What is social learning?  What are the best social learning practices? This recent article from Sharlyn Lauby at Mashable and the American Express OPEN Forum cites the 2011 Training Industry Report from Training Magazine which states that total expenditures in training appear to be increasing. The amount spent on training jumped about 13% from 2010, including increases in overall training budgets and payroll, and spending on outside products and services. Social Learning – Get people connected and leverage informal knowledge better than ever before. Read the full article at: [link]. MORE >>

Often, due to shortened project timelines, the Analysis phase of the ADDIE process is cut short or skipped all together. This phase might very well be the most important phase of the ADDIE process. It is during the Analysis phase that you uncover the information critical for the learner to be successful in their job. In Ethan Edwards webinar The 5 Most Important Analysis Questions You’ll Ever Ask , he highlights these 5 questions: What do you expect learners to be able to DO after completing the course that they can’t do now? What specific performance mistakes do new learners regularly make? MORE >>

I've always thought of this blog as just a place to air my thoughts. Turns out it's a bit more than just that. I'm sure some of you've noticed my absolute laziness in posting to the blog in the last couple of months. While there are reasons for it, I also feel really grateful about the number of people that emailed or DM'd me on Twitter admonishing me for my laziness. guess, this blog does mean a little more than a place for me to ramble. So let's see if I can turn over a new leaf and do a bit of a reboot on this site. Today is unlikely to be short though. So let's begin. Not take the shot? MORE >>

This week sees the release of my new book, Digital Learning Content: A Designer's Guide. The book is for anyone with an interest in helping others to learn. You may be a teacher, trainer, lecturer or coach. You may be a subject expert with knowledge you want to share or an experienced practitioner who wants to pass on their tips. You may already be a creator of learning content, looking to update their skills. Whatever your interest, this guide will help you to design learning materials that really make a difference. The book is currently only available through Lulu , priced at £19.95 MORE >>

This morning I revisited the delightful story of how people learn to do their jobs at New Seasons Market , a chain of nine natural food stores in Portland, Oregon. New Seasons exemplifies taking a non-training alternative to workplace learning. That New Seasons is a people-oriented business echoes in their approach to learning. New hires receive a brief orientation and are then let loose to learn by walking around and asking questions. New Seasons executives host a Disorientation  to go over values and what it takes to be successful a month after people come on board. But at a copper mine? MORE >>