For the past many Januaries, The New York Times has published a Travel section mainstay: a list of 52 destinations around the world, complete with gorgeous photography. Last year’s list has the tagline “We picked destinations to inspire you, delight you and motivate you to explore the world,” and that applies to all the previous lists, too.
But with the pandemic disrupting normal life for so many people, the Travel section decided to publish a different kind of list for 2021. Instead of sending a “a small army” of travel writers and photographers across the globe, they decided to ask readers “to tell us about the spots that have delighted, inspired and comforted them in a dark year.” The resulting list has the title “52 Places to Love,” not “52 Places to Go.”
What places would you add to the list?
In “A Very Different ‘52 Places,’” Amy Virshup writes about what she characterizes as a radically different approach to putting together this year’s list:
At this time of year The Times’s Travel desk usually publishes its lavish “52 Places to Go” list, a compendium of suggestions for the destinations that are especially worth visiting in the coming year, accompanied by showstopping photography.
But in this pandemic year, creating our usual list was out of the question. For one thing, there were the logistics: We usually deploy a small army of photographers in search of those perfect images. That was clearly impossible. Beyond that, our list is built on a journalistic imperative: What’s new? What makes a place so exciting and different — hotel openings, new museums, an expanding food or cultural scene — that it jumps to the top of the list of places to see now? But the pandemic has put a hold on most of those newsworthy developments.
Instead, in 2021, we face a year of uncertainty. With vaccines newly available, perhaps the travel industry — which supplies millions of jobs and is a crucial part of the global economy — will start to revive. But it’s hard to know when and where that rebirth will begin. And a list that seems to encourage people to rush back onto planes when so many are suffering felt unconscionable.
And yet, the world with all its stunning natural beauty and cultural richness remains. If 2020 has done anything for people who love to travel, it has reminded them that the world is not a checklist of places to tick off — Venice, been there, the Serengeti, done that — but something to explore, to savor and to love.
That became the animating idea behind this year’s 52 Places. Instead of turning to our contributors and correspondents, we turned to another group of passionate travelers, our readers, and asked them to tell us about their most beloved places, and why they deserved a place on our list, as well as to share their photographs.
More than 2,000 of them responded.
They told us about hometowns for which they’d gained new appreciation during the pandemic. Of countries where their family connections run strong, but which for the moment they can only view with longing. Of vacation destinations where they suddenly recognized something important in themselves. In reading through the submissions, it became clear that while our list usually focuses on what is changing in a place, people can be profoundly changed by the places they have visited — and isn’t that why we travel to begin with?
What are some of the places on this year’s list?
Montana’s “Golden Triangle”
Lake Michigan
East Haddam, Conn.
Ladakh, India
Malpaís, Costa Rica
Dakar, Senegal
The Scottish Highlands, Scotland
Students, look through the entire list of 52 places, and then tell us:
Based on your life experiences, what is missing from the list? Name a place that you love, and describe why it deserves to be included. Take inspiration from the descriptions in the interactive.
After reading through the 52 locations on the list, which places interest you most? Why? Have you been to any of them?
What do you think of Jody Greene’s statement that you can “let a place remake you” if instead of traveling to a new place every year, you visit the same one multiple times? Do you have any experiences with that? Have you, for instance, spent a lot of time in a city or town where relatives live, where a parent grew up or where your family goes for vacation? How, if at all, has that place shaped your life?
The caption by Morgan Charles that accompanies the photo of the Scottish Highlands at the top of this page reads in part, “This has been a distressing time, but I hope that we can all learn to really love and appreciate where we’re from.” Respond to that statement. Have your feelings about where you’re from changed over the last year? If so, what is different now? If not, describe how you feel about where you’re from anyway.
Do you miss traveling, whether nearby or far away? Why, or why not?
Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
Well, here we are. A new year, and well, new rankings for 2021. For those new, each year, I publish what I see will be the top 10 systems for the coming year, based on a set of criteria (which will be listed shortly). Roadmaps play a role here, and ties into track records of previous roadmaps. For example, if a vendor says we will do this in X year, but in the previous years, their roadmap completion rate is 35%, then the probability they will do everything on their roadmap for the upcoming year, is remote.
When a system says they are forward-thinking, a roadmap really comes into play. Especially with what they have listed on said roadmap. Too many people focus on features now, and on top of that, what the vendor says is coming.
As anyone who has ever worked in tech (including myself), I would often hear the tech sales team, and IT tell customers, “yeah it is on our roadmap”, but never specified when. Sure, 10 yrs from now, but hey it is on our roadmap.
Is there a possibility that some vendor implodes and doesn’t live up to what I see in the year, sure, but so far, in previous years, they have delivered. If your vendor isn’t on this list and you are unhappy, well, some times, being disappointed, is a learning experience. Any Eagles fan will know this (ZING! – Bad American Football team).
Takeaways
As in the past, I use a specific approach to identifying the criteria for vendors to be considered. I did some things new this year, which will be presented.
Before going into the criteria, a couple of items – because I get questions each year around these.
It is a totally independent analysis. It is 100% fair, independent and honest.
For vendors who made the final cut of 50, each was send a packet, which requested a series of responses, including around NexGen feature sets, other features that are essential (beyond the standards which they all have), technology related, security related, remote workforce related (new), training and support. A demo was requested, if I had not seen the system recently, but due to COVID if this was an issue, I had a one on one talk with the vendor, to extract additional information which provided enough, on top of what I already knew, to make an informed decision.
I never charge a fee for award submission, because a)vendors do not automatically submit on their own, they have to be selected by me, and b) I find it disingenuous when having someone pay for consideration of rankings or any awards.
I do not factor in, whether they are brand new or been around for two decades.
I do not factor in, on how many total clients they have; I do look though at their percentage increases, in other words if they went from 55 to 45, that isn’t a good sign, if they went from 20 to 100 that is, but even a vendor who goes 25 to 35 and you know their business model and approach, can still be a plus. There are vendors who focus on quality of a specific client segment, rather than mass.
It is not relevant to me, on where they are located in the world. It does not factor one way or another.
Not relevant on how capital they raised or if they didn’t. Nor if they are a public company or not.
Financials while again, shows some trends, had to be tossed out, due to the COVID impact with many vendors, plus what a vendor tells you, is what the vendor tells you, unless you can audit their books, you never truly know (unless they are public).
Finally, any vendor who tells you they are not in the content business, should jump on a rocket and blast themselves into the sun. Without content, you are not a learning system, you are an internet page from 1993.
Learning Systems is an umbrella term. Because of so many segments these days, calling everyone an LMS is no longer accurate. The biggest segment is LMS. Then there are LXPs, again some bolting from the name, and most adding more and more LMS functionality, Learning Platform is another. A Learning Platform is often an LMS streamlined down, but they won’t refer to themselves as an LMS. Digital Learning Platform (see LP above), People Development Platform (very close to an LMS, but again, we are now into marketing spin), Talent Development Platform, which is heavy on learning – it is a big chunk of it, and includes some performance mgt/talent mgt feature sets – not enough to be a full-blown PM or TM system.
Learning Ecosystem or Learning Suite falls under the “Learning System” umbrella. I personally see these as hot in 2021. The new spin is that under an ecosystem, you get an LXP, an LMS, a content marketplace (3rd party – which to be honest can appear as part of any learning system including LXPs – that is where they play big time, and of course LMSs have had them for nearly two decades – not across the board mind you, but more than enough). Some will add other items as that fourth wheel. Some only have three. The point is they are trying to split out, err provide additional segmentation to show the benefits of an all-in one system.
EdCast for example, for my #1 listing is the entire platform (which includes the LXP, LMS Lite and Service Management, and the content marketplace). I did not include vendor management which is an add-on that they often toss in depending on the client needs. Nor did I include the advanced analytics which again is included in the platform for very large enterprise clients. It used to be add-on, it no longer is.
Criteria
Different analyst firms have different criteria and each of us have a different methodology. So, trying to compare one versus another, isn’t really a recommendation, because of the variance. I have always been transparent on what I look at, and consider. I do use weighting for my calculations and a formula that includes extracting some features into numbers and tapping into a multi-variable ANOVA. It outputs a number, and that is included as part of the equation. It is just one piece of the methodology. And not the end of everything.
The Criteria is made of up 15 points.
Learner UI and UX – Extremely important. I never understood why so many vendors think old school is fine. Everyone says that learners can get to content or what they need quickly, I can tell you that isn’t always the case. Personalization is somewhat misleading too. Unless each end user can personalize their page, including language, what they want to appear and not appear, and has a drag and drop functionality (i.e. not set by the admin), then it isn’t fully personalized.
Admin UI and UX – Often when vendors do an update or revamp, they focus on the learner side first, which makes sense, but then they will either ignore the admin side and keep it where it is, or make such minor tweaks that at first glance you are like – huh? Then, there are those who do a nice revamp for one part, and the UX on the other hand is poor. Or they do a wonderful job with some, and not all (ahem Degreed – that other reports and metrics?). SumTotal for example did a nice revamp, but their reporting is super outdated. Jasper has to go.
NexGen Functionality – Plays a big role here. I based it first on Tier 4, then down to Tier 3. I have posts covering these, so anyone who says we are “NexGen” send them to the Tier 4 page and ask them, how many of these do you have? Those that were minimal on Tier 4, had to be over 90% on Tier 3.
Reporting and Metrics – Plays an important role here, the days of only canned reports just won’t fly anymore. And more and more L&D and Training people want more segmented metrics. This doesn’t mean you have to have a built-in BI tool. In fact, the vast majority of vendors don’t. UX plays a role here too. If I can only download the reports, then I surmise you own a copy of Access 1998.
Support – This is overlooked in such a big way, and yet, it is the number one reason, people – i.e. clients leave systems. Never buy into everyone loves us, or our support NPS is high or are support is 98%. If someone said, “Hey are support stinks. And last year, we were 72% up from 71%,” would you buy them? I look at a lot of data when it comes to support, including ratios – # of tickets to customers (on avg), follow-up time (during business hours) for initial call, then on-going follow-ups, number of support staff, and so forth. Any vendor who says they can’t provide any metrics, is either lying or seriously shouldn’t be selling a system. Regardless of size, if they offer support, they keep metrics. Most have someone overseeing support, which uh, has those metrics.
Training – Another overlooked area. I find that some issues can be resolved, had training been conducted. A client is responsible for training their employees, customers etc – not the vendor. The Admin(s), whoever else oversees the department, etc. should get training. Thus if a vendor offers only two hrs of Admin training, and charges extra for more, or for the head of the department or division, that is a bad thing. Any additional items, such as a community forum (with a moderator who responds), knowledge base, mini videos on how to do this or that are big wins. Especially the first and third item. Chatbots stink.
Feature Progression – They were here last year, where are they now? What did they tweak? What did they remove? What did they add – it may not be NexGen, but it might be something they were missing.
Do they do configuration or not? Plenty are off the shelf with minimal configuration, which is fine for most folks, but for very large customers do they offer a high level of configuration – that is where I was focused on here. Large would be anything higher than 25,000 end users.
Remote Workforce – Min browser version and what browsers, bandwidth speed for video and high data content, mobile app (with on/off synch) – many lack this by the way, in general.
Front-Line workers, retail, blue-collar workers(if applicable) – What features did they offer these folks, where having to be on-site is not an option. Systems that targeted verticals where there is a high blue collar workforce, should have features that serve these folks, just as well, as they do for white-collar workers (which is where most systems skew towards, of course vendors like BlueVolt are an exception).
Small Enterprise vs Enterprise vs Large Enterprise vs Customer Training/Education (aka as Extended Enterprise). Depending on the system, and their target audiences and horizontals, you need to compare SE for example to only SE vendors, what features, functionality, capabilities, pricing did they offer/provide. If Large Enterprise could their infrastructure handle say a client with 500,000 users? Ignore if they are on AWS, I’m also talking about internal staff and resources. A lot of vendors want in to the Customer Training market, but their system is skewed significantly to employees. As a result, if they play in CT, then they need to get those features that make a huge difference. For example, manager areas is not something of interest to B2B/B2C, I mean if I am a customer of product X, why would I need a manager area?
Communication – Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but who are you talking to? The salesperson and their response time is relevant. Plus, can they answer basic sales questions related to the product – do they actually know the product and if not, can they get you the answer in a reasonable time? Again, I do not know of any analyst firm that looks at this. As a someone who has been in the trenches buying systems, I can tell you, it is extremely important.
Content Marketplace – This is 3rd party off-the shelf content by 3rd party content providers that is available to the client to purchase (then you give it to your user base for free). Typically includes some free content too.
Implementation Time – Off-the-shelf with a logo and color adds, shouldn’t take six months. In fact, if we are talking more than a month, that’s an issue. Unless you are dealing with mass configuration (and many vendors a)won’t do this and b) if they do, you are have to be large enterprise), then the time frames will go way up.
15. Industry/Verticals and capabilities/features/integrations/track record/etc. – Again comparing one to another who are in different industries isn’t fair. If I play heavily in FS for example (say 75% or higher) then my social features usually will not be the same as someone who plays in retail. Granted, this needs to change in 2021, because more folks work from home, so social does play a bigger role than ever before.
The Top 10 Learning Systems for 2021 – The Rankings
I always debate whether to go 1-to 10 or 10 to 1. Which is better? Who knows. This year, 1 to 10. Feel free to leave your comments. I promise I won’t read them. Just kidding.
#1 EdCast – This is not for Spark, rather the EdCast platform itself (they are branding it with a new name with EdCast in the title). With the EdCast platform you are getting the content marketplace (which comes with Spark) and LMS Lite and Service Management. It does not include Domo, the advanced analytics component, which they now include, but at the time this was put together, it was separate, nor vendor management, which is too cumbersome to explain, but it involves you wanting to sell your content to every other client on the EdCast marketplace and having training suppliers too. Most folks won’t need this. So, if you are a client of EdCast and want to sell only to your clients/customers, then you are fine, and do not need vendor management.
This is an LXP with LMS functionality – hence you wanting the entire platform, and not Spark. Because honestly, the two parts work the best together, especially with the functionality. MS Teams capabilities is also an additional cost, but they just toss it into the platform price point, so no need for concern.
This system has something for everyone, and is perfect regardless of your size to be honest. I mean, you can tell them to ditch the advanced analytics if you want (and save some $$$), but the rest you want (exc. vendor mgt).
Big Wins
Great Layout, this system sings. Easy to use, figure out and lots of content out there – including plenty of free content and assets.
The bookmarklet extension is fantastic. Once you add it to your browser, content that is associated to what you are searching for in the browser will appear in boxes at the top of your browser. I love that.
Metrics on the back-end is good. I found Domo which is the BI tool and now part of advanced analytics, UI and UX wise, needing overhaul designers ASAP. Anyway, the EdCast side is nice.
Mobile app and its capabilities are fantastic, mimics what you see in the EdCast platform
MS Teams mimics the EdCast platform as well, so you never have to leave it. The API pushes the data back into EdCast
Lots of content for folks to choose from, with plenty of free and of course, 3rd party content providers.
Feature-rich system. #1 NexGen Learning System for 2020. #1 LXP for 2020, for those seeking only an LXP, but again, please note that the LMS Lite functionality (which is more stronger than lite) is essential.
Plays solid in B2B/B2C, Offers a multi-tenant.
Highest score on my feature template of any vendor in these rankings. And we are talking over 240 items on that feature template.
Strong of course for Enterprise and Large Enterprise. If you are under 999 users then Spark is where they push towards, but if you want the platform I’m describing, they will take you, so don’t think it is Spark or the highway, if you have like 500 employees.
Not a fan of the charge for a custom domain. I am not talking about $25 here, I am talking the most expensive I have ever seen, in 20 yrs, and if I toss in buying a custom domain in 1993, higher than that. In other words, just go with what they do, which is your name, followed by their name. (I should add that plenty of systems follow this approach, uh, not the cost of domain nonsense, but the yourname.vendorname URL)
#2 Thought Industries – If you want the best learning system for B2B/B2C i.e. customer training/education, partner training, etc. – this is it. The Leader IMO. Feature rich that matches what you exactly need for this market, and they only focus on this market, one reason why they know it inside and out and the system is designed around it.
Multi-Tenant which includes Panorama, which I absolutely love and think is the best one out there for the multi-tenant (.e. parent-child, i.e. extended enterprise) capabilities. So much you can do with it, especially the level of branding of your customer sites, extensive options here.
UI/UX is at rocket level. Implementation timeframes are rather short, again for something extensive custom config level different story. They need a mobile app, right now you go through the web browser, but hopefully in 2021 that will change. Roadmap track record has been very good. A content marketplace is not something you usually find with systems that only go after the B2B/B2C market, and this follows true with TI. But I surmise that will change in 2021. Incorporates the video assessment with digital coaching and speech indices, including transcript in the system, another huge win.
If I was to buy a system that was solely about B2B/B2C for customer training/education, this is it. Next!
#3 Learn Amp– Part LXP, Part LMS – in other words the feature sets of the LXP combined with the right feature sets for an LMS. Has a bookmarklet extension, can mimic within MS Teams (no charge), has e-commerce, has an improved level of analytics and reporting, continues to take charge and ooomph the UI for learners and administrators, and UX is strong to boot. Content marketplace has more than enough for folks, implementation time is fast. Best for 500 to 10,000 employee level, but can handle clients up to around 100,000. Enterprise strong. Lacks a mobile app – and yes, they know my feelings on that. #2 LXP for 2020.
I just really like this system. There is something wonderful about it. I love when when a vendor sees where learning and training is heading and jumps into it, head first. Skills development feature sets are there, and playlist angle too. This is for Learn plus Connect (they sell them separately or as a bundle). You want both. Perform is a 3rd option, but it aligns more with performance management including having a meeting solution in it.
If you are debating between Learn Amp and Docebo, Learn Amp is the better option.
#4 CrossKnowledge Learning Suite – This is an ecosystem, which includes the learning piece, the content marketplace, and CK Connect – an awesome solution, click to ready my product review on it. The LMS is another feature rich system, with lots of functionality and capability. CK for whatever reason, isn’t as strong in the states, compared to Europe, which is a shame, because it really is quite good. UI and UX, which are so crucial for learners and admins is tight. Mobile continues to rock, skills management features and good too.
The back-end analytics and metrics is the second best I have seen in the industry (Fuse is #1). This is what metrics are all about, and are relevant to your learning and training. KPIs, strong data visualization and segmentation levels you only dreamed about, exists in this system.
In the Leader Grid for NexGen features/functionality. Support is good, implementation times overall are good. And yes, they can do extensive config – which of course, longer implementation time frame.
Plays really well with employees and could go B2B/B2C with its capabilities.
#5 Cornerstone Learning – Yes I already know. You are saying – them? They are traditional. They are this or they are that. And I say, you know Google has been around since 1996, so what’s your point?
Cornerstone Learning is a full ecosystem, and with Cornerstone Development, new features coming this summer that should definitely make it a solution to watch, is their LXP. You get the LMS, LXP, Content Anytime – I always mess up the name, change – please, but it is their content marketplace. #2 NexGen Learning System for 2020, tells you all you need to know regarding features/functionality. The UI/UX on the front end is good, continues to get better. A weakness? That admin sides needs a revamp, and is way too cumbersome, IMO. Feature wise, it is extensive. Skills management is elite. They need some improvement with video, and they lack the video assessment/digital coaching solution which is a bummer.
Mobile is good, implementation times, well this is where it gets a bit weird, because it will depend on the Cornerstone Service Partner, but generally speaking under three months, even two is doable. Extensive conf. another story. If you go with Cornerstone in the U.S., you will want Bluewater for your service partner, ask for them by name.
Support is the past hasn’t been great, but in 2020, it vastly improved, and everything points toward this path in 2021. The system is geared for employees, although Cornerstone wants B2B/B2C and has some clients there. They play in Small Enterprise (500 to 999) and even small business (less than 500), so the days of only wanting large enterprises solely is gone.
You can buy just the LMS, and nothing else, but this ranking is based on the ecosystem of Cornerstone Learning, Cornerstone Development and Content Anytime, uh, did I mention they need a name change on that?
#6 SAP Litmos – Okay, once again just to re-state this, they can handle very large enterprise, i.e. 500,000 or more end users. And no, I do not know why SAP always pushes SuccessFactors over them, when it comes to large enterprise clients and learning.
Secondly, SAP Litmos and SuccessFactors are two different products, and two different systems. As I said to one reader, it is like comparing a luxury sports car to a model T, and SF is the latter. If you want agile, high performance, with feature sets including video assessment/digital coaching, AI, playlists, skills management, slick UI/UX for Learners and Admins, this is it. If you want, uh, a pop-up book with stick things you can move around, then the latter SF should suffice or probably a pop-up book. On a side note, I can’t understand why SF is still mad at me, regarding my Turkey awards in 2019, was it something I said?
Okay back to SAP Litmos, the metrics work, although if you want advanced to the level of strong segmentation, this isn’t it. And they are still a work in progress with e-commerce, which is why I see the system for now as better suited towards employees, until they can hit the high tier needed for e-commerce, which really wasn’t a strong suit for them in the past. Could they go B2B/B2C with what they have now? The answer is yes, but for all e-commerce features that many systems who have e-comm have, they lack some.
Their built-in authoring tool, is uh, well, there are plenty of 3rd party SaaS ones that will fit the build. Assessment tool, learning paths, learning environment feature sets are all there. AI, skills management are good too.
#7 Absorb LMS – Another ecosystem with more than enough for all. You do not need to have an “LXP” to be an ecosystem BTW, because LXP is just a term to be honest, and if the vendor has skills management feature sets, content marketplace with 3rd party and free content, and playlists, whalla – LXP. That said, Absorb Infuse, their LXP, does come with the Absorb LMS. As does Absorb Create, a top tier authoring tool. For this ranking it refers to the whole system – Absorb LMS with Create, Engage, Inform and Infuse. Although to be quite honest, you can hold off on Infuse, and will have more than enough. Inform is their top tier BI analytics, and it is what I would use with their LMS.
UI/UX for Learner and Admin has always been awesome. Offers electronic signature on a mobile device, which is not common in the industry, in fact, many systems lack digital signatures period. Compliance is quite good, multi-tenant, this system plays nicely in B2B/B2C and equally employees. Absorb does very well against Docebo, and similar competitors.
Mobile strong, a true ecosystem and one folks need to start paying more attention to. Fast implementation times.
#8 Docebo – As you can see there are a lot of vendors who compete head on with Docebo. Docebo is an LMS. Do they advertise themselves as an SEP, LXP, Learning Platform, LMS and whatever else? Absolutely. But they are not an SEP, nor an LXP or whatever else, they are an LMS that offers a lot of features, capabilities and options.
UI/UX for Learners has always been a big win for Docebo and it continues. The admin side is nice, but very dated, it needs a major update, and can be a bit confusing, as a result of the lack of revamp. Capabilities on the admin side are there for the most part.
The content marketplace is quite good, tied around G01, but you can purchase any 3rd party content, and yes, GO1 is 3rd party and yes, you have to pay for it. Docebo includes free content. The Discover/Coach/Share module which is part of the system, well it in the quote, unless you state you do not want it – trust me, you want it, is fantastic. Again, needs an update, but what it has today is good, I am just greedy – I want elite. Their skills management is okay, they are planning on rolling out a more robust skills management/development module (again part of the platform, unless you say you do not want it) some time in 2021. Roadmap track record has been mixed, which is a shame. They can go employees or B2B/B2C.
Recently acquired a vendor which is strong in analytics, and that makes sense, because one of the biggest weaknesses with Docebo is their level of analytics and metrics. For the individual end user in their profile it is fine, and has enough, but for the back-end, metrics, different story.
#9 Fuse – Another ecosystem in the mix here. LMS with LXP functionality (see how I spun that?) places them into this elite company (top 10). Skills management has always been a weak point, but happy to report, that coming in 2021, it will go up a couple of notches, that are needed. They have a lot of features in the works, two that will be huge, which sadly I can’t announce, until they are close to rolling them out (I promised).
#1 for metrics and data on the back-end. Everything you ever wanted and more. Data visualization is fantastic. UI/UX Learner side is good, Admin side is very good. The whole communities aspect that is wrapped around the learner side, is a bit getting use to, which I can see, if someone doesn’t buy into it, then they will not be happy campers. Fuse provided data that shows a higher level of engagement with the community thing, so there’s that.
System skews heavily towards employees, but they do offer e-commerce, do play well in B2B/B2C and will work for many folks wanting a customer education/training system with a different take, than many others. Digital coaching exists and a lot of integrations including Slack. Teams is on its way.
A Tie at #10 (D2L and Schoox)
D2L – A very robust LMS (the ranking is for Corporate, not EdTech, although they are #1 for the EdTech market). Video assessment piece? Check. Digital coaching? Check. Skills management feature set? Check. Strong Admin side? Check. Feature strong? Check. Content marketplace? Check, solid. #1 for Association market in 2020, so you can see they play quite well with B2B/B2C too. Employees of course. One area that needs a major update is the Learner side UI and some UX. I mean there are parts that are strong, and parts that need some tweaks. Metrics is average.
Schoox– One of my systems to watch in 2021, this system is all about employees. Metrics are good, UI/UX for Learner and Admin are good too. Has plenty for everyone. Schoox is a Talent Development Platform which is made up of a big chunk of learning with key performance management/talent management features. The problem with a TDS is that you can easily target solely HR, and thus you start sliding more towards HR needs and reqs, then say L&D for learning.
That’s the Top 10 for 2021. You might be wondering, what about 11-20? Or if not, well, as an added bonus, and without calling a toll free number and paying extra shipping and handling, here are #11 to #20.
Uh, no details, just list.
#11. Degreed – Close to becoming a talent development platform. Right now sitting on the border. It is an LXP with LMS feature sets. If you want mass configuration, this isn’t the system. Add-on opportunities is nice. Metrics could be a lot better.
#12 SkillJar – B2B/B2C only. Another leader in the B2B/B2C.
#14 Instilled LXP – You can buy it separately or as part of PeopleFluent Learning – which uh, you buy Instilled as an add-on. Video focused LXP, although you can go with SCORM content too.
#15 Brainer LMS– Employees and Customers, feature strong, nice UI/UX – under the radar
#16 SumTotal Learning Management– Heavily skewed towards employees, can go B2B/B2C, but I wouldn’t buy them for customer education.
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The first course I undertook was on Quickbooks. I needed the Accounting skills and knowledge necessary for running day to day operations.
Has Alison helped you secure in a new job or promotion?
Yes. Formerly, I was employed as a mere financial assistant. However, through Alison I received a new job as a Procurement Officer. Through the Alison platform, I have shifted mindset and become more rational and embracing of diversity. I have also honed my report writing skills.
What’s your favourite way to relax from studying?
Going swimming is my favourite way to relax. In addition, sometimes I’ll choose a topic I love from Alison and enjoy exploring it.
Where are you working and what are you studying now?
I am working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a humanitarian organisation. Furthermore, I am studying Networking and IT Security through Alison.
What’s next for you, in terms of education or work?
I am looking forward to soon being self-employed as I improve my technical skills.
If you could learn absolutely anything in the world from an Alison course, what would it be?
What would you say to someone if they asked you about Alison? Would you recommend it and why?
Alison is an exceptional, user-friendly and global platform that offers skills training and knowledge related to working environments across a diverse range of fields. I would especially recommend Alison for people who are interested in continuous learning. The reasons I prefer Alison to other platforms is it’s accessible 24/7, has no geographical barriers, and is affordable and flexible. Alison also offers classes in a wide range of skills and disciplines. Alison has greatly enabled me to acquire applicable knowledge and to develop a deep understanding of new skills. Also with Alison, you can scroll back and relearn what you may have forgotten. I greatly appreciate Alison for their exceptional global platform.
Welcome to Codecademy! We’re glad you’re here. Whether you’re thinking of signing up for Codecademy Pro, recently started a trial, or have been a Pro member for awhile, we want to make sure you’re aware of everything Pro has to offer.
In this article, we’ll tell you about our most popular Pro features. Plus, we’ll share some resources to help you stay motivated as you embark on your learning journey.
If you haven’t purchased yet but are planning on it, you can save 21% when you sign up for any annual Pro plan now through January 22 using the promo code CODECAN. Join Pro or join Pro Student today.
Codecademy Pro membership features
How is Codecademy Pro different from our free membership? When you subscribe to Pro, you unlock exclusive features designed to help you take your learning to the next level. You’ll enjoy access to exclusive courses, interactive practice and review, Career Paths, interview prep, and portfolio projects designed to help you land the job of your dreams, and more.
Learn more about the features and resources available to you as a Codecademy Pro member below.
Career Paths and Skill Paths
Career Paths and Skill Paths are designed to take you through everything you need to know to learn a specific skill or get started in a specific career. Our Curriculum Developers have organized Career Path and Skill Path content into roadmaps that make it easy to know what to learn and in what order.
If you’re interested in a career in data science or web development, Career Paths can help you get there, even if you have no previous experience with coding. We recently introduced a new and improved Data Scientist Career Path, plus three new web development Paths — Front-End Engineer, Back-End Engineer, and Full-Stack Engineer. You can read more about the new paths here.
Not sure which Path to take or what to learn first? We’ve got a quiz that can help you decide.
Certificates
When you complete a Pro course, you’ll earn a certificate. You can share it on your resume or your LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills or prepare for your job search.
Projects, Challenge Projects, and Portfolio Projects
As you learn, you’ll work on guided projects to put the things you’re learning to use. When you’re done, you can take your skills to the next level with Challenge Projects. Challenge Projects offer less instruction and more opportunity to figure things out for yourself. You can find recommended Challenge Projects on your dashboard as you learn.
If you take one of the Career Paths, you’ll build your own Portfolio Projects as well. Portfolio Projects set you up to work outside of Codecademy and build your own projects that are completely unique to you. You can use these projects when you begin your job search.
Interview prep
If you’re taking one of our Web Development Career Paths, you’ll find interview prep built in. Learn interview techniques to prepare for technical interviews, including algorithm and data structure practice.
Test yourself as you make your way through a Path or course. Quizzes help you retain all the things you’re learning — plus, they’ll help you feel confident that you’re mastering the material.
Practice
With your Pro membership, you’ll also find a variety of practice exercises on your dashboard as you make your way through the material. These will help you practice and review concepts you’ve learned. Practice exercises include things like additional quizzes, fill-in-the-code exercises, and more.
Cheatsheets
While Cheatsheets aren’t a Pro-exclusive feature, we wanted to make sure they were on your radar! Coding is less about memorization and more about understanding principles. Cheatsheets help you focus on the principles and less on remembering syntax and commands. You can find a full list of all of our cheatsheets here.
Resources for staying motivated and accountable
Learning to code can be challenging at times, but we’re here to help you along the way. So while we have your attention, we thought we’d share some tips and resources to help you stay motivated and accountable to your learning goals. Click through the links below to learn more.
Codecademy Forums: The Codecademy community is here for you. Head over to the Forums to get to know other learners, ask for feedback, share projects, read inspiring success stories, and more.
Codecademy Chapters: Chapters are community-led groups all over the world. You can join a group in your local area (or start your own) to connect with learners near you, in-person or virtually. You can find out more about Chapters here.
Bite-sized goals for learning to code: A giant goal like changing careers can feel overwhelming. That’s why we recommend starting with bite-sized goals that’ll make it easy to get started and build good learning habits. We’ve compiled a list of 29 bite-sized learning goals for inspiration.
Weekly targets: In your Codecademy account when you click on “My Home” you’ll find the option to set weekly targets. Decide how many days you want to learn every week and track your progress.
30-Day Challenge: If you’re up for a challenge, try coding a little bit every day for 30 days with our 30-Day Challenge! We’ll send you email reminders to keep you motivated and we’ll keep track of your progress.
Whether you’re looking to transition to the career of your dreams, learn new skills to help you at work, or learning just for fun, we’re happy you’re decided to learn with us. Here’s to reaching your coding goals!
I was only a few days into a meandering trip across America, and already I was easing into something of a nighttime routine. Earlier in the day I’d pinpointed a promising campsite in Ozark National Forest. Now, I found myself ascending an isolated forestry road to get to it, my tires crackling over its rough, potholed surface.
When I could no longer hear the road noise from the scenic highway that carried me into the mountains, I found a small clearing in the woods, shimmied my car into a level position and climbed into the back. Gathering my camping stove, I stepped outside into a light rainfall and, under a tall canopy of trees, lit the burner.
All night I’d been enveloped in a thick foggy haze: not much to see, wipers running full tilt. I hadn’t interacted with anyone in days, and now even the landscape was hidden from view. But the rain seemed to be letting up — enough in this small glade, at least, for me to heat a pot of water for a solitary cup of tea. In the morning, I thought, if things cleared, there’d even be hope of seeing the surrounding mountains in their autumnal glory.
So it went, it seems, with much of 2020: our lives — and our country — enveloped in a haze of uncertainty, without our knowing whether the next day would bring a modicum of relief or a deepening of our solitude.
In October I set off on a trip to witness and document this singular moment in American history — to look quietly and intently at our country, to parse its scenery.
To limit interaction and prevent exposure, I outfitted my car as a makeshift camper van, removing the rear seats and installing a sleeping (and living and working) platform in their place.
After stocking up on food and water, I headed southwest from my hometown, Hudson, Ohio, largely avoiding highways and preferring instead to pass more slowly through less populated areas. Most nights I spent at remote, unimproved campsites — away from any developed campgrounds — in our sprawling network of national forests.
On many of my previous trips across the country, my spirits have been buoyed by the fleeting social interactions that occur sporadically throughout the day — at diners, motels, knickknack shops, campgrounds.
Traveling in isolation, though, was a categorically different experience.
Even in the casual places where travelers still gathered — gas stations, coffee shops, rest areas — there were generally no offhand conversations, no sharing of experiences, no sense of spontaneous connection. Strangers transacted and, still strangers, went their separate ways.
Without the promise of social interaction, the landscape itself — both natural and built — became my focus.
Often it felt like a companion. Often it felt like a manuscript, open to interpretation.
Reviewing the photographs from my trip, I found that my eyes were drawn to projections of my own isolation: lone structures, unpeopled scenes, solitary sets of tire tracks.
Looking outward, I saw within.
What also struck me were the scars. In town after town I saw sidewalks emptied, shops struggling, restaurants barely clinging to life.
It all added up to the same bleak assessment: The pandemic has acted like an accelerant, hastening trends toward online commerce that threaten the future of brick-and-mortar stores and streetside businesses — the economic and communal mainstays of small towns throughout America.
The economic fallout wasn’t the only visible trauma. In Colorado, Oregon and California, the widespread effects of the worst fire season on record were ubiquitous.
Heading west from Fort Collins, Colo., along State Highway 14, I watched as crews scrambled to battle the Cameron Peak fire, the largest in Colorado history. The devastation along Highway 22 in Oregon was astonishing.
Our country’s political divisions were also omnipresent — in the form of yard signs, flags, billboards.
In some places, the public posturing read like communal declarations. More than at other points in recent memory, businesses (as opposed solely to individuals or residences) seemed to trumpet their political affiliations.
There was, of course, an endless array of beauty. Gazing at the sandstone arches in eastern Utah, standing silently over the pristine waters of the McDonald Creek in northern Montana, looking out at a herd of bison in Southern Colorado, I saw the sublimity and the precariousness of our natural treasures reflected in their own forms.
If much of the American landscape can be read, then much is also continuously rewritten — particularly in our forests, grasslands and wildlife refuges, the arenas for our never-ending attempts to strike a balance between conservation and extraction, between profit and preservation.
In many ways the trip felt like an extended ode to such places — our national forests in particular.
Twelve days and some 4,500 miles in, I woke before dawn in the southern stretches of Bitterroot National Forest, near the border between Idaho and Montana. Temperatures outside had fallen into the low 20s; cocooned in my car, I hadn’t noticed. But, cracking the door open, I felt a rush of cold air.
I peered out into the darkness.
Startled by the cold and beckoned by the Montanan scenery, I opted for an early start, descending the mountains north toward Missoula. I fell into an early-morning trance — until, 20 minutes later, I saw a fellow traveler who’d pulled his car to the side of the road and exited it. He was staring into the distance.
I turned to my left, in the direction of his gaze, and saw Trapper Peak, purple and majestic, dressed in unspeakable beauty. Somehow, inexplicably, I hadn’t noticed its grandeur.
I pressed the brakes and slowed to a stop some 100 feet away. I, too, exited my car and stood alongside the road.
Please keep in mind that this forum is for teenagers only.While there are many places on NYTimes.com for adults to comment, this is the only dedicated spot for the voices of young people.
On Jan. 6, as President Trump’s allies in Congress began an effort to disrupt the certification of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory, Mr. Trump gave a speech encouraging his supporters to march to the Capitol. You probably already know what happened next.
Though this news is still developing as we publish this piece, we invite you to tell us what you saw, felt, noticed and wondered as you watched or heard about this news. Did you scroll through images and videos on social media? Which ones stuck out to you? What emotions did you experience? Whom did you text? What did you say?
What do you think these events say about the strength and durability of American democracy?
WASHINGTON — So this is how it ends. The presidency of Donald John Trump, rooted from the beginning in anger, division and conspiracy-mongering, comes to a close with a violent mob storming the Capitol at the instigation of a defeated leader trying to hang onto power as if America were just another authoritarian nation.
The scenes in Washington would have once been unimaginable: A rampage through the citadel of American democracy. Police officers brandishing guns in an armed standoff to defend the House chamber. Tear gas deployed in the Rotunda. Lawmakers in hiding. Extremists standing in the vice president’s spot on the Senate dais and sitting at the desk of the speaker of the House.
The words used to describe it were equally alarming: Coup. Insurrection. Sedition. Suddenly the United States was being compared to a “banana republic” and receiving messages of concern from other capitals. “American carnage,” it turned out, was not what President Trump would stop, as he promised upon taking office, but what he wound up delivering four years later to the very building where he took the oath.
The convulsion in Washington capped 1,448 days of Twitter storms, provocations, race-baiting, busted norms, shock-jock governance and truth-bending from the Oval Office that have left the country more polarized than in generations. Those who warned of worst-case scenarios only to be dismissed as alarmists found some of their darkest fears realized. By day’s end, even some Republicans suggested removing Mr. Trump under the 25th Amendment rather than wait two weeks for the inauguration of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The article continues:
While Washington has seen many protests over the years, including some that turned violent, the uprising on Wednesday was unlike anything that the capital has seen during a transition of power in modern times, literally interrupting the constitutional acceptance of Mr. Biden’s election victory. Mr. Trump all but egged them on during a “Save America March” on the Ellipse south of the White House just as Congress was convening to validate Mr. Biden’s election.
“We will never give up,” Mr. Trump had declared. “We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore, and that’s what this is all about.”
It ends with this paragraph:
With Mr. Pence unwilling and unable to stop the count, the president’s supporters made it their mission to do it themselves. And for several hours, they succeeded. But after they were finally cleared out of the Capitol, lawmakers resumed the process of ending the Trump presidency, no matter how much he resists.
What are your reactions to the storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Trump? What questions do you have?
What emotions did you experience as you heard about the news? If you saw images or videos, how did they make you feel? What connections, if any, did you make to other events, whether in history or more recently? Did you talk to friends or family members about what the nation was experiencing? What did you say?
In an Opinion piece published on the afternoon of Jan. 6, Nicholas Kristof writes:
Wednesday was a horrifying and shameful moment in American history. I’ve covered attempted coups in many countries around the world, and now I’m finally covering one in the United States.
Mr. Kristof also makes a point that has been raised by other journalists, on social media, and in this Times article: that these Trump supporters were treated less harshly by law enforcement than other groups, especially protesters who are Black or are protesting on behalf of racial justice.
The rioters encountered a minimal police response, not the kind that Black Lives Matter protesters received. Many of those pro-Trump rioters probably dispute the idea of white privilege. But the fact that they were allowed to overrun the police and invade the Senate and House chambers was evidence of that privilege.
What do you think of Mr. Kristof’s observations? Do you agree? Is there a “stark double standard” at play?
In your view, what role did Mr. Trump’s refusal to accept the election results play in inciting this violence? Do you believe that the willingness of many Republicans in Congress to support his unsubstantiated claims of a stolen election contributed to the violence at the Capitol? What should those Republicans do now?
In a brief video posted to his Twitter account shortly after 4 p.m., Mr. Trump repeated his baseless claim that “the election was stolen” and spoke in sympathetic and affectionate terms to members of the mob, advising them to “go home,” adding, “We love you.” Do you think Mr. Trump should have condemned the violence at the Capitol more quickly and forcefully? Do you think that would have made a difference?
The 2020 election season has been a stress test for American democracy. Do you think it is holding up? Can a democracy withstand widespread distrust in the election system, even from elected officials within it? Can it withstand a violent uprising? Some are now calling for Mr. Trump to be removed and disqualified for public office to “preserve democracy.” Do you agree?
What do you think these events foreshadow about the coming months, or even years? What do you think elected officials and ordinary citizens can do?
What tidbit of information have you learned this past year that most stands out? An oddity from science or music class? A curiosity from the news, your social media feed or your personal experience? A surprising statistic from the world of sports or an intriguing story from history?
Each day, New York Times editors collect the most interesting, striking or delightful facts to appear in articles throughout the paper. In “74 of Our Favorite Facts for 2020,” The Times Insider Staff compiles its most fascinating and revealing facts from the past year.
12. For decades after the birth of modern photography in 1839, one of the most common uses of the technology was a professionally shot photograph of a dead family member. The iPhone at the Deathbed
65. Often, the screams we hear in movies and TV are created by doubles and voice actors. One stock scream is so well-used it’s got a name, the Wilhelm. It’s in hundreds of films. They Scream! We Scream!
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
What is one new thing you learned in 2020? Are there any specific facts, oddities and curiosities you can recall, whether from your classes, conversations with friends, time spent online, reading or watching TV, or anywhere else?
How has this newfound knowledge affected how you think about yourself and the world? How might it be useful to you in the future?
Which of the 74 facts compiled in the article most struck a chord with you and why? How might you be able to use it in your own life? Are there any other facts that you have read in The Times this year that you think should be added to this list?
Are you a person who loves trivia — memorizing names, dates and state capitals? Or are you disinterested in discrete information, instead moved by stories, feelings and emotions? When has this kind of information come in handy for you, if ever?
What subjects do you want to know more about this year? What learning goals do you have? How will your life be different or better if you are able to meet them?
Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
Out in the rural areas, many people behave as if there is no coronavirus. Even many police officers who have been empowered to enforce the pandemic rules are not wearing masks.
This intransigence has helped India catch up with the United States in terms of total infections. U.S. cases are near 7.6 million, compared with India’s 6.8 million, according to a New York Times database. But India outpaces new American cases by 30,000 or so each day, putting it on a path to potentially surpass the United States in the coming weeks.
Many people in Indian villages believe their government is overstating the severity of the pandemic and showing no sensitivity to the economic hardship that they are suffering.
1. After looking closely at the image above (or at the full-size image), think about these three questions:
2. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
3. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.
Each Monday, our collaborator, Visual Thinking Strategies, will facilitate a discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time by paraphrasing comments and linking to responses to help students’ understanding go deeper. You might use their responses as models for your own.
4. On Thursday afternoons, we will reveal at the bottom of this post more information about the photo. How does reading the caption and learning its back story help you see the image differently?
As people around the world welcomed the new year in hopes of leaving behind the horrors of 2020, many people are now realizing that the hardest challenges may lie ahead. In this lesson, you will learn about how the virus is affecting individuals and communities around the globe as we enter 2021. Then, you will study a map to learn more, or choose one country to do further research about.
Warm Up
We asked students about their hopes and desires for 2021, not only for themselves, but for their families, their communities and the world. Here is what three students said:
In 2021, I hope for peace. I hope that I can wake up and have a normal school day. It’s weird that something that was so close to me suddenly seems so far to reach. But, I will not lose hope. I will continue to believe that this year will be better.
2020 was a year of joy and happiness. I had lots of good memories and they will stay with me through the rest of high school and the rest of my life. 2021 will be a year for new memories and new friends and new habits that I will not break.
What I hope for in 2020 is no more Covid. I know Covid won’t just end immediately but once they get a vaccine to a lot of people, I will feel so much safer. I want to be able to live normally and see my friends.
Do you relate to what any of the students above said? How do you feel about 2021? Are you hopeful or optimistic? Or do you have fears and worries as you enter the New Year?
