Organizational storytelling can be a powerful learning approach, but it suffers from many obstacles. Storytellers often lack skill in developing a cohesive narrative and delivery. Often the relatability of the narrative misses the mark. Content, relevancy, and usefulness should always be paramount and the current quality of many training-related videos is mediocre at best

In this session you will learn how collective digital storytelling (CDS) combines methodologies of organization development, digital video capture, and collective/systemic storytelling to create a platform that is extremely engaging to learners. You will explore how CDS puts learners in more active positions so that they are storytellers as well as story-receivers. You will discover how peer-to-peer communication enables the learners to become the teachers and vice-versa. You will leave this session understanding how CDS provides a new and energizing way to use video as part of eLearning.

In this session, you will learn:

• The definition and description of collective digital storytelling (CDS) and an overview of the process
• How to augment video capture with organization development approaches to generate richer and more meaningful content
• Synthesis methods used to turn independent story lines into a cohesive narrative that reflects adult learning needs
• Uses and applications for collective digital storytelling (CDS)

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced developers, project managers, and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Video capture, video editing, and examples of and outcomes of projects.

Some developers pay instructional design (ID) no attention at all. Some have never heard of it, and do not see any reason to get to know it. You can see instructional design being criticized in blogs, Twitter streams, and other areas. It’s too slow. It’s too wordy. It’s not techie enough. It’s not appreciated by customers or clients. What you don’t find are alternatives or even a shared definition. If you ask 100 instructional designers for a definition, you won’t get just one definition, you’ll get many—or shrugged shoulders. Shouldn’t we try to establish a shared, contemporary perspective on it before we consign it to the scrapheap of history?

In this session participants will revisit instructional design. You will explore what it is, and then dig deeper to explore what it really is in practice. You will discuss what instructional design looks like when it is done well. You will discover the relationships between ID and technology, and how the two work best together.

In this session, you will learn:

• The true value of instructional design
• How instructional design works in practice
• Why instructional design is often criticized
• How technology can be leveraged in instructional design

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, and managers.

How can you make computer application training interesting and effective for your learners? Software simulations can be an effective way to train employees on new applications. However, creating complex simulations is expensive and time consuming. Simplistic simulations are often ineffective, resulting in boring eLearning (often referred to as death by PowerPoint).

 In this session participants will learn tips and tricks that can be used to make software simulations much more effective and less time-consuming for the developer. You will explore the value of learner-centric workflow analysis, storyboarding, character development, interactions, and much more.

 In this session, you will learn:

• About learner-centric workflow, a development approach to creating engaging software simulations
• Key SME questions
• How to use simple scenarios via storyboarding and character development
• Alternatives to tracking completions

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, project managers, and managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Getting self-directed learners to jump into their LMS and click through the curriculum can be as simple as individual requirements and goals. But people are more effective learners when they are engaged and eager to interact with the content. While we have struggled with this in the training world, the marketing world has had great success in this area.

In this session participants will explore a number of techniques used in the field of marketing that can be applied to learning programs to make content more engaging. You will also explore the types of marketing techniques that can ruin engagement. You will discuss ways that marketing techniques can be tweaked and adapted to better serve organizational learning. You will leave this session with a plan and components that can be used to market your learning content.

In this session, you will learn:

• The core elements that help marketers engage viewers
• How those elements can be leveraged to engage learners
• Which elements can ruin engagement
• An example of a plan and components for marketing learning content

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, managers, directors, and VPs who understand their learners’ consumption habits.

Technology discussed in this session:
Websites, video, mobile.

Changing technologies, changing learner behaviors and characteristics, and the way that content is delivered today all impact how learning should be architected. As learning professionals, what are we to make of the explosion of new technologies and their promise to transform how we learn?

In this session participants will be introduced to key considerations for integrating the promise of technologies such as collaboration tools, social networks, and more, into effective learning solutions that achieve tangible results. You will discuss how new technologies and business trends are fundamentally impacting the way we communicate, learn, and share information at work, home, and in our communities. You will examine how to leverage technologies in the context of broader business and social trends to make an impact in your organization.

You will explore a framework upon which new learning programs that leverage new technologies can be implemented.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to identify traits and characteristics of learners today
• To assess how new technologies have changed how learning content is offered
• Relevant industry examples that showcase how technology is used to better enable learning
• To define a framework from which blended learning design can stem

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, managers, and directors with a general knowledge of instructional design principles.

Technology discussed in this session:
A variety of leading edge technologies, tools, and examples of new learning (Yammer, TedEd, QStream, etc.), including the corporate MOOC.

eLearning is often viewed as a brain dump of knowledge and there is far too little examination of how to motivate the learner. Engaging design elements and interactivity can inspire the learner to complete the module, but it doesn’t necessarily inspire the learner to keep learning and growing. There is a huge opportunity to incorporate motivational strategies from educational psychology in a practical way in eLearning.

In this session you will learn about self-determination theory (SDT), a motivational theory identifying the three basic human needs that are required for growth and achievement: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. You will discuss this theory and explore the proven business benefits of using SDT to motivate learners. You will examine practical examples of how this theory can be realized through the design of thoughtful web-based training deliverables. You will leave this session with a new way of looking at strategies for eLearning that can have long-term positive results for retention, employee development, and employee performance.

In this session, you will learn:

• What SDT is
• The three basic learner needs identified in SDT
• How applying SDT in training helps you meet business and training goals
• Specific strategies for inspiring motivation in web-based training initiatives

Audience:
Novice designers, developers, project managers, and managers with knowledge of analyzing, designing, or developing learning solutions.

Organizations often recognize that the best way to improve performance is through practice, but they have struggled to shift their learning design from knowledge acquisition to performance improvement. Immersive learning is a new way of thinking about training design, and companies are looking for examples to help them see how immersive design can help them with their unique needs.

In this session participants will examine a number of case studies from organizations who have implemented immersive learning solutions and have seen success. You will explore immersive learning being used to address a variety of organizational issues. You will learn how immersive design can solve complex organizational problems in effective ways. You will leave this session with an arsenal of examples that can be used to successfully implement immersive learning in your organization.

In this session, you will learn:

• What immersive learning is
• How organizations have successfully used immersive design to solve organizational problems
• The basic steps in immersive design
• Tips for getting your organization started with immersive design

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
Games, simulations, virtual worlds, mobile learning, virtual learning environments, augmented reality, alternate reality games, immersive learning environments, video.

Most instructional designers can recognize a strongly designed and developed eLearning program. However, there is a noticeable gap between the accepted standards of what makes quality eLearning, and the reality of what the industry produces. We understand what quality eLearning looks like, but too often we fail to deliver on that standard. Many instructional designers struggle with maintaining eLearning quality standards when confronted with the realities of organizational project constraints.

In this session, you will learn strategies for maintaining quality and developing impactful eLearning programs while dealing with reasonable project constraints. You will discuss the standards of eLearning quality that the Serious eLearning Manifesto includes. You will explore methods to implement the Serious eLearning Manifesto’s principles, and see examples that show the principles put into practice. You will examine common project constraints that can take away from eLearning quality, and share strategies for overcoming those barriers.

In this session, you will learn:

• The differences between typical, minimally effective eLearning and high impact, serious eLearning
• How to economically implement many of the Serious eLearning Manifesto’s principles
• How to evaluate alternative instructional approaches
• What to require when setting acceptance criteria for developing courseware

Audience:
Intermediate designers, developers, and project managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Desktop and mobile eLearning.

Remembering is a major challenge for all of us. Estimates range from zero to 90 percent on the amount of forgetting that occurs within days after training occurs. At times, this matters little because the focus is on compliance rather than actual performance. However, do learning professionals need to take a different approach in those instances when remembering really matters?

In this session you will learn from two corporate learning case studies that show how incorporating research-based design techniques into your learning solutions will improve knowledge and skill retention, which ultimately drives business outcomes. You’ll examine what was done in each case study, how it was done, and the results that were achieved via a single online learning game for sales reps. You’ll also explore the results for a larger, blended curriculum for the customers of a diagnostics company. You will discover four research-based strategies for remembering as well as four strategies for the initial “teach” of the skill or knowledge.

In this session, you will learn:

• Four research-based strategies for building long-term retention of knowledge or skills
• The optimal way to design and deliver feedback for long-term retention
• How and why stories foster long-term memory
• Four research-based design techniques for creating a learning experience that minimizes learner’s cognitive effort
• How to incorporate the learning and retention strategies discussed in the session

Audience:
Intermediate designers, developers, project managers, and managers with knowledge of some of the basic lingo of instructional design, as well as the basics of business lingo.

Technology discussed in this session:
eLearning, mobile learning, classroom strategies, Lectora, Storyline.

I’ve often heard managers tell me that they have a course they like that meets their requirements, but it isn’t what they wanted or envisioned. I find myself asking “If it is what you asked for, but not what you wanted, why didn’t you ask for what you wanted?” This problem exists in many forms. The results can range from a disappointed client to the world losing the next great idea, all because we don’t always know how to ask for what we really want in our products.

In this session participants will discuss some of the issues that organizations have had to solve in building new content, as well as in other projects. You’ll address these issues as a series of example scenarios, working through them as a group. You will explore probing questions about what is important, how to ask questions of a vendor, and how to ferret out the details that could cause problems later on. You will leave this session able to adapt the process to build solid requirements in your future projects.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to translate what you want into a list of requirements for your vendor
• How to evaluate what you really want
• The difference between what you want and what you need
• To evaluate if you really want what you think you want

Audience:
Novice and intermediate project managers, managers, and directors.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

The two goals of any eLearning program are to teach learners new information and then to enable them to transfer their new knowledge into their work. Learning transfer is a complex process, and most eLearning designers do not understand the simple steps that they can take to ensure that knowledge does transfer from the computer where the learners learn it to the work place where they need it.

In this engaging session, you will examine the scientific research demonstrating how you can use eLearning technologies to maximize learning transfer and positive behavior change. You will discover the three myths of eLearning and learn why overcoming these myths is critical in improving learning transfer. You will discuss how interactive eLearning, simulations, and social-learning environments can work together to sustain learning transfer and you will leave this session with a concise and useful overview of eLearning strategies that increase learning transfer.

In this session, you will learn:

• How you can customize eLearning training to increase learning transfer
• How pre-tests such as measuring a learner’s readiness for change can lead to a much higher learning transfer
• Three myths that interfere with successful transfer of learning
• Strategies to encourage executive buy-in on programs that promote learning transfer

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, VPs, CLOs, and executives.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

Flat design seems to be everywhere now. It’s the new look of our computer operating systems, our apps, websites, posters, book covers, and so many other places. Is this just a new fad or is this a fabulous new design trend that we in the eLearning industry need to pay more attention to in order to understand the fine points of flat design?

In this session participants will discuss the many advantages—and disadvantages—that are associated with flat design. You will look deeper into the fine details of flat design that instructional designers should be aware of and how to ensure we are using it appropriately. You will separate the hype from flat design and understand where it works effectively. You will leave this session with an understanding of whether this design style is just a passing fad or a trend we should be embracing.

In this session, you will learn:

• What flat design is and why it is significant
• The advantages and benefits of using flat design
• The disadvantages and risks of using flat design
• The differences between flat and skeuomorphic designs, and how/when to decide which to use
• Where to find examples, inspiration, and resources to create your own flat designs

Audience:
Novice and intermediate designers, developers, project managers, and managers with a basic understanding of designing learning.

Technology discussed in this session:
N/A

There is no definitive process for instructional design. Regardless of how much research we conduct, we can modify every theory and every process to meet our individual project needs. Modifying these needs and/or techniques becomes much easier when facilitating live, instructor-led training where learners provide both verbal and visual feedback. When it comes to eLearning, there is no facilitator available to modify the experience based on feedback. Therefore, instructional design plays a key role in determining the success of any training experience.

In this session you will examine the key differences between designing instructor-led training vs. designing eLearning or self-paced training. You will explore what types of design will work for instructor-led training and/or eLearning. You will leave this session able to design appropriate courses for whatever type of training you are creating, which translates into better experiences for the learners.

In this session, you will learn:

• The key differences in designing instructor-led training vs. designing eLearning
• How to adapt course designs for self-paced eLearning training vs. instructor-led training
• How to determine learner needs based on training environments
• Tips on how to design courses based on how training is facilitated

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, and project managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Lectora, Flypaper, and Snap!

Salespeople make up 70 to 80 percent of Hilti’s 21,000 team members worldwide. Those employees only make money if they are closing sales. Training is an important support tool for salespeople, but it is often looked at as an interruption of the sales process by both the salespeople and organizational management. Trainers needed to find a way to motivate salespeople to complete training.

In this session participants will explore the biggest constraint salespeople face related to training—time—and the biggest motivator for them to become engaged in training: a link to financial success. You will examine a series of blended learning solutions that make the most of a salesperson’s limited time and are clearly linked to helping them achieve financial success. You will discover the key design approaches that can have the greatest impact in the smallest amount of time.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to develop motivating eLearning courses
• How to understand your employees’ motivations
• How to link eLearning to your business needs
• How to create the biggest impact in the smallest amount of time

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers, developers, project managers, and managers with business acumen and eLearning development technical knowledge.

Technology discussed in this session:
Skillport LMS, Articulate software, video editing software, image creation tools, iStockphoto, Adobe Creative Suite, and Sharepoint.

Scenario-based eLearning is a proven effective method for learning using complex real-life situations. All too often, designers and developers shy away from this effective method because it seems too complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Because of improvements to authoring tools this is no longer the case.

In this session, you will build a scenario-based template that you can reuse, saving time, money, and frustration. You will use advanced actions and variables to create decision-based branching and complex interactions. You will leave this session able to build templates for scenario-based learning courses that will increase learner engagement while drastically cutting development time.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to build a template
• How to set up a scenario
• How to create complex interactions
• How to save and reuse advanced actions

Audience:
Intermediate and advanced designers and developers with a basic understanding of Captivate.

Technology discussed in this session:
Adobe Captivate.

Participant technology requirements:
A laptop with Adobe Captivate—either full or trial version.

Let’s face it: A lot of eLearning programs are just plain ugly. From the email invitations marketing, graphics and tweets, to the blog posts, presentations, handouts, and more, most learning experiences are built without focusing enough attention on the value visuals play in creating quality digital learning experiences.

In this session you will discover how to beautify all aspects of your digital learning, including your emails, presentations, handouts, social media posts, and more. You will learn tips that you can easily put to use, even if you are not a professional marketer or graphic designer. You will explore best practices in marketing, advertising, and graphic design. You will examine how to apply these practices to the world of digital learning. 

In this session, you will learn:

• Effective marketing approaches for your eLearning courses
• How to think outside the slide-deck
• The value of beautiful handouts
• How to grab people’s attention and hold on to it

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, and managers.

A sea change in how children in K-12 learn is underway. Using a variety of strategies and technology, teachers are engaging students to a degree not seen in years, including flipped classrooms, genius hour, differentiated instruction, and project-based learning. While these methods may have academic origins, they have a place in corporate learning, too.

In this session participants will explore a case study where learning and the rate of knowledge transfer and skill building in an adult population was increased through the application of teaching strategies originally developed and used in K-12. You will discover how these methods and strategies can be implemented with minimal impact on your budget. You will examine ways to increase the social learning that is taking place. You will leave this session with a new set of tools to add to your design and development toolkit, and new strategies for doing more with less.

In this session, you will learn:

• To create learning activities on the cheap
• To design social learning into your online training
• To involve peers in an effective model for professional development
• About the third circle of training

Audience:
Novice to advanced designers, developers, and project managers.

Technology discussed in this session:
Flipped classrooms, eLearning.

Visual design is one of the most important elements of effective eLearning. Unfortunately, it is also often the first element to get pushed aside when project deadlines loom and budgets evaporate. Instructional designers need to apply a wide array of resources and techniques in order to maintain visual-design quality in their eLearning programs.

In this hands-on session you will examine a number of creative and practical tips and tricks to give eLearning visuals cohesion and professional panache. You will explore a wide array of free and low-cost resources that you can use even when budgets shrink. You will apply practical tips, tools, and solutions that anyone can use to enhance the look and feel of their eLearning. You will leave this session able to look beyond the limits of what we think we can do and explore more creative alternatives.

In this session, you will learn:

• How visual cohesion impacts learning and enhances communication
• How to creatively leverage the photo tools you have at hand
• Where to get free and/or cheap software and resources for visual design
• How to leverage online tools to create, repurpose, and customize eLearning graphics and clipart

Audience:
Novice designers and developers who are new or moderately experienced in eLearning design or development.

Technology discussed in this session:
PowerPoint and other online resources.

 Participant technology requirements:
A laptop with MS Office. A smartphone is beneficial, but not required.