Technical Commentary Technical Commentary

Personal Learning Networks

Keywords: Personal learning networks, RSS feeds, social media, Online learning, With todays fast paced work environment, employee learning must meet the challenges of constantly changing technology. Regular training enhances employee understanding of this technology and improves work performance. However, an economic recession and tighter budgets have caused many organizations to reduce their professional development and job training capabilities. Therefore, at the very moment organizations need to learn more to stay ahead of the game, they have fewer resources for their employees to seek the needed knowledge to stay on the cutting edge. Forty cents of every dollar spent on professional development training goes towards travel and lodging costs. That equates to $52 billion in expenses annually in the U.S. This does not include the opportunity cost and salary expenses for employees while they are attending this training. Nor does it include the cost of renting facilities and providing food for attendees. An estimated 80% of executives polled stated their primary reason for employing web-based training was the reduction of travel costs. For these reasons, the number of students who participate in online learning has increased 20% every year since 2002. This represents a total of 22 million learners in the U.S. who have taken at least one online course. At the current projected growth rate, an estimated 50% of all Americans will be enrolled in online learning programs by 2019. Institutions surveyed from across the country indicate that 63% believe online learning is a critical part of their long term strategy. A new trend in corporate America is the emphasis on informal learning, often called just-in-time learning. Informal learning is nothing new but with training budgets being slashed, a renewed focus on how organizational knowledge transfer occurs is causing many to better appreciate that most people learn through informal social networks and web-based tools. For example, the use of Wikipedia, search engines, and social media platforms is a common way for employees to access information

An information Series by Smart Horizons

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and pass it along to co-workers. Informal learning with web -based technology has been proven to increase workplace collaboration and the free exchange of ideas to improve work team effectiveness; however, the use of objectives-driven online learning coupled with social, informal learning platforms can provide comprehensive training capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional stand-up classroom instruction. Online training that is objectives driven allows knowledge to be broken down in small manageable chunks. The student can then take one lesson at a time and digest this learning at his or her own pace. Gone are the days when a student was required to sit in the classroom for hours at a time; instead, training can be readily accessible 24/7. Each learning objective can be developed into a 20-30 minute learning module that can be quickly consumed by the learner with testing assessments at the end for a knowledge check. Online learning can take many forms, from posted articles to interactive courseware to three-dimensional simulations. Most online learning companies house their courseware within a learning management system (LMS) so that scoring, communication, transcripts, and reporting features are connected to the learning process. Many online companies have communication tools that provide webinars, online chat, forums, and interactive digital white boards to enhance the online learning experience. Some web-based training can be asynchronous allowing the user to receive instruction when convenient. Other training options are collaborative, allowing learners to maintain the connection between themselves and the instructor, as well as benefit from the participation of other learners. One example of such learning is the webinar. A webinar allows for real human interaction within the training program. Subject matter experts can address questions through live chat, phone, or video conferencing and social media platforms. Webinars normally last 45-75 minutes in length and allow for more question and answer sessions. Live web

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events combine the benefits of having an instructor onsite, without incurring the travel costs and lost productivity of classroom instruction. Web conference tools allow for blended learning solutions by video conferencing co existing with interactive courseware. A survey conducted by Citrix Systems, Inc. indicated that 82% of respondents preferred webinars for training due to the convenience. When learning management systems are coupled with communication tools, there is the powerful connection to both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Learning Achievement Research from neuroscience indicates that information presented in lecture/reading format has a 10% memory retention rate within 72 hours. That means that 90% of what employees learn in a classroom seminar is forgotten in just a few days. Organizations that spend thousands of dollars training employees sometimes find that most of that expense was wasted. A recommended guideline suggests an individual needs to repeat a procedure seven times before they remember how to do something; therefore, repetition is essential for long term memory. Information is retained at a higher rate the more it is reviewed. The problem with most traditional classroom training seminars is that there is rarely follow up with students to provide a memory check. Providing a twelve-month subscription to online training lessons allows students to continuously review the information thus providing a higher potential for learning retention. While traditional classroom instruction provides a better means of hands-on skills development, not all information can be presented in a manner that allows for hands -on training. Therefore, a successful training strategy is to provide fundamental information in an online, multi -media format and reinforce that information with hands -on training exercises. Providing additional knowledge checks every 30 days, 90 days, and 180 days through test assessments built into the learning management system can significantly increase retention. This blended learning approach is the most successful strategy for long-term learning achievement and has been proven by research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. Personal Learning Networks In the last ten years, wireless internet connections, mobile technology, and social media platforms have revolutionized information access. This phenomenon is often called Web 2.0 and it is a reference to how the internet has become a more collaborative virtual community. Examples of Web 2.0 are blogs, wikis, video sharing, and social media sites. These technologies provide a new user -centric information infrastructure that emphasizes participation and encourages focused conversation. It also changes the way we think about education. The emergence of open participatory information technolo-

gy allows for each individual to create a personal learning eco -system that supports self-directed learning goals. For example, say you want to know how to fix a leaky faucet. Any individual with internet access can type this question into their web browser and receive a plethora of information options. A wiki site will detail the steps in fixing a leaky faucet along with photos and diagrams. A series of videos on YouTube will demonstrate the process. Blogs and discussion forums allow posted questions and any number of individuals will respond with a solution. This is an unprecedented level of information flow and a unique learning opportunity that has never existed before. Such learning is very informal and not connected directly to any school or degree-granting institution, but each individual can chart their own learning path based on their specific needs and learning style. Therefore, information is more meaningful and relevant. The younger generation has caught on to this idea of self-directed learning and is pushing back against the traditional learning models. In a recent survey of both high school and college students, the majority indicated they want more technology in class and fewer lectures. The prevalence of online learning courseware coupled with Web 2.0 technology has begun a paradigm shift in education that has even reached elite Ivy League universities. Harvard University and MIT offer a joint education venture consisting of free online classes to anyone in the world. These collections of video lectures do not provide a degree, but the concept opens up the classroom and democratizes knowledge sharing. To participate fully in this exciting educational experience, each individual must create a personal learning network. Such networks will enhance ones ability to become a lifelong, self directed learner. But where does one start this process with all of the options available? The first important tool in a personal learning network is the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed. An RSS feed is a tool for accessing information from blogs, websites, and news sources that works by pulling information into a news aggregator or feed reader site. The RSS reader allows a user to access multiple sites from one location thus saving time and effort. Once a user subscribes to a blog or website RSS feed, they will receive automatic updates to their feed reader. These readers can be organized by topic or category, so as to filter information based on interests. Therefore, the RSS feed can be a great tool for obtaining large amounts of information on targeted subject matter. Common feed readers are Netvibes, or Bloglines. News aggregators and feed readers can also pull postings from your social media platforms so that all of your information is centralized for easy access. Some news aggregators take the form of online newspapers by pulling in information from your sources and organizing it in a familiar and useful way. An example of this type of aggregator is the site paper.li. Many of these feed readers and news aggregators can be shared with others, thereby allowing co-workers, friends, and clients to benefit from your collected information.

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Another tool closely related to the RSS feed is the web crawler or spider bot. These are programs that automatically scan the internet search engines and find information based on topics or keywords. For example, if you wanted to find out any information on the subject of at-risk youth, a web crawler such as Google Alerts could be set up to scan all sites, articles, or blogs related to the topic and send an alert with links to this information daily, weekly, or as often as you determine necessary. The web crawler is constantly searching even when you are not online thus saving you time and effort to find the information you need. Within ones personal learning network, there is the opportunity to archive and share information with others. Curation tools allow learners to share information internally or externally and to customize who receives this information. Curation tools allow one to collect, organize, and share information efficiently by tagging and grouping the information. Additionally, users can digitally highlight text within collected articles, photos, or websites. Tools exist to post digital sticky notes, thus adding value and commentary to the information. A good curation tool is a cloud -based system that allows users to access their information from any computer or mobile technology device. User groups can be set up by topic and specific individuals invited to participate within the group. As a user finds information, he or she can save it to a group and any member of the group will automatically receive an email with a link to the article or content being shared. An example of a good curation tool is diigo.com. A blog site is another important tool in the personal learning network, as blogs allow individuals to express themselves in more detail and to discuss topics of interest. Individuals can comment on blogs and share ideas, thereby increasing the learning process. In fact, much of the learning that takes place online is shared and commented on by peers who provide feedback to the user. This feedback can range from comments to ongoing chats and forum posts. Individuals can also rank and provide in -depth critiques of anothers work. Blogs can include photos, videos, and graphics to enhance the learning experience. If the blog is a good one, visitors should be allowed to subscribe to an RSS feed of the blog. This allows them to access the blog site and any updates to it automatically with their feed reader. Closely related to the blog are social media platforms. Social media sites come in many different types, such as the micro blogging site Twitter that only allows posts in 140 characters or less. Facebook allows posts of all types of media in any format or length the user wants. Linked.in is a social media site especially for professionals and is, therefore, more formal than Facebook. YouTube is both a social media site and a curation site that allows individuals to store and share videos online. Most individuals or organizations that use social media tie these platforms to a blog site so that their personal writings are then posted out to multiple social media platforms simultaneously. However, some social media sites can be private and only accessible internally. This allows collaboration and dis-

cussion on lessons learned without risking public disclosure and privacy issues. Your organization may have a policy on employee use of social media, RSS feeds and other related online tools. However, this does not stop employees from establishing personal learning networks at home. Collaboration can still occur even if stringent internet policies exist at work due to security concerns. The goal of any training program should be to look at all avenues to better enhance the learning experience. . As twenty-first century technology continues to change a widening digital divide is occurring between those that understand and participate with this technology and those that do not. Individuals who establish personal learning networks and become comfortable with new online technology increase their overall digital literacy and can therefore help others who lack these skills. The future of learning is increasingly requiring digital literacy skills. Establishing your personal leaning network that incorporates informal learning networks, curation tools, and online learning programs should be part of your overall training strategy.

For more information contact Smart Horizons Lifetime Training Solutions at 855 -777-8032 or visit website at www.mytrainingnow.com

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Smart Horizons 25 9-1/2 Mile Rd Pensacola, FL 32534 Office: 850-475-4000 Toll Free: 855-777-8031 Fax: 850-473-8387

REFERENCES: Brown, John Seely., et al, Minds on Fire, Educause Review, January/February 2008. Christensen, Clayton., Disrupting Class, McGraw Hill, New York, NY 2011. Gardner, Howard., Intelligence Reframed, Basic Books, New York, NY 1999. Ito, Mizuko., et al, Living and Learning with New Media, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning, November 2008. Means, Barbara., et al, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning, U.S. Department of Education, September 2010. Medina, John., Brain Rules, Pear Press, Seattle, WA 2008. Richardson, Will., Personal Learning Networks, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, IN 2011. Shirky, Clay., Cognitive Surplus, Penguin Press, New York, NY 2010. Smart Horizons