Slaying the Training Goliaths

Gartner defines Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the infrastructure on which e-learning can be built and delivered¹. Until recently, the available tools were somewhat limited and did not always meet the needs of the audience. For example industry analyst Bryan Chapman, who is chief learning strategist at Chapman Alliance LLC in Utah and an associate of Brandon Hall Research in Sunnyvale, CA, said "Companies are running into trouble because they can't incorporate informal learning into their LMSs."² And then there is the uproar over the lawsuits and cease-and-desist orders in the University LMS world where the validity of patents are being questioned and challenged³.

While the big boys continue to duke it out for the major universities and Fortune 500 companies, we at LearningZen have our sights set on a much simpler world when it comes to education and training. Education and learning should be available to the entire community and should be easily and readily accommodating. But for a small company, a medium sized government agency or an individual to use one of these large monolithic systems to support training objectives means a huge investment in time, talent and money. And for some that makes it impossible.

Pardon me for using a Biblical reference, but I am reminded of the story of David and Goliath. If you remember, the Philistine giant, Goliath, spent many days talking trash to the armies of Israel. He challenged anyone to come out and fight and if he could be defeated, his fellow Philistines would peacefully depart. But none of the soldiers were brave enough to take on the nine foot giant. Then along came David, a little shepherd boy with little fear and lots of confidence. He refused to take the tools of the trade, the armor and weapons of the soldiers. Instead, he walked into battle with a sling and a pouch of stones. We all remember that David proceeded to defeat Goliath with his sling and stone.

Education and training can seem just as daunting. But with the right tools, we believe that anyone can accomplish the goal of learning and educating. We believe that as a community, we can create a vast, virtual university of learning that all can benefit from. We just need the right tools and the desire to use them.

So is LearningZen the right tool for you? Can your organization or group benefit by using a free, web-based service to disseminate training materials? We think the answer is a resounding YES! Here are some of the reasons to consider LearningZen in slaying the training Goliaths before you:

1. With Learning Zen learners can proceed through a course at their own pace and at their own place. They can also access the training at any time, receiving only as much as they need or want.
2. With LearningZen, the educator can easily and quickly create a course and post it to the desired audience. If you can create a Word document, you can create a course. If you have knowledge of other tools, you can easily incorporate them into the course creation process.
3. With LearningZen both audiences can collaborate through course focused forums. The student is not just getting information, but has the ability to interact with the educator to enhance the learning experience. The Educator can get immediate and direct feedback on the course thus providing a built-in improvement mechanism.
4. With LearningZen’s Software as a Service (SaaS) model, it is easy and affordable to deliver training. There is no need to employ a huge IT staff or invest in the hardware infrastructure to support software and content.
5. With LearningZen, there is no need to worry about what machine or operating system is being used by the student or instructor. With access to the web, both student and instructor have access to the learning management system.
6. With LearningZen there is very little cost for Global distribution. There are no separate or distinct distribution mechanism’s needed to share your course throughout the world.
7. With LearningZen, content can remain relevant and updated. As an educator, you only need access to the web to update your course, check on student progress and gather feedback. As a student, you have immediate access to new and updated material.

Just like David’s success with Goliath, you can be successful in meeting your educational needs by utilizing the power of LearningZen.

Dennis Phillips, Ph.D.





References:

1. Elearnity, Press Release, Downloaded 2009-4-30
2. Goliath Business News, Article, Downloaded 2009-4-30
3. Campus Technology, Article, Downloaded 2009-4-30

Learning from the Scarecrow

If you are reading this blog, you have either stumbled upon LearningZen, been directed here by a friend or are already an interested member of the learning community. Regardless, we welcome you to this grand undertaking to make education and learning available to all. The world history of education is quite interesting and we are in the middle of what we like to refer to as the third great revolution in education (see History of Education.pdf for further information). The Internet has opened up a whole world of information to all of us.

Quite simply, LearningZen is a free web-based training and education service that is easy to use for both educators and learners. The site provides an environment where instructors and students can collaborate as part of a learning community. As an educator, you can use virtually any media to build and enhance your courses. Besides delivering content in a professional and organized format, LearningZen supports Exams and Certificates to allow educators to validate the learning process.

You might be asking why do I need a learning site? Why not use one of the many how-to sites or just use Google or Wikipedia? To answer that, let me turn to one of my favorite fairy tales, The Wizard of Oz. You will recall that on her way to the great Emerald City of Oz, Dorothy meets three interesting characters; the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man. All four join up to journey to the Emerald City in order to get the desires of their hearts. The Scarecrow, who has no brain, demonstrates several times in the journey that he indeed does possess a lot of good ideas and intellect but feels this journey is important. And upon finally meeting the great Wizard of Oz, it is confirmed that all he was lacking was a diploma which would then confirm his great intellect.

That is one of the main differences between LearningZen and other methods of learning on the Internet, certification. As an educator, I like the idea that I can post courses on the internet in a way that supports all of the great pedagogy that I have learned over the years, namely multiple media, multiple interactions, and proven content. But I love the idea that I can provide an exam and certification to my students. After all, my success is only in allowing my students to reach their educational goals. If I am not moving them forward and providing proof of that movement, I am simply providing information, not knowledge.

I hope you will come back often and add your content to the great community of educators and learners known as LearningZen. Please join us on this incredible journey.

Dennis Phillips, Ph.D.