It's been about a year since I left The eLearning Guild as their DevLearn Program Director, and started my new job as Director, Product/Technology Training for IO. I had high hopes of blogging my experiences but quickly realized how unlikely that would be...bummer.
I've learned a LOT in the past year. I've failed. I've succeeded. I've felt defeated and I've felt exhilarated...and that's just ONE day working for a bleeding edge, fast paced, technology company. It's been a crazy fun ride so far...and yes, still loving it and learning. I hope to get back into the habit of blogging. This is the start.
I think the most important lesson I've learned is what I've always known but can now speak from personal experience: Learning is about People, NOT technology. It truly doesn't matter how cutting edge your company is. If your people don't get/like Web2.0, then Learning2.0 will NEVER work. There is no amount of mandating that can help either. You either get it, and use it, or you don't.
I am still working at building a 21st century training department for IO, but my expectations have changed. The realities of working with real people in a real company have humbled me beyond measure.
I've been delivering presentations on using new technologies as learning technologies for many many years. Everything I preached seemed so easy to implement, and such a perfect solution to so many learning problems. Yet, 8 years after my first blog post, people still don't take advantage of new technologies for learning.
I still believe in everything I presented over the years. I believe in collaborative tools, like quip.com (basically just a new and improved wiki). I believe in YouTube as the ultimate example of a shared knowledge resource. There are so many GREAT technologies available today, and yet so many workers choose to leave their learning in the hands of others...like the training department.
The truth is, there are no learning problems in corporate settings. There are only people unwilling to learn.
How do we change THAT?
I've learned a LOT in the past year. I've failed. I've succeeded. I've felt defeated and I've felt exhilarated...and that's just ONE day working for a bleeding edge, fast paced, technology company. It's been a crazy fun ride so far...and yes, still loving it and learning. I hope to get back into the habit of blogging. This is the start.
I think the most important lesson I've learned is what I've always known but can now speak from personal experience: Learning is about People, NOT technology. It truly doesn't matter how cutting edge your company is. If your people don't get/like Web2.0, then Learning2.0 will NEVER work. There is no amount of mandating that can help either. You either get it, and use it, or you don't.
I am still working at building a 21st century training department for IO, but my expectations have changed. The realities of working with real people in a real company have humbled me beyond measure.
I've been delivering presentations on using new technologies as learning technologies for many many years. Everything I preached seemed so easy to implement, and such a perfect solution to so many learning problems. Yet, 8 years after my first blog post, people still don't take advantage of new technologies for learning.
I still believe in everything I presented over the years. I believe in collaborative tools, like quip.com (basically just a new and improved wiki). I believe in YouTube as the ultimate example of a shared knowledge resource. There are so many GREAT technologies available today, and yet so many workers choose to leave their learning in the hands of others...like the training department.
The truth is, there are no learning problems in corporate settings. There are only people unwilling to learn.
How do we change THAT?
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