Putting the Dance in Your mLearnCon Attendance

The mLearnCon event is 3 weeks away.  If you are designing learning experiences in any way, you've got to take mobile devices seriously.  This is not a fad that will just go away if you keep demanding that your students check their devices at the door.  mLearning is something of a buzzword these days, but no matter what you call it mobile devices are everywhere and in everyone's hands...most with more than one mobile device.  Mobile is how we live our lives, it's how we access a global world of knowledge, and it's how business gets done.  

Ignoring mobile devices in training and education is as bad as being an entrepreneur and ignoring money.  

mLearnCon is in it's third year and continues to grow.  The most influential mobile training development experts will be there to answer all of your questions.  Since this is a niche conference you won't feel lost in the crowd.  It's hyper focused on one thing...MOBILE! 

If You're New to mLearning

If you are just getting started with mobile learning then mLearnCon is the place for you.  You could spend days, even weeks, searching the internet, reading reports (Mobile Report), and consuming other content in effort to get your mind around mobile.  But in the end you'd still have questions and you'd still lack the confidence to move forward.  Do your homework and then register for mLearnCon.  You'll want to sign up for a pre-conference workshop as well.  It's well worth the extra expense.  

Once you've registered you should start creating your strategy for attendance.  What? You don't create a conference strategy when you go to conferences? Well, If you are one those boondogglers, that's cool too. There's plenty of golfing near San Jose.  If you're serious about your conference attendance, then you really should be planning your attendance.  And this doesn't need to take long.  And it's NOT all about choosing which session to attend.

Step One

Step back and take a look at your current environment.  Define the context of your current job.  If you are a manager then you'll be thinking about your long term strategies and which projects are currently in progress or in the pipeline headed your way.  You should also understand your enterprise environment and your IT departments strategy.  You do not want to run off to a conference and find a beautiful hammer only to come home and discover there are no nails.  

If you are a designer or developer, these issues are important to you as well but you'll also want make a quick list of what tools you use, how you use them, and what you think you might be missing.  You've no doubt already encountered projects where you thought a mobile solution could be useful as part of the overall solution.  If your company has settled on a certain development tool then whether you like it or not, you should find a pre-conference workshop on that tool and a few sessions to help you hone those skills.  Remember, learning more about your tools is valuable. REALLY valuable in today's marketplace.  If you get the opportunity to learn more about your craft, do not squander it.

Step Two

Now that you have a solid picture of your own personal current environment, you should craft a few questions.  The questions you craft now will be what you use to refresh yourself when you've gone off track...and you will go off track.  The excitement of seeing colleagues, friends, keynote presentations, expo hall booths, etc., will no doubt begin to overwhelm you.  A short list of questions crafted BEFORE the event will act as your compas to get you back on track.  You don't need to define specifics on how these questions will get answered just yet...trust that the event and a little serendipity will offer the moments of enlightenment.  But if you don't have those questions on your mind you could very well miss the opportunities to gain the knowledge you need.

Step Three

NOW you're fully prepared to handle the detail work of reviewing the specifics about the event and how you will allocate your time.  This is when you'll engage with the conference mobile app.  If you don't have it then just use the web site. Review all of the sessions the first time by quickly scanning for the ones you think might answer your questions.  Don't think about it too much, just do a quick pass and see if anything jumps out at you.  Then do it again but look a little more closely, this time eliminating the ones that you are CERTAIN you will not need to attend.  Then do ANOTHER scan, this time dig a little deeper into the ones that are still remaining.

Make sure you have at least 2 or 3 selected in each time block.  Once you get to the event things happen fast and you don't have a lot of time for decision making.  You may find that one of your questions has been answered on day 1, and so that means a day 2 session is no longer necessary.  Having multiple sessions selected makes it easy to know exactly which one will fill in the gap.  It's no fun making decisions 5mins before sessions start, because you'll be frustrated going into what ever session you chose and every little thing will begin to annoy you.  I've experienced this many times and have heard the same from others.  Some times in those situations you get lucky and you wander into an amazing session...that's the serendipity that often occurs.  But the opposite can also occur and your state of mind going into a session that isn't working for you, is critical.  You don't want to be "that guy/gal" that starts nitpicking a well intentioned speaker because you were rolling the dice on their session.

Step Four

The greatest of plans often change in an instant.  This is where you need to put the DANCE in your attendance. Going with the flow works well if you are prepared to make adjustments without much thinking. The pre-planning takes most of the work out of decision making and allows you to feel more relaxed about the decisions you make.  When when need to adjust, it shouldn't be a big ordeal.  Just consult your session list first for alternatives.  If things have completely shifted and your session selections are no longer useful then refer to your questions and the quick environmental scan you did in in Step 1 and 2.  Because if things change THAT much on site, you will most definitely be flustered, so having your original image of the big picture will help you adjust and focus more quickly.  Remember, don't panic! Breathe. Dance.

The pre-planning may seem extreme, but I'm hoping you'll do something to prepare yourself for mLearnCon.  You cannot prepare for the changes in training and development without understanding mobile.  It's complicated.  It's different. It requires a new mindset around what training is and what it WILL be.  Moving your Powerpoint slides to mobile delivery services is NOT the solution.  Commit to being better than that.  Your learners deserve it and so do you.

Consumer Electronics Show - Critical to eLearning?

I'd say yes if you're interested in seeing what your employees might be bringing into the office next year.
Of course you could just let your IT department handle that and have them report back. But the truth is that CES is huge and difficult to see it all. So there is no guarantee that you will get the info you need.

The show is next week in Las Vegas. While I am not attending in person this year I know people who are and I'll be monitoring the online front channel as well as the always active back channel.

If you will be there, please let me know and will monitor your blog or twitter stream.

DEMOFEST - Feedback From Your Trusted Colleagues in eLearning

DEMOFEST is the BEST place for you to get peer feedback by showcasing your work at DevLearn.

You are not going to get this kind of feedback anywhere else.

You might be afraid because you think you're work is not cutting-edge.  But I think you will be surprised at how ahead of the curve you probably already are.  Did you know that some organizations are still ONLY using classroom-based instructor led training?  It's true.  Don't get me wrong.  I still believe there is a place for instructor led training, but if you're doing eLearning development then you are already ahead of the curve.

Honestly, DemoFest is one of my favorite parts of DevLearn.  This is where you get to see REAL eLearning in action.  It's not about a thought leader just TELLING you how eLearning should be done.  And its also not about a vendor promising you the greatest eLearning ever.  No.  This is real world eLearning done by your peers.

And for managers, you will want to see this as well.  Would you be willing to display the work of your team?  I think this is an honest question you should be asking yourself and your team.  Benchmarking yourself, or your team, against the industry is valuable knowledge, and you need to know where you stand.

And it's just a heck of a lot of fun!!!

Learn eLearning Audio Production from an Expert

Are you an eLearning developer struggling with audio? Okay maybe you're not struggling. You're getting stuff done, but you wish your audio was better. Like most things technical, once you know the little tricks and gain a better understanding of the technology it becomes an easy leap from amateur audio to "wow, that's sounds great" audio.
I know many of you just farm out the dirty work of audio scripting, producing, recording, publishing. But I ALSO know many of you are a Learning Department of One. You are the lone developer with little to no budget. If the eLearning is going get any better in your company its totally and completely up to you. So, lets make that happen.
Audio is a big part of developing eLearning. I'd even go so far as too say that MOST learners expect some level of audio in the multimedia mix. And if you are doing anything with video you will most likely will be dealing with audio as well...unless you've designed the script as a Charlie Chaplin, silent movie, experience.
The bottom line is that every developer should have a basic understanding of digital audio technology. And while understanding is good, getting your hands into the tools and making audio files is even better.

DevLearn pre-conference workshops are a great way to ramp up new skills. This year we are very happy to have Chris Hansen leading Audio File Production and Management for Learning as part of the eLearning Guild Academy.
Besides producing audio tracks for musicians and voice over talent in his studio, he is also the Instructional Design Manager for Guitar Center. Chris is truly a rare find in our little world of eLearning colleagues. Of course I know many instructional designers, and outside of eLearning I know a few talented media producers. But Chris is the first audio specialist I've met that not has both skill sets but also takes on the role of managing the development process for the largest music retailer in the country.
DevLearn is at The ARIA hotel in Las Vegas this year. Its the newest hotel in Vegas with the most high tech conference facility. I would highly encourage anyone interested in stepping up their development skills to register for this workshop and spend the day with Chris learning about the finer points of audio production.

The eLearning Guild releases Mobile Learning Report in time for mLearnCon

The eLearning Guild announced the release of this years research report on mobile learning titled, Mobile Learning: Landscape and Trends.

Paid Guild members can download the report HERE.

Dr. Clark Quinn has done an excellent job of distilling the most important information about mobile learning into a readable research report. The Guild's survey of its members regarding mobile device usage has some great data points to consider.

For example: The number one stated barrier to implementing mLearning is that its "Hard to integrate with our enterprise tools". Security issues and a Lack of Standards also topped the list of barriers.

Its also interesting to see that the percentage of organizations planning to "Do More mLearning" has increased from 38.5% in 2007 to 51% in 2011. That may not seem like much, but I expect the number to grow significantly over the next 4+ years.

So, get the report and read it for yourself. Then you'll be more than prepared to engage the thought leadership represented at mLearnCon this June. Plan your mobile learning strategy at the event and chat with Dr. Quinn to get his advice on your plans. You can also follow him on twitter @quinnovator

mLearnCon - Save $$$ with Group Rate at Fairmont

If you have employees/learners that have cell phones, you NEED to be thinking about how this impacts your learning solutions. All of the info you need to make smart decisions about mobile learning is at mLearnCon. Don't wait until management approaches you and your team. Be proactive and make sure you're ready with a smart answer.

SAVE $$$ at the Fairmont San Jose by booking your hotel stay this week. The block of discounted rooms is selling fast. Don't wait too long.

You might be thinking mobile learning is still a few years away before your organization will support you. That's okay. But did you know there are learning solutions you can deploy TODAY even if you're locked behind a firewall? There are companies supporting learning in ways you've never dreamed of, and they're all at mLearnCon.

[Ad: mLearnCon - June 21-23 - San Jose, CA - Put Your Learning in Motion!]

I'm really looking forward to this year's keynotes. Jeremiah Owyang, and Amber MacArthur are new media icons that have been researching and embracing technology before the internet became Web 2.0. They have the stats and know the trends that will impact the future of your organization like no others. And I can tell you they are 2 of the nicest technology speakers I've had the pleasure to work with.   

I love elearning. What mobile devices mean to eLearning is VERY different than what you might think. mLearning is NOT transferring your eLearning onto a mobile device. mLearning does NOT mean exporting your existing courses in a different format and calling it good. Many rganizations have tried that and failed. Learning from those who have gone before you is the smartest decision you can make. Its priceless.

Many mLearnCon 2010 attendees are making mLearning happen today. I can't wait to hear what they've done and where we all will go next. I'm looking forward to the hallway conversations and seeing all my twitter peeps as well. Ping me now if you are planning on attending so I can be sure to find you and say hi.

Learning Solutions 2011 - Highlights Video

Learning Solutions Conference & Expo 2011 Highlights Video from The eLearning Guild on Vimeo.

Don't forget about mLearnCon in June. Register by April 29th and Save $200.

mLearnCon 2011 - Mobile Learning Awesomeness in 1 place!

The buzz from Learning Solutions 2011 is still humming. But for me, its time to move on to Mobile Learning and mLearnCon.com.

The web site is up and running and you can start planning your event today. Mobile technologies seem to be flooding the market on a daily basis. They get smaller, faster, and cheaper. If you are in elearning, whether a n00b or tested old timer, you need to get up to speed on mobile learning. Get your travel approval today and make it happen. You will not regret it.

I am very excited to have Jeremiah Owyang and Amber MacArthur keynoting mLearnCon. And then closing out the event will be a great panel conversation.

The mLearning Future Zone and MOSHPit will also be back. And of course there will be Master Classes giving you an up close and personal look at the tools of mlearning. The stages of Guild events offer additional content in a comfortable relaxed format.

Aaron Silvers, is back as the host of the mLearning Future Zone. With a deep and varied background in eLearning Aaron understands all aspects of the industry at a level matched by very few. He sees the future of mlearning from many different angles and brings that to the stage with experts challenging your thoughts on what mobile learning will be. Neil Lasher is also back for a second year hosting the Mobile Operating System Help stage....better known as the MOSH Pit. Neil has unique ideas on what mlearning should be and what the landscape of mlearning systems offers us today. He will bring a collection of great speakers to help you understand the systems of mlearning and how you can make sense of it all.

As mobile devices become more prevalent we may find that mLearning is just part of the increasing landscape of elearning. But until that day comes its important that we take time to gather and discuss the challenges we face as an industry.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in San Jose this June.

Learning Solutions 2011 - The Brain, Presentations, and Culture

The Learning Solutions 2011 conference and expo was another amazing experience produced by The eLearning Guild. I spoke on Games and Simulations for Training, and Social Media for Learning, at the eLearning Foundations Intensive. The Intensive was a 2-day crash course on all major aspects of e-Learning. If you are new to e-Learning or just need to get the big picture fast, then this was the place to be. I also Hosted a panel of experienced e-Learning professionals in an Ignite format of fast-paced presentations. It was quite an experience to be sure.

For an AMAZING collection of resources from the event you should check out David Kelly's blog Misadventures in Learning. He's compiled a page of resources that will keep you busy for quite some time. He did not attend the event but was able to learn and participate simply by following the backchannel of social media coming out of the event. Nice work David!!!

The keynotes were especially powerful this year. Since David has all of the resources nailed down I thought I would just add my own commentary and thoughts on the keynotes.

Dr. Medina - Author of Brain Rules, and Brain Rules for Baby - BrainRules.net (great videos here)

He is one of the most amazing presenters I've heard in a long time. He is also, in my opinion, the MOST relevant name in e-Learning that is not in our industry and mostly ignored by our learning institutions and all those pretending to know about how learning works. As Dr. Medina will say...we know very little about learning and the brain, but we DO know a LOT more than we did 10, 20, or more years ago.

He took the LS2011 audience on an amazing journey through the process of how the brain takes in information, stores it in shortterm memory and how it converts to long term memory. Here's the gist. A piece of information is received and you have 30secs to repeat it before short term memory kicks it out. After that you have 2 hours to repeat it again before shortterm memory kicks it out. The key is REPETITION. Read the book for more. The most amazing fact is how long it takes for shortterm memory to let go of information to be perminently stored in long term memory:

"It takes a DECADE for information to reach its happy hunting ground in long term memory. And if that doesn't say something about your job...I don't know what does." - Dr. Medina

Here is a great blog post recap of Dr. Medina's Keynote.

Brain Rules for Presenters

Nancy Duarte - Slide:ology, and resonate

Nancy is an amazing woman that has stumbled into the training world after making a name for herself in the world of presentation creation. Her most famous presentation being Al Gore's on global warming. In her new book resonate Nancy defines a pattern for successful presentations. She studied the "I have a dream" speech and the "iPhone launch" speech and discovered that both fit the pattern. And now YOU can learn this pattern and become a master presenter.

Great communicators are great story tellers and from the earliest storytelling frameworks we begin to form the pattern that is the same for all great presentations.



Michael Wesch - The Machine is Us/ing Us

Dr. Wesch delivered a compelling, emotional presentation about how when create technologies those technologies then begin to re-create who we are. They shape our culture and they shape who we are. The most popular video he created is embedded below will open your eyes if you have not already seen it.

New media has given us all the ability to do something great. And maybe not even great, but merely simple enough to move just one person. That in and of itself is GREAT! The people side of technology is often overlooked. And what I often remind my audiences is that its not about the technology...it's about the people. It always has been and always will be.

MediatedCultures.net

Prepping for Learning Solutions 2011 - Step 1: Download App

iTunes App Link
For all instructions, video, and downloads go to this link. The Learning Solutions 2011 app is powered by ATIV software's Event Plus. Maneuvering the hectic world of conferences and expos has NEVER been easier. Functions include:

• Access up-to-the minute session and event updates in the dynamic Now tab
• Plan your day and build your own personalized schedule (for native apps)
• Browse or search the interactive Program, Speaker and Expo guides
• Find your way easily using Maps with an animated location pin
• Stay organized by creating custom notes and thumbs up ratings
• Easily share contact info with other attendees using Bump or QR codes
• Follow the #ls2011 discussions with the integrated Twitter feed
• View and share slides (for native apps)
• Save time after the event and email all event notes in a comprehensive report

If you ever needed a reason to upgrade to a smart phone, this is it! So, if you're headed to Orlando next week and you have an iPhone, or iPad, or Blackberry, or Android device, your job one is installing this app.
Let me know what you think? What would you like to see the app do next year? Your suggestions are more than appreciated.