What shape might this take?

• Learning as search

  • I have an immediate learning need and I search for something that will help me.
  • Text search  is limited — there is too much noise that comes from searching. Search engines may improve their algorithms, but there’s too much data out there.
  • Company channels - I go to my company’s learning channel (most likely an app) I look up a word and see a set of linked concepts – something like this:
  • Rating systems – I have the option to add layers or re-sort the data so I can see popularity, rating, recommendations by the Learning Group; recommendations by the CEO; or how they link to being a part of a learning series (aka curriculum). It also recommends others who may want to be taking the course at the same time and suggests them as learning buddies.
  • Learning solo or in groups: I also have the option of learning on my own, learning with a group, or with my team where we learn parts of a complex set of information (distributed cognition), or just learning with others who are taking this or have taken this recently.
  • Choosing & Follow-up  – I choose the learning chunk I want. This is followed-up by an email that asks me to  rate it, whether I want it put towards my performance goals and also send me related links for more learning. Maybe I take advantage of this, maybe I don’t.
  • If I don’t find what I need, I tweet internally. Hopefully someone in the Learning Group responds and sends me a link to the relevant information. I smile, they’re just like ComcastCares.

• Learning as part of Business/Talent Management

  • My company has set strategic goals. This translates into competencies. This eventually turns into learning goals at the group and individual level. Or maybe it’s just that my manager has set learning goals for the group.
  • The business management/talent management system sends me reminders on expected courses.
  • I take courses online/in-person. Or maybe I test out of them. Only successfully completed courses go on the record.
  • For bonus points I create learning modules and advertise internally. This goes towards my learning points. I check my learning points against those as colleagues on the leaderboard. Learning as gaming.
  • My learning points come up as part of my review process.

In 2015 we will still be recovering from this economic downturn. Whether companies will be able to invest in an infrastructure that brings together all the pieces of their business so that there can be a coherent learning plan remains to be seen. Or whether the management of this infrastructure goes to the cloud and software as  service can step in to fulfill this role remains to be seen.

I imagine workplace learning technology that is not that much different from today — I imagine it better integrated and linked to my personal objectives and my company’s strategic business objectives.

Workplace learning technology in 2015 will help me customize my learning experience to my needs and my company’s strategic goals.

Whatever happens — people will still need help separating the signal from the noise.

So along comes Mark J. Penn with Microtrends: the small forces behind tomorrow’s big changes (2007), his new book outlining 72 microtrends — some of which could make your instruction more specific and more relevant to learners.

Working Retired

• There are over 5 million people 65+ in the workforce (in USA  as of 2005), double the number in 1980
• 3 out of 4 boomers have no intention of seeking a traditional retirement

from inquisitr.com

The workforce is aging. In Europe, the aging of the workforce is even more extreme. (The median age in Europe will be 52.7 in 2050 — it’s currently 37.7!) Some people keep working because — guess what — they don’t have the funds to retire, maybe thanks to the recent economic collapse. Some people want to keep  themselves active. People in general are living longer, and living better.

So what does that mean for learning? Older workers tend to be more resistant to eLearning, so will they require more face-to-face training? Perhaps it will just mean learning that’s adjusted to their needs, such as impaired vision or hearing. Or maybe the more experienced workforce will require less education overall, and instead will be a boon of teachers, mentors and subject matter experts. Or will younger workers get frustrated because there’s no room to grow? Or maybe the older workers will simply be part-time, or in less high-powered jobs and a different kind of educational challenge.

For every 2 million eligible to retire each year, what if 1 million decide to keep working? A microtrend becomes a major trend.

Extreme Commuters

• In 2000, 3.4 million people traveled at least 90 min to get to work

warrenwilliams.co.nz

The current average commute is 25 min (2005). But this sub-group of people travels 3x that amount! What do these people do on the road? There’s a great opportunity for audio-based learning — otherwise known as podcasts. Workers download at work and plug-in on the road. Maybe there can even be a dedicated XM channel — business learning for commuters. A series of 20 minute, well-produced, magazine format segments on leading business ideas. Or maybe just topics relevant to your organization or business.

Extreme commuters live in the exurbs for the most part — and this is can either be a lifestyle choice or economic choice. Either way — they have time on their hands and are a captive audience.

Numbers Junkies

Americans are fascinated with numbers and science. We don’t necessarily like doing math and science, but we do like watching it on TV.  Numb3rs, CSI, Freakonomics — Americans go wild for math explanations, because they make us feel smart. These shows and books have million of viewers and readers.

numberjunkies.ca

“Science and technology are all around us, and we want it demystified” (307). We want the “aha” from the numbers — from the analysis and interpretation that helps make sense of the world, that gives us ideas on how the world works.

Apply it to learning. Incorporate unexpected analytics into your learning. Put in researched, relevant tidbits on how people learn, how your organization learns. How they compare others in the industry, perhaps.

Would they be interested to know that the non-profit sector has grown 2.5%, outstripping both business (1.8%) and government (1.6%), between 1970 and 2001? That in 2001, 6 million worked in non-profit, in 2001 that figure was 12.5 million?

Incorporating math and science into instruction gets people’s attention.

…I can’t resist one more…

Yes, yes — just one more! Is short attention span a MYTH?

• The average length of a top-ten best-selling book has increased from 385 page in 1995 to 485 pages in  2005 (think of all those book clubs!)
• 1/2 million people run marathons, triathlons and other long-attention sports
• 50 million Americans do cross-word puzzles
• The 30-min infomerical is a 90 billion/year industry (oh yeah, Ron Popeil rules!)

Just think about that. Are our attention spans really getting shorter?

If you’re interested in my annotated list of Microtrends, please send me an email (ranihgill -at- gmail) or leave a comment.

Quick analysis – I thought I’d be able to see trends or topics – and not have to read the transcripts. Not so obvious. The experts are the most retweeted – or is it those with the strongest network ties? — that’s probably closer to it. So for your viewing pleasure.

#lrnchat - Oct 15, 2009

#lrnchat - Oct 22, 2009

#lrnchat - Nov 5, 2009