Elearning blog: Learning re-imagined

Scottsdale – Phoenix area user group

Skillsoft recently hosted an in-person user group in the Scottsdale – Phoenix area. Eighteen customers attended, enjoying a breakfast and the opportunity to network with their peers. 

Skillsoft customer, SRP discussed where they were in the past, where they are now and where they would like to be. Their presentation entitled Delivering More Than POWER in Our Learning Program, highlighted these changes and goals relating to their learning program. SRP has been a customer for more than ten years and have consistently had a strong program with SkillChoice Complete. They recently added the Leadership Development Channel™ and Skillsoft Leadership Advanatage™ to their portfolio. SRP strives to include competency mapping, better management of custom content and to improve their executive development program with Skillsoft Leadership Advantage.

SHRM 2012 Annual Conference: recap

We’re please to bring you a guest post from Melynda Hilliard, Skillsoft’s Events Marketing Manager.

By Melynda Hilliard

Skillsoft recently attended the SHRM 2012 Annual Conference in Atlanta which focused on "Be − so be powerful, be bold___” as its theme this year. We enjoyed mingling with customers and thought-leaders as well as watching the impressive line-up of speakers.

On Sunday June 24, SHRM CEO Hank Jackson kicked off the conference, talking about how critical it is for companies to be aware of the growing skill gap and the importance of adapting to the changing marketplace.

During her presentation, Condoleezza Rice noted that undereducated children are one of the biggest threats to national security.  She explained that, in her new role as a current professor of political economy at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, she's passionate about what education can afford people.  She also weighed in on a variety of current political issues during an interview on stage with Soledad O’Brien.

On Sunday evening, Skillsoft hosted a happy hour at Stats. Everyone had a great time relaxing and networking together!

Jim Collins author of Good to Great, and recently Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck −Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, spoke about how to build what he calls "level 5 leaders." These leaders have a special "xfactor." He gave a helpful to-do list at the end of his presentation that included: make a "stop doing" list and remember that if you have more than 3 priorities, you have none.  He advised the crowd to challenge their organization’s young people to be "level 5" leaders to help lead our next generation.

Upcoming Webinar: Learning Through Innovation

According to Wikipedia, “innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are readily available to markets, governments, and society. Innovation differs from invention in that innovation refers to the use of better and, as a result, novel idea or method, whereas invention refers more directly to the creation of the idea or method itself. Innovation differs from improvement in that innovation refers to the notion of doing something different (Lat. innovare: "to change") rather than doing the same thing better.”[1]

The need for innovation consistently ranks as one of the most critical issues facing organizations today. Research has shown that high-performance organizations place greater emphasis on innovation than other companies.

Skillsoft is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, June 26 at 12-1 p.m. EDT to address this concept.  Join Kevin Oakes, CEO, i4cp and John Ambrose, senior vice president of strategy, SkillSoft, to gain insights and examples on how to create learning programs that increase business results – and sustain a culture of innovation and agility.

Exploring Digital Immigrant Perceptions Toward Leadership Development

We’re pleased to bring you a guest post by Roderick Millar, Managing Editor at IEDP, the executive development information portal and of Developing Leaders magazine. Find more at www.IEDP.com.

By Roderick Millar, Managing Editor, IEDP

If you ask a leader whether they would like to engage with a learning program that fits around their schedule, does not involve travel, allows them to interact with peers and experts, gives them direct access to the latest thought leadership and is often less expensive than a traditional learning program, it is not surprising that they tend to agree that this would be a wonderful thing. When you make it clear that that is exactly what modern elearning programs can do, often their demeanour on the topic changes.

This is an area of curiosity that we are currently researching at IEDP.  From recent anecdotal discussions there seems to be a perception problem with the elearning medium which is quite at odds with current reality. Without wanting to prejudice our current research, it seems that the negative impressions from executives is partly a matter of outdated preconceptions and a concern about building ‘trust and empathy’ with other participants. Clearly the only way to change outdated attitudes is to provide newer information.  To do so, a stealthy approach needs to be adopted, where smaller groups can be introduced to modern versions of online learning and participate in blended approaches.

SuccessConnect 2012 Recap

We’re pleased to bring you a guest post by Gary Hartman, a Skillsoft partner alliances manager responsible for partnership programs with LMS, Talent Management and Portal providers.

By Gary Hartman

Skillsoft enjoyed exhibiting at last week’s SuccessFactors’ North American User Group meeting, SuccessConnect 2012 in San Francisco, CA.  Many current customers stopped by the booth to say hello, discuss their current programs and talk about the various learning assets that Skillsoft offers. About one hundred Skillsoft customers use SuccessFactors Learning (formerly the Plateau LMS) − the fact that Skillsoft learning assets load, launch and track in this LMS is important to them.

Leadership training was definitely a hot topic and there was a lot of interest in Skillsoft Leadership Advantage.  The variety of learning modalities and the broad and deep coverage of leadership topics available in the Skillsoft Leadership Advantage series was very well received.

Exploring SkillPort® 8: Community Features

 

Last week, we focused on the “search” functionality within SkillPort® 8 — a revolutionary cloud-based learning experience that delivers targeted learning — when and where people want to learn. Today, we’ll explore the “community” features of SkillPort 8.

One of the highlights of SkillPort 8 is the integrated collaborative and social learning features. In fact, according to a 2010 ASTD study, workers see the value of using social media for learning and development. More than 80 percent of the survey respondents expect social tools to be adopted by their organization’s learning group within the next three years and nearly 100 percent of the respondents use social tools in their personal lives.

Community and collaboration is woven throughout the learner interface, encouraging participation and bringing organizational context across a wide range of learning content. The community features in SkillPort 8 leverage the 2+ years of experience we have deploying our award-winning social learning feature set, inGenius®, into the programs of over 350 clients around the world.

Live from Perspectives: Congratulations to the Innovation in Learning Award Winners!

With our Perspectives conference in full swing, it’s great to see our many customers together.  The energy is fantastic with everyone buzzing about the latest in learning. Last night that buzz jumped another notch with the announcement of the Innovation in Learning Award winners.  With the help of a distinguished group of learning industry experts acting as the judges, we honored some outstanding  companies and individuals who are pushing the envelope when it comes to their learning programs, including organizations such as the United States Army, Progressive Insurance and Stanley Black & Decker, among others.

The winners of the Perspectives 2012 Innovation in Learning Awards are:

Metrix Learning Discusses the Benefits of Attending Perspectives

It's day one at Perspectives and we couldn't be more excited! Check out the video to hear why Metrix Learning was surprised by the value of the content in the presentations, seminars and learning sessions at Perspectives.

 

Gearing up for Perspectives 2012

By Melynda Hilliard

Here is another Perspectives 2012 update from Melynda Hilliard, SkillSoft’s Events Marketing Manager. After nearly one year of planning, the event is just around the corner. Perspectives will take place April 30 – May 3, 2012. For more details, visit here: http://perspectives.skillsoft.com/2012/index.asp.  

Perspectives is fast approaching!  We’re so excited to have more than 1000 customers registered for the event – this is more registrations than we’ve ever had before! Our customers will receive valuable insight from our presenters and have the opportunity to share best practices with their peers.  We’re so excited to see our customers and enable them to develop innovative learning programs.

The theme of this year’s conference, is “Motivate, Innovate, Learn: Driving Value Through Learning,” and will include customer-led learning sessions, workshops and a keynote address by General Stanley McChrystal, former Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan.

In his keynote presentation, Plywood Leadership: Lessons on Leadership from a Warrior, Statesman, and Scholar, General McChrystal will address key leadership principles such as transparency and inclusion, leveraging the power of teams through shared ownership, evolutionary change versus revolutionary change, relentless mission focus, and the importance of sharing a clear vision.

SAP Discusses the Benefits of Attending Perspectives

What brings Michelle Braden of SAP to Perspectives? The forethought in trends discussed during the conference sessions and networking with multiple companies. Visit http://perspectives.skillsoft.com/2012/?srcid=blog for more details!