NexLearn Simpact August '08

August 2008 Edition

Earlier this year, ASTD’s Learning Circuits released the results of a survey that asked readers how they’re using e-Learning in their organizations. It’s interesting to compare the new information with survey results collected by the organization a few years earlier to see the direction the industry is taking.

Readers responding to the survey in 2004 declared desktop application training as the number one use for e-Learning. IT-related content has been a staple of e-Learning training for quite some time. It seems an obvious fit to use technology to teach technology. A number of tools have been available for several years that allow developers to capture or recreate the look and feel and functionality of software programs. However, with advancements in development methods and authoring tools, e-Learning is shifting from primarily hard-skills training to more soft-skill oriented topics. NexLearn’s own SimWriter immersive learning simulation authoring tool is perfect for creating real world, social scenarios that are believable, engaging, and relevant.

In the 2008 survey, teaching general business skills registered as the most popular use of e-Learning. Since the focus of NexLearn’s capabilities is creating immersive learning simulations, we’ve seen firsthand the demand for teaching skills like communication, negotiation, problem-solving, and time management. Perfecting social skills requires practice, practice, practice until the behavior becomes routine. Allowing employees to rehearse saying or doing the right things in the right ways at the right times enables them to perfect their performance before they face real clients, customers, or coworkers.

The survey results present another interesting tidbit: customer service training and task-specific skill training made the top five in both surveys. This is important to note because each of these types of training are often crafted from company-specific guidelines and procedures. Using custom content to train employees was just as important to organizations then as it is now. And with advanced, easy-to-use authoring tools like SimWriter, human resource personnel, trainers, and even subject matter experts can play a greater role in developing specific learning experiences targeted to their employees.

BlogBites
As we approach the “dog days” of summer, we turn our attention to one of the hottest topics in the immersive learning simulation industry—mobile learning. There’s an increasing demand for the convenience and availability of so called “m-Learning.” The August edition of BlogBites focuses on studies about the efficacy of m-Learning and the debate about the importance of rich media versus text-only content.

http://elearningcurve.blogspot.com/
Developer Michael Hanley continues his discussion of mobile learning, citing Dr. Conrad Gottfredson’s Five Moments of Learning Need. Gottfredson contends that m-Learning can be a useful piece of an overall learning solution since people need access to instruction when learning for the first time, when learning more, when remembering or applying what’s been learned, when things go wrong, and when things change. Hanley also highlights the studies pointing to the growth of learning using specific modalities over the last ten years.

http://www.liquidelearning.com/
Michelle Gallen explains mobile learning in Morocco in her overseas experiences. The availability of cell phones and expense of Internet connections and computers makes mobile phones a viable, cost-effective platform for learning. While some m-Learning proponents prefer module-based SCORM/AICC compliant learning packages, there are advantages to the mobility of freestyle, text-format, low-fi solutions.

If you have a great blog (or know of one) that you want to share, send us the link. We just might include it in a future Simpact edition. Send the link to our Expert.

Podcast

Listen to this month’s discussion about the latest issues regarding e-Learning and immersive learning simulations.

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Audio Version
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August Survey

How interested would you be in attending a SimWriter training seminar?

Sign me up now.

I'm interested, but now is not a good time.

I'd rather attend a shortened online session.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Last Month’s Survey Results

What effect has the economy had on your company’s planned e-Learning initiatives?

We plan to create more e-Learning courses.

We plan to cut back on using e-Learning.

No changes. We plan to complete our initiatives.

Ask the Expert

Question:
I’m interested in using simulations as a key training component, but I’m not sure how the sims would work. Can you use simulations to teach any topic?

Answer:
Yes, you can. The beauty of using simulations is that you can recreate interactions with people or objects, and you can present the material in text, audio, or video formats so they teach to multiple learning styles. There are many types of simulations to consider, but most fall into one of four categories: Social Simulations, which replicate human interaction; Software Simulations, which replicate software applications; Physical Simulations, which replicate physical systems or machines; and Calculation Simulations, which involve manipulating data and testing the results. Contact us today to discuss your project in more detail. We can help you select the simulation style that’s right for your needs.

Have a question about e-Learning or Simulation-based Learning? Send it to our Expert.

NexLearn SimWriter 2.0 Captures Brandon Hall Silver Award. Contact us today to experience the best simulation authoring tool available! Information at NexLearn

Copy and Paste

SimWriter 3.0 Service Pack 1 enables you to copy and paste templates from one sim file to another. Copying and pasting existing design templates can save you time when developing a series of programs.

NexLearn and SimWriter in the News

Read the HR Management article detailing how NexLearn and UBS collaborated to create an engaging 60-module blended learning solution featuring Immersive Learning Simulations.
Read the article here.