Session Schedule Now Available
To see when each session will be held, download the Showcase app or a schedule in PDF format.
To be more environmentally friendly, we won't have a detailed printed program this year. Attendees will receive a printed schedule at check-in, and you can use the venue's free WiFi to download the app or view our website throughout the day.
Keynote Session
Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP, Founder, Owl's Ledge | Bio
Trigger Your Transformation: 5 Steps for Getting Your Professional Development on Track & Keeping Up with Evolving Learning Tech
Training and learning pros, how attentive are you to your own professional development? Are you making choices, or leaving it all to chance?
Think about it: conferences, courses, webcasts, workshops, a long list of free webinars. Regardless of if you invest your money, you're certainly investing your time—to do what? To become what?
How do these programs and events align to your professional goals and personal priorities? What is your intention—education, knowledge acquisition, skill practice, networking, or a shift in perspective? What are you hoping to gain, and how will you put it into action when you leave?
What is your return on investment (ROI) for expending your money, energy, and effort and taking time from your busy schedule and competing priorities? In other words, what's in it for you? How does your organization benefit—what’s its ROI?
Join keynote presenter Trish Uhl for this strategic planning session where you'll make this the year you connect with purpose; spend the time to create your unique individual development plan (IDP); and put it into practice to achieve your dreams and become the person you aspire to be.
Educational Breakout Sessions
Design
Ralph Gaillard, Chief Learning Director, Illinois CPA Society | Bio
Captivating Today’s Learners in the Online Classroom
What does it really take to design online education that leaves your learners inspired? That question is answered in this interactive session, where you will learn how to apply a practical approach to creating an educational experience that puts the learner first. I will share best practices from the highly successful Engage! Learning Model. Through a mix of discussion and hands-on activities, you will experience firsthand how this approach can capture the attention of today's busy adult learners. You will also receive a template for applying the Engage! Learning Model to your online events.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Energize adult learners in live webcasts and online self-study programs
- Help instructors deliver new knowledge within an online setting that is easily absorbed by the learner
- Allow learners to see the “What’s In It For Me” (WIIFM) perspective behind the new knowledge
Dennis Glenn, Executive Vice President & Chief Learning Officer, Discourse LLC | Bio
The Path to Mastery Using Serious Games
In developing my graduate course on Serious Games at DePaul University, I conducted a yearlong study on the questions to be addressed by this new mode of learning and assessments: Can we encourage adults to experience failure in the spirit of learning? Can we build reflection and feedback loops into the learning process? Can we help adults further develop their capacities for social interaction and collaborative problem-solving? This session will address these questions and more.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Encourage adults to experience failure in the spirit of learning
- Build reflection and immediate feedback loops into the learning process
- Help adults to further develop their capacities for social interaction and collaborative problem-solving
Jim Goldsmith, Learning Architect, Accenture | Bio
Two Truths & a Lie: The 2015 eLearning Edition
Do people really have learning styles? Is it true that we can hold about only 7 items at a time in our short-term memories? Are there better places to put information on a screen for optimal retention? Is it valid to say that people are “right-brained” or “left-brained,” and should we design our elearning applications accordingly? Please join us for this highly interactive session using the Two Truths and a Lie game format to explore key ideas and debunk persistent myths in the learning profession, with a special focus on elearning. Prizes to be awarded (and surprises for everyone)!
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Reflect thoughtfully on the effectiveness of selected learning industry practices
- Identify viable alternatives to learning industry practices that research has shown to be of limited value
- Increase general awareness of learning industry challenges and opportunities by participating in a plenary game and listening to insights and experiences shared by colleagues
Kiana Hughes, Senior Education Specialist, Ellie Mae, Inc. | Bio
Creative Compliance Training Strategies
A wise man once said, "Telling ain't training." This is true when producing web-based compliance courses. This session draws from my decade of experience developing interactive and engaging elearning courses for a wide array of subject areas. Transform your compliance training from boring, “clicker” slides to high-quality, effective training experiences that encourage learning and retention. This collaborative learning session will allow you to explore learning objects and activities that take the pain out of compliance training, as well as engage learners while adhering to constraints of supervising agencies.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Discuss strategies for developing engaging compliance training
- Create interactive learning objects that comply with regulatory constraints
Becky Lucas, CPT, Director of Instructional Strategy, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions | Bio
Color Matters: Choosing & Using Color to Enhance Learning
This session explores what we know about the use of color in an educational environment and how to apply that knowledge to elearning design. Color is only one element of good elearning design, but depending upon how it is used, color can enhance or detract from learning. Participants will use a set of color cards and 6 methods to inspire color selection to create their own color schemes. The session will then introduce examples of various online color selection tools and demonstrate how to create a custom color theme and player for Articulate Studio ‘13 and Storyline.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Create a color scheme using 6 different methods for inspiration
- Utilize color for specific purposes to enhance learning
- Locate free online color picker tools to create color schemes and identify RGB codes
- Create custom color themes and players for Articulate Studio ‘13 and Storyline
Thomas Reilly, Vice President, CompTIA Learning | Bio
Starting with the Questions First: Using the Latest Brain Science to Build Adaptive eLearning That Increases Retention
We have been teaching people the same way for thousands of years. In this fast-paced session, we will delve into why asking questions first makes more sense based on how we learn and remember new information. Using research into brain science and game studies, we will demonstrate how a questions-first adaptive elearning model works and how it speeds learning and improves retention. Audience members will take part in an elearning assessment and help interpret learning analytics to spot intervention needs.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Identify the 5 key elearning "brain hacks" that speed learning and improve retention
- Understand how long term-memories are formed
- Use priming, spacing, the testing effect, and game techniques to improve learner performance
- Describe how learning analytics empowers learners and instructors/managers to close skill gaps
Dustin Shell, Director of Innovation, TiER1 Performance Solutions | Bio
Wendy Buehlman, PMP, CPLP, Principal Consultant, TiER1 Performance Solutions | Bio
Gamifying Change: Inspiring Change Through Challenges
Discover how TiER1 Performance and Messer Construction created a custom game for change that achieved 84% adoption and raised more than $7,000 to support local charity. In this session, we’ll demonstrate the game theory and engagement principles applied to a change management solution. Through the site created for Messer, we’ll showcase how leaderboards, reward loops, and challenges can be used to improve adoption, create champions, and learn a new enterprise resource planning system—all while giving back to the community. This solution will inspire you to become a change agent in your organization.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Evaluate the benefits of game theory in a change management solution
- Discuss the use of technology and real-time data for public recognition and a model for developing change strategies and organically identifying champions
- Consider how play, purpose, challenge, and reward loops can be used to create voluntary participation
Shannon Tipton, Owner, Learning Rebels | Bio
The 21st Century Learning Toolbox
Building a learning strategy that incorporates the mindset of the distracted learner can be a challenge. The key is building learning connectivity into your overall strategy. This approach does not simply mean including games and activities. We must adjust our overall toolbox for today’s connected society. The learning toolbox needs to change, expand, and adapt to the users and then to the needs of the business and of the moment. In this session, we will take your toolbox to the next level, incorporating different collaborative elements and learning new and richer ways to connect and engage your audience.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Describe the difference between social learning and social tools for learning
- Understand that different tools have different purposes, and how to plan their strategy accordingly
- Use collaboration and collaboration tools to support learning outcomes
Sue Weller, CPLP, Learning Solutions Manager, Caveo Learning | Bio
Cheap & Easy Instructional Characters for eLearning
No, the characters aren’t cheap and easy, but creating them can be! If your last few elearning courses have been “content, quiz, content, quiz,” let’s explore the use of characters to help make your content more relevant, relatable, effective, and enjoyable for the learner. In this highly interactive session, we’ll discuss when characters are most beneficial, how to create believable and realistic characters, and how to then use those characters in novel or innovative ways. You’ll leave this session with sample character stories and situations that you can cheaply, easily, and immediately use in your own courses.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Identify the various types of instructional characters available
- Discuss 5 novel or innovative uses of characters
- Create realistic scenarios for your characters
Development
Tim Buteyn, President, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions | Bio
Stephania Buteyn, Co-Founder, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions | Bio
Animation in eLearning: Using Storyline 2 & Beyond
For years, elearning development tools, like Storyline, have had limited abilities in terms of animations. While Storyline's interface (and some of its features) were based off of PowerPoint, version 1 lost most of the animation options. Storyline 2 has introduced back in some of those options, and this session will explore those. This session will also look at a couple external tools, namely VideoScribe and GoAnimate, to discuss the types of animations that can be created in those tools. We will debate the pros and cons of the various approaches and when one solution might be advantageous over the others.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Take advantage of the new animation features within Storyline 2
- Create handwriting animations in VideoScribe and import them into Storyline 2
- Create animations in GoAnimate and import them into Storyline
Tim Buteyn, President, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions | Bio
Stephania Buteyn, Co-Founder, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions | Bio
Maximizing Storyline 2's New Features
Articulate added some new capabilities not present in the prior version of Storyline, but do you know how to take advantage of these new features? In this informal session, we'll examine a satirical onboarding course created mainly to push the boundaries of these features. The learner experience takes place at a fictional software company and introduces new employees to each department, allowing them to try their hand at those respective job skills. The course is chock full of advanced interactions and animations, and we'll take a behind-the-scenes look at how they were created.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Use some of the advanced interactions and animations new in Storyline 2
Learning Technologies
Jennifer De Vries, CPT, President, BlueStreak Learning | Bio
Let's Get Real About LMS Selection
The statistics are staggering: At any given time, almost half of all learning management system (LMS) owners want to replace their system. Why so much upheaval with this big-ticket item? Buying and implementing a new LMS is a relatively costly endeavor—and you can save time, money, and aggravation by choosing wisely the first time. In this session, you will review LMS satisfaction research data, discuss some underlying causes of dissatisfaction, and learn the elements to include in your LMS requirements. Whether you are in the process of selecting your first LMS or replacing an existing one, this session provides guidance for choosing the best LMS for your organization’s needs.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Identify the most important factor in selecting an LMS
- Discuss the 7 types of requirements that need to be addressed before selecting an LMS
- Describe a process for purchasing an appropriate LMS
Tim Dickinson, Strategic Partner Manager, Rustici Software | Bio
Caryl Yenny, Content Solutions Product Manager, Tribridge | Bio
Why Does Tin Can/xAPI Matter, & How Do I Get Started?
You don't need to be an expert on the technical minutiae of Tin Can. From the perspective of those of us who create learning programs and elearning content, this session will describe what Tin Can/xAPI is and how it enables various learning programs to communicate together. We'll walk through several simple steps to demonstrate how you can begin capitalizing on new opportunities that Tin Can presents within your organization. Three case studies will be presented to showcase real-world implementations: a major jewelry retailer, a multinational relief organization, and a major telecommunications company.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Articulate what the Tin Can API (xAPI) is at a basic level
- Articulate how to use xAPI in a practical application and what to do to get started
- Describe how cases studies of xAPI relate to your organization and begin to think about what new advances are possible
Lesley Skousen, Ph.D., Humanities Teacher and eLearning Coordinator, Countryside School | Bio
Diversifying Discussion Forums in Online & Blended Courses
This session will introduce basic discussion forums to novice attendees. After establishing how online conversation flows, we will explore the "anatomy" of a module and how to convert classroom materials to online platforms. Together, we will transform traditional classroom activities such as lectures, discussions, and inquiry research projects into online forums. You will contribute to the activities by using your smart phone or laptop to engage with polling services. With each forum, I will provide screenshots from different platforms. The session will end with a questions and resources session.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Create dynamic discussion forums
- Crowd-source information that fosters critical thinking, college-level research skills, and supportive analysis
- Incorporate applications as formative and summative assessments
- Appeal to various learning styles by expanding the written discussion to include visual expression
Strategy
Judith Hale, Ph.D., CPT, ID(SEL/ILT/JA+), CEO, The Institute for Performance Improvement, L3C | Bio
How to Demonstrate Value
A challenge you may have is how to describe the value of your time and skills in ways that are meaningful to clients. This session is about how you can effectively communicate the value of your work graphically and in a story that will set you apart from your competition. In this session, you will evaluate what others have done and discuss the implications on your own work, get a detailed description of what constitutes value so you can better define the value you offer in ways that are detectable and different, and get practice transforming what you do into outcomes clients value.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Describe the value of your services in ways that are definable, detectable, and different
- Transform your services into outcomes
Peter Hybert, Owner, PRH Consulting Inc. | Bio
Ian Hybert, PRH Consulting Inc. | Bio
Leveraging Technology for Learning & Doing
An elearning deliverable, like any other learning intervention, has value for bringing someone up the learning curve. Now most professionals have access to digital information, which means more job aids and references can be provided electronically. This provides an opportunity to mix learning and doing to reduce learning time and improve performance. Though we can’t convert everything into a job aid or tool, we can, with conscious design choices, improve the utilization of elearning outputs outside of the learning process. In this session, session we will discuss these issues and review examples of what this can look like in the workplace.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Describe the "learn/do" curve
- Describe what to look for in the work or knowledge analysis to identify opportunities for building electronic performance aids
- Describe considerations for determining how to design and configure solutions that address both learning and performance needs
- Identify opportunities to leverage elearning deliverables to support broader performance needs
Ajay Pangarkar, President, CentralKnowledge Inc. | Bio
Getting the Inside Track: Gaining Buy-in for e/m-Learning
Learning practitioners must gain “buy-in” from participants fed up with "training" courses, mid-managers who cannot afford employee downtime, and business leaders who expect tangible benefits from their e/m-learning investment. In this session, you will learn to address business leaders’ and stakeholders’ concerns, effectively present your learning solutions, and minimize management resistance. Through a 5-step process called RADAR, learning practitioners can get noticed by senior management. This session will use an interactive approach and provide you with the steps to develop the necessary skills to gain the internal support for e/m-learning initiatives.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Apply the RADAR approach to gaining senior management buy-in
- Prepare presentations that persuasively make the business case for e/m-learning to senior management
- Identify and avoid the language blunders that trainers can make when dealing with senior management
- Ensure the 3 primary internal buyers’ needs for e/m-learning are met
Ryan Shandley, Director of Learning Services, TransPerfect | Bio
Take Your Learning Global: Best Practices in eLearning Localization
In this session, we’ll explore a core set of “best practice” processes and guidelines for clients embarking on a global training initiative. This session will provide tips, tricks, and tools that will benefit your translation and localization efforts. At the end of the session, you will be able to identify file formats that work best for elearning localization, pitfalls to avoid when embarking on localization projects and how to design English learning experiences that will need to be translated for other markets.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- Identify which file formats work best for elearning localization
- Avoid pitfalls in elearning localization
Learning Spark
Introducing the Learning Spark! A Learning Spark is a 5-minute presentation using 20 automated slides that will show for 15 seconds each. There will be 2 sessions, each with 5 speakers. Get ready to be inspired by these fast and fresh perspectives on learning and development.
Session 1
Jackie Bauer, Bauer Learning | Bio
Why Managers & Learners Dread eLearning!
Managers and learners often groan under the weight of the Next button. Find out 3 reasons they dread elearning and what you can do about it. Help me eradicate clicknextitis.
Kathleen Fortney, Ed.D., Learning Strategist, Judge Learning Solutions | Bio
To Gamify or Not? What Corporate Learning Experts Should Know
This talk will provide a quick look at what gamification is and how it can be used in corporate settings to engage learners and modify behaviors to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Adam Kirby, Communications Manager, Caveo Learning | Bio
Engaging Millennials Through Learning & Development
Engaging with and integrating Millennials into the company culture often falls to learning and development. To connect with this cohort, we must understand the experiences that have shaped their perspectives.
Barb Ostapina, eLearning Copywriter & Marketing Facilitator, Freelance | Bio
How to Pass Go & Collect More Virtual Butts-in-Seats by Gamifying Your eLearning Course Promotion
In a fun, fast 5 minutes, discover how the secrets of marketing with gamification can get more people in your elearning courses. Yes, course promotion can be gamified!
Vishal Shah, CEO & Co-Founder, LearnCore | Bio
Encourage a Departmental Takeover: The New Global + Local Approach
Companies often utilize a global LMS to manage processes such as onboarding and training. The global approach works for large company updates, but it’s important to incorporate a local LMS approach for individual departments. I’ll show you why.
Session 2
Corrinne Fisher, Senior Learning Designer, NAFSA: Association of International Educators | Bio
The Dopamine Rush: A Critical Part of Your Virtual Team Planning
Does dopamine have a role in your team planning? Learn how to tap internal reward systems and inspire a better connected, more rewarding experience with your virtual teams.
Jann Iaco, CPLP, eLearning and Training Specialist, Crate and Barrel | Bio
"Cheap & Cheerful" eLearning
Little to no budget? Let’s explore a few cheap and free elearning techniques that will make your courses look top notch.
Joie Marshall, Learning Solutions Manager, Senior Instructional Designer, Caveo Learning | Bio
We’re the Servants, Not the Masters: Practical Techniques for Working with Subject Matter Experts
Instructional designers often forget that we’re there to serve the subject matter expert—not vice versa. It’s our job to nurture the relationship, adapt, and facilitate the project’s successful completion.
Toni Ostrowski, Multimedia Developer II, DeVry University | Bio
Free Tools for Educators
Most educators know about online tools but may not know which ones are actually useful in helping them create content and manage their courses. This overview will encourage teachers to explore the free and almost-free options available.
Rob Van Hyfte, M.Ed., Program Manager, Judge Learning Solutions | Bio
How Are We Going to Get This All Done? Tips for Successfully Managing eLearning Projects
Instructional design and project management models are often too generalized to provide the guidance needed to deal with complex multi-media elearning projects. In this talk, you'll hear tips for managing the various challenges you may encounter while taking on complex projects.