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Word of the Day: kaput

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Word of the Day: kaput

The word kaput has appeared in 13 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 19 in “Houston and Alabama Size Each Other Up From the Same Arena” by Billy Witz:

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When the Houston Cougars trudged to the locker room at halftime of their second-round game in the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, their shoulders weren’t the only things sagging. So were their national championship hopes.

On Friday night, they watched as Purdue, a No. 1 seed, was taken down by Fairleigh Dickinson. Earlier Saturday, another No. 1’s title dreams went kaput, as Arkansas rallied to oust Kansas, the reigning champion.

Can you correctly use the word kaput in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how kaput can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

Learning Math from Errors

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Learning Math from Errors

Importantly, students engaged with the same problems in each of the two conditions. What differed was whether they practiced solving all of the problems, or practiced solving some problems and engaged with error correction and explanation for the others. 

The researchers measured students’ learning through post-tests administered immediately after the two learning conditions were completed and one week later.

There were some other aspects of the procedure as well, and more specific details can be found in the paper. For example, the students completed a pre-test to assess their prior knowledge, answered questions about how they thought the learning activies went (e.g., how much they liked it, ease of interacting on the computer), and answered questions about how accurate they thought they were during the post-test.

The Results:

There were no differences between the two groups on the immediate post-test. However, on the one-week delayed post-test, the students in the erroneous examples condition performed better than the students in the problem-solving condition.

(Note, these results were statistically controlled for prior knowledge as assessed by the researchers, and so they represent increases in learning due to the intervention. If you’re interested or a stats person, check out the paper for more details.)

Importantly, when the researchers looked at students who had lower and higher levels of prior knowledge, the erroneous examples condition consistently led to better performance on the delayed post-test compared to the problem-solving condition. This is good news, because it means this learning method tends to work for students at varying levels of ability, and not just students at one end of the spectrum.

Students in the erroneous examples condition were also more accurate at judging how well they were performing during the post-tests.

However, students in the erroneous examples condition reported liking the lesson less than the students in the problem-solving condition. Unfortunately, another situation where the strategy that students tend to like more is the one that helps them learn less!

References:

(1) Adams, D. M., McLaren, B. M., Durkin, K., Mayer, R. E., Rittle-Johnson, B., Isotani, S., & van Velsen, M. (2014). Using erroneous examples to improve mathematics learning with a web-based tutoring system. Computers in Human Behavior, 36, 401-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.03.053

Measuring Training Effectiveness: The Ultimate Guide

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Measuring Training Effectiveness: The Ultimate Guide

Measuring training effectiveness is a critical aspect of any organisation’s learning and development initiatives. Training programs play a vital role in enhancing employee skills, improving productivity, and achieving organisational goals. However, without proper evaluation, it’s challenging to determine whether the training efforts are yielding the desired outcomes. In this article, we will explore various approaches and key metrics used to measure training effectiveness.

What is training evaluation?

Training evaluation refers to the systematic process of assessing the effectiveness, impact, and value of a training programme. It involves collecting and analysing data to determine whether the training objectives have been met and to what extent the training has influenced participants’ knowledge, skills, and behaviour. It focuses on measuring the actual impact of training on job performance, employee development, and organisational outcomes.

Why should your business evaluate training?

Evaluating training is essential for businesses to ensure that their investment in learning and development is yielding desired results. Here are a few key reasons why businesses should prioritize training evaluation:

  • Measure impact: Evaluation quantifies training’s impact on performance, knowledge, and skills, revealing tangible improvements in productivity.
  • Identify effectiveness: Evaluation pinpoints effective training methods, guiding resource allocation toward successful strategies.
  • Refine training programmes: Feedback and metrics highlight areas for improvement, enhancing future training initiatives.

What are the benefits of training evaluation?

Training evaluation offers a range of benefits for organisations seeking to optimise their learning and development efforts. Here are some key advantages of conducting training evaluation:

  • Evidence-based decision-making: Training evaluation provides concrete data for informed decision-making, leading to more effective learning initiatives and strategic direction.
  • Continuous improvement: Regular evaluation fosters a culture of improvement, optimizing training content and delivery methods for ongoing growth.
  • Increased ROI: Evaluating training impact focuses resources on high-impact areas, resulting in a higher ROI on training investments.

What are the best training evaluation models?

  •   Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model

Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model is a widely used framework for assessing the effectiveness and impact of training programmes. The model consists of four levels of evaluation, each level building upon the previous one.

Pros:

  • Kirkpatrick’s model offers a comprehensive and structured approach to evaluate training effectiveness across four levels: Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. It enables organsations to gather diverse data and assess training from various perspectives.
  • The model emphasizes aligning training with organisational goals, ensuring that training programmes contribute to desired outcomes and strategic objectives.

Cons:

  • Kirkpatrick’s model implementation is time and resource-intensive. Collecting and analyzing data for all levels requires significant effort, posing challenges for organizations with limited resources and tight timelines.
  • Measuring behaviour and results (higher levels of the model) is difficult. It requires additional data collection methods and longer follow-up periods to assess the direct impact of training on job behaviours and measurable business outcomes.

While Kirkpatrick’s model is widely used and offers a valuable framework for training evaluation, it’s important for organisations to consider their specific circumstances and adapt the model accordingly. Customising the model and combining it with other evaluation approaches can help address its limitations and create a more robust evaluation process.

The CIRO (Context, Input, Reaction, Outcome) model is a training evaluation framework that focuses on capturing the contextual factors, input processes, participant reactions, and outcomes of training. Here are a few pros and cons of the CIRO model:

Pros:

  • Holistic evaluation: The CIRO model takes a holistic approach to training evaluation by considering multiple dimensions. It goes beyond measuring participant reactions and incorporates contextual factors and input processes, providing a comprehensive view of the training program.
  • Contextual Consideration: It acknowledges that training outcomes can be influenced by various organiSational, environmental, and individual factors, allowing organisations to assess the impact of these contextual elements on training success.

Cons:

  • Complexity: More intricate than simpler models, requiring careful planning and data collection.
  • Data collection and analysis: Time and resource-intensive process demanding rigorous analysis.
  • Interpretation of results: Nuanced understanding of evaluation and statistics needed for accurate interpretation.

While the CIRO model offers a comprehensive framework for training evaluation, organisations should consider their specific needs and resources before adopting it. Customising the model to align with organisational objectives and leveraging available tools and technology can help overcome potential challenges and maximize the benefits of using the CIRO model.

  •   Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation

This is a model that provides a comprehensive framework for assessing the effectiveness of training and other organisational interventions.

Pros:

  • Systems approach: Considers organisational context and interdependencies, aligning training with goals.
  • Emphasis on results: Measures training impact on outcomes and performance improvement at various levels.
  • Stakeholder involvement: Encourages collaboration for comprehensive and inclusive evaluation.

Cons:

  • Complex implementation: Multi-level and system-oriented nature requires extensive data collection and expertise.
  • Potential data overload: Gathering data from multiple sources can lead to information overload, necessitating streamlined evaluation.
  • Limited emphasis on the learning process: Focus on impact and results may require additional evaluation of the learning process for a comprehensive assessment.

It’s important to note that the suitability of Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation depends on the specific needs and objectives of the organiSation. Adapting and customising the model to align with organisational goals can help address implementation challenges and enhance its effectiveness.

  •   The Phillips ROI model

This model extends the evaluation beyond traditional training metrics and aims to demonstrate the monetary value and business impact of training programmes.

Pros:

  • Financial focus: Emphasizes measuring the financial impact, quantifying training ROI for business value demonstration.
  • Decision support: Data-driven insights aid decision-making, assessing effectiveness, and informing future investments.
  • Accountability and transparency: Demonstrates tangible benefits, justifying budgets, gaining support, and enhancing credibility.

Cons:

  • Complexity and data requirements: Implementing the model demands comprehensive data and specialised expertise.
  • Attribution challenges: Isolating training impact from other factors can be complex, introducing uncertainties.
  • Focus on monetary value: The model prioritises monetary benefits, potentially overlooking intangible training outcomes.

When considering the Phillips ROI model, organisations should carefully assess their readiness, resources, and the specific goals they aim to achieve through training evaluation. It may be beneficial to balance the ROI model with other evaluation approaches to capture a more comprehensive picture of training effectiveness and outcomes.

  •     Anderson’s Model of Learning Evaluation

Pros:

  • Focus on learning outcomes: Emphasis on measuring knowledge and skill acquisition, gauging training effectiveness.
  • Alignment with instructional design: Integrates evaluation into instructional design, ensuring a systematic approach.
  • Flexibility and adaptability: Accommodates diverse assessment methods, tailoring evaluations to specific training contexts.

Cons:

  • Limited transfer and application assessment: The model focuses on learning outcomes, not a real-world application, potentially overlooking practical effectiveness.
  • Cognitive learning emphasis: Other learning dimensions like affective or psychomotor aspects may require additional evaluation methods.
  • Lack of contextual consideration: External factors impacting learning outcomes are not directly addressed, necessitating supplemental evaluation for a comprehensive understanding.

When applying Anderson’s Model of Learning Evaluation, organisations should consider its strengths in assessing learning outcomes and aligning with instructional design principles.

What training evaluation tools are there?

Pros of using a questionnaire:

  • Ease of administration: Questionnaires are convenient to administer online or electronically to many participants simultaneously.
  • Standardised data collection: They provide consistent information for easier analysis and comparison across training programmes and groups.
  • Quantifiable data: Rating scales and Likert-type items allow for quantitative data collection, enabling statistical analysis and data-driven decisions.

Cons of Using a Questionnaire:

  • Limited depth: Structured responses may restrict information depth; open-ended questions require more time for analysis.
  • Response bias: Participants may provide biased or socially desirable responses. Careful design and anonymity help reduce bias.
  • Incomplete data: Low response rates or incomplete questionnaires may lead to missing or less representative data.

It’s important to consider these pros and cons when deciding to use a questionnaire as a training evaluation tool. Adaptation and customisation of the questionnaire based on specific training objectives and participant needs can help enhance its effectiveness and overcome potential limitations.

Pros of Using Interviews:

  • In-depth information: Interviews gather rich qualitative data, offering deeper insights into participants’ experiences and training impact.
  • Flexibility: Tailored questions and probes allow personalised exploration for comprehensive responses.
  • Clarification and follow-up: Real-time interaction permits detailed information gathering and comprehensive understanding.
  • Building rapport and trust: Personal interaction fosters trust, encouraging open and honest feedback from participants.

Cons of Using Interviews:

  • Time and resource intensive: Interviews require planning, execution, and data analysis, consuming time, and resources.
  • Potential interviewer bias: Personal biases or leading questions may influence participant responses. Standardisation and proper training can mitigate bias.
  • Limited participant sample: Smaller sample size hampers generalisability, necessitating careful selection of a representative group.
  • Subjectivity of interpretation: Data analysis involves subjective interpretation, affecting result reliability and objectivity.

Considering these pros and cons, using interviews as a training evaluation tool can provide valuable insights into participants’ experiences and perceptions. It is important to carefully plan and execute the interview process, establish clear objectives, and employ rigorous data analysis techniques to maximize the benefits of this evaluation method.

Pros of Using Focus Groups:

  • Rich group interaction: Focus groups foster open discussions, diverse perspectives, and collective insights, encouraging in-depth exploration of training effectiveness.
  • In-depth and qualitative data: Participants express nuanced thoughts, opinions, and experiences, providing valuable qualitative insights and areas for improvement.
  • Exploration of multiple perspectives: Diverse participants offer varied viewpoints, enabling a comprehensive examination of training impact.
  • Immediate clarification and probing: Facilitators can ask follow-up questions and delve deeper into topics, enhancing information gathering and understanding.

Cons of Using Focus Groups:

  • Influenced by group dynamics: Dominant participants or group conformity can affect discussions. Facilitators must ensure inclusivity.
  • Time and resource intensive: Planning, coordination, and data analysis demand significant time and resources.
  • Limited anonymity: Lack of anonymity may affect participants’ openness. Creating a safe environment encourages open discussion.

When utilising focus groups as a training evaluation tool, it is important to carefully plan and execute the process. Facilitators should be skilled in group dynamics and qualitative data analysis. Supplementing focus groups with other evaluation methods can help triangulate findings and enhance the overall evaluation process.

Pros of Using Observations:

  • Direct and authentic assessment: Observations offer first-hand insights into participants’ real-world performance and behaviours.
  • Immediate feedback:: Real-time feedback helps participants make on-the-spot improvements and enhances skill development.
  • Objective and quantifiable data: Observations generate standardised, data-driven evaluations for comparison and decision-making.

Cons of Using Observations:

  • Resource and time-intensive: Observations require careful planning and dedicated resources, making them time-consuming.
  • Potential observer bias: Subjective judgments may influence assessments, but standardisation and training can help reduce bias.
  • Intrusiveness: The presence of observers may alter participant behaviour, affecting the authenticity of performance.

To effectively use observations, plan carefully, use standardised protocols, and consider supplementing with other evaluation methods for a comprehensive assessment.

Pros of Using an LMS for Training Evaluation:

  • Centralised data collection: LMS platforms gather and organise training evaluation data in one location, streamlining the process. This includes participant feedback, assessment scores, and completion rates.
  • Automated tracking and reporting: LMS platforms offer real-time tracking and reporting on participant progress and performance. This facilitates comprehensive analytics to identify trends and make data-driven decisions.
  • Standardised assessments: LMS platforms ensure consistent evaluation across participants and training programs through standardised assessments, quizzes, and surveys.

Cons of Using an LMS for Training Evaluation:

  • Technical expertise: Implementing and managing an LMS requires technical know-how and infrastructure maintenance, impacting evaluation processes.
  • Limited scope: LMS evaluations often focus on quantitative data, missing qualitative insights on participant experiences and attitudes.
  • Organisations should leverage LMS strengths while supplementing with other methods for comprehensive feedback and better alignment with training objectives.

Organisations should carefully design evaluation tools within the LMS to ensure they align with training objectives and capture the desired outcomes. Supplementing LMS-based evaluations with other methods, such as surveys or interviews, can help gather more comprehensive feedback and insights.

Evaluate your data

When it comes to evaluating data in training evaluation tools, there are several key steps to consider.

  1. Ensure that the data collected is accurate, complete, and reliable.
  2. Verify the integrity of the data by reviewing any data entry processes or mechanisms used.
  3. Analyse the data by applying appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis methods based on the type of data collected.
  4. Look for patterns, trends, or significant findings that can provide insights into the effectiveness of the training program.
  5. Finally, interpret the results and derive actionable conclusions. Identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement based on the evaluation data.
  6. Use the findings to make informed decisions, refine training strategies, and enhance the overall training effectiveness.

Use the data to improve your employee training programmes

Using data to improve employee training programs involves several key steps:

  • Use evaluation data for improvement: Analyse data to pinpoint areas for training enhancement, such as specific skill weaknesses or knowledge gaps.
  • Address gaps: Develop targeted interventions to bridge identified training deficiencies, adjusting content or delivery methods accordingly.
  • Modify strategies: Adapt training approaches based on evaluation insights, aligning with employee preferences and needs.

By leveraging evaluation data, organisations enhance training effectiveness, boost engagement, and drive knowledge acquisition and skill development for overall success.

When should your business evaluate training?

Businesses should evaluate training at various stages to ensure its effectiveness and make data-driven decisions for improvement. Here are key moments when training evaluation should take place:

  • Pre-training: Evaluation at this stage helps determine the training objectives and design appropriate interventions that address the identified areas for improvement.
  • During training: Collecting feedback during this stage helps identify potential issues or barriers and provides opportunities for timely adjustments to training delivery, content, or support mechanisms.
  • Post-training: helps assess the effectiveness of the training program, identify areas of success, and pinpoint any gaps or opportunities for improvement.
  • Long-term follow-up: Follow-up evaluation helps determine whether the skills and knowledge acquired during training are being effectively applied on the job and contributing to sustained performance improvement.
  • Periodic reviews: These evaluations provide a holistic view of training outcomes, consider feedback from multiple stakeholders, and inform decisions regarding program enhancements or future investments.

By evaluating training at different stages, businesses can ensure alignment with goals, optimize training interventions, address emerging needs, and continuously improve the impact of training initiatives.

What options for training and progress evaluation does the Alison LMS offer?

Alison’s LMS offers interactive and engaging content, including videos, quizzes, and assessments, which enhance knowledge retention and understanding. Additionally, Alison’s LMS provides progress-tracking features, allowing learners to monitor their learning journey and receive certifications upon course completion. Some of the evaluation features provided by Alison LMS include:

  • Badges and certificates: Upon successful course or assessment completion, Alison grants badges and certificates. Learners can display these credentials as recognition of their achievements.
  • Progress tracking: Alison’s LMS tracks learners’ progress visually, indicating completed modules or lessons. Learners can easily monitor their course advancement.
  • Discussion forums: Alison’s LMS incorporates discussion forums, fostering learner engagement, questions, and interactions with peers and instructors for knowledge sharing.
  • Peer review and feedback: In some Alison courses, learners participate in peer review, evaluating each other’s assignments. This process encourages active learning and self-assessment opportunities. It’s important to note that the specific evaluation features and functionalities may vary depending on the course or programme within Alison.

Overall, Alison’s LMS empowers learners with accessible education, flexibility, interactive content, recognition, and a supportive learning community.

 

Word of the Day: in tandem

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Word of the Day: in tandem

The phrase in tandem has appeared in 155 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on June 23 in “Facing Brutal Heat, the Texas Electric Grid Has a New Ally: Solar Power” by J. David Goodman:

He said the sprawling county has long had oil and gas development. Then came wind. Now solar. Mr. Shuster said he invited President Biden to visit the county and see how fossil fuel and renewable energy sources can be developed in tandem.

“Everybody throws these stones at green energy,” Mr. Shuster said. “They can coexist together. I’m a firm believer in that.”

Can you correctly use the phrase in tandem in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how in tandem can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

Q&A from Vendors – Learning Systems Edition

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Q&A from Vendors – Learning Systems Edition

It is kind of weird. So many sites that list Q&A’s – mine included, look at it from the reader’s standpoint – what I refer to as consumers, even though they may have an audience consisting of PEs (Private Equity), outside their industry (C-Level and similar), vendors in the specific industry (e-learning) and sub-segments OR just a variety of folks who are not on the consumer side of the house, instead on the vendor or investment side.

And yet, I receive a lot of inquiries from vendors, including PE and investment firms. They all have questions. They all seek answers. I will hold back from the investment and PE side; let’s take a peek at the vendor side.

Who doesn’t want to know what they want to know? Due to the number of questions/inquiries I received over the past several months, I selected only a handful.

Additionally, to protect the innocent (I always wanted to say that), I will never divulge who asked me, and if a vendor had me sign an NDA or said this is off-the-record or I represent them (only from a strategy standpoint, never as lead gen or similar angle), those questions were not considered. Just in case they are wondering – what if?

Vendors then ask these questions – through e-mail, via direct messaging on LinkedIn, or in general conversations. Grab some popcorn. Get a beverage. And enjoy. Or ponder.

Questions have been edited only for clarity (when applicable).

Q: Who has the best LMS in the Enterprise market?

A: When I hear this question (and I hear it a lot), I have to look at it from what a vendor defines as Enterprise because it is all over the map regarding users, and some base it on revenue. Then you have vendors who consider the company numbers Enterprise, even if the rollout is significantly smaller. As such, it isn’t as easy as one would think. Noting that vendors (as a whole) are starting to place “Enterprise” as 5,000 or more learners; and that Large Enterprise is 10,000 or more, with others going 25,000 or more – I felt the 5,000 to 9,999 was the route to consider for Enterprise. Some vendors say “Enterprise” and place the user base as 1,000 to 10,000, 2,500 to 10,000, or even 1,000 to 5,000, with Large going at 5,000 (really 5,0001) and up. It’s utterly confusing. Especially when a consumer (it could be you) says Enterprise, which may not align with what the vendor thinks is truly Enterprise, but they agree because why wouldn’t they?

Thus my decision goes with two data points – a. 2,500 to 9,999 end users OR the company has 2,500 or more employees and decides to roll out in smaller segments OR specific departments.

As part of my process, I weigh the factors, including UI/UX, functionality, forward-thinking, pricing, support, training, and business culture (which is rarely considered but very visible when you talk to the salesperson or hear what is happening behind the scenes). Some weights are higher than others, of course.

Every vendor that goes after the employee side (which are the beings in Enterprise). And those who do all think they are the best. Again, who will say, “We are awful. Don’t pick us. Uh, do you want a toaster for your troubles?”.

Here is my short list of those vendors (in my top 100) that are at the top of the scale for me. As always, please do your due diligence – including using FindAnLMS.com – yes a shameless plug of my comparison and analysis platform. Oh, and there will be vendors who are not here but are still in, say my Top 20 – because this is based on the five months – things change, obviously. Lastly, no particular order – and if I believe you need an add-on (if they sell one), I will tell you. Again, no specific order- I have to mention this twice because there will be vendors who say, “We are on the top of his list”. I could have saved time doing alphabetically, but I want you to think more about it – I call it deep thinking – and proof that I did not use Gen-AI for this analysis. Oh, some have more info than others, but it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. If they are on this short list, they are on it.

  • Cornerstone LMS – I’d consider EdCast with it (additional fee) – only because it can be integrated nicely with the LMS. However, it is not a need, to be frank – Or Merlin! Ha, I made a funny. Their content piece – marketplace comes with the system, but you still have to purchase the 3rd party content (as the head of L&D or whatever department oversees this. Then you give it to your end-users for free). Skills are the best in the industry (Cornerstone Learn).
  • Docebo Learn – With the add-ons Discover, Coach and Share, and Learning Analytics. By the end of the year, Shape may snap in here because of an enhancement with a recent Gen-AI vendor. Right now, that isn’t available – I mean, Shape is, but it is a flawed and yucky product. DCS will get a refresh due to another acquisition Docebo made – and trust me, DCS needs that revamp and refresh. Learning Analytics is an add-on, but the metrics tell you your learning story. Out of the box – i.e., with the system doesn’t. When you combine it all, it is pricey, so at the minimum, due to cost, Learn, and DCS (which they do not mention on their site as an add-on – but you need it). Their content piece – marketplace comes with the system, but you still have to purchase the 3rd party content (as the head of L&D or whatever department oversees this. Then you give it to your end-users for free. Skills is so-so.

I should note that both of the above vendors will outsource implementation to 3rd party partners – HOWEVER, depending on the use case, they may be able to do it internally. So, if you want it internally, tell them – turnkey with a couple of connections – it can easily be internal. Finally, Docebo has Docebo Connect, where you can connect all the APIs – you want with the system; Cornerstone has something similar. They are nice – but both are add-ons.

  • LearnAmp – A very different look compared to so many other systems. Metrics continue to improve, and the workflow angle I like the robust system. Skill capabilities are solid.
  • Juno Journey – Totally different UI/UX, skills are quite strong, metrics are good, and a legit LXP component comes with the system. I really dig the system.
  • NovoEd – Cohort-based learning system. If you are intrigued by cohort as in a legit cohort-based learning system, the lead the pack.
  • Fuse – Metrics dominate this solution and tell your story. UI/UX is massively different—the curation capability off the net and internal rules. Skills okay.
  • Bealink – Enjoyed seeing this system. It’s a future up-and-comer. Legit LXP.
  • Degreed – Legit LXP – actually they are the first vendors to move to the next tier – LXP Plus. Metrics out of the box are not great – needs a refresh too. That said skills are quite good, and if you can afford it, get Degreed Intelligence. Metrics are really good – tell your learning story, AND guidebooks are still the coolest component I’ve seen in the learning system space. DI also has a few clever twists that is far different than what you usually see – okay, ever see.

Q: Who has the best LXP in the industry?

A: This is pretty simple in that there are only a handful of Legit LXPs in the industry – to know what I mean by Legit – READ THIS.

Degreed hands-down. But if you want “where this might go” – I’d keep my eyeballs on Bealink. Lastly, if you want to know who has the best Legit LXP as part of their learning system – (and you don’t pay extra for it) – Juno Journey.

Q: Who has the best customer training system in the industry?

A: Again, lots of variables here, but of recent – Thought Industries, Eurekos, Raven360, Docebo, and D2L. I’d throw in Absorb too. From a price standpoint – Eurekos is the most affordable – and I love they bill monthly – so you pay for only those who use the system for that month. The majority of vendors in the industry require payment upfront. TI and Raven360 are more expensive. D2L really has a lot, and folks will be shocked. You will want the e-commerce component – which is a cool storefront, and their add-on advanced metrics called Performance Plus (one of the worst names for what it actually is and isn’t) are huge. Lastly, they – D2L and Thought Industries now have AI Coach, which is the best use of Generative-AI and Coaching in the industry (it’s an add-on), and you want it.

Q: Is there anything we should be adding or doing to your system to land new clients?

Another popular question I hear from vendors all the time. It depends on what they have or lack thereof, but here are the most obvious ones to me.

  • Refresh your UI/UX. If you haven’t refreshed your learner side in the past year, do it. If you are brand new, no need. You may have some nice items, but is the look across the board? The Admin side is the most common side folks ignore. Who is on the system all the time? Admins. And nowadays more and more people want advanced metrics – better data visualization – tied to learner engagement of the content among other items – thus more segmentation. Fix it. Without going as an add-on.
  • Stop listening to your current clients beyond the10% rule. If your system’s capabilities, etc. as in your roadmap is higher than 10% from your clients, you are going to run into problems. I’ve seen vendors do “focus groups” from the angle of selecting the clients who use it the most, or are the largest – and ignore those who aren’t using it, or are smaller in size. Very large enterprises are going to seek different things than some entity with 500 or 1,000 employees. If you are customer training – most people sell – to generate revenue – where is the data for that – what is popular, what isn’t – and why? The data should tell me – and yet, very few vendors in the customer training side have it. Why? Well, their current clients never asked for it. Trust me, if your biggest clients asked for emojis on every page, you would ignore that. Lastly, you are supposed to be the expert – not them. If you can’t be are are not, then you should be fired and your company should find someone who is an expert. As I always say you are in the business to land new clients.
  • Bill monthly – This means you truly send out an invoice per month for usage. Never listen to the “active per user model,” whereas it goes back to zero the following month nonsense. If you are paying upfront, then how does the vendor actually know the usage for each month? The industry overwhelmingly bills in advance, even with customer training – which is one of the worst ideas ever – except for the guy who created New Coke – yeah that was the worst idea ever. And the Edsel.
  • Make your system unique – give it a different perspective that still delivers learning and training in a very effective and efficient way. I saw KREDO the other day and they had a pathway which looked like a road like thing with a car. It is a learning journey aspect. Loved it. Thirst.io had this unique icons that were colorized in such a way, it stood out when selecting content – I thought that’s smart. They also have strong skills too – and again, very clever on how it is shown on the back-end. Lastly, the authoring tool is available on the learner side – so each learner is now a legit content creator – that is AWESOME. Biz Skills, pre-maps all their content to the skills ahead of time. You know how many vendors do this today? Besides them? I haven’t heard of anyone else. Learners are tired of the same ol same. They do not want to see a system that reminds them of a Museum or a dentist office – okay, that is me, saying that. Learning and Training is supposed to be fun! Where is the fun? Where is the hip, the clever, the forward thinking aspect? Oh, I forgot – you are listening to your current clients.
  • Stop charging for onboarding. I hate this, beyond despise. Why should I have to pay extra to setup the system, regardless if it takes a day or multiple days? A system is a big time budget item for anyone. You – the vendor would have an issue, if you bought a car and they said, here is the keys – oh you want us to show you how to do this and that, like start it? Sorry, that is extra. I always say – look at Apple and their stores. Other companies in the past have tried to mimic it – and it has failed. You buy an Apple product and go into the store. They show you have to use it, answer questions, make you feel important, and that they understand the challenges. They do this – because it increases the probability you will buy again from them. Smart.
  • All in one, and not all for add-ons. I understand if it is say a Performance or Talent piece for the learning side. But charging extra for you r authoring tool? Better metrics, then what came with your system – here is an idea, replace what you have in the system, with the better metrics – problem solved. It is getting worse, those add-ons. And it kills additional sales opportunities, because it prices you out from say a competitor that includes all for no additional fee.
  • Add a mobile app with on/off synch. If you can go white-label with it – and that is external seen and not just when people go into the app, do it. Especially with customer training/B2B. Charge extra – because that is common to do so – for the vendors who do it. Again, a prospect may never inquire – because they have no idea – but that doesn’t stop you from mentioning it as an option. Yet, those vendors who do offer it, rarely mention it. Missed upsell opportunity and a benefit for the buyer too. Who wants to see your name for the app?
  • Create effective marketing and marcomm approaches. I see a lot of very good systems for both markets and lots of verticals. Yet, nobody has heard about them. It has nothing to do where you are located. However, they hall have one thing in common – bad marketing. Nowadays you don’t have to buy Google AdWords or higher end SEO to get there.
  • If you are going to add Generative AI make sure you know about the pluses and minuses before just plunging in. I wish vendors would look at other LLMs out there, rather than just going with OpenAI. And ChatGPT is already passe, so why stick it in your system? Besides it being free, I mean.
  • Lastly, follow-up with the client after they bought your system, and implemented it. Go snail mail for once.

Q: Who has the most overrated learning system in the industry?

A: This is one of the most common questions I get asked. After I present them – I’m pretty confident I will get the “a – he doesn’t know what he is talking about” and b – They will never respond to me again.”

If you have one of these systems, that is fine- I am looking at it from various variables. I won’t be going into details here – okay maybe a couple. Maybe not. I decided to include multiple because there isn’t just one. And no, I would never buy any of these. But I’m not you!

  • SAP SucessFactors – My mom always said if you can’t say anything nice, then don’t and move on. Ok, I think she would have said it if she saw them – kidding. For whatever reason, SAP always pushed this heavy over Litmos when they owned both. Litmos was better then it, but SF is a Cash cow for SAP on the learning and performance side. SAP BTW, recently added or will be adding Lucy.ai across various systems – I assume SF will be one of them.
  • Workday Learning – If you have Workday, you do not need to buy WL here. Ignore the push around better integration and so forth. WL always focused on the whole push and pull angle of data between their mods and WL, then turned around and added an “extended Enterprise” piece because they saw clients going external. for customer training. Now, how are the mods playing at that point?
  • Microsoft Viva Learning – Overrated is an understatement. I see nothing cool here or impressive here. Been there, done that.

Bottom Line

A handful of questions. I’m sure there will be a few that raise eyebrows or give you, the reader some pause. And as a vendor, if you disagree with my takeaways that is fine.

Feel free to leave comments in the comment box, or on Linkedin.

Which BTW, LinkedLearning is overrated too. The content?

Ditto.

E-Learning 24/7

Behind the Build: Jupyter Notebooks in Our Data Science Courses

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Behind the Build: Jupyter Notebooks in Our Data Science Courses

If you’ve taken one of our data science courses, you’ve probably seen Jupyter Notebooks, the industry-standard workspaces for developing data science code and visualizations. Jupyter Notebooks are built right into lessons in many of our courses and paths — like Getting Started with Python for Data Science and Introduction to Big Data with PySpark — so you can get hands-on realistic experience working with the tools that professional Data Scientists use in the wild.

Nick Duckwiler, a Software Engineer II at Codecademy, led the tech team that was tasked with integrating Jupyter Notebooks into the learning environment, (the interactive platform that you see when you’re taking our courses or paths). It was a unique challenge with layers of steps that took a year to complete from kickoff to release. “There was sort of a blueprint for how to do this, but a lot of it we had to figure out ourselves,” Nick says. 

Here’s an inside look at how Codecademy engineers built Jupyter Notebooks into our courses and paths, the hurdles they faced in the process, and the lessons they learned from building this feature.

The project: Get Jupyter Notebooks in the Codecademy learning environment. 

Normally, the Jupyter Notebook web app runs locally or on a cloud provider, “which is hard on its own,” Nick says. The team had to add Jupyter Notebooks as a component in the learning environment, hook it up to our other functionalities, and communicate with the Jupyter Notebook server, so that learners could write, save, and evaluate code all while taking a course.

There were three projects nestled inside this larger assignment: 

  • Enable Jupyter notebooks to run on our back-end infrastructure
  • Make sure the front end of the product looks presentable
  • Add a functionality so learners can test their code and surface a solution

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Investigation and roadmapping

“There was an initial step to just check that this was possible on the back end, because a Jupyter Notebook runs in our containers. It took three or four months of work to investigate that. Early on, it took me a while to understand really what Jupyter Notebooks is and what it means when you run Jupyter Notebooks. 

During our sprints, we do these things called spikes, where one or two engineers will explore how hard something is, if something is possible, or how much work it’ll require if we do it. You just kind of poke around the code thinking, What do we need to get this going? Usually, that results in some proof of concept.

Then we make a project plan for all the work that needs to be done. Each project has a technical lead, an engineer who takes the user requirements or the designs and figures out how it gets done. We also usually have help from a Project Manager to figure out what should be prioritized first and who should be working on what. A lot of planning happens in Jira, where we will make epics or sagas, which are large collections of tickets. Then we break it down into smaller bits until there are specific tickets that an engineer can pick up and do within a few days.” 

Implementation

“I had a huge Notion doc that I would write down all my findings in, and they would eventually result in a PR, which is some amount of code that I was going to change that would get reviewed by someone else and shipped. The front end of our courses and paths is built with TypeScript using React, Redux, and Next.js frameworks. And then the back-end services that are related to this project are written in Golang.

A peek into the Notion doc that Nick used to chronicle his findings.

A typical day involved a lot of coding, researching, and looking at the Jupyter docs. I would work on it for a while, and then if I got stuck, I’d ask another engineer who has more experience with different parts of the codebase for help. A lot of engineering is just solving headaches.”

Troubleshooting

“Something that was super frustrating on this project was proxying, which is basically forwarding requests between two services and authenticating them. It was a whole new infrastructure concept that I had never dealt with before. 

When a learner logs on to Codecademy and is in a course or path, they’re connected to a container, which is like a mini virtual computer. The container has to go through a service that authenticates that user and assigns them a set of computing resources. And then those computing resources have their own sort of agent that manages those resources and makes sure that you don’t run anything bad. And if you are using it for more than an hour, it gives you a new container. 

A lot of engineering is just solving headaches.

Nick Duckwiler

Codecademy Software Engineer II

There was just so much we needed to do to make sure all those requests are allowed, and that each service recognizes the source of the request, and responds in kind. Things randomly fail, or requests will come back with an unusual response that doesn’t make sense. It’s very difficult to debug, and it really was annoying until I understood it.

It helps to have a good team of people that are really supportive and want to help. That really carries me a lot of times when I’m so frustrated that I want to break my computer. The nice thing is that other engineers have all been through this type of thing, so they know how it is. The more little wins you get, the longer you can go without one, because you know there’s another one at the end.”  

Ship

“The first time seeing Jupyter Notebooks fully run in our learning environment and having it look like what I wanted it to look like was super rewarding. I remember standing up with my hands in the air — it was so exciting. It took so much effort, and you start to doubt whether it will even work, because you just keep hitting another roadblock. Then you think, this is going to fix the roadblock, and it works for a while, and then someone else breaks it.

Here’s what it looks like to have a fully-functioning Jupyter Notebook embedded in our learning environment.

For my team, the main metrics we measure for success are delivery of the product and the developer experience. So if other people are using this code or using this new feature, how easy is it for them to work with it? There are also more technical metrics with more formal tracking, such as Largest Contentful Paint, latency between requests, or if there are dropped connections. We also listen for feedback from customer support. The Curriculum team was really happy, and they’re our main sort of ‘consumer’ because they’re using Jupyter Notebooks all the time and designing the experience.”

Retrospective 

“I feel like every time I take on a new project that I don’t totally understand, I learn so much new stuff. With engineering, there are infinite rabbit holes that you can go down and down until you get to, like, how circuits work. This project forced me to learn what the heck is going on behind the learning environment. 

This project was spread across multiple teams and phases. Mariel Frank, Software Engineer II, was super instrumental and did a ton of work on this, as well as Senior Software Engineer Tim Jenkins. Ian Munro, a Senior Software Engineer, helped out a lot. Leon Pham, a Staff Engineer on the Infrastructure team, helped me with the proxy in particular. And then we had two Product Managers, Dónal Ó Dubhthaigh, and Daniel Munter.”

Over 75 New York Times Graphs for Students to Analyze

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Over 75 New York Times Graphs for Students to Analyze

What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
What’s going on this graph?

These three simple, open-ended questions are at the heart of “What’s Going On in This Graph?” — a weekly activity we’ve been running in collaboration with the American Statistical Association (A.S.A.) for the past six years. This feature invites students to analyze and interpret graphs previously published in The New York Times, first by noticing and wondering, then by creating a catchy headline to capture a graph’s main idea, and finally by considering what impact this data might have on them and their communities.

Classrooms around the country, and around the world, participate regularly — either by joining our public forum where students post comments and interact with our teacher moderators, or by having a discussion in their own classroom. They analyze graphs about sports figures like LeBron James, environmental trends like rising temperatures, economic activity like price inflation, and political realities like the ages of world leaders.

If you’re new to the feature, here is how it works:

  • Most weeks during the school year, from September to May, we take a graph that has been published in The New York Times and ask students to share what they notice and wonder about it. This feature is completely free.

  • We post these graphs on Thursdays, and include them in our free weekly newsletter, so teachers can plan for the coming week.

  • Then, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time, we host a live-moderated discussion where students from around the world post their observations and analysis while moderators from A.S.A. facilitate the student conversation.

  • Your class can join the discussion any day of the week, not just Wednesdays, and students can even comment on graphs in our archive.

  • On Thursday afternoons, a week after we publish each graph, we add a “reveal” to the post which includes additional background about these graphs, shout-outs for great student headlines, and relevant statistical concepts.

You can find all the graphs we have ever published, organized by topic and graph type, in two collections: 69 graphs from 2017-2020 (published in 2020) and the 79 graphs from 2020-2023, listed below. You can also find also find them in this column, which continually updates as we publish new graphs each school year.

Graphs, Charts and Maps From “What’s Going On in This Graph?” (Sept. 2020 — May 2023)

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Graphs, Charts and Maps From “What’s Going On in This Graph?” (Sept. 2020 — May 2023)

Each of the graphs in this slide show was featured in one of our weekly “What’s Going On in This Graph?” discussions from Sept. 2020 to May 2023. To learn more about a graph, including source information and related statistical concepts, visit the accompanying link.

Climate Threats

Imperial College London launches new Specialization on Coursera to help learners unleash their creativity in the age of AI

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Imperial College London launches new Specialization on Coursera to help learners unleash their creativity in the age of AI

By Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer, Coursera

Today Imperial College London has launched a new Specialization, Creative Thinking Tools for Success and Leadership.

Generative AI has massive implications for the modern workforce – up to 49% of workers could have half or more of their tasks exposed to large language models. And this impact goes beyond the repeatable jobs that AI has historically displaced. Jobs that require creative and complex cognitive skills are now also at risk.

This new Specialization, taught by design engineering expert Peter Childs, will help workers advance their creative thinking to add value beyond AI using structured processes as well as new and innovative techniques. 

The three-course Specialization builds upon Imperial’s successful course, Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success, which has amassed more than 280,000 enrollments on Coursera since launch in 2019. The new Specialization not only delves deeper into how to use creative tools to tackle global challenges, but also teaches learners how AI can help augment their work and generate creative outcomes. 

“I am delighted to launch this Specialization on creative thinking. The courses provide an overview of fundamental approaches to creativity as well as exposure to a wide range of approaches to productive thinking and a framework to guide the selection of what approach you might want to use to augment your innate creativity,” said Peter Childs FREng, co-director of the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College London. “I am really looking forward to the emergence of many wonderful ideas and seeing learners’ creativity flourish as the courses progress.” 

Upon completion, learners will be prepared to:

  • Use diverse brainstorming techniques, systematic creativity tools, and advanced creative thinking strategies in their work.
  • Use various approaches such as the creativity diamond framework, biomimicry, analogy, metaphor, and AI-enabled platforms to generate innovative ideas. 
  • Use creative techniques to effectively address challenges or opportunities in their projects or activities. 

To provide more expert perspectives, the program features interviews with various CEOs, including Coursera’s CEO Jeff Maggioncalda, who uses generative AI to refine and augment creative ideas and initiatives. 

As generative AI continues to revolutionize the world, it’s more important than ever for workers to gain new skills that can’t be replicated by technology. We’re fortunate to partner with an esteemed institution like Imperial College London to help learners unlock their creative potential.

Available today, the Creative Thinking Tools for Success and Leadership Specialization is designed to take 18 weeks to complete and costs $49 a month. Click here to learn more and enroll.

How To Create A Free Blog Website For Affiliate Marketing

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How To Create A Free Blog Website For Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is everything it’s cracked up to me. If you do it right. In a nutshell, Affiliate Marketing involves empowering others by sharing the products and services you’re passionate about all while earning an income for yourself. The best part about being an affiliate is that anyone can do it. So where do you start? One of the most popular and successful ways to kickstart your promotional journey is to get an affiliate blog up and running. But this can be tricky so we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll outline the steps you need to create a free blog website for Affiliate marketing.

What is an affiliate blog?

When the concept of blogging (short for weblog) first took off, it was a web journal where the blogger (you) would create and share information and content on an array of topics. These included arts, lifestyle content, and design to name a few, taking an informal and conversational tone. It hasn’t changed much. An affiliate blog is a blog where you add affiliate links to the content you share. When visitors click and make a purchase through these links, you earn an affiliate commission from the business or advertisers who provide the links. With an affiliate blog, you are ultimately using the power of words to sell and promote another company’s product or service.

This sounds easy enough but unfortunately, many people don’t know even how or where to start when creating a blog. 

Benefits of using a blog as an affiliate

Firstly, you may be wondering if there are other platforms you can use as an affiliate. There are, but being an affiliate marketer without a blog or website is not recommended. Here are a few reasons why you should create a blog to grow as an affiliate marketer.

  • A blog allows you to create useful content. You’re not limited to a character limit so you can provide your readers with more information about the products and services you are promoting. 
  • A blog helps you generate more traffic to your Affiliate links. A new audience can find you through search engines such as Google. More eyes on your page means more opportunities to get conversions.
  • A blog is primed to promote your affiliate link through emailing lists, special offers and discounts, reviews, and other marketing techniques you can use.

How to create an affiliate blog

The good news is, you don’t need to be a tech expert or know anything about coding to create a blog. Anyone can do it. 

  1.     Identify your niche

The first step in affiliate blogging is knowing your niche. This is the market segment you want to appeal to. It’s an important step because if you get it wrong, your affiliate marketing career won’t take off and yield the results you hope for. In finding your niche, you need to take time to research what people are interested in, which topics are oversaturated (high competition), and which products or services have a high sales volume. For example, you initially think of a blog about shoes, which is a broad category. You can, however, narrow this down and create a blog about mules which is much less saturated but is growing and has lots of interest.

  1.       Put a name on it

What’s in a name you ask? Everything. This name is your address on the internet. It’s where people will find you when they search the web. Some domain names are more expensive than others so it’s imperative you search different hosts to see what names are available and suit you best. A host like NameCheap is a great and affordable place to start. You want to choose a domain name that is memorable yet easy to find and one that relates to your niche.

  1.       Choose a host

Now that you have a name for your blog, you need to decide if you want a blogging platform like WordPress or Bluehost or an independent website to host your blog. Each option has its own pros and cons, but you need to read through their affiliate marketing T&Cs and guidelines to decide which host you want to make your home in. With an established blogging platform, you can choose from their selection of templates for a look and feel that suits you. Or if you choose to do it all independently, you have full creative control over the design elements but, this may cost you a small penny if you aren’t skilled at building websites.

  1.       Create content

Once you’ve built all the important pages on your blog, for example, on WordPress, it’s time to post your first piece of content. The content you create, and share is a critical part of your success as an affiliate marketer. There are thousands of other affiliates and blogs competing for clicks. Therefore, you need to put out content that sets you apart from the rest. Here are some tips on creating memorable content:

  • Make sure your content is search-optimised content. This means using natural language and ensuring your content is full of keywords that are related to your niche. There are plenty of free keyword research tools to use, for example, Google Trends. 
  • Create content with intent. All content you create should be written with your audience in mind. Ask yourself if you are answering their questions or providing them with valuable insights and information on the topic.
  • Stick to blog-style formatting. Blog writing is different from magazines, newspapers, and your regular social media posts. Use headings and subheadings, bullet points, and add images and videos to your posts.
  • Make it engaging. Check your blog tone, be lighthearted, and if you can, share anecdotes that will make your readers want to come back again.
  • Get help. If you are struggling for inspiration or suffer from writer’s block, ask ChatGPT to help you. You can use this tool to help you write a first draft and then put your own personal touch on the final article to make it your own.
  1.     Find an Affiliate marketing programme

Once your blog is up and running and you’re starting to see traffic, you can take the next step and add affiliate links. You need to ensure that the affiliate programme you sign up for suits your blog’s niche and has a product or service you genuinely believe in. It may all be online, but your audience will smell if you’re being disingenuous about what you’re promoting. Additionally, you want to make sure that the affiliate programme you sign up with will support your affiliate journey, is reputable, has a reasonable cookie duration, and finally, that you understand their terms and conditions to ensure it’s the best fit for you.

Alison’s Affiliate Programme is works

It’s easy to become an Alison Affiliate. Once you’ve created your Alison account, you can sign up to become an Affiliate.

  1.     Register an Affiliate

Go to our Affiliate Page and click the button “Become an Affiliate”. Once you accept the T&Cs, you are fully registered. It’s that easy! You can also join one of our informative webinar sessions and speak directly with an Alison representative to learn more about empowering others as an Alison affiliate.

  1.     Invite

Using the Affiliate link generator, share your Affiliate links online with your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, and anyone else you can think of who might benefit from our free educational and professional tools.

  1.       Earn money

You will receive 20% of the revenue generated by the new learners who come to Alison through your Affiliate links.

But remember, using a blog for affiliate marketing doesn’t automatically mean you will be swimming in your affiliate commission once it goes live. The truth is it will take some time. And it’s only if you push through the hard part that you will reap the benefits. You need to put in the time, patience, hone several skills and be persistent in putting out good quality content. And doing this consistently. Happy blogging.

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