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Lesson of the Day: ‘Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?’

Find all our Lessons of the Day here.

Featured Article: “Why Are People Protesting in Hong Kong?”

The protests that have shaken Hong Kong this summer began with huge demonstrations in early June against an unpopular bill. Since then, the protests have become a broader movement against Beijing’s power in the semiautonomous territory.

In this lesson, students will learn more about the movement in Hong Kong and compare it with others throughout history. Then they will decide: Are protests an effective way to bring about change? Will this one make a meaningful difference?

What comes to mind when you hear the word “protest”? Take a few minutes to jot down all the associations you have with this word.

If you’re stuck, here are a few questions that can help get you thinking:

  • What protests do you know of from history or that have happened recently?

  • Why do people protest? What are their goals?

  • Where do protests happen?

  • What groups often play an important role in protests?

  • What strategies, symbols or objects do protesters use to draw attention to their cause?

  • What images come to mind when you visualize a protest?

  • What thoughts and feelings come up when you think about protests you’ve learned about or those you’ve been involved in yourself?

  • Can protests bring about meaningful change?

Now, take a moment to scroll through the visual timeline below of the protests happening in Hong Kong. Do they look like any of the protests you have learned about or attended yourself? In what ways do they resemble the ideas about protests that you wrote about above? In what ways do they differ?

Note to teacher

If you’re a teacher doing this warm-up in a classroom context, you might conduct the activity as a “Graffiti Board” or “Chalk Talk.” Write “protest” in the center of a whiteboard or large piece of paper and invite students to write their associations on it. Then, discuss as a class what you notice.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. What is the latest news concerning the protests in Hong Kong? Why is this most recent turn of events so significant?

2. Hong Kong and China exist under a policy known as “one country, two systems.” What does that mean? Why has this policy caused tension between the two in recent years?

3. What is the extradition bill and why is it so unpopular among Hong Kong residents?

4. How have the demonstrations unfolded since they began in June? How have protesters’ concerns evolved?

5. What tactics have demonstrators used to bring attention to their cause?

6. What role have the police played in these demonstrations? Why have protesters clashed with them?

7. How has the Hong Kong government responded? How has the Chinese government responded?

8. What do you think will be the outcome of these protests in Hong Kong? Why?

Can protests effect meaningful changes in governments and societies? Do you think the movement in Hong Kong will?

Think about other protest movements that you know from history that have or have not brought about change. How do they compare to the one happening in Hong Kong?

You might compare the Hong Kong protests with one you have learned about in school. Or, choose one from recent history to research. Here are a few examples you might dig into: the Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, the anti-apartheid struggle, Tiananmen Square, the Velvet Revolution, Iran’s 1979 revolution or the White Rose resistance.

Then, write about or discuss with your classmates:

  • Was this movement successful? How do you know? What do you think made this protest a success or failure?

  • In what ways is the movement you chose similar to or different from the Hong Kong protests? For example, consider the type of governments they had, the tactics the protesters used, the police response, how well organized they were or even the imagery.

  • How can the movement you chose help you predict what might happen in Hong Kong? Do you think the Hong Kong protests will bring about meaningful change? Why or why not?

  • Over all, do you believe protests are an effective way to make a difference in a society? Explain why you think the way you do.

Note to teachers

If you’re doing this “Going Further” in a classroom context, you might conduct the activity as a “Jigsaw.” Assign or have small groups of students choose one of the protest movements above to explore in depth. Then, invite them to share what they learned with the rest of the class and compare the movements with each other.

Word + Quiz: sotto voce

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Word + Quiz: sotto voce

: in an undertone, or quiet voice

_________

The term sotto voce has appeared in six articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 16 in “Bianca Andreescu Is Rising in the Tennis Rankings Ahead of Schedule” by Christopher Clarey:

The victory over Williams moved her to tears. “Venus is a walking, living, breathing legend,” Andreescu said.

But though the emotions were powerful again on Friday night, beating her tour elders is fast becoming a habit. Andreescu will be ranked in the top 35 on Monday and will break into the top 25 if she defeats Kerber. Instead of merely making it into the French Open draw, she now has a fine chance of being seeded.

“I do believe that I deserve to be here,” she said sotto voce as the interview ended. “But I didn’t expect for it to come so quickly. But I mean, it’s better sooner than later, right? So I can’t complain. It’s just been crazy. I’m so grateful. I never want to take anything for granted. It was so nice to meet you.”

Coursera for Campus: A New Way to Help Universities Everywhere Deliver Job-Relevant Learning

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Coursera for Campus: A New Way to Help Universities Everywhere Deliver Job-Relevant Learning

By Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera

Higher education worldwide is at a historic crossroads. With more than 300 million people entering the workforce in the next 10 years, universities urgently need to augment their capacity to meet the aspirations of a young and growing demographic. Employers rely on universities to provide them with graduates armed with the digital skills needed to drive their businesses in the age of AI and automation. But higher education in many countries finds it difficult to deliver — they are constrained by the capacity of their on-campus programs, lagging curricula, and the challenge of recruiting expert faculty required to launch new programs.

Since our founding, Coursera has worked with 170 of the best universities to expand access to world-class education. We have been fortunate to have partners who recognized the need to invest in digital learning early on as they scaled their programs for learners both on and off campus. Together, we have made a difference to a large problem, but there is so much more to be done. It is time we bring the benefits of our platform to the remaining 99% of 20,000 universities worldwide and help them take a digital leap. 

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce Coursera for Campus, a new offering designed to help any university — even those outside of Coursera’s partner ecosystem — to use content on Coursera to deliver job-relevant, multi-disciplinary online learning to its learners. 

Universities will have access to more than 3,600 high-quality courses to enhance their core curricula, offer credit-eligible* and supplemental learning to students, and deliver lifelong learning to their alumni, faculty, and staff. Faculty can use Coursera’s world-class tools to author content, assessments, and hands-on projects. Educators can also improve learner outcomes by tracking skill mastery and growth using Coursera’s powerful learning analytics.

Coursera for Campus gives universities the ability to:

  • Provide current students with job-relevant learning and credentials – 

Universities can integrate Coursera courses into their core curricula as credit-eligible*, blended, and supplemental learning. With world-class content and trend data from Coursera’s large learner base, the platform will offer pre-configured course collections for learners by domain areas (e.g. engineering, business, data science, law, health, arts, design etc.) Universities can directly offer these collections or swap out courses with new ones — either from the broader Coursera catalog or with courses they have authored themselves. Features such as single sign-on, API integration, gradebooks, and plagiarism detection will help universities seamlessly incorporate online learning into their on-campus programs. 

  • Enable faculty to author and scale online programs for free – 

With Coursera’s world-class authoring tools, university faculty can easily experiment and publish private lessons, courses, assessments, and hands-on projects available only to their students and alumni. Faculty will also have access to learning analytics via the Course Progress and Skills Index Dashboards to understand student behavior, skill mastery, and growth. 

  • Deliver lifelong learning to alumni, faculty, and staff – 

According to Deloitte, the half-life of a learned skill is now just five years. With Coursera for Campus, universities can increase alumni engagement by serving their learning needs throughout their career. Coursera for Campus enables faculty and staff to rapidly upskill and catch up on emerging areas. Universities can also use the platform to help incoming students be prepared on day one. 

Coursera for Campus has been launched after extensive pilots in more than 20 university campuses around the world. Check out the experiences of pilot partners like Duke University, University of Illinois, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, who have been using the offering to serve their on-campus students, faculty, and staff: 

“The market for skills is evolving, and education must evolve with it. To reduce skills gaps and spread opportunity widely, we need to be flexible and adaptive,” said Matthew Rascoff, Associate Vice Provost for Digital Education and Innovation at Duke University. “Coursera for Campus complements our core curriculum, allowing thousands of Duke students to advance their skills for a digital world.

“In today’s rapidly changing landscape, it’s important to create lifelong learning experiences for our students and staff to stay competitive in the workforce,” said Kevin Pitts Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. “Coursera for Campus has already proven to be a valuable resource for our on-campus populations, and we look forward to using the program to engage our students beyond degree programs.”

“Recognizing the changing skills needed for the future of work, we wanted to create a multi-disciplinary learning ecosystem that allows students to pursue their passion and learn in-demand skills,” said Ravi Panchanadan, MD & CEO at Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE). “The quality content available on Coursera for Campus has already helped more than 20,000 Manipal students. Manipal Education including Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal — an Institution of Eminence from India, has always been the first to champion new education models and we are excited to see how the program will benefit more universities across the globe.”

Coursera was founded by Stanford Professors Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng seven years ago to give anyone, anywhere access to the world’s best education. With Coursera for Campus, we build on our collaboration with universities globally to prepare the workforce of the future. I’m thrilled to make Coursera for Campus available today to our partner universities as well as to institutions that have not yet experienced the innovation, scale, and impact Coursera has to offer.

For more information, visit www.coursera.org/campus 

*Credit eligibility is determined by credit-granting institution; academic credit from content-creating partner not available.

 

Looking back at the first year’s impact of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate

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Looking back at the first year’s impact of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate

By Leah Belsky, Senior Vice President of Enterprise, Coursera

Technology is changing the world of work, transforming industries, jobs, and the skills that go with them. In today’s economy, open roles often indicate a lack of skilled talent to fill those positions. The IT industry is facing this challenge, with more than 215,000 open IT support roles in the U.S. alone, according to Burning Glass Technologies. That demand isn’t going to slow — the field is projected to grow an additional 10 percent by 2028.

Filling these critical roles starts with enabling anyone, anywhere to acquire IT skills. That is why, in January 2018, Google launched the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera and today we’re excited to release the results of the impact it has had thus far. The certificate is designed to prepare learners for an entry-level job in IT support in under six months and requires no prior IT experience or degree. Learners also have the opportunity to share their resumes with around 40 top employers, including Walmart, Ricoh, GE Digital, and Google, upon completion of the program.

Though only a short time has passed since launching, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate has quickly become one of the most sought after credentials on the Coursera platform. In the U.S., more than 50,000 learners enrolled in the first year alone. 

What is most inspiring to me, however, is the positive impact the certificate has had on so many people’s lives — from launching successful careers to sparking newfound passions. To measure these learner outcomes, our data science team partnered with Google to produce the Google IT Support Professional Certificate Impact Report. The results are based on data from two optional surveys collected between January 2018 and March 2019. These are some of our key findings: 

The vast majority of learners report positive career outcomes. 84 percent of learners said the program resulted in some positive impact on their careers within six months, such as enhancing skills for a current role, improving their ability to find a new job, getting a raise, or even starting a new business. 

The program attracts learners of diverse backgrounds. The program has reached historically underrepresented learners in technology, with 60 percent identifying as female, Black, Latino, or veteran. And since the program has no prerequisites, it’s accessible for learners of all educational and professional experience levels. 57 percent of learners enrolled don’t have a four-year college degree and 38 percent are in the lowest income tertile, meaning they earn less than $30,000 annually. 

Completion rates are higher when tied to career outcomes. Completion rates for the IT Support Professional Certificate program were 2.5 times higher than completion rates of comparable content on Coursera. One possible explanation is that motivation to complete programs is higher when content is tied to direct career outcomes.

Beyond these tangible results, what sticks with me are the learner stories. Take Chelsea Rucker for example. In early 2018, Chelsea was facing one of the most difficult times in her life while living with her young daughters in a homeless shelter for three months. After taking a job as an office manager at Goodwill, she learned she could earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate through the organization, where she enrolled and received a scholarship funded by Google.org. Today, Chelsea is a technician at Google’s data center in Clarksville, TN – nearly tripling her previous salary and making a sustainable living to support her daughters. Chelsea’s story is just one of many illustrating the program’s transformational impact.

Now it’s time to build on this impact. At Coursera we’re working to build additional career pathways so that anyone, anywhere can access the skills necessary to succeed in today’s economy. 
View the full report and learn more about Professional Certificates on Coursera.

 

Word + Quiz: telekinesis

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Word + Quiz: telekinesis

: the power to move something by thinking about it without the application of physical force

_________

The word telekinesis has appeared in five articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Sept. 8 in the book review “Stephen King Visits an ‘Institute,’ Where the Kids Who Enter Can’t Escape” by Dwight Garner:

“The Institute” is about a brilliant and sensitive boy named Luke who is kidnapped and taken to a compound in the Maine woods where kids with special talents — telekinesis and telepathy — are imprisoned and put to dark geopolitical uses. The other primary character is named Tim. He’s a former cop, down on his luck, a good man in a blue chambray shirt and jeans who could use a break. Maybe they’ll help each other.

Weekly News Quiz For Students: President Trump, Warming Oceans, Spider-Man

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Weekly News Quiz For Students: President Trump, Warming Oceans, Spider-Man

Then on Sept, 30, The Times reported that President Trump pushed the prime minister during a recent telephone call to help Attorney General William P. Barr gather information for a Justice Department inquiry that Mr. Trump hopes will discredit the Mueller investigation, according to two American officials with knowledge of the call.

Is Animal Testing Ever Justified?

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Is Animal Testing Ever Justified?

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

On Sept. 10, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals, a decision that was hailed by animal rights groups but criticized by environmentalists and researchers who said the practice was necessary to rigorously safeguard human health.

What are your thoughts on animal testing? Do you think it is ever justified? Why or why not?

In “E.P.A. Says It Will Drastically Reduce Animal Testing,” Mihir Zaveri, Mariel Padilla and Jaclyn Peiser write about the decision:

The E.P.A. Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency plans to reduce the amount of studies that involve mammal testing by 30 percent by 2025, and to eliminate the studies entirely by 2035, though some may still be approved on a case-by-case basis.

The agency said it would also invest $4.25 million in projects at four universities and a medical center that are developing alternate ways of testing chemicals that do not involve animals.

“We can protect human health and the environment by using cutting-edge, ethically sound science in our decision-making that efficiently and cost-effectively evaluates potential effects without animal testing,” Mr. Wheeler said in a memo announcing the changes.

The E.P.A. has for decades required testing on a variety of animals — including rats, dogs, birds and fish — to gauge their toxicity before the chemicals can be bought, sold or used in the environment.

The article continues:

The practice of testing with animals has long prompted complex debates driven by passionate views on morality and scientific imperative. Reaction to Tuesday’s announcement was no different.

“We are really excited as this has been something we’ve wanted for quite some time,” said Kitty Block, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, an animal protection organization. “The alternatives are the future. They’re more efficient and save lives.”

Kathleen Conlee, the vice president of animal research issues at the Humane Society, said the E.P.A.’s move is “broad-sweeping and significant.”

“This is the first time a government agency has made such a commitment and timelined its specific goals along the way,” Ms. Conlee said. “There’s been a lot of positive action among other federal agencies, but we want to see all government agencies take this step.”

Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco’s school of medicine, said current alternatives to animal testing are somewhat useful. But Dr. Woodruff, who worked at the E.P.A. from 1994 to 2007, said only animal testing — a process honed over decades — was robust enough to gauge chemicals’ impacts on people of various ages, genetics and health backgrounds.

“I definitely think we should be investing more in this research,” she said, referring to alternative testing. “But it’s really not ready for making decisions yet — at least the way that E.P.A. is making decisions.”

Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, said she was very concerned by the announcement. Dr. Sass said animals were still necessary to study chronic conditions, like cancer and infertility.

Cells in a petri dish cannot yet replace whole living systems, she said.

“The E.P.A.’s deadline is arbitrary,” Dr. Sass said. “Our interest isn’t in speed, it’s getting it right. We want proper animal testing because we don’t want harmful chemicals to end up in our food, air and water.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • Do you support the decision by the E.P.A. to move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals? Or do you think animal testing is still necessary to regulate harmful substances that can have adverse effects on humans?

  • How important is it to you that the toxicity of chemicals and other environmental contaminants is rigorously studied and regulated? Why? Do you think not testing on animals hinders those efforts?

  • The Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs are among the government agencies that still rely on animal testing. Do you think animal testing is important in these sectors or any others? Why or why not?

  • Do you think animal testing is ever justified? If so, what should be the criteria for when, how and on what animals testing is done?

Students 13 and older 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.

Big City, Small Town

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Big City, Small Town

Where would you like to live when you grow up?

Do you dream of moving somewhere new? If so, are you more interested in living in or near a big city, or do you think you might like a less bustling space, like a small town? Where do you think you might be able to have the best life? Why?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related Op-Ed to learn more.

Find many more ways to use our Picture Prompt feature in this lesson plan. You can find all our Picture Prompts in this column.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Forever 21 Bankruptcy Signals a Shift in Consumer Tastes’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Forever 21 Bankruptcy Signals a Shift in Consumer Tastes’

Find all our Lessons of the Day here.

Featured Article: “Forever 21 Bankruptcy Signals a Shift in Consumer Tastes”

Sears. Payless. Claire’s. And now, Forever 21. This week, the retailer joins other staples of American shopping malls that have filed for bankruptcy and shuttered hundreds of stores in recent years. In this lesson, students will look at the shifting consumer trends that led to this move and propose changes the brand could make to better appeal to young shoppers.

Forever 21 recently announced that it would file for bankruptcy, cease operation in 40 countries and close stores throughout the United States. Do you ever shop at Forever 21? Why or why not?

What are your clothes shopping habits like over all? Consider all the choices you make when you buy clothes. For example:

  • Where do you get your clothes? Do you mostly shop at stores or online? Do you get your clothes secondhand from consignment shops, online resellers, or friends and siblings? Do you make your own?

  • How often do you shop? Do you buy new clothes every season to keep up with the latest trends? Or do you have a more pared-down wardrobe with pieces that you tend to keep for a long time?

  • What do you care about most when you’re choosing what clothes to buy? Style? The label? Affordability? Quality? Sustainability? Something else?

  • How much do you care about the ethics of the companies you buy from? For example, before you make a purchase, do you consider the company’s values and beliefs, its impact on the environment, whether its workers have safe working conditions, or anything else?

Note to teacher

If you’re a teacher doing this activity in a classroom context, you might “map” students’ responses to see if any patterns emerge. For example, for the first question about where they get their clothes, you might write corresponding categories on the board — “Online,” “Store,” “Secondhand” and “Homemade” — and invite students to place a sticky note or tally under the one that describes their shopping practices best.

Then, have students look at all the sticky notes or tallies and ask: Do they notice any trends? How would they describe their class’s shopping habits and why? What do people their age seem to care about when it comes to buying clothes?

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. The reporter writes that Forever 21 “prided itself on embodying the American dream.” In what ways did the company “embody the American dream”?

2. How did Forever 21’s aggressive expansion contribute to its eventual need to file for bankruptcy?

3. How did Forever 21 use its stores as a marketing vehicle? Why is that strategy not as effective as it once was?

4. What are some reasons consumers no longer want fast fashion? How has this waning interest affected Forever 21’s business?

5. Why might the information set to emerge in Forever 21’s bankruptcy “be of interest” for the retail industry?

6. What is your reaction to Forever 21’s bankruptcy? Do you think the trends that led to it will continue the way they are going? Why or why not?

The changing tastes, values and shopping practices of young consumers have all contributed to Forever 21’s bankruptcy filing. What changes could the company make to its brand and business model to keep up with these shifts?

Imagine you could advise Forever 21 on how to rebuild the company so it better appeals to young shoppers like you and your peers. Write a proposal with at least three changes the company could make.

Consider things such as where Forever 21 should sell its clothes, where and how it should advertise, how it should manufacture its items, how it should distribute them, the ethics and values it should communicate to its customers, and anything else you think is important.

To help you come up with ideas, take into account all the information you know about the retailer’s brand and business model from the article, plus the information you gathered about young people’s shopping habits in the warm-up. If you have time, you might conduct additional research online about Forever 21 or Generation Z’s consumer tastes.

Recommended Learning Systems

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Recommended Learning Systems

This post covers a list of systems that I’d recommend on any given day, that based on nearly 20 years of experience in online learning, and witnessing the trends, the duds, the promises and disappoints.

What it isn’t – is a list of systems based on a 15 point criterion that I use for my Top 50 for 2020.

That said, I will say to you, that before you just buy the learning system, please, please do due diligence on the system.  Just as some people love Nutella, others will find it on the same level of peanut butter mixed with bananas, which should be forbidden and outlawed in the solar system.

If a learning system listed below is viewable in my learning system search engine, I strongly, strongly recommend contacting them thru the search engine, as it will enable you to do an even deeper dive then just this post with a comparison capability and filters too, including user and pricing ranges.

The Hub (Center)

Of course, any system can become the center of your Hub, but right of the top of my head here are some systems you should consider.

Absorb LMS –  Slick system that achieves a top tier status.  Functionality is solid, lots to like.  UI/UX is very good. Level of robustness is good, but there is some items I’d like to see improved.  NexGen is above average.   On the administration side, it continues to be well done, but some metric data needs to be improved.  Plays quite well in Multi-Tenant (aka Extended Enterprise), SMB is its strong suite and mid-market.  Good for Enterprise. 

Fuse Universal – This is a very good system with lots to offer. I don’t buy into the amazing social angle they love to pitch, because frankly, it isn’t so amazing, it is standard in so many ways.  That said, NexGen level is extremely good, and their goal to have 100 connectors only reinforces that.  Functionality-wise is exceptional.  Plays well in Enterprise, mid-market, SMB/SME on the employee side, and on B2B external including training consultants/trainers too.   I’d like to see more on the administration side, and while the system is top tier, to me it is still missing some data visualization tied to extensive metric data.   They are on FindAnLMS.com

SumTotal Learning Management –  They have come a long way. I readily admit for the longest time I was not a fan of SumTotal, but that was then, this is now. The front end UI is strong, the admin side is where there needs some fixes, especially the reporting – Jasper should be retired. And they need to offer more flexibility when it comes to certificate management.  That said, support has improved greatly – especially with an outstanding mobile support app, a big plus for me, and they – the folks at SumTotal seem to be moving in the right direction.  I’m not sold on it being a B2B external system, but Enterprise, mid-market for employees absolutely.  They are on FindAnLMS.com

CrossKnowledge Learning Suite –  I’m always surprised at the number of folks who never even consider CrossKnowledge, especially those who want a very good UI and UX.  The front-end (learner side) is quite good, the administration side is one of the best I’ve seen.  Metric wise, extremely well done. If you are a fan of data visualization, this system has it.  The mobile good be better, and they need a better content marketplace for their clients. As long as Wiley keeps away (they own CK), this system will continue to rock.  NexGen is above average.  Top tier for large Enterprise and mid-market.  Solid for multi-tenant/extended enterprise and B2B external.   They can be found on FindAnLMS.com.

Others to consider

  • Cornerstone Learning Suite –   NexGen Top Tier, Front end UI is solid – better than ever before, but still needs some tweaks.  Admin side – UI/UX is average, needs on-going revamp. Data visualization should be better.  Solid for Large size Enterprise and mid-market Enterprise. Pushing themselves as a talent management system, first and foremost, even though learning plays a huge role for them. An additional odd part is they also push the content-first strategy. Since they focus on the TM side more so, they wouldn’t be my first choice for B2B External, multi-tenant/Extended Enterprise.  I’d consider them for employees (internal).   They can be found on FindAnLMS.com.
  • SAP Litmos –  Outstanding UI/UX, #1 learning system for 2019.  The learner side is quite good, and functionality-wise this is a very good system.  On the administration side, they could do a bit more on the metrics aspect, especially with data visualization.  NexGen is very good, top quadrant (in my T-Grid coming out in November).  Very good in Enterprise, mid-market and SMB.  B2B external is good, definitely needs improvement in some areas. Not a fan of extra charge for a sandbox after you go live, nor additional costs for tenants (after an initial free one). They can be found on FindAnLMS.com.

Systems That Will Do the Job for you if you want a system for your employees (internal)

This is not a section covering LXP/DLP, that is coming shortly, rather these are systems, that if you are going employee-internal only, regardless if it SMB/SME (used in Europe), mid-market or Enterprise you should examine. An important factor nowadays is “Skills management”, you want a very good SM in your system for employees. 

If a vendor heavily pushes talent management, be aware that is not the same thing as skills management, and to me, makes me question what is the end game, because it hard to say TM first, and then push you are customer training B2B too.  Sorry, charlie, it doesn’t work for me. 

D2L Brightspace– The UI/UX is good, plenty of skills management capabilities to like.  NexGen is average, they need improvement in that area.  But of the systems that are in EdTech and making a jump or already have into the Corporate market, this is by far the best of the bunch.  Definitely, a system to watch in 2020. Enterprise, mid-market. Verticals include Retail, Hospitality, and Association (so yes, they can play very well in B2B External, member training and customer training too).  They can be found on FindAnLMS.com.

Saba Cloud –  Saba is such a wild card here.  They have always been deep down a performance management system with a learning component.  Now they are openly stating talent management system, which again, doesn’t scream as a system for customer training.  TM is totally employee-driven angle, i.e. internal employees.   Skills management has vastly improved, UI/UX is above average.  Functionality is quite strong. Admin side needs improvement. Saba was once a kingpin in the industry, then dropped down, now, I think they are on the upswing again, so it is a system to keep on an eye on.  They can be found on FindAnLMS.com .

PeopleFluent Learning –  Take one part revamp of NetDimensions, another part of Gomo authoring tool, add Instilled LXP (which should be renamed as a Digital Learning Platform) and lastly Watershed LRS.  If you are seeking a system for life sciences, then definitely check them out.  Again, the push of TM is a concern, but PeopeFluent was always designed for such, so this isn’t out of norm, what is – that NetD is the base of PeopleFluent Learning.   NexGen is average here, Skills management is above average. I’d recommend they call themselves a learning suite to be quite honest, but that’s for another day.  Enterprise, mid-market are their right fit for them.  They can be found on FindAnLMS.com 

Others to consider

OnPoint Digital –  Okay, this is somewhat different, in that this is fully customized to the tilt.  And pricey.  I would like to make that clear up-front.  It is by far not for everyone, but what they can do is impressive.  We are talking about a system geared towards Very Large Enterprise (i.e. 50,000 plus employees), so if you like mid-market, or SMB, I’d pass. I placed them in here, because of the level of customization.  NexGen is average, UI/UX ranges from average to above average.  Folks often ask me, why do not I have fully customized systems (they are often thinking open source, but that’s besides the point), in any systems I recommend or rankings.  Okay, here is one and the best of the fully 100% customized systems out there.  The functionality is quite good. They can be found on FindAnLMS.com 

GyrusAim –  Strong in the UI/UX department.  A system made for SMB/SME and mid-market, although personally, I think they could do well in small business too. Enterprise is a definite.  Skills management is above average, Flies under the radar for a lot of folks.  Hopefully, this will change.  NexGen is average.  Metrics needs some upgrading.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

Ethos CE –  If you are in the medical field, whether it is healthcare, hospitals, medical centers, senior centers, even associations that are in the medical side of the house, and you need a system for CEs, CEUs, this is the best system on the market.   Could they be used in other verticals for the CE angle, the answer is yes, but be aware of where their sweet spot is. UI/UX is solid, metrics is nice especially in wait for it..CEs, data visualization could be better. Very good for folks looking for a system for regulatory and compliance that wants something beyond stale and boresville.  Another flies under the radar.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com.

Unicorn LMS –  Best system on the market for financial services and now expanding into other verticals. NexGen is average,  Metrics is okay, and data visualization is lacking.  CE/CEU/CPD is quite good. For those folks seeking a system strong on compliance and regulatory, here it is.  Top five system for 2018 and 2019 in my rankings. Has document management and workflow functionality too.   Comes with Minds-I which is the best mastery learning app on the market and with its video components adds a nice piece to the package. Quizdom is also included too – a very good assessment tool, and their built-in authoring tool could be sold as a standalone.  Has on/off synch mobile apps for CPD and their LMS.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

Spoke LMS –  Another strong system with a lot of functionality. Another system I have always liked.  A fun system for learners. Has a built-in Business Intelligence tool (rare in the space). Metrics and data visualization are outstanding.  Uses the Knowbly, SaaS authoring tool, which is quite good.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

Systems that I just say, “Yeah, I like them.”  (These are systems in the LMS, Learning Platform segment)

Wow, this could be a large list, but I’m only going to provide a few, so if your system isn’t on here, don’t fret, they could be in the Top 50 (assuming you received a Top 100 packet), again this is systems I recommend or stand out for whatever reason.  I debated about breaking this out as employee and customer training, customer training only (B2B), direct to consumer, etc., but then this post would be like a book, so here is just a quick highlight list, also be aware that some systems listed above, could easily slide into here too.

Instancy On-Demand –  This is a system I always have liked, that flies under the radar. NexGen is above average, UI/UX is quite good. Mobile is good.  Data visualization is solid, could be improved, ditto with metrics. Can be found on FindAnLMS.com.

Platcore –  A system with a lot of potential.  I just have a really good vibe with this system. They are in my Top 100 systems for 2020.  Could be become a Top 50?  Yeah, you could say that.  Wait, I will.  Very slick UI/UX. Functionality above avg.  Data visualization is solid. Metrics solid. 

Learnbrite VR LMS – They are the best of the VR-only LMSs on the market.  I should put an asterick by the VR-only because you could still buy them if you are not using VR headsets. The UI would just appear as 3D in your browser and mobile devices.  Has potential. I listed them here because of the VR angle. 

LearnUpon –  Always a personal favorite of mine. Ideal for small business and SMB, although they would work for mid-market. Enterprise yes.  Feature rich, UI/UX is quite good.  Affordable.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

Quick List of a few more

  • Axonify – Focused on employee-based.  Someone to check out.
  • Growth Engineering – I wish they wouldn’t charge for the mobile app, and their Knowledge Arcade app is quite good, fun, and lots to like, but also a separate fee and you need their authoring tool (a separate fee) to use it.  Their LMS is still quite good.  Employee-focused system.  Gamification plays a very important part.  UI/UX is slick.  NexGen is average.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com
  • Skilljar – Ideal for customer training (B2B external).  UI/UX is good.  Metrics could be better, ditto for data visualization.  System to watch for 2020.
  • Eurekos –  Plays well in employee and customer training. Definitely a system under the radar. Robust functionality. Metrics is solid, data visualization could be better. Authoring tool built-in is quite good.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com
  • MATRIX –  Affordable LMS with a lot of features to like.  More geared towards employees IMO. UI/UX is very good. Metrics needs to improve, same with data visualization.  I always liked this system, constantly evolving in a good way.  Can be found on FindAnLMS.com
  • Thought Industries – This is an ideal system for B2B/customer training.  UI/UX is quite good. NexGen is average, which is a bummer.  Metrics are good, could be better. Data visualization is very good. The system has a lot to like, but still needs a few tweaks. The functionality is above average, although I think for customer training, they are missing some data points on the metric side of the house.  But that said, if it was between them and Docebo – I’d buy Thought Industries. Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

LXP/DLP

As noted in another post, the term LXP is being co-opted by LMS vendors using the term learning experience to mean something else than what the LXPs were supposed to be about – beyond calling themselves learning experience too. 

Consumers still haven’t grabbed hold of the LXP term, after two years.  This is why, as my former post notes, the term should be digital learning platforms – okay there a few reasons why.

Anyway, a post in two weeks, will list my rankings for the LXP/DLP market, so I won’t dive in-depth here, rather a list of systems that I like – and if you are examining them.

  • EdCast –  Robust functionality for an LXP. NexGen is quite good. UI/UX slick. Metrics are avg., same with data visualization. Skills management is good, could be better.  Can be found in FindAnLMS.com
  • Linkedin Learning – I slide them in as a Digital Learning Platform in the entire sense of the word.  Here is my review of them (from August of this year).
  • Degreed – Continue to like them, and after seeing them just a week ago, nothing has changed my mind.  The Skills Rating I like, although it might be an additional cost (it is still in discussions internally) – my vibe is they will include it at no-charge, but please check with them.  Not sold on the Skills certification program they are looking at, so I hope they place that in the folder of “keep locked up until 2050”.  Bookmarklet is still outstanding. UI/UX is good.  Skills management very good. Can be found in FindAnLMS.
  • Instilled LXP – Digital Learning Platform.  Has a lot of potential.  Here is my review.
  • Juno Journey – Extremely under the radar LXP. A lot of potential and a vendor to watch in 2020.
  • Coorpacademy –  Top 15 Learning System in 2019. Very good LXP. Metrics are solid, functionality strong.  Can be found in FindAnLMS.com
  • Learn Amp – #1 LXP in 2019. I’d call them a digital learning platform. One of the few that is ideal for small business and SMB/SME. Functionality is quite good. Skills management is good. This can be a stand alone system which is due to the functionality that includes event management (rare in the LXP space), classroom management (extremely rare in the LXP space), and an extensive list on the administration and learning environment side of the house.  Right now, no mobile app and needs to improve on metrics and data visualization. But still a favorite of mine. Can be found on FindAnLMS.com

Sales Enablement Platforms

A small niche in the learning system space. These systems focus heavily on sales training. While some are only about sales training, there are others who also push with call center training/customer service training too. Every SEP requires an extensive list of functionality tied to sales, including some type of CRM (not just as integration to Salesforce and alike).  Two systems stand out to me.

  • Hub360 – A new player in town, from the makers of Spoke, which is an outstanding LMS.  Hub360 is a very strong SEP with also includes the Spoke LMS, a top tier LMS as well.   A system to watch in 2020. 
  • Brainshark – Very good SEP, with strong metrics and data visualization.  There is a lot to like with this SEP, including a unique feature set around their coaching component using an algorithm which can tell you quite a bit about the person’s pitch (in terms of a verbal index – at what level i.e. grade, college or above), among other matrices.  Only a couple of systems have this capability, and they by far do the best job.  You can also record yourself as the coach/sales manager and send it back to the end-user. 

Bottom Line

There you go, the systems I recommend for a variety of reasons.  Again, the criteria for the Top 50 for 2020 are much more extensive and just because you didn’t see yourself in the above post, doesn’t mean you are not in the Top 50.

Think of it this way, plenty of people like smooth peanut butter.

Me?

Extra crunchy.

E-Learning 24/7

Blog next week- Exclusive – The Results of study on Gender in the Workplace.  This will be a long post as it explores female executives in the learning system space, gender ratios in leadership development programs (in the learning system space) and other findings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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