Jun 16

Free Professional Development for Teachers at All Kinds of Minds

By Kevin Education, Informal learning, eLearning, training No Comments »

All Kinds of Minds logoK12 educators will find this very interesting. All Kinds of Minds, a great teacher professional development organization based in North Carolina has announced that three of their online modules will be available free this summer.

Educators can take the online modules – each a $60 value – at no charge until September 1st. The modules cover three critical learning elements: language, memory and attention. It’s a great way for educators to get started or gain greater depth of knowledge about neuroscience and to get to know All Kinds of Minds.

For more information about the modules, here is a link to All Kinds of Minds’ announcement.

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Jun 14

Mongomery Public Schools Contracts with Pearson Publishing

By Kevin training 2 Comments »

Pearson Education LogoIn a rare move, Pearson Education, the behemoth of educational publishers, has contracted with the Montgomery (MD) Public Schools to develop an elementary curriculum. The publisher will have all rights to augment and re-distribute the content to schools around the world.

The school system is one of the wealthiest in the country and is considered a prime proving ground for many publishers and educational technology companies. Nonetheless, the district’s superintendent, Dr. Jerry Weast said, “I tend to look at it from the standpoint that we are broke. You have to have new ways of doing things when you don’t have money.”

The deal is worth $2.25m plus royalties, but includes a number of give-backs including the ability of Pearson to bring potential buyers to Montgomery’s classrooms to see the curriculum in the real world. Ironically, other schools around the country – Fairfax Virginia is one example – offer copies of their curriculum to any other school that inquires. Potentially, though, the resources of Pearson Education could enhance the curriculum materials in ways that a local school district would never be able to do.

The full article can be found at The Washington Post.

Jun 14

Learning First Urges Stronger Focus on Professional Development

By Kevin training No Comments »

Learning First Alliance —Tuesday, June 08, 2010

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2010/via PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, the Learning First Alliance, a partnership of 17 national education associations representing over ten million parents, educators and policymakers, released the following statement:

“The Elementary and Secondary Education Act should make effective professional development a top priority. The federal government should support frequent, job-embedded professional development for teachers, principals and other school and district staff. It should offer dedicated funds for comprehensive, sustained and intensive approach to improving staff effectiveness in raising student achievement. The National Staff Development Council’s definition of and standards for staff development identify the characteristics of professional development that are most likely to increase achievement.”

The Learning First Alliance is a permanent partnership of 17 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America’s public schools. Alliance members include: the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American School Counselor Association, Association of School Business Officials International, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National Middle School Association, National School Public Relations Association, National Staff Development Council, National PTA, National School Boards Association and Phi Delta Kappa International. The Alliance maintains www.publicschoolinsights.org, a website that features what’s working in public schools and districts across the country.

CONTACT: Claus von Zastrow, Learning First Alliance, +1-202 296-5220, x115

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May 20

How Is a Bad Radio Station Like the Public School System

By Kevin Business, Education, Informal learning, Learning Technologies, training No Comments »

Freakonomics LogoThis podcast discusss the potential upside in education of effective data collection and use. The Freakonomics’ authors explore “A School of One” in New York City.  Stephen Dubner writes in the NYTimes this introduction to an interesting podcast:

This episode is a full 30 minutes long, and it’s about what we call “the thrill of customization” — that is, how technology increasingly enables each of us to get what we want out of life, whether it’s a consumer experience or a religious experience.

via FREAKONOMICS PODCAST – Freakonomics Blog – NYTimes.com.

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May 20

Embracing Web 2.0 Learning Strategies

By Kevin Business, Informal learning, training No Comments »

It’s hard to keep up with all the ways that interactions can occur on the web. Even so, many business decision-makers are still not embracing the full range of elearning features that can be brought to bear in a Web 2.0 world. So it’s possible that instructional designers need to do a better job educating their clients about the benefits and possibilities that Web 2.0 learning experiences represent.

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Apr 08

Certification Program as a Key Marketing Strategy

By Kevin Business, Learning Technologies, White Paper, marketing No Comments »

The white paper linked below helps organizations understand the the marketing and sales implications of developing a certification program. Intended primarily for organizations that sell to schools, it has broad implications for any company that provides in-depth customer training as part of its overall strategy.

Download the Certification White Paper here.

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Feb 26

Are Trade Shows a Waste of Time?

By Kevin Business, Informal learning, marketing, trade shows No Comments »

This blog article posted at the “You’re the Boss Blog, NYTimes.com” makes an argument for the importance of investing in your business to drive in more customers. Are Trade Shows a Waste of Time? – You’re the Boss Blog – NYTimes.com. This author looks particularly at attending trade shows and discusses how they offer a unique opportunity to meet and prospect for customers despite their cost.

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Feb 26

Building Effective Relationships Between Organizations and Contractors

By Kevin Business, Contractors No Comments »

Many organizations use outside expertise to tackle challenges that lie beyond their core competencies. For many, it’s been standard practice to take on temporary professional help, particularly in areas that companies use infrequently and require deep knowledge or special certification. This trend has accelerated in recent years as companies eliminate functions that are not direct contributors to the bottom line. As a result, there is a greater need than ever for companies to identify and contract with temporary, outsourced talent. Given the growing number of self-employed as well as the frequency with which companies contract with them, I thought it might be helpful to tease out some of the elements of a strong business relationship.
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Feb 25

Informal Learning

By Kevin Informal learning, Learning Technologies, training No Comments »

Last Monday, I heard Tony Bingham, President of ASTD talk about ‘informal learning’ and how to use web technologies to encourage and direct it. Then I saw on LinkedIn that there was a discussion of ‘informal learning’. It’s important to pay attention when the leader of the American Society for Training and Development and educated professionals sense a trend simultaneously.
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Jan 16

Customer Training as a Key Marketing Strategy

By Kevin Learning Technologies, marketing, training 2 Comments »

We all know that  “Just Do It” is a philosophy that seldom works when it comes to getting customers started with technology products. Recognizing that fact, it’s a rare company in today’s education market that doesn’t offer some level of customer training. In a noisy, competitive environment, effective training can offer a competitive edge for obtaining and retaining customers.

However, it’s no secret that the nation’s economic recession is decimating state and district education budgets. Even as the economy recovers, education budgets will lag for an addition cycle or two.  As a result, it’s an uncertain time for companies offering professional development, especially those that are relying on training as an income stream. So it’s incumbent on vendors to make sure that their investment in customer training pays off by aligning it closely with sales and marketing goals. Here’s how.
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