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May 16 Strategies and Techniques for Designers, Developers, and Managers of eLearning A publication of THIS WEEK — DESIGN TECHNIQUES 2005 Four Steps to Effective Virtual Classroom Training BY RUTH CLARK summarize my four step model for ex- ploiting the features of synchronous e-Learning tools in ways proven to maxi- mize their learning potential. Which is better: Traditional class- rooms or virtual classrooms? Hundreds of research studies have compared learning in a classroom to learning from various forms of electronic distance media. Luckily you don’t need to look for all of those individual studies because in a recent meta-analysis Robert Bernard and several colleagues have gathered and analyzed them for you. (See the citation in the Resources section at the end of this article.) The histogram from that meta-analysis (shown in Figure 1 on page 2) plots the frequency of effect sizes from over 300 of these comparisons. See the Sidebar on page 2 if the concept of “effect size” is new to you. As you can see, the majority of effect sizes fall between -.50 and +.50. In other words, most of the research com- parisons showed no practical learning advantages or disadvantages of electron- ic distance media over traditional class- room sessions. You can also see that there is a great deal of variability in the histogram. Some electronic distance learning classes resulted in much better learning outcomes than some traditional WWW.E L EARNING G UILD.COM Research now shows that traditional class- rooms and virtual classrooms (synchro- nous e-Learning) are about equally effec- tive overall. It’s not the medium that makes the difference; it’s the way in which the designer and the instructor use the features that are available. In this arti- cle, one of the out- standing e-Learning designers in the world reveals guidelines that will help you use the virtual classroom for best results. W ith tools like Elluminate, Centra, and Live Meeting, realizing the full potential of effective distance learn- ing is a matter of leveraging online visual, auditory, and interactive features in ways that promote learning. Many organizations are turning to the virtual classroom as the center- piece of their blended learning strategy in order to save costs and reduce inefficiencies associated with traditional classroom venues. But like any technology, virtual classroom tools are only as good as the ways in which they are used. In this article, I’ll

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Page 1: Four Steps to Effective Virtual Classroom Training · 2006. 1. 30. · May 16 Strategies and Techniques for Designers, Developers, and Managers of eLearning A publication of THIS

M a y 1 6

Strategies and Techniques for Designers, Developers, and Managers of eLearning

A publication of

THIS WEEK — DESIGN TECHNIQUES

2005

Four Steps to Effective VirtualClassroom TrainingBY RUTH CLARK

summarize my four step model for ex-ploiting the features of synchronous e-Learning tools in ways proven to maxi-mize their learning potential.

Which is better: Traditional class-rooms or virtual classrooms?

Hundreds of research studies havecompared learning in a classroom tolearning from various forms of electronicdistance media. Luckily you don’t needto look for all of those individual studiesbecause in a recent meta-analysisRobert Bernard and several colleagueshave gathered and analyzed them foryou. (See the citation in the Resourcessection at the end of this article.) The

histogram from that meta-analysis(shown in Figure 1 on page 2) plots thefrequency of effect sizes from over 300of these comparisons. See the Sidebaron page 2 if the concept of “effect size”is new to you.

As you can see, the majority of effectsizes fall between -.50 and +.50. Inother words, most of the research com-parisons showed no practical learningadvantages or disadvantages of electron-ic distance media over traditional class-room sessions. You can also see thatthere is a great deal of variability in thehistogram. Some electronic distancelearning classes resulted in much betterlearning outcomes than some traditional

W W W. E L E A R N I N G G U I L D . C O M

Research now showsthat traditional class-rooms and virtualclassrooms (synchro-nous e-Learning) areabout equally effec-tive overall. It’s notthe medium thatmakes the difference;it’s the way in whichthe designer and theinstructor use the features that areavailable. In this arti-cle, one of the out-standing e-Learningdesigners in the worldreveals guidelinesthat will help you usethe virtual classroomfor best results.

With tools like Elluminate, Centra, and Live Meeting,

realizing the full potential of effective distance learn-

ing is a matter of leveraging online visual, auditory,

and interactive features in ways that promote learning. Many

organizations are turning to the virtual classroom as the center-

piece of their blended learning strategy in order to save costs

and reduce inefficiencies associated with traditional classroom

venues. But like any technology, virtual classroom tools are only

as good as the ways in which they are used. In this article, I’ll

Page 2: Four Steps to Effective Virtual Classroom Training · 2006. 1. 30. · May 16 Strategies and Techniques for Designers, Developers, and Managers of eLearning A publication of THIS

classroom sessions and vice versa. The results of this review replicate

hundreds of media comparison studiesconcluding that when the same lesson isdelivered in two different media, thereare no real differences in learning. Thereason? It’s not the media that causelearning. Rather, it’s how the media areused. In other words, it’s the instruction-al methods — things like graphics, ex-amples, and practice exercises — thatlead to better or poorer learning, not themedium through which the lessons aredelivered. The trick to successful use ofany delivery medium, electronic or tradi-tional, is to exploit the features of thatmedium in ways that lead to learning!

The DVEP model for virtual classroom effectiveness

Based on research explained in myrecent books, I have developed a fourstep model summarized in Figure 2 onpage 3 to guide exploitation of the virtualclassroom for best learning. In this arti-cle, I’ll give you some tips on how toimplement each step, along with someresources for more information. Let’sstart with an overview of the DVEP mod-el. (DVEP stands for Define, Visualize,Engage, and Package.)

Step 1 — DefineIn Step 1 you begin by defining your

business goals and the knowledge andskills needed to achieve them. As you

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The eLearning Developers’ Journal™ is design-ed to serve as a catalyst for innovation and asa vehicle for the dissemination of new and prac-tical strategies and techniques for e-Learningdesigners, developers and managers. TheJournal is not intended to be the definitiveauthority. Rather, it is intended to be a mediumthrough which e-Learning practitioners can sharetheir knowledge, expertise and experience with others for the general betterment of all.

As in any profession, there are many differ-ent perspectives about the best strategies,techniques and tools one can employ to accom-plish a specific objective. This Journal will sharedifferent perspectives and does not position anyone as “the right way,” but rather we positioneach article as “one of the right ways” foraccomplishing a goal. We assume that readerswill evaluate the merits of each article and usethe ideas they contain in a manner appropriatefor their specific situation.

The articles contained in the Journal are allwritten by people who are actively engaged inthis profession — not by paid journalists or writ-ers. Submissions are always welcome at anytime, as are suggestions for articles and futuretopics. To learn more about how to submit articles and/or ideas, please visit:www.eLearningGuild.com.

Publisher David Holcombe

Editorial Director Heidi FiskEditor Bill Brandon

Copy Editor Charles Holcombe

Design Director Nancy Marland

The eLearning Guild™ Advisory BoardRuth Clark, Conrad Gottfredson, Bill Horton,

Bob Mosher, Eric Parks, Brenda Pfaus,Marc Rosenberg, Allison Rossett, Lance Dublin

Copyright 2005. The eLearning Developers’ Journal™.Compilation copyright by The eLearning Guild 2005. Allrights reserved. Please contact The eLearning Guild forreprint permission.

The eLearning Developers’ Journal is published weeklyby The eLearning Guild, 525 College Avenue, Suite215, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Phone: 707.566.8990.

The Journal is included as part of Guild membership.To join the Guild go to www.eLearningGuild.com.

Figure 1 Effect sizes: traditional classrooms versus virtual classrooms

SIDEBAR What is an Effect Size?

Even though learning from two lesson versions (such as one delivered in the class-room and one delivered via synchronous e-Learning) may show statistically significantdifferences, the actual learning differences may be so small that the findings are of lit-tle or no practical importance. Unlike statistical significance, effect sizes indicate prac-tical significance. Effect sizes of less than .30 tell us that any differences betweenthe versions being compared are too small to be of practical relevance. In contrast,effect sizes of .70 and higher mean that the differences are large enough that there ispractical benefit from adopting the better version. For the statistical details on effectsizes see page 47 in E-Learning and the Science of Instruction, listed in the Resour-ces section of the main article. (Editor’s Note: A longer and somewhat more technicalexplanation of effect size can be found online in the ERIC Digest. See “Effect Size andMeta Analysis,” by Carol Boston at http://ericdigests.org/2003-4/meta-analysis.html.)

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plan your training, you consider theinstructional methods you will need toachieve your instructional goals. Forexample, if you are building softwareskills you will need to show softwaredemonstrations followed by hands-onpractice. Therefore you will need to selecta delivery medium that can effectivelydisplay demonstrations and provide forpractice. You will want to assign learninggoals and topics to the virtual classroom(VC) that take advantage of the types ofinstructional methods it can deliver.

Step 2 — Visualize E-Learning in both its synchronous and

asynchronous forms demands compell-ing visualization of content. As you cansee in Figure 3, right, the largest amountof screen real estate in the virtual class-room tools is commanded by the white-board — a place where instructors candisplay visuals and where participants (inany physical location, either local orremote) can interact with those visuals.

In Step 2 you select and design thevarious types of visuals you can use tobest promote learning. Once selected,you follow evidence-based guidelines toexplain those visuals using the audio,text, and cueing facilities of the virtualclassroom.

Step 3 — Engage Experienced trainers know that frequent

meaningful learner interaction with thecontent is the main path to learning. Frompolling options to direct messaging tobreak-out rooms, the virtual classroomtools offer a plethora of opportunities toengage your learners. It’s up to you toexploit these in ways that lead to learning.

Step 4 — Package Success using any technical delivery

medium requires an infrastructure thateffectively prepares participants prior tothe program, supports them during theevent, and promotes transfer of learningto the job afterwards. Packaging the vir-tual classroom program requires atten-tion to all of the elements that precedeand follow your virtual classroom event.

Now that I’ve overviewed the DVEPmodel, let’s look at each phase in moredetail.

Step 1 — Define outcomes, methods, and media

In the definition phase, you define yourbusiness goals along with associated

knowledge and skills. Then you identifythe instructional methods needed toachieve your learning objectives. Finally,you select a blend of delivery media thatcan best deliver the instructional meth-ods you have identified.

Aligning your training to business goalsis not unique to the virtual classroom soI will not devote space to that topic here.You will find more information on match-ing training to business goals in a forth-

coming Training & Development article(June, 2005); please refer to the Resour-ces section at the end of this article.Instead, I will focus on how to blend yourinstructional media and how to decidewhich instructional goals best match vir-tual classroom delivery technology.

Select the best blendAs I mentioned above, it is instruction-

al methods that cause learning — not

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Figure 3 The whiteboard dominates virtual classroom screen real estate

Figure 2 The DVEP model

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the delivery media. Not all media cancarry all instructional methods. For ex-ample, some synchronous e-Learningtools have no facilities for displayingvisuals. If your instructional goals requiremethods that involve graphics, thesetools would not be a good choice.

To plan your media blend, begin by list-ing the main instructional methods need-ed to achieve your training goals. As anexample, Figure 4, below, summarizes ablended learning plan for a training pro-gram designed to help new supervisorslearn to develop and conduct legal hiringinterviews. Each medium in this plan has

been selected because of its strengthsin delivering the instructional methodsneeded for the instructional goals.

As you think about which delivery medi-um to use for your various instructionalgoals, consider the following questions:

Does the learning outcome require timefor reflection?

If yes, consider some form of asyn-chronous learning environment. Forexample, in our interviewing skills class,following the virtual classroom sessionparticipants complete an assignment toconstruct real-world interview questionsat their work stations. This type of task

takes time and reflection and is moreefficiently completed at each learner’space and local environment.

Does the learning outcome benefit fromhigh social presence?

If yes, consider a face-to-face class-room venue. In an interview class, learn-ing to conduct effective interviews requir-es role plays. This is best facilitated inthe classroom, where the learner canexperience all of the social cues relevantto communication skills, such as inter-viewing.

Can the learning outcome be achievedby reading or independent research?

If yes, consider an assignment in theform of an article or Internet search. Theinterview class gives participants a pre-reading on legalities of interview ques-tions followed by an assignment to emailthe instructor a completed worksheet inwhich they identify questions that arelegally defensible. Pre-work such as thisacts as an audience equalizer by givingeveryone a common knowledge basewhen they enter the virtual classroom. Italso allows you to use the virtual class-room for interactive work and discussionrather than for disseminating information.

When to use the virtual classroomUse the virtual classroom in ways that

take advantage of its main features thatpromote learning, including the white-board and other media projection facili-ties such as application sharing, audio,interactive tools, and breakout rooms.Reserve the virtual classroom for learn-ing goals that are best promoted by: 1) Display, explanation, and discussion

of relevant visuals2) Interactions using virtual classroom

facilities such as polling, whiteboard,and chat

3) Collaborative work among smallgroups of participantsOf course, the virtual classroom may

be selected for pragmatic reasons, ratherthan for its features that promote learn-ing. For example, synchronous eventstend to have higher completion ratesthan asynchronous venues. In addition,synchronous e-Learning is generallyfaster to design and deploy than tradi-tional asynchronous e-Learning. Savingsin travel costs and reduced time awayfrom the job are two other predominantreasons organizations turn to the virtualclassroom.

A word of caution! Misusing a medium

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Figure 5 Application sharing in the virtual classroom

Figure 4 Blended learning plan summary

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for its pragmatic benefits soon gives thatmedium an undeserved bad reputation.If virtual classrooms are used only todeliver lectures, for example, the buzzgets around that virtual classrooms areboring, irrelevant, or a waste of time. Orif face-to-face classroom courses arerepurposed for the virtual classroom withno changes to accommodate virtualclassroom features, your outcomes andlearner responses will be suboptimal. Forthat reason, use the virtual classroomfor the things it does best: to visualizecontent, to promote interactivity and tofacilitate collaboration. If your learningoutcomes do not make use of these fea-tures, select a more suitable deliverymedium.

Step 2 — Visualize your contentAs you review your outline for your vir-

tual sessions, invest extra effort in visu-alizing your content. The “wall-of-words”approach is a real turn-off in all forms ofe-Learning including the virtual class-room. If your message can be best com-municated with words, then give learnersa reading assignment and bring them tothe virtual classroom to discuss andapply what they read. Here are somespecific guidelines for visualizing yourcontent.

Select visuals for their learningfunctions

In Graphics for Learning, my colleagueChopeta Lyons and I reviewed recentresearch on best use of visuals. (TwoeLearning Developers’ Journal overviewarticles based on the book are listed inthe Resources section.) We recommendthat you use visuals for their communica-tion and psychological functions — notfor their surface features. As a generalrule, you should de-emphasize decorativegraphics that can distract learners anddepress learning in favor of representa-tional visuals that illustrate the job envi-ronment, along with explanatory visualsthat promote deeper understanding.

For example, Figure 5 on page 4shows a portion of a virtual classroomsession using application sharing. In thislesson, Kathy Fallow of Vertex Solutionsdemonstrates how to use MicrosoftOutlook to set up meetings. Her demon-stration uses a combination of staticscreen captures (not shown) as well asthe dynamic visuals in the applicationsharing facility. These types of visualsare job relevant, and help learners buildmental models appropriate to the tasks

they will need to perform on the job.

Explain visuals with audio anddirect attention with cueing tools

Learning is better when you explaincomplex visuals such as softwarescreens with audio rather than with text.This guideline, known as the modalityeffect, has been proven in many researchstudies. A complementary visual andauditory message makes best use of thevisual and phonetic centers in memoryand therefore minimizes memory load. Incontrast, when you use text to explainvisuals, the visual component of memoryis overloaded and learning becomes lessefficient.

Therefore, use narrative to explainvisuals projected on the whiteboard or

through other media projection facilitiesin the virtual classroom. While explain-ing visuals, use the many cueing toolsavailable in the whiteboard to direct thelearner’s attention to the relevant por-tion of the graphic. Cueing is especiallyimportant for dynamic visuals such as an animated demonstration in order todirect the learner’s attention to the fea-tures being described.

Don’t use audio, however, to provideinformation that learners will need to ref-erence. Because audio is transient, itdoes not work well when learners needcontinued access to words. For exam-ple, directions to an exercise shouldremain visible in text on the screen sothat learners can refer to them as theywork through the activity.

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Figure 6 Use plenty of demographic, attitude, and behavioral questions

TABLE 1 Four types of questions to ask in the virtual classroom

Demographics Questions that ask about relatively perma-nent features of participants

• Job roles• Organization• Experience

Behavior Questions that ask about things participantshave done or are likely to do, and their reasons

• Reasons for attending this session• Number of times you have used

application X• Which would you buy?

Attitude Questions that ask about feelings • Which do you prefer:• How did you feel about ______________?

Knowledge Questions that have correct and incorrectanswers

• Which formula has the correct format?• What is the heat load of this product?

Type Description Examples

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DESIGN / t e c h n i q u e s

Step 3 — Engage your learnersEngagement with instructional content

is synonymous with learning. If you havedesigned and developed good asynchro-nous e-Learning, you have learned theimportance of frequent effective interac-tions. Happily the virtual classroom of-fers an abundance of opportunities forparticipation. Here are a few guidelines.

Provide frequent, job-relevant inter-actions throughout your VC session

Practice opportunities yield much bet-ter benefits when they are distributedthroughout a lesson rather than lumpedtogether at the beginning or at the end.To sustain attention and maximize learn-ing, your interactions should be very fre-quent. The optimal frequency will varywith your content and your participants.However, if you find yourself having gonefor more than two or three minutes with-out some type of interaction, you run therisk of over extending participants’ atten-tion spans and overloading their limitedmemory resources.

Further, you need to offer interactiveopportunities that foster job-relatedknowledge and skills rather than trivialquestions that merely ask participants torepeat back content. For example, ratherthan asking learners to list guidelines forwriting legal interview questions, it wouldbe better to ask them to construct ques-tions that meet legal guidelines.

Use variety in question type andinteraction format

Table 1 on page 5 summarizes fourtypes of questions I recommend using inthe virtual classroom. As training profes-sionals we are most comfortable withknowledge questions that test under-standing. However, you should alsomake ample use of demographic, atti-tude, and behavior questions such theone in Figure 6 on page 5. Demographic,attitude and behavioral questions helpthe instructor and the participants learnabout each other’s backgrounds, experi-ences and feelings related to your topic.

For example, in the introduction to my“How to Use the Virtual Classroom”course, I ask participants about their jobroles, virtual classroom experience, andcourse goals. Questions like theseestablish social presence and help theinstructor learn important informationabout the participants.

The virtual classroom offers manydiverse tools for participant involvement.If you have a large group, the polling fea-tures as well as direct messaging pro-vide an opportunity for everyone to res-pond. If you want reference and reflec-tion on everyone’s responses, ask par-ticipants to write answers on the white-board as shown in Figure 7, below. Usebreakout rooms for small group discus-sions and projects. Just as in the physi-cal classroom, small group assignmentsmaximize engagement of all learners and

offer the proven learning benefits of col-laborative work.

Step 4 — Package your programGet off to a good start by providing

pre-information that helps participantswith the technological issues andinforms them of the logistics, courseexpectations and assignments, as wellas any pre-work needed. Reinforce yourwelcome message with introductions inthe virtual classroom that immediatelyengage your participants with the interac-tivity tools. Use meeting and greetingchats as participants enter the room,post your photo on an introductory slide,and ask demographic and behavioralquestions to establish social presenceduring the early stages of your virtualsession.

Design working aids for handoutsI recommend that in general, you DO

NOT use copies of your slides as hand-outs. Instead, during your planning phas-es, ask yourself what kinds of workingaids participants will need to apply theirnew knowledge and skills during andafter the session. These may be step-by-step procedure guides, checklists, exam-ples, or templates. Provide exercisesthat require participants to referencethese handouts during the session sothey are confident about using them lateron the job.

Getting started in the virtual classroom

As you get started, take time to partic-ipate in some free Webinars. They arefull of techniques you can adapt andapply to your sessions. And you canexperience directly what did and did notwork well for you from a participant per-spective. Most virtual classroom toolsoffer free training that will get you famil-iar with all of the options you have andhow to use them. In addition, get trainingthat goes beyond tool features in waysthat show you how to exploit those fea-tures for effective learning.

I recommend you select training deliv-ered in the virtual classroom since youwill learn directly from the content andindirectly from the way the class is con-ducted. I have included some options fortraining in the Resources list.

Finally, plan and conduct your first vir-tual classroom sessions with an experi-enced partner. Many organizations havea producer, someone with a lot of experi-6

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Figure 7 Use the whiteboard to allow reflection on individual responses

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ence using virtual classroom technology,available as a guide. The producer canhelp you develop your program and bewith you during your sessions to manageall of the small tasks that will be new toyou such as clearing the polling andresponding to direct messages. As yougain comfort in the virtual classroom,you will be able to assume many of theproducer’s duties yourself.

ResourcesBernard, R. M. et al (2004). How does

distance education compare with class-room instruction? A meta-analysis of theempirical literature. Review of Educa-tional Research, 74:3, 379-439

Clark, R. and Kwinn, A. (2005) SevenPaths to Align Training to BusinessResults. Appearing in June 2005 issueof Training & Development. Available inJune at www.Clarktraining.com

Clark, R. and Lyons, C. (2004) Graphicsfor Learning. Available at Amazon orwww.clarktraining.com.

Clark, R. and Lyons, C. More Than JustEye Candy: Graphics for e-Learning. (Part1 of 2). The eLearning Developers’Journal, August 11, 2003.

Clark, R. and Lyons, C. More Than JustEye Candy: Graphics for e-Learning. (Part2 of 2). The eLearning Developers’Journal, September 15, 2003.

Clark, R. and Mayer, R. (2003). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction.Available at Amazon or www.clarktrain-ing.com.

Virtual Classroom TrainingResources

How to Use the Virtual Classroom: http://www.clarktraining.com/

synchronous%20Webinar.html

Synchronous e-Learning Training:http://www.insynctraining.com/Insync/

Graphics for Learning Training:http://www.clarktraining.com/Graphics%

20for%20Learning.html

Author ContactDr. Ruth Clark is a recognized special-

ist in instructional design and technicaltraining, and holds a Doctorate in Educa-tional Psychology and InstructionalTechnology from the University of South-ern California. Prior to founding ClarkTraining & Consulting, she served asTraining Manager for Southern CaliforniaEdison. Dr. Clark is a past president ofthe ISPI. She is a frequent speaker atindustry events around the world. ReachRuth by e-mail at [email protected].

Additional information on the topicscovered in this article is also listed inthe Guild Resource Directory.

The eLearning Guild has created The Guild Online Forum Series, a new series of onlineevents that will be held throughout 2005. On the 2nd Thursday of every month (exceptJanuary) you can register to participate as an individual, or as a group, in a one-day “virtualconference” that includes four highly interactive seventy-five minute sessions designed toexplore a specific topic.

e-Learning for e-Learning Professionals...

Individual orSite Registration:

Participate as anindividual or you can pay a site fee, set up your meetingroom, and have youre-Learning teamparticipate in anOnline Forum as a group!

To learn more about eachupcoming Online Forum and to register, go to:www.eLearningGuild.com

Here’s a brief descriptionof the next Online Forumin the series...

Here’s how the Online Forums work:

M A Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 5

Intermediate andAdvanced FlashTechniques for Creatinge-Learning with ImpactThis Online Forum will explore many“under-the-hood” tips and techniquesfrom seasoned Flash experts. The ses-sions in this event will focus on theintermediate to advanced uses of Flashincluding animation techniques, devel-oping 3-D with Flash, using Flash withother tools, how SCORM and otherstandards work with Flash, and soundmanagement tips for Flash.Target Audience: Experienced e-Learning Developers, Programmers,Instructional Designers and othersusing Flash to develop e-Learning.

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The eLearning Guild organizes a variety of industry events focused on participant learning:

The eLearningGuild™ is a globalCommunity ofPracticeThrough this member-driven com-munity of designers, developers,and managers of e-Learning, theGuild provides high-quality learn-ing opportunities, networking ser-vices, resources, and publica-tions.

Guild members represent adiverse group of instructionaldesigners, content developers,web developers, project man-agers, contractors, consultants,managers and directors of train-ing and learning services — all ofwhom share a common interest ine-Learning design, development,and management. Members workfor organizations in the corporate,government, academic, and K-12sectors. They also are employeesof e-Learning product and serviceproviders, consultants, students,and self-employed professionals.

The more than 16,000 membersof this growing, worldwide com-munity look to the Guild for time-ly, relevant, and objective informa-tion about e-Learning to increasetheir knowledge, improve theirprofessional skills, and expandtheir personal networks.

Resource DirectoryThe Guild hosts the e-Learning industry’s most comprehensive resource management systemthat includes more than 4,500 (and growing) e-Learning related resources in a searchabledatabase. Guild Members can post resourcesand can update them at any time.

Surveys & StudiesThe eLearning Guild conducts continuous pollsand more than a dozen surveys and studieseach year — including an annual salary survey.Guild Members have unlimited access to all dataand analyses.

The eLearning Developers’ JournalThe Journal provides in-depth articles about how e-Learning professionals can make e-Learningmore successful in their organizations. It’s aweekly online publication in PDF format andGuild Members have unlimited access to thesearchable archive of every issue published.

Job BoardThe Guild Job Board should be your first stopfor solving employment related issues. Whetheryou are an employer looking to fill a key positionor an e-Learning professional looking for a newjob, you’ll find success here.

Info ExchangeThe Info Exchange enables members to askquestions of, and get feedback from, other members around the world in a discussionboard format.

Member DiscountsGuild Members receive a 20% discount on alloptional services offered by The eLearning Guildthat are not included in your membership. Theseservices include all face-to-face and onlineevents produced by the Guild, special publica-tions, and other services as they are developed.

The Online Forum SeriesE-Learning for e-Learning professionals! TheGuild Online Forum Series enables you, or your team, to explore the most pressing issuesfacing e-Learning professionals today with someof our industry’s smartest people — right fromyour desktop or conference room.

Engaging SymposiaThe Guild’s unique and focused symposia drill into the most critical issues for e-Learningdesigners, developers, and managers. These are

intensive learning events with limited enrollment.Participate in person or online, as an individualor as part of a team.

Annual ConferenceThe eLearning Producer Conference, held inthe fall each year, offers comprehensive and in-depth content for all e-Learning professionals ina collegial environment conducive to learningand sharing.

Event ProceedingsIf you attend a Guild event, you have immediateaccess to all event proceedings. If you do notattend, as a Guild Member you still have accessto the proceedings 90 days after an event ends.

Guild e-ClipsA Guild Members-only publication sent by email.It’s short, easy to read, and includes “clips”designed to keep members connected to the latest information about Guild publications, surveys & studies, and learning events.

eLearning InsiderThe eLearning Insider is sent by email everyother week and includes current e-Learningindustry news, excerpts from Journal articles,highlights from Guild surveys, e-Musings, andinformation on Guild matters.

Professional Development Through Active EngagementIn order to maintain a vital community and provide relevant information, The eLearningGuild seeks the active involvement of all GuildMembers and Guild Associates. Consider theseways to engage:

Speak at Guild Events: Members andAssociates are encouraged to submit presentation proposals for any and all Guild events.

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Join the Program Advisory Committee:This committee works to craft the program content of all events produced by the Guild.

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