Learning Management Systems (LMS) have been getting a lot of buzz in the past few months in the Learning blogosphere, and in presentations at ASTD-TCC, PACT, and the eLearning SIG. Here's the gist of what I've gathered on the subject: 

Competition in this area is intense, with nearly 200 contending solutions offered, and the ground is shifting. High-end solutions take into account changing concepts in learning and performance support, and offer more flexible functionalities. 

Bob Mosher and others have estimated that only about 20% of job related learning is from formal classes or elearning. So, support of ‘informal’ learning and performance aids offer huge potential for growth in our industry.

Support for repurposing of learning objects as searchable performance aids is one good idea. But the most important coming change is integration of technologies that enable ‘Web 2.0’ strategies for capturing the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ for research, creation, and evaluation of searchable content. Moderation technology and the ability to manage permissions will be important to safeguard proprietary knowledge. Solutions that don't actively support these functions will be hobbled.

Also on the horizon, is the breakdown of separate silos of organizational knowledge. It stands to reason that great synergies can be realized by integrating LMS with Human Resources Information Systems, Performance Management, Talent Management, Knowledge Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Customer Relationship Management. Ways to automate import and export of data across systems in real time (and again, manage permissions) will be key.

One more important factor: Software users are beginning to expect flexible configuration and ability to integrate third-party applets into platforms without expensive customization.

As I’ve said, much of what I’m talking about is already available from higher end solutions. However, while it’s fun to gaze into the blue sky, if you are buying right now, you will need to make a hard-nosed analysis to make sure you aren’t spending big bucks for solutions that offer functionalities you won’t use.

 I’ve taken a stab at a comprehensive and detailed list of considerations and desirable features for LMSs. You are invited to have a look, and, if you like, comment on it, or help correct its omissions or flaws, at http://grou.ps/lptsig/wiki.

For more information, Amit Gautam’s Upside Learning Blog gave a good list of blogs that follow for LMS developments at: http://bit.ly/aqcmPV. Unfortunately, he left out David Wilkins, and Dan Pontefract, see especially: http://bit.ly/a6kCjR & http://www.danpontefract.com/?cat=65. If you have a budget, Bersin and Associates is an excellent source of information: http://www.bersin.com/

New tools for training and performance are released almost constantly these days—how can we keep up? The Learning and Performance Tools SIG is a forum for sharing new discoveries, or expertise with more established tools.

Program agendas won’t be set more than a month in advance, so we can be responsive to the newest developments. The format is flexible, but presentations will be short so we can tap the expertise that attendees bring.

The ‘Tools SIG’ began under the aegis of PACT (Professional Association of Computer Training). Brandy Favilla, PACT Vice President and Community Engagement Manager at Globe Education Network, found an excellent room for us, equipped with a state-of-the-art Smartboard, generously provided by Minnesota School of Business in Richfield (just off 494 & 35W). When Kristin Ford, President of ASTD-TCC, heard about the SIG, she suggested that our chapter become a co-sponsor. And so, the newest SIG on the block became the only one that can claim two parents.

Baby Steps

The Kick-Off meeting in April featured Jane Neumiller-Bustad showing free online course hosting services, and Troy Peterson demonstrating Nibipedia, his web-based video annotation and social learning platform. He also showed us his iPad!

At the May meeting, we had the opportunity to learn experientially while helping a very worthy cause. Beth Scudder, E-learning Coordinator for HealTorture, a supplier of training to service providers for survivors of torture, wanted guidance in choosing a new Learning Management System (LMS). Tim Gustafson did a masterful job facilitating us in analyzing this client’s needs, uncovering key features of LMS solutions, and developing steps for a Request for Proposal process. We gained valuable insights into process as well as content.

Walking the Walk

We don’t just talk about new tools—we try’em out, too. We’re piloting an online collaboration and knowledge sharing tool, called SAP StreamWork, that Rich Hoeg from Honeywell featured in his presentation at PACT in March. He used it to connect scientists all over the world. Recently we've migrated to a site with greater functionality. It includes wikis, blogs, videos, RSS feeds & other pages. All are invited join the Site and contribute to the dialog at: http://grou.ps/lptsig.

We are also using a free online collaborative note-taking and backchannel commentary tool: TodaysMeet.com. Notes and resources from meetings will be posted on a PB Works wiki page, so topic information can be extended and refined. All of these ‘crowdsource’ tools require a critical mass to function optimally, so YOUR participation will make all the difference!

Last Step (so far)

The last meeting of this season focused on Learning 2.0 Tools. We explored what key functionalities can improve performance through knowledge sharing and collaboration, and what types of software offer these functionalities.

by David Amdur

I’m sure most readers of this blog will be familiar with the brainstorming tool known as concept maps — graphic diagrams used to reveal components of ideas (or other domains) and their interrelationships. Of course, you are undoubtedly familiar with Microsoft® PowerPoint. The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE), a free Open Source application developed by Tufts University, could be thought of as a marriage of these tools, but it has significant functional advantages over both. In addition, it could be used as a flexible visual environment for integrating and managing digital resources.

The VUE concept map
A VUE concept map is built out of colored boxes that display content, called “nodes,” and linear arrow “links” between nodes. Links can be labeled.

Nodes can display text, linked pictures, and links to web pages or local documents. In addition, “node info icons” provide access to hidden notes or other information. Different colors of nodes can be used to differentiate classes of content (in the example above, nodes concerned with art “themes” are blue, while those about “styles” are green).

Once the user is acclimated to VUE, it’s as quick as pen and paper concept mapping, but it’s much easier to revise and it integrates far richer content. The display is scalable, so it’s possible to refine down to the smallest sub-structure, while a comprehensive overview is just a click away. The ability to merge maps allows further integration and collaborative work.

Presentation capabilities
Any node can be displayed as a full-screen slide. Linear sequences of slides (which can be shown like a conventional PowerPoint deck) can be defined by drawing “pathways” through the “nodes” on the map. But unlike PowerPoint, any number of different sequences through the content can be created. Each of these pathways can be named, annotated, color-coded, and organized in a palette.

Beginning a presentation by showing a concept map of the entire domain to be covered could be a powerful advance organizer for viewers. Moreover, the ability to create and access multiple pathways through the material is a great advantage over PowerPoint’s singular linearity.

Integrating and managing digital resources
Because VUE’s nodes display easy-to-see text and pictures and can link to any digital resource – including the web, local file systems, digital repositories and FTP servers — the VUE map could be used as a context-rich visual interface to integrate and organize all these forms of digital content in a very accessible way.

For power users
I must admit that I haven’t yet attempted to understand VUE’s tools to “import statistical packages and apply semantic meaning to maps by way of ontologies and metadata schemas.”

Caveats
This is not yet a mature application. Some of the tools are clunky and sometimes behave a bit erratically. The layout and type tools are crude, even by PowerPoint’s low standard. Forget about any animation tricks or sound effects (they’re mostly distracting anyway).

Conclusion: A cool tool
The good folks at Tufts deserve major props for creating and continuing to refine VUE — and just giving it away. (I wonder if someday we’ll look back longingly to this time when so many people shared such valuable tools and content gratis.) For information, demos, and a free download of VUE,go to: http://vue.tufts.edu/

David A. Amdur wrote:

Nifty article tells why & how to create "Menu-driven" PowerPoint presentations at:

http://workshop-resources.com/?p=173

David Cotton wrote: "I like to spend longer on some topics, less time on others (according to delegate needs and energy levels) and to move back and forward within the slides. A sequential slide show doesn't lend itself to this.

      Menu-driven slides make this far easier, allowing you to go from any slide to any other in 2 clicks, avoiding the messy business of dropping out of the slide show to find an earlier or later slide, or scrolling through endless slides to get to the relevant one."

John Murphy wrote:

“David, very interesting. Do you or anyone have a sample? Would really like to see one. (Didn't see one in the article.) Thanks”

David A. Amdur;  wrote:

OK. I threw  together an example using one of old presentations. You can download it at: 

http://amdur.pbworks.com/browse/#view=ViewAllFiles&param=All%2520Files