Lambda Solutions e-Learning 2.0 Online Training and Moodle Experts

We all know that having the right tools and resources at the right time empowers employees and helps them to perform better at their jobs. Yet, it is common knowledge that it takes a great deal of time to keep abreast and to get the most relevant information. A recent study of executives conducted by Bersin and Associates shows that although 71% of the respondents felt that they were well informed, they admitted that they have to devote a significant amount of time to this process. The same study points out that 37% of the executives spend more than 4 hours per week searching for information to stay informed and current. It is probably safe to assume that non-executive employees spend even more time on these types of activities.

Although having access to information and tools will always require some time-commitment, there are ways to make this process more efficient. Performance Support Systems (PSS) helps to address this issue because its goal is to provide those tools and skills necessary to generate performance and learning at the moment of need. PSS allows employees not just to do their job adequately, but to do it right.

In eLearning, PSS issues are addressed through customized courses that aim to provide knowledge that will enhance learners' performance. Lambda Solutions has been using this principle when developing PSS courses for its clients since the early days of eLearning. Recently, Lambda Solutions developed a performance support course for VanCity client-service staff that helps them to better service their clients. What's unique about the course is that it includes pre- and post-assessment tests that allow employees to determine their knowledge level before and after the course is taken. The learning process is supported by a coach, an internal knowledge-expert, who reinforces the learning through roleplay and feedback. Throughout the learning process employees are continually directed based on the assessments and feedback of the coach. In this fashion specific learning is directed to desired performance results.

As a result, the knowledge gained during the training allowed employees to identify previously unforeseen business opportunities with clients and thereby helping VanCity to achieve greater business results. And isn't that what it's all about?

In December 2006, Teekay Shipping, an international transportation company that ships 10% of the world's oil, chose Lambda Solutions and Odyssey Learning Systems, to develop and implement an online orientation course. This course will be used by all of Teekay's new employees worldwide, including those who work on ships. Current employees will also have access to the course and can use it as a reference and a performance support tool. The development for the course has already begun and Lambda plans to launch it in the early spring of 2007. Jason McIvor, Director of Sales, answers questions about the project.

I've heard it took Teekay Shipping awhile to find a suitable vender, why did they choose you?

That's right, by the time we came on board, Teekay Shipping went through several rounds of proposals but they could not find anybody suitable. Tanya Northcott from Odyssey Learning approached us and we wrote the proposal together. Teekay Shipping liked our previous experience with a multi-media highly interactive online orientation we built for Blast Radius. They were also attracted to the idea of blending Moodle and Lambda's ClearView technology.

What's the advantage of using LCV and Moodle in this case?

Well, when you use Moodle, you save money because you do not have to worry about licensing costs as it is an open-source technology. LCV gives our clients solid instructionally-designed templates that can be used in the future for rapid development of other courses. Therefore, there is a good ROI for clients as this combination allows them to save 30% to 60% on the course costs and grants them true ownership of the course because they can update content themselves.

How is this course different from other orientation courses you worked on?

This orientation will be more media-rich than your average orientation. For example, there will be a virtual tour of ships, and video messages from the executive team in addition to engaging activities. On the backend, we will need to address the fact that some employees will need to take it on a ship but that, of course, will be seamless to the learners. We look forward to working with Teekay Shipping and finding solutions to these challenges.

Social learning theory focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. According to the literature, social learning considers how people learn from one another, encompassing such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling. Although many species of animals can probably learn by imitation, social learning theory deals primarily with human learning.

While it is safe to assume that this concept is probably as old as our civilization, Internet technology has changed the way we learn through social software tools. Blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, instant messaging and online communities transformed social learning and play an important role in the learning process of today's learners.

Recognizing the potential for social software applications to support meaningful collaboration and knowledge-building in online communities, a consortium of BC post-secondary institutions (BCIT, UBC, SFU and UVic) initiated in 2005/06 the first phase of the development of a project titled Social Software Framework. This BCcampus-funded project delivered an online knowledge repository (www.sociallearning.ca) in the form of an interactive blog. The Social Learning site houses tools, templates, tutorials, workshop materials, screencasts, podcasts, and a blog that will be populated with custom-created materials and some of the best research available from the educational community in BC and worldwide.

Building upon the success of the first phase, a second phase for this pilot project is currently underway. BCIT, a leader of this project, partnered up with three private companies: Lambda Solutions, Donat Group, and Odyssey Learning, who were tasked to create a support system for five participating institutions in British Columbia. The development of the project includes creation of custom templates, Instructional Design management and ongoing technical support.

During the second phase, the participating companies will determine whether the SocialLearning.ca is useful to educators and students across BC and how it can be implemented both into the curriculum and the existing systems. The companies will also research and develop a management system for the site that would allow BCcampus and other participating institutions to maintain and support this innovative tool.

Comments Shevy Levy, Lambda Solutions' President: "This is a very exciting, cutting edge project because it allows us to work with the next generation of on-line learning services based around Web 2.0 technologies. We are creating a new model that would allow BC post-secondary educators and students to use and share learning knowledge and practices."