ASTD's Learning Circuits Express - 24 August, 2001

TrainingZone

ASTD’s Learning Circuits Express – 24 August, 2001

By TrainingZone

Tags: Technology

Learning Circuits Express is a free information service provided by Learning Circuits, ASTD’s online magazine about e-learning (http://www.learningcircuits.org).

1. Training E-Trainers
2. Web Course Usability
3. ASTD TechKnowledge Conference & Exposition
4. DigitalThink Snares LearningByte
5. Licensing Deals, Partnerships Proliferate
6. Two Learning Trade Groups Merge

1. Training E-Trainers
here's a look at how some trainers learned how to deliver e-learning through NYUonline.

READ: http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/aug2001/frankola.html

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2. Web Course Usability

Increase the learning potential of Web courses by following these simple principles from Web usability guru Jakob Nielsen.

READ: http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/aug2001/elearn.html

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3. ASTD TechKnowledge Conference & Exposition

ASTD TechKnowledge® Conference & Exposition offers six tracks of sessions dedicated to e-learning

Whether you're new to e-learning or pioneering the field, ASTD TechKnowledge® offers sessions and events geared to your interests and experience level. This conference is designed to bring together everyone involved in planning, designing, managing, and implementing e-learning. You'll learn from--and with--your colleagues.

ASTD TechKnowledge® 2001 will be held in Charlotte, NC, USA from October 9-12. ASTD TechKnowledge® 2002 will be held in Las Vegas, NV, USA from February 4-7. The theme is TRUTH IN E-LEARNING and six tracks of sessions will be offered, ranging from beginning to advanced. You can start with one track geared to your experience level in October and step up to the next level in February.

Be sure to check out the interactive schedule builder, take the online tour, and sign up for the new ASTD TechKnowledge® e-learning newsletter.

VISIT http://www.astd.org/ASTDTechKnowledge

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4. DigitalThink Snares LearningByte

DigitalThink’s proposed acquisition of LearningByte International, a provider of custom e-learning courseware, will produce a more efficient company that will dominate the custom content market, according to industry analysts. Certainly among the chief benefits for corporate trainers will be an increase in scope and delivery options for custom corporate education products.

The $60.5 million buyout of privately held LearningByte is expected to close September 30. DigitalThink says the purchase of the Minneapolis-based company will solidify its position as the top provider of custom e-learning solutions, and will impact its profitability. Indeed, it will benefit from LearningByte's strong presence in the automotive, rental car, and airline industries, serving companies such as DaimlerChrysler, American Honda, Thrifty Car Rental, and Northwest Airlines. DigitalThink’s customers include General Electric, McDonalds, Circuit City, Charles Schwab, Cisco Systems, and KPMG Consulting.

DigitalThink’s products are delivered and hosted over the Internet while LearningByte delivers its products primarily over corporate intranets that are behind a client’s firewall. "The company’s flexible tool set and open architecture allow it to extend its full range of features to clients regardless of their delivery mode," say W.R. Hambrecht + Co. analysts Trace Urdan and Cornelia Weegan.

"With this acquisition, DigitalThink significantly strengthens its market position through the addition of LearningByte's impressive customer base, a more flexible range of delivery options and increased production capabilities that are based on highly scalable and repeatable development methodologies," says DigitalThink president and CEO Jon Madonna.

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5. Licensing Deals, Partnerships Proliferate

Content developer LogicBay has allied with Centra Software, a provider of live e-learning and collaboration applications. The partnership will enable LogicBay to offer blended e-learning solutions that combine LogicBay's expertise in custom content with Centra's virtual e-learning products. It also will enable existing Centra customers to benefit from LogicBay's extensive line of e-learning services and capabilities. Centra’s expertise in synchronous Web-based learning "is a perfect fit with our content development capabilities," says Paul Jeffries, president and CEO of LogicBay. "With Centra's line of products, such as Internet-based virtual classrooms and interactive, real-time Webcasts, we can now further customize our e-learning packages to best fit our clients' particular needs."

Raleigh, North Carolina-based Tech Resource Group has licensed NYUonline’s authoring software to develop e-learning content for its clients. NYUonline’s iAuthor software is comprised of a collection of advanced Internet tools that build learning object-driven courses for the corporate environment. TRG will use iAuthor to develop custom e-learning content for its corporate clients, to repurpose existing content for online delivery, and to expand its customizable business library. All content built with iAuthor will be in learning object format and SCORM-compliant, making it interoperable with all compliant learning management systems.

In another development, NYUonline and Generation21 Learning Systems have partnered to integrate NYUonline’s iAuthor with Generation21’s Total Knowledge Management system. According to Generation 21, the partnership will provide clients with the capability to rapidly develop content and deliver, manage, and maintain knowledge.

Docent has licensed its integrated product suite to Halliburton Energy Services, a deal that continues Docent’s expansion into the energy sector. Docent’s products will enhance Halliburton's Vision 2003, which helps the company transfer knowledge to far flung employees and customers. One component of Docent Enterprise, Docent Mobile, will provide Halliburton employees with the ability to gather and apply organizational knowledge from offshore facilities and other remote locations.

The Independent Insurance Agents of America has selected Anlon Systems's Anlon 4.0 LCMS as the foundation platform for e-learning. IIAA, which is the largest independent agent association with a federation of 51 state associations, will supply over 300,000 of its independent agents and their employees with online continuing education and professional development needs mandated by state governments. IIAA expects approximately 50 courses to be available nationwide by October 2001, and that roughly 30,000 of its members will participate in the first year.

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6. Two Learning Trade Groups Merge

The Instructional Systems Association has combined forces with the Digital Learning Organization to form a single group that represents a broad spectrum of suppliers of business training and performance consulting for workplace learning. The new organization will have more than 150 supplier members and will continue to use the ISA name. The 25-year-old ISA, based in Lake Ridge, Virginia, was founded by entrepreneurs in workplace learning. "Bringing together the two associations provides unified strength in areas such as industry-related research, standards, intellectual property protection, and best of all, networking among peers," says Daryl Conner, president of the ISA Board.

DLO, formerly the Training Media Association, is an international trade organization comprised of the leading digital learning media producers and distributors. Its members represent every type of learning media, including video, CD-ROM, DVD, streaming media, books, assessment tools, games and simulations, satellite programming, teleconferencing, and Internet and intranet programming. DLO president Ann Boland says the merger "enables every facet of the fast-growing learning industry to be represented in a single trade association. By bringing together training suppliers of all kinds, the merged organization will have far greater influence on the industry."

ISA executive director Pamela Schmidt says the unified organization "provides our members with greater variety and frequency of programs with unparalleled opportunities to network with other learning suppliers." ISA’s home page is www.isaconnection.org.

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SUBMIT CASE STUDIES

Have you implemented e-learning at your organization? If so, share your story with other Learning Circuits's readers. We're looking for real stories from real practitioners in the field. What were your challenges? What were your successes? What do wish someone had told you before you started your program? Send articles to learningcircuits@astd.org.

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