February 8th, 2010 by Learning Systems

Although there’s no denying that the education trend (not only online learning via learning management systems, but non-virtual learning as well) has shifted toward an independent, self-guided mode, people still require incentives to learn just about anything. For this reason and others, monitoring trainees’ learning processes is critical.

Despite the widespread pedagogical pressure to believe the contrary, intentional learning doesn’t happen for most people. Or perhaps it does in some areas, but not for all kinds of content. Of course, anyone can get excited about learning a particular skill or topic that interests them. There’s no need to keep tabs on a teenager’s learning of their new video game, for example. The intention already exists.

But the hard truth is that although company training certainly can be fun and engaging, it’s often not centered around the most exciting topics trainees can imagine.

At its core, learning is about always wanting something. For people in a classroom setting, that something may be good grades. In a company training session or learning management system (LMS) course, the desired objective may include rewards for good performance, or simple verbal encouragement and acclaim.

People of all ages–both children and adults–are typically responsive to simple words of encouragement from a respected superior. Along with a user-friendly training program with its own system of points and rewards, employees benefit greatly from human motivation. A leader who motivates trainees not only facilitates the learning process, but instills a sense of team unity, which improves work relationships.

But beyond encouragement from a supervisor or training leader, another way to aid effective training is to monitor student progress. Some LMSs have features like the Activities monitor, which helps solve a problem all too prevalent in online training. The Activities tool makes simple the administrative responsibility of overseeing and guiding students in their learning process. It provides training administrators with a simple tool to track, in real time, the online course activities of students through a tab in the LMS interface.

The Activities feature serves a practical purpose. Using the feature, administrators can track student activities to find out where each one is exceeding, and in what areas extra attention may be required.

Monitoring trainees with the aid of a feature like Activities helps ensure that students are actually absorbing the content they are learning. Why is this important? First of all, ensuring training effectiveness saves organizations and educators valuable time and energy. In what ways? Many–and each depending on the kind of training you’re delivering.

On the other hand, some kinds of training may not necessarily benefit from such a feature. For example, training material given to new employees, teaching them the ins and outs of their new position, may not cry for a feature that monitors student progress in such an active way. After all, newcomers to an organization are typically excited about their new job–they want to learn. They are intentional learners.

With compliance training, however, that story changes. Here organizations save money in the long run if they ensure successful training. Conflict can be avoided, and employees can be protected. And of course, productivity is always increased when employees are well educated on workplace issues which are meant to facilitate communication and prevent conflict.

Automated tracking of learning allows trainers and educators to concentrate on teaching and administering content. Trainers can focus on the content and guiding student interaction with the material, rather than actively keeping tabs on them.

However, the most effective way to ensure that learning is taking place is the existence of a strong and engaging training course. It’s not enough to create satisfactory content, get it out there, and expect students to eat it up. A complete and flexible learning management system which provides a variety of robust features is the best way to create content that entices all learners to become intentional ones.

February 4th, 2010 by Learning Systems

It may be an understatement to say that for distance learning and online training, a big hefty tool like a learning management system (LMS) is the most efficient and cost-effective means of delivery. In fact, online tools may be the only method to deliver training for companies with distance learning requirements. As extended networks of employees become the norm, with employees working in Singapore, London or New York, an LMS becomes vital to manage online training.  It not only delivers learning content, but companies can use an LMS to keep track of employee achievements and ensure that the training delivered is really effective.

Of course, managing a distance learning classroom or training program is simply too much for one person or even a group of people to handle.  An LMS takes care of content management, collaboration techniques, agendas and announcements, assignment and coursework management, and learning path development, among other things. It allows for online classrooms to be organized internationally, linking a company LMS to its various human resources departments and ERP systems, to perform long distance, cost-effective, and efficient training.

Collaboration is the newest wave of our increasingly service-oriented business world, and therefore a must in training. Oftentimes, both in training and product development, collaborative groups are composed of a loose group of individuals working together to achieve a common goal. These may be a group of individuals with different backgrounds, cultures, education and languages. For collaborative learning, an LMS serves a crucial role in its ability to track members’ individual and collective progress in an online course.

One way that collaboration may be utilized to benefit a company is in introducing a new product or service. For example, if the employees in training are in customer service or sales, a company could introduce the new product, delivering training on the product through the LMS, and prompt trainees to work together to develop strategies and solutions to given situations when dealing with customers, etc.

For this, companies that have been experimenting with virtual worlds like Second Life to provide trainees with a 3D meeting space and collaborative educational space have experienced mixed results. Educational software like Second Life still has many challenges to face in offering an efficient and robust learning experience.

Training for a role in a service team is something easily charged to an LMS, with video tools, simulations, and audio tools like those used by Coggno, to create situations where an employee must deal with a customer. Some systems are even multi-lingual, providing a number of built-in languages to personalize each employee’s training.

Distance learning collaboration isn’t always easy, of course. We’ve all experienced the frustration of technical problems with the very same tools intended to facilitate group collaboration. Inevitably, a conference call is interrupted by technical problems, or one or two team members aren’t familiar with how to use a new technology. Web 2.0 tools like conferencing may sidetrack members and draw them into a distracting cycle of tool experimentation. Some tools may take hours for users to get the hang of, and ultimately may not even function efficiently.

Although some tools like virtual worlds can help virtual teams achieve goals, introducing these technologies can also impose distractions which waste valuable time. A slick new piece of technology is only as effective as the effects it produces.

An LMS is able to automate many training processes that would otherwise cost organizations a great deal of time and money. Learners all over the world are able to access online training via an LMS any time, without complicated plug-in software. Learning management systems take care of staff orientation and induction programs, reaching out to employees from all around the world.

January 29th, 2010 by Learning Systems

As online training continues to get accepted in the corporate world, other industries are also looking at it as a solution. In sports, injuries to head are most common. When the head injuries are not serious, it is vital to evaluate sport related concussions before allows playing to return to play. Many injuries are not reported because of their mild nature and are overlooked by coaches, team mates and athletes as well.

Using online training as an assessment tool with parameters like reaction time and memory it is possible to assess cognitive function. The assessments ask the patient to identify shapes, words, and colors for at least thirty minutes. With the help of concussion guidelines and comparing the results, it is possible to categorize the severity of concussion.

The evaluation tool when used in an online training environment can be used for individual athletes or to a group. This assessment is designed to aid trainers and athletic physicians to make decisions of allowing players to return to play when they are unsure. The online setup provides easy access and quick administration of the test and has a reliable baseline. The result of the players can be sent to neurophysiologist for quick consultation.

The data provided is comprehensive and can also include processing speed and attention as parameters.  By repeating the tests, the data can be compared and ensures that the decision to play is safe. There are a number of tools that use online training setting to administer during play to identify cognitive deficits.

Besides athlete’s, children are also prone to concussions and neuropsychology focuses on assessment and management of concussion. Today, using assessments in an online training environment has proved to be reliable to distinguish between individuals that suffered from a concussion. The neuropsychological tests to baseline and identify post concussion syndromes include word discrimination, design memory, x’s and o’s, matching symbols, color match and three letters.

ImPACT is one such tool that evaluates concussions and post concussion syndromes along with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT). Some other online training environment based neuro-cognitive tests available for the evaluation of concussions include and the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, CogSport and Headminders.

In order to teach doctors and sports trainers more about concussion or effects of mild traumatic brain injury, online training has been quite effective. They have provided clinicians with the knowledge required to understand the severity of concussions and suggest the duration for rehabilitation.

When athletes that has symptoms of concussion over one to two weeks is considered to have a post-Concussion Syndrome. In such situation, it is best to treat the individual by an experienced physician and facilitate quick neuropsychological testing. Using an online training setup, it is possible to take a quick test and use the data to baseline in case of injuries during a game.

Over the last few years, a lot of literary research has been conducted to manage head injuries and identify concussions.  There is a not too much controversy surrounding this simple and quick method of identifying concussion in online training by sports physicians and trainers to avoid further complications.

January 29th, 2010 by Learning Systems

Using a learning management system provides organizations with an end-to-end approach to develop talent and guarantees visible priorities of individuals, activities and events. We are aware that a LMS can perform a number of functions, administrative requests from scheduling trainings, to strategic requests like training gap analysis, aligning training modules with business goals etc.

In a classroom environment, we lose out on a number of features that can provide a lot of flexibility to the learner and trainer. Organizations are aware that they can leverage the use of a learning management system to improve productivity, reduce costs and achieve business goals efficiently. Once training modules are deployed on a LMS, trainers and learners can benefit by getting access to a variety of e-learning modules.

Activities are much easier to update and these can include tasks like assigning budgets, enrollments, managing assessments, generating report, classroom logistics etc. It is easier to measure the ROI on training. An LMS allows you employees to develop career paths, and managers to identify the development paths based on employee goals. In fact, assessments to measure competency that can be linked with performance appraisals can be managed via a learning management system for employees and managers

A learning management system allows clients to examine the workforce and provide skill management and analysis. It also provides automated certification for safety programs and supervisory roles. For employees that need to take mandatory training - training requests and progress tracking to achieve competencies for a particular position is available.

After completing a module, employees are requested to provide feedback about the effectiveness of the training module. This enables management to review the training results and measure improvements in employee performance.

For organizations that have a workforce which is spread over a number of regions, a learning management system allows overall tracking of skills sets and identifying development needs. It empowers managers to approve training requests, monitor employee progress, generate reports to understand employee readiness and relate job performance to identify employee development needs.

In a classroom environment or without a learning management system, organizations incur additional costs to manage training requirements. They do not have the flexibility of generating detailed reports and the data accumulated can be inaccurate. As employees undertake training courses that are available on a LMS, managers can assess employee strengths; compare skills of an employee with their performance objectives.

In summary, a learning management system implements state of the art training modules that allow self service requests for employee training, managing content, support for learning, updating courses to sync with positions or employee competencies. Instructor availability, training effectiveness, scheduling classes, hours spent training etc can be managed with ease with the help of LMS. For management, tracking employees and maintaining a history of their training, identifying the budget for training and other bottom line figures necessary to business can be easily acquired with a LMS.

With these advantages, using a learning management system can ensure compliance with business goals and quality training to improve employee performance.

January 25th, 2010 by Learning Systems

Many people are upgrading their skills these days by using a learning management system (LMS). With a fast paced work environment, most organizations are implementing blended learning solutions that enable learners to experience the benefits of a classroom in a virtual environment. These learning systems can be invaluable and keep you updated about the various training courses. Using a LMS for a blended learning solution involves using different training mediums, events and activities to create a robust course for different audiences.

If you’re not really sure what a learning management system is, it’s basically a type of software application that uses various types of e-programs and other training content programs and methods to educate people. The systems usually look after all aspects of learning, including administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting. There are various types available which range in their capabilities.

While many employees are initiating their own involvement in a learning management system you will find there are just as many companies that are asking employees to utilize them. The employers see these systems as excellent ways to teach numerous people the same job skills simultaneously.

While some companies prefer to have their trainees learn at their own pace in an individual setting, many firms still believe there are advantages to training people in a virtual classroom environment.

Some of the benefits of a virtual classroom using a learning management system include:

• If training takes place in a virtual class the employees will begin to feel and act like a team instead of individuals and it’s usually teamwork that leads to success these days. The class will realize everybody is on the same page when it comes to achieving business goals.

• It also allows the employees to take courses according to their schedules and also experience the benefits of a classroom. This guarantees that students interact and network with each other while learning at the own pace. It does not need them to worry that somebody is too far ahead or behind the rest of the group.

• For trainers, a learning management system provides a forum for students to exchange ideas, queries and promotes a healthy discussion which supports knowledge retention. If there are any important messages or changes in the course outline, everybody will hear about it instantly.

• A virtual classroom learning management system will also allow students to help each other out when needed and can help them bond.

• Everything that is learned in the classroom will eventually create a common experience for all students to share and discuss.

• The costs for running a virtual classroom using a learning management system is less than having all the learners in a classroom.

• Students can work in team, but the employer still has the option of having them work individually when necessary.

Because each learning management system may vary greatly from the next, some of them will be more suited to classroom settings while others may be more appropriate for people to learn on their own.

January 22nd, 2010 by Learning Systems

There is no doubt that a well trained workforce gives an edge to a company in today’s competitive market. Online training has gained tremendous popularity in the last few years, and provides companies with an opportunity to train employees. The main aim of online training is to ensure that employees have proper knowledge of their day-to-day tasks. This will not only help them improve their quality of work but also increase productivity.

For instance, human resources, managers, executives or employees involved in training and development would excel at work if they learn job related skills and tools through online training such as employee personality assessment tools. Through training and education they can perform better and learn how to select the right candidate for a job and retain them.

Employee personality assessment tools:

There are various career simulation, video and computer based technology online training courses that users can opt for. It will help the trainee enhance their knowledge of personality tests. Some of the important training courses for employee assessment include tools for assessing work ethic/reliability/pre-employment integrity, team analysis, knowledge of customer service, feedback survey for performance review or personality assessment for increased motivation.

Benefits of learning assessment tools through online training:

If you take up video training for testing employee personality type it will show you outcomes of job related scenarios in which candidates make selection of the best or least effective consequences. The feedback for this type of testing will help assess the performance of job-related skills of the test taker. Through online training, employees can educate themselves about different tests for employee personality type. With this training, the HR or executive can use these tests as a tool to measure qualities of an employee’s personality. It will help them assess their job performance. In a business personality test, the potential candidate will be asked few questions in which he or she will have to agree or disagree with proposed statements.

Employees can learn personality assessment tools through online training even at home or during weekends. It will help them choose the right candidate for a job and eventually increase the productivity at work. There are several home-study programs related to personality assessment of employees that can be taken up to enhance and advance knowledge in this field. These programs mostly include course materials like sample assessments, books and informational CDs.

Finding the right personality assessment tools:

When looking for an informative personality assessment tool, find training programs that have approval, accreditation or company certification from a renowned association. Programs that have a good credential will offer high quality information. There are several programs available that are customized according to the company as well as individual needs. It will help you understand your challenges and strength in the first place before you help others in identifying theirs. It helps to stay updated with industry literature about new developments in this field so that you can enhance your educational efforts.

January 20th, 2010 by Learning Systems

Why don’t more companies use a learning management system or other online training tools? An all-too typical company procedure for greeting new employees is their subjection to a long and dry training session. What does this training typically entail? It might mean simply the distribution of books, magazines, pamphlets or online documents. This kind of material is often simply handed to employees, who are left alone to make their way through it. 

The thought is that each newcomer will simply absorb the training content like a sponge, diving into its dry, sandy depths to later emerge with all the golden nuggets of knowledge secured. New staff members, it is expected, will settle and fit right in with very little prepping.

Why does this phenomenon occur? Often it’s because the company simply doesn’t have a real training or orientation plan. Companies often assume that traditional training methods, such as offsite training, are costly and unnecessary. Or whoever is in charge of training doesn’t have the time, or hasn’t anticipated having to make time, to be involved in employee training in a meaningful way. Handing out training content in this way certainly is easy, but ultimately ineffective, time-wasting, and damaging to employee morale.

Why is dry-as-dust training a bad idea? It’s a waste of time. But beyond that, the trainee will surely recognize it as such. This is a disappointing way to be welcomed to a new company, and can give one a bad first impression of a company. Will this job be a waste of the new employee’s skills? he or she may wonder. Or, is the company disorganized and ineffective? 

Online training is a simple, effective and low-cost alternative to training procedures lacking in substance. Using a learning management system to develop and distribute content is a great way to help new and existing employees to become more adept at representing your company.

Use a learning management system (LMS) to create course assignments, tests, and activities to pique trainees’ interest. Additionally, LMS online courses are often flexible to learners’ busy schedules. 

LMS providers like Coggno offer a range of user-friendly tools. Trainees can watch videos, simulations and screen recordings. They can complete comprehensive tests and assessments interacting with a simple interface. The variety of ways an LMS can be used to create course content is only limited by the imagination of the training team or individual departments who create it. Podcasts, videos, and interactive quizzes bring training to life and provide a trainee with a convenient and structured learning environment. And using an LMS like Coggno, it’s easy to update and distribute learning content only as needed.

Online training is a great way to facilitate interaction and cooperation between new employees. Using Web 2.0 tools like discussion forums, blogs, and wikis, students can interact with each other and develop a sense of group dynamic and community, which is often key to trainee success. Not to mention the benefits peer interaction offers during training, including a sense of team unity in the workplace and increased employee morale.

In addition, online training is a great way to aid supervisors or other superiors with the new employees. After all, this is an area in which these dull and dry training programs are often lacking: engagement between higher-ups and employees. 

As a supervisor, why not make a personal appearance in your own course? Provide demos, training CDs, and visual tutorials to employees. Rather than relying on stock simulations or outdated company demos, course creators can create, edit and apply videos to their online training course. Many LMSs allow developers to transform their course content into a richer, more dynamic experience for trainees, and give their course a more professional touch. Creators maintain total control over what students view. 

With a little planning and user-friendly LMS tools, course developers can create a dynamic and unforgettable training experience for new employees. After trainees learn from interactive content, they can be asked to check their knowledge with a quiz. At the end of the training day, they can meet with the supervisor or trainer to touch base and get an overview of what was learned, completing the circle and providing a personalized and effective system of learning checks and balances. 

This is the ideal way to introduce your new employees to your company–by helping them get excited about their new job, well  trained for their new job, and familiar with each other and their superiors. Using a learning management system helps get your employees off to a great start in your company.

January 18th, 2010 by Learning Systems

If you need a productive and efficient employee, you can consider online training to overcome the performance gap. As a company one of the greatest assets is a valuable employee. When a company hires an employee they are making an investment in their future. Employee retention is extremely important because every time the company has to start from scratch training a new employee it costs more money to them. Therefore, it is more cost effective to the company in the long run to ensure the employee is happy in their job. Part of this entails paying a fair wage and benefits for the position but another responsibility of an employer is to ensure proper training.

Why Train Employees?
Online training can help facilitate your organizational training needs. Employee training includes ensuring the employee is qualified and trained in the position for which they were hired. However, it goes even further than that. If the company wants to ensure employee retention they have to provide a stable future to the employee. An employee wants to be challenged in their area of expertise and they also want to know that there is room for advancement. If they can not advance both professionally and financially internally with the company, the employee will start looking elsewhere. In addition, it simply makes sense to ensure the employee has all the available tools needed to work efficiently and effectively. The more knowledge the employee has, the better they will be at their job.

What can Online Training Offer?
Online training allows employers to offer employees tools to advance themselves within their career and personally. Internal online training can mean training materials and course work geared toward a specific position. New hires can take online training courses to learn how to do their job and test on policies and procedures. Existing employees can begin taking job specific courses that will ready them for their next steps within the organization. For example, if an employee wants to move to another department, that employee can begin taking coursework to become familiar with the operational procedures within that department.

Additionally, online training can provide personal improvement possibilities. This can help the employee do their existing job better as well as prepare them for more advanced positions within the company. For example, an employer may have available computer courses. This will allow the employee to add skills to their resume. A savvy employee will look first at their existing position to see how they can apply their new found knowledge to improve their work. This will result in getting noticed my management and their proactive stance in their position will give them an advantage on the competition when it is time for internal advancement.

Advantages to Online Training
Many companies are moving toward online training as opposed to sending employees to traditional brick and mortar learning institutions. The two primary reasons for this are cost and convenience. First, online courses typically cost less so the company can provide more training at the lower cost. Next, the employee has the advantage of being able to work from the office or home as is convenient. In the office they will be available for questions or in case of emergency. But, they also have the option of taking continuing education classes in the convenience of their own home when they have free time to do so.