ICELW 2013, the sixth annual International Conference on E-Learning in the Workplace, will be held from June 12-14, 2013 at Columbia University in New York. Our special "Early Bird" registration rates are available until March 1, so register soon!

We are pleased to have social learning expert Jane Hart confirmed as our opening keynote speaker for ICELW 2013!  ICELW 2013 will also feature e-learning success stories, demonstrations of the latest in e-learning, panel discussions, and more, along with our always-popular conference dinner!

ICELW 2013 - The Sixth Annual International Conference on E-learning in the Workplace
 
June 12th-14th, 2013
Columbia University
New York, NY
 
www.icelw.org
info@icelw.org
 
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ICELW is an international conference focused specifically on e-learning in the workplace. With researchers and practitioners coming from around the globe--and from both university and business backgrounds--the ICELW community works to improve online learning so that it makes a measurable difference in workplace performance and morale.
 
By uniting the corporate and academic worlds, ICELW is creating a new synergy--one with the unique capability to realize the vast potential of e-learning in business, industry, and government.
 
ICELW 2013 will incorporate an increased focus on demonstrations of successful e-learning, the application of new research ideas. and research studies to practical workplace learning problems.
 
In addition, we are exploring options for vendors to participate via the first-ever ICELW expo! If you are a vendor or supplier, please contact Stacy Lindenberg slindenberg@icelw.org to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
 
Participants and presenters will continue to have the opportunity to network during the conference at our popular conference dinner, which is included in the conference cost.
 
 
 
Questions or More Information?
Visit www.icelw.org for more details or send an email to us at info@icelw.org.

 

ASTDps Wins Chapter Excellence Award from ASTD
Group recognized for achievement in membership growth

Seattle, WA, May 19, 2013 – The ASTDps chapter of the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) was presented a Chapter Excellence Award by the national association during the ASTD 2013 International Conference & Exposition, held recently in Dallas, TX.

The chapter won the award for Excellence in Membership Growth.

“Our chapters are important partners in ASTD’s mission to empower professionals to develop knowledge and skills successfully,” says Jennifer Homer, ASTD’s VP of Communications and Career Development. “The impact they have in their local communities and in support of the training and development profession is impressive. Winning a Chapter Excellence Award is proof of the hard work and dedication of our local chapters and volunteer leaders.”

The ASTD Chapter Excellence Awards recognize chapters that have achieved excellence in three key areas of chapter development: strategic partnership, joint chapter-national membership growth and the advancement of the profession through CPLP. CPLP is the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance credential, the professional credential for the training and development field. Winning chapters receive a $1,000 cash award from the national organization.

About ASTD
ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to the training and development field. In more than 100 countries, ASTD’s members work in organizations of all sizes, in the private and public sectors, as independent consultants, and as suppliers. Members connect locally in more than 120 U.S. chapters and with 15 international partners. ASTD started in 1943 and in recent years has widened the profession’s focus to align learning and performance to organizational results, and is a sought-after voice on critical public policy issues. For more information, visit www.astd.org.

Know a junior or senior in high school who could benefit from professional skills development? If so, encourage him/her to apply for EMC Isilon's summer STAR program, a free 4-day workshop that focus on developing skills such as teamwork, professional communication, life skills, and an introduction to business.

Please visit https://education.emc.com/student_star/seattle/ to learn more and access the application. Spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis and students will have their choice of two possible sessions: July 22-25 or August 12-15.

Applications are due June 21. 

2013 NW eLearning Conference - October 10-11, 2013, Spokane WA

Where teaching, learning & tech converge.

NW eLearning Conference is a unique, cost-effective opportunity for faculty, administrators and instructional designers to come together to discuss best practices, collaborations and ideas in integrating technology in learning.

http://www.nwelearn.org/conference.htm

Join us in Spokane WA for the 8th annual Northwest eLearning Conference. This year's conference is hosted by Eastern Washington University, and will be held at the Red Lion at the Park in beautiful downtown Spokane.

The call for proposals is now open! Topic Strands:

· Collaboration of Faculty, Staff and Administration

· Best Practices in eLearning

· Retention/Student Engagement

· Emerging Trends in eLearning

Submit a Proposal Now. (Due by: May 30, 2013)

Our chapter has been recognized for a Chapter Excellence Award in the category of Excellence in Joint Membership Growth. We demonstrated the highest overall growth rate of joint chapter and national members in the medium sized category.

Thank you, ASTD and ASTDps members!

I am looking forward to the Conversation Cafe Ellia Ryan is facilitating on Wednesday evening at Hale's Pub. It will deal with a vital current question, prompted by Yahoo! CEO Marrisa Mayer's decision to curtail telecommuting in favor of promoting face-to-face interaction in the office. Mayer's explicit goal is to boost innovation at Yahoo!, one of the original internet search companies whose once lofty share prices have been brought down to earth by its failure to innovate as often and successfully as Google and other rivals.

For innovation is the issue of our time. It is increasingly evident we are rapidly moving beyond the industrial Era and entering a new Knowledge Economy, based on the need to constantly innovate. In this new era, companies that demonstrate the ability to constantly innovate will grow and prosper. Those that don't will fall further and further behind.

The stakes are huge. A recent survey by Accenture showed ninety-three percent of CEOs of large companies in the U.S., Britain, and France agree with the proposition that “the long-term success of their organization’s business strategy depends on their ability to innovate”. Yet “fewer than one in five chief executives believes his strategic investments in innovation are paying off, and that this poor track record is starting to discourage companies from taking risks".

Clearly, the folks in the C-suites are admitting they don't know how to innovate, even as they acknowledge innovation is crucial to their firms' future prospects. Give Ms. Mayer some credit here. At least she is willing to try something along the lines of a natural experiment to see if she can jumpstart innovation in her company.

National ASTD in its 2011 white paper, "Learning To Innovate", stated clearly that "The learning function can and should play a critical role in developing and sustaining the innovative culture that is the hallmark of successful organizations." Then National made the message even clearer by revising the CPLP standards by making innovation a foundational skill for WLP professionals.

Meanwhile here at home, Washington state has officially adopted innovation as its official economic development strategy. The first "pillar" of the strategy is "talent development".

Which takes us back to the Conversation Cafe and the very human dimensions of this important topic. Is telecommuting a product of the old industrial production culture, where productivity is measured in widgets per hour (such as lines of code produced)? Is face-to-face interaction truly necessary for innovation? How do we achieve work-life balance in this Brave New World of the Knowledge Economy?

There are a lot of straws in the wind telling WLP professionals it is time to gear up for the new world that is rushing at us. And I can't think of a more genial venue for a lively debate than Hale's Ales. It promises to be a great event and a good time. I hope to see you there.

Most ASTDps members have surely heard of Six-Sigma methodology, the set of tools and strategies for process improvement. Some of you may have been involved in a fashion -- as participants in process improvement teams or perhaps even as consultants -- with Six Sigma or its close cousin, the set of Lean methods. The methodology was put together at Motorola, and became standard for transnational corporations after GE's Jack Welch adopted Six Sigma in 1995 as the cornerstone of the company's highly successful business strategy. Six Sigma has helped large companies save billions of dollars over the years.

At the regular Chapter meeting this coming Wednesday (note the day change) you have the opportunity to hear from one of the co-creators of Six Sigma, Praveen Gupta. But he won't be talking much about Six Sigma. Because Praveen is not the kind of man who rests on his laurels.

Instead, Praveen is using his deep knowledge of process improvement, statistical analysis, and human psychology to tackle the central organizational learning challenge of our time, how to make innovation more predictable and routine. This is embodied in his TEDOC methodology (Target, Explore, Develop, Optimize, and Commercialize), which describes a repeatable process for significantly improving the odds of successful innovation. He will be describing the methodology at the Chapter meeting as a prelude to the full sixteen-hour course, where those who signup for the course will learn the process in depth, which is being offered as a co-venture by ASTDps and Invista Performance Solutions in a virtual format this summer.

The TEDOC course has become an increasingly popular and very quick-to-fill class when offered through the Illinois Institute of Technology, where Praveen founded and leads the Center for Innovation Science and Applications. The Institute charges $1995 for the TEDOC course. The pilot version of the virtual course is being offered to ASTDps members and Invista clients for only $595.

National ASTD recognizes that innovation is emerging as a critical issue for the WLP profession. In its 2011 white paper, "Learning To Innovate", National declared in no uncertain terms "The learning function can and should play a critical role in developing and sustaining the innovative culture that is the hallmark of successful organizations." Here is your opportunity to learn first-hand about the most effective innovation process methodology currently available and get in line for the TEDOC course at a bargain rate, never to be repeated.

I look forward to seeing you Wednesday.