CorpU Weekly Digest: Social Learning (2012-Mar-26)

Topics: Social Learning

Here are this past week's headlines in social learning: 

• (1) Measuring social learning: some preliminary thoughts to inform approaches on capturing the application of that which was learned ; 
• (2) Are you developing any learning modules for tablets in 2012?  ; 
• Books:  The Little Black Book of Innovation and Implementing Strategic Change: Managing Processes and Interfaces to Develop a Highly Productive Organization ; 
• Webinars ; 
• Conferences

 Measuring social learning: some preliminary thoughts to inform approaches on capturing the application of that which was learned
Measuring learning solely by volume — number of courses offered, number of attendees, etc. — may be easy, but it certainly does not convey meaningful information to the business. Purely measuring volume of interaction is not, in itself, a measure of learning; it's a measure of busy-ness because it does not measure the value of those interactions. Julian Stodd, in this excellent article, offers a few thoughts and some suggestions that are definitely worth reading the whole article. And it's very readable; for instance, "The ability to synthesise data to inform and enhance the quality of practical day to day activities is one of the core elements of our learning methodology. What can you do differently tomorrow from what you did today? It’s not enough to learn in the abstract, we are looking for learners to be able to do something with that knowledge." Read Julian Stodd's Learning Blog "How to measure the success of social learning. Challenges and ideas."

 Are you developing any learning modules for tablets in 2012?
In today's world in which so much information is shared and imparted by non-professionals (for example, CNN's "iReporters"), amateur accounts and secondhand knowledge are becoming increasingly accepted by the public as valid sources of information.  Research from Future Workplace, an executive development firm, and the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra in Madrid reveals some interesting trends for the future of tablets, such as the iPad, for social learning. Consider these facts from Future Workplace and the IESE Business School: 1) by the end of 2011, almost 40 percent of executives plan to utilize media tablets in their learning and development programs; and 2) during the next four years, 37 percent of HR execs say they will utilize mobile devices not only for learning but also for coaching and mentoring. Tablets provide the ideal platform for expanding social learning in the workplace. More functional and powerful than a Smartphone, yet smaller and more portable than a notebook computer, tablets allow unprecedented freedom for learners to discuss topics outside of the classroom setting — on the train or on the couch, wherever it is convenient and conducive to their learning style. Read the article "Tablets as a Social Learning Delivery Tool"

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 The Business of Learning: New Major Products, Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships

No major news in mergers, acquisitions, or product releases.

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 Books To Read

The renewed business interest in innovation is not a fad: a well considered product, service, or business process innovation can change organizations and markets. A thoughtful adjustment can address social challenges. And it makes or breaks professional careers. For all the enthusiasm the topic inspires, however, the practice of innovation remains stubbornly impenetrable. In The Little Black Book of Innovation, long-time innovation expert Scott D. Anthony draws on stories from his research and field work with companies like Procter & Gamble to demystify innovation. In his trademark conversational and lively style, Anthony presents a simple definition of innovation, breaks down the essential differences between types of innovation, and illuminates innovation's vital role in organizational success and personal growth. This unique hybrid of professional memoir and business guidebook also provides a powerful 28-day program for mastering innovation's key steps: (1) Finding insight, (2) Generating ideas, (3) Building businesses, (4) Strengthening innovation prowess in your workforce and organization. With its wealth of illustrative case studies and vignettes from a range of companies around the globe, this engaging and potent playbook is a must-read for anyone seeking to turn themselves or their companies into true innovation powerhouses. Buy Now 

One of the key success factors for any organization is being able to define and make change happen, assuring adaptability and increased productivity, among other outcomes. Despite its importance, the dirty secret that most practitioners know is that most change management projects fail. In the book to be released May 28, 2012, Implementing Strategic Change: Managing Processes and Interfaces to Develop a Highly Productive Organization, Prof. Danny Samson (University of Melbourne) and Tom Bevington suggest that and the problem is often the conflict between boardroom strategic initiatives and the procedural design. Their analysis shows that most conflict occurs during seemingly inconsequential or insignificant activities that help drive a process forward and can make up to 80% of many employees' workload — tasks like chasing, following up or seeking permission to proceed. Their experience with over 400 companies in a range of industries proves that business strategy and change implementation rely on deep and close process knowledge, something that can be addressed to improve success rates. The suggested productivity improvement tools that can be used to analyze process activities as well as the rigorous and detailed methods to reengineer processes and make change successful  — combined with practical insights  — make this a book to add to your shelf. Buy Now

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 Webinars 

Recruit Better with Jobs2web
Date: Tues, Mar 27, 2012, 8:00 PM PT
Presenter: Director, Alliances & International, Jobs2Web and Senior Director, Product Sales and Strategy, SuccessFactors Register now 

Recruiting Trends 2012: A Look at the Latest Tools and Initiatives 
Date: Tues, Mar 28, 2012, 2:30 PM ET
Presenter: Elaine Orler, Founder and President of Talent Function Group Register now

Change the Game, Transform Your Company
Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012
Presenter: Fast Company co-founder William C. Taylor for game-changing insights from his new book Practically Radical Register now

Global Competency within a Leadership Framework
Date: Monday, April 2, 2012 at 11:00am - 12:00 noon EDT
Presenter: Jo Danehl, Director, Account Management (Cartus) and Diane Mullen, Senior Training Consultant (Cartus) Register now 

Ensuring High-Quality Healthcare in the Midst of Rapid Growth & Change 
Date: Thursday, April 5, at 11:00 AM EDT
Presenters: Suzanne Darrow and Allison Parish, Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) Register now

Making E-Learning Stick  
Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 1:00 PM EDT 
Presenter: Carole Robin, Stanford Graduate School of Business Register now

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 Conferences

Trends and Trendsetters in HR Shared Services
Date: March 28, 2012
Location: New York, NY, USA Register now

The Six Disciplines of Learning Transfer: Presented by ASTD in Partnership with Fort Hill Company
Date: April 4-5, 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Register now 

Talent Management Summit
Date April 10-12, 2012
Location: São Paulo, Brazil Register now

Assessing & Developing High Potentials
Date: April 16-17, 2012
Location: Washington DC, USA Register now

OnBoarding Talent
Date: April 16-18, 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia Register now

Emotions and Education: Affect, Anxiety and Achievement
Date: April 19, 2012
Location: New York City, NY, USA Register now

Learning TECH 2012
Date: April 23 - 25, 2012
Location: Chicago, IL, USA Register now 

Delivering the Strategic Role of HR
Date: May 2, 2012 
Location: New Zealand Register now

Global Management Conference: Fourth Annual Conference on Globalization, Sustainability and Development, 2012
Date: May 2-5, 2012
Location: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Register now

1st Annual People Effectiveness @ Work Conference
Date: May 8, 2012
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Register now

HR Summit 2012
Date: May 9-12, 2012 
Location: Singapore Register now

Corporate University Xchange's Global Leadership Congress
Date:  May 15-17, 2012
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA Register now 

National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning
Date: June 6-8, 2012
Location: Atlantic City, NJ, USA Register now

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