This article was written by Tanya Galton, a global eLearning expert and director of iSpring Academy, an eLearning software provider. Leading a team of more than 30 professionals, Tanya drives the development and launch of courses and certification programs for a range of digital professions.

Often, there are significant operational challenges that working with a Learning Management System (LMS) and eLearning solutions can address for businesses.

First, an LMS digitizes accumulated domain knowledge and expertise, turning it into learning materials. It also offers the ability to streamline learning processes and scale your corporate learning efficiently. And then, it also decreases your dependency on instructional designers and professional coaches.

But of course, businesses want to have some tangible data and a clear understanding of what exactly makes an eLearning course they have created successful.

In this article, we will look closely into the criteria that allow you to estimate the value and usefulness of your eLearning course.

Obvious Success Metrics

Of course, there are very clear metrics that allow you to assess how well your eLearning course is performing.

For instance, you can easily measure the quality of your onboarding course by looking at the increase in the number of employees who have successfully passed the trial period. Alternatively, it can be a completion rate: unless legally or otherwise obliged, users tend to only complete the courses they genuinely enjoy and find useful.

Success could also be assessed via test scores upon course completion. If your learners are not doing too well, perhaps the course material is not adjusted for their reception. Of course, it’s also about how well your trainees apply the new knowledge in their work and the increase in their varying performance metrics after the course.

All of the discussed metrics speak rather eloquently about the quality of your courses and training materials, but there is a key caveat. You can only measure them after your course is made, launched and completed by trainees. Sometimes, only long after its release.

Keeping this in mind, are there any criteria you should strive for, and considerations you need to factor in to be able to create a successful course? The short answer is yes.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider before starting to work on your course to increase its chances of performing well.

Define Your Target Audience

Obviously, corporate training is designed to solve existing problems and fill in skill gaps. However, when you analyze which problems you mean to solve, it is very important to correctly define the target audience of your course.

For example, if you deal with very high turnover rates of new hires, it could be that your onboarding course and procedures are poor quality, thus improvement in this area is needed.

After all, according to research, strong onboarding improves new hire retention by 82%. However, the problem may not only be in your onboarding. For instance, if you employ a mentor or buddy system, it could be poor mentor training that influences your new hire retention, hence you need to improve that as well.

It would be a mistake to think that your corporate education should start with training your C-level executives.

Your primary task here is to very precisely define the operational and human resource sphere of your business that needs improvement and can benefit from professional training. After this, you research and determine the tasks that your employees have a hard time coping with, and here you have it, the answers to questions such as “Who do we teach?” and “What do we teach?”

Set Clear and Realistic Goals

Speaking of questions, “Why do we need to teach that?” is no less important and relevant than the aforementioned.

You need to have a very clear understanding of what it is that you hope to achieve by offering training. Then, you also need to formulate the goal as precisely as possible.

For example, “I want my sales specialists to perform better” is very vague. But “I want my customer care specialists to learn and actively use an effective script to work with customer reclamations which would help reduce the number of reclamations and improve customer satisfaction by X%” is much more precise, therefore serving a targeted purpose.

Another important quality of a well-set goal is being realistic. It is important that your goals don’t jump from point A to point Z, skipping the rest of the alphabet in the process.

Setting up your goals this way will help you to structure your course material so that it aligns with the goals and solve your problems with more precision.

Set Up Quantitative Metrics

It is advisable to think of implementing quantitative metrics to measure your success early on in the process. If possible, make sure that your goals include the metrics which you will later use to measure your success.

For instance, “I want my front-line customer support to be able to handle certain typical cases to reduce the support load on developers and QA”. Through this, you will be able to measure the load reduction later, how well your course helped in that.

Offer Material that is Relevant to your Target Audience

Once you have determined your target audience, it is time for a detailed analysis of its learning needs and capabilities.

Drawing a detailed User Persona may help here. This will help you to establish the typical learning habits of your future trainees, assessing their average skill level, technical background, computer savviness and other factors that may influence learning.

Offering a course that is too easy or not challenging enough will make your trainees bored and disappointed. Offering a course that implies too steep a learning curve can easily leave learners discouraged, doubting their abilities.

Define Criteria for Business Alignment

A successful course should be well-aligned with your company’s business goals. Aside from addressing particular learning needs of your trainees, it also needs to alleviate the pains and pressure points of your business.

For instance, an eLearning course can eliminate the problem of inconsistent training quality across various company departments. This problem is quite common with traditional on-site corporate training, where much depends on the mentor and organization.

Clearly showcasing a clear set of business benefits that your course offers will also help you when you communicate with stakeholders in your company to justify the need for certain courses or eLearning solutions.

Check your Course for Accessibility Features

Another thing that is vital to understand: what are the means through which your trainees will access the course?

Do all of them have access to a PC, or designated time to use it at work to study? If not, your course needs to be mobile-friendly.

Think – are your learners accustomed to reading large amounts of texts? Or perhaps, it will be easier for them to listen to an audio version when commuting or taking a walk? It’s best to plan for a wide range and availability of features from the inception stage, so that you can create course content accordingly.

Potential Mistakes to Avoid

Of course, to create a successful course, you need to know what pitfalls to avoid and what factors in course creation can make your learning process go awry.

We at iSpring host our own iSping Academy, where we help our customers with no specific instructional design background to create professional and educationally sound courses.

We have an entire checklist that businesses can work with in order to make sure that they don’t make any common and easily avoidable mistakes. Here are a few important points to consider:

Understand the costs of training, direct and indirect, and compare them against the predicted ROI

It’s best practice to clearly calculate the costs of creating and implementing your eLearning course from the start. Very carefully study the capabilities of your eLearning provider. Check if there are any software or other limitations that will prevent you from making your course exactly what you envision.

Do not overload your courses with content

A course is much more likely to succeed if it’s focused on a particular goal and business need. For instance, in your onboarding course you should include only the essentials that will help a new hire to jumpstart their work with your company. Don’t overload them with information or details they don’t immediately need, particularly when they are just starting out.

Do not underestimate the importance of learner engagement

Regardless of how serious or important your course material is, you need to keep your users motivated. Dull presentation can easily kill motivation. Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, simulations, and scenario-based learning to keep learners engaged.

Make sure the course doesn’t lack practical application

Theory is great, but a truly successful course should always offer learners the ability to practice their new skills in a safe environment. For instance, if you are training your frontline sales staff for a new seasonal promotion, give them an opportunity to try out the new material before they do field work.

Do not leave the course out of your learning infrastructure

Any course you create should add and complement other learning materials. Do not make it a standalone feature. For more advanced learners, courses should reference more complicated cases or materials. It should also make use of your knowledge base, case studies, and should be a solid and fully-fledged part of your corporate learning infrastructure and information exchange ecosystem.

Even the best learning content is far less effective when it’s isolated from your corporate context.

Conclusion

Creating a successful eLearning course for corporate training or onboarding involves more than just digitizing information and making it available online or through an eLearning app. It requires a strategic approach.

Following the guidelines above, you will be able to create stellar-performing courses that respond to the needs of your business and your trainees very precisely.

If you found this article helpful, take a look at Khan Academy Partners With iTeach on AI-Powered Teacher Training Tool.

Featured image: Jacob Wackerhausen, iStock. 

The post Creating a Stellar eLearning Course for Corporate Training appeared first on eLearningInside News.

This article was written by Brian Lamb, the CEO of Swivl, an eLearning provider, specialising in classroom management.

Creativity is involved at every stage of education, from young children in art class to higher ed students working on a research project. What used to be considered just a human process, creativity has now become a focus of new technology solutions like artificial intelligence. As the use of AI in education continues to evolve, so will the boundaries and possibilities of creativity.

When the World Wide Web was first released in 1993, many humans were unsure of this innovative technology. Since then, humans have adapted and become more knowledgeable of the internet’s uses. Now, it plays a vital role in our everyday lives, from academics to careers and personal use.

A similar movement is happening with AI, and we’re just scratching the surface. Undoubtedly, the recent development of AI has already and will continue to impact human’s creative future.

From being trained on dramatically more information at a faster rate than humans to making more and better connections, AI is causing us — especially educators — to change our definition of creativity. While much is still unknown about AI implementation in education, many educators and parents question its long-term implications on students’ creative abilities.

What’s the solution for the future? Higher-order creativity.

What is Higher-Order Creativity?

Starting off, higher-order thinking is the process where humans think about thinking while also regulating thinking, otherwise known as metacognition. In the case of creativity, those employing higher-order thinking can think about how they can simultaneously create, recognize, and overcome their impulses during the most challenging parts of creativity.

These challenging parts of the process are almost guaranteed and can include fear of criticism and a lack of motivation.

Creating new, innovative ideas is just the first step in creativity. Humans with higher-order creativity can take it further by honestly evaluating their ideas and making necessary adjustments, and in the process, building their resilience to the obstacles and developing a willingness to iterate and keep going in the creative process.

For most students, the potential of failure is one of the most significant factors that causes them to give up during any learning or creative process. A new study from the Annals of the New York Academy of Science showed that high school students’ mindsets impacted how likely they were to view an academic setback as a permanent failure. After interviewing 300 high school students from across the country, researchers found students’ most common responses to setbacks were so-called “high arousal emotions” such as anger, shame, and frustration. While these reactions may lead to venting from students, they can also negatively impact their energy and motivation.

Because the fear of failure can be so extreme, students now rely on technology, specifically AI, to make things easier in the classroom. However, becoming too reliant on technology to think for themselves can hurt the development of skills they need to build intrinsic motivation while in school and even succeed in life after school. Instead, they should focus on building a strong sense of self-awareness.

The Need for Higher Order Skills and Meta-Creativity

Making these changes can be difficult for educators and students alike, but meta-creativity can be achieved using reflective tools. These tools allow students to enhance their creativity and other critical skills to high order while they use AI for appropriate uses.

Routines that can help students fully engage with the creativity process can be something as simple as mindful breathing. When educators create an environment where students are encouraged to stop what they’re doing when they hit a setback and calm down and refocus with breathing exercises, this will not only have a positive impact on the assignment they’re currently working on — it will also start creating positive habits for projects further down the road. This practice is especially important because AI isn’t going anywhere, so the earlier students know how to adapt and use AI alongside reflective learning techniques intentionally, the better for their personal and academic success.

People, especially students, inherently don’t know how to reflect well. With higher-order thinking, students must learn to reflect on their thinking, process, and even how they connect with others in group settings. As AI continues to be used in the classroom, students must be ready to push past their initial thoughts and take the next steps to set goals and achieve them.

Many education thought leaders might think schools aim to lessen creativity in their students. However, I think the constraints schools provide during students’ early years, including strict schedules and emphasis on traditional grading success, will significantly benefit them when they enter the “real world” as adults. Suppose students are shown how to use technology and higher-order creativity as a routine part of their educational schedules. In that case, they will be more mindful, adaptable adults, thriving in an independent, innovative culture that will only be enhanced by more technology.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing every industry, and its impact on education has just scratched the surface. AI’s impact on creativity can become harmful if humans don’t learn to adjust their higher-order thinking and skills. By becoming more aware, flexible, and reflective with their routines and the tools they use, humans can have exponential limits of success when using AI in the classroom.

Academic success is traditionally tied to setting goals attached to a completed project or associated with perfectionism. Manage the impulse of giving up when confronted with failure or criticism, the image of academic success and the function of creativity as a higher-order skill will both change. Eventually, this academic success will lead to long-term growth and success when their school journey is over.

If you liked this article, check out How eLearning Transforms Education for Autistic Children. 

Featured image credit: dorian2013, iStock. 

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Autism spectrum is a neurological disorder that affects the way certain people process information. The condition can result in significant learning and behavioral challenges, including difficulty communicating and interacting with others. It’s estimated that 1 in 54 children has autism, and the number is rising.

Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the U.S., and it’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. A study published in the ResearchGate Journal shows that the disorder is more common in developed nations. Moreover, it is four times more common in boys than in girls.

Autism can impact how a child understands things, posing educational challenges. However, eLearning has proven to be an impactful solution for this. In this article, we will discuss how eLearning is transforming education for autistic children.

Understanding Autism Spectrum Education Challenges

It’s important to understand the specific challenges autistic children face in education. There are many differences between autistic and non-autistic children, but one of the most notable is their ability to communicate with others.

Here are some key challenges and considerations in providing education for individuals on the autism spectrum:

Sensory sensitivities: Many individuals with autism experience sensory sensitivities. This can include hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to stimuli such as lights, sounds, textures, and smells. Classrooms may need to be adapted to accommodate these sensitivities, with considerations for lighting, noise levels, and sensory-friendly materials.

Communication differences: Communication challenges are common among individuals with ASD. Some may have delayed speech, while others may have difficulty with nonverbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions. Teachers may need alternative communication methods, such as visual supports, picture schedules, or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. An article from PsychCentral states that some differences in communication include a lack of eye contact and difficulty engaging in small talk.

Social skills development: Individuals with autism often struggle with social interactions and may have difficulty understanding social cues. Social skills training and structured social activities can be beneficial. Peer support programs and inclusion efforts can also help foster social development.
Individualized instruction: Due to the wide variability in the presentation of autism, one-size-fits-all approaches may not be effective. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are commonly used to tailor educational strategies and goals to the specific needs of each student. Regular assessment and adjustment of these plans are crucial for ongoing success.

Executive functioning challenges: Many individuals with ASD experience difficulties with executive functions, such as organization, time management, and task initiation. Teachers may need additional support, such as visual schedules, explicit instructions, and organizational tools.

The Rise of eLearning in Autism Education

The rise of eLearning in autism education is a welcome development. The benefits are clear: it’s a cost-effective way to meet the needs of children with disabilities, who often require more support. But this isn’t always an easy transition for autistic students. Several factors contribute to the growing prominence of eLearning in autism education:

Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs): eLearning platforms allow for creating highly individualized learning plans that cater to the specific needs and strengths of each autistic learner. Customization can include adjusting the pace of learning, incorporating multimedia elements, and adapting content to different learning styles.

Visual aids and multimedia resources: eLearning platforms often integrate visual aids and multimedia resources that can be particularly beneficial for autistic individuals, who often prefer visual learning. Videos, interactive simulations, and graphics can enhance understanding and engagement.

Flexibility and accessibility: eLearning provides flexibility regarding when and where learning can occur. This flexibility is crucial for autistic individuals, allowing them to learn comfortably and minimizing potential sensory challenges. Additionally, eLearning materials can be accessed repeatedly, reinforcing learning in a way that suits the individual’s pace.

Social skills training: Many eLearning programs for autism education incorporate social skills training modules. These modules may include interactive scenarios, virtual role-playing, and social stories that help autistic individuals develop and practice social skills.

eLearning also helps autistic individuals indirectly by allowing eligible individuals to get the necessary education and knowledge to help autistic children. According to Ithaca College, individuals with a degree in speech-language pathology can help educate autistic children. In fact, the website states that around 56% of the professionals with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology are in education.

SLPs can conduct comprehensive assessments to evaluate the communication abilities of autistic children. This includes assessing speech and language skills and social communication skills. They can work collaboratively with other professionals, such as psychologists and educators, to contribute to understanding the child’s communication needs.

They can also develop and implement individualized treatment plans based on the specific needs of each autistic child. These plans may address speech articulation, language comprehension, social communication, and pragmatic language skills. They can collaborate with other educational team members to integrate speech and language goals with the child’s educational plan.

eLearning can help students interested in speech-language pathology learn all the details required to enroll in the right course. They can also enroll in an online course on an eLearning platform. Such speech-language pathologist college programs can enable qualified individuals to get the required license to start helping autistic children.

Customization and Personalization in eLearning

Personalization is a key component of eLearning that can help autistic children learn more effectively. This is because it allows them to engage with the material at their own pace and work in ways they are most comfortable with. This can include:

• Adjusting the presentation style of content and activities (e.g., video vs text)
• Providing opportunities for learners to interact with others online or through social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter.
• Allowing learners to create their digital portfolios based on what they have learned throughout their course.

Technology as a Facilitator in Autism Education

Technology can help autistic children learn, communicate, and socialize. It also helps them practice new skills and understand the world around them.

For instance, a ScienceDirect Journal study shows that up to 50% of autistic children have issues with inhibitory control challenges. This relates to a lack of ability to manage distractions and maintain concentration. Such children also have decreased perseveration.

However, with the technology, teachers can include multiple media files in the training material to improve engagement. This can increase autistic children’s concentration and help them learn more.

Here are several ways in which technology supports autism education:

Adaptive software: Technology allows for the creation of adaptive learning software that can adjust the difficulty and pace of lessons based on an individual’s progress. This ensures that the material is tailored to their needs.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices: Apps and devices that support communication through visuals, symbols, and text help non-verbal or minimally verbal individuals with autism express themselves.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): These technologies can create immersive environments that assist in sensory integration therapy, helping autistic individuals manage sensory sensitivities.

Educational Games: Technology enables the development of entertaining, educational games that promote learning and skill development.

However, one also has to keep in mind that children suffering from ASD also have intellectual disabilities. A study uploaded on the Frontiers Journal website concludes that 50% to 70% of autistic children have this disability. Intellectual disabilities affect their social, cognitive, and adaptive skills.

Thus, they have problems participating in research-based activities.

Hence, teachers and parents need to select the right technology that can help autistic children instead of overwhelming them. A platform or software with a simple User Interface (UI) is required to ensure easy navigation. Tech applications with complicated UI might not be able to be of much help in educating autistic children.

As we’ve seen, eLearning is a powerful tool for helping autistic children to learn. It allows them to be engaged in their learning process and progress at their own pace. The classroom environment can also be more inclusive of people with special needs by using technology such as speech-to-text dictation software. This can make it easier for them to understand different concepts and learn quickly.

If you found this article interesting, check out Higher Education: Using AI to Meet Student Needs. 

Featured image: Jatuporn Tansirimas, iStock. 

The post How eLearning Transforms Education for Autistic Children appeared first on eLearningInside News.

This article was written by Shantanu Bose, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer and Provost at DeVry University. 

Higher education is on the cusp of an AI revolution. Artificial intelligence has the potential to fundamentally transform higher education for the better, including how we teach, what we learn, and the skills needed to be successful in a world shaped by AI.

By infusing AI into learning platforms and courses, colleges and universities can make the educational experience more adaptive, personalized, engaging, and impactful for students.

Universities are not moving fast enough.

Yet, many colleges and universities are moving cautiously and slowly towards the promises of AI. A report released this year by Ellucian, a leading higher education technology solutions provider, reveals that despite the recognized benefits of artificial intelligence, its use in higher education is not as widespread as perceived.

The comprehensive survey gathered responses from 1,140 higher education administrators across 768 institutions. Its findings bring to light the unrealized potential of AI in higher education. Despite the gap between the perceived and actual use of AI, over 70% of respondents view AI favorably and about half of them expect the positive effects of AI will span the student experience, from better supporting the student journey to improving student outcomes at their institution.

How is AI changing the employment landscape?

Both students and employers are grappling with their own uncertainties and realizations about AI’s capabilities and its impact on jobs. College graduates are worried about their work readiness and potential to secure jobs due to the rapid emergence of generative AI, while employers acknowledge how the hiring landscape is being changed quickly by the new technology, according to Cengage Group’s 2023 Employability Report. Educators and employers need to do more to prepare today’s workers, the report added.

Higher education has a profound duty to keep up with technological advancements that impact the learning needs and employability of students. DeVry is an institution that has a legacy of combining education and technological innovation, along with a mission to close the opportunity gap in tech-focused careers. Thus, DeVry launched its AI Lab focused on ensuring our programs and curriculum are preparing learners for a world shaped by AI.

AI as a supplement to learning.

As AI continues its rapid advancement, students expect their learning experiences to keep up. Personalized and customized content is the new norm. AI-powered software can empower learning experiences due to its ability to analyze huge amounts of data to gain insights into how students learn best and what teaching methods are most effective.

AI-powered platforms offer adaptive learning, tailored lesson plans and coursework to individual students based on their strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning styles, while also tracking their progress, engagement, and performance.

Similarly, AI-powered virtual assistants can provide instant answers to many frequently asked questions thus leaving more time for students and faculty to focus on higher value-added interactions and learning. Through its AI Lab, DeVry is experimenting with emerging AI technologies such as Retrieval-Augmented Generative (RAG) conversational AI solutions to enable a personalized learning experience.

The future of AI-assisted education

AI-powered learning systems are beneficial to not only students but also the outcomes that higher education wants to achieve. This is because, as Domoscio notes, “Learners feel valued and motivated when they are placed at the center of their own learning journey.”

As AI continues to evolve, colleges and universities that implement artificial intelligence thoughtfully and responsibly will be poised to deliver learning experiences that are truly tailored to students’ needs. The future of higher education will rely on a harmonious partnership between human insight and AI.

If you liked this article, check out How Technology Can Facilitate Early-Stage Education. 

Featured image: Tzido. 

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This article was written by eLearning Inside contributor, Alison Bell, the Regional Vice President of WGU.

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Feb. 7 made it abundantly clear that our nation’s workforce is moving in a new direction as we continue to emerge from the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We find ourselves in a unique position where the solution to our nation’s ongoing workforce shortage could be as simple as employers teaming up with higher education institutions to provide their employees with education pathways to upward mobility. Doing this has the potential to be a win-win for both the employer and employee as it provides each party with much of what they need to reach their full potential.

A snapshot of the current state of our workforce

Before employers engage with colleges and universities to create these educational pathways, they must understand the current state of our workforce and its needs.

As Baby Boomers retire, it’s estimated this departure will leave upwards of 85 million open jobs, which could result in roughly $8.5 trillion in lost revenue, according to the Korn Ferry study on the Global Talent Crunch.

This problem is only made worse by fewer students choosing to go to college.

Most recent data shows that the college-going rate has been on a steady decline for the past decade with only 61.8% of high school seniors enrolling in degree programs in 2021. One leading reason for this, which isn’t all too surprising, is cost. According to EducationData.org, the average cost of college for students nationwide is over $35,000 per year — and this has more than doubled in the 21st century.

Regardless of where one falls in their life – a recent high school graduate or an adult learner with years in the workforce already – the barrier to entry for a quality post-secondary degree is concerning.

The value of employers partnering with higher education institutions

We know today’s workforce craves opportunities to advance their skill set and add more tools to their toolkit, but it’s up to employers to offer pathways to those opportunities. These employee benefits are a part of learning and development, commonly referred to as L&D, which is something that companies of all sizes can, and should, implement at some level. L&D combats burnout caused by underutilization or lack of a clear pathway to growth, by investing in and increasing growth opportunities. By offering an education benefit, companies attract new employees, enjoy a more highly trained workforce, and, according to a 2-year Lumina Foundations study, one education reimbursement program had a 129% return on investment.

Tuition support is one type of L&D offering. Millennials have long rated development opportunities as important to them in a job, and LinkedIn found that 76% of Gen Z believe learning is key to their success.

What’s more, LinkedIn found that 43% of Gen Z want fully self-directed and more independent learning, which provides learners with the ability to learn anytime and at their own pace. As millennials and Gen Z become the majority in the workforce, companies must invest in their development or risk losing them.

A strong example of this would be the KFC Foundation which recently announced a new partnership with WGU, which pays full tuition for degrees with the online university. The partnership helps break down barriers to entry for prospective learners and allows current KFC employees an opportunity to enhance their lives in an affordable, flexible way.

Partnerships like this help provide adults in particular with a pathway to earn their degree without the financial strain that many other traditional higher ed institutions would present.

While not all employers can fund a partnership that offers 100% tuition coverage, collaboration with higher ed institutions can also shed light on the skill sets needed for hard-to-fill positions.

Further, colleges and universities can develop more targeted curricula to support workforce development. While our economy will undoubtedly continue to fluctuate, affordable and accessible education and training can boost our nation’s workforce by upskilling and retaining workers, filling in-demand roles, and encouraging prospective students to pursue higher education, no matter where they are in life.

Prioritize Online and competency-based programs within these partnerships

When it comes to partnering with colleges and universities to provide these employees with opportunities to earn their degrees, we must also recognize the needs of non-traditional students. Flexibility must be top of mind in order to set your workforce up for success because many of them are juggling multiple responsibilities on top of their roles within your organization. This makes a traditional higher education model an unreasonable option for these students as it often requires them to be in a specific classroom on a set schedule each week.

Leveraging online learning for adult learners can help break down barriers that would otherwise prevent them from pursuing these opportunities to skill up because they can earn their degree on their own time and at their own pace. Additionally, competency-based models can further accelerate this process because students can apply the skills they already have toward the requirements needed to earn that additional credential.

Our economy is in desperate need of skilled workers and employees crave opportunities that allow them to advance in their careers. Partnerships between employers and higher education institutions can be the unlock to bridging our workforce skills gap by supporting upward mobility, which in turn, increases employee retention and success.

Alison Bell has more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience and is the chancellor of WGU Indiana, a nonprofit, online university offering 60+ degrees in the four colleges of business, teaching, I.T. and health/nursing. WGU Indiana is the first-ever state model within Western Governors University and prides itself on being the nation’s first accredited competency-based university as well as having a diverse student body across the entire state of Indiana.

Featured image: Ridofranz, iStock. 

The post Employers, Higher Education Institutions, And Bridging the Skills Gap appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Veselina Dzhingarova is a contributing writer to eLearning Inside. She graduated from the Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv with majors in Russian and English Philology. She is the Co-Founder of the spiritual health site DZHINGAROV. 

Anyone who has ever picked up a new hobby knows that they need to consider three factors. Let’s say you want to learn woodworking. You must have space for all of the equipment. You must have the materials and tools. And you have to consider your new passion’s price tag.

Practically any avocation depends on those three elements. Even learning how to play a musical instrument entails having a place to play (so you don’t disturb everyone), the instrument to play with/on and the money to afford it.

From this perspective, language learning is an outlier. Particularly nowadays, with so many materials, applications and platforms free but for a sign-up. You don’t need to block off a physical space exclusively for studying a new tongue. You don’t have to store any materials and, because so much is available at no charge, you don’t need a lot of money to pursue your interest in languages.

Maybe that’s why language learning surged worldwide during the pandemic lockdowns. The use of language apps soared during those first few months of isolation and the trend hasn’t stopped. What languages was everybody learning in 2022?

The Three Most-Studied Languages

It should go without saying that Engish topped the list of most-studied languages. Our native tongue is the language of business, aviation and science, particularly technology. Most non-English speaking countries include English studies in their core curriculum. So, English as a Second Language tops every language learning trends list for 2022.

That Mandarin comes in second should be no surprise. Mainland China’s tongue has been one of the top-three-studied languages for at least a decade and looks set to keep its place. Maybe the cause is Chinese cultural elements like Lunar New Year celebrations being more mainstream. Or perhaps it’s because of China’s strong economic presence around the world.

Spanish remains a popular choice – and for good reason. More than 20 countries list Spanish as their official language; over half a billion people speak Spanish around the world. The wealth of learning materials online might have influenced learners’ decisions to choose Spanish. Cultural exports might have driven the trend, too. Who could resist a sultry canción or an original-language Almodóvar production?

A Shift in the Order

Historically, French and German have vied for third and fourth place. It’s easy to understand why. Not so long ago, German was the language of science. That country’s engineers are still revered for their precision machinery and technological advances. As for French… Well, you just weren’t cultured if you couldn’t speak French!

It’s no longer the case that those two languages lead the learning horde. Over the past two decades, one country’s cultural exports have prompted quiet but steady inroads into western European language dominance. And over the past three years, that language has exploded onto the stage.

Korean has taken over the Number 3 spot. Thanks to shows like Squid Game, films such as Parasite and music from the likes of BTS and Blackpink, more people than ever are riding the Korean (Hallyu) Wave.

This year, French edged German out to claim the fourth spot on the ‘Languages to Learn’ list. This tongue is a bit easier for native English speakers to master because nearly one-third of their English vocabulary comes from French. It is the official language in 29 countries. Finding French lessons is easy, too. Indeed, French may be one of the world’s most accessible languages.

By contrast, German and English share a root language. That and the aforementioned qualities keep the Language of Goethe high on learners’ lists. And the fact that Germany is the European economic powerhouse. A fair number of English speakers have relocated to Germany for its generous entrepreneurial initiatives as well as its progressive social climate.

Rounding Out the Top Ten

Language learners seeking a challenge settled their caps on Japanese this year. Japanese grammar is complex and the writing system blends three ‘alphabets’ into one language. It’s not just otaku – people enraptured with anime and manga who are mastering kanji, hiragana and katakana, though. Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world; most of its systems were designed and built by native companies. Any tech engineer would gladly learn this language for the chance to work on a Japanese-led project.

Most of the five Romance languages feature among the top languages learned; Italian is no exception. And why not? Italy has a lot going for it. All of the religious and heritage sites, sure. But also this little-known fact: Italy is the 11th-largest global economy.

It might surprise some how widely Portuguese is spoken around the world. Not just in Brazil and Portugal – each with its own version of the language, but also in some African countries.

Romanian is the only Romance language not to feature in the Top Ten list of 2022 languages studied. But it would be easy enough to learn alongside Portuguese, French or Spanish. Or you could follow other savvy language learners’ leads and study one of the two languages newly on the list.

It’s not hard to understand why more people chose to study Arabic and Hindi this year. The US has long declared Arabic a language of strategic importance. Considering the economic powerhouse East Asia is and its role in shaping world events, you may say that assessment is an understatement.

Arabic is spoken in 27 countries but each nation has its own version of the language. However, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) will get you by in all of them. And if you have your sights set on a specific country, you can find learning materials for that dialect.

India is a rising economic powerhouse so learning Hindi is a good move, too. Besides, Hindi is the third most-spoken language worldwide. Whether you want to explore opportunities in Singapore, Nepal or India herself, learning this language might be easier than you think.

Featured image: annatodica, iStock. 

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Contributing article by Brandon Shopp, the Group Vice President of Product at SolarWinds

As technology remains a key part of the educational experience, IT teams continue improving processes that focus on enhancing educational outcomes while ensuring resilience across the digital ecosystem.
But, with a new year around the corner, IT teams may be asking: “What should our priorities be in 2023?”

To help answer that question, here are three considerations IT leaders must consider as they plan their 2023 IT strategy.

1 Protect student data

Cyberattacks against schools – from K-12 through higher education – are rising. The education sector experienced a 44% increase in cyberattacks in 2022 compared with 2021. And the impacts are significant; in 2021, the cost of ransomware attacks on schools and colleges alone was $3.6 million, with ransom payouts soaring from $220,000 to $2 million.

While schools have increased their cybersecurity budgets in recent years, challenges remain.
According to the 2022 SolarWinds Public Sector Cybersecurity Survey, a key security obstacle is threat detection and remediation. Observability of security events and threat data is a major challenge for IT pros, which can limit their ability to identify and act upon malicious activity.

In 2023, IT pros must prioritize the adoption of centralized monitoring technology. This isn’t just best practice, it’s a key requirement of The White House Cybersecurity Executive Order.

An easy first step towards compliance and improved threat detection and remediation is to use modern security information event management (SIEM) tools to monitor activity on school networks.

A SIEM monitors suspicious activity and compliance issues 24/7 by gathering logs from apps and systems located in a centralized location across hybrid environments. In this way, teams can quickly cut through the clutter, pinpoint security vulnerabilities and potential threats, and prioritize where they should focus their limited resources.

2 Automate manual IT tasks

Schools and universities are increasingly adopting technologies to automate administrative workflows, enrollment processes, and assessments. The same should be true of IT.

By automating manual IT tasks, education institutions can free up resources to work on higher-value initiatives while improving resilience and security.

Areas that are ripe for automation include network management, user provisioning, patch management, and ITIL service automation. Automation also makes managing complex environments easier.

By aggregating data from across the IT environment, automated insights can alert IT teams when something isn’t right and why it isn’t right – whether it’s a software vulnerability or configuration drift on the network. With this insight, they can move from a reactive to a proactive mode as they address problems across the IT ecosystem.

3 Network stability

A growing IT performance challenge facing schools is the huge number of connected devices on their networks – particularly during peak registration and testing periods. Ensuring a consistent experience across the district or faculty will be key for students to have a smooth learning experience.

To help IT managers grapple with this, teams need a way to automatically discover and visualize network devices and their health – across hybrid environments. The better they can picture the environment, the easier it is to understand problems. Automation can help with this process.

For example, auto-generated maps of critical network paths can help IT pros can answer the question: “Is it the app or the network?”, and quickly isolate what’s contributing to performance issues – in a user-friendly way.

The bottom line

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to education systems, accelerating the adoption of remote learning and new content delivery tools. But these technology solutions have significantly increased the network perimeter and attack surface.

For students to continue to enjoy rich, immersive, and expanded digital learning, IT leaders must prioritize the right approaches to mitigating complexity and cyber risk in 2023.

Featured images: Serhii Bolshakov, iStock. 

The post Tech in 2023: 3 Priorities for Education IT Leaders appeared first on eLearningInside News.

The pressure to create a strong resume without experience can be tremendous for a college freshman. Carving out a career whilst still in college is a strategy many students choose to take, so having a comprehensive bank of skills and expertise in their resume is essential.

There are actionable steps undergraduates can take to bolster up their employability, and gain skills and expertise outside of their part-time job. Here are a few ways to start.

Volunteer for Non-Profits

Only some have the freedom to volunteer for non-profits. This is because, firstly, working people need to earn an excellent income to survive and secondly, they have other priorities. However, as a college student, you can invest a few hours each week to volunteer in non-profits.

You can engage in manual or remote work that involves collecting McDVoice survey forms or other jobs. It will not only help you increase your experience but also will empower you with new skills.

Numerous non-profit organizations in the country accept volunteer work. Such works are either remote or on-site. Depending upon your convenience, you can engage in any of these.

Join A Student Union

Joining the student union is an excellent way of staying active in college. It helps you to gain leadership skills which are always in high demand. Additionally, as a part of the student union, you will come across ample opportunities for which you can take responsibility.

Join a Hackathon

If you are pursuing any computer-related course, taking part in a hackathon is an excellent way of flaunting your skills. There are numerous global and national hackathons in which you can take part from the comfort of your home.

A good rank and even an improved graph can help prove to your interviewer why you are perfect for a particular skill. Even if you fail to score a good rank but improve it consistently, you can still show it in your resume as a quick learner ready to improve.

Many students make the mistake of simply listing out skills like “quick learner” on their resume. However, with the evidence of improved rank, you can show them that you possess this skill instead of just telling them.

Take A Leading Role In A Club/Society

Many students join a club or society during their college days which is good. However, if you want to shine even in this crowd, it becomes vital for you to take a leading role in it. It will give you a competitive edge over your peers. Additionally, it will rain to help you to showcase your leadership skills.

For example, if you are in a marketing club, you can start an initiative like collecting survey forms similar to TalkToWendys to improve customer experience. Therefore, we recommend you join a society or club in the first year. Doing it will help you to climb to a leading role by the time you graduate.

Freelance

If you want to gain experience on your own terms, freelancing is a great alternative. There are multiple platforms online which will help you to become a freelancer in a field in which you excel. You also have the option of creating a portfolio of your freelance work. When freelancing, ensure that you receive positive feedback, which you can later show or talk about during your interview.

Start A Blog / YouTube Channel/ Branded Social Media Account

The beauty of the digital platform is the independence that it can give. Thanks to it, you can start a blog, YouTube Channel, or professional social media account on any topic of your interest. Considering the fact that you are choosing a niche of your interest, upscaling on the platform will be relatively easy. You can state the same if you get good hits on these platforms.

If your blogging receives a good number of readers, you can showcase your writing and SEO skills. Similarly, a successful YouTube channel reflects your visual communication skill. Your social media account with a large follower base results from your marketing skills. Finally, with success stories in any or all of these platforms, you can show your in-depth knowledge in a particular niche.

Featured image: Xavier Lorenzo, iStock. 

The post Ways to Boost Your Resume As A College Freshman appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Instructional design has a number of benefits including its low cost and high productivity over other methods of corporate training.

By using the instructional design process, corporate training can benefit from more effective and efficient content that’s designed to stick in the minds of employees who will then be able to apply that knowledge in the workplace on a daily basis.

Instructional design, also known as instructional systems design, offers numerous benefits to corporate training departments when it comes to designing programs that are accessible, interactive, and engaging.

Keep employees up to date

In our constantly-changing world, it’s more important than ever for employees to be kept up-to-date on the latest company procedures and changes in the industry.

That’s where instructional design comes in! By using engaging and effective design methods, corporate trainers can ensure that employees are learning the latest information in a way that is both appealing and efficient.

Increase workforce productivity

When you work with an instructional design, you can be sure that your employees are getting the best possible training. This method specializes in creating effective and efficient online training materials.

By using instructional design, you can increase the productivity of your workforce. This is because employees will be able to learn the online training material more quickly and retain it for a longer period of time.

Additionally, instructional design can help reduce the amount of time that employees need to spend on training. This is because the online training materials will be more focused and easier to understand.

Furthermore, instructional design can help make your training more engaging and interesting for employees through the use of multimedia and facets like quizzes and gamification. This is important because it can help keep them motivated to learn the online training material.

Expand employee capabilities

When you work with instructional design, you can expand the capabilities of your employees. It helps do so by improving the quality of training and development programs. They will be able to learn new things faster and retain information more effectively.

Additionally, they’ll be better equipped to handle difficult tasks and adapt to change. As a result, your company will be more productive and efficient. Instructional designers can create custom-tailored programs that meet the specific needs of your company and employees. In this way, it helps expand the capabilities of all employees with individual focus.

By using instructional design principles, you can make your training more engaging and effective, which leads to employees who are better equipped to do their jobs. Your company will get the most out of its training investment, and employees will be better able to apply what they’ve learned to their work.

Decrease turnover

Businesses that experience high staff turnover may find it expensive to continually train new hires. By improving training’s effectiveness and engagement, instructional design can aid in reducing turnover.

By producing entertaining and simple-to-follow training materials, instructional design firms contribute to a reduction in staff turnover. Additionally, instructional design firms can make online training courses that are uniquely tailored to your business’s culture and beliefs.

This makes it easier to find employees who are the ideal fit for your business and are more likely to stay for a while. In the long run, the business also saves money.

Improve decision-making skills

Many instructional design companies help clients improve their decision-making skills. This is because when you have a clear understanding of your goals, you can more easily identify the best path to achieving them.

When you have to make decisions about your business, it’s helpful to have a clear process to follow. That’s where instructional design comes in. By outlining the steps you need to take to reach your goals, instructional design can help you make better decisions for your business.

Furthermore, instructional design can help you break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This makes it easier to see the big picture and make informed decisions about how to proceed. Additionally, instructional design can provide you with feedback loops that allow you to track your progress and make necessary adjustments along the way. As a result, you are more likely to achieve your desired outcome and avoid potential pitfalls.

Stay up to date with trends and technologies

It can be difficult for trainers to keep up with the latest trends and technologies, but instructional designers can help. By keeping up with trends and technologies, instructional designers can help create training that is more relevant and engaging for corporate learners.

Additionally, instructional designers can help identify when new technologies can be used to improve training effectiveness. Instructional designers know how to use a variety of media to create an engaging learning experience. They can use video, audio, images, and text to create an immersive experience that helps employees retain information.

Extended Shelf Life of Content

An instructional designer is trained to prioritize sustainability while creating a curriculum and a course. Instructional designers’ online training courses are renowned to survive for years without needing to be updated.

An instructional designer may achieve this because they use and leverage various technologies and methodologies to produce online training courses with minimal need for updating.

Even when an update is required, instructional designers take precautions to make sure that the particular section is given a certain amount of flexibility to accept the update without materially altering the course’s flow.

Conclusion

So, these are the top benefits of incorporating instructional design into the learning and development process in corporate settings. We hope that now you will realize how crucial it is to use instructional design in your company’s corporate training.

Featured image: Chatchai Limjareon, iStock. 

The post Instructional Design in Corporate Training: Skills Employees Need appeared first on eLearningInside News.

Given the fact that increasing numbers of people are able to complete everything from grocery shopping to work meetings online, it’s no surprise that CEUs (Continuing Education Units) are also available in virtual form. Online classes have been a thing for years, but CEUs tend to be more specialized.

They may not count towards the credits you’d need for a degree, but they can be just as valuable in terms of getting your dream job or salary. Even if you’re just taking a CEU because you want to explore a subject more in-depth, that could translate to concrete benefits for a future career.

In some fields, CEUs are mandatory in order to maintain a license or certification. For example, nurses and other medical professionals have to keep up with current medical research and breakthroughs, even if they got their degrees 30 years ago. They can use services like Nursing Central to bring them the information they need, which helps them to provide top-of-the-line care for their patients. They also have to prove that their medical knowledge is up-to-date by completing approved nursing CEUs.

Reasons why people take CEU courses at home

In a nutshell, the main motivation is convenience. However, that isn’t the only reason why people are opting for online CEUs. Let’s take a closer look at the details:

Budgetary reasons – Whether you’re taking a CEU or a regular college-level class, the online versions are often less expensive than typical classroom courses. The tuition is usually the same, but you’ll definitely save money on travel expenses.

There’s no need to travel – You might live in a town where the CEU options are limited, or you could have your heart set on a course that’s offered from across the globe. Whatever the case, an online CEU means you don’t have to worry about how you’d access the course.

You have other commitments – Attending class in a classroom is a lot more hassle than attending an online course. If all you have to do is park yourself in front of your computer for a set amount of time, you’ll probably find it a lot easier to squeeze a CEU into an already busy schedule.

You have an inflexible work schedule – Sure, night classes are a thing, but they aren’t common enough to rely on when you’re looking for the CEU you need. Since online CEUs let you listen to lectures and submit assignments at any time of day or night, this means that a tight work schedule won’t get in the way of continuing education.

Why do people take CEU courses in the first place?

Some jobs (such as nurses, doctors, or lawyers) require continuing education in order to maintain their licenses, but not everyone takes these courses because they have to. Some people take them for personal reasons. For instance, an advanced certification (which could be earned through a CEU) can increase lifetime earnings by up to 35% compared to just having a bachelor’s degree.

CEUs can also be a way to prove that you’re dedicated to your job. If employees want to make themselves seem more valuable to their bosses, a continuing education course can help do the trick. The same principle applies to anyone who’s looking for a job. The more qualified you are for a position, the more likely you are to get hired.

Differences between online and in-person CEUs

Taking a class online may be more convenient, but it also comes with its own challenges compared to traditional classes. Here’s how they stack up:

You’ll have to concentrate more – If you’re in a classroom, the most interesting thing in the room will (hopefully) be the professor. If you’re taking an online course, however, you could have more distractions than you can shake a stick at. There could be emails, texts, phone calls, kids, or co-workers. It’s certainly possible to remove yourself from all these distractions; it’ll just take more discipline than you might expect.

You’ll have to be more proactive – Depending on the course you’re taking, you might not have too much competition for the professor’s attention in the classroom. In a CEU, on the other hand, you could be one of the hundreds of students – and you have to do more than raise your hand if you have a question. If you run into a roadblock, you’ll have to make sure that you contact someone directly.

You’ll need better time-management skills – In-person classes may be less convenient, but they’re also harder to procrastinate on. You can take online CEUs when it suits you, but if you chronically delay assignments, you might end up in trouble if you leave everything until the last minute. If you’re going to take a CEU online, make sure you’re structured enough to get everything done on time.

You’ll need a certain amount of technical knowledge – This probably won’t be an issue for younger generations, but remember that CEUs are often taken by those who’ve already spent a decade or two in the workforce; they might not be that well acquainted with today’s technology. You’ll be navigating the platform where the CEU is made available, plus you could be using tools like Skype, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat, or Microsoft Word. You’ll also need decent WiFi and a reliable computer.

You’d benefit from having good writing skills – This isn’t just about crafting well-written papers, although it wouldn’t hurt. It’s about being able to communicate with people you can’t see face-to-face. If you want to participate in discussions or explain what you need help with, you’ll need to be able to express yourself via the written word.

The Benefits of going digital

No matter what your reason happens to be for taking a CEU, you might benefit from doing it online. It’s more convenient, and it’s often more cost-effective. Millions of people in the US take CEUs each year, and growing numbers of people are choosing to complete the courses online. If you think it would be a good fit for you, maybe it’s time to give it a try yourself.

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