Frightening Realities of Content Regulation Over Learner Engagement

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Posted by Allen Interactions on Wed, Oct 31, 2012

by Angel Green, senior instructional strategist

Growing up, horror movies based on far-fetched fictional characters, like Nightmare on Elm Street or Chucky, didn't scare me nearly as much as movies with (unlikely) but potential realities, such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre  or Silence of the Lambs. Today, I have enough worry in my real life to preclude the need for paying money to intentionally be frightened. And though it's not nearly as fear inducing as the thought of demons invading my children (which actually seems to happen with enough sugar and lack of sleep), every once in a while, fear about training is enough to keep me from sleeping at night.

I realize it sounds kind of silly, but I know I'm not the only one losing sleep over training. We've all heard news stories of litigious action taken against companies for "ineffective training" or "improperly trained" employees. The scary part of these stories - outside of the fact they usually involve death or disfigurement - is that a decision has been made as to what makes training effective, and thus ineffective.

According to OSHA: "It is the Agency's position that, regardless of the precise regulatory language, the terms 'train' and 'instruct,' as well as other synonyms, mean to present information in a manner that employees receiving it are capable of understanding." And that, "training and instruction mean imparting information, a definition that implies the information is presented in a manner the recipient is capable of understanding."

The fear of regulatory action coupled with a definition of effective training as information sharing has caused many organizations to, at times, burden employees with content heavy learning events. This is unfortunate because the courses that could most benefit from experiential, scenario-driven, engaging interactions are the ones that end up becoming boring page turners to meet regulatory requirements of content necessary.

But, here's what keeps me awake at night…do we face an ethical dilemma, as learning professionals, if we feel  that while the content in a course may meet the regulatory requirements, the learner is not actively engaged or really learning anything?  What are we to do when we hear tales of learners paying other employees to complete their online training? What do you say when LMS reports show completion times that obviously indicate they are simply clicking Next, Next, Next and not listening or reading a word on screen? Is completion in the LMS sufficient?

Is the definition of offering information to the recipient in a form by which they are capable of understanding really going to teach the learner anything? As instructional designers and learning experts, we recognize that the way people learn is through experiencing consequences of actions. How much more effective would our training be if, instead of writing every word on screen, we placed learners in situations similar to those faced in the "worst case" scenarios and allowed them to make decisions and realize the consequences of their decisions?

Like you, our clients often have to submit the courses we partner to create through their legal and compliance departments. Though we may propose amazing, engaging, scenario-based learning experiences—inevitably to gain approval from these departments—we are asked to add page after page of content to ensure we provide information. Should we stand up for learners and argue the fact that information sharing is not learning?  

Ask yourself honestly—if you walked up to an employee in your organization six months after taking their regulatory/legal department approved annual compliance or safety training could they recognize signs that someone is illegally laundering money? Would they understand when deletion of documents can cause the collapse of an entire organization? Are they able to tell you the required distance to keep the cherry picker from the power lines?

The answers might be too scary. Happy Halloween!

View the photos from our Halloween festivities!

View the original article here

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In an era of climate change, deforestation and massive habitat loss, we can no longer rely on parks and protected areas as isolated 'islands of wilderness' to conserve and protect vital biodiversity. Increasing connections are being considered and made between protected areas and 'connectivity' thinking has started to expand to the regional and even the continental scale to match the challenges of conserving biodiversity in the face of global environmental change. This groundbreaking book is the first guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. Written by leading conservation and protected area management specialists under the auspices of the World Commission on Protected Areas of IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, this guide brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management. The book establishes a context for managing connectivity conservation and identifies large scale naturally interconnected areas as critical strategic and adaptive responses to climate change. The second section presents 25 rich and varied case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area (featuring Mount Everest). The remarkable 3200 kilometre long Yellowstone to Yukon corridor of Canada and the United States of America is described in detail. The third section of this book introduces a model for managing connectivity areas, shaped by input from IUCN workshops held in 2006 and 2008 and additional research. The final chapter identifies broad guidelines that need to be considered in undertaking connectivity conservation management prior to reinforcing the importance and urgency of this work. This handbook is a must have for all professionals in protected area management, conservation, land management and resource management from the field through senior management and policy. It is also an ideal reference for students and academics in geography, protected area management and from across the environmental and natural sciences, social sciences and landuse planning. 'What a great effort! I found it comprehensive, easy to read and of practical value for park managers and other interested conservationists and professionals.' Dr Fausto Sarmiento, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Georgia, USA 'This is an important practical contribution to connectivity conservation. It will be a valuable resource text for practitioners and for those studying connectivity..' Professor Roger Crofts, Former Vice Chair Europe, IUCN WCPA and Chief Executive Officer, Scottish National Heritage; Honorary Professor, Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, UK 'This book provides a highly practical guide for designing, implementing and managing Connectivity Conservation Areas. It addresses the full suite of challenges that conservation management professionals are currently facing, from climate change adaptation to development pressures in fragmented landscapes. This valuable new book is more than innovation. It describes a new paradigm for conservation management for the 21st Century.' Cyril Kormos, Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean, IUCN WCPA; Vice President for Policy, The WILD Foundation 'This book provides a high quality, timely and welcomed insight into the theory and practice of connectivity conservation. This global guide serves as a valuable handbook, drawing key lessons from the case studies, identifying priorities and tasks for management and the challenges and opportunities for advancing connectivity conservation as the best hope for nature and people in the 21st Century.' Dr Brendan Mackey, Professor of Environmental Biogeography, Environmental Conservation, and Cross-disciplinary Studies in Sustainability, Australian National University 'This book is essential for individuals and for nongovernmental and governmental organizations engaged in connectivity projects at local to international levels.' R. L. Smith, Choice, October 2010. 'This book brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management.' In Practice ISBN: 9781844076048
ISBN-10: 1844076040
Classification: Conservation of wildlife & habitats
Format: Paperback (246mm x 189mm x 25mm)
Pages: 416
Imprint: Earthscan Ltd
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publish Date: 22-Jan-2010
Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Planet Ice by James Martin Glaciers and ice fields are critical to the health of our world -and we are making them disappear. Pairing the striking glacier photography of James Martin with essays, Planet Ice examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and tropical ice, it also explores human concepts of ice and wilderness; the lives of penguins, polar bears, and fauna.

Whale Warrior by Peter Bethune Controversial, attention-seeking, forthright and driven ... all these words have been used to describe Pete Bethune. What can't be denied, though, is that he's a man who is prepared to fight - quite literally - for his principles; principles which relate not just to the saving of the great whales of the Southern Ocean, but to the planet as a whole.

Bones of the Tiger by Hemanta R. Mishra From the award-winning author of The Soul of the Rhino, the story of one man's quest to save the man-eating tigers of Nepal. Tiger conservation is one of today's most pressing environmental issues. From a world population of approx 100,000 tigers in 1939, they have dwindled to less than 3,000 today, much due to poaching & habitat destruction.

» View more books like these...
Connectivity Conservation Management, Hardback (January 2010) A guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. It presents 25 case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area.

Managing Protected Areas, Paperback (November 2006) Covers various aspects of park management from biodiversity to natural heritage to financial management. This book establishes a conceptual underpinning for protected area management, presents guiding principles for the 21st century, reflects the work on international best practice and provides an assessment of skills required by professionals.

Protected Area Management, Paperback (February 2005) Examines the multi-disciplinary task of managing protected areas. This comprehensive text is a useful text for students and a resource for practitioners and readers who are concerned about conservation. It also includes Australian and international case studies.

» View all books by Graeme Worboys

» Have you read this book? We'd like to know what you think about it - write a review and you'll earn Boomerang Bucks loyalty dollars!

Dr Graeme L. Worboys is Vice Chair of Mountains Biome and Connectivity Conservation, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Wendy L. Francis is director, conservation science and action, Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, Banff, Canada Michael Lockwood is Senior Lecturer in Environment and Planning at the University of Tasmania.

View the original article here

More Answers to Your Rapid E-Learning Questions

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I get lots of questions via email and many of them are the same. So now’s a good time to offer some quick answers and links to additional resources for those just getting started,

This is the most frequently asked question. The first thing I recommend is to ask for a budget. It doesn’t hurt to ask and you may find that you’ll get one. If you do get a budget then you can stretch your money by purchasing the lower resolution images. You don’t need print-quality images for elearning courses. I usually get my images from Fotolio or iStockphoto but there are dozens of good stock image sites.

The new Microsoft Office site has a lot of the same images you’d buy from vendors like Fotolio available for free. So if you have a licensed copy of Microsoft’s software you can feel comfortable using the images they provide. The new site also has a lot more up-to-date content so you’re not stuck with some of the older clip art (unless of course you’re designing a retro course on using Clippy).

By the way, Microsoft has a blog dedicated to templates and images.

A few more options are to:

This question kind of builds on the one above. When you’re working with limited resources you’ve got to find places where you can get good free or low cost assets. One of the things I do is subscribe to sites like AppSumo and Mighty Deals. They usually send a daily email with all sorts of deals. Most of them are not relevant to my needs. But every once in a while there’s a good deal that works.

For example, Mighty Deals just offered a bunch of illustrated characters for a big discount. You got over 400 poses for $24.

Those are the deals I look for. They have another one this week where you get a bunch of assets for $47. They also have some free stuff on their site. And the AppSumo site offers something similar.

That’s what I mean by scrounging. Keep your eyes open for places where you can get free or low cost assets. The only downside to the option above is that you get daily emails. I just delete what doesn’t interest me. But if you don’t want the emails, then this option won’t work for you.

There are a lot of good microphones on the market depending on your needs. Considering that the question comes from those with limited budgets I’ll offer a few ideas on low cost solutions.

I don’t like to use headset mics because I have less control over mic placement. Instead I like to use desktop microphones because I can move them around. I generally use two Samson mics. They sound good and they’re generally low cost.

Samson C03U: let’s you switch between pickup patterns. Samson Go Mic: I love my Go Mic. It’s portable and has a really good build quality. It also sounds as good as the larger mic.

These are mics that friends have recommended:

Just to be fair, I’m no audio engineer and there are lots of options and considerations when it comes to recording. If you want a low cost and simple recording process then the mics above are great solutions. But if you need more, jump into the elearning community and ask what others are doing.

This is a common challenge. Here are a few quick thoughts:

Focus the content on action. If the course is only information, then it’s hard to make it interactive. But if it’s about performance, then interactivity makes sense. It’s easier to show than to explain. Create some treatments to show before and after examples of interactive elearning. When they see the difference, it’ll make sense to them and they’ll be more open to moving past the familiar click-and-read approach.Some courses don’t need to be interactive. Don’t make them interactive because you want to. If it’s only an information-based course, or if the client only cares about marking the course complete, then it may be easier to do a simple linear course than waste the learner’s time navigating an interactive module.

There are a lot of really good programs. I went to Pepperdine. I have some friends who really enjoyed the programs at Boise State and San Diego State. I’ve also had some contact with UMBC and Bloomsburg. Those are all fine programs.

You may also want to consider an elearning certificate rather than a full program. I know some who’ve gone through the University of Washington’s certificate program and really like it. Many of the programs that offer degrees also offer some sort of certification.

One of the people in the elearning community compiled a list of programs in case you’re interested. Your best bet is to ask for recommendations from the community and then contact some of the programs to see what they offer. If I were going to start one I’d look for the ones that balance theory with practical application. I’d also look at the projects created by formers students. If I’m going to spend the money I want to make sure that I’ll walk away with some good skills that I can apply right away.

There’s also a good list of book recommendations in the community. Sometimes it’s easier to go through a book and apply what you learn to a simple module then it is to spend a couple of years in an elearning program.

Great question. Sometimes a simple approach to information-based elearning is to create a quick FAQ module. Collect the most common questions or issues and then build your module on answering the questions. Business cards are great content holders and they offer an easy way show the FAQs.

In a similar sense, those types of images could be replacements for bullet points. As an example, instead of a slide with three bullet points create three slides where the bullet point is on the business card. This is an easy way to create screens that are visually interesting at a very low cost.

Here are a couple of previous posts where I answered similar FAQs.

Hopefully this is a start for those just getting started. Be sure to take advantage of the free resources and connecting with your peers in the elearning community.

Tidbits

I’m planning my schedule for next year. If you’re interested in a workshop in your area, have your local ISPI or ASTD chapter contact me.

View the original article here

My Learning Resolutions for 2013

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by Angel Green, senior instructional strategist, @LearnerAdvocate

I have to admit, I am a bit of a New Year's Resolutions junkie. I suppose it makes sense, being in the business of performance change, that I seek continual improvement of myself. Not only do I make personal resolutions, but I also make work resolutions.

Each year when I make my resolutions, I take a look back at the previous year. If given the opportunity, what do I wish I would have done differently? An important part of resolution making is staying focused on performance change and not regret. This allows you to assign actions to drive changes. So, here are my Learning Resolutions for 2013...

Resolution 1: Be a stronger advocate for learners

I mean really stand up for the learners. This means that with each decision I make, I need to think of how this will be received by the learner. Sure, with a great team of subject matter experts, we can create some great interactions, but will they resonate with the learners? Dr. Allen says it best – to create great learning, the activities must be Meaningful, Memorable and Motivational – for the learners.

For each of my projects, I resolve to better understand the learner. I will request to go on the side of the road with them, walk into the warehouse, listen as they answer calls, or watch as they interact with customers. Access to learners is key to successful learning. I will ask them questions about their struggles, successes, and the pressures of their job. After all, it is their training!

Resolution 2: Use less words

One of Allen Interactions’ most successful courses has so little text, the content grid is only a few pages - for the entire course! This year, I resolve to find ways to use images, animations and interactions to provide content I would have otherwise written in e-learning courses. For instructor-led training, I will be less prescriptive in the words to say to the learners, and provide suggestions rather than scripts. After all, what instructor stands there and reads a facilitator guide word-for-word...and if they do, who would want to be a learner in that class?!?

When I do need to have words – either from pressure of compliance or subject matter experts – can I find an alternate way to deliver the words? Is a PDF document better suited for reading the legally required information? Can I create a case study to read first and then build interactions based on the case study?

Resolution 3: Stay focused on the goal

For 2013, I resolve to work with my clients to better understand that the quest for perfection is not beneficial to the project or the leaner. I am not referring to spelling, grammar, and functionality – these things need to be perfect. What I mean by losing site of the goal is the quest for arbitrary perfection.

Do you find yourself switching the specific color of a word three times, swapping images ten times based on requests to have the subject looking directly at the camera, in a white shirt not blue, with a pen in

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In an era of climate change, deforestation and massive habitat loss, we can no longer rely on parks and protected areas as isolated 'islands of wilderness' to conserve and protect vital biodiversity. Increasing connections are being considered and made between protected areas and 'connectivity' thinking has started to expand to the regional and even the continental scale to match the challenges of conserving biodiversity in the face of global environmental change. This groundbreaking book is the first guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. Written by leading conservation and protected area management specialists under the auspices of the World Commission on Protected Areas of IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, this guide brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management. The book establishes a context for managing connectivity conservation and identifies large scale naturally interconnected areas as critical strategic and adaptive responses to climate change. The second section presents 25 rich and varied case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area (featuring Mount Everest). The remarkable 3200 kilometre long Yellowstone to Yukon corridor of Canada and the United States of America is described in detail. The third section of this book introduces a model for managing connectivity areas, shaped by input from IUCN workshops held in 2006 and 2008 and additional research. The final chapter identifies broad guidelines that need to be considered in undertaking connectivity conservation management prior to reinforcing the importance and urgency of this work. This handbook is a must have for all professionals in protected area management, conservation, land management and resource management from the field through senior management and policy. It is also an ideal reference for students and academics in geography, protected area management and from across the environmental and natural sciences, social sciences and landuse planning. 'What a great effort! I found it comprehensive, easy to read and of practical value for park managers and other interested conservationists and professionals.' Dr Fausto Sarmiento, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Georgia, USA 'This is an important practical contribution to connectivity conservation. It will be a valuable resource text for practitioners and for those studying connectivity..' Professor Roger Crofts, Former Vice Chair Europe, IUCN WCPA and Chief Executive Officer, Scottish National Heritage; Honorary Professor, Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, UK 'This book provides a highly practical guide for designing, implementing and managing Connectivity Conservation Areas. It addresses the full suite of challenges that conservation management professionals are currently facing, from climate change adaptation to development pressures in fragmented landscapes. This valuable new book is more than innovation. It describes a new paradigm for conservation management for the 21st Century.' Cyril Kormos, Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean, IUCN WCPA; Vice President for Policy, The WILD Foundation 'This book provides a high quality, timely and welcomed insight into the theory and practice of connectivity conservation. This global guide serves as a valuable handbook, drawing key lessons from the case studies, identifying priorities and tasks for management and the challenges and opportunities for advancing connectivity conservation as the best hope for nature and people in the 21st Century.' Dr Brendan Mackey, Professor of Environmental Biogeography, Environmental Conservation, and Cross-disciplinary Studies in Sustainability, Australian National University 'This book is essential for individuals and for nongovernmental and governmental organizations engaged in connectivity projects at local to international levels.' R. L. Smith, Choice, October 2010. 'This book brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management.' In Practice ISBN: 9781844076048
ISBN-10: 1844076040
Classification: Conservation of wildlife & habitats
Format: Paperback (246mm x 189mm x 25mm)
Pages: 416
Imprint: Earthscan Ltd
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publish Date: 22-Jan-2010
Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Planet Ice by James Martin Glaciers and ice fields are critical to the health of our world -and we are making them disappear. Pairing the striking glacier photography of James Martin with essays, Planet Ice examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and tropical ice, it also explores human concepts of ice and wilderness; the lives of penguins, polar bears, and fauna.

Whale Warrior by Peter Bethune Controversial, attention-seeking, forthright and driven ... all these words have been used to describe Pete Bethune. What can't be denied, though, is that he's a man who is prepared to fight - quite literally - for his principles; principles which relate not just to the saving of the great whales of the Southern Ocean, but to the planet as a whole.

Bones of the Tiger by Hemanta R. Mishra From the award-winning author of The Soul of the Rhino, the story of one man's quest to save the man-eating tigers of Nepal. Tiger conservation is one of today's most pressing environmental issues. From a world population of approx 100,000 tigers in 1939, they have dwindled to less than 3,000 today, much due to poaching & habitat destruction.

» View more books like these...
Connectivity Conservation Management, Hardback (January 2010) A guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. It presents 25 case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area.

Managing Protected Areas, Paperback (November 2006) Covers various aspects of park management from biodiversity to natural heritage to financial management. This book establishes a conceptual underpinning for protected area management, presents guiding principles for the 21st century, reflects the work on international best practice and provides an assessment of skills required by professionals.

Protected Area Management, Paperback (February 2005) Examines the multi-disciplinary task of managing protected areas. This comprehensive text is a useful text for students and a resource for practitioners and readers who are concerned about conservation. It also includes Australian and international case studies.

» View all books by Graeme Worboys

» Have you read this book? We'd like to know what you think about it - write a review and you'll earn Boomerang Bucks loyalty dollars!

Dr Graeme L. Worboys is Vice Chair of Mountains Biome and Connectivity Conservation, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Wendy L. Francis is director, conservation science and action, Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, Banff, Canada Michael Lockwood is Senior Lecturer in Environment and Planning at the University of Tasmania.

View the original article here

Leaving ADDIE for SAM: eLearnChat Interview with Michael Allen

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Leaving ADDIE for SAM

An Agile Model for Developing the Best Learning Experiences

New White Paper!

5 Critical Design Activities for Creating Impactful e-Learning

View the original article here

5 Ways to Demonstrate Your E-Learning Success

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At a recent workshop someone asked how to demonstrate that they were successful and that the courses they built made a difference to the organization.

That’s a good question, especially in this economy because the training group is usually one of the first groups targeted when an organization needs to make some cuts to the budget. So we want to make sure that we’re providing real value.

The good thing is that right now, even with the struggling economy, elearning is a hot industry. This makes sense. For the organization looking to make cuts and still offer training, elearning is a viable option because it can reduce costs.

It’s one of the points we discussed in this post on why elearning is so effective. On top of that, there’s a convergence of mobile devices and remote workers. So elearning is at the forefront of this convergence.

In that sense, if you build elearning courses, you’re in a good industry and probably don’t need to worry about cuts as much as in the past. But let’s get back to the original question about demonstrating value.

Often we spend too much time trying to figure out the ROI (return on investment) of our work when that’s already been determined by the organization because they created your position and filled it with you.

Are you getting paid? If the answer is yes, then that’s one of the best ways to measure your value. If you aren’t valued, you’d probably not have a job. And in that sense, it’s less about you determining your ROI and more about providing the value the organization expects from you.

A common solution to meeting business goals is to offer more training. But training doesn’t always meet the organization’s goals. So it’s important to understand the organization’s goals and know where the course fits in meeting them.

Often a client wants a course but isn’t quite clear how the course actually makes a difference, other than the fact that the learner gets exposed to additional information. I always try to drill down to the expected results. After someone takes this course, what do you expect them to do? And then follow that up with, how does this relate to your organization’s goals?

An elearning course is only a solution. Step away from the solution. Find out what the course is supposed to do and why that matters. It’s possible that you may talk the client out of an elearning project. That’s OK. You’ll save time and money by not creating a product that’s a waste of time and that adds real value.

I put courses into one of two buckets. Is it about information or performance?

Information courses are more like marketing programs that promote awareness with no immediate performance expectations. They can also be performance support resources. They’re important to support performance requirements but they’re not necessarily focused on performance activities.

Some people suggest that all of these types of courses should become supporting documentation rather than an “elearning” course. That’s definitely a consideration. But with today’s tools building multimedia-based information is not any more difficult or expensive than building print documentation. So it’s just a matter or need and which solution meets it.

Performance courses are focused on activities. Instead of pulling together a bunch of information, create decision-making activities that mirror the types of decisions the learner needs to make away from the courses and in the real world.

Once you understand the type of course you’re building, you can create one that offers the most value. For example, an information course may not require a lot of interactivity (which takes more time to build). And in the same sense a performance course usually needs more than dozens of bullet point screens. Understanding the type of course allows you to put your resources in a place where you get the most bang for the buck.

Many times you don’t have access to the types of metrics that really demonstrate the course’s effectiveness. Or you may have to build things like annual refresher training where the metrics can be a bit fuzzy. If that’s your situation, then a great way to demonstrate value is to focus on the production process and determine where you can reduce cost or save time.

Price out the cost of your courses if you were to hire them out. Then compare those costs to yours. Another metric is the difference between face-to-face training and offering the same online.

You may not always be able to state what the course accomplished, but you’ll definitely be able to state that what you provided was cost-effective.

While this doesn’t necessarily measure the effectiveness of the training it is still a legitimate measurement. When I start a project I negotiate a service level agreement with my client. Part of it details expectations, timelines, and outcomes.

At the end of the project, I forward this to the client to remind them that we successfully met the agreement. I try to do this right away while things are still fresh. If you wait until the end of the year, they’ll either not respond (because they’re too busy) or they tend to skew the feedback because they either want to seem balanced or they can’t recall exactly how the project concluded. You can avoid a lot of that by proactively collecting feedback.

As you can see, there a number of ways to prove your value and demonstrate success. You may not completely understand the ROI, but your customer does. When I hire the neighbor kid to mow my lawn I don’t expect him to email me a spreadsheet detailing everything he did. I just want to know the lawn’s taken care of.

In the same sense, you were hired to build a course. If you delivered it on time and to your customer’s satisfaction then trust that because you still have a job, you’re proving your value.

What are some things you’d recommend to the elearning developer that wants to know if they’re successful or not? Add your thoughts by clicking on the comments link.

Tidbits

I’m planning my schedule for next year. If you’re interested in a workshop in your area, have your local ISPI or ASTD chapter contact me.

View the original article here

Juhi Chawla to don villain’s hat in ‘Gulaab Gang’

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Juhi-Madhuri will star together in 'Gulaab Gang'

The forthcoming ‘Gulaab Gang’ which will see Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla share the screen for the first time already promises to be one not to be missed. BizAsia has learnt that Chawla will be playing antagonist in the movie.

Dixit and Chawla’s rivalry has always been talked about when they were both leading heroines in the industry a two decades back. Chawla has said that the scenes that the two will share have already been shot. She added that there was no pressure at this time, unlike before.

The two actresses will create history of sorts and no doubt seeing them on screen together will be a treat for every Bollywood fan. The film is expected to release in March.

View the original article here

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In an era of climate change, deforestation and massive habitat loss, we can no longer rely on parks and protected areas as isolated 'islands of wilderness' to conserve and protect vital biodiversity. Increasing connections are being considered and made between protected areas and 'connectivity' thinking has started to expand to the regional and even the continental scale to match the challenges of conserving biodiversity in the face of global environmental change. This groundbreaking book is the first guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. Written by leading conservation and protected area management specialists under the auspices of the World Commission on Protected Areas of IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, this guide brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management. The book establishes a context for managing connectivity conservation and identifies large scale naturally interconnected areas as critical strategic and adaptive responses to climate change. The second section presents 25 rich and varied case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area (featuring Mount Everest). The remarkable 3200 kilometre long Yellowstone to Yukon corridor of Canada and the United States of America is described in detail. The third section of this book introduces a model for managing connectivity areas, shaped by input from IUCN workshops held in 2006 and 2008 and additional research. The final chapter identifies broad guidelines that need to be considered in undertaking connectivity conservation management prior to reinforcing the importance and urgency of this work. This handbook is a must have for all professionals in protected area management, conservation, land management and resource management from the field through senior management and policy. It is also an ideal reference for students and academics in geography, protected area management and from across the environmental and natural sciences, social sciences and landuse planning. 'What a great effort! I found it comprehensive, easy to read and of practical value for park managers and other interested conservationists and professionals.' Dr Fausto Sarmiento, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Georgia, USA 'This is an important practical contribution to connectivity conservation. It will be a valuable resource text for practitioners and for those studying connectivity..' Professor Roger Crofts, Former Vice Chair Europe, IUCN WCPA and Chief Executive Officer, Scottish National Heritage; Honorary Professor, Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, UK 'This book provides a highly practical guide for designing, implementing and managing Connectivity Conservation Areas. It addresses the full suite of challenges that conservation management professionals are currently facing, from climate change adaptation to development pressures in fragmented landscapes. This valuable new book is more than innovation. It describes a new paradigm for conservation management for the 21st Century.' Cyril Kormos, Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean, IUCN WCPA; Vice President for Policy, The WILD Foundation 'This book provides a high quality, timely and welcomed insight into the theory and practice of connectivity conservation. This global guide serves as a valuable handbook, drawing key lessons from the case studies, identifying priorities and tasks for management and the challenges and opportunities for advancing connectivity conservation as the best hope for nature and people in the 21st Century.' Dr Brendan Mackey, Professor of Environmental Biogeography, Environmental Conservation, and Cross-disciplinary Studies in Sustainability, Australian National University 'This book is essential for individuals and for nongovernmental and governmental organizations engaged in connectivity projects at local to international levels.' R. L. Smith, Choice, October 2010. 'This book brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management.' In Practice ISBN: 9781844076048
ISBN-10: 1844076040
Classification: Conservation of wildlife & habitats
Format: Paperback (246mm x 189mm x 25mm)
Pages: 416
Imprint: Earthscan Ltd
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publish Date: 22-Jan-2010
Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Planet Ice by James Martin Glaciers and ice fields are critical to the health of our world -and we are making them disappear. Pairing the striking glacier photography of James Martin with essays, Planet Ice examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and tropical ice, it also explores human concepts of ice and wilderness; the lives of penguins, polar bears, and fauna.

Whale Warrior by Peter Bethune Controversial, attention-seeking, forthright and driven ... all these words have been used to describe Pete Bethune. What can't be denied, though, is that he's a man who is prepared to fight - quite literally - for his principles; principles which relate not just to the saving of the great whales of the Southern Ocean, but to the planet as a whole.

Bones of the Tiger by Hemanta R. Mishra From the award-winning author of The Soul of the Rhino, the story of one man's quest to save the man-eating tigers of Nepal. Tiger conservation is one of today's most pressing environmental issues. From a world population of approx 100,000 tigers in 1939, they have dwindled to less than 3,000 today, much due to poaching & habitat destruction.

» View more books like these...
Connectivity Conservation Management, Hardback (January 2010) A guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. It presents 25 case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area.

Managing Protected Areas, Paperback (November 2006) Covers various aspects of park management from biodiversity to natural heritage to financial management. This book establishes a conceptual underpinning for protected area management, presents guiding principles for the 21st century, reflects the work on international best practice and provides an assessment of skills required by professionals.

Protected Area Management, Paperback (February 2005) Examines the multi-disciplinary task of managing protected areas. This comprehensive text is a useful text for students and a resource for practitioners and readers who are concerned about conservation. It also includes Australian and international case studies.

» View all books by Graeme Worboys

» Have you read this book? We'd like to know what you think about it - write a review and you'll earn Boomerang Bucks loyalty dollars!

Dr Graeme L. Worboys is Vice Chair of Mountains Biome and Connectivity Conservation, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Wendy L. Francis is director, conservation science and action, Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, Banff, Canada Michael Lockwood is Senior Lecturer in Environment and Planning at the University of Tasmania.

View the original article here

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AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

In an era of climate change, deforestation and massive habitat loss, we can no longer rely on parks and protected areas as isolated 'islands of wilderness' to conserve and protect vital biodiversity. Increasing connections are being considered and made between protected areas and 'connectivity' thinking has started to expand to the regional and even the continental scale to match the challenges of conserving biodiversity in the face of global environmental change. This groundbreaking book is the first guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. Written by leading conservation and protected area management specialists under the auspices of the World Commission on Protected Areas of IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, this guide brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management. The book establishes a context for managing connectivity conservation and identifies large scale naturally interconnected areas as critical strategic and adaptive responses to climate change. The second section presents 25 rich and varied case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area (featuring Mount Everest). The remarkable 3200 kilometre long Yellowstone to Yukon corridor of Canada and the United States of America is described in detail. The third section of this book introduces a model for managing connectivity areas, shaped by input from IUCN workshops held in 2006 and 2008 and additional research. The final chapter identifies broad guidelines that need to be considered in undertaking connectivity conservation management prior to reinforcing the importance and urgency of this work. This handbook is a must have for all professionals in protected area management, conservation, land management and resource management from the field through senior management and policy. It is also an ideal reference for students and academics in geography, protected area management and from across the environmental and natural sciences, social sciences and landuse planning. 'What a great effort! I found it comprehensive, easy to read and of practical value for park managers and other interested conservationists and professionals.' Dr Fausto Sarmiento, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Georgia, USA 'This is an important practical contribution to connectivity conservation. It will be a valuable resource text for practitioners and for those studying connectivity..' Professor Roger Crofts, Former Vice Chair Europe, IUCN WCPA and Chief Executive Officer, Scottish National Heritage; Honorary Professor, Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, UK 'This book provides a highly practical guide for designing, implementing and managing Connectivity Conservation Areas. It addresses the full suite of challenges that conservation management professionals are currently facing, from climate change adaptation to development pressures in fragmented landscapes. This valuable new book is more than innovation. It describes a new paradigm for conservation management for the 21st Century.' Cyril Kormos, Regional Vice Chair for North America and the Caribbean, IUCN WCPA; Vice President for Policy, The WILD Foundation 'This book provides a high quality, timely and welcomed insight into the theory and practice of connectivity conservation. This global guide serves as a valuable handbook, drawing key lessons from the case studies, identifying priorities and tasks for management and the challenges and opportunities for advancing connectivity conservation as the best hope for nature and people in the 21st Century.' Dr Brendan Mackey, Professor of Environmental Biogeography, Environmental Conservation, and Cross-disciplinary Studies in Sustainability, Australian National University 'This book is essential for individuals and for nongovernmental and governmental organizations engaged in connectivity projects at local to international levels.' R. L. Smith, Choice, October 2010. 'This book brings together a decade and a half of practice and covers all aspects of connectivity planning and management.' In Practice ISBN: 9781844076048
ISBN-10: 1844076040
Classification: Conservation of wildlife & habitats
Format: Paperback (246mm x 189mm x 25mm)
Pages: 416
Imprint: Earthscan Ltd
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publish Date: 22-Jan-2010
Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Planet Ice by James Martin Glaciers and ice fields are critical to the health of our world -and we are making them disappear. Pairing the striking glacier photography of James Martin with essays, Planet Ice examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and tropical ice, it also explores human concepts of ice and wilderness; the lives of penguins, polar bears, and fauna.

Whale Warrior by Peter Bethune Controversial, attention-seeking, forthright and driven ... all these words have been used to describe Pete Bethune. What can't be denied, though, is that he's a man who is prepared to fight - quite literally - for his principles; principles which relate not just to the saving of the great whales of the Southern Ocean, but to the planet as a whole.

Bones of the Tiger by Hemanta R. Mishra From the award-winning author of The Soul of the Rhino, the story of one man's quest to save the man-eating tigers of Nepal. Tiger conservation is one of today's most pressing environmental issues. From a world population of approx 100,000 tigers in 1939, they have dwindled to less than 3,000 today, much due to poaching & habitat destruction.

» View more books like these...
Connectivity Conservation Management, Hardback (January 2010) A guide to connectivity conservation management at local, regional and continental scales. It presents 25 case studies from six of the eight biogeographic realms of Earth, including the Cape Floristic Region of Africa, the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, the Australian Alps to Atherton Corridor, and the Sacred Himalayan Landscape connectivity area.

Managing Protected Areas, Paperback (November 2006) Covers various aspects of park management from biodiversity to natural heritage to financial management. This book establishes a conceptual underpinning for protected area management, presents guiding principles for the 21st century, reflects the work on international best practice and provides an assessment of skills required by professionals.

Protected Area Management, Paperback (February 2005) Examines the multi-disciplinary task of managing protected areas. This comprehensive text is a useful text for students and a resource for practitioners and readers who are concerned about conservation. It also includes Australian and international case studies.

» View all books by Graeme Worboys

» Have you read this book? We'd like to know what you think about it - write a review and you'll earn Boomerang Bucks loyalty dollars!

Dr Graeme L. Worboys is Vice Chair of Mountains Biome and Connectivity Conservation, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Wendy L. Francis is director, conservation science and action, Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, Banff, Canada Michael Lockwood is Senior Lecturer in Environment and Planning at the University of Tasmania.

View the original article here