy.
In this session, you will learn how to advocate for a seat at the table by proving you can align learning with business strategy and execute on business goals. You will examine how to move your learning strategy from training to a performance improvement focus. You will learn a variety of performance improvement techniques to increase the effectiveness of your learning projects. You will leave this session armed with ideas for skills to develop and tools to help you become a better business partner in your organization. There is a seat at the table waiting for you.
In this session, you will learn:
- What may be holding you back from having a seat at the leadership table
- Why your career as a learning professional should be more about performance improvement than just training
- What senior leadership looks for in a true business partner
- Skills and techniques to improve your business acumen
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VPs, CLOs, executives, etc.).
Sonya Overstreet
Learning and Development Manager
Leadec
Sonya Overstreet is the North America learning and development manager for Leadec and a certified performance technologist. She has over 20 years of experience in engineering, performance improvement, and L&D. Throughout her career, Sonya managed the development of technical and leadership training within various industries. She has presented at conferences for the American Society for Engineering Education and the International Society for Performance Improvement. Sonya holds a master of science degree In instructional design and performance technology. Her awards include Technology Rising Star 2017 from the Women of Color STEM Conference and the Excellence in Practices Operation 2016.
706 xAPI 201: Move from Experimentation to Mastery
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Antigua B
You have a conceptual understanding of xAPI but don’t know how to graduate from playing with xAPI to using it for serious business. How do you handle security? Can you be confident that systems work together in a trustworthy fashion? What is a profile, and how does it allow for consistent meaning-making? This session will provide a 201 for xAPI so you can kick off your first project with confidence.
This session will address three core considerations to help you get started with xAPI: security, trust, and profiles. When it comes to security, you’ll learn the basics regarding authentication for both launched and non-launched learning content. You will learn how to build trust using statement signing, infrastructure, and encryption, which will help you rest assured when it comes to the veracity of statements. You’ll also learn the basics for using profiles in your organization so that you can create meaningful reports based on consistently expressed activities.
In this session, you will learn:
- Best practices regarding security, trust, and profiles, and why they are important for xAPI-based systems
- How cmi5, OAuth, and server-to-server communication affect security
- How to guarantee trust through statement signing, private keys, and encryption
- Best practices for leveraging profiles that allow your systems to make meaning from statements and explore the business impact of learning
- How to ask informed questions and assess vendors who support xAPI to ensure their platform suits your needs
Audience:
Developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
eLearning standards (xAPI, cmi5, AICC, and SCORM) and their impact on eLearning platforms (LMSs, LRSs, gamification platforms, authoring tools, learning systems, etc.).
TJ Seabrooks
Chief Technology Officer
PeopleFluent
TJ Seabrooks is the chief technology officer at PeopleFluent, where he leads the engineering and technology organizations. TJ is influential in the evolution of eLearning standards–he played an integral role in the contribution to two Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) awarded to Rustici by Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative (ADL), and has been a key contributor to the xAPI specification since 2012. TJ has an MS in computer science from Vanderbilt University and a BS in computer science from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. He is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
707 Meme-ing Today’s Hottest Learning Trends
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Montego A
Technology has completely changed the way we live, work, and learn. Technology has brought us the internet, smartphones, tablets, and many more tools that have changed our lives forever. Of course, these same technologies have also brought us memes like Socially Awkward Penguin, Success Kid, and yes, Grumpy Cat.
In this session, these two worlds collide as six industry experts use today’s memes to explore the hottest trends in our field. The rules of each presentation are simple: Each speaker’s presentation has 20 slides that automatically advance every 20 seconds. That provides each speaker with six minutes and 40 seconds to paint their vision for the future of learning. And there’s one last rule—slides can only use common internet memes for visuals. Join us for what is sure to be a fun and informative session.
Here are the topics our speakers will be exploring:
- Julie Dirksen: Neuroscience, The Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Jane Bozarth: Evidence Vs. Myth
- Tracy Parish: Robots are Taking Over the World
- Sam Rogers: Big Data & Little Problems
- JD Dillon: The Only Learning Platform Your Will Ever Need!!
- David Kelly: Do You Suffer From SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome)?
In this session, you will learn:
- The truth behind some of the biggest trends in learning
- How to separate the fab from the fad
- How Ignite session formats can create unique learning opportunities
- Way more about internet memes than you ever thought possible
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Julie Dirksen
Learning Strategist
Usable Learning
Julie Dirksen, a learning strategist with Usable Learning, is a consultant and instructional designer with more than 15 years' experience creating highly interactive eLearning experiences for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to technology startups to grant-funded research initiatives. She's interested in using neuroscience, change management, and persuasive technology to promote sustainable long-term learning and behavior change. Her MS degree in instructional systems technology is from Indiana University, and she's been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She is the author of Design For How People Learn.
Jane Bozarth
Director of Research
The Learning Guild
Jane Bozarth, the director of research for the Learning Guild, is a veteran classroom trainer who transitioned to eLearning in the late 1990s and has never looked back. In her previous job as leader of the State of North Carolina's award-winning eLearning program, Jane specialized in finding low-cost ways of providing online training solutions. She is the author of several books, including eLearning Solutions on a Shoestring, Social Media for Trainers, and Show Your Work: The Payoffs and How-To's of Working Out Loud. Jane holds a doctorate in training and development and was awarded the Guild Master Award in 2013 for her accomplishments and contributions to the eLearning community.
Tracy Parish
Education Technology Specialist
Parish Creative Solutions
Tracy Parish is an accomplished instructional designer, eLearning developer, and consultant based in the Greater Toronto area. With a unique blend of skills in computer programming, adult education, and eLearning design/development, she has built a successful career in instructional design. With over 18 years of experience in instructional design, development, LMS implementation and administration, Tracy is a respected figure in her field. She is a speaker, active Articulate Community Hero, co-host of the Toronto Storyline User Group and webcast Nerdy Shop Talk, the marketing director for the Canadian eLearning Conference, and moderator of the monthly Twitter event #lrnchat.
David Kelly
Chairman
The Learning Guild
David Kelly is the Chairman of the Learning Guild. David has been a learning and performance consultant and training director for over 20 years. He is a leading voice exploring how technology can be used to enhance training, education, learning, and organizational performance. David is an active member of the learning community, and can frequently be found speaking at industry events. He has previously contributed to organizations including ATD, eLearn Magazine, LINGOs, and more.
JD Dillon
Chief Learning Architect
Axonify
JD Dillon became a learning and enablement expert over two decades working in operations and talent development with dynamic organizations including Disney, Kaplan, and AMC. A respected author and speaker in the workplace learning community, JD continues to apply his passion for helping people around the world do their best work every day in his role as Axonify's chief learning architect. JD is also the founder of LearnGeek, a workplace learning insights and advisory group.
Sam Rogers
President
Snap Synapse
Sam Rogers, the president of Snap Synapse, creates more effective, efficient, and engaging ways to deliver learning for clients including Google, Capital One, Deloitte, and AAA. He produced YouTube’s first online certification training, and he is a writer, director, producer, composer, and performer for stage and screen. Sam also writes and speaks frequently at conferences, sharing his passion for solving the problems that matter and inspiring learners to action.
708 Simple Strategies for Solving L&D Visual Design Challenges
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Barbados A
It’s not uncommon for people in L&D to have to take on some, if not all, of the visual design of their projects. It’s also not uncommon for those same people to not have a background in visual design. So what can you do if you know you want to use design more effectively in your projects but you just aren’t sure where to start?
In this session, you’ll explore simple strategies that anyone can use to solve the most common visual design challenges in L&D projects. You’ll find out how considering audience, context, simplicity, and flow can help you review your own designs and find quick ways to make them stronger. You’ll then start applying these approaches immediately through in-session activities where you’ll brainstorm ideas for how to rework design don’ts into design dos.
In this session, you will learn:
- How considering your project’s audience, context, simplicity, and flow can give you vital clues on how to improve your design
- The basics that can help you quickly improve your graphic design skills—including layout, font choice, color palettes, consistency, size, and more
- Simple techniques for simplifying, organizing, and modernizing your current visual designs
- How to use the strategies from this session to critique weak designs and come up with options for improving them
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
The visual design skills shared in this session are technology agnostic and can be used no matter what you’re designing.
Bianca Woods
Customer Advocacy Manager
Articulate
Bianca Woods is a customer advocacy manager at Articulate. Her past experience includes working on the community and event programming for the Learning Guild, learning and communications roles at BMO Financial Group, and teaching art. Bianca is passionate about how visual design and multimedia can help people learn, loves test-driving new technology, and collects photos of bizarre warning signs.
709 Free Tools for the Thrifty Learning Designer
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
St. Croix A
Learning designers tend to wear many hats: project manager, instructional designer, video creator and editor, game designer, eLearning developer, technology troubleshooter, graphic designer, and marketing guru, just to name a few. To be successful wearing these many hats, you need the right tools! Unfortunately, you may not have the budget for your dream tools. So, what do you do? You need the best free tools available!
In this session, you will take a look at a list curated by fellow learning designers with over 100 free tools that they use across their projects. You will do a deep dive into the top 25 free resources recommended for stock images and videos, industry knowledge and inspiration, project management, music and sound effects, marketing design tools, and more. Learn from others and bring your favorite resources to add to the list!
In this session, you will learn:
- How to search the hottest free tools online right now for free stock photography, graphics, videos, music, and sound effects
- Where you can go for industry knowledge, templates, and visual inspiration
- About the most popular free tools that you can use for project management
- How you can use these tools to help you design beautiful marketing materials
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Everypixel, Moose, Jing, Pixlr, The Noun Project, Avataars, Battle Learning Cards, Reddit for Instructional Designers, Pexels Stock Video, Screen-O-Matic, FreeSound.com, YouTube Stock Audio, Adobe XD CC, Adobe Color, Pixie Color Identification App, Fount, Google Fonts, Font Squirrel Font Identification Tool, Fount, Trello, SCORM Cloud, Smart Mockups, and more.
Deanna Fischer
Director of Learning Design
Fischer MicroTech
Deanna Fischer is a facilitator, program developer, and speaker who specializes in creating custom learning resources for the classroom and online. She has built successful blended learning programs for global clients across a broad range of industries. She is an early adopter of technology, she loves sharing tools that help her colleagues work more efficiently and creatively, and she has a passion for mentoring individuals new to learning design.
710 Why Companies Are Turning to VR to Improve L&D
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Montego B
Many reports and studies claim there is dissatisfaction with the learning function inside organizations everywhere. And as the workplace and workforce continue to rapidly change, the need to upskill and develop employees has never been greater. Enter VR, which has become the solution to corporate learning’s problems. In its infancy as a new technology, VR has drastically improved the way individuals learn information—and corporate learning has taken notice.
In this session, you will learn how employee training can be accelerated and improved upon using VR technology. You’ll learn why some of the world’s biggest companies are turning to VR to train and develop their workforce and how they’re having success. This session will cover the science behind VR and why it’s such a great fit for learning, as well as the data that proves VR to be a highly effective learning tool. A few case studies will offer real-life examples of how companies created, implemented, and measured VR training programs.
In this session, you will learn:
- Why companies are turning to VR as a solution, and what business challenges VR is solving
- The science of VR and why it’s disrupting traditional learning methods
- From real-life examples of VR implementations at large corporations
- How companies are measuring success of VR implementations better than other learning programs
- How to get started with VR (hint: It’s not as hard as you think)
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Oculus Rift HMD, HTC Vive, Google Daydream, and Samsung Gear VR.
Derek Belch
Founder and CEO
STRIVR
As founder and CEO, Derek Belch leads the vision and strategy behind STRIVR’s mission to elevate performance through immersive experience. Derek incubated the company with co-founder Jeremy Bailenson in Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab while pursuing his master's in virtual reality and serving as a graduate assistant football coach. Using sports as his proving ground, Derek’s vision quickly expanded from the athlete to the enterprise. Derek is driven by a competitive passion for impacting performance, and with STRIVR is pushing everyone to train like an athlete.
Andy Kozak
Manager, College of Technical Operations
JetBlue University
Andy Kozak is the manager of the College of Technical Operations at JetBlue University in Orlando, Florida and New York. The JetBlue University College of Technical Operations provides all maintenance training across the JetBlue system. Projects Andy has worked on in this role include the creation and oversite of the gateway apprentice technician program, developed to support the hiring of qualified technicians and provide a pathway for people in and outside the company who want to be a part of JetBlue in the technical operations department. Andy received his A&P certificate from Spartan School of Aeronautics in 1981, and over the past 36 years he has worked at Pan Am Express, US Airways, and JetBlue Airways.
711 Creating and Deploying Useful Chatbots for Learner Engagement
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
St. Thomas A
Keeping students engaged in their learning is always a challenge. Can messaging enhance the learning experience? Could chatbots open up a whole new communication backchannel? Automatically? And safely? This exciting session will address these questions and more, including a hands-on demonstration.
In this session, you will learn how to easy it is to create and deploy a useful chatbot that automates many communication tasks. You’ll then discuss many use cases for maintaining a dialogue with your learners using Facebook’s Messenger platform and the Chatfuel authoring service. Discover the power of automated assistants! Bring your own device and sign on to Messenger for the optimal experience.
In this session, you will learn:
- About the landscape of automated assistants (chatbots)
- About use cases for delivering lesson content, notifications (homework, deadlines, task ticklers, etc.), and more
- How the Facebook Messenger platform and its growing community ecosystem work
- How to quickly create a useful chatbot
- What it’s like to use a chatbot, through a demonstration
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.), content experts, and teachers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Facebook Messenger, Chatfuel, and Google Drive.
Andrew Brewer
Instructional Technologist
Northwest Area Health Education Center
Andrew Brewer, an instructional technologist with the Northwest Area Health Education Center, has 20 years’ experience in educational new media. Andrew holds a master’s degree in instructional technology. In 1996, knowledge industry publications ranked him among the Top 100 multimedia producers.
712 Creating Mobile Learning in Top Authoring Tools
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Barbados B
Many stakeholders want to allow learners to access courses on their phones, and LMSs tout their ability to do that. However, it’s not as simple as clicking “publish.” When creating or modifying eLearning courses for the phone, there are pitfalls you must avoid to ensure an optimal learner experience.
Learn from the speakers’ mistakes as they share case studies and best practices and offer helpful guidelines for getting buy-in, developing, and publishing mobile-first eLearning courses using top authoring tools. You’ll learn the difference between mobile-first and mobile-friendly, how to design based on your goals, and communication tips for your stakeholders to ensure everyone knows the possibilities and limitations.
In this session, you will learn:
- Recommended approaches for stakeholder communication and how to clarify their goals for how learners access the course
- How to approach the instructional and visual design processes to ensure the best outcome for both the phone and desktop
- Best practices for creating a learner-centric mobile UI and UX
- How to evaluate whether your eLearning authoring tool will do what you want it to on the phone
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Trivantis Lectora, Articulate Rise, and wireframing tools (Balsamiq, UX Pen, etc.).
Jennifer Bertram
Vice President of Client Services
Bottom-Line Performance
Jennifer Bertram is vice president of client services at Bottom-Line Performance, where she oversees all client project work and cross-functional project teams. She’s an award-winning instructional designer who is passionate about helping her clients meet real business needs through engaging, practical learning solutions. Jennifer has transformed BLP’s processes over the years to ensure that they are agile enough to meet the needs of clients and complex learning solutions. She has a master’s degree in adult education.
Kathryn Steele
Multimedia Developer
Bottom-Line Performance
Kathryn Steele is a multimedia developer at Bottom-Line Performance. She holds a master’s in media arts and science and has over 10 years of professional design experience. She specializes in creating unique learner experiences through storytelling with animations and UX/UI design principals. Kathryn also has a background in web design, front-end programming, informatics, marketing, and post-secondary education at both IUPUI and the Art Institute. She has illustrated for several key game publishers, such as Paizo Publishing, Asmodee North America, and Upperdeck (on titles for Marvel Entertainment and Game of Thrones).
713 Managing Video for eLearning
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
St. Thomas B
Video continues to have explosive growth as a delivery medium for knowledge transfer events. Organizations are incorporating video-based learning into the daily flow of work and establishing methods for delivery and tracking of video assets in their learning ecosystem. This session will explore these new workflows, as well as how video can become an integral part of your students’ learning journey.
In this session, you’ll learn how to create a video action plan for your training organization. The video action plan establishes student touchpoints for video, channels for delivery, and the view analytics to be collected. You’ll also learn about video content management systems and their benefits. You’ll leave this session knowing the requirements for successful learner video content creation and maintenance.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to establish a video action plan for learning
- Touchpoints of a video action plan
- How to audit your video delivery channels
- About actionable video analytics
- The benefits of a video content management system (VCMS)
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Video recording, video content management systems, metadata.
Josh Cavalier
Founder
JoshCavalier.ai
Josh Cavalier has been creating learning solutions for corporations, government agencies, and secondary education institutions for nearly 30 years. He is an expert in the field of learning & development and has applied his industry experience to the application of ChatGPT and other Generative AI frameworks for business and life skills. Josh is passionate about sharing his knowledge and has a popular YouTube channel that shares tips and tricks on Generative AI. He is a seasoned speaker, presenting at conferences like DevLearn, Learning Solutions, ATD ICE, TechKnowledge, NAB, and Adobe MAX.
714 Creating a Learning Innovation Lab: Tips for Fostering Different Thinking
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Antigua A
Many L&D teams and organizations suffer from a lack of innovation and different thinking. They can easily become stagnant, always looking at their world at the LMS level with no thoughts about the art of the possible. But innovative thinking can drive up engagement and significantly enhance the learning experience. So how can you increase it at your organization?
In this session, you will find out how a learning innovation lab can help you do just that, and you’ll learn from a year’s worth of experience gained at McKinsey as it built up its first lab of this kind. You’ll uncover what comprises a learning innovation lab and what benefits this incredible opportunity can offer in an L&D organization. You’ll then discuss how to foster healthy disruption in a climate of stagnation and norms, what pitfalls to avoid in forming a lab, and what areas of innovation are best suited for a lab’s R&D efforts.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to start an innovation lab in your organization
- What pitfalls to avoid
- Where to focus your R&D efforts
- The right composition of a lab’s structure
- How to “fail fast”
- What it means to challenge conventional thinking
- The optimal way to experiment with new technologies
- What innovation is and isn’t
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Augmented reality, virtual reality, sandbox servers, APIs, personalization, machine learning, AI, content curation, content relevancy, and mobile app development.
Duncan Larkin
Digital Learning Innovation Manager
McKinsey & Company
Duncan Larkin is the head of the digital learning innovation team at McKinsey & Company. He is a passionate advocate for simple, elegant, and transformative solutions that push the boundaries of innovation and put the learner first. Duncan is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and the author of two books.
Nicholas Pappas
Digital Learning Innovation R&D Lead
McKinsey and Company
Nicholas Pappas is the digital learning innovation R&D lead for McKinsey and Company. He is responsible for running the research and experimentation of digital learning technology to surface and develop relevant use-cases that significantly enhance the learning experience. Prior to joining McKinsey, he served as the director of technology for SpotMe, a mobile event app startup.
James Pritchard
Digital Learning Innovation Manager
McKinsey & Company
James Pritchard, the digital learning innovation manager at McKinsey & Company, has led the custom development of McKinsey’s personalized learning journey portal and served as a product owner and content developer. James holds an MFA in fiction writing from New York University and a BS in management science and engineering from Stanford University.
715 BYOD: Designing for 508 Compliance in Storyline 360
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Martinique AB
As learning organizations are tasked with including Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 accessibility requirements in their eLearning content, many designers and design teams are left asking the same question: How do I take a set of bullet points from a government website and put them into practice? What is tab order? What does good alt text look like, and when should I be using it? Inquiring minds want to know!
This BYOD session will answer these types of questions while retrofitting an existing Storyline 360 course with WCAG 2.0 level AA guidelines. You’ll learn how a team took a set of design standards used primarily by web designers and incorporated them into a compliant standard for instructional designers and internal learning content. You’ll also walk away with practical approaches for making your own Storyline projects more accessible.
In this session, you will learn:
- Why customizing the tab order of slides is important, and how to do it
- How to add good alternate and directional text to your courses
- How to build best practices and stick to them
- Tips, tricks, and what to avoid
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Articulate Storyline 3 or 360, JAWS, and NVDA.
Technology required:
Laptop running Articulate Storyline 2, 3, or 360.
Jaclyn Waskewicz
Sr. Training Manager
Charles Schwab
Jaclyn Waskewicz is a senior training manager at Charles Schwab & Co. with over 15 years of experience in the training and eLearning industry. She is well-versed in accessibility (Section 508 and WCAG), developing learning design, and functional testing standards for the learning organization. She designs and develops both instructor-led and web-based training programs and materials, and podcast and vodcast (video) learning elements.
716 BYOD: The Least You Need to Know About JavaScript
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Friday, October 26
Trinidad AB
More and more eLearning developers are using JavaScript to create advanced learner interactions not available through traditional authoring software. JavaScript provides a level of flexibility, power, and interactivity that has empowered eLearning developers to create more dynamic and more maintainable learning. JavaScript is the engine—the secret sauce—behind all of digital learning. Learning to hand code can be empowering and even career-changing.
In this dynamic, hands-on session, you will learn about the fundamentals of JavaScript that can add power and interest to your content. You’ll see how you can use JavaScript to unlock the powerful world of xAPI. Other JavaScript-related technologies mentioned in this fast-paced session will lead you to coding efficiencies that have the potential to save you hours of work.
In this session, you will learn:
- The fundamentals of the JavaScript language
- How JavaScript applies to eLearning authoring
- Why JavaScript is so important for the future of digital learning
- About resources available for mastering the language so you can put it into practice
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
JavaScript.
Participant technology requirements:
Mac or PC with a text editor (Brackets is recommended—free at brackets.io) and a web browser (Chrome is recommended).
Mark Lassoff
Founder
Dollar Design School
Over two million people have learned coding and design from Mark Lassoff. Mark and his company are pioneers in new media learning, having created the first streaming media network dedicated to learning workforce and career skills. They produce broadcast-quality learning content that focuses on digital skills such as design, coding, and digital productivity. Mark is an in-demand speaker and has traveled the world to teach. He was named to the 40 under 40 in both Austin, Texas, and Hartford, CT. In 2017, Mark was awarded the prestigious Learning Guild Guild Master Award.
801 The End of Microlearning
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Jamaica AB
Microlearning! It’s the most popular word in corporate learning today. It is also the most controversial. While some claim microlearning to be a transformational concept, others see it as nothing but smoke and mirrors. To really find the value, you have to get past the noise and focus on the fundamentals that created the microlearning hype. To really see the benefit of microlearning, you have to end it.
This session will destroy microlearning. All that will be left are the fundamental principles you can apply to enable employees and enhance your impact on the organization. You’ll learn why microlearning is actually an “informed reimagination” of familiar L&D tactics. You’ll find out how to design a workplace learning experience that fits within the daily workflow. You’ll hear stories from organizations that have applied these principles to solve common business problems with measurable results. You’ll leave ready to apply right-fit learning tactics on the job—without using the word “microlearning.”
In this session, you will learn:
- How to articulate the value of microlearning within the modern workplace
- How to build learning solutions that address specific business problems
- How to design a continuous learning experience that fits within the workflow
- How to introduce microlearning tactics into your existing L&D strategy
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Microlearning platforms, learning management systems, mobile devices, and point of sale systems.
JD Dillon
Chief Learning Architect
Axonify
JD Dillon became a learning and enablement expert over two decades working in operations and talent development with dynamic organizations including Disney, Kaplan, and AMC. A respected author and speaker in the workplace learning community, JD continues to apply his passion for helping people around the world do their best work every day in his role as Axonify's chief learning architect. JD is also the founder of LearnGeek, a workplace learning insights and advisory group.
802 A Crash Course on Designing for Any Virtual Classroom
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Andros AB
If they’re going to work in a virtual classroom, your traditional learning methodologies need a makeover. A virtual session is more than lecture and uploaded PowerPoints. Unique techniques must be used to engage learners throughout the session. A common pitfall is to focus on the technology and forget about the design—often resulting in unengaging sessions focused on using the tools and not meeting the needs of the learners.
This session will explore the six key principles of successfully designing for any virtual classroom platform. These principles provide a blueprint for adapting traditional classroom methodologies for live, online instruction. They are made up of key best practices gained from over 20 years’ experience designing, developing, facilitating, and producing online events. Whether you want to simply improve facilitated online meetings, enhance a few classes by adding online follow-up webinars, or completely transform a full curriculum, these principles will provide the guidance you need to create successful live, online learning experiences.
In this session, you will learn:
- The six guiding principles of virtual classroom design
- About the benefits and limitations of common virtual classroom tools
- How technology, timing, and talent (the “three Ts”) effect design outcomes
- How to design interactions for your chosen virtual classroom platform
- A strategy for implementing design and delivery best practices within your organization
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Connect, WebEx Meeting and Training Center, GoTo, Zoom, and MS Skype for Business.
Melissa Chambers
Online Instructional Specialist
MSC Consulting
Melissa Chambers is an online instructional specialist at MSC Consulting and a contract speaker coach/host for The Learning Guild's Online Forums and Guild Academy. Melissa has over 20 years' experience in creative media production, project and change management, online instructional design, and eLearning strategy development, and has been designing, producing, and coaching for synchronous online programs since 2002. She holds a master's degree in instructional design for online learning, and has spearheaded award-winning programs in eLearning, process improvement, and strategic development. Melissa has a passion for lifelong learning, technology, cultivating creativity, and having fun while working.
803 Level Up: Moving from Instructional Design to Learning Experience Design
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Montego A
Rapid UX models like agile, lean, and design sprint are the centerpiece of software, web application, and product design. Yet today’s L&D teams still use unresponsive and archaic instructional design models that follow an outdated waterfall paradigm. The rapid pace and demands of today’s business environment require that IDs utilize emerging UX design techniques to produce immediate results and learner performance.
This session will explore why traditional ISD models fail to meet the demands of 21st-century organizations, and how to use proven UX design methods to move your team from ISD to learning experience design. Find out what user story mapping and proto-personas have to do with eLearning development, and why card sorting is a fantastic way to get buy-in from stakeholders and identify course content. You’ll use a hands-on approach to explore how one team used learning experience design to achieve results, and how you can use these same techniques and strategies to rapidly produce eLearning and other performance solutions.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to integrate proven UX design techniques into the design and development of eLearning and other performance solutions
- How to use card sorting for problem analysis and course design
- How to use user story mapping for contextual design and to identify your target audience
- How to develop a strategy to transition your organization and design team from instructional design to learning experience design
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Curtis Pembrook
Chief Learning Strategist/Professor Graphic Design & Multimedia
Performance Instruction/Mission College
Curtis Pembrook is a graphic design and multimedia instructor at Mission College and a chief learning strategist at Performance Instruction. Curtis is an active member of the ISPI Bay Area chapter. He has also designed and developed eLearning for California Virtual Campus (CVC4), Mission College Workplace Learning, Cabrillo College Nursing, California Economic and Workforce Development, Valin, Hospira, ATAC, and the Federal Aviation Administration. Curtis loves reading about and applying evidence-based research to the design and development of engaging learning experiences. He holds an MEd and is currently pursuing a doctorate in education with emphasis on media studies at Fielding Graduate University.
Sue Czeropski
Chief Learning Strategist
Performance Instruction
Sue Czeropski, a chief learning strategist at Performance Instruction, has over 30 years of experience in the training, development, and HPT arena. She is a PhD, a CPT, the 2016 president of the ISPI Bay Area Boise State University chapter, and former president of the Capella University chapter. Sue has presented at the ISPI annual conference and the CCCAOE (California Community College Association for Occupational Education) Conference and has published articles in the HPT field—in ISPI PIJ, Quality Progress, Training & Develop, and Training. Sue possesses expertise in the entire learning cycle, from conducting needs assessment to measuring ROI.
804 Selecting Innovative eLearning Technologies: A Practical Guide
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
St. Thomas A
With an ever-expanding number of teaching and learning technologies available, it can be challenging to pick the ones that fit the needs of your learners and organization. All of these technologies claim to solve your problems, so how do you know you are making the right choice? Without a sound strategy, it may be difficult to select appropriate, innovative, and institutionally sustainable technologies.
In this session, you will learn about the strategies that can assist your decision-making process when selecting innovative, yet sustainable, technologies. You will also learn how to assess, vet, and critically evaluate technologies and how they integrate into a comprehensive strategy. You’ll develop skills to address issues you may encounter with current technologies. In addition, you will explore the biases, tendencies, and emotional aspects of choosing technologies. You will leave this session with practical strategies and resources to help you evaluate and select technology for your eLearning endeavors.
In this session, you will learn:
- Why technology should be thoroughly assessed before implementing
- What factors you should consider when selecting learning technologies
- How biases, tendencies, and emotions affect the decision-making process
- How to leverage your resources to ensure a sound technology strategy
- How and when to re-evaluate and pivot your technology strategy
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.), and strategists.
Technology discussed in this session:
Common eLearning technologies such as learning management systems, LTI tools, etc.
Nikki McIntosh
Owner and Lead Instructional Designer
Home Learning + Development
Nikki McIntosh is the owner and lead instructional designer at Hone Learning + Development. She has experience in both academic and professional settings. While working at University of Wisconsin–Madison, she was the liaison to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Wisconsin Department of Justice. She has worked in the field of educational media and technology for over five years. Nikki has an associate degree in visual communications and a bachelor’s degree in adult education from Bellevue University.
805 Making Your Mobile Video Look Great
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
St. Thomas B
It’s easy to make video that’s not very good; a lot of bad video gets made on smartphones. But that doesn’t mean that mobile devices can’t make great videos too! The truth is that the camera on your phone is way better quality than those you grew up watching.
Let’s turn your iPhone/iPad or Android into a rapid video production studio—one that you can use to make eLearning videos on the cheap back at work next week. We’ll use this session to get you started framing shots, focusing, getting good sound, trimming clips, and using some simple storytelling devices. We’ll also discuss how to avoid getting off track or over budget with your mobile video project, be it for microlearning clips or long-form eLearning video. Bring your (charged!) device, and be ready to use it.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to use your phone or tablet to make effective eLearning
- When mobile video is the wrong solution
- Top 10 tips for mobile video capture
- What add-ons to buy, and when
- Basic principles of capturing light and sound
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), iOS/Android, Adobe Premiere Clip, microphones, lighting.
Sam Rogers
President
Snap Synapse
Sam Rogers, the president of Snap Synapse, creates more effective, efficient, and engaging ways to deliver learning for clients including Google, Capital One, Deloitte, and AAA. He produced YouTube’s first online certification training, and he is a writer, director, producer, composer, and performer for stage and screen. Sam also writes and speaks frequently at conferences, sharing his passion for solving the problems that matter and inspiring learners to action.
806 Using an LRS to Unify Your Data
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Antigua A
User data can be difficult to manage and track when using different platforms and delivery methods for your content. Data reporting across numerous sources can be disjointed, hard to centralize, and overwhelming to analyze in a meaningful way. Different LMSs don’t always provide user data in the same manner or use the same metrics; the same user taking the same course on different LMSs could create completely different user reporting.
In this session, you’ll discover how to use an LRS as a central repository for all user data and how that will benefit your builds. You’ll learn how to send data to an LRS using code. You’ll also find out how to centralize all data reporting and how that consistency in reporting structures increases efficiency and saves money when trying to extrapolate user data. Using two case studies, you’ll be able to see how even wildly different delivery methods can lead to consistent user data in the LRS.
In this session, you will learn:
- What a learning record store (LRS) is
- How to send data to an LRS
- How an LRS saves time and money
- How a flexible reporting system makes data retrieval and dissemination easier.
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Learning Locker, XAPI, JavaScript.
Tony Jimenez
Instructional Designer
Trifoia
Tony Jimenez is an instructional designer with Trifoia. Tony has been involved in eLearning for over six years, and has considerable experience in authoring software and various learning management systems. He has been integral in the building of online learning environments for Trifoia, including building courses for more than fifteen different grant-funded projects. Previously he was a security forces member in the US Air Force, where he completed two overseas deployments. Tony holds has two associate degrees from Lane Community College and an instructional design certificate from Oregon State University.
807 Case Study: How Mini Learning Games Drove Retention at FCA
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Montego B
Just like FCA dealership sales consultants, many employees have to recall hundreds of facts at a moment’s notice. FCA typically improves performance using traditional blended learning approaches. With the advent of mobile gaming, they realized that they needed to explore new ways of helping learners retain information. And the end result needed to be easy to access, quick, and facilitate frequent and extended engagement.
FCA’s solution: BrainBoost, a platform that serves up a suite of mini learning games. The games are mobile and designed to last three to five minutes, so consultants can play in between sales or after hours. Keeping it short and having an “anywhere, anytime” approach encourages frequent and ongoing engagement. The games primarily use repetition and gaming elements to allow consultants to quickly and accurately recall information. And FCA created a gaming management system that universally handles login, peer-to-peer challenges, and a leaderboard to bring learners back.
In this session, you will learn:
- About FCA Performance Institute’s strategy for mobile learning games
- How to create a game management system to support a suite of mini games
- Core steps and tools to design and produce a learning game
- How to use repetition, a variety of gaming elements, and other techniques to increase retention
- Approaches that FCA used to keep learners coming back
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Paul Gustafson
Manager of Interactive Strategy, Design, and Production
FCA US
Paul Gustafson is a manager of interactive strategy, design, and production at FCA Performance Institute. He is a pioneer in the field of digital learning and has directed the design and creation of over 2,300 high-end user-centric interactive learning initiatives. For over 32 years, he has been creating leading-edge and highly effective learning systems, courseware, and tools for multiple audiences, content, and channels. Working with his team, he integrates thoughtful innovation, instructional techniques, engaging interactivity, and smart features into everything he does. Paul has his own collection of critical design elements and is always looking at emerging methods and platforms to impact learning.
808 Creating Learning Podcasts on a Shoestring
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
St. Croix A
Audiences are almost universally busy, and there is a huge amount of content out there to take in. eLearning courses were promised to fit flexibly into people’s schedules, but they often still require a computer and aren’t designed or developed well for a mobile device. What’s one answer to this issue? Podcasts. People squeeze podcasts in during their commutes, while making dinner, and even in the shower!
This session will look at how you can inexpensively create podcasts yourself. You’ll find out what podcasts are good for (and not so good for), and you’ll look at a basic production process. You’ll also explore some of the hardware and software needed for capturing voices in a “studio” and virtually, and hear about some common mistakes and best practices. You’ll leave the session with a clearer idea, and even a plan, of how to integrate podcasting into your learning offerings.
In this session, you will learn:
- What podcasts can and can’t do
- What basic hardware and software you need to produce podcasts, such as Skype, Adobe Audition CC, and Audacity
- How to develop a process for pre-production, production, and post-production of a podcast series
- Ways to host, launch, and market a podcast (including how to get it into the iTunes podcast library!)
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Skype, Adobe Audition CC, and Audacity.
Kirby Crider
Learning Technology Specialist
Training Resources Group
Kirby Crider, a learning technology specialist at Training Resources Group, is an instructional designer and consultant with a decade of experience designing and developing high-quality products on tight budgets for clients like the US Agency for International Development and the Forest Service, producing videos, podcasts, animations, and interactive online courses.
809 Powering Next-Gen Learning with VR and xAPI
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Antigua B
Virtual reality technologies have long been the promise of the future but just out of reach for the mainstream. Recent VR innovations, though, have allowed instructional designers and learning engineers to create and distribute custom VR content in ways that make VR a transformative part of training and learning programs across industries. When combined with xAPI, these futuristic technologies allow you to gain never-before-captured insights from next-gen digital experiences.
This session will take a look at how VR powered by xAPI is currently being used by instructional designers, learning engineers, and L&D professionals to gain new insights from next-gen learning experiences. You will explore case studies that demonstrate how VR interactions allow learners to explore and participate in engaging and intuitive 360-degree virtual environments designed to expand their vision and promote learning, impact, and retention. You will see case studies demonstrating how organizations are using xAPI-enabled VR content to enhance learning, from safety and compliance to onboarding and training.
In this session, you will learn:
- How organizations are creating their own xAPI-powered VR content for learning and training
- How advances in data and learning analytics provide insight into the value of VR learning content
- What the advantages and benefits are of adding VR content to your learning and training programs
- How modern VR tools make immersive content creation accessible for instructional designers and learning engineers at all levels
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.
Technology discussed in this session:
VR learning content platforms, including CenarioVR and A-Frame; xAPI; and xAPI-powered learning dashboards.
John Blackmon
CTO and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
ELB Learning
As CTO/Chief AI Officer for ELB Learning, John Blackmon is responsible for the development and strategy of company products. Prior to ELB Learning, John was co-founder/CEO of Trivantis, where he created the flagship products, Lectora and CenarioVR. John was also co-founder/lead engineer at BocaSoft, which created various software utilities for the OS/2 operating system. His career started at Electronic Data Systems where he designed automatic identification systems for applications at General Motors, followed by time at IBM where he was awarded a patent for seamlessly running Windows applications under OS/2. He also has a patent pending for Responsive Course Design work.
Melissa Milloway
Sr. Learning Experience Designer
Amazon
Melissa Milloway is a senior instructional designer at Amazon, where she specializes in designing and developing digital learning experiences. She was selected as a “30 Under 30” learning leader for Elliott Masie’s Learning 2014 conference and is an avid blogger in the industry.
Margaret Roth
Chief Customer Experience Officer
Yet Analytics
Margaret Roth is the chief customer experience officer at Yet Analytics, a Baltimore-based company that provides tools and solutions to improve learning and talent development. Margaret is interested in the development and design of connected learning environments that leverage xAPI and blended learning. Her background is in experiential education, curriculum design, teaching, and team development. She is the VP of community impact for the Junior League of Baltimore, a member of the SXSWedu Advisory Board, and a co-founder of EdTechWomen. Margaret received her BA in English and environmental earth science and her MA in teaching from Johns Hopkins University.
810 Social Virtual Reality at Visa
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Barbados B
What if you could infuse the power of social learning into virtual reality or augmented reality? While they offer deeply immersive experiences for individuals, both can be primarily a solo experience. Learn how Visa is using connected mobile devices in concert with AR and VR hardware to create collaborative experiences for learners.
In this session, you’ll explore Visa’s successes and lessons learned and receive guidance for how you can leverage social VR/AR with your employees. You’ll also learn about Visa’s human-centered design process for developing such experiences, including how they engage users through UX design. Plus, you’ll ideate how social VR/AR can be used within your organization.
In this session, you will learn:
- How Visa took their concept from ideation through implementation
- About Visa’s successes, lessons learned, and guidance for developing VR/AR experiences
- How to build a team-based VR learning experience at your organization
- New ideas for how you can use social VR/AR with your employees
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Virtual reality (VR), Vive custom build, and augmented reality (AR).
Carol Combs
Senior Instructional Designer
Visa
Carol Combs is the senior instructional designer for learning and innovation at Visa University, where she focuses on the introduction of compelling and innovative learning experiences. In her role at Visa, Carol develops learning experiences that leverage emerging technologies in mobile, social, and gamified environments. Carol is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and has a background in computer engineering and information technologies.
Kierra Dotson
Creative Technologist
Visa
Kierra Dotson is a creative technologist with Visa, where she explores and designs new concepts and technologies to create new learning paradigms. Kierra is responsible for developing new technology solutions within the Visa University learning ecosystem that shape how data is captured and analyzed.
811 When Your Client Won’t Budge: Tips for Avoiding the Information Dump
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Montego DE
Your client provides a lengthy slide deck and asks you to create an engaging and fun course. You roll up your instructional design sleeves and start slashing unnecessary content and preparing a learner-focused design where learners practice scenario-based decision-making. But what do you do when your client rejects your design and demands a locked-navigation course that uses every word from their lengthy slide deck?
In this case study session, find out how to move beyond the information dump even when your client isn’t budging. You’ll discover ways to incorporate the information your client deems necessary while simultaneously avoiding information overload. You will also explore options that provide learners more freedom and control over their learning path while meeting your client’s request to lock down the navigation. This session will also provide you with ideas on how to tie together every element of the course to both enhance learning retention and strengthen your pitch of an unlocked course structure to your client.
In this session, you will learn:
- Creative ways to organize content so that it is meaningful to learners
- How to redesign the content to enable learners to learn from their mistakes
- About options that provide learners navigational control over their learning experience without fully unlocking the course navigation
- Strategies to tie every course element—including performance objectives, content, and assessment questions—together to help learners grasp the material
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Articulate Storyline 2.
Christina Grimsley
Senior Learning Specialist
EnCompass, LLC
Christy Grimsley is a senior learning specialist at EnCompass LLC, who brings 24 years of experience in facilitation, training, curricula development, and project management. Throughout her career, Ms. Grimsley has led long-term efforts to develop and implement face-to- face and virtual training designs, curricula, and manuals for audiences domestically and overseas on topics related to international development including policy and practice, health, democracy, rights and governance, and management and leadership development. Ms. Grimsley specializes in team building and mentoring, and has overseen the development and implementation of learning strategies, training of trainers, trainer observation, and learning evaluation.
812 Increasing “Stickiness” with Mobile Coaching Platforms
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Barbados A
L&D is evolving and bringing you new ways to reach your learners by reaching beyond the classroom and into the workflow. It’s what modern learners expect. But how do you transcend eLearning or live training events and bring knowledge into the workflow in contextual ways that increase retention, and that create intentional refocus and additional application opportunities?
One set of productivity tools that shows incredible promise is mobile coaching platforms (MCPs). While there are numerous players in the field, offering different features and functions, this session will cover these tools in two categories: video and SMS coaching. You’ll examine ideal use cases, see a few examples in practice, discuss challenges and barriers, and learn how to gain sponsor support to burst out of the classroom and into your learners’ hands—right where they are doing the work. The session will close with a conversation about the practitioner learning curve for these tools and how to get started.
In this session, you will learn:
- What MCPs are, and how they can up your training and performance support game
- How some companies are using MCPs as training reinforcement and as performance support
- How to talk about these new tools with your partners or clients, and what you need to get started
- About the practitioner learning curve and what you can do to reduce that, starting today
Audience:
Designers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Video coaching (practice—screen caps from actual work); chatbots (Mobile Coach—screen caps and an actual chatbot opt-in experience for participants); and The Everyday Coach (GP’s custom mobile coaching app with screen captures of the authoring backend).
Ann Rollins
VP, Custom Solutions and Chief Solutions Architect
The Ken Blanchard Companies
Ann Rollins is a modern learning champion with nearly 30 years of industry experience helping form and execute learning and leadership development strategy for Fortune and Global 500 companies. Unintimidated by global scale, she always has her eyes on the technology horizon and helps clients consider how the technology in our hands outside of work today may have a place inside the learning ecosystem tomorrow. She takes a practical, design thinking approach to support clients as they transform what leadership development (and learning in general) happens in their organizations, and help drive plans to innovate to prepare for what's next.
Britney Cole
VP, Innovation
Blanchard
As vice president of innovation and the head of the Blanchard Innovation Lab and Experience Center, Britney Cole is a visionary leader who positively impacts lives through cutting-edge solutions that drive personal, professional, and organizational growth. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate training and leadership development, Britney is a highly sought-after consultant, speaker, and thought leader. Her mission is to help employees learn new skills, enable managers to lead their teams effectively, and assist executives in running their businesses.
813 What’s New in Open-Source Learning Technologies?
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Montego C
Organizations often find difficulty adopting new learning technologies due to lack of funding or a limited ability to customize tools for business needs. But by leveraging open-source software, learning professionals can use the community of developers to affordably grow their departmental abilities.
In this session, you will learn about five open-source technologies that you can use in training and development functions, including Adapt Learning, WordPress, Learning Locker, H5P, and Sakai. You will explore the state of each of these projects, discuss implementation strategies for the technology stack, determine methods to partner with internal IT teams in the implementation of open-source solutions, and review case studies of successful open-source learning implementations.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to implement open-source solutions in your training organization
- How to work with IT business partners to launch open-source projects
- How to develop eLearning modules without buying expensive authoring software
- About successful implementation of open-source technologies in learning
- How to create a knowledge management solution using WordPress
- How to deploy an open-source LMS
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
WordPress, Learning Locker, H5P, LAMP Stack, Sakai, StackOverflow, and Github.
Frazier Smith
Human Resources Program Manager
SnapAV
Frazier Smith is an HR training manager for SnapAV, the leading manufacturer and distributor of audio, video, networking, surveillance, power, and structured wiring products for custom integrators. Frazier has managed custom learning management systems with over 24,000 users and developed native learning experiences using Swift and xAPI. Frazier holds a master of education in instructional systems technology from UNC–Charlotte and is currently studying for his doctorate at Sam Houston State University in instructional systems technology and design. At DevLearn 2016, Frazier won the Best in Show (Non-Vendor) award for DemoFest.
814 How AR, VR, Games, and Simulations Are Ushering In a New Era of Learning
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
St. Croix B
A new wave of game-playing professionals are entering the workforce. Professional football players already rehearse their moves with video games. Pilots earn flight miles in flight simulators. Soldiers are recruited and trained with the America’s Army game. How will corporations develop the next generation of learners who have spent more time with video games than in school? How will they bring immersion, engagement, and presence to new levels?
In this session, you’ll explore the real ways leading companies prepare their employees with on-the-job training simulations, such as business leadership, cyber defense, and executive selling. You’ll discover how these experiences challenge players to level up through increasingly complex real-world tasks and offer feedback and recognition along the way. You’ll also find out how virtual and augmented reality are ushering in a new era of experiential and visceral learning that promises to upend training and human performance.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to develop games that thrive on a sense of engagement, storytelling, character identification, immersion, problem-solving, and accomplishment
- How to develop a 3-D transmedia strategy to leverage the cost of developing for VR and AR by deploying the same simulation to desktops, tablets, and phones
- How to use virtual reality as “the ultimate empathy machine” to develop customer service and people skills
- How to leverage the 2 billion phones that were just turned into a magic lens of augmented reality to develop everything from onboarding to performance support
- How to develop mobile business sims
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VP, CLO, executive, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Virtual reality: Windows; mixed reality; and augmented reality: phone-based and Magic Leap mobile simulations.
Anders Gronstedt
President
The Gronstedt Group
Anders Gronstedt, PhD, is president of The Gronstedt Group, which is instrumental in helping global companies like Walmart, Pfizer, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Daikin improve performance with their custom-developed multi-player VR simulations and learning games. He is a frequent industry speaker and writer with articles appearing in the Harvard Business Review.
815 BYOD: Voice Experience Design: Giving Your Learning a Voice
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Martinique AB
Voice technology is becoming essential to everyday life. Speech recognition accuracy has gone from 95 to 99 percent, which has people using it all the time. In less than two years, 50 percent of searches online will be performed via voice. Voice is faster, less cumbersome, near-universal, and effective. It’s natural! So why not use it to deliver just-in-time training for your learners?
In this session, you’ll be designing and developing two simple skills for Amazon Alexa that you will be able to use after DevLearn. The first will be a flash briefing skill, which will deliver important information to learners (e.g., an OHS update or a message from the CEO). Second will be a custom skill: You’ll build a wellbeing skill that is integrated with Google Sheets so it can dynamically be updated. You’ll learn how to ensure your language is natural, and what is required to publish your skill or keep it private for internal business use.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to define voice experience (VX) design
- How you can use VX skills in your organization to deliver just-in-time training
- How to use the free Amazon Developer Console to create two simple skills
- How to ensure your voice is natural
Audience:
Designers, developers, managers, and senior leaders (directors, VPs, CLOs, executives, etc.).
Technology discussed in this session:
Amazon Alexa, Amazon Developer Console, AWS, and Alexa Skill Kit.
Participant technology requirements:
Participants should bring a laptop. They should also have signed up to AWS and Amazon Developer Console.
Cath Ellis
Learning Experience Designer
Cath Ellis Learning Design
Cath Ellis is a freelance learning experience designer at Cath Ellis Learning Design, a boutique eLearning company in Victoria, Australia. She has more than two decades of experience creating award-winning learning experiences for clients across the globe. She has a bachelor of adult learning and development and a master of digital technology in education from the University of Melbourne.
816 BYOD: Developing Responsive eLearning Using Fluid Boxes in Captivate
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Friday, October 26
Trinidad AB
Fluid boxes in Adobe Captivate 2017 are seemingly magical containers that allow you to create responsive eLearning courses in a snap. Just add the images, videos, animations, buttons, and other objects to the fluid boxes and they will automatically arrange on the screen based on the screen size and orientation.
During this hands-on session, you will learn how to create responsive eLearning courses using fluid boxes. You will also learn about the best practices of using fluid boxes in Captivate and make the most of them. You will receive a step-by-step guide for getting started with fluid boxes during the session.
In this session, you will learn:
- How to create a responsive course using Captivate
- How to add fluid boxes to the slides
- How to modify the fluid box properties
- About the best practices of creating responsive courses in Captivate
Audience:
Designers and developers.
Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Captivate.
Technology required:
Laptop and latest version of Adobe Captivate.
Pooja Jaisingh
Senior Director, Digital Learning
Icertis
Pooja Jaisingh works as a senior director of digital learning at Icertis. She has created several award-winning eLearning courses and authored books and video courses on eLearning tools and technologies. In her previous roles, she worked as a principal eLearning evangelist at Adobe and chief learning geek at a start-up. Pooja is CPTD-, and COTP-certified. She holds a master’s degree in education & economics and a doctorate in educational technology.
GS4 KEYNOTE: Unfair Labels: Your Guide to Generational Dynamics in the Workplace
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM Friday, October 26
Grand Ballroom
As more Baby Boomers are retiring, more Millennials are joining the workplace (and with 80 million people born between 1982 and 2000 in the US alone, that’s a major shift). Millennials have been the focus of countless articles and books, each purporting to offer a guide on how to manage, recruit, and train this new generation. However, most of this information is incorrect and shaped by stereotypes. In this eye-opening keynote, Jessica Kriegel illustrates the most harmful, unfair myths about Millennials affecting their role in the workplace, and examines how it results in learning and performance practices that actually hurt our organizations. With clarity and insight, Dr. Kriegel will explore how these myths impact our practices and provide tips for working in a world that applies stereotypes to people based upon their generation. This session will provide critical suggestions to learning professionals tasked with developing engaging content that takes into account shifts between Baby Boomers and younger workers.
Jessica Kriegel
Author and Organizational Development Consultant
Oracle
Jessica Kriegel is a senior organizational development consultant for Oracle Corporation, where she acts as an adviser and strategist in matters of organizational development, change management, and talent development. In 2013 she completed her doctoral degree in educational leadership and management with a specialization in human resources development from Drexel University, where she was valedictorian at commencement; her dissertation research focused on generational differences. Dr. Kriegel was awarded the Association of Talent Development “One to Watch” Award in 2015 and Training Magazine’s “Emerging Training Leader to Watch” in 2014.