Take an in-depth look at five trends you should focus on in learning today, and get a glimpse of what’s just around the corner. This session will provide you with dozens of resources to share with your team and get you started. Get ready to reboot your brain and enhance your learning today.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) continue to be both big news and big business, but one aspect that is less often discussed is the behind-the-scenes perspective. Building a greater understanding of the design considerations, facilitation techniques, and data interpretation from MOOCs can give you valuable inspiration for designing and facilitating any people development activities—regardless of whether or not you’re building MOOCs.

This session will lift the lid on what happens before, during, and after a MOOC. You will take a backstage look at several live MOOCs, which will give you a clearer view into the choices MOOC designers make, as well as how to successfully facilitate a MOOC once it has started. You’ll also see how you can use xAPI data to influence future design and facilitation.

In this session, you will learn:

• How quickly a MOOC can be created using curated content
• How the placement of social features can significantly influence conversation
• About the effects of facilitation vs. non-facilitation
• The value of adopting a nudging approach to your facilitation
• How to apply subtle gamification techniques to increase engagement

Audience:
Novice to intermediate designers, project managers, and managers who are already aware of what a massive open online course (MOOC) is.

Technology discussed in this session:
Curatr, blogs, video, social media, the xAPI, email, and Learning Locker.

Today, 360-degree video is becoming a part of consumers’ lives on social media and through entertainment. However, to be effective for learning, it needs to be interactive, relevant, and trackable. Achieve these, and you can give learners the ability to explore a space and discover its secrets (or risks). As video shifts, learning professionals need to be ready to make the most of the changes.

In this case study session, you will be able to satisfy your curiosity about the next innovation in video-based learning. You will hear the story of a 360-degree interactive video learning project, from concept through to implementation. You will see how layering different technologies, including gamification, can create a SCORM-compliant learning experience. Finally, you will get to see what 360-degree interactive video looks and feels like.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to enhance workplace learning with 360-degree interactive video and 360-degree photospheres
• How to overcome the challenges associated with this new technology
• Methods for applying 360-degree interactive video successfully to learning
• The skills you need to create effective 360-degree interactive video for learning
• How 360-degree interactive video links to virtual reality and wearables

Audience:
Intermediate designers, developers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
360-degree interactive video.

Click here for the session trailer

You live in a world of dynamic and interactive multimedia. Why, then, are you still subjecting your learners to static and one-dimensional training materials? Augmented reality is now an affordable technology that can be easily integrated into your learning content to provide immediate context at the moment of need.

In this session, you will build a better understanding of augmented reality (AR) and discover its evolution into workplace learning. Explore affordable out-of-the-box solutions that you can implement today in your L&D space, from new-hire orientations to general training. This session will equip you with valuable tips and tricks to augment any learning experience.

In this session, you will learn:

• About the concept of augmented reality and its application in training environments
• About several easy-to-apply AR solutions
• About the various uses of AR for L&D

Audience:
Novice designers and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Augmented reality apps Zappar, Layar, and Blippar.

Virtual reality technology is here and getting better every day. Still, there are a variety of different types of virtual reality platforms that all present different pros and cons for use in training. With technology evolving so quickly, learning professionals need to stay informed of what options are available today, what will be available tomorrow, and what VR means for the future of immersive learning.

This session will explore the latest releases and the emerging advances in virtual reality technologies, including video-based and animation-based VR. Learn about the companies that are investing in VR and where they are focused, and pay particular attention to where they are investing in content. You’ll also explore some examples of VR for learning that already exist, as well as the logical applications for VR in organizational learning.

In this session, you will learn:

• What virtual reality is, and what current VR technologies are available
• What the future of VR technologies looks like, particularly from a learning perspective
• What examples of VR for learning currently exist
• How to get started with VR for learning in your organization

Audience:
Novice, intermediate, and advanced designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
VR platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens, PlayStation VR, and SilVR Thread.

Virtual reality (VR) is a new tool that has the potential to drastically change the way people view and implement training and development. In generations to come, people will use virtual reality like social media is used today. This is the future of how people will learn. But today, this technology may seem too complicated and unattainable for many organizations to implement into their learning portfolios.

In this session, you will explore the world of virtual reality for learning. You will learn how Samsung Electronics America has implemented its VR learning strategy in three steps. You will learn the best practices that will help your organization understand this technology. You’ll examine the different VR hardware and platforms, and the technical requirements to implement VR in your organization. Finally, you’ll learn about best practices and the expertise your organization needs in order to implement this technology.

In this session, you will learn:

• How Samsung Electronics America implemented a VR learning strategy
• About the VR learning content that is available and ready to implement now
• About the hardware required to implement a VR learning strategy
• About the technical requirements to implement a VR learning strategy

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone, Samsung Gear VR, and Samsung VR 360.

Back by popular demand, Hyperdrive returns to DevLearn this fall. This year’s Hyperdrive competition focuses on innovation, showcasing projects that are using technology and solutions to create new and exciting opportunities for learning and performance support.

In this session, you will learn from the three winning entries in DevLearn Hyperdrive, the competition that took place before DevLearn began. You will learn from individuals and organizations that are pushing the boundaries of what learning and performance support looks like, and you’ll explore examples of technology being harnessed in ways that most others have yet to consider.

In this session, you will learn:

• From cutting-edge examples of innovative learning
• How the projects provide business value
• Why a design decision was made
• About the technologies used in innovative projects

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, project managers, and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Various.

Many have said that 2016 is the year of virtual reality (VR), as Facebook (Oculus Rift), Sony, Samsung, and HTC, to name a few, are launching consumer products. But how can it be used for learning, especially in a corporate environment? Is VR all hype, or are there sound pedagogical principles behind it?

In this session, you will gain a solid foundation in understanding the VR landscape: what it is, what equipment you need, where to find free learning resources, and how to develop your own content. You will also learn about the experience of developing and deploying VR within the Nokia Corporate University, where it has been promoted as the next generation of mobile learning.

In this session, you will learn:

• About using VR for learning
• About the best VR options for your environment
• How to access free VR content to get started
• About new insights into VR content development options
• About the experiences and lessons learned from using VR for learning at Nokia

Audience:
Novice designers, developers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Oculus Rift headset (Dev Kit 2), Samsung Gear VR headset, Google Cardboard (V1 and V2), Samsung Gear 360 VR camera, Unity game software, Unreal game software, Google VR, and Nokia VR.

MOOCs are growing in use in public and private sectors, taking on different forms and providing diverse experiences. The approaches are relatively new, and there is still much to learn. Have you ever wondered whether your organization could benefit from lessons learned designing and facilitating a massive open online course (MOOC)? The answer is: Yes, it can. The data and experiences obtained from a course of thousands can be applied in many different ways.

Though your audience may not be massive, in this session you will learn to scale down the essential elements of an engaging MOOC to be relevant for your organization. You will leave this session with practical tips based on experience. Whether you are a subject matter expert, an instructional designer, or someone who manages learning programs, there is much to learn about how MOOCs can be a valuable addition to your organizational learning strategy.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to design interactions between participants that add value
• How to evaluate what you can include in a MOOC design and what you cannot
• How to examine the results of a specific learning strategy
• How to construct techniques you can apply to your own programs

Audience:
Novice, intermediate, and advanced designers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
A MOOC designed and delivered on the Coursera platform.

As a learning practitioner, you are tasked with providing distinctive immersive learning experiences for your learners when and where they need to learn. You may be asked to shorten the length of the online training offerings or to provide access to learning in spaces that are not traditional office settings. How can you leverage your infrastructure to accommodate employees who need performance support and quick learning experiences at the moment of need, in any location, and in real time?

In this session, you will experience how augmented reality combines brilliantly with microlearning and performance support by providing pathways to content, especially in situations and locations where content deployment and training was difficult in the past—such as on construction sites, in retail locations, and in new or unfamiliar work locations. Additionally, you’ll learn how this amalgamation addresses user expectations by creating a learning experience within the context of learners’ current physical space.

In this session, you will learn:

• How microlearning and performance support can be interchangeable
• About when microlearning is most and least applicable
• About key differences and considerations between microlearning and traditional courseware
• About augmented reality, including best cases for use, features, and limitations
• About the challenges and considerations of mobile deployment
• How to leverage user experience and expectations to create solutions that your audience seeks and wants to use

Audience:
Novice, intermediate, and advanced designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Is it possible to use virtual reality and augmented reality for your organization’s training on a budget? This session will showcase some amazing virtual- and augmented-reality training examples, bust some common myths about the hot new platforms taking the consumer technology world by storm, and explain how you can integrate them into your training in a practical, powerful, and cost-effective manner.

How will the connected learning landscape shift when cognitive technology takes over? Connected print technologies, extreme wearables, and device-to-device, machine-to-machine communication will transform the way a learner interacts with content, changing everything about the ecosystem of learning.

In this highly interactive session, find out more about what the wearable future holds, and the new ways people can literally hold connected learning in their hands, minds, and bodies. Learn about the business landscape, the emerging technology capabilities, and the implications for instructional design and delivery. It’s a new world where what you wear enables what you learn. Are you ready?

In this session, you will learn:

• About the business landscape for wearable and connected learning
• About emerging technology capabilities
• About the application of wearable learning to workplace instructional design and delivery

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Virtual reality and Ericsson Connected Print.

Click here for the session trailer

There are many situations where learners can benefit from being able to instantly request assistance from an expert through voice or even video chat. That kind of in-the-moment performance support can save time and help people get back to the task at hand quickly, armed with the knowledge they need to do it right. But how do you provide that kind of support directly in your web or mobile applications? In the past this could be done, but only with the assistance of extra plugins that were tricky to use. Thankfully, there’s now an easier way for developers to include this functionality: Web Real-time Communications (WebRTC).

In this session, you’ll be introduced to the basics of WebRTC, a technology that became available in the recent generation of web browsers and mobile applications. WebRTC allows you to support in-browser applications for voice and video chat without needing additional plugins. You’ll find out more about WebRTC’s capabilities, its standardized mechanisms and APIs, and how web and mobile developers can leverage it when creating performance support applications. Through using WebRTC, you’ll be able to easily provide in-the-moment support for your learners in all new ways.

In this session, you will learn:

• What WebRTC is and how it can enhance performance support
• What WebRTC looks like in action
• How to use WebRTC in web and mobile applications
• How best to apply WebRTC mechanisms and features in specific scenarios

Audience:
Novice and intermediate developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
WebRTC and ORTC (Object Real-time Communications) technologies; JavaScriptCore APIs (e.g., Promises); desktop browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari); React and React Native; and iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Learning management systems were initially built for supporting instructor-led training (ILT). As the needs of 21^st-century learners evolve, companies are rapidly transitioning away from ILT toward next-generation learning experiences, and many LMSs are not keeping up. Learn how some of the largest and most innovative companies in the world are using the latest technology (e.g., video platforms, learning paths, self-paced labs, etc.) to provide an outstanding blended learning experience—without an LMS.

In just a short span of time, a succession of technological advances have impacted L&D, from VHS tapes through to eLearning and mobile—and they’ve landed with mixed success. All have had an impact; none have been transformative. But that’s about to change as distributed technology and AI start to intersect with learning. The success of these technologies, though, depends on industry professionals. Are you ready?

In this participative session, you’ll explore the future of learning. You’ll experience a future-facing session where you’ll look not just at what is on your doorstep, but at the things you’ll need to put in place to shape tomorrow. This session will consider not specific technologies, but rather categories of technology and the ways they’ll transform learning, including the impacts of wearables on performance, AI on communication, and collaborative platforms on knowledge itself.

In this session, you will learn:

• About the true disruptions around the corner for the field of organizational learning
• How wearable tech and AI will fully contextualize and geolocate learning
• How these technologies will fully democratize and liberate learning
• About the risks for those organizations that don’t start to explore

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Wearables (from Glass to Oculus, watches to phones) and AI platforms (specifically a research project out of SRI, as well as bots focused on storytelling and captioning activities).

Are you designing training for people who need to experience situations firsthand, but struggle with how to do that effectively and efficiently? Is your workforce widely distributed, so in-person training is just too expensive? What if you could bring a situation to your audience anywhere and any time you needed to with a solution that was both immersive and cost-effective? While this sounds like a training option from the future, it’s actually something you can launch right now using Google Cardboard and 360 degrees of virtual reality.

In this session, you’ll learn about the technology that’s available today to create low-cost virtual reality videos and how you can leverage this groundbreaking technology in your training. You’ll find out more about the websites and apps that are available to support VR videos, which cameras you can use to capture footage, and which cardboard viewers are compatible with smartphones. With these affordable tools, you can easily create immersive experiences that do things like put your new remote employees in the office to meet the team on their first day, put your sales force in a car for a ride-along without the cost of travel, or send your employees on a tour of a facility across the world without impacting anyone’s daily routine.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create your own 360-degree virtual reality videos
• Which websites and apps support 360 VR videos
• How to use Google Cardboard with a smartphone
• Ways to implement VR into your training program

Audience:
Novice designers, developers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Ricoh Theta and Google Cardboard.

Using technology to help make  learning “stick” is something L&D is always pursuing. Augmented reality (AR) is one of the newer entries into this category, in large part because of how well it can support learning in the moment. However, AR can often seem overwhelming, time-consuming, and difficult to use in everyday learning development, and these assumptions could cause you to overlook the potential this technology holds for your audience.

This session will challenge the idea that AR is too complicated to use for L&D and explore just how easy it actually is to get started creating training with AR. You’ll explore tools that you can use to create an AR project; features of AR that you can consider using; and how to plan, build, and share your project with the community. You’ll then have the opportunity to create original AR content in this session using free development tools.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create an AR project using Aurasma Studio
• Which interactions are available for you to use within AR
• What features to consider when planning your AR project
• How to use multimedia assets to enhance your AR project

Audience:
Novice designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Aurasma Studio (cloud-based), Aurasma app (for iOS and Android), and Google Drive.

Technology required:
A laptop with Internet connection and a mobile device with a camera for viewing.

How do you develop a generation of learners who may have spent more time with video games than in school? How do you leverage the explosion of screens and devices to change behavior among all learners? How do you use the recent growth in affordable virtual reality devices to bring immersion, engagement, and presence to new levels? This is the reality in which you design training. So how do you use these media experiences as inspiration for where L&D should go in the future?

In this session, you’ll learn how various media—like serious games, podcasts, simulations, short-form videos, 3-D immersive experiences, mobile, and virtual reality—are poised to forever change the way people learn and organizations teach. Packed with demos and case studies, the session will cover how leading Fortune 50 companies and government agencies are harnessing gamification, simulation, and digital video to build organizational capabilities. From sales skills taught in a spy-themed game with live-action video, to leadership skills taught with 3-D immersive simulations, to technical skills taught with virtual and augmented reality, these organizations will give you inspiration for how to use today’s multimedia breakthroughs to push what you can do for learning.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to incorporate gaming elements into your learning programs to make them engaging and inspiring
• How to develop compelling stories across screens, devices, and formats that inspire the audience to action
• What leading-edge virtual reality applications actually look like
• About trends that will impact learning over the next few years

Audience:
Novice and intermediate managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Technology discussed in this session:
Mobile and tethered virtual reality; Unity and web-developed games; and short-form online video.

Click here for the session trailer

You’re excited about the promise of an xAPI-enabled world, but you currently have a learning management system and a host of SCORM-based courses that you can’t just get rid of. Early on, it can be difficult to see how you can stay flexible and manage this transition over time. But what if you could get the most out of both an LMS and an LRS (learning record store) at the same time that you move to your next-generation learning and performance infrastructure?

In this session, you’ll quickly review what an LRS is and how it’s both different from and similar to the LMS you already have. You’ll explore your LRS options and find out more about how they work (or don’t work) with your LMS. Should you work with a stand-alone LRS? A front-end xAPI solution with a built-in LRS? An LRS that is aligned with your LMS and your current learning infrastructure? This session will help you make that crucial decision as you plot your organization’s course toward your next-generation learning ecosystem.

In this session, you will learn:

• About the benefits of an LRS, both in contrast to and in combination with your LMS
• How to evaluate your LRS options
• About potential options for your next-generation learning and performance infrastructure
• Which key partners in your business to engage as you migrate from SCORM to the xAPI

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers, developers, and managers. 

Technology discussed in this session:
Learning management systems, learning record stores, and the xAPI.

Traditional video has become an important and engaging component of training programs. That said, while it’s a fantastic tool for learning, it is still often limited to the linear path or story that it shares. People can watch video, but they can’t control it themselves. But what if L&D professionals created a more immersive world for learners by giving them the ability to explore anything and everything around them? That more interactive video experience is possible now with 360-degree video.

In this session, you’ll learn more about what 360-degree video is, how you can create it, and why you’ll want to use it for training. You’ll explore the technical side by looking at what it takes to capture and edit 360-degree video on a budget and how you can share what you create with your learners. You’ll also look at practical application through experiencing some of the real 360-degree videos that are being used for training and development right now. By the end of this session, you’ll not only know how to create your own 360-degree videos, you’ll also know how to explain the business case for using them.

In this session, you will learn:

• About the technology you can use to record and edit 360-degree video
• How to view and share 360-degree video with others
• How 360-degree video is currently being used in existing training
• About the strengths and weaknesses of 360-degree video for training development

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
360-degree video recording; Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere; 360, VR, and 3-D plugins for Adobe software; the Xiaomi Yi action camera; and 3-D printing.

L&D professionals constantly strive to create useful and meaningful content. But while they often use interviews, profiles, test results, and more to try to understand the people they design for, these things don’t always paint the full picture. But what if you could bring in even more data about your audience? You may have heard of the “Quantified Self,” a movement that recommends using technology to track a wide range of data about yourself and, through that information, to get to know yourself better. Can you apply this mission to the field of L&D? And if so, how can you go about collecting those data and interpreting the results?

In this session, you’ll explore one of the best sources for these deeper data: wearable technologies. You’ll discuss popular consumer products (such as the Fitbit, Spire, and Apple Watch), new emerging trends (like the Emotiv Insight), and how to use all of these tools to enhance learning and development approaches. You’ll also take a look at how you can use these wearable technologies for an important goal: improving performance.

In this session, you will learn:

• About some of the latest wearable technologies, such as Spire and Emotiv Insight
• Hands-on tips and tricks on how to use those technologies for learning
• How learner analytics can aid an L&D approach
• How the Emotiv Insight works, through a live demo

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Spire, Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Emotiv Insight.

iBeacons allow learners to interact with their environment in new ways that were not possible even five years ago. While many learning professionals are aware of iBeacons and their disruptive possibilities, many do not understand the fundamental concepts or how to implement the devices in their training programs. Beacons can be used to provide location context in eLearning and create low-bandwidth augmented reality experiences.

In this session, you will learn about the different ways that the retail industry is using iBeacons and how you can use them in the training space. You will review how an iBeacon works and the iBeacon’s different protocols. This session also will discuss the findings of an iBeacon pilot that has been successful at CPI Security. Finally, discuss how to create beacon-driven training: both with vendor-provided tools and free open-source options. By the end of this session, you will be equipped with the tools and knowledge to deploy iBeacons in your company’s training programs.

In this session, you will learn:

• The fundamentals of iBeacon technology
• About successful implementations of iBeacon technology
• About different providers of iBeacon devices and services
• The basics of iOS application design for iBeacon training
• About upcoming advancements with beacon technology

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers, developers, project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
iBeacon, Eddystone, Estimote, iOS/Swift Programming, PhoneGap, Cordova, Google Drive, and iPad.