Trends in Training

ASTD 2008 Copyright

Learning and globally dispersed workforces
Paradise, Andrew
T+D, v62 n6 p60-67 (2008 Jun)
The rapid expansion of businesses around the world challenges companies and  to training staff. This article presents the results of joint research with the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) on the issue of corporate learning in a globally dispersed workforce. The key findings include: (1) 29 percent of respondents indicate that their global learning initiatives have been successful to a high or very high extent; (2) only 23 percent of respondents reported that at least one member of the learning function was included on project teams on beyond national borders expansion plans and an even smaller percentage (14) said that learning professionals were involved in teaching managers how to begin such operations; (3) cultural learning does not begin at the headquarters in most companies; and (4) 24 percent of the respondents report transition of global operations was either very smooth and smooth. These results offer food for corporate thought about the role of learning in global expansion.

Breaking the sound barrier
Mulvaney, Tim
T+D, v62 n5 p26-28 (2008 May)
Fundamentals. Podcasting is growing in its use and familiarity for training and business needs.  This article describes how a packaging company uses podcasting as a pre-, post-, and during training tool. The company attributes greater participation and lower costs to the introduction of this delivery method. Some suggest that using podcasting is a way to address topics considered sensitive or new in a less threatening way.
 

Talent management: what is it, who owns it, and why should you care?
Galagan, Pat
T+D, v62 n5 p40-44 (2008 May)
Talent management is on the minds of business world leaders yet it is undefined and varies from organization to organization. This article describes the current state of talent management and why the learning profession should create a high-stake hold on how talent is developed and managed. The research and experience of senior learning executives are presented.

 Skills 2.0
Jarche, Harold
T+D, v62 n4 p22-24 (2008 Apr)
Technology. With the move toward Web 2.0, the Internet will be used as it was originally intended – to facilitate communication and collaboration. Trainers are starting to use blogs, wikis, and Intranets as learning delivery methods.
 

Educating the 'C' class
Salopek, Jennifer J.
T+D, v62 n3 p20, 22-23 (2008 Mar)
Trends. The trends shaping executive training are increased corporate commitment to training and development; increased demand for customization; increased emphasis on collaboration and teamwork, increased demand for modularity (learner-selected module from several modules within a program); and increased demand for application over theory. These trends are impacting programs being created at well- known institutions such as the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and others and affect leaders of business and of learning.

Talent management up for grabs?
Galagan, Pat
T+D, v62 n3 p48-54 (2008 Mar)
Who owns talent management? is the question being bandied about in large organizations. This article presents the viewpoints of four learning executives from Verint, Allstate, Krempl International, and Orkin at a recent Sharing@LearnShare conference that covered a range of topics. These learning leaders concur that
linking training to the business is as critical for success as is choosing the metrics that make sense.
 

Training in virtual worlds
Gronstedt, Anders
INFOLINE, 16p (2008 Mar)
Stock no.250803. This Infoline describes the expanding use of training in virtual or simulated worlds such as Second Life. This training delivery method is effective for certain types of content such as emergency and rescue workers or manufacturing scenarios.  This booklet defines terms such as avatar and other terms associated with virtual worlds; provides the steps to "Jump Right In" to using virtual worlds; selecting a vendor; and creating a learning environment that meets your needs. The job aid is a "Checklist for Entering Virtual Worlds."
 

Rising tide of software-as-a-service solutions
Ellis, Ryann
T+D, v62 n2   p23-25 (2008 Feb)
Technology. Software-as-a service solutions (SaaS) is defined as services through software that is owned, delivered, and managed remotely by one or more providers. This article explains the benefits of these services (reduced costs and rapid deployment for example), the challenges they bring (e.g. security, customization, etc.) and identifies best practices. A sidebar contains ten SaaS traps to avoid.
 

Second that
Galagan, Pat
T+D, v62  n2  p34-37 (2008 Feb)
"Second Life" is a virtual 3-D tool being used by companies such as Starwood Hotels, Pontiac, Cisco, and others to work with staff on specific topics such as customer service. Joe Miller, Linden Labs, states “It’s a collaborative environment where you really feel like you’re physically with other people.” This is accomplished by the use of avatars--a digital representation of yourself--interacting with other avatars.  Miller comments that many companies are re-creating classroom settings which he suggests does not take full advantage of the learning platform to create an innovative experience or introduce a new look at learning.


Retention buzz
Salopek, Jennifer J.
T+D, v62 n1 p23-25 (2008 Jan)
Trends. Recent employer surveys are showing a trend toward spending more money on employee training and development as part of a whole reward/compensation program to retain staff. Employers indicate that salary is one factor but a broader look at other ways of improving employee engagement and bringing programs into business alignment are being explored.
 

Learning influences engagement
Paradise, Andrew
T+D, v62 n1 p54-59 (2008 Jan)
Employee engagement is a highly discussed topic in business and among learning professionals. ASTD explored the link between employee engagement and learning in an online survey conducted in October 2007 with Dale Carnegie and Associates and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp). The results indicate that approximately one-third of the employees who responded meet the criteria for high engagement, but nearly one-quarter are minimally engaged or disengaged. Organizational leaders agreed that workplace learning processes play an important part in their strategies for employee engagement.

Collaboration in the world of ISD
Shaw, Steven
LEARNING CIRCUITS, v9 n1 (2008 Jan)
The implications and the need to work collaboratively on instructional design projects are explored in this article. It asserts that  advancements in technology, the focus on rapid development, and business expectations has created a demand to use technology via a team-based/collaborative model. The reasons noted are more people are comfortable with technology and that the nature of work has changed.

Implementation 2.0
Cross, Jay
LEARNING CIRCUITS, v9 n1 (2008 Jan)
Web 2.0–the read/write Internet is one of the most talked about workplace changes to be discussed in years. Collaboration and social networking opportunities have grown exponentially in the last two years. These tools can facilitate knowledge sharing, knowledge storage and is highly appealing to most employees. Leaders must make a commitment to using new business approaches to foster and leverage Web 2.0.