Session Schedule
This year's session schedule is now available. Please keep in mind that although this schedule is as accurate as possible, it may be subject to change.
Keynote Session
Ken Phillips, CPLP, Founder & CEO, Phillips Associates | Bio
Boost Training Transfer Using Predictive Learning Analytics™
What is arguably the number one issue facing the learning and development profession today? It's "scrap learning!" Scrap learning, the gap between training that is delivered and what is actually applied back on the job, is a critical business issue for organizations—and for you! It not only wastes scarce organization resources, it threatens your credibility professionally.
Two benchmark research studies provide estimates of how serious the problem is. In 2004, Rob Brinkerhoff, professor at Western Michigan University, found that close to 20% of participants never attempt to apply what they learn in training, and another 65% try what they learned but soon revert back to their old ways. That amounts to 85% scrap learning!
More recently, KnowledgeAdvisors, a Corporate Executive Board (CEB) company, reported that in the average organization, 45% of all delivered training is not applied. Whether the amount of scrap learning is 45% or 85%, think about the resources wasted in planning, developing, and delivering training and the lost opportunity from training not applied!
The message is clear: scrap learning is a huge problem for learning and development and a major waste of organizational resources! What if there was a proven method to reduce scrap learning within your organization? What if you could identify those learners least likely to apply the training they have received and target them directly to boost transfer? Now you can.
Educational Breakout Sessions
Analysis
Jennifer De Vries, CPT, President, BlueStreak Learning | Bio
eLearning Needs Assessment: Critical Items the Textbooks Fail to Mention
It happened again. I asked someone to view a course and heard back that it wouldn't play. Has that ever happened to you? Frankly, it happens far too often. You may be able to avoid these issues with an elearning needs assessment. This is not a textbook needs assessment. It includes technical considerations, as well as content and learning preferences. We have the tools and the data, but do we answer critical questions before developing a course that causes user issues? In this session, you will learn to ask the right questions to increase learner success and satisfaction.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to
- List the most common barriers to taking and completing an elearning course
- Explain to your managers and team members why doing a needs assessment is crucial for success
- Describe the technology questions you need to ask before you develop a course
Design
Tim Buteyn, President, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions, Inc. | Bio
Becky Lucas, CPT, Director of Instructional Strategy, ThinkingKap Learning Solutions, Inc. | Bio
How to Incorporate Adaptive Learning Principles into Your eLearning
In this session, you will learn about adaptive learning, why it has been gaining momentum in K-12 arenas, and why elements of this perspective should be on your radar in the corporate environment. We will investigate the major obstacles to implementing full-scale adaptive learning technologies within the corporate infrastructure, and we will discuss how you can leverage some of the adaptive philosophies within your current learning culture. We will then demonstrate how to take everyday tools, like Storyline and Captivate, and incorporate adaptive learning principles to give your learners a tailored learning experience.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Identify where elearning software falls on the spectrum of adaptive learning technology
- Identify 3 ways to apply adaptive learning principles to elearning
- Recognize examples of adaptive learning design in elearning
- Recognize Storyline features that support adaptive learning design
David Charney, Owner, Illumen Group | Bio
Supercharging eLearning Design
eLearning is not about the software, but many limit themselves to what they think the software can do. This session will explore what is possible when we think outside the box. We will discuss how you can fuse creativity with educational approaches and how technology can bring everything together and to life for a learner. We will explore some common methods and best practices to good design. We will also work through the processes for defining new approaches that will creatively supercharge future elearning projects.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Describe how common tools can lead to better design in elearning
- Begin thinking outside of the norm and using creative approaches to drive more powerful learning
- Describe best practices for designing elearning
James Goldsmith, Learning Architect & Business Advisor, Accenture | Bio
2 Truths & a Lie: The 2016 (updated!) Learning Professional's Edition
Do people really have specific learning styles? Is it true that we can only hold about 7 items at a time in our short-term memories? Are there better areas to place information on a screen to achieve optimal retention? Join us for the 2 Truths & a Lie game format to explore key ideas and debunk persistent myths in the learning profession, with a special focus on learning design and development. You may be surprised by what current research has uncovered. Also, top scorers in the game will receive prizes!
At the end of this session, you 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
Stuart Grossman, Vice President, Education & Training, Xyleme, Inc. | Bio
John Schulz, Solution Architect, Xyleme, Inc. | Bio
How to Deliver Bite-Size Learning
Learning leaders need to rethink how content is created, managed, and delivered if they are to meet the needs of the modern workforce. Learning organizations must find ways for their content to serve not only courses, but the entire learning ecosystem. In this session, we will explain the key elements of content strategy and the mind shifts required to move from a course-driven approach to an object-based approach that enables any type of learning in any context and on any device.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Define a high-level content strategy that supports formal and informal learning
- Create a content map to identify bite-sized learning objects and opportunities for reuse
- List the key techniques and mind shifts required for developing bite-sized learning content
- Describe how cloud technology can deliver learning content where learners need and expect it
Molly Heilmann, Practice Director, Custom Learning, Judge Learning Solutions | Bio
Kathleen Fortney, Ed.D., Learning Strategist, Judge Learning Solutions | Bio
Chelsea Bjerkan, Instructional Designer & Project Manager, Judge Learning Solutions | Bio
1000 Words! Using Highly Visual Techniques to Engage
A picture is worth a thousand words, so why not use new, interesting, alternative visual approaches when building your training? Through the use of case studies, we will showcase using alternative vehicles—including motion graphics, infographics, flipbooks, and simple diagrams—to drive learning.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Identify situations in which you can use alternative training vehicles
- Use the toolsets needed to develop alternative training vehicles
Nicole Legault, Community Manager, Articulate | Bio
Here's How to Turn Any Content into an Engaging eLearning Scenario
Have you ever wanted to create an engaging scenario for your elearning content, but you're not sure how? You might think it's impossible with dry, boring content, but I bet you're wrong! Join me in this session to discover how you can turn almost any materials into an engaging and realistic scenario.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Identify real-life opportunities to apply knowledge
- Relate content to a real-life choice or decision
- Incorporate realistic details into your scenarios
Development
Kristen Carl, CEO, Morningstar Global Translations | Bio
Leveraging Today's Technology to Customize eLearning Courseware for an International Audience
Today's classroom is more virtual and global than ever before. Companies competing in the global marketplace need to communicate training material with non-native English speakers—including employees, customers, and end users—in their local language. This presentation will cover the best practices, processes, components, and technology needed to successfully create a localized course. We will explore real-life elearning projects that use Lectora, Articulate, and Captivate. A detailed timeline of project tasks and events will help set realistic expectations regarding quality, cost, and turnaround. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and share your own localization experiences.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Describe how today's technology can help automate the process of localizing elearning courseware
- Understand the multiple components and steps involved in localizing elearning courseware
- Apply best practices when localizing your own elearning course materials
- Create an action plan and project process that includes practical time and budget solutions for elearning localization
Kris Felstehausen, Consultant, Mastech | Bio
James Wallace, Consultant Manager, Mastech | Bio
To Use a Layer, State Change, or New Slide—That Is the Question: A Daily Storyline Drama
While developing elearning in Articulate Storyline, we often find the need to review steps, rules, or key questions within processes or concepts. Because Storyline provides great flexibility, it’s often difficult to choose the best way to program this type of content. Do you use layers or state changes, or do you string together separate slides? Sometimes the content drives us toward one of these choices, but usually all are possible. In this session, we will look at examples programmed in multiple ways, discuss the pros and cons of each, vote for our favorite, and gather thoughts and experiences from the audience.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- List the pros and cons of using different programming strategies in Storyline
- List the pros and cons of using layers in Storyline
Brittany Horner, Vice President of Client Services, Caveo Learning | Bio
Free Your Mind: Innovative eLearning Design in a World of Templates
For elearning to fulfill its promise as the training delivery platform of the 21st century, we must embrace creativity, which is often at odds with process rigidity. Processes enable organizations to manage tasks in a repeatable format, streamline workflow, and build efficiencies—all of which enhance learning consistency and accountability. While process and creativity don’t always easily coexist, they can and they must. It's time to bring the fun back to elearning, and the good news is that we don't have to scrap all of our templates and processes to do it.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Define and implement strategies for maintaining creativity and innovation in instructional design
- Identify opportunities to think outside the boundaries of the development tool to insert innovative and engaging content and activities into elearning courses
- Describe and leverage the organizational advantages of business processes for learning solutions, with an eye toward streamlining practices and building efficiencies
Strategy
Adam Arents, Learning Technology Supervisor, Rotary International | Bio
Webinar Worst-Case Scenario Survival Training
What’s the worst that could happen? Start planning a webinar, and you may find out. Webinars can be a great way to engage learners, but without enough preparation, they can turn into a harrowing hour of stress for the organizer. This session features an interactive case study showing how Rotary International used an elearning module and classroom training to help staff and volunteers run successful webinars. You will take part in a portion of the classroom training yourself, learn how to set up a scenario in Adobe Captivate, and apply the worst-case scenario technique to your own training challenges.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Respond like a webinar ninja when you encounter a problem during an online training event
- Identify the basic steps required to create realistic branched scenarios in Adobe Captivate
- Apply the worst-case scenario training model to one of your own online learning needs
Carl Eidson, Ph.D., Vice President, Wilson Learning | Bio
Boosting Training Outcomes with Technology-Enabled Learning Transfer & Manager Involvement
As much as 85% of new learning never gets applied on the job. The solution is not more learning, but more learning transfer through manager involvement. Learn how 3 companies improved manager involvement using blended learning, learning technology, and elearning to boost productivity and performance. You will engage in a manager involvement audit and use your results in small-group discussions about what works and what doesn’t when using technology to drive manager involvement. You will view a demo that illustrates how technology can be used to make pre-work more engaging, automate participant reinforcement, and simplify manager coaching.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Demonstrate how to complete a manager involvement audit
- Analyze 3 ways to increase manager involvement using technology
- Evaluate the role that elearning and mobile apps can play in accelerating speed to proficiency
Angel Fisher, MPM, PMP, Program Manager, American Society for Clinical Pathology | Bio
Karisa Munoz, M.Ed., Senior Instructional Designer, American Society for Clinical Pathology | Bio
Agile Project Management Methods for eLearning
Agile has become a strategy in the elearning industry because of the challenges of adapting to changes in requirements. In this session, we will explore a model for large blended learning curriculums. You will discover strategies for using agile methods when implementing ongoing educational interventions. You will also discuss implementation strategies for your own organizations at several key points in the session.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Describe how agile is a different way to administer elearning projects
- Recognize methods for adopting an agile approach for elearning
- Identify best practices for using agile for designing large blended learning curriculums
Jay Frischkorn, Consultant, The CARA Group, Inc. | Bio
Building a More Robust eLearning Design & Development Function in Your Organization
eLearning design and development technologies are changing at a fast pace. Learning organizations are challenged to adopt new tools and take advantage of new capabilities while meeting their budgets. Unfortunately, in many organizations, elearning design and development projects are poorly organized and managed. This problem is a large barrier to creating robust programs that beat budgets and timelines. During this session, I will provide a model for organizing your elearning efforts so that you can maintain existing programs and deliver new ones quickly and efficiently with better first-pass quality and reliability.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your organization's elearning development process
- Create more sustainable programs that are easier to update and maintain
- Implement strategies for improving the overall expertise of your development teams
Matt Kurtin, Lead Programmer & Learning Technology Consultant, Innovative Learning Group | Bio
It Takes Tools to Make a Thing Go Right
This session draws on practical elearning development experience and widely accepted computer science principles to uncover the pros and cons of authoring tools. I will cover tool selection concepts relevant for all elearning and mlearning programmers. I will focus on selecting the right tool for the need instead of a “best tool” for all purposes. Once a tool is chosen, productivity is enhanced by understanding reusable functions, separating content and functionality, and selecting the proper level of abstraction and the appropriate rigor level for reusability. You will see real-world examples and learn how using templates enhances the chosen authoring tool.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Describe the benefits of proper authoring tool selection
- List the pros and cons of several popular authoring tools
- Decide, with proper rationale, which authoring tools should be used in several scenarios
- Describe the impact that responsive design has had on authoring tool selection
Renie McClay, CPLP, Learning Project Manager, Caveo Learning | Bio
Jann Iaco, CPLP, eLearning and Training Specialist, Crate and Barrel | Bio
Economical eLearning: Keeping It Cool & Quality on a Budget
The company wants you to keep costs down. You want to keep the elearning interesting. You can do both—if you’re willing to be a little creative. This session is filled with tips for instructional designers, elearning developers, and learning leaders who want to save money and still produce attractive, effective elearning. Participants will discover creative ways to incorporate custom video and audio for minimal cost and where to find the best freely available graphics and templates. Most importantly, you’ll come away feeling confident in your ability to cut cost without compromising quality.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Leverage freely available online tools and resources to reduce the cost of elearning development without compromising quality
- Identify opportunities within existing elearning design projects to optimize budgetary expenditures
Eric R. Parks, Ph.D., Senior Director of Innovative Learning, American Society for Clinical Pathology | Bio
How to Budget Online Learning Solutions
We have all heard the sayings "It’s always longer than you think" and "It always costs more than estimated" in regards to online learning product development. This session is intended to help designers and project managers better estimate the level of effort and budget needed for online course development. We will examine a wide range of variables that influence cost estimation, including experience, tools, instructional strategy, subject matter expert engagement and content, cohesion, project management, acceptance testing, and project scope.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- Identify the impact of content robustness on cost estimation for online learning solutions
- Identify the impact of instructional strategy on cost estimation for online learning solutions
- Identify the cost issues associated with programming tools and testing
Kelly Salek, Ed.D., Founder & Learning Partner, Lessons Learned Consulting, Inc. | Bio
Seowa Gbala, Communications, Change, & Learning Strategist | Bio
Danny Ortegon, Principal, Ortegon Consulting, Inc. | Bio
Inside the World of L&D Freelancing
Ever wonder what it’s like to work as a full-time freelancer in the learning and development industry? Here’s your chance to find out. Our panel of experienced freelancers will share how they got started, how they get clients, and how they sell services and close deals. They’ll also share what they wish they had known before taking the leap. Whether you’re currently a freelancer or an aspiring one, you’ll find this revealing discussion to be both enlightening and inspiring.
At the end of this session, you will be able to
- List 5 key actions you should take before launching a freelancing career
- Describe 5 strategies for finding leads and selling your work
- Describe 3 strategies for marketing your services
Learning Spark
A Learning Spark is a 5-minute presentation using 20 automated slides that will show for 15 seconds each. There will be 1 session with 5 speakers. Get ready to be inspired by these fast and fresh perspectives on learning and development.
Stephanie Daul, Learning & Development Consultant | Bio
Got Game? Getting Your Organization Started Using Games
Why not harvest the power of games to improve performance? This Learning Spark will address how learning professionals can develop a gamified culture with techniques for up-skilling instructional designers.
Kiana Hughes, Learning & Development Consultant, Hubbard Hughes Consulting, LLC | Bio
Intentional Design
Intentional design aligns personal values with professional practices. We will focus on developing a statement of intent to ensure that your work reflects your personal values and meets business objectives.
Joie Marshall, Learning Solutions Manager, Caveo Learning | Bio
Visual Aesthetics: Trust Me, It Matters
Using solid visual principles in elearning will ease the path for learners. Learn 3 simple principles for fine-tuning visual aspects of your elearning for the greater benefit of your audience.
Susan Sheehan, Relationship Manager, TrainingPros | Bio
5 Qualities of a Stellar Consultant
Ever wonder what clients are looking for? This talk will reveal the top things that a learning consultant should do—and not do—to prepare for an excellent interview.
Cary Weisgram, eLearning Developer, CCIM Institute | Bio
Let Your Content Be Naked
Strip off the treatments, and see what your content is actually made of. Work on the soul of what makes learning concepts strong. Let your content be naked.