These are the links to resources I tweeted in October 2013 – in reverse chronological order. If you haven’t got time to read them all, then take a look at the 12 I’ve highlighted.
“Today’s enterprises are seeing and experiencing the value of both social software and cloud-based content collaboration systems. By connecting people and giving them the means to discuss, unlock and increase knowledge sharing across the workforce, these services are driving productivity and increasing efficiency in organizations across the globe.”
As a result, through this knowledge sharing in the new connected workplace, employees are learning very differently; they are learning continuously, autonomously and socially - as they carry out their daily work. In consequence, this now means that we need a new generation of “organised” learning practices – ones that are closer to the ways that people are now working and learning in their jobs.
At the Connected Workplace Consultancy we have developed a new approach to designing (organised) learning that is more appropriate for today’s connected workforce, we call it Connected Learning for the Workplace. The following chart summarises some of the key elements in order to show how it fits in between current structured e-learning practices which focus on information transfer and the unstructured knowledge sharing that takes place in work teams and groups.
The Connected Learning for the Workplace design approach embodies the following 5 principles – briefly explained below.
scaffolding– rather than packaging up e-learning content, it involves building a framework for learning to take place. This framework provides just enough structure, without constraining personal and social learning.
self-governance– it promotes and supports participation in the ways that individuals feel most comfortable and best suits them – and it doing so it helps them take responsibility for their own learning
social first – social interaction lies at the heart of the learning experience – whether it be conversation, knowledge sharing, or collaboration in some other way so that participants can build their understanding together. In other words it is not just about tacking-on social interaction to content, and (en)forcing it.
content second– key resources are provided to get participants thinking, conversing and. doing, but participants are also encouraged to contribute to the knowledge base of relevant resources.
performance oriented – it is focused on what participants will be able to do as a result It does not track the (inter)activity to use this as a measure of success. After all activity doesn’t equal learning let alone performance. Performance might be assessed in a number of ways, through self-, peer- or even manager-evaluation, depending on the content and context.
We have been using this design approach for a number of years now – not only for our own public online social workshops but also for those we run privately for other organisations.
If you want to find out more about Connected Learning in the Workplace, then this will be the topic of my upcoming public online workshop running 11 November – 6 December 2013. By participating you will also experience connected learning as you find out more about it.Interested in signing up? You can do so HERE.
Last week I shared a graphic I had created to highlight workplace learning trends over the last 15 years. I’ve now added a further graphic that shows where some of the Top 1oo Tools for Learning 2013 fit onto the comet’s tail. (Please note that, in this particular chart, the tools shown are representative of the trends, and are not shown in chronological order of when they were released.)
I’ve colour-coded the tools so that enterprise tools appear in blue and other, web-based/online, public tools are displayed in orange. I think this goes to show how online social tools have caused a revolution in learning , in as much as they allow individuals and groups to organise and manage their own learning – in non-instructional (informal, social) ways.
It also shows that the trailblazing trends in workplace learning are where L&D functions are re-designing their service to include support for non-instructional forms of learning through personal knowledge management, knowledge sharing and collaboration as an integral (not separate) part of working.
I was recently asked what I thought have been the significant trends in workplace learning over the last 5 years. As I thought about it I visualised it as a comet with what I saw as the new trends blazing at the front (in the nucleus) and other workplace trends trailing back over the last 15 years or so. Here is the graphic I produced, and underneath it is a brief textual explanation.
Since the advent of e-learning and learning management systems (LMS) over 15 years ago as a way of AUTOMATING TRAINING, new trends over the last 10 years have mainly focused on ENHANCING E-LEARNING – and by that I mean enhancing the creation, delivery and management of instructional, online content (e.g. rapid e-learning, live e-learning, games, simulations MOOCs, etc).
Whereas newer trends like informal learning, social learning and even performance support have been seen by some as simply concepts that need to be designed into instructional practices and managed by LMS platforms, others have understood them as non-instructional (self-organized) workplace learning trends that need to be valued – and hence encouraged and supported. In many ways these 3 trends are representative of a transitional stage in workplace learning – sitting between those that are focused on improving instructional learning, and the new, trailblazing trends which are prompting organisations to re-think their whole approach to workplace learning by recognising that BOTH instructional as well as non-instructional learning have an important part to play in IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
This has led to new workplace learning models being adopted, e.g. the 70:20:10 framework – which rather than being a new blueprint for instructional design, in fact focuses on the fact that most workplace learning is non-directed and that any learning strategy needs to include support for it.
It means that performance consulting has become a key new activity – as a way of identifying solutions to performance problems rather than automatically assuming that training (or another instructional solution) is the answer.
It recognizes the importance of continuous knowledge sharing and collaboration within work teams and groups, and that new enterprise social networks (ESN) are becoming the hubs were most organizational learning happens – and that this is bringing about a convergence of “learning” and “working” technologies into “performance” technologies. (But it also means that enterprise platforms like these offer new opportunities to host more modern and appealing online training which can be integrated into the workflow as never before.)
It also appreciates that individuals’ professional networks are valuable sources of knowledge outside the organization, and that personal knowledge management (PKM) skills are they key to seeking, sensing and sharing that knowledge with the organization.
But finally that success is measured in terms of performance improvement – not in terms of learning (or even social) activity. In other words, how has performance improved? – not how active have individuals been or whether they have completed something (which says nothing about learning, and even less about performance).
These new workplace trends focusing on Improving Performance mean a fundamental shift in approach and practice for L&D, and this is the main reason why Harold and I set up The Connected Workplace Consultancy to help support workplace learning professionals through a range of workshops, coaching and independent advice.
Becoming a successful business in the networked era will require more than just the adoption of social technologies. Developing, supporting, and encouraging people to use a range of new social workplace skills will be just as important.
Harold Jarche and I are pleased to announce our new public online workshop schedule. Here are brief details of 3 workshops we will be running before the end of the year.
Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is a set of processes, individually constructed, to help each of us make sense of our world, and work more effectively. In this workshop, led by Harold Jarche, participants will find out how to use the Seek-Sense-Share framework to make sense of, and learn from, the constant stream of information that workers encounter from social channels both inside and outside the organization.
This 4 week online social workshop covers the following topics:
PKM framework: understanding the Seek:Sense:Share model to take control of your professional development
Personal network mapping: examining your networks for diversity to improve your own sense-making abilities
Sense-making: finding your own unique way to make sense of information flows around you
Finding your own voice: establishing a routine that works in the long run
Connected Learning involves connecting with and learning from other individuals both inside and outside the organisation. In this Workshop, led by Jane Hart, we will look at how to organise or coordinate a range of connected learning activities that help to develop a network of enterprise learners.
This 4 week online social workshop covers the following topics:
Backchannel learning : helpingindividuals to connect and converse at face-to-face and online learning events
Online social workshops : designing and running asynchronous online, social learning workshops
Live connected learning activities : coordinating a stream of learning activities that foster engagement across the organisation
Social onboarding and social mentoring : building the connected workforce
Teams have been collaborating for years, but with new social technologies this has become a powerful new concept, as it allows individuals to share their knowledge and experiences with one another on a continuous basis so that the team, community or group can work and learn together. This workshop, led by Jane Hart, focuses on some of the practical ways that teams can share their knowledge and collaborate with one another.
The 4 week online workshop covers the following topics
Learning to share; sharing to learn : psychology of sharing; the why, what and how of sharing
Sharing your work : working out loud; narrating your work
Collaborative working : small group collaboration; solving problems together
Collaborative knowledge building : mass collaboration; building a collaborative knowledge base
Please note, although these “workshops” are intended to provide a semi- structured approach that’s necessary to kickstart the informal, social learning that will be needed to become proficient, they do not use a traditional, formal online course format.
They are designed to give just enough structure, without constraining personal and social learning.
We curate what we think are the essential resources on a topic and also provide additional links and resources for those who are interested.
We encourage all discussions to be done in the private workshop group area, so that people can learn from each other.
We try to find ways to help each person as issues arise in the conversations. Without these conversations, we would not be able to help in an informed way.
For those attending, the more they give, the more they will get.
You can find out more about how the workshops run here.
We look forward to welcoming you on one or more of our workshops very soon.
During my recent presentation at WOLCE on embedding learning in the flow of work, I talked about how leading L&D departments are making use of Enterprise Social Networks (ESNs) to support workplace learning in all its forms – both formal learning activities as well as helping work teams share their knowledge and experiences with one another as part of the daily workflow.
One of the points that was raised by an audience participant was that their organisation does have an ESN but it is not being used, and there is just tumbleweed blowing through an empty space. It’s a striking metaphor that I often hear people repeat.
But I think there is a very important message here. The ESN is likely not being used because either it has either been imposed upon employees who are unhappy to be forced to “be social” - I’ve written about that problem before – and/or more likely because it is not being supported by the organisation. Work teams clearly do not appreciate its value for their work, and individuals do not know why, how, and what to share and collaborate.
And who is the group that is best placed to support the adoption of an ESN in the organisation? In my opinion it is the L&D department. So whenever I hear someone from L&D say that their ESN is not working, I say
“Go in, clear out that tumbleweed and start to make it work. Because if you don’t, some other function in the organisation will. Here is the biggest opportunity L&D have ever had to have an impact on their business by helping people to learn from one another as they work, on a daily basis.”
This, however, does means accepting the fact that most learning in the workplace happens in the daily flow of work, as people share their knowledge and experiences (not in organised (e-)training) AND that recognising that this informal, social activity DOESN’T need to be managed and tracked and measured in the old L&D ways – but rather encouraged, enabled and supported. The only important thing that needs to be measured is performance change and improvement.
In fact trying to monitor and track all this activity only drives it away from enterprise systems. As it is, many individuals and teams have already become self-sufficient and are addressing their own learning and performance problems by using their own tools and services, in order to GET THINGS DONE quickly and easily. This is the Workplace Learning Revolution!
Charles Jennings and I were talking about this quite recently, and he offered an analogy from another revolution – the French Revolution. He reminded me how French women used to sit and knit while watching the guillotine executions, and added:
“Maybe it’s an appropriate metaphor. L&D knitting on the sidelines while the action goes in front of their eyes.”
With all the activity around my Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013, I am going to do something different in terms of my monthly review of my bookmarked/tweeted links – I’m just going to share ALL of them. Enjoy!
The Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013 list (released today, 30 September 2013) was compiled from the votes of over 500 learning professionals (from education and workplace learning) from 48 countries. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s list. For a fuller analyis, visit Analysis 2013
Twitter retains its no 1 position for the 5th year running
There are 10 new tools on the list topped by Feedly (an RSS reader/aggregator) at #19 and Coursera (a MOOC platform) at #38, and 3 returning tools to the list, including Storify at #58.
The highest movers within the list are Skydrive (Windows file storage area) at #43 up 55 places since last year, and Keynote and iMovie up 40 and 32 places respectively (showing the increase in popularity of Apple software).
A significant descent down the list for some tools including Google Sites (down 60 places) and Wikispaces (down 50 places).
Tools moving off the list include Google Reader (now retired by Google), Bing and Scribd.
Although the list is still dominated by free online social tools, a number of e-learning authoring tools have had a good showing this year.
As for trends over the last 5 years, it is interesting to note that Firefox (#1 in 2007) is now at #97 on the list, and Delicious (#1 in 2008) is now at #60. What will topple Twitter from the top of the list?
Now for the tools, here is a summary presentation. As it’s not possible to squeeze all the information onto the slides, please click the name of the tool to find out more about it, its cost, availability, its past rankings, and to read some of the comments from those who voted for it. (If you prefer, you can view a text list of the 100 Tools here.)
These are the links to resources I tweeted in October 2013 – in reverse chronological order. If you haven’t got time to read them all, then take a look at the 12 I’ve highlighted.
Becoming a successful business in the networked era will require more than just the adoption of social technologies. Developing, supporting, and encouraging people to use a range of new social workplace skills will be just as important.
During my recent presentation at WOLCE on 
This, however, does means accepting the fact that most learning in the workplace happens in the daily flow of work, as people share their knowledge and experiences (not in organised (e-)training) AND that recognising that this informal, social activity DOESN’T need to be managed and tracked and measured in the old L&D ways – but rather encouraged, enabled and supported. The only important thing that needs to be measured is performance change and improvement.
With all the activity around my Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013, I am going to do something different in terms of my monthly review of my bookmarked/tweeted links – I’m just going to share ALL of them. Enjoy!
