The Gulf of Learnology

The “Gulf of Learnology”

A White Paper

Reader ROI

Learn about the
5 characteristics
of the emerging
eLearning
October 17, 2001 environment
Copyright Nov. 1, 2001
Updates 2002, 2003

Prepared By:
David M. Quinn Jr.
PO Box 1802
Buford, GA 30519
TEL: 877-901-6947 (MYIP)

dquinn@iputilinet.com

This document is the copyrighted work and intellectual property of David M. Quinn Jr. Rights to use,
distribute, and copy any of the information contained herein by individuals not employed by or
approved in writing by the author or it’s duly approved entities is expressly forbidden.

©2011 All Rights Reserved Page 1 of 20 1/1/2012
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Learning Technologies Convergence

A White Paper – David M. Quinn Jr.

Introduction

Is technology for learning complicated or is it the scope of a learning automation effort that
causes pain? Each reader will approach this paper from a different perspective and gain an
opportunity to explore the “Gulf of Learnology”. Some readers will be from an educational
background, congratulations, this paper is for you. Other readers will have spent several years
working with technology, congratulations, this paper is also for you.

Understanding the “Gulf of Learnology” and perhaps more importantly what can be done about it,
represents an opportunity for the business reader to preserve capital budgets and provide higher
rates of return on workforce development and the use of appropriate technologies. For the
educator, you have an opportunity to take advantage of the aspects of learning and human
development convergence that are presented in this paper and use the concepts to develop a
functional environment that will benefit your students and the industries that are served.

This paper bridges the “Gulf of Learnology” and helps each reader to gain potential competitive
and budgetary advantage as a result of the convergence of technology solutions that can be
applied to the learning or workforce development environment.

The defining term – “Learnology “– is a play on the words learning and technology and is an
attempt to describe the major changes taking place in the learning and technology marketplaces.

For many companies, the bottom-line results of point solution oriented learning strategies can
spell disaster. Disaster occurs from poorly planned or executed workforce development efforts.
These failures damage the sustained profitability of the organization and harm employees in the
process. Learning therefore must come to center stage as a corporate vehicle to stimulate
productivity, growth, and market oriented customer and channel retention. Companies must begin
to view organizational learning and individual development as a comprehensive system. The
system must complement the business functions and technologies and encourage employee
participation and growth.

The learning “system” provides an opportunity for the development oriented organization to
consistently link Organizational Culture to unrealized Organizational Knowledge. Organizational
Knowledge is the sum of the documented material created and owned by the organization in it’s
day to day efforts to serve employees, customers and global marketplaces. If the culture of the
organization is heavily dependent upon the creation of written material then the demands upon
storage systems will be greater. If the culture is dependent upon individual contribution, then the
demands upon networks and mobile client architectures will be greater. It is critical therefore to
view information architecture and knowledge creation from a systemic standpoint and to be
prepared to boldly discover new opportunities to improve the operational efficiency of the
organization.

Because the learning marketplace is evolving so rapidly and incorporating technology in many
ways, it no longer has a neat and tidy definition. Sure, the segments and classification still exist
for statistical purposes and for the most part the roles of the Instructional Systems Designers,
Developers, instructors, and others have not changed significantly. What is being added is a
whole new layer of complexity; graphic artists, web designers, programmers, and others. Yet,
these roles have existed previously in the production of video and other recorded non-human
distributed learning technologies. What has not really existed until now are the mature and
combined elements of Hardware, Software, and Networks that enable rapid distribution of voice,
video, and data elements. And as a result of the evolution of technology we have a sudden

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proliferation of eLearning companies that promise business results as a result of learning
efficiencies gained through the use of technology. Careful competitive evaluation of the
companies engaged in content provisioning via the web will reflect either technology or content
leadership. In fact, “the industry-wide re-purposing of content and existing information to web
based marketing environments is accomplishing little more than automating static catalog data
with the hope of reaching a broader audience” (David M. Quinn Jr., Sept. 1999).

The vendor market is clearly producing and applying technology based tools faster than the
customer base can absorb and make full use of them. In the eLearning space, we are confronted
with rapidly converging Computer Based Training (CBT) and Instructor Led Training (ILT). And to
what end? Of late, many companies and people are trying to gauge the sustainable value of an
on-line learning environment. This is where the automation of static catalog data is occurring. We
can’t call CBT or ILT yesterday’s training at this point and most likely never will. The value of
CBT is created by the simple fact that the network connection can be eliminated. All that is
required is a computer or a device with a CD-ROM, monitor and enough memory and CPU power
to drive the multimedia rich graphics. This is a far cry from previous generations of video and
mail-order learning. The value of ILT is rooted in human existence. For eons, people have
learned from other people. Even in tribal societies, leadership, age, and knowledge combine to
aid the younger generation in the quest for survival. From independent sojourns in which the boy
becomes a man, through apprenticeships, and right into the heart of the degree granting
institution, the characteristics of teacher, student stay the same. What value then is on-line
learning? How can the effectiveness of the learning intervention be captured, measured, and
analyzed for the success of businesses?

The on-line learning community is clamoring for content. Alliances, product resale agreements,
one-offs, and supply arrangements are being driven within the content provider community. In
many cases, CBT product offered by one company may now be available through several “portal”
or catalog companies. These portal companies are focused on attracting and retaining customer
eyeballs. And, it is no secret that content is “king”. That means a more competitive customer
price for products and more opportunities for resellers. As the tools of development get faster,
more capable, and more widely applied by new start-ups the pace of innovation quickens. The
legacy documentation and knowledge stored in traditional ILT course guides and databases also
offers an attractive alternative to development. Many eLearning companies are now offering
services that migrate or re-purpose content (ILT and CBT) to web delivery capability. In some
cases Subject Matter Experts are transforming their closely held knowledge from traditional ILT
environments into CBT and/or Web Based Learning environments. Tools such as Shockwave,
Authorware, Flash, Eloquent Presenter, and others are used to facilitate the individual skills
migration to web based distribution of knowledge. The “equal and opposite” reaction in the
marketplace is a sudden proliferation of content at a wide variety of price points.

CBT and ILT are converging into Web or Technology Based (WBT or TBT) learning. The fastest
way for CBT producers to reach a larger percentage of the available audience is to offer their
content via intra- and internets. The same can be said for ILT producers. The recent explosion of
development and presentation tools is creating new opportunities to migrate the classroom
learning experience to distributed learning platforms. The combined forces of technology and
content are creating opportunities for learners to gain at an individual level. For companies
concerned with long-term employee retention, this marketplace can mean pay or lose. People
today do look at the learning opportunities presented by corporations and make choices to join,
stay, or leave based on those observations. Well-known brands are gaining reputations as people
mills. With almost 1 million high paying technology related openings and well over 90 companies
offering certification in the high tech industry is it any wonder that people and companies are each
looking to gain from the current proliferation of on-line content?

Does this evolution spell the end of the traditional classroom? No, the traditional classroom will
remain. Human interaction and it’s value will remain as long as one or more humans are in
communicative proximity. Computer technology in the classroom is added value to the student
experience. Instructors will continue to learn from the cyclical experiences of repeated
educational efforts. Students will continue to learn from hand’s on experiences and gain more

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from an instructor whose top attribute is empathy. As the dual forces of technology improvement
and human adaptation mature, the learning environment will shift into the forefront of strategic
planning at a corporate and societal level. This shift will concur with a broadening series of high
bandwidth personal access devices that truly immerse the learner in a full sensory experience.
This full immersion learning experience engages the senses of; sight, hearing and touch. As
nervous system research continues to improve it may be possible to trick the other senses of
taste and smell into simulations that are disturbingly real. The next generation learning
experience may someday be added to form an entirely new neurological learning experience.
This type of learning experience will go far beyond the current forms of multimedia based
learning. This type of learning will have the capability to invoke differing human reactions such as
anger, fear, excitement and others.

What then of the emerging learning environment? Humans are emerging from the long shadow
of the Industrial Era and creating new era value through Knowledge. The Knowledge or
Information Era argument is not unlike a “what came first, the chicken or the egg?” discussion.
Information deals with communication while Knowledge deals with experience. Did the caveman
say AARGH to the cavewoman before or after the experience of being burned? Or, did the
caveman learn that fire does hurt and find a way to communicate that message back home?
Human experience in the Agrarian Era improved farming and mass production of food for the
masses while Industrial Era innovation improved the yield from roughly the same amount of
arable land. And, improvements through applied technologies such as gene research are
improving the yields, disease, and drought resistance of those crops even further.

In the Knowledge Era, the tools of technology are creating new opportunities for individuals.
People are demanding more from the workplace and are more likely to learn and leave than they
are to learn and stay. Opportunities for individual wealth creation are just too strong a pull.
Companies that are stuck in Industrial Era politics, in-fighting, and non-change oriented
bureaucracies are being run over in the marketplace. Companies that are rapidly adopting
improvement processes coupled with employee satisfaction programs are developing sustainable
value in the new era marketplace. In many of these companies anytime, anywhere learning is at
the heart of these strategies. This is evidenced by the fact that many companies are now
undergoing dramatic revisions of their training departments. In some cases, the training
department is sold off as the company reviews business performance. This occurs when the
executive committee fails to realize the competitive value of an in-sourced training capability and
reviews functionality from a cost perspective. In other cases, the training departments are being
established as profit centers. The problem here is that the training centers must now begin to find
ways to add profit value internally and in many cases externally while relying upon other
corporate departments for support.

The “Gulf of Learnology” establishes a methodology that is rooted in systemics and designed to
develop strategic plans that can result in increased workforce productivity while reducing long
term costs. This systemic view maps 5 distinct characteristics of the emerging multimedia and
multi-modal based web-enabled learning environment and applies them to present day human
performance systems. Each of the characteristics augments the financial planning strategies of
Business Analysis as they are applied to the corporate strategic planning and evaluation
processes. The danger in today’s business analysis processes are that they conform to
traditional accounting practices and are designed to conform to more traditional balance sheet
analysis. Thus, the corporate decisions to spin-off or establish the corporate training centers as
profit centers. As these newly formed “profit centers” begin to grow or shrink the corporation has
an opportunity to make an informed and realistic decision to maintain or sell and thereby mitigate
some financial exposure.
Consider, if you will, that systemics deals with the body and the body is made up of a series of
complex and non-complex but inter-related systems. The analogy of body can be applied to
organizational structure while learning creates linkages that tie the inter-related systems together.
The myriad problems with the current ILT and CBT environments include and are not limited to
learning that is measured at the door, learner value that is measured at the end, learning
intervention value that is perceived value, and organizational value that is measured in terms of
bottom line contribution. Even the most progressive organizational training initiatives end up

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doing little more than creating a game of “chasing the dogs tail”. This sets the stage for the
emerging knowledge based environment. It is perceived that an evolution to on-line learning
provides opportunities for cost containment, cost reduction, broader access to content and whole
new ways to measure learner and delivery system effectiveness. And the same technology
adoption issues that reduce widespread use now compound effectiveness. In the case of
elearning, the human issues are organizational, individual, and developmental. If any one of
these components performs weakly or worse fails to perform, the entire effort will go rapidly and
forcefully into a death spiral. The non-human issues are linked to Hardware, Software, and
Network technologies, delivery technologies including multimedia mix, and the chosen media
platform. The same measures of component integrity and inter-dependency apply and actually
form a basis for the human perception of value.

The following model illustrates the 5 key characteristics of the emerging learning environment and
adds business value definition:

Financial Processes (Elements of Cost)

Development Delivery Measurement Management Collaboration

Human Processes (Elements of Productivity)

Figure 1.1 : Linear Systemic Model

Figure 1.1 is a linear representation of a systemic process and is designed to illustrate the 5
critical characteristics of the emerging learning systems environment. The selection of a linear
model allows a two dimensional representation of the traditionally diametrically opposed values of
productivity and cost. To a certain extent these values have evolved from the assets and
liabilities format for balance sheets. What the model is designed to do is create a systemic model
that an organization can apply to its’ strategic planning and quality improvement processes.
Since cost analysis of business performance will not go away, this model intentionally sets the
stage for correlating the elements of productivity and cost while presenting an identifiable series
of process enablers.

In a perfect world productivity is increasing while costs decrease. If technology capability doubles
every 18 months, an organization must employ a workforce who will continuously learn or
continue to migrate to new workers in order to obtain human proficiencies that provide the
expected level of return on investment. From a learning perspective the organization must begin
to view learning from a strategic value standpoint. This model attempts to illustrate how each of
the 5 characteristics depends upon the other and creates an opportunity for continuous
improvement. This cycle of continuous improvement is an opportunity to create sustained
organizational growth and new competitive position for the future. Let’s explore the 5
characteristics in more detail.

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DEVELOPMENT

The learning environment of the last several decades has evolved from a pure text-based
instructor led model to a very complex selection of learning environments. The text-based model
spread knowledge consistently through written communication. It essentially provided a
standardized learning platform. Because it was written rather than communicated verbally the
facts and content could be recorded and distributed with little variation in the text. Teachers were
employed to ensure that the written word could be read and spoken by most if not all of the
student population. Teachers also provided a senior human resource that could gauge
understanding and measure results through testing while maintaining a disciplined learning
environment. In the early years of the Industrial Era technology and the tools of mass production
have been applied in the classroom. Consider the tools of teaching today; the whiteboard, the
multimedia projector, the smartboard, the copier, the DVD…etc. all tools that help the teacher to
provide content to the masses. Except for the whiteboard, these electrical and electronic enablers
of the Industrial Era have combined with mass marketing concepts to enhance and create tools of
mass knowledge provisioning. These mass provisioning tools have been applied to the classroom
environment in the last 60 years or so. The multimedia projector, copier, and VCR are additional
technology tools that have caused communication and learning to springboard technology
st
development into the 21 century. The DVD has replaced the VCR which replaced the preceding
reel-to-reel movie projector. Innovative companies have created Video Based Training (VBT)
environments that are somewhat complimentary to the CBT environment. VBT however is
coupled with broadband capabilities versus CBT which requires more complex processing
environments. In the emerging learning environment the computer and it’s inclusion into every
aspect of learning is one of the hottest markets around. It is also one of the most likely to change
dramatically in terms of cost and capability over the very near future. That cost and capability
model is heralded by the converging worlds of CBT and ILT into a web-enabled ubiquitous
environment. This convergence is driven in lock step with a rapidly evolving technological
environment. A major issue with this convergence is that the CBT format which requires computer
oriented technology is uniquely suited to information presentation at an individual level. Good
instructional design processes allow CBT to compete with textbooks especially when combined
with voice and engaging multimedia elements. It’s counterpart, ILT is uniquely suited to
information presentation at a mass level and because human intervention is allowed, the
information being purveyed can be clarified at an individual level. Add to this improved
technology infrastructure, faster speeds and a higher level of multimedia capability and suddenly
eLearning jumps to the forefront. And there are many marketing terms that can apply to this
converged model. For the purposes of this document, we will use Web Based Training (WBT).
WBT represents a networked media format that is capable of being distributed via the internet,
the intranet or via personal workgroups. In many cases the industry has adapted existing CBT
media and through specialized software code migrated the content to be distributed to individuals
using the internet as a medium. Existing ILT content can also be re-purposed for the WBT
environment using a similar process. It is new development that is at issue and forms the basis
for the first characteristic.

With the perceived added value of a web enabled environment companies have yet another level
of complexity to add to a buy or build decision-making process. In today’s learning environment
where re-purposing is occurring, the critical path to learner satisfaction is based on the
anticipated technology environment, the length of the curriculum, the learner demographics, the
value of hand’s-on –vs- simulated learning, and a host of additional questions. The answers to
these questions then determine the selected medium for the learning intervention. The next step
is to determine whether the development effort can be supported internally or supplied from the
external market.

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CBT Individual media, Computer dependency

VBT WBT Distributed media, Network dependency

ILT Mass Media, Time and Space dependency

Figure 1.2 Current development environment

From a development perspective companies must begin to view content creation from a
centralized perspective. This can also be an insource or outsource type of decision for the
company. The issue with insourcing is that the typical IT department is understaffed, overworked,
and handling day to day issues that support a communicative environment that even today
supports email and attachment based communication. This type of communication evolved in the
days of centralized computing. With the advent of the client/server or decentralized computing
model and the use of a Graphical User Interface, user acceptance grew. The added graphics, rich
fonts, and new page styles actually enhanced and simplified user communications.
Communication today has been enriched by technologies that provide improved capabilities to
incorporate voice, video clips, and high resolution graphics into the communicative environment.
Software packages have been developed that allow widespread adoption by corporations and by
individuals. This is an enabling environment that has driven proliferation of content and the
creation of entirely new business structures. This proliferation and the complex array of
curriculum environments also has an impact on cost containment. Companies that continue to
utilize the preceding model are soon going to realize the impact of runaway costs. Runaway
costs will spell disaster to every training function.

A new model must be implemented in order to contain future costs and assure the success of the
organization. The alternative is for the company to rely upon the market to develop content that
can be used in support of corporate learning. The new model is based on a centralized
knowledge repository that enables the use of reusable voice, video, and data objects. This new
development paradigm aligns user based needs with technology. It creates a content library that
can be combined with future development efforts in order to reduce future development cost. The
knowledge repository provides the capability to develop voice, video, and data objects in the
smallest format and then re-use those objects in support of future learning environments. It also
provides the company with a cost effective methodology to ensure that dollars invested today
return cost reduced profit opportunities in the future. The application of this model ensures that
past investments in learning creation become successfully coupled with a wide variety of future
technology capability.
Re-purposed content

CBT Learner Choice based on
CBT
time, space, preferred
learning methodology and
VBT WBT access device.
Corporate capability to
ILT respond to learner choice
ILT
in real time.

Knowledge Repository

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Figure 1.3 Knowledge Era Development model

DELIVERY

All societies, products, and industries evolve in accordance with a lifecycle that can be illustrated
using an empirical curve. In Marketing this is known as the “product life cycle”. As we endeavor
to explore the characteristic of delivery, we will need to explore some of the rudimentary aspects
of technology.

At it’s core, applied technology architecture is based on three definable technologies. The
technologies are hardware, software, and networks. Since the 1950s with the advent of the first
th
computers of the 20 century, technology has been on a rapid growth path. The first generation
of computing architecture was a centralized hardware model. The development focus was on
processing and memory capabilities. Human access was a manual process that relied upon an
individuals understanding of Boolean expressions and fairly simple code strings. As the
hardware evolved and computer manufacturing migrated from board level to system level
individuals began to discover ways to automate the manual process of programming creation.
That exploration spawned advances in what we now know as software. As hardware and
software improved the basis of centralized computing architecture was formed. For the first time
man could interact with a machine but was limited to a local console. As systems architecture
gained speed, the need to connect more than one user became apparent. Thus, network
capabilities evolved. As the combined power of Hardware, Software, and Network architectures
became more widely adopted the industry began to look at ways to expand into a larger customer
environment. The birth of the Personal Computer and the use of the Graphical User Interface
created an environment where a What you see is What you Get (WYSIWIG) environment opened
computing to the masses.

Technology in the twenty-first century is still evolving. Network technologies and the emergence
of the Internet have created many new opportunities for companies and individuals to innovate.
Yet, we are still relegated to a computing environment that relies upon Hardware, Software and
Network (or I/O) technologies. A companies’ delivery strategy must keep the technology product
lifecycle in mind and individuals must also realize that the technology industry is undergoing rapid
innovation. By relating this innovation to the product lifecycle we can begin to see that the
innovations of today are really incremental improvements or new combinations of existing
technological infrastructures. The following model represents 8 sub-segments of computing
architecture to watch and plan for;

Services 64-bit systems
Monitoring Solutions, Clustered and standalone servers,
Custom Solutions
EPIC, RISC, CISC / Memory

Networks 32-bit systems
Switches, Hubs, Routers, CTI Servers, Desktops, Mobile
Bluetooth (wireless) Palmtops

Storage Products
Internet technologies
Disk, Tape, and Solid State device,
Firewall, Search, Tunneling, IPV6 SANS, NAS
Internet 2 ( www.w3c.com )

Software
Workstations Operating Systems, Application
32 and/or 64 bit systems Environments, ERP/MRP, CRM

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Figure 1.4 8 Segments of Technology Model

Technology is a leapfrog game in the learning environment. As technologies mature and
innovation continues, companies will begin to view learning from a strategic perspective. As this
strategic view grows there will be renewed emphasis on delivery technologies. In the WBT
delivery environment of today the company has a choice of outright content purchase, hosting the
content internally, or contracting with a solution provider to create links to the content.
Technology improvements are creating new opportunities to add voice, video and data
components that can take the non-ILT learner into an immersive experience. Internet technology
creates an opportunity to take formerly packaged and individually delivered CBT technology to
the web. As this content migrates to the web environment suppliers and innovators are creating
new methods to add eye-appealing graphics, voice enabled text, interactive learning elements
and more. In its delivery considerations, companies must plan for digitized content of voice,
video,and data elements with active monitoring and real-time response capabilities. The days of
instructional development planning for pure CBT or a specific media type are ending. The days of
planning for the web with instant media output capabilities are just beginning. The complexity of
web-enabled curriculum where voice, video, data, animation, and human interaction are the norm
is driving the need for object-oriented relational development processes. Companies that view
development from a tools perspective and create curriculum based on a point solution
requirement are risking the future of their business. Companies that apply object oriented
technologies through the development process can begin to build re-usable repositories of
content that can then be accessed by anyone engaged in the learning development process.
This method simplifies delivery and over time lowers the cost of development. The real-time
environment of the web also creates broad opportunities to more effectively distribute accurate
information the first time. In todays’ fast-paced information intensive world, hardcopy media of
any type becomes outdated the moment it is printed. The following model illustrates the
importance of a concentrated development paradigm and identifies the complexity of the
Knowledge Era learning environment;

Learner Choice based on time,
space, preferred learning
External Supply Community methodology and access device

Developer CBT Independent Learning
Reusable Objects:
Voice, Video
Static / Recorded Learning
Data WBT
Animation Live, Virtual Learning
Graphics…
ILT Live, Physical Instruction
Knowledge Repository
Guided Self-Learning

External Supply Community
Organizational opportunity to
choose the most cost effective
route to learner value. Depends
upon technology capability,
development architecture, and
learner desire.

Figure 1.5 Delivery Environment

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As Delivery processes move to the web new considerations regarding classroom environments
are being identified. Yet the learning environment of the classroom does not really change. The
value and the need for instructors and hand’s on experience has not diminished. Many questions
regarding technology migration need to be addressed and reviewed now. Questions such as;
Should a school or a corporation implement a wired and networked approach to classroom
learning? Or, should the school or corporation wait for wireless technologies to improve to the
point where wires are not necessary. The answer to this question relies more upon the technical
readiness of the student, the instructor, the instructional designer, and the information technology
support professionals. In considering this, technology organizations of any size must begin to
analyze how prepared they are for this environment. Content analysis and learning environment
migration planning must begin today. Spending money purely for the advancement of technology
is a way to find the bottom of the bottom line very quickly. Therefore, it is incumbent upon
individuals to explore delivery technologies, content capabilities, and the readiness of the student
population to adapt to a technically oriented environment.

The ILT environment has not changed dramatically in the last several years. We are still dealing
with one to many live personal delivery tactics. In past generations through movie camera and
video technologies the instructors presentation could be taped and then re-played. Video
streaming software allows that content to be distributed via the web and can be included in
virtually any on-line effort. Enabling tools such as Eloquent Presenter allow the incorporation of
digitized video and voice with associated data presentation. The migration of video to the web is
opening new doors in real-time technologies. Today, classrooms can be constructed via the web
with live instructors. Other enabling technologies, such as Placeware assist in the creation of a
live, virtual classroom that can be distributed via the web to students anytime, anywhere. This
can be a live event or a re-broadcast of a previous learning event. These technologies and many
others are enabling technologies that are drivers of a web enabled learning environment. The real
trick will be in the capability of the organization to develop a technology strategy that balances
current limitations with human factors that have an end result of increasing workforce productivity
while reducing cost for the future.

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MEASUREMENT

Technology enabled learning offers the learning developer, administrator, and student with true
and accurate real-time representations of delivered learning capability. This section deals with the
need for an applied Learning Management System (LMS) capability. The LMS is performs an
important role in the overall systemic architecture of the emerging learning environment. The
emerging learning environment calls for separation of measurement and management.
Measurement deals with the data collection, storing, and physical attributes of real-time learner
performance – necessary functions of an LMS. Management deals with the specific attributes of
the learning analysis environment including time-to-market, time-to-delivery, and collective results
analysis. Emerging management analysis tools will provide an opportunity to more closely
correlate productivity and cost thereby proving the impact of a particular learning effort. The
alternative is interpretive analysis. Interpretive analysis depends upon human data collection and
analysis and is the most widespread form of results analysis. The problem with interpretive
analysis is that it typically focuses on the element of cost or productivity then requires human
relational input. Interpretive analysis is a human perception and has little or no statistical
relevance as to how a change in either cost or productivity can be detrimental or beneficial to the
other. In short, it is an educated guess and measurement and proof occurs with the next
intervention opportunity. An LMS solution is employed to capture a broad variety of real-time
performance indicators. The eloquence of this solution creates a multi-faceted capability to gather
important real-time data with limited human intervention. This data is then archived for instant
business analysis or is linked to other databases to provide batch or real-time updates.

A Learning Management System can be procured from a variety of sources or it can be designed
as a software solution by the organization with the right talent, resources, and time. The
organization that determines the need to implement an LMS solution usually must gain external
assistance from consultants that specialize in this space. This is an emerging field for consultants
and the industry. Since many of the existing LMS solutions have been designed in support of
content provisioning an organization must use great care in the selection and application of a
packaged solution. The content producing industry has automated the traditional aspects of ILT
grade records and plan books. Innovators have added significant functionality to this
measurement process. This automation has employed software-enabled solutions to many
aspects of the learning environment. Where an LMS is applied and implemented properly, the
curriculum developer, administrator, student, and organization gain. It is especially useful in
providing a very high level of database accuracy as a result of learner performance before,
during, and after a learning intervention. These aspects are explained in more detail further in this
chapter. We’ll first contrast the more traditional method of testing as a measure of student
performance.

Testing in the traditional ILT environment is subject to human intervention. Human intervention
especially on a broad scale will have a margin of error. The margin of error comes from data entry
mistakes, inconsistent data entry, post-test scaling, system issues, etc. Scaling is the worst
example of quality performance, yet it has been accepted practice in the classroom for many
years. With on-line learning and data capture the test questions are either right or wrong. In the
classroom it is a one-shot deal, pass or fail and this is where the teacher has an opportunity to
intervene based on the average performance. In the technology based learning environment the
inability of some students to grasp critical concepts can actually identify curriculum or test
question weaknesses. To a certain extent, the teacher who chooses to scale a particular grade
can make adjustments to either curriculum or test questions and then apply those changes to the
next delivery effort. This is an unacceptably long process and at the classroom level creates
quality improvement in a vacuum. Curriculum developed for the technology delivered
environment using an object-oriented strategy can return the student to a specific module in order
to increase the understanding of critical concepts immediately. As a matter of course, during a
particular learning intervention a student will have many opportunities to clarify their knowledge.
From a statistical perspective average module timing can be used to create “pop-up” quizzes.

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These pop-ups can actually derive questions from the test module and be pre-set to allow the
student to accept or decline the quiz opportunity. This capability helps learners that deviate from
learner population norms during a particular module. In a facilitated environment the instructor or
mentor can be flagged to intervene. The student may also access a quiz module in their own
time. The dependency here is on the curriculum designer and the student willingness to access
this portion of the event capability. The use of object-oriented development strategies allow the
test module to selectively utilize the appropriate voice, video, or graphics “chunk” and then
incorporate that chunk into a newly formatted question. Where the student fails to provide a
correct answer, the student can be returned to a particular module for increased understanding.
The application of this type of technology increases the burden on the developer. As process
methodologies and repeat successes increase confidence the systemic satisfaction of learner,
administrator, and developer will create entirely new opportunities to innovate the learning
process.

Traditional ILT development consists of a proven process of design, development, delivery, and
results (testing). The objective of a learning intervention is on the federal, state, community,
organization, or corporation need to increase human capabilities. The emerging learning
environment as discussed in the delivery chapter of this paper is really focused on learner choice.
As technology capability improves it increases the complexity of development and measurement.
There is no need to change the governing objectives. The need is to augment the learning
process with technology delivered learning and real-time data capture. An applied LMS provides
real-time data capture from multiple inputs and is a critical element of the emerging learning
environment. The LMS then has the capability to link into a multitude of other organization
specific databases. Databases such as the Human Relations Information system (HRIS), the
financial database, the electronic performance support system (EPSS), development planning
software, the reservation system and many others. The LMS then is truly a major component of
the emerging learning environment. Using the concepts and figures introduced in Figure 1.3 and
1.5 of this white paper we can then develop the following model;

Elements of Learning Environment Business Analysis

On-Going Quality Improvement
External Supplier Community

Finance database

Development HRIS
LMS
Analysis tools

Delivery Other outputs

Organizational / Individual Development Planning

Developer Administrator Learner Facilitator Manager

Elements of Learning environment data capture impact

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Figure 1.6 Measurement environment

The application of this model to the learning environment intentionally designs in a level of
predictive capability. As the Delivery environment continues to evolve organizations must begin
to implement very high-level integrated data capture environments. The Learning Management
System is the solution and ranges from immature to mature in terms of capability. But why spend
money on capturing data that has no relevance? The LMS data capture environment has a
virtually unlimited series of connections so flexibility and customization is critical. The purchase of
a packaged solution can limit the ability to customize the environment and places dependency
upon the provider to create and support customized code.

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MANAGEMENT

Industrial Era learning is a continuous series of start and stop learning processes. At the
beginning of the Industrial Era teachers provided instruction in a classroom environment and self-
paced learning was delivered via mail order. Technology innovations throughout the latter half of
the 1900s have driven the application of a variety of media formats to the learning environment.
Just one glimpse at Figure 1.5, (preceding section) and you have a new found understanding of
just how complex the emerging learning environment is. Try to imagine correlating a simple CBT
development effort and it’s associated cost with departmental activities that are designed to
support the learning process. It’s no wonder that training departments in many companies are
being measured as cost centers. Technology today enables companies and the learning function
to come to center stage. Training and the training function must become part of the corporate
strategic planning function. The Learning environment is no longer an environment in which
procrastination can be afforded. Companies that continue to make decisions to develop content
from an Industrial Era perspective are going to suffer from too much demand as the complexity of
the existing learning environment continues to converge. The training and development
department that fails to adapt to this change will soon become the focal point for a companies
failure to attract and retain employees for periods greater than two years. The companies that
begin to view ways to offer content to it’s employees, channel partners, and customers and
measure the actual (not derived) impact while applying the principles of continuous quality
improvement will reap competitive benefits for years to come.
th
The process of developing learning curriculum has not changed dramatically throughout the 20
st
century. In the 21 century as we enter the Knowledge Era it is a management problem. The
need to develop a particular curriculum is established by the need to correct or enable human
behavior through a learning intervention. These interventions are driven at all levels throughout
th
the entire supply chain. In the In the 20 century the media formats that enabled independent or
distributed learning resulted in business process analysis that had a loose correlation of cost to
st
productivity. Business modeling in the 21 century need to be based upon new development and
on-going sampling via a centralized administration and management system. This is the
Learning Management System. The LMS is simply a taskmaster that replaces existing hardcopy
and softcopy decentralized systems. It is designed to provide data to management reporting
engines and is far more functional and valuable to an organization when applied with a properly
architected Knowledge Management architecture. The analysis tools and software capabilities of
the year 2000 and beyond will enable actual correlation of cost to productivity. A centralized
Learning Management system capability is critical to this measurement capability.
As technology driven innovation occurred whole new media formats have been developed and
applied to create new learning environments. The latest of the usable media formats is the CD-
ROM (CBT). CD’s have enabled independent learning as long as the user has access to a
computer. In some cases independent learning is incorporated into the physical classroom
environment. The internet and distributed learning technologies are now becoming a preferred
medium for computer applied learning.

Individual Measurement (productivity)

Learner Course Objective Job Performance Job Evaluation

Aggregate Data HRIS Finance Database Financial Reports

Business Measurement (cost)

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Figure 1.7 – Industrial Era Management

The preceding model is by no means inclusive of all of the systems that are included in a
functioning business. The model is designed to illustrate the correlation of learner measurement
systems to business measurement systems that are applied in a typical corporate environment.
These systems are disparate and set the stage for learning applied at the cost center level. The
reason for this becomes much clearer when we create a cash flow model by through the
correlation of a simplified Income Statement to a Balance Sheet as in Figure 1.8. By simplifying
the view of the balance sheet and the income statement it becomes much easier to understand
why corporations today view learning and the learning function as a cost center. Using this model
(adapted from Kiyosaki and Lechter, c1997) simplifies the financial viewpoint from a contribution
to an income perspective and sets the stage for companies to begin to justify the move to a
Knowledge Era learning function that actually produces extraordinary financial profit for the
company. In the Knowledge Era, the environments of development, delivery, and measurement
all contribute to a systemic management model that actually has the capability to drive profit. The
ability to eliminate waste while improving profitability has long been the dream of manufacturing
companies. Why do the same rules not apply to learning? Why do we view learning from a start
and stop mentality? Why do we not view learning as a continuous process of individual recycling
and continuous development of expertise?

The Learner is
employed by Income
the company to
produce or
contribute to
profitability Transportation
Expense Room and Board
Time away from field
Research
Instructors time
Floor Space (rented)

Assets Liabilities

Hardcopy media
Floor Space (owned)
Non-mfg plant/property
Disparate data systems
Replicate Data
IT Infrastructure at rest

Figure 1.8 – Industrial Era Cash Flow Diagram

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Figure 1.8 is a financial concept model and is simplified specifically to reflect the cash flow
problems that companies face when sending personnel to a learning engagement in Industrial
Era learning. The model indicates the liabilities inherent in any learning environment. To a certain
extent the model will also apply to the Knowledge Era Learning environment with the exception of
the application of applied Knowledge Management. With properly applied Knowledge
Management content is reusable and can be applied to the channels and customer base without
having to totally re-invent. Knowledge is extensible and is a part of the recorded culture of any
company. The ability to view content in a reusable sense makes it possible to serve it up for other
reasons that transcend the learning environment. This makes information on demand extremely
useful in the Knowledge Era. Anything that simplifies complex data retrieval is necessary in the
future. The channels and customers can now be included in the data model along with the
employees. This capability represents a step in the right direction for the application of learning
material to applied profit. Since the company can now offer learning in an on-demand format, to
the broad scope of likely users in the company community innovation will result and new ways to
re-use, re-package, and offer the learning content in exchange for goods and services will result.
This is a product managers dream world. The ability to track, analyze, and create customer
scenarios from applied learning provides more data than ever before on customer preference.
Lets look at a Knowledge Era measurement model (Figure 1.7):

Internal Impact

Employee Knowledge Requirement Continuous Performance Career Evaluation

Career / Development Plan

LMS Repository HRIS

Knowledge Base Finance Database

Individual Measurement (productivity) Business Measurement (cost)

Channel Knowledge Requirement Continuous Performance Line Evaluation

Customer Knowledge Requirement Continuous Performance Competitive Evaluation

External Impact

Figure 1.7 – Knowledge Era Measurement

Notice that this model incorporates the Channel and Customer environment. This is meant to
reflect the value of a centralized Knowledge Base in which a customer can search for or engage
in “demand” learning. At either the channel or customer level any of the measuring entities has
the opportunity to sample, review, and quickly adjust the topic material or capture real time
feedback that results in opportunities to improve products and services.

Since we have constructed a cash flow model for the Industrial Era model, let’s see what
happens when we apply the principles of Knowledge Manufacturing and applied Knowledge
Management to the Knowledge Era (Figure 1.8). This model relies upon the implementation of a

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Knowledge system that support the use of objects. The use of objects creates a centralized pool
that is reusable in virtually any environment. Technology in the third generation (server based) is
improving at the hardware, software, and network levels. This is driving convergence of
broadband (television) and narrowband (computer transmission). The minute content went
beyond data into voice and video human innovation prevailed. We are just learning how to move
beyond the automation of static catalog data and into an environment of exciting interactivity. To
make it simple, today voice, video, and data packets are transmitted serially. One packet follows
the other. In the generation that is going live in the next year, those packets will begin to
transmitted in parallel. This will create broadcast capability to the desktop, the set-top, and
through the application of wireless technologies and “smart” software whole new access
environments. Let’s look at the financial impact of applied Knowledge Management and
centralized data capture.

Information is now
reusable and has the
added advantage of
linking cost to
Income productivity
The Learner
and channel is
employed by
the company to Transportation
produce or Expense Room and Board
contribute to Time away from field
profitability. Research
The customer
buys on value
Instructors time
perception and Floor Space (rented)
need Contracted Content

Assets Liabilities

Just-in-Time media
Linked Help systems
Active Learning objects Hardcopy media
Real Time Support Floor Space (owned)
Real-Time Data Capture Non-mfg plant/property
Centralized Data Disparate data systems
IT Infrastructure in continuous demand Replicate Data
Profit from channel, customer, and IT Infrastructure at rest
competitor resale

Figure 1.8 – Knowledge Era Measurement

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COLLABORATION

By definition humans are social creatures. We learn from our environment, from each other, and
are smart enough to create solutions to many of the problems that we face. In the work
environment of the Industrial Era, work teams were formed to solve shop floor problems. In the
Knowledge Era, connectivity technologies allow dispersed collaborators to interact completely
independent of time and space. These virtual work teams can come together on a planned basis
or in an ad-hoc fashion. While far from an Orwellian world the emerging communicative
environment is becoming very robust. Today, with rudimentary dial-up and the right software,
anyone can work together in support of common goals. The days of interacting with others via e-
mail alone are fast coming to an end.
As the technology migrates, we are going to experience whole new technology vistas. Wireless
communication enabled by global standards such as Bluetooth, emerging standards such as VF-
45 and others are now actively supported in the US. New technologies such as the emerging
ferro-electric (non-volatile memory), in memory databases, and other emerging standards will
push broadband technologies into the communications arena. And it gets less expensive with
every product lifecycle meaning that more people can actively access a technology enabled
communicative environment. At the set-top level, companies such as Motorola are making great
strides in providing internet access “beyond the desktop”. The technology environment is moving
faster than it ever has before. What this means to the individual is that technology is improving
communications and allowing for real-time non-physical human contact. This goes far beyond the
limitations of today’s technology in that people are relegated to web conferencing and flat, non
interactive types of written communication. This is also creating a global communications
environment in which borders are transcended by interest and the quest for knowledge.
Collaboration in the Knowledge Era deals with various levels dispersed collaborators that engage
in Human to Human communications as well as Human to Machine communications. A model
that crosses the bridge from human contact to contact enabled by machine must be developed as
below;

Delivery Environment Learning Support Collaborative Environment
Environment

Individual Effort
Independent Learning
Pre-work
Team – 2 or more people
Class-Work
Live, Virtual Learning Workgroup – 5 to 25 people

Post-Work
Live, Physical Instruction Coalition – 25 or more people

Verbal Communications

Written Communications
Management Chat Functions Measurement

Intellectual Property
Captured Knowledge

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Figure 1.9 Collaborative Environment

During the Industrial Era, Eric Berne developed Transactional Analysis (TA) which dealt with
understanding behavior in interpersonal dynamics. As a reminder, TA aligns human
communication with three ego states; Parent, Adult and Child. Berne and others have theorized
that human interaction is fraught with this mix of ego states and that when humans interact they
are typically in any one of them. When an individual interacts with another and the sender of a
message gets an intended response from a receiver a complimentary transaction has occurred.
In a general sense, complimentary transactions must occur in projects if they are to succeed. The
other types of communication response are Crossed Transactions and Ulterior Transactions.
The integration of machine to the communicative process creates capability beyond that of pure
social communications although social communications will still exist. While there are still many
complementary transactions the potential for crossed transactions and ulterior transactions goes
up significantly. I state this based on the fact that an individual may receive a work order and fail
to act immediately or act at all. The individual may never bring the information to the attention of
the sender and may in fact undermine team leadership, goals, and innovation.

Overall, collaboration ensures that the process of learning is a continuous process. A process in
which learners gain knowledge from the systems and independent media while they gain support
from peers.

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FUTURE VIEWPOINT

Companies can choose to purchase innovative technologies in support of each of the five
characteristics. To be sure there are many to choose from and modern corporate decision making
will support this philosophy. Educated buyers who possess a more comprehensive knowledge of
technology and learning systems – learning technologists – will seek fully integrated technologies
that can deliver a learning environment that promotes ease of use while ensuring competitive
workforce development capability.

Delivery Environment Learning Support Collaborative Environment
Environment

Individual Effort
Independent Learning
Pre-work
Team – 2 or more people
Class-Work
Live, Virtual Learning Workgroup – 5 to 25 people

Post-Work
Live, Physical Instruction Coalition – 25 or more people

Verbal Communications

Written Communications
Management Chat/Collaborative Ftn. Measurement

Intellectual Property
Captured Knowledge

Global Environment Mgr.
Succession Planning
Career Planning
Skills Manager
Activity Analysis
Content Creator
HC Metric Manager
Polling and Profiling
Staffing
Legacy Data Integrator
Learning effectiveness
Workforce Development Lifelong Learning
ecosystem

As the model above illustrates, the addition of Human Capital Management systems represents
new capabilities to merge workforce planning and career development with the learning systems
that support them.

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