No matter where you’re from, if you dream of working for a large organisation you’ve probably realised the importance of communicating effectively in English. But, there are many types of English you can learn Continue reading “Why is learning English so vital to your global career?”
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XpertLearning hosts VIP Golf day
The first of a new annual event was hosted by XpertLearning on the 24th February 2015. After initial signs of black clouds looming storms and tornados in the morning the weather held up to be just about perfect for the game of golf. Continue reading “XpertLearning hosts VIP Golf day”
XpertLearning – Pearson English Breakfast Meet 2015
The Pearson English Breakfast took place at the Media Rotana, Dubai on 25th February 2015, and was an opportunity for organisations to realize the full potential of the Pearson English program. With an intimate turnout of select guests the event allowed XpertLearning to establish a real connection to the audience. Continue reading “XpertLearning – Pearson English Breakfast Meet 2015”
Increased interest in eLearning in Oman
It has been observed that there is a year on year increase in Oman of companies adopting online Learning (or eLearning as some refer to it) as a mode of corporate education. Companies are seen to adopt online training/eLearning as an exclusive mode of training delivery or as an initiative that augments existing modes of training delivery. In either case, the evidence is indisputable that eLearning has come to stay in Oman. I have explored below some of the key reasons for the same.
As a Training manager managing blended, instructor led (ILT) and eLearning initiatives in Oman since 2004, one of the key ironies I’ve witnessed in our industry is the one following the 2008 financial meltdown: training budgets were immediately slashed however training deliverables increased many fold. This was on account of increased pressure on organizations to perform resulting in increased expectations from business leaders all over Oman to run innovative new initiatives, approach untapped markets, launch new products etc., In short, following 2008 the new world of corporate training took on a unique set of constraints and challenges unprecedented in the history of L & D.
At the same time a parallel and noteworthy trend was emerging among the workforce in Oman -increasing number of professionals -young and old, had been embracing mobile technology to stay in touch with friends, family and professional acquaintances. The pet peeve of many bosses became – my employees have no time since they now manage three phones – two of their own and one that of the office. However on the positive side, this proliferation of mobile and smart phones in Oman has had a commensurate increase in the mode of consumption of knowledge as depicted in the below statistics (what happens in 60 seconds in the internet; comparison based on selected data from Quartz|qz.com Data: Intel, GP Bullhound, Facebook, Quartz dated Nov 2013)
The interesting observation is that the magnitude of events happening in 60 seconds in the internet have changed and grown drastically over a mere one year period. Perhaps phenomenal and of particular relevance to L & D (which I shall cover later) are the bottom three (Google, YouTube and twitter):
Google: With 3.5 million searches per minute and a 75 % increase in self-initiated searches over a year, it can be reasonably said that people are increasingly taking responsibility to find knowledge in their areas of interest.
You Tube: With over 100 hours of videos watched per minute and a 233% increase in videos watched over a year, it can be reasonably said that people are increasingly happy to consume information a in presented in a video format
Twitter: With over 350,000 tweets made per minute, representing an increase of 250% in a year, it can be reasonably said that people are simply loving to socialize using short text messages.
We had discussed earlier that the challenges in the phase of new realities (post 2008 financial meltdown) for L & D has been that of the demand to ensure reach, timeliness and consistency with a fiercely limited budget. When we consider the proliferation of smartphones, tablets and internet technologies in the market and in particular the phenomenal consumption and exchange of knowledge/information over google, YouTube and twitter, we can see how these challenges can be perfectly surmounted using technology at a very low cost. This, I believe is the single largest reason for increasing interest in eLearning and cloud based technologies for talent management in Oman.
-Sajan Nair worked as a Training Manager at National Life and General Insurance Company (NLGIC) Oman and at National Bank of Oman NBO). He presently heads the operations for XpertLearning in Oman.
XpertLearning at Dubai Marathon, 2015
With nearly 25,000 runners competing, running for charity, or simply keeping fit for fun, the Dubai Marathon once again was spectacular. This year we had 4 team members from XpertLearning taking to the road in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon. Continue reading “XpertLearning at Dubai Marathon, 2015”
Online Learning Research for the GCC 2014-2015
Online Learning and Talent Management Survey UAE 2014 Continue reading “Online Learning Research for the GCC 2014-2015”
Improving Professional Effectiveness in the Learning Age
In the Learning Age, where organizations must develop the professional skills of their workforce to sustain growth and remain competitive, learning and development professionals need tools to empower their employees. At its core, we see the Learning Age as defined by personalization and targeted learning that addresses the specific knowledge and skills gaps a learner needs to overcome. So we’ve looked at our content and resources and developed a new collection of tools to address what we see as an increasingly broad set of requirements.
Skillsoft’s new Professional Effectiveness Collection aligns a variety of learning resources with the top competencies many organizations deem necessary for success in a professional setting. Whether it’s for employees just entering the workforce for the first time or more seasoned workers moving into new areas, the collection has been curated to cater to a wide variety of needs.
Learning is crucial for filling knowledge gaps and ensuring success for employees and their organizations. This continuous learning solution can be catered to the learner’s needs while supporting broader business objectives with flexible and scalable content, including:
- More than 130 courses comprising over 130 hours of instruction;
- More than 100 hours of content from video-based vignettes and simulations;
- Approximately 1200 videos covering more than 70 hours of content;
- 2070 digitized, full-text books, including over 130 in audio format; and
- Over 170 summaries of leading business publications.
Click here for the Professional Effectiveness Collection
Russ Howard is Senior Director, Product Management, Content Products at Skillsoft.
Thought Leader Insight: Laci Loew on Business Performance via elearning
In innovative formats, elearning enables peer-to-peer collaboration, moment-of-need knowledge and learner-generated content. Elearning that engages learners and goes beyond traditional online page-turner content improves learner retention and engagement Continue reading “Thought Leader Insight: Laci Loew on Business Performance via elearning”
Learning Cafe Middle East 2014
The Jack Welch Way Diploma Launched for the Middle East at the 7th Learning Customer Advisory Forum Event 2104 Continue reading “Learning Cafe Middle East 2014”