Web-Based Training Activity This activity requires you to do the following: STEP 1: Access the web-based training created by the U.S. Small Business Administration on customer service linked here. STEP 2: Complete the online training, including all units. STEP 3: When you reach the final screen that produces a Certificate of Completion, follow the prompts to produce the certificate. Save the certificate by creating a screenshot of it. Paste and place the screen shot in the designated area on the final page of this document. See the “How to Create a Screen shot” notes on the next page if you are unfamiliar with how to do this. STEP 4: Evaluate the online training by giving consideration to ideas discussed in Unit 10 specifically, as well as what you have learned throughout the course to this point regarding T&D generally. Use the form on the final page, taking as much space as you need to respond, to complete the activity. How to Create a Screen Shot If you are unable to print, scan and attach the confirmation that you completed the online training, as an alternative you can create a “screen shot” of the confirmation page and submit that as a document along with our activity. To create a screen shot using Microsoft Windows… While you are on the certificate page press the Print Screen key. Doing so will capture a screenshot of the entire desktop area. It places this image in the clipboard. From here open Word and paste the screen shot either by using the paste icon that appears in the toolbar at the top of the page or by right clicking your mouse and selecting “paste” from the dropdown menu. To create a screen shot using Mac… While you are on the certificate page press the Command-Shift-3 combination of keys to take a screen shot of the entire screen. It places this image in the clipboard. From here open a Word document and paste the screen shot within the word document. If you are using and HP laptop you will need to do the following… While you are on the certificate page press the “home” key while holding down the “fn” key (with the box around it). This will place an image in the clipboard. Open Word and paste the screen shot either by using the paste icon that appears in the toolbar at the top of the page or by right clicking your mouse and selecting “paste” from the dropdown menu. If none of the above work… Google “why won’t my print screen key work” and you will likely find directions (like those above for HP laptops) that are specific to your computer. Web-Based Training Activity Evaluation 1. To what degree and in what ways was the training simple or complex? 2. Was the training accessible in three clicks or less? Did it contain any dead ends? 3. How was the content sticky? Was it simple, concrete, credible? If so, why? If not, what else did it need to make it sticky? 4. Was it well organized and presented in manageable units? 5. Did it contain a clear overview, as well a.

1. Web-Based Training Activity
This activity requires you to do the following:
STEP 1:
Access the web-based training created by the U.S. Small
Business
Administration on customer service linked here.
STEP 2:
Complete the online training, including all units.
STEP 3:
When you reach the final screen that produces a Certificate of
Completion, follow the prompts to produce the certificate. Save
the
certificate by creating a screenshot of it. Paste and
place the screen
shot in the designated area on the final page of this document.
See the “How to Create a Screen shot” notes on the next page if
you

2. are unfamiliar with how to do this.
STEP 4:
Evaluate the online training by giving consideration to ideas
discussed
in Unit 10 specifically, as well as what you have learned
throughout
the course to this point regarding T&D generally. Use the form
on the
final page, taking as much space as you need to respond, to
complete
the activity.
How to Create a Screen Shot
If you are unable to print, scan and attach the confirmation that
you completed the online training, as an alternative you can
create a “screen shot” of the confirmation page and submit that
as a document along with our activity.
To create a screen shot using Microsoft Windows…
While you are on the certificate page press the Print Screen key.
Doing so will capture a screenshot of the entire desktop area. It
places this image in the clipboard. From here open Word and
paste the screen shot either by using the paste icon that appears
in the toolbar at the top of the page or by right clicking your
mouse and selecting “paste” from the dropdown menu.

3. To create a screen shot using Mac…
While you are on the certificate page press the Command-Shift-
3 combination of keys to take a screen shot of the entire screen.
It places this image in the clipboard. From here open a Word
document and paste the screen shot within the word document.
If you are using and HP laptop you will need to do the
following…
While you are on the certificate page press the “home” key
while holding down the “fn” key (with the box around it). This
will place an image in the clipboard. Open Word and paste the
screen shot either by using the paste icon that appears in the
toolbar at the top of the page or by right clicking your mouse
and selecting “paste” from the dropdown menu.
If none of the above work…
Google “why won’t my print screen key work” and you will
likely find directions (like those above for HP laptops) that are
specific to your computer.
Web-Based Training Activity Evaluation
1. To what degree and in what ways was the training simple or
complex?
2. Was the training accessible in three clicks or less? Did it
contain any dead ends?
3. How was the content sticky? Was it simple, concrete,
credible? If so, why? If
not, what else did it need to make it sticky?

4. 4. Was it well organized and presented in manageable units?
5. Did it contain a clear overview, as well as clear previews and
summaries? Did it
have some form of review at the end? Where there any
opportunities to access
additional content?
Paste the Screen Shot of Your Certificate of Completion (with
your name typed in) below the line.
_____________________________________________________
_____________
MARCH 27, 2006
NEWS: ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY
Laura Holshouser's favorite video games include Halo, Tetris,
and an online training game developed by her employer. A
training game? That's
right. The 24-year-old graduate student, who manages a Cold
Stone Creamery ice-cream store in Riverside, Calif., stumbled
across the game on
the corporate Web site in October.
It teaches portion control and customer service in a cartoon-like

5. simulation of a Cold Stone store. Players scoop cones against
the clock and try
to avoid serving too much ice cream. The company says more
than 8,000 employees, or about 30% of the total, voluntarily
downloaded the
game in the first week. "It's so much fun," says Holshouser. "I
e-mailed it to everyone at work."
The military has used video games as a training tool since the
1980s. Now the practice is catching on with companies, too,
ranging from Cold Stone to Cisco Systems Inc.
(CSCO ) to Canon Inc. (CAJ ) Corporate trainers are betting
that games' interactivity and fun will hook young, media-savvy
employees like Holshouser and help them grasp
and retain sales, technical, and management skills. "Video
games teach resource management, collaboration, critical
thinking, and tolerance for failure," says Ben Sawyer,
who runs Digitalmill Inc., a game consultancy in Portland, Me..
The market for corporate training games is small but it's
growing fast. Sawyer estimates that such games make up 15% of
the "serious," or nonentertainment market, which
also includes educational and medical training products. Over
the next five years, Sawyer sees the serious-games market more
than doubling, to $100 million, with trainers
accounting for nearly a third of that. It's numbers like those that
prompted Cyberlore Studios Inc., maker of Playboy: The

6. Mansion, to refocus on training games -- albeit
based on its Playboy title. And training games will be top of
mind at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif.,
this month.
Companies like video games because they are cost-effective.
Why pay for someone to fly to a central training campus when
you can just plunk them down in front of a
computer? Even better, employees often play the games at home
on their own time. Besides, by industry standards, training
games are cheap to make. A typical military
game costs up to $10 million, while sophisticated entertainment
games can cost twice that. Since the corporate variety don't
require dramatic, warlike explosions or complex
3D graphics, they cost a lot less. BreakAway Games Ltd., which
designs simulation games for the military, is finishing its first
corporate product, V-bank, to train bank
auditors. Its budget? Just $500,000.
DRAG AND DROP
Games are especially well-suited to training technicians. In one
used by Canon, repairmen must drag and drop parts into the
right spot on a copier. As in the board game
Operation, a light flashes and a buzzer sounds if the repairman
gets it wrong. Workers who played the game showed a 5% to
8% improvement in their training scores

7. compared with older training techniques such as manuals, says
Chuck Reinders, who trains technical support staff at Canon.
This spring, the company will unveil 11 new
training games.
Games are also being developed to help teach customer service
workers to be more empathetic. Cyberlore, now rechristened
Minerva Software Inc., is developing a training
tool for a retailer by rejiggering its Playboy Mansion game. In
the original, guests had to persuade models to pose topless. The
new game requires players to use the art of
persuasion to sell products, and simulates a store, down to the
carpet and point-of-purchase display details.
Don Field, director of certifications at Cisco, says games won't
entirely replace traditional training methods such as videos and
classes. But he says they should be part of
the toolbox. Last year, Cisco rolled out six new training games -
- some of them designed to teach technicians how to build a
computer network. It's hard to imagine a drier
subject. Not so in the virtual world. In one Cisco game, players
must put the network together on Mars. In a sandstorm. "Our
employees learn without realizing they are
learning," says Field. Sounds suspiciously like fun.
By Reena Jana

8. Advertising | Special Sections | MarketPlace | Knowledge
Centers
Terms of Use | Privacy Notice | Ethics Code | Contact Us
Copyright 2000- 2012 Bloomberg L.P.
All rights reserved.
Close Window
On-The-Job Video Gaming
Interactive training tools are captivating employees and saving
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Slide Show >>
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06_13/b3977062.htm?chan=gl
UNIT 10 TRAINING and TECHNOLOGY
As with much else in our culture currently, technology has had
an impact on training both with regard to the delivery of
training and the need for it (i.e., new technologies demand

9. training). While technology is a moving target, constantly
changing and improving, it is important to try and understand
some of the fundamental ideas related to technology and
training. That is the purpose of this particular unit.
We begin by taking a look at e-learning. E-learning is a term
used to denote learning that takes place via some computer
and/or web based platform. Simply put, it refers to computer
and web-based training. So, for example, a company may use a
series of computer and online materials (videos, assessments,
etc.) to train employees about safety procedures. The entire
training can take place in front of a computer.
While web based training has some natural limitations, it
provides considerable benefits as well. These are realized
particularly in the ease of access (anyone with a computer can
access the training) and completion (people can proceed at their
own pace, repeat steps that are more difficult, and check their
progress). Additionally, it minimizes the cost of training and
appeals to contemporary learners who are used to accessing
information via the computer.
An additional benefit of e-learning is the ability to move away
from multi-hour training sessions and to replace those with
small, focused, and specific training segments. Such segments
are highly targeted and comparatively brief in nature. And they
are accessible repeatedly. Thus, someone can complete the
training and return to review it as many times as necessary to
ensure mastery of the skill (versus only sitting through a longer,
larger multi-hour training session).
E-learning also allows for revamping training on a much

10. quicker basis. While the organizational needs change, it usually
is quicker and easier to reformat short/focused training sessions
and only those that need revamping versus an entire longer
training session.
Another interesting facet of e-learning is that it affords the
ability to conduct training that is either synchronous (everyone
is participating at the same time) or asynchronous (people
complete it separately and at different points in time).
Given these attributes, it is not surprising that e-learning
particularly with regard to training is gaining quickly in
popularity. See the article to read about this trend.
Differences in Traditional and Web-Based Training
The follow table lists the differences in training on a continuum
from traditional delivery to e-learning delivery. The
differentiating factors being:
Setting (face-to-face or online)
Timing (synchronous versus asynchronous)
Directedness (trainer or self-directed)
Traditional Classroom Delivery
Face-to-Face
Trainer Directed

11. Web/Video
Conference Delivery
Partially online and Face-to-Face
Trainer Directed
Web-Based Delivery
Fully Online
Self Directed
Synchronous
Asynchronous
Clearly, there are considerable differences between traditional
and web-based training. Thus, it is important to take a closer
look at what makes for optimal web-based training.
Design Principles for Web Training
1. Keep it Simple
Don’t let the technology overshadow the content and process of
the training.
2. Use Three Clicks
Make everything accessible with fewer than three clicks.
Navigation tools
should be easy to see and follow, and in a consistent location
throughout the

12. training module.
3. Avoid Dead-Ends
Do not want trainees to get lost or be unable to return to where
they need to
be. Thus navigation tools need to be clear and consistent and
well conceived
in the first place. Make sure a website allows users to continue,
return, and
exit/escape — and that these options are made clear.
4. Make it Sticky
Sticky refers to the ability of a website to attract and maintain
attention. This
can be achieved by having content that is:
Simple (keep core messages and supporting graphics clear and
coordinated)
Concrete (use tools like mnemonic devices to help trainees
understand and remember)
Credible (draw on experts or known personalities to endorse the
relevance and importance of the training content)
5. Chunk It
Chunk the content into pages (as a rule 15-20 pages) that can be
examined
and understood in about a minute each. Also, chunk the overall
content into

13. chapters that can be complete in discrete units. This provides a
sense of
accomplishment so that people know and appreciate that they
are making
progress.
6. Keep it Organized
The training should be clearly organized. This should include:
Previewing the Training Program
Previewing Separate Units/Chapters
Reviewing Course Content within Units/Chapters (can be done
through quizzes or other forms of assessment)
Providing Opportunities for Additional Content (content that
can be accessed by “drilling down” to see an article, video,
exercise, etc.)
The beginning of this unit noted that technologies are changing
rapidly. Not surprisingly the delivery of training is changing as
well. E-learning is now being accompanied by something being
called m-learning, which refers to learning via mobile devices.
This is not surprising given the advantages of e-learning noted
above combined with the miniaturization and mobilization of
computing technologies. What once filled our desktops can now
be found on a smart phone or personal computing device. Have
a look at this article to learn more about m-learning.

14. Another technology that has gained moment in recent years is
video gaming. And it appears that this technology has found its
way into training as well. Read the following piece to learn
more.
Now it is time for you to critique a piece of e-learning/web-
based training. Complete the Web-Based Training Activity to
complete this unit.
_1234567891.pdf
Learning Technologies
Training Industry Exclusive
mLearning: A Framework for Moving from
IF to HOW
By: Shabnam Irfani & Chris ShusterJune 28, 2011
There is substantial buzz sweeping through today’s conference
rooms and around water coolers about all things mobile and
for good reason. With 5 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide,
72 percent of the U.S. workforce already mobile and 200
percent year-over-year growth for tablet computers, companies
are well beyond debating if mobile is a good strategy… and
are now laser focused on when and how.[1]

15. As Christina “CK” Kerley explained through The Mobile
Revolution & B2B, “There are no holes left to fill in the
business
argument for mobile integration, only dots left to connect by
today’s executives.” Further illuminating mobile’s profound
implications, Google’s Dennis Woodside declared, “This new,
huge technology market will transform almost every industry.”
Indeed, the business world finds itself transfixed by a
remarkable innovation that produces stunning opportunities
across
marketing, sales, communications, support, and, yes, training.
Yet our experiences suggest that most companies lack a
cohesive mobile strategy, let alone one that focuses on learners.
And
so, this article lays out a 5-step framework—supported by key
questions and critical considerations—to guide your
development of an mLearning strategy.
Step 1: Determining mLearning Strategy
Wherever your company may find itself in the mLearning
adoption curve, creating a well-defined strategy will ensure a
more
successful outcome. Begin by asking “What exactly is driving
mLearning adoption, and what are the perceived benefits of
adding this arrow to the learning quiver?” It’s likely the
answers will reveal broader assumptions about your company’s
learning investment.
For instance, when mLearning is part of a larger business
initiative, such as a product launch or compliance training, it’s
more
likely to be viewed as a “once off” and can quickly lose
momentum. Here are some tips for incorporating mobile into
your

16. overall strategy:
prepare audiences, build buzz and detect needed
optimizations.
Define success metrics specific to
mLearning initiatives as separate from the larger project.
buy-in to secure the requisite resources for execution.
Step 2: Identifying Mobile Infrastructure
11
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technologies/articles/mlearning-a-framework-for-...
Once your mLearning strategy is in place, the largest and most
costly part of the adventure awaits: infrastructure. Key in this
stage of development is assessing the current state of your
mobile infrastructure (device pervasiveness, OS variance,
provider
reliability, content security) to calculate the gap to your future-
state mLearning strategy.
The best place to begin infrastructure planning is with your
mobile provider and IT team to determine:
support for the various platforms, all while providing

17. cost incentives for enterprise adoption?
you will need?
speed surpassing its own bandwidth?
Moving beyond technology, it is equally important to pinpoint
the governance, financial, content and additional support
resources that make up the larger infrastructure—and requisite
investment—needed for execution.
Step 3: Developing Mobile-Optimized Content
Content takes on a new dimension and must support a new set of
user needs when it goes mobile. It must be easily
accessible, snack sized, readily available and support existing
learning strategies. It’s anytime, anywhere performance
support! On that note, a few ways to re-engineer content for
mobile devices include:
-based eLearning
courses? Shorten and chunk them for mobile delivery.
Do you have a flashcard drill that reviews marketplace data or
dosing information? Create a series of brief drills to
reinforce your larger learning efforts.
into game-based approaches better suited for the mobile
environment.
-time feedback or
identifying a gap? Institute a short mobile survey to solicit
feedback
on a recent training experience, or leverage polls as part of a
communications campaign that illuminates how much

18. learners know about a topic.
Step 4: Instituting mLearning Governance
Since mLearning should fit within an organization’s current
learning strategy, it should not be treated separately but instead
be
integrated into a cohesive Organizational Learning Strategy.
Best practices include:
oss-departmental participation (e.g., HR,
Technology, Key Business Stakeholders) so as to extend across
the enterprise
organizational needs and gaps.
systematic reviews of technical, legal, regulatory,
and medical capabilities
based on established metrics
Step 5: Setting mLearning Metrics
As with any learning strategy, metrics are essential for tracking
progress and needed optimizations. Begin with identifying what
you are looking to measure and what those metrics encompass.
Key considerations include:
ou evaluating just the
mLearning training intervention, or the entire curriculum in
which mLearning is one component of the blend?
-4. If you are only evaluating an mLearning training
intervention, then Level 1 questions around content,

19. connectivity and usability should be asked. However, if you are
looking to capture data around the entire curriculum,
then a Level 3 or 4 type measurement is best.
technologies continue to converge, and informal learning
continues to gain in relevance, it is important to consider social
media metrics (e.g., virality, engagement duration,
recommendations and links).
Conclusion
Beyond all the noise, mLearning has a critical place in
integrated learning strategies. As organizations realize this,
executing
their mLearning strategy may prove to be a competitive
advantage through increased engagement and improved
performance.
Footnote:
[1] 5 billion subscriptions: ITU/2010, 72% of U.S. workforce:
IDC/2010, 200% YOY growth: Display Search/2011.
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loading
About the Authors: Shabnam Irfani (Director, Learning

20. Solution
s) and Chris Shuster (Business Development Manager) are
with ClearPoint, an interactive health education company with
headquarters in Hoboken, N.J. and global operations in the
U.S., Europe and Asia.
Written for TrainingIndustry.com
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_1234567892.pdf

21. MARCH 27, 2006
NEWS: ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY
Laura Holshouser's favorite video games include Halo, Tetris,
and an online training game developed by her employer. A
training game? That's
right. The 24-year-old graduate student, who manages a Cold
Stone Creamery ice-cream store in Riverside, Calif., stumbled
across the game on
the corporate Web site in October.
It teaches portion control and customer service in a cartoon-like
simulation of a Cold Stone store. Players scoop cones against
the clock and try
to avoid serving too much ice cream. The company says more
than 8,000 employees, or about 30% of the total, voluntarily
downloaded the

22. game in the first week. "It's so much fun," says Holshouser. "I
e-mailed it to everyone at work."
The military has used video games as a training tool since the
1980s. Now the practice is catching on with companies, too,
ranging from Cold Stone to Cisco Systems Inc.
(CSCO ) to Canon Inc. (CAJ ) Corporate trainers are betting
that games' interactivity and fun will hook young, media-savvy
employees like Holshouser and help them grasp
and retain sales, technical, and management skills. "Video
games teach resource management, collaboration, critical
thinking, and tolerance for failure," says Ben Sawyer,
who runs Digitalmill Inc., a game consultancy in Portland, Me..
The market for corporate training games is small but it's
growing fast. Sawyer estimates that such games make up 15% of
the "serious," or nonentertainment market, which
also includes educational and medical training products. Over

23. the next five years, Sawyer sees the serious-games market more
than doubling, to $100 million, with trainers
accounting for nearly a third of that. It's numbers like those that
prompted Cyberlore Studios Inc., maker of Playboy: The
Mansion, to refocus on training games -- albeit
based on its Playboy title. And training games will be top of
mind at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif.,
this month.
Companies like video games because they are cost-effective.
Why pay for someone to fly to a central training campus when
you can just plunk them down in front of a
computer? Even better, employees often play the games at home
on their own time. Besides, by industry standards, training
games are cheap to make. A typical military
game costs up to $10 million, while sophisticated entertainment
games can cost twice that. Since the corporate variety don't
require dramatic, warlike explosions or complex
3D graphics, they cost a lot less. BreakAway Games Ltd., which

24. designs simulation games for the military, is finishing its first
corporate product, V-bank, to train bank
auditors. Its budget? Just $500,000.
DRAG AND DROP
Games are especially well-suited to training technicians. In one
used by Canon, repairmen must drag and drop parts into the
right spot on a copier. As in the board game
Operation, a light flashes and a buzzer sounds if the repairman
gets it wrong. Workers who played the game showed a 5% to
8% improvement in their training scores
compared with older training techniques such as manuals, says
Chuck Reinders, who trains technical support staff at Canon.
This spring, the company will unveil 11 new
training games.
Games are also being developed to help teach customer service
workers to be more empathetic. Cyberlore, now rechristened

25. Minerva Software Inc., is developing a training
tool for a retailer by rejiggering its Playboy Mansion game. In
the original, guests had to persuade models to pose topless. The
new game requires players to use the art of
persuasion to sell products, and simulates a store, down to the
carpet and point-of-purchase display details.
Don Field, director of certifications at Cisco, says games won't
entirely replace traditional training methods such as videos and
classes. But he says they should be part of
the toolbox. Last year, Cisco rolled out six new training games -
- some of them designed to teach technicians how to build a
computer network. It's hard to imagine a drier
subject. Not so in the virtual world. In one Cisco game, players
must put the network together on Mars. In a sandstorm. "Our
employees learn without realizing they are
learning," says Field. Sounds suspiciously like fun.

26. By Reena Jana
Advertising | Special Sections | MarketPlace | Knowledge
Centers
Terms of Use | Privacy Notice | Ethics Code | Contact Us
Copyright 2000- 2012 Bloomberg L.P.
All rights reserved.
Close Window
On-The-Job Video Gaming
Interactive training tools are captivating employees and saving
companies money
Slide Show >>

27. Page 1 of 1On-The-Job Video Gaming
5/6/2012http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/
06_13/b3977062.htm?chan=gl
_1234567890.pdf
hrreporter.com
Jun 29, 2011
'Growing acceptance' for virtual training: Survey
Benefits include lower costs, convenience, efficiencies
There is a growing acceptance of virtual solutions for corporate
training and HR applications, according to a survey by
ON24 in San Francisco, provider of webcasting and virtual
event solutions.
A majority (88 per cent) of more than 3,000 HR professionals in
the United States stated virtual training lowers overall

28. training costs and 85 per cent find virtual corporate training
more convenient than in-person training.
More than 48 per cent of the respondents also said virtual
training is more efficient and 77 per cent stated traveling to
physical events is costly and time-consuming compared to
logging on to a virtual event. In addition, almost 60 per
cent stated retention rates for online training were equal to or
better than in-person educational sessions.
On the environmental side, 56 per cent of ON24's survey
respondents said online events are greener than in-person
training meetings.
“Virtual training continues to gain mindshare and traction
across a broad range of industries because it is a proven
way to reduce expenses, increase convenience and provide a
greener alternative to physical events," said Denise
Persson, chief marketing officer of ON24.

29. Some 67 per cent of those surveyed agreed virtual environments
allow HR professionals to allocate their time more
efficiently overall and 62 per cent felt HR activities such as
annual benefits enrolment and employee certification and
testing programs would be easier if conducted online. More than
one-half (54 per cent) cited the ease of conducting
new hire orientation online.
© Copyright Canadian HR Reporter, Thomson Reuters Canada
Limited. All rights reserved.
Page 1 of 1Canadian HR Reporter - Article - 'Growing
acceptance' for virtual training: Survey
5/6/2012http://www.hrreporter.com/articleprint.aspx?articleid=1
0639
hrreporter.com

30. Jun 29, 2011
'Growing acceptance' for virtual training: Survey
Benefits include lower costs, convenience, efficiencies
There is a growing acceptance of virtual solutions for corporate
training and HR applications, according to a survey by
ON24 in San Francisco, provider of webcasting and virtual
event solutions.
A majority (88 per cent) of more than 3,000 HR professionals in
the United States stated virtual training lowers overall
training costs and 85 per cent find virtual corporate training
more convenient than in-person training.
More than 48 per cent of the respondents also said virtual
training is more efficient and 77 per cent stated traveling to
physical events is costly and time-consuming compared to
logging on to a virtual event. In addition, almost 60 per
cent stated retention rates for online training were equal to or
better than in-person educational sessions.

31. On the environmental side, 56 per cent of ON24's survey
respondents said online events are greener than in-person
training meetings.
“Virtual training continues to gain mindshare and traction
across a broad range of industries because it is a proven
way to reduce expenses, increase convenience and provide a
greener alternative to physical events," said Denise
Persson, chief marketing officer of ON24.
Some 67 per cent of those surveyed agreed virtual environments
allow HR professionals to allocate their time more
efficiently overall and 62 per cent felt HR activities such as
annual benefits enrolment and employee certification and
testing programs would be easier if conducted online. More than
one-half (54 per cent) cited the ease of conducting
new hire orientation online.

32. © Copyright Canadian HR Reporter, Thomson Reuters Canada
Limited. All rights reserved.
Page 1 of 1Canadian HR Reporter - Article - 'Growing
acceptance' for virtual training: Survey
5/6/2012http://www.hrreporter.com/articleprint.aspx?articleid=1
0639
Learning Technologies
Training Industry Exclusive
mLearning: A Framework for Moving from
IF to HOW
By: Shabnam Irfani & Chris ShusterJune 28, 2011
There is substantial buzz sweeping through today’s conference
rooms and around water coolers about all things mobile and

33. for good reason. With 5 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide,
72 percent of the U.S. workforce already mobile and 200
percent year-over-year growth for tablet computers, companies
are well beyond debating if mobile is a good strategy… and
are now laser focused on when and how.[1]
As Christina “CK” Kerley explained through The Mobile
Revolution & B2B, “There are no holes left to fill in the
business
argument for mobile integration, only dots left to connect by
today’s executives.” Further illuminating mobile’s profound
implications, Google’s Dennis Woodside declared, “This new,
huge technology market will transform almost every industry.”
Indeed, the business world finds itself transfixed by a
remarkable innovation that produces stunning opportunities
across
marketing, sales, communications, support, and, yes, training.
Yet our experiences suggest that most companies lack a
cohesive mobile strategy, let alone one that focuses on learners.
And
so, this article lays out a 5-step framework—supported by key
questions and critical considerations—to guide your
development of an mLearning strategy.

34. Step 1: Determining mLearning Strategy
Wherever your company may find itself in the mLearning
adoption curve, creating a well-defined strategy will ensure a
more
successful outcome. Begin by asking “What exactly is driving
mLearning adoption, and what are the perceived benefits of
adding this arrow to the learning quiver?” It’s likely the
answers will reveal broader assumptions about your company’s
learning investment.
For instance, when mLearning is part of a larger business
initiative, such as a product launch or compliance training, it’s
more
likely to be viewed as a “once off” and can quickly lose
momentum. Here are some tips for incorporating mobile into
your
overall strategy:
prepare audiences, build buzz and detect needed
optimizations.
mLearning initiatives as separate from the larger project.

35. buy-in to secure the requisite resources for execution.
Step 2: Identifying Mobile Infrastructure
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Once your mLearning strategy is in place, the largest and most
costly part of the adventure awaits: infrastructure. Key in this
stage of development is assessing the current state of your
mobile infrastructure (device pervasiveness, OS variance,
provider
reliability, content security) to calculate the gap to your future-
state mLearning strategy.
The best place to begin infrastructure planning is with your
mobile provider and IT team to determine:

36. support for the various platforms, all while providing
cost incentives for enterprise adoption?
tent and application partners with offerings
you will need?
speed surpassing its own bandwidth?
Moving beyond technology, it is equally important to pinpoint
the governance, financial, content and additional support
resources that make up the larger infrastructure—and requisite
investment—needed for execution.
Step 3: Developing Mobile-Optimized Content
Content takes on a new dimension and must support a new set of
user needs when it goes mobile. It must be easily
accessible, snack sized, readily available and support existing
learning strategies. It’s anytime, anywhere performance
support! On that note, a few ways to re-engineer content for
mobile devices include:
Remember those long, linear-based eLearning

37. courses? Shorten and chunk them for mobile delivery.
Do you have a flashcard drill that reviews marketplace data or
dosing information? Create a series of brief drills to
reinforce your larger learning efforts.
into game-based approaches better suited for the mobile
environment.
-time feedback or
identifying a gap? Institute a short mobile survey to solicit
feedback
on a recent training experience, or leverage polls as part of a
communications campaign that illuminates how much
learners know about a topic.
Step 4: Instituting mLearning Governance
Since mLearning should fit within an organization’s current
learning strategy, it should not be treated separately but instead
be
integrated into a cohesive Organizational Learning Strategy.
Best practices include:
-departmental participation (e.g., HR,

38. Technology, Key Business Stakeholders) so as to extend across
the enterprise
organizational needs and gaps.
and medical capabilities
based on established metrics
Step 5: Setting mLearning Metrics
As with any learning strategy, metrics are essential for tracking
progress and needed optimizations. Begin with identifying what
you are looking to measure and what those metrics encompass.
Key considerations include:
mLearning training intervention, or the entire curriculum in
which mLearning is one component of the blend?
-4. If you are only evaluating an mLearning training
intervention, then Level 1 questions around content,

39. connectivity and usability should be asked. However, if you are
looking to capture data around the entire curriculum,
then a Level 3 or 4 type measurement is best.
technologies continue to converge, and informal learning
continues to gain in relevance, it is important to consider social
media metrics (e.g., virality, engagement duration,
recommendations and links).
Conclusion
Beyond all the noise, mLearning has a critical place in
integrated learning strategies. As organizations realize this,
executing
their mLearning strategy may prove to be a competitive
advantage through increased engagement and improved
performance.
Footnote:
[1] 5 billion subscriptions: ITU/2010, 72% of U.S. workforce:
IDC/2010, 200% YOY growth: Display Search/2011.
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About the Authors: Shabnam Irfani (Director, Learning