The eLearning Guild Launches FocusOn Learning 2016, Announces Awards

InAustin, Texas, June 8 – 10, The eLearning Guild launched its latest conference,FocusOn Learning Conference & Expo. The new conference builds upon thefive-year history of mLearnCon by adding video and performance support tomobile learning technology. mLearnCon was founded as a means of helpinglearning professionals understand how to use mobile devices to better supportlearning. Now, FocusOn Learning extends this concept—providing support forprofessional development—with video, the third leg of developing practice. Infuture years, FocusOn Learning will continue to present leading-edge content byadding new technologies as they emerge.

Figure1: Scott Dadich, editor-in-chief at Wired,gives the opening keynote

Over900 were in attendance as the opening keynote speaker, Wired’s editor-in-chief ScottDadich (Figure 1), addressed three “stories” that his magazine constantlygathers information to support. One of these stories was electric vehicles, butof more immediate interest to many were the other two trends: the evolution ofvirtual reality (VR) technology, and the end of code and rise of artificialintelligence.

Thevirtual reality boom is here now, and it is already changing our lives.However, VR systems still impose a screen (an opaque one) between the viewerand reality. Technologies such as Oculus Rift get the attention today, butwaiting in the wings are augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). AR isalready finding uses in performance support, but the shocking development justnow appearing is MR, where “the rectangles (the screens) go away” and weremember what happens as experiences, not as media. MR forces you to be presentin the world, whereas flat screens take you out of the world. Because theexperience looks real and feels real—it has “presence”—there is an additionalfeature: emotion. We already know that emotion and movement affect and enhancelearning, recall, and transfer, so these developments are waiting to (quiteliterally) disrupt many traditional practices in training and education.

Dadichclosed his talk by discussing the ways in which artificial intelligence andmachine learning are progressing, to the point at which machines essentiallyprogram themselves and even the programmers who set these machines up don’tknow how this works. As time goes on, machines will learn to do much of what wedo; ideally this will make us better, but in the meantime we need to be helpingdesigners and programmers to understand and deal with mindsets, more than withcoding.

Networking,discussions, and dialogue were the norm

Inaddition to the keynotes, discussions of advancing technology were presentthroughout the conference—and even before the conference started, xAPI Camp wassetting the tone and the pace for many (Figures 2 and 3). This trend was evidentnot only in the concurrent sessions, but also in the Expo Hall and all the wayto the closing panel and the traditional closing selfie (Figures 4 and 5).

Figure2: Intense discussions during xAPI Campwere echoed all week at FocusOn Learning 2016 in Austin

Figure3: The xAPI Camp pre-conferenceworkshop attracted people from many different backgrounds

Figure4: The closing panel, moderated by DavidKelly, featured four experts representing the focus areas of the program.Brenda Enders, Mark Lassoff, Bob Mosher, and Megan Torrance responded to avariety of questions from Kelly and from the audience (submitted in theconference app).

Figure5: The traditional closing selfie,featuring some of the top app users in their stylish conference T-shirts

FocusOnLearning 2016 Guild Master

The eLearning Guild is acommunity of practice for those involved in eLearning and learningtechnologies. Our goal is to enable members to share their knowledge,expertise, and ideas with other members—and our success is dependent on members’willingness to do so. The purpose of the Guild Master Award is to recognizethose members who have consistently contributed to the community in terms ofboth quantity and quality of content—and thus helped make the community avibrant center for learning. New Guild Masters are announced at all eLearningGuild events.

Thenewest Guild Master, Nick Floro (Figure 6), is the president of Sealworks Interactive Studios. Floro hasover 23 years of experience developing eLearning solutions, applications, andweb platforms. He has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies to help themunderstand the technology and develop innovative solutions to help their teamsand customer base. Floro has won several awards from Apple and Fortune 500organizations for productions and services. He is passionate about how designand technology can enhance learning and loves to share his knowledge andexperience to teach, inspire, and motivate participants.

Figure6: Nick Floro (right), our latest GuildMaster, with David Kelly

DemoFestwinners

DemoFest,sponsored by Rapt Media, featured 34 presentations by individuals who developedoutstanding eLearning and performance support examples. Eight presentationswere recognized as the best in their category by those who attended the event.

BestBusiness Process Solution

“MobileStudent, Instructor, and Supervisor Support”

DuncanWelder IV, RISC

DebbieRichards, Creative Interactive Ideas

BestAlternative Solution

“MobileSecurity in Operational Environments”

ChadUdell, Float Mobile Learning

BestAcademic Solution

“DavisAdvantage for Pathophysiology”

NickFloro, Sealworks Interactive Studios

BestBlended Learning Solution

“Comcast’sPath to a Customer-centric Culture”

EmilyFoote, ApprenNet

BestSales Training Solution

“InteractiveVideo: Personalized Adaptive Learning Paths”

ChrisLadouceur, HapYak Interactive Video

BestOnboarding/Orientation Solution

“CustomizedPortal and Apps for Next-gen Workers”

RobertGadd, OnPoint Digital

GraceBishop, Harvey’s

Bestof Show—Vendor

“IncreasingStudent Engagement in Business Education”

BrianSurette, Pearson

GrantHansen, mLevel

Bestof Show—Non-vendor

“OrganizationalValues Training with Interactive Videos”

MarlenaSanchez, Curbell Plastics

MarlenaSanchez demonstrates the correct way to accept your Best of Show award

Memberbenefits

Ifyou are a member of The eLearning Guild, you have access to content from FocusOnLearning 2016. Handouts are already available online in the Conference Archive. Videos will be availablein July on the Guild website.

• Associates have access toconcurrent session video recordings and handouts
• Members, Members-Plus, and Premium Members have access tokeynote and concurrent session video recordings, plus handouts

Leadingthe way!