Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Kick-start your day with Morning Buzz, the ever-popular “Early Bird” discussions. This is your chance to grab a cup of coffee and meet other conference attendees in a relaxed, casual environment, so you can share your best practices, insights, and tips while learning from one another’s experiences.

Curiosity is the foundation of lifelong learning. But what does curiosity look like? In many ways, curiosity takes the form of exploration when put into action. Exploration—be it the vastness of space or the simplicity of one’s own backyard—is what truly drives learning. Bill Nye believes in the power of exploration. It’s through exploration that discoveries made by the human species expand the possibilities for future discoveries. In this keynote Bill Nye will take you on a journey of exploration, where you will discover how enabling people to act on their curiosity can tap into natural lifelong learning.

Ninety-eight percent of respondents to an eLearning Industry survey said that they had a mobile device, and over 70 percent used their personal mobile devices to accomplish work. As your audience of learners has made the move to mobile, responsive course design—authoring courses that render well on any device, whether desktop, tablet, or mobile—has gone from nice-to-have to an absolute must. Join John Blackmon as he reviews different design philosophies used in eLearning, discusses their pros and cons, and reveals the secrets to responsive course design made easy.

As the Spectrum Health University adapted to an ever-evolving health care landscape, the programs and offerings from the organization needed to change as well. Through an analysis of brand, audience and offerings, and a desire to more closely align with the organization’s new strategy, a sizable challenge was undertaken to reimagine the corporate university with the use of social collaborative platforms and the deployment of micro-learning resources.

In this case study formatted session, you’ll learn about the discussions and debates that helped enhance the offerings to Spectrum Health. You will learn how the organization created a solution to help control both messages and content related to training and development. You’ll see how the university expanded outside of leadership development; the corporate university provided an ideal way to partner with others throughout the organization in a more formalized way.

In this session, you will learn:

• Why you should periodically refresh your branding and marketing efforts
• How to have tough conversations about people, purpose, quality vs. quantity, and prioritization
• To challenge the notion of if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it, and always be focused on continuous improvement

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Social collaborative platforms (Jive), learning management systems (SumTotal), video production tools, iPads, and eLearning development software.

The performance ecosystem is about more than just helping people do what is known that they need to do. In this era of continual change, the only sustainable differentiator will be the ability to adapt, deal with ambiguity, and innovate. This comes from a rich ecosystem, but it takes more. Where the culture doesn’t support sharing, where it’s not safe to contribute, the ecosystem can’t flourish, and organizations can miss out on the opportunity.

In this session, you will review the elements that make a learning culture. You will learn about what it takes to facilitate valuable interaction and the barriers that can hinder participation. You will explore what’s known not just about culture, but about making culture change happen. Additionally, you will learn about the keys to innovation: constructive interaction between people; and communication, sharing, and collaboration. You will learn about the process to develop conditions under which an ecosystem can operate optimally and provide the maximum benefit to the organization.

In this session, you will learn:

• The elements of a learning culture
• The components of innovation
• The key element to change
• Successful change practices

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced managers and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Today’s market requires faster onboarding; often there is overlap or confusion between process and training. Staff are overwhelmed by information in the initial stages of their performance and often forget or don’t have the opportunity to apply the why and the how of what they have learned in an appropriate timeframe.

In this session, you will learn about the role nano-learning can play in your onboarding strategy. You will learn how staff can be trained faster and on an on-demand basis by embedding nano-learning modules within reference manuals. You’ll learn how learners receive training when it is needed and training that is tied directly to the process being completed, resulting in quicker onboarding for staff, a one-stop shopping for process and training, and ultimately enhanced performance due to the availability of on-demand training.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to determine the critical information to be included in a nano-learning module
• How to assess whether or not a nano-learning module will enhance a process
• How to structure a nano-learning module specifically to pair with reference material
• How to review metrics to determine the benefit of a nano-learning module, as well as potential actions to be taken

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Too many times, training struggles to show its impact on a business; the metrics used to measure training are unrelated to the bottom line results of a firm. Training departments often have difficulty showing their impact on sales and revenue goals. Thus training is viewed as a support function or engaged only when necessary.

In this session, you will explore the relationship of training to a business, and how blended learning solutions are used to achieve sales and revenue goals. You will learn how to align training to achieve sales and revenue goals that consist of four fundamental tenants: product market analysis, aligning training to specific industry and job personas, identifying and publishing relevant and timely training solutions, and marketing training product solutions. You will learn how to set training up as a strategic partner for business development and sales, and you will see the bottom line impact on a business.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to align training to industry segments and job personas
• Strategies for designing learning solutions tied to business results
• How to chunk training that works
• How to market to your target audience
• How to measure the impact of training on sales and revenue goals

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

How much does a car cost? How long does it take to build a house? How long is a piece of string? The answer in all cases—it depends. You can run into the same uncertainty with an eLearning project if it is not properly defined up front. If you don’t know what you are trying to accomplish, what stakeholders expect, what your technology constraints are, and what business drivers will affect your project, how can you create and follow a plan to a successful conclusion?

In this session, you’ll learn key questions to ask to help properly define your eLearning projects. You’ll learn how to: set goals and objectives, understand drivers, identify constraints and risks, identify key design criteria that can affect project cost and schedule, and create a scope of work. You’ll walk away with checklists that you can customize and use to help ensure your projects all start off in the right direction.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to set goals and objectives
• How to identify project drivers
• How to identify project risks and constraints
• How to identify key design criteria that affect cost and schedule
• How to create a scope of work

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

Technology discussed in this session:
NA

Sound learning theory underpins much of traditional instructional design (ID) and can greatly improve user experience, but the advent of a need-to-know-now culture is proving the art of innovation can and must work alongside the science of design. The challenge is to balance the needs of your users and the concerns of established IDs against harnessing the originality of developers who may lack a traditional background.

When you find the optimal spot between form and function, you can react more quickly to project needs, allocate resources with greater confidence, and bring your product to users faster.

In this session, you will learn to determine the variables in play for each project quicker, understand the audience you need to reach, and decide where to focus your attention and resources along the art-science continuum. You will learn how to gain buy-in from your instructional and business stakeholders by addressing their concerns and providing a bridge between traditional theory and the power of flexibility.

In this session, you will learn:

• The definition of destructional design and how it can help you overcome ID bias and its stumbling blocks
• How to leverage the benefits of combining traditional instructional design (science) with innovation (art)
• The business constraints you must consider when building a project along the art-science continuum
• How to gain buy-in from key instructional and business stakeholders

Audience:
Intermediate designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Creating learning objects is a time-consuming process. Most learning objects have content that could be used across different courses and departments. However, many learning objects, such as videos, tutorials, instructional documentation, and online courses are created with identifying details that make them difficult to repurpose or share with other members of the organization.

In this session, you will learn guidelines for creating effective learning objects that are shareable, transferable, and easily updateable. You will learn to create a diverse learning object repository that can be utilized for many different needs. This session will also provide you the tools you need to increase the value of your work, by allowing you to share your learning object creations with your colleagues in a format that can be immediately utilized.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create learning objects for a wider audience
• What makes a learning object shareable
• The best practices for creating shareable and transferable learning objects
• What information should not be included in learning objects

Audience:
Novice to intermediate designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
The guidelines provided will be widely applicable to most technologies/platforms/devices.

“Blended learning” was one of the hottest buzzwords at the dawn of the new millennium. At its worst, it was giving the learner the choice of attending the formal class in person or online. In its best and most cutting-edge application, it was a design construct focusing on combining or blending the best elements of face-to-face classes with eLearning courses to increase retention and/or reduce costs. It was a cutting-edge approach at the time, and for many organizations, this is where they currently are with applying blended learning. But the blend has changed.

In this session, you will move beyond the traditional application and dive into the next generation of blended learning. See a world where you are able to create solutions that ultimately generate true business impact, one where your toolkit moves beyond in-person classes and eLearning. You will learn about and see the new blended elements, such as: assessments for content personalization, simulations, mobile interventions, games and gamification, social learning, user-generated content, reinforcement validation, work flow learning, knowledge management, and performance support.

In this session, you will learn:

• About the history of blended learning
• A definition of next-generation blended learning
• About the tools available within the current blend and best practices for application
• About instructional intent within the next-gen blend
• What next-generation blended learning solutions look like in action

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

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have received a fair amount of publicity, but mixed reviews overall. Participants appreciate the collaborative nature of MOOCs, and their accessibility—but much of the learning is passive in style, which tends to be fairly ineffective, transfers poorly to on-the-job skill application, and doesn’t maintain participants’ interest. Today’s typical MOOC format is therefore not particularly well-suited for most corporate training needs. Companies are, nonetheless, interested in capturing the positive qualities of MOOCs.

In this session, you will see samples from iMOOCs with courses that include some standard MOOC components but incorporate engaging interactions throughout the course. You will learn about activities in which participants must decide the best approach to a situation and about complex video scenes that participants must evaluate and discuss. This session includes demonstrations of actual course components, so you will gain a deep understanding of the techniques and how you can apply them to your own needs.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to design interactive exercises that promote skill transfer to the job
• How video of real-life situations can be used in conjunction with lecture video and online discussions
• How online learning-by-doing approaches can engage participants and result in skill transfer
• Ways to bring together some of the best elements of instructor-led and self-paced courses together into a single learner experience

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Major browsers in Windows and Mac, tablets and phones using iOS and Android, .mp4, and HTML5 code.

An eLearning template is not a set of PowerPoint master slides. A true eLearning template is so much more, and has many elements and components. While a set of master backgrounds is a great start, there are often overlooked aspects of a template that are never considered. Designers and developers often begin with raw content and begin a project in their chosen authoring environment, rather than thinking through the overall user experience. For those projects that involve multiple modules where it’s important to keep a consistent look and feel, a template approach helps keep all assets organized across modules.

In this session, you’ll explore overall template themes, color schemas, master backgrounds, interaction templates, feedback templates, and more. You will learn how themes, branding, and colors of an eLearning course and module behave, including navigation to interactions, or even how feedback is presented as part of a template structure. Additionally, you’ll explore the documentation process of an eLearning template for team sharing.

In this session, you will learn:

• The components of an eLearning template
• The components of an eLearning template style guide
• How to consider elements local to a screen, compared to global elements
• How to use branding guidelines to develop a look and feel, and a color schema

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

There is pressure on everyone in learning and development to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology. Knowing the right questions to ask and getting clear information on how to educate clients enables you to switch gears from a reactive order-taker to a consultative partner. Instructional designers and managers need to be grounded in the fundamentals of mobile learning strategies.

In this session, you will learn the right questions to ask as you move through the engagement process with your clients, specific to mobile learning. You will examine the similarities and differences for consulting when mobile learning is involved. This session will demystify and clarify key terminology, explain the main technology options, discuss how to select the right technology for the project, and show you how to present your solutions and conclusions to your clients. You will see where the rules have changed and be educated on those differences, and you will be offered tips for presenting the very best options to your clients.

In this session, you will learn:

• To determine the right questions to ask in a needs analysis for a client who is asking for a mobile solution
• To recognize the signs when mobile learning is or isn’t the best fit in a particular situation
• To educate clients about what a mobile solution is and isn’t
• To present your analysis and recommendations to your client

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Tablets and smartphones.

We’re all hooked to our devices and our technology. Most of our work can’t be done without it, let alone the scheduling, management, and communications of our personal lives. Likewise, technology is an essential part of today’s training toolbox. So what does the eLearning landscape look like today? Where have we been, and where are we going?

In this session we will take a look back to better understand the current trends in eLearning in order to help us project what the future will bring. We’ll explore the changing nature of courseware; what mobile technology brings; simulations; and social tools. We’ll define some key terms being used and you will gain both ideas and inspiration for how you can incorporate eLearning into your training plans. You will leave this session better informed and motivated to try something new in your next learning initiative.

In this session, you will learn:

• The path of eLearning from the mid-’90s to today
• Key trends that are making waves in eLearning today
• Learn things to try in your own learning initiatives

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Onboarding is arguably one of the most important learning events in the career of a new employee. Many organizations, however, fail to set up a true learning-focused onboarding program. Instead of inspiring new members of the team, they kill motivation by using boring presentations and eReading instead of eLearning. In today’s workplace, there are many tools and technology that can add value and that will greatly improve this critical learning moment.

In this session, you will design a new onboarding program built upon technology. You will discover uses for augmented and virtual reality, explore iBeacons and how you can use them, and discuss how to flip your onboarding to make it much more social. You will also examine how you can use cutting-edge mobile technologies to enhance the onboarding experience. You will leave this session with a ideas on how to make onboarding a motivational learning experience for your organization.

In this session, you will learn:

• What makes a good onboarding program
• How to flip onboarding
• How to use augmented and virtual reality and iBeacons in onboarding
• How to use wearable technology during onboarding
• Good social media practices in onboarding

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Augmented and virtual reality, iBeacons, wearable technology, and Drones LeapMotion.

Everyone sees the power of gamification—a trending concept in the learning and development industry—in the workplace, but is either too expensive or no one knows how to implement it. Learning professionals are being asked to do more with less every day. So if you have already created a catalog of eLearning courses for your organization in Articulate Storyline, how can you make these more engaging? How can you save thousands of dollars by adding basic gamification elements to your existing and new courseware?

In this session, you will gain a valuable overview on gamification as a concept and how learners can create out-of-the-box—no custom coding whatsoever—conditional scenarios to add to your course. You will be able to create scorecards, badges, point, and quizzing levels in less than an hour. After this session, you will walk away with actionable tips and tricks to enhance your Storyline 2 courses with gamification elements.

In this session, you will learn:

• About gamification as a concept for interactive eLearning
• How to design a gaming experience with menus and badges
• How to create score cards using variable triggers
• How to enable learners to customize an avatar
• How to create branching slides based on score points

Audience:
Novice designers and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Articulate Storyline 2.

Participant technology requirements:
Laptop with latest update of Articulate Storyline 2, Adobe Flash Player, and HTML5 capable web browser, i.e. Google Chrome.

Research proves students learn best when doing; information strengthens schemas leading to long-term retention. Yet instructors often feel bound by the constraints of an online classroom. Since they do not meet face-to-face, it can be hard to find ways to encourage active application of information and combat the student fear of failure.

In this session, you will learn about the research related to competency-based assessments. You will be able to explain how, with a few simple design elements, you and instructors can present students with a holistic learning environment which promotes active application of material and supports failure as an opportunity to enhance learning.

In this session, you will learn:

• What competency-based education is
• What recent research says related to course competencies
• How to write course objectives focused on mastering competencies
• Ways to assess competencies
• Why failure has to be an option and what to do about it

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Participant technology requirements:
None.

A boring visual experience is no way to present your engaging story. Get sassy with your screen! Pick up those tools! Make that story come alive! In this session you will learn to solve the problem of the boring and talkative screen through easy field-tested techniques to take your engaging story and make it an engaging visual. By the end of the session, you will know which image editing tools are the best for the job and how to use them in effective and specific ways to bring your learning element to life.

As the demand for high-quality, multimedia-rich online courses increases, so do the expectations of rapid development. Clients expect custom multimedia in shorter periods of time, putting pressure on designers to produce more with less. In this session you will learn practical strategies that have been put in place at the University of South Florida to enable greater efficiency in multimedia production. These strategies include working with content, finding inspiration, and establishing a baseline. You will come away with flexible and adaptive strategies that can be applied to a variety of settings and authoring tools.

One of Australia’s largest banks was embarking upon a significant technology transformation program. The users were geographically spread across over 500 locations and would be impacted by different projects at different times over a two-year period. The challenge was to provide performance and learning support to users as each project impacted them. In this session you will learn about an overarching learning strategy for a transformation program underpinned by social learning. This case study will provide you with a proven solution to address learning and performance support across a major enterprise transformation program.

eLearning and mLearning designers are experiencing a new challenge that mirrors one that’s age-old. In the 1980s, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) was a challenge for computer users who saw one thing on their computer monitors but saw very different results when they printed their work. Today, the new challenge for eLearning and mLearning instructional designers is WYBIWYG (what you build is what you get). What are the common elements that lead to WYBIWYG issues? What can you do to avoid it? Can you eliminate it? This presentation will help you understand how it happens, what to do to avoid it, and steps you can take to eliminate WYBIWYG issues entirely.

The development of workplace skills happens primarily beyond the traditional eLearning course, through on-the-job experience and coaching by managers. Mobile technologies, the Experience API (xAPI, Tin Can), and badges have made it practical to implement on-the-job learning. You’ll see how an on-the-job learning path was deployed on employees’ smartphones to increase speed to proficiency, which included accessing video modeling and performance support at the moment of need; using their phones’ sensors (camera, audio, video, and GPS) to capture evidence of work and submit it to coaches for feedback and guidance; and xAPI-enabled tracking, learning analytics, and awarding of badges.

“I need…” the learner says. “You need…” the leader says. Our goal is to enable leaders and SMEs to develop content to facilitate on-demand learning when it is needed. But what about when the worker does not know he needs it? Be ready to push business updates and changes as they occur. We need to enable the push as well as validate receipt and comprehension. We can now do it all in the cloud but make it available at fingertips. During this session, we will discuss the how-to as well and case studies of where it has worked.

Prior to the integration of its learning information sites into the common learning portal (CLP), the National Park Service (NPS) had over 25 different sites for its various learning programs. This made finding learning information complex for its workforce of over 20,000 employees. Navigation required knowledge of the URLs at various sites and each site had different navigation tools and varied widely in appearance. In addition, social learning opportunities in the form of communities were scattered among various commercial sites.

In this session, you will learn about an 18-month-long CLP process—from inception to completion. You will learn how the NPS pulled all of its various learning communities—formal and informal—and community interaction into one system, making finding learning opportunities no more than three clicks away. You will also learn how the NPS integrated requirements, such as findability, LMS integration, governance, and other practical considerations within the decentralized organization’s training groups.

In this session, you will learn:

• The design considerations for building a learning portal
• How to integrate within your communities of learning
• How a learning portal can tie in with other learning systems as part of the learning ecosystem
• The considerations, pitfalls, and things to avoid with developing a learning portal
• How taxonomy planning is critical on day one
• How modular design allows for maximum flexibility

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Have you ever gotten way too much content for a module, but you still tried to squeeze it all in? Do subject matter experts (SMEs) give you too much content and refuse to cut any away, because it’s all important? Do you wish you could just do small modules, knowing it is better for your audience, especially in today’s world of short attention spans and busy participants? You may often get content that others think is easy to put into a module, but there is a better way to please the SMEs and give your audience the best experience.

In this session, you will learn how to design eLearning where your users can absorb information in micro-modules by breaking large chunks of information into bite-sized pieces that are more manageable. You will learn how this also helps to lower the risk of cognitive overload to your learners. In addition, you will learn how smaller modules also increase the ability of learners to retain more and help fight the forgetting curve. If you are an instructional designer who is looking for a light at the end of the tunnel when given hours’ worth of information and told to put it in a quick module, this session is for you.

In this session, you will learn:

• The benefits of bite-sized chunks or micro modules in instructional design (ID)
• How bite-sized modules can improve the learning process for your users
• How to effectively describe the process for creating micro modules within the ID process
• How to create prototypes for a micro module ID project
• How to improve your ID process by implementing bite-sized modules in your projects

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

You’re excited about the promise of the xAPI-enabled world, but you’ve still got a learning management system (LMS) and a host of SCORM-based courses that you need. But what if you could get the most out of both a LMS and a learning record store (LRS) at the same time?

In this session, you’ll quickly review what a LRS is and how it’s different and similar to the LMS you already have. You will tackle the big questions such as: should you work with a standalone LRS, a front-end solution for the xAPI with a built-in LRS, or a LRS that is aligned with your LMS and your current learning infrastructure? At the same time, you’ll explore considerations you’ll have to keep in mind when looking for an LRS the list of key questions to ask in selecting a LRS for your environment, and insights from early adopters in both the learning and infrastructure aspects of the xAPI.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to identify the benefits of a LRS, both in contrast to and in combination with your LMS
• How to choose from among three types of LRS options
• How to draw potential options for your next generation learning and performance infrastructure
• How to ask potential LRS vendors key questions to narrow your search

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Visual distractions in short-form media can increase cognitive load and lessen the effectiveness of your microlearning content. Eye tracking studies give you specific view data that can be used to improve video, animation, eLearning interfaces, and mobile training, and new cloud-based technology has made eye tracking affordable and easy to use. In this session, you will learn how to perform your own eye tracking study with just a laptop, a webcam, and an Internet connection. When measuring the success of microlearning, every second counts.

Most people in the learning and development field didn’t choose the profession because of a deep love for statistics, and few have ready access to data scientists for consultation. But the availability of an ever-growing body of data highlights the value of a fundamental understanding of data collection and analysis. Learning data will only provide valuable, actionable information if curated and evaluated strategically.

In this session, you will learn how to develop clearly defined, context-dependent information goals which will then serve to delineate the data required to meet those goals. Lessons and heuristics from other analytic fields, including business intelligence, competitive intelligence, and web analytics will be used to help provide you insight on the data requirements for a variety of information goals. You will also learn how to effectively communicate analytic results to stakeholders at various organizational levels.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to define goals and context for data acquisition
• How to take a strategic approach to data
• The value of quantitative and qualitative approaches to improve insights
• How to deliver context-specific results in terms relevant to stakeholders

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Common tools for data collection and analysis such as LMS, LRS, spreadsheets, and databases.

You live and work in a world of democratized video production. What once required hired professionals, specialized work, and thousands of dollars can now be accomplished by self-taught amateurs in hours with little to no resources beyond what’s already in their pockets. Video technology is ubiquitous. However, many professionals become so preoccupied with whether or not they can make a video that they often don’t stop to think if they should. Too often, this results in the development of ineffective content that doesn’t support user needs, wastes viewers’ time, and sets a poor precedent for the use of video within the organization.

In this session, you will learn the ways video can be best applied to facilitate learning and performance support. The often overlooked connection between user consumption habits at home and in the workplace will be assessed. You’ll not only identify when video is a right-fit learning solution, but also how different types of video content can maximize the value of the user experience.

In this session, you will learn:

• To identify when video is a right-fit learning and performance solution
• To distinguish specific ways video can be used to support learning and performance
• To leverage the connection between consumer and workplace video consumption behaviors
• To align video production processes with user context
• To effectively integrate video with other forms of learning and performance support content

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Smartphone cameras, webcams, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Google Drive, YouTube, Confluence, and Kaltura MediaSpace.

As Cammy Bean states, “Good writing is the single biggest factor that can make the difference between an eLearning program that bores people to death and one that gets them to pay attention.” Yet many eLearning scripts are written in large part by subject matter experts whose prose is wordy and lifeless. Developers of eLearning must often revise the scripts and storyboards of subject matter experts, most of whom are not skilled writers and who often think everything they have written should be included in the course. It can be a frustrating and time-intensive experience to revise such prose—unless you know certain techniques.

In this session, you will explore the causes for poor writing and analyze realistic examples from various courses. You will learn the hallmarks of bad eLearning prose, and then be provided six rules that will turn any clunker of a sentence into a lean, active one. In addition, the session will focus on revising sample voiceover scripts to improve the output of audio recording.

In this session, you will learn:

• Why lifeless prose is the default mode of many subject matter experts and eLearning professionals
• The hallmarks of bad eLearning prose and where it often appears in a course
• Six techniques that will turn a wordy, confusing sentence into a lean, clear one
• Special techniques for revising bad-sounding voiceover scripts

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Many client training models are geared to an onsite visit that compacts training into a deluge of information and often does not allow for the interaction of the client to effectively make the change they need to make. Many learning professionals are confronted with the problem of delivering instruction to clients or others who have a hard time understanding the process, the system implications, and the specifics of the content that is being delivered.

In this session, you will learn about the issues that plague organizations and their mindset, and how delivery of information affects that mindset. Examples and applications—both successful and unsuccessful—will be shown and explored. You will learn about a variety of methodologies, tools, structures, and timing that were used to deliver a varied implementation and training process.

In this session, you will learn:

• Key considerations in redesigning a training process
• The types of tools that can be used to assist delivery of instruction over time
• How to assist clients and trainees, who may be technologically weak, to be able to accomplish new tasks
• The kinds of questions to ask clients and attendees about their world and processes

Audience:
Novice to advanced project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
Skyprep, Basecamp, Trello, Asana, Google Drive, Google Forms, Google Sheets, WebEx, and GoToMeeting.

From its inception, distance learning at Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) has covered three priority areas: creating distance learning and blended learning courses, providing post-training support for IDI alumni, and integrating education technology tools into face-to-face courses. However, IDI has faced the significant challenge of battling an environment where prospective trainees have little-to-no access to fast, reliable Internet. To deliver full-fledged, online courses, IDI has used the open-source software Poodle.

In this session, you will learn how Poodle is being used to provide an offline virtual learning environment through preloaded USB flash drives. You will see how healthcare workers in rural areas benefit through this innovative, low-tech solution. You will learn how during the delivery of distance-learning courses, trainees can use the ATIC toll-free line to receive assistance on course-related administration and coordination. You will also learn how IDI has successfully used an SMS system through which trainees are sent quiz questions to provide follow-up to training.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to use Poodle for offline environments
• How to incorporate toll-free call centers to support distance-learning courses
• How to provide SMS-based follow-up of training
• How to understand the complexities of providing distance-learning opportunities in slow, unreliable Internet environments

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Poodle, ATIC call center, and SMS.

Anyone with a camera can post learning content on YouTube, but television and other media have raised the expectations of viewers, who demand highly engaging, interactive content. If it isn’t immediately relevant to their task at hand, they’ll click onto something else. At the same time, corporate budgets are tight, so instructional designers have to find creative ways to produce high-quality, professional content on a budget.

In this session, you will learn 10 specific tips for creating professional-looking eLearning that is just as useful as content developed in a studio with several thousand dollars of equipment. Using low- or no-cost tools and equipment, subject matter experts can now get in front of the camera or mic and deliver a message that is authentic, relevant, and perhaps most importantly, keeps learners hooked. This session will show you how a team of computer geeks became famous YouTube stars by using best practices in eLearning and free or low-cost tools.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create a recording studio in a home office
• How to help SMEs develop engaging scripts
• How to develop relevant visual articulations in slides
• How to mix it up and keep your learners engaged in video

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

Technology discussed in this session:
PowerPoint, Camtasia, and/or ScreenFlow.

The learning and talent development consulting field has been growing and evolving over the last 15-plus years. With more professionals deciding to become consultants, there are underlying issues that arise and interfere with the day-to-day life of the consultant. Issues can include: finding opportunities to consult, knowing how to price one’s services, invoicing and getting paid, managing client expectations, negotiating changes to the work while it’s in progress, and protecting one’s own intellectual property when licensing it to clients.

In this session, you will learn how to address these key issues through examples of these situations, ideas, and processes. This session will encourage discussion and sharing of ideas from your peers. You will gain perspectives from both the consultant view and the view of those who hire consultants. This session will help you understand the myriad considerations involved in consulting and provide you with tools for thinking through and planning your approach to building a consulting practice.

In this session, you will learn:

• Strategies for finding potential clients and partners
• Developing relationships while marketing
• Methods for determining how to price your services
• What legal documents you may need to define your working relationships
• What it’s like, day-to-day, to work as a consultant
• Financial considerations of consulting

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

Technology discussed in this session:
LinkedIn, customer relationship management systems

Adopting the discipline of an embedded performance support (EPS) strategy has become an increasing imperative for many organizations. EPS remains a curiosity for many more wrapped in the question: “How do we get there?” Answering that question requires a long, hard look at whether the organization is ready to go there, or if they are in a state of readiness to go there.

In this session, you will learn the value of a comprehensive EPS readiness assessment. You will see how the assessment serves as a roadmap to close the identified gaps preventing full readiness. You will learn the importance of identifying key organizational challenges as operational process requirements represent a critical starting point for the EPS adoption journey. EPS tells a radically different story regarding expected outcomes than stakeholders have internalized. This session addresses what changes are in the story, how to bring it to life, and how to sustain the discipline.

In this session, you will learn:

• What assessment is and what it should include
• How the conversation changes with stakeholders and within training
• How methodologies shift to an agile process
• What you should consider when evaluating EPSS vendors

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Electronic performance support (EPSS) technology, peripheral technologies like portals, and xAPI.

There are many function and design issues to consider before beginning to build your online course, and it’s often tempting to begin by downloading a template to save time on the front end by eliminating layout and style decisions. There are many advantages to using templates, but there are a few things to consider, including how to implement the template once it’s created and/or customized.

In this session, you will learn what to consider before determining if a pre-built template is the right decision and what types of templates are available. You will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using a pre-built template and why templates, whether pre-built or custom-built, are advantageous in implementing standardization. This session will also help you think through design considerations to determine the best approach to designing a course to meet your individual needs and how to use templates to gain inspiration and get started.

In this session, you will learn:

• What to consider before using a pre-built eLearning template
• What a template is
• The advantages and disadvantages of using pre-built templates
• Why using a template, whether pre-built or custom-built, is important
• How to implement your template once it is created

Audience:
Novice designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Captivate, Articulate, Photoshop, and Fireworks.

Gamification is a hot topic, but where is the research to back up the use of gamification? Anyone interested in gamification for learning will be interested in seeing empirical results to be better informed about whether or not gamification is appropriate for their learning environment.

In this session, you will review material, prepared for submission to a peer-reviewed journal, highlighting correlation results, retention, and memorization data, as well as usage data related to the gamification platform of Axonify. This session will reveal correlation research related to gamification and highlights empirical results, linking gamification actions to retention and learning results. Data extracted from a database of over 250,000 users of a gamified platform will be examined.

In this session, you will learn:

• How gamification impacts learner engagement
• How gamification provides learning retention results
• Correlations between learner engagement in a gamification platform and on-the-job performance
• How gamification statistics confirm the use of gamification for learning

Audience:
Intermediate managers and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
Axonify gamification platform.

Boring page turner eBooks—often created just to get content out to learners—can be taken to a new level with engaging, interactive iBooks Author books. Learners should be engaged with a review or game to help them learn content by doing, instead of just reading.

In this session, you will learn—using iBooks Author—what it takes to create beautiful, multi-touch textbooks and just about any other kind of book for iPad without being a programmer. You will discover how these books bring content to life in ways the printed page never could with galleries, video, interactive diagrams, 3-D objects, and mathematical expressions. You will dive deep into building interactive iBooks and walk away with some working examples you can use for your own iBooks development.

In this session, you will learn:

• The basics of iBooks Author
• The widgets of iBooks Author
• How to convert Word docs to iBooks
• How to build your own custom widgets using Adobe Edge Animate
• How to build and share your own iBooks Author templates
• How to publish your course to the iBooks Store
• How to build iBooks for both iPhone and iPad

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

Technology discussed in this session:
iBooks Author.

Participant technology requirements:
Mac OSX and iBooks Author.

Virtual training participants notoriously multi-task during live online sessions, which means they miss out on learning opportunities. In addition, there is a common misconception that an online presentation is the same thing as virtual training—it’s not. So virtual classroom designers and facilitators struggle to know how to capture the attention of their audience and keep participants engaged throughout a session so that learning transfer can occur.

In this session, you will learn specific ideas for interactivity and engagement in virtual training sessions. You will learn activity ideas in five categories: openers, games, technical topics, interpersonal skills, and closers. The session will start with activity ideas that begin before a virtual class begins, in order to set the stage for success. You will learn a successful design process to use when creating virtual classroom activities. You will also learn how to creatively use common virtual classroom tools to engage online participants and learn many activity ideas that can be immediately used.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to open your virtual classes with activities that immediately engage attendees
• How to increase participant interaction using six common platform tools
• How to apply three key questions to classroom activities when converting them to virtual
• At least 10 new ideas for delivering content in the online classroom

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Connect.

Participant technology requirements:
A web browser that can connect to Adobe Connect or a mobile device with the Adobe Connect app.

Managing a team or projects from a distance brings its own sets of challenges and requires a specific skill set for handling them well. In this session, you will learn how to have more effective virtual meetings and easier approaches to checking in with members of your team, as well as how to conduct performance coaching at a distance.

Standard resumes and cover letters are no longer sufficient if you want to stand out from the crowd. Having a good portfolio has always been important for freelancers, but it’s quickly becoming a must-have for anyone in eLearning who hopes to snag the best opportunities that come along. In this session you will learn why you should have an eLearning portfolio today. You will explore what type of things to include in your portfolio, and you will learn about the solutions to common portfolio roadblocks and review over 20 free and easy tools you can use to create your portfolio.

Video can be a highly engaging form of media for learning, and scenarios are a great way to encourage critical thinking. So why not put them together? In this session, you’ll see just how easy (and fun) it is to create video-based eLearning scenarios. You don’t need a big budget, just a little creativity!

Join us for this in-depth look at five trends you should focus on in learning today, and what’s just around the corner. This session will provide you with plenty of resources to share with your team and get you started with free tools to get to the next level in your learning development. Get ready to reboot your brain and enhance your learning today.

Are you struggling with your LMS? Is it providing the value you expected when you made the initial purchase? Did you know that there are solutions to your LMS problems without purchasing a new system? Join the Bluewater team as they help you take your current LMS and transform it to work for you. The session will include the seven core secrets to making any LMS work for you; providing personalized learning; and reporting.

Netflix knows what you want to watch because its algorithm interprets audience data and weighs those insights against the content in its library. With each like and click, Facebook continues to build an empire around the idea that social media can be as personal as your name. Every experience is catered to the individual, except the way employees are trained. Calculating the ROI for employee development can be costly and difficult, yet with the 21^st century economy becoming more dependent on knowledge workers, on-demand skill development is critical to success.

In this session, you will learn the fundamentals of adaptive learning and the power of employee engagement. You will explore how personalized, adaptive learning works and how it can keep employees engaged. You’ll see how personalized, adaptive learning has the potential to deliver the development that employees need and when they need it, along with the learning analytics that give their organizations the insight to justify their investment.

In this session, you will learn:

• What makes learning personalized
• How adaptive learning inference algorithms make training more effective
• How scaling adaptive learning cuts profit and loss
• Why mastery learning is important to a personalized learning system

Audience:
Novice to advanced managers and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

JetBlue University (JBU) has recently built a hotel for its employees going through training, and is in the process of implementing a new learning management system with a social learning component. Several of JBU’s workgroups are adopting iPads for use in their workflows. With all of these new opportunities for use in training, JBU needed to look at its current learning landscape, and determine if the current strategy supports where it wanted to go in the future as it relates to training and employee performance.

In this session, you will learn how JBU worked to determine the type of learning culture to transition to and how it helped each operational workgroup’s college to create their own learning strategy to support this culture. You will learn about the process to determine each colleges’ needs, which methods and media support those needs (particularly how it relates to informal learning), and how a budget was created for the tools and resources to support the new culture.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to transition to a different learning culture
• How to implement informal learning into regulatory and non-regulatory training programs
• The process to get buy-in for informal learning from skeptical leadership
• How to start with the need, rather than the tool/media, when building a learning strategy

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Students don’t know what they don’t know. This concept applies not only to academics, but to learners in any environment. This means that educators and developers are constantly developing resources that focus on what they anticipate the learner needs. Adaptive learning technologies are now providing the data that allows us to understand specific knowledge deficiencies. This is not only changing the learning environment, but also the process by which content is generated.

In this session, using data obtained from a large-lecture university science education class, you will be shown how an understanding of knowledge deficiencies is being used by the individual to personalize the learning experience and in the classroom to flip the learning environment. You will learn how the analysis of this data is leading to revisions of content within the textbook, and allowing for the development of continuously updated information. Ultimately, you will experience how data from a single learning experience may be utilized across the entire learning ecosystem.

In this session, you will learn:

• How user data may be used to revise content
• How user data may be used to personalize learning
• How user data may be used to generating micro-learning resources
• How adaptive learning platforms provide data on knowledge deficiencies

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Designing training without an understanding of how the brain works is a lot like trying to get somewhere without a map. Even if you eventually arrive at your destination, you won’t know how you got there so that you can do it again. Once you understand how the brain works, you can use the attention, engagement, encoding, and retrieval processes of the brain to make training that is more effective, takes less time to produce, and delivers more lasting results.

In this session, you will learn how brain-aware design can be applied to any learning or performance support project. You’ll also learn how to apply a toolkit of templates and resources to help you make learning experiences that teach the brain the way the brain wants to learn. You’ll gain practical tips on how to apply this brain science in your work.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create learning materials that increase attention
• How to build learning experiences for maximum engagement by using the brain’s bias for social interaction and connection
• How to maximize retention and retrieval by teaching the brain how to categorize, file, and recall key points, skills, and concepts
• How to plan your next brain-aware project using the toolbox resources provided in the session

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Too often, learning is evaluated based upon one of two measures: whether learners like it, and/or how much it costs to produce. Unfortunately, the former isn’t useful, and the latter isn’t critical. Yet, increasingly, actions will have to be documented, and measurement is key. There are meaningful metrics for learning, but they should be about whether they are helping the organization. Kirkpatrick, ROI, impact—to make sense of these, you need to know some core concepts.

In this session, you’ll learn the basic models of measurement, and point out some of the common flaws observed. You will learn what makes sense for measuring learning, and the steps that are required. You’ll better understand the major terms and measures, including both formal and informal, and provide guidance about how to get started and the usefulness of the xAPI. Some new initiatives will also be looked at that can give valuable input in a strategic sense.

In this session, you will learn:

• Why smile sheets aren’t useful
• What makes a meaningful measure
• How to get concrete about measuring informal learning
• Where xAPI comes into play

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

Technology discussed in this session:
The xAPI.

What are some creative ways to develop leaders? Business acumen is typically obtained through experience. Developing learning solutions that grow business acumen in an effective way is difficult to produce. Especially when the content is nuanced or complex. Gamification is one of the topics buzzing around the industry, but if you speak to many people, there is little application beyond putting badges on existing content.

In this session, you will learn to take a complex topic and use the tenants of gamification to bring the content to life. You will be shown how to use gamification to develop leaders’ business and financial acumen in a fun way. You’ll learn fundamentals, such as balancing the mix of learning and play, and building decision points. You’ll also see an actual game that teaches leaders how to make money in a fun and creative way.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to use gamification to increase the business acumen of leaders
• How to identify the proper mix of learning/game play to maximize retention
• How to build decision points into a game
• How to utilize the proper tools to be successful
• About the complexity of designing decision trees within a game
• The best practices for identifying a business champion to help drive initiative
• New ideas for leveraging media from third parties such as Shutterstock

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Sketchnoting is a visual language with a hierarchy and structure similar to written language. In order to communicate visually, or in this case communicate to yourself with your own notes, you start with the visual basics and look at the building blocks. Sketchnoting is about listening, processing, and transferring the key ideas into telling a story with your notes.

This session will focus on what a sketchnote is and look at various styles of sketchnoting. You will look at ideas of how to organize your sketchnotes in a logical flow of hierarchy, whether in a row, a grid, or a column. You will learn the fundamental building blocks of organizing dots, dashes, lines, and shapes to communicate a message. You will learn the five categories that make up a well-rounded sketchnote and the differences between live sketchnoting, or shorthand sketchnoting, and cleaning up later. You will leave this session with a new set of skills to practice and apply immediately!

In this session, you will learn:

• To define sketchnotes and their various styles
• How to organize your sketchnotes in a logical hierarchy
• About the building blocks of visual communication
• About new technologies in digital sketchnoting vs. paper and pen

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers and developers.

For instructional designers and facilitators, the challenge is to create learning materials that reach and affect audiences positively, and do not elicit feelings of exclusion or discrimination. However, you’re human, and every human has hidden or unconscious biases that impact our behaviors and thoughts. This can lead to unintentional missteps in design and delivery. As learning becomes more story-driven, you need to be sensitive to how you present characters, including race, gender, gender identity, and organizational roles.

In this session, using the latest neurological research, you will learn where hidden biases come from. You’ll examine how you can uncover hidden biases within yourself and others, and identify strategies to avoid hidden bias in instructional design and delivery. You’ll look at ways instructional designers and facilitators can continue the mission of inclusivity in their day-to-day work and you’ll learn what will instill pride in your organization and learners, and what will cause them to tune out or reject your learning intervention.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to accurately define the concept of hidden bias with reference to the current literature and research studies
• How to identify at least two approaches to recognizing hidden bias within yourself and others
• How to compare at least three examples of learning content or delivery where hidden bias is evident and not evident
• How to list three ways to mitigate hidden bias in instructional design and delivery

Audience:
Novice designers, project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Do your eLearning courses need a punch of creativity? Have your users grown tired of the same drag and drop interactions? Would you like to add something new and exciting that will increase learner retention? With the brain processing visual information 60,000 times faster than text, it’s crucial to have visual impact in your courses. The good news is that design tools are more powerful than ever and provide developers with more options for creativity.

In this session, you will explore how to quickly create unique and engaging interactions, using the triggers, states, variables, and JavaScript in Articulate Storyline 2. You will see case study examples where the need for interactivity required new, innovative ideas to improve learning. The interactions used in this session will help you to implement exciting learning that is customizable to your needs and has more of an impact on changing the behaviors of learners to meet business goals.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to address the 65 percent of learner population that are visual learners
• How using visuals are more effective in retention
• How visuals in eLearning provide context for learners
• How to incorporate the use of visuals into any style of eLearning

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Articulate Storyline 1 and Storyline 2.

There is an increasing appetite for knowledge in high-competition business environments. At the same time, when knowledge and information are growing at the fastest pace, it is nearly impossible for employees to retain and recall everything that they know or need to know to perform. With a large part of the workforce always on the move, how to reach them effectively and deliver performance support is a challenge all L&D teams face.

In this session, you will engage cases and demonstrations of performance support tools based on learning technology. You will see how these tools, used in tandem with traditional learning, provide the short bursts of critical knowledge based on employee demand. You will learn various design strategies that can be opted for designing these tools and see a demonstration of the various platforms and technologies used in development of these tools. You will also learn the critical do’s and don’ts when developing these tools.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to effectively support training with performance support tools
• About the various technologies and strategies used to create such solutions
• The benefits incurred by satisfied clients that have adopted these solutions
• What works and what doesn’t while developing these tools

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Responsive performance support tools that work across devices.

Technology continues to advance rapidly, changing how we live and interact with the world around us. Today’s learning professionals face the challenge of staying ahead of this curve and tracking the technologies that are shaping the future of organizational learning, while at the same time recognizing technologies that may be more of a passing fad.

In this session, you will explore the changing face of the learning technology landscape. You will discuss the various technologies that have shifted the landscape of organizational learning. You will examine the common characteristics of these shifts so that you are better equipped to recognize which emerging technologies have the potential to disrupt organizational learning, as opposed to those that are just hype. You will leave this session better prepared to stay ahead of the evolving technology curve.

In this session, you will learn:

• How technology can disrupt organizational learning
• Which technologies are shaping the future
• The common characteristics shared by disruptive technologies
• Tips for staying ahead of the technology curve

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Various emerging technologies.

According to Forbes, 61 percent of companies that have LMS systems plan to replace them in the next two years. However, nearly a third of smaller companies still do not have a LMS to deploy training. Many companies are well advanced in terms of online training and development for their employees, but many are late adopters. How do you get from behind the curve? Should you? And if so, how do you go from not much, to state-of-the art?

In this case study session, you will examine a LMS implementation from the perspective of late adoption as a project model and its associated benefits. You will learn how adopting a LMS in 2016 is very different than doing so in 2000. Learn the considerations, planning, and actualizing that must take place for successful implementation. This case study will exemplify what can be expected in smaller companies and corporations that have not yet begun an eLearning journey.

In this session, you will learn:

• What to do when you are starting corporate eLearning from scratch
• The benefits of being a late adopter of learning technologies
• The pitfalls of being technologically challenged late in the game
• How a LMS can transform content and generate new curriculum
• How to overcome obstacles in corporate culture

Audience:
Novice to advanced project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
A highly customized Totara LMS platform.

As trainers, we work hard to create great training. As a result, we are disappointed when our employees fail to learn or don’t transfer learning back to their workplace. We may be tempted to blame our students, but the truth is that we often fail because we don’t understand the mind of the learner. As a result, we build training modules that are not consistent with the brain’s natural means of acquisition. Teaching should be more effective, and it can be more effective once we understand how the learner’s mind operates.

In this session, you will learn seven essential principles that will help you understand how the brain controls learning and memory. Through the presented demonstrations, you will gain an exciting new understanding of the mind, which you can immediately apply to create eLearning that will effectively engage the brain and maximize learning and recall. Come prepared to have fun ... and learn.

In this session, you will learn:

• To design training and change management solutions that are compatible with the brain’s natural way of learning
• To create social learning communities that are based on psychological principles of observational learning
• To use authoring tools more effectively by understanding how the brain encodes metaphor and emotion
• To develop incentive systems that reinforce desired behaviors and that are based on established principles of conditioning

Audience:
Designers, developers, senior developers, and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Developing eLearning content within a website is very easy if you know your tools, tags, rules, etc. The problem is that the rules keep changing. The way web content was built two years ago does not follow today’s best practices. More and more power has also been given to CSS. Applying some of these new rules can not only be difficult to remember, but knowing how and when to apply these rules adds to the complexity.

In this session, using the latest version of Dreamweaver, you will learn how to navigate the interface to build your site. You will learn a number of tricks within Dreamweaver to build complex eLearning pages and how to get Dreamweaver to do all the heavy lifting in writing your HTML/CSS code. You will examine the new code view that can reduce your typing from minutes to seconds.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create a template
• How to build a web page structure
• How to use the interface to create CSS rules
• How to apply interactions through the interface
• How to write HTML and CSS code by hand using unique shortcuts

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Dreamweaver.

Participant technology requirements:
Mac or PC and Dreamweaver CC 2015.

Courses that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 accessibility requirements are in high demand. However, many instructional designers lack both the understanding of what 508 compliance really means and the competency to effectively develop compliant courses. In this session, participants will see how Articulate Storyline can help you create eLearning modules that are more accessible for users. You will learn how to use alternate text to describe screen elements and you will learn to build courses with closed captioning effects. Finally, you will leave this session understanding the Storyline features that support accessible content.

ADDIE and traditional project management methodologies can take a long time and lack flexibility when it comes to requirements and/or timelines. Agile, however, addresses the key issues that we face as training professionals: How to deliver the highest value first, get materials to the public on a regular schedule, and empower teams to manage their own success. In this session you will learn the fundamentals of agile development and separate agile from rapid development. This session will also provide some tips and tricks for the transition from traditional project management and content development strategies to agile development.

Not only do we wear several hats in the field of instructional design, we are also working on multiple projects, each of them usually customized. Prototyping allows you to ask “what if” and put your ideas to the test by trying different things early in the process without putting the timeline in danger. In this session you will learn how prototyping in small pieces allows you to work through design issues without spending additional time adjusting the entire project. You will learn to gain more flexibility in your design by making revisions early in the process.

Do you feel stuck in a rut because of outdated learning methods and the limitations imposed on you by your learning management system? You’re not alone. Today’s learning methods and technologies are not adapting quickly enough to keep up with the evolving needs of organizations and the entry of millennials into the mainstream workforce. Though there are many stand-alone technologies available, it can be challenging to know how to organize the various tools under one over-arching learning strategy.

In this interactive session, you’ll explore real-world examples of what cutting-edge organizations are doing to breathe new life into their learning ecosystem, as well as the methods and technologies they’re using to bring about that silent revolution. You will learn about four real-world case studies, highlighting approaches and tools for designing onboarding programs, job training, professional development certification, and leadership development programs. Through these cases, you’ll identify best practices for combining mentoring, social media, reinforcement, experiential learning, and traditional forms of learning.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to incorporate mentoring, experiential learning, informal content, and social media into your learning programs
• How to leverage new technologies and combine them in a way that complements your existing infrastructure
• How to improve the design of onboarding programs
• How to improve the design of job training and professional development programs
• How to improve the design of leadership development programs

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

As a learning leader, you want to build a world class learning model. But the problem is you need executive support, funding, IT support, etc. A learning ecosystem that satisfies today’s learner requires changing the conversation with all the stakeholders.

In this session, you’ll use the learning model canvas to create the story for changing the mindset and mechanics of the corporate learning model. You’ll learn the top two learning organization patterns and the top five learning organization models. You will be able to identify your organization’s current model, identify the dependencies needed for implementing a new learning ecosystem, and actionable next steps for implementing it in the workplace. You will gain the skills to: select the most effective learning model for the organization, determine actionable steps to gain commitment and resources for a new learning ecosystem, and facilitate consultant-like discussions at the executive level.

In this session, you will learn:

• The two key patterns and the five top learning organization models for creating a learning ecosystem
• How to create a story to have consulting-like conversations with executive leadership to gain buy-in and resources for the desired learning ecosystem
• How to have tough consulting-like conversations with executives
• How to use learning ecosystem interdependencies to negotiate trade-offs
• How to determine the next steps to implementing the preferred learning ecosystem
• To identify how to measure the effectiveness of learning within the ecosystem

Audience:
Novice to advanced project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
Laptop for downloadable PDF and access to pre-conference materials.

By now, learning professionals are likely convinced that curation should be one of their skill sets, and many articles have offered them advice on essential tools and the qualities of good curation. But the articles assume that everyone knows how to search for material on the Internet and how to find and vet a solid set of learning resources to recommend. It’s usually not as easy as typing keywords into the search box and picking a couple of items off the first few pages of results.

In this session, you will learn useful techniques to find the best learning materials using Internet-based tools. You will gain valuable tips and tricks, including: how to apply search techniques, how to use social sites to locate relevant links, how to uncover caches of resources from organizations, and how to find people with specific expertise. You will learn high level strategies for vetting finds, as more and more clients and learners are relying on learning professionals to help them find resources at the point of need.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to apply browser search tips to find and curate learning resources
• How to search social bookmarking sites (Diigo, Pinterest) for useful links
• How to find experts and resources in an unfamiliar field
• How to get past the filter bubble
• How to vet materials in a field that is not your area of expertise

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

One of the most frequent concerns about teaching online is how to connect with students in the virtual environment. While there may be a difference in the tools that you need online, the ways to engage students are the same as the traditional physical classroom. In this session you will learn how to use basic technologies to connect with and engage students in the virtual classroom. We will explore several tools, such as survey technologies for pre-, mid-, and post-course feedback and inquiry; basic video and screencasting for creating informal, personalized videos; and sound recording tools that allow audio feedback for assessment.

Learning professionals all struggle to measure the transfer of skill from the classroom to the job, especially with geographically dispersed learners. Designers need advice on how to solve this measurement challenge and involve managers in the solution. How do you observe and assess your remote employees performing critical job competencies?

In this session, you will learn through a case study how a remote sales team was evaluated in presenting key information to customers, how their managers were involved and the results. You will learn ways to leverage technology to implement skill assessment and use a framework for evaluators to better know how and what to assess. You will also gain an understanding of the planning steps to support the knowledge needed by learners to be successful in the assessment.

In this session, you will learn:

• Creative ways to leverage technology in order to implement remote skill assessment
• Considerations for how to involve managers in the observation and evaluation
• A framework to give to the evaluators so they are confident with how and what to assess
• Planning steps for supporting learner success in the assessment
• How to measure success

Audience:
Intermediate designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
SurveyGizmo, video conferencing (Lync), and website resources.

The use of badges, points, leaderboards, and other concepts that are commonly found in games have enthusiastically been incorporated into online training by instructional specialists hoping to create a more engaging and motivational learning experience for end users. But is the gamification of learning actually yielding the results that warrant the hype?

In this session, you will review the results of a multi-semester study that explored the gamification of an online course. You will learn the factors that led to the decision to gamify a course, understand the research methodology, and discuss the tools and techniques used to collect continuous data from the end users. You will learn the effect that gamification had on behavior and performance, and you will explore the lessons learned from the study that will serve learning professionals in similar projects. You will learn a rigorous strategy to evaluate the results of learning projects in order to secure buy-ins from sponsors and clients for future projects.

In this session, you will learn:

• The effect of game mechanics on learner behavior and performance
• The importance of the evaluation of your instructional design strategy
• How to assess the impact of your learning strategy (beyond the smiley sheet)
• Techniques and tools to collect data from your learners
• The significance of collecting data from learners throughout the course (not just at the end)

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Google Analytics and MS Excel.

New eLearning instructional designers often hear about the need to incorporate interaction into courses and the power of effective simulations. Some find it difficult to get started and the examples they find give a basic tree structure but do not explain how to develop the tree into a full simulation. What can you do if you are feeling overwhelmed and don’t know how to implement the best practices you are learning about?

In this session, you will learn how to get started in mapping out a simulation. The difficulties experienced in developing an online simulation will be discussed. You will learn how to use Microsoft Office programs for development, how to find resources and ideas for simulation activities, and discuss the lessons learned along the way. You will receive a template you can use when developing your own simulations and will discuss ideas for designing simulation activities.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to map out a simulation activity
• How to find resources and ideas for simulation activities
• How to get started in designing an eLearning simulation
• How to reach your learning objectives by using simulations

Audience:
Novice designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
PowerPoint.

Writing is an underdiscussed aspect of instructional design. In fact, many people get into the field without realizing that writing is a significant part of a learning designer’s job. It is difficult to do it well, and learning designers may be required to write in at least 10 different forms that involve unique styles. Yet there is no single source of instruction for writing in all of these styles.

In this session, you will gain a deeper awareness of the different writing styles learning designers need to produce on the job. You will learn the different formats and techniques one can use to make each style effective. During the session, you will be able to compare examples of successful and less successful writing. You will leave this session being able to differentiate between the requirements and styles of writing micro-copy, video scripts, test questions, and expositions, which is a basic skill that designers need to have.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to meet the needs of the varied writing requirements used in instructional design
• How to inject creativity into the driest of topics
• How to use journalistic techniques in your writing
• How to use marketing techniques in your writing

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers and project managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Most corporate and adult continuing education eLearning courses include audio tracks, mostly as voiceover, but also for animated characters. As a result, many eLearning professionals find themselves writing audio scripts as part of their work. What are the skills needed to produce better audio?

In this session, you will learn 10 tips for producing better eLearning audio. Each tip aims to make your eLearning course much more engaging, improving retention. You will learn the science behind the methods that will help you improve your script writing, recording, and editing to better ensure improved learner performance after completing your courses.

In this session, you will learn:

• Seven tips for writing better scripts
• The cognitive psychology behind why these seven methods work
• Three tips for recording and editing audio tracks
• How to use aural techniques to capture and retain the attention of learners

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Audition, Audacity, recorders, and other audio recording and editing software and hardware.

Habits—the automatic, unconscious behaviors we undertake daily—have historically been viewed as a negative. However, habits, and how they form, have become a hot topic in fields like health care, management, and energy conservation. Positive habit building can have a major impact on organizations and individuals. And app developers are leveraging smart devices as digital support tools for habit formation.

In this session, you’ll explore what the science of behavior change reveals about the current understanding of habit formation. You’ll also learn about habit formation methods and three different examples of digital habit applications. You will learn about strategies for incorporating habit formation into your own practice, which results in consistent positive behavior that frees up cognitive activity for other, more critical use.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to use the anatomy of a habit to analyze habit behaviors in your own organization
• How to implement habit formation strategies in your own workplace with planning
• How to evaluate habit formation apps
• How to create feedback and reinforcement loops to support habit formation

Audience:
Novice to advanced managers and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Curation is a term that is becoming more and more common in the learning field. Unfortunately, most people do not understand what curation is, why curation is important, how it will impact their role, and how to leverage it for their organization. And yet it is a critical future competency for those in the field.

During the session you will learn the definition of curation and the various types and levels of curation that exist (including aggregation, filtering, elevation, mash- or match-ups, and timelines). You’ll see examples of each that show the value curation adds to learning programs, as well as techniques that contributed to the examples.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to define curation and the core types of curation that will impact learning
• How curation will impact the learning industry
• Techniques to get you started with curation
• Technology’s role in curation
• Applications of curation in learning

Audience:
Those interested in learning more about the value of curation. There is no prerequisite.

Technology discussed in this session:
Various curation tools.

Many training videos are not compelling; too many are just shot against a beige cinderblock wall. Video must be visually compelling to hold the viewer’s attention, but most video producers don’t know what tools and techniques are available, or think that they are too expensive.

In this session, you will see examples of training programs created with current video technologies that address all these issues and more. You will learn from case studies in which several training issues were solved by SMEs presented using these technologies. You will learn what it takes to put together a system that will create a professional, studio-quality training video at a fraction of the cost, using virtual studio sets and green-screen technology. You will also learn how and when to use live and/or recorded video, how to stream video live, and how to optimize recorded and real-time video for the web across any platform.

In this session, you will learn:

• About virtual video studios
• How to create virtual video training programs
• How to stream live video to any device
• How to optimize video for the web
• How to get the best audio in a video recording
• Tools and best practices for video production

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Virtual studio sets, Newtek TriCaster 460, integrating HD video, and Skype video inputs.

Taking a hands-on technology class and providing it online can be tough. How do you keep the interactivity of the course? How do you transform the exercises? How do you make the lecture parts engaging enough? When an online session can match the effectiveness of its ILT counterpart, you can reach more learners, lower travel costs, and even generate revenue.

In this session, you will learn about the creation of a certification path that included pre-class videos, a three-day instructor-led boot camp class, a concepts test, and a certification exam. You will see the path taken to transform the three-day instructor-led class into an interactive online session. You will learn about the software used and how to convert the hands-on exercises and case studies, as well as the techniques used to keep the learner involved and engaged.

In this session, you will learn:

• Techniques you can use to maintain the instructiveness of the classroom online
• How to use advanced actions in Adobe Captivate 8 to ask questions of the learners
• The features of GoAnimate and how it can help make lecture parts more engaging
• How to convert hands-on exercises and case studies

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers and developers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Captivate 8, GoAnimate, and Snagit.

Intellectual property law affects every stage of the development process. Yet it is daunting and complex. Trying to gain a working knowledge can be overwhelming. As a result, decision making is rooted in ignorance, fear, or frustration, none of which contributes to project goals. The continuing struggle to quickly develop content may lead you to infringe on someone else’s work, expose your work to an unpleasant legal action, or miss out on using free media to enhance your projects.

In this session, you will learn about copyright essentials through an entertaining snapshot of the law and recent cases. Learn how to protect your own work and apply legal concepts, such as the fair use doctrine, to everyday scenarios. You’ll become more confident finding sites that offer public domain, Creative Commons, and open access licensed works. Developing an applied understanding of copyright law and learning how to find media you can use will help you become more productive and focused as you maximize your financial and creative resources.

In this session, you will learn:

• Copyright law and fair use basics
• About recent and relevant court cases
• How to protect your work
• How to find online media you can use
• About Creative Commons licenses and which are most accommodating
• How to correctly attribute media you use

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

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Participant technology requirements:
Portable device.

How do we enable learners to practice and improve their ability to respond appropriately in a conversational context? Obvious examples for conversational training are: people who are learning a new language, new hires in call centers or in customer service, or trainees in the hospitality industry. While person-to-person conversational training is ideal, the time available for individual training in person-to-person settings is often limited.

In this session, you will learn how to create realistic simulated conversations that learners can access and use on smartphones. You will explore a case study of how one instructor used simulated conversations with students to improve learning outcomes. You will learn new, cost-effective training approaches related to conversational learning. Have a conversation to practice? Bring a script!

In this session, you will learn:

• How to create realistic simulated conversations
• Why realistic simulated conversation practice is valuable
• Why smartphones are an ideal platform for conversation practice
• How you might integrate realistic simulated conversations into your teaching and training programs

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

Technology discussed in this session:
Linguacomm conversation authoring platform and Linguacomm conversation practice app.

A prevalent training concern is the inability to create lasting behavioral change after training. A key to the success of reinforcement training is the ability to continue the learning on the job. In this session you will be introduced to the seven secrets of reinforcement learning and be shown how trainers and leaders can better help employees apply their knowledge on the job. This session uses case studies to offer a fresh perspective on incorporating micro-reinforcement learning post-training to increase knowledge transfer and retention. Following this session, you will be able to explain micro-reinforcement training and connect micro-reinforcement training with ROI.

The term multi-device has been in our jargon for the past couple of years. Our world is known to revolve around multi-screen ecosystems that have given control back to our learners. The way they consume our learning solutions is on their terms, when and where necessary to be effective. In this session you will learn how to deliver multi-screen-friendly and engaging content and develop a successful workflow, as well as learn about the technologies needed to transition from a classic desktop eLearning model to a learning model that fits any device and platform.

There’s nothing like an election year to dive headfirst into a spirited debate, so iSpring friends Joe Ganci and Mark Simon will be doing exactly that. Joe will abandon political correctness to tell Mark exactly why free-form tools are infinitely better than PowerPoint tools, while Mark will campaign for PowerPoint users all over the world. Chances are that you’ve used one tool type or another—or perhaps you’ve used both—but do you really know the pros and cons of each? No matter what your affiliation is, you don’t want to miss this one!