SPECIAL EDITION www.elearnmagazine.com
P. 6
P. 22
P. 12
Research:
Interview:
Customer Snapshot:
What Skills Will We Need for the Jobs of the Future?
“Corporate Learning Is More Important Than Ever” An Interview with Josh Bersin
Improving Public Health Systems with Learning and Development Programs
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
REDEFINING PROFESSIONAL Technologies Skills for LEARNING & and the Digital DEVELOPMENT: Workplace
Functioning as a collaborative teaching and learning community, E-Learn is a place for educators to share ideas, insights, perspectives, and practices for the purpose of improving student success. Want to participate? We'd like to hear from you. Share your experience, perspective, or field of expertise through an interview, column, or article. Suggest our next topic of focus, get in touch with the E-Learn team.
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From the Editor IN THIS ISSUE, WE FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL
leading provider of research and advisory services
Learning and Development (L&D), bringing you
focused on corporate learning. According to Ber-
relevant stories from diverse industry leaders that
sin, “Corporate learning is more important than
can inform your organization’s own L&D strategy.
ever,” and companies should invest in the tools and resources that deliver the type of learning
New world, new skills, new learning. As
people want and aspire for in today’s “always-on
organizations need to train and reskill workers
workplace.” Companies like Training The Street, a
faster than ever, the landscape of professional
leader in financial education in the United States,
learning & development is quickly changing.
is using online learning as part of its global expan-
Offering a modern learning experience requires
sion strategy, offering online courses to engage
not only investments in new technology, but
learners when taking time away from the desk is
also a culture that encourages people to learn.
increasingly more difficult. Similarly, ManchesterCF, a leader in financial crime prevention training
With this in mind, we begin this issue with an in-
based in Toronto, Canada, is now training thou-
formative piece on the skills that will be in demand
sands of subscribers globally after successfully
for the jobs of the future. Problem solving, team-
migrating to online learning. Finally, explore how
work, and communication are some of the skills
NASTAD (National Alliance of State and Territori-
that will be sought-after over the next decade,
al AIDS Directors) has been strengthening domes-
and organizations will need to collaborate with
tic and global governmental public health through
educational institutions to develop tomorrow’s
capacity building, relying on a virtual learning
workforce. How prepared is your organization?
environment to deliver its L&D programs.
Perhaps incorporating a corporate university
Many thanks to all who contributed to this
might be the first step in the right direction.
special edition, and hope that you take away
Today’s corporate universities are at the cutting
key insights that will enhance your own L&D
edge of learning and development, and are a
strategy. As always, we invite you to share your
great avenue to increase employee engagement
own success stories that will enhance the com-
and retention, and to develop the leaders of
munity globally, and wish you much success in
tomorrow that will be able to effectively take your
your learning and development endeavors.
business in the right direction as priorities shift. We had the privilege of sitting down with Josh Bersin, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, and founder and editor-in- chief of Bersin, the
Sincerely, The E-Learn Team
For more information, please contact: elearn@blackboard.com
EDI TO R
PR O D U C T I ON
Manuel Rivera
Carolina Pintor
C ON T R I BU T I N G E DI TO R S
W E B M AST E R
Katie Gallagher, Becky Celestini,
María José Correa
Julie Lele, Liliana Camacho S PEC I A L T H AN KS JOUR N A L I S M Phill Miller, Lynn Zigraf, Priscila Zigunovas, Cristina Wagner,
Katie Gallagher, Tom
Alessandro Oliveri
Holz, Sara Fowler, Ryan Francus, Anthony
PHOTO GR A PH Y
Jovanis, Josh Bersin.
AFP
PR OY EC TOS S E M AN A
AR T A ND D ESI GN
Photography Editor Mario Inti García Mutis
TRiiBU Studio Camilo Higuera, Enny Rodríguez, Camila Mejía, Laura Naranjo, David Peña, Juana Molina.
© 2018 E-Learn. Some rights reserved. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions, policies or official positions of Blackboard. Statements about future plans or prospects are given on the date this and not intended to be a prediction of future events. We assume no obligation to update any statement at any time.
Table of Contents Professional Development / May 2018
SPECIAL TOPIC........................... 4
What Skills Will We Need for the Jobs of the Future?........... 6 “Corporate Learning Is More
Improving Public Health
Important Than Ever” An
Systems with Learning and
Interview with Josh Bersin...........12
Development Programs...............22
How to Set Up a High-impact
Training The Street: Leader
Corporate Learning
in Financial Education Uses
Program – Starting With
Online Learning to Boost
a Corporate University ............... 18
the Student Experience.............. 28 The Impact of Online Migration on ManchesterCF’s Unique Financial Crime Prevention Courses.....................32 E-Learn Cartoon.......................... 36
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S P E C I A L
Professional
Develo New world, new skills, new learning. As organizations need to train and reskill workers faster than ever, the landscape of professional learning & development is quickly changing. Offering a modern learning experience requires not only investments in new technology, but also a culture that encourages people to learn.
4
T O P I C
pment 5
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for the Jobs of the Future? 6
We are now at the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.1 Technological advances, along with socio-economic and demographic developments, will continue to impact society in the next decade— causing changes in business models, teaching strategies and workplace arrangements. Are professionals, employers and educational institutions ready for the challenge of developing the new skills this future will demand?
ILLUSTRATION AND GRAPHICS: TRiiBU Studio
W H AT S K I L L S WILL WE NEED
R ES E A R C H
by: priscila zigunovas
AS TRENDS LIKE TECHNOLOGICAL EXPANSION,
of expertise, interaction and management,”
interconnectivity, collaboration and increased individu-
as well as “social and emotional skills and
al responsibility begin to transform the way we live and
advanced cognitive capabilities, such as
work—organizations all over the world are trying to predict
high-level logical reasoning.” As only a lim-
possible scenarios and challenges for the next few decades.
ited number of jobs require these capabilities today, developing such skills should be a
The following comprehensive studies offer recommendations on
challenge for education, which currently does
the skills and abilities that will be in high demand for the jobs of
not always emphasize those ‘soft skills.’
tomorrow. And while nobody can really predict what the future holds, based on the transformations that are already visible,
The shift seems to be already happening. Data
these insights can help companies, individuals and educational
from LinkedIn shows that professionals are
institutions anticipate and prepare for future skills requirements.
increasingly marketing themselves around softer skills, which are less automatable.
New Jobs Will Demand New Skills In many industries and countries, the most in-de-
Lifelong Learning Will Be the Norm
mand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago, according to the World Economic Fo-
“To be successful in the next decade,
rum. The organization also estimates that 65% of chil-
individuals will need to demonstrate
dren entering primary school today will end up working
foresight in navigating a rapidly shifting
in completely new job types that don’t yet exist.1
landscape of organizational forms and skill requirements,” says the report “Future Skills,”
The report “Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: Workforce Transitions
published by the Institute for the Future (IFTF).3
in a Time of Automation,” published in December 2017 by McKinsey Global Institute, has reached similar conclu-
According to the study, future workers will need
sions.2 A total of 60 million to 375 million individu-
to be adaptable lifelong learners, as “they will
als around the world may need to transition to new
increasingly be called upon to continually reassess
occupational categories by 2030, McKinsey predicts,
the skills they need, and quickly put together the
based on an analysis that covers 46 countries and reach-
right resources to develop and update these.”
es almost 90% of the global gross domestic product. For their turn, the report emphasizes that McKinsey estimates that activities within all occupations
“businesses must also be alert to the changing
will shift. New work will evolve, requiring “more application
environment and adapt their workforce planning
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and development strategies to ensure alignment with future skill requirements,” and that “strategic human resource professionals might reconsider traditional methods for identifying critical skills, as well as selecting and developing talent.” In that context, Learning and Development (L&D) professionals must ensure that organizational talent is continuously renewing the skills necessary for the sustainability of business goals, which might require close collaboration with educational institutions.
Students Will Learn More on Their Own Institutions are not always providing enough of the skills that students and workplaces need. As a result, “some students are taking it into their own hands to make up for deficiencies within the education system,” according to a study from The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Google.4 That seems to be a trend for next decade. Taking “greater personal responsibility for acquiring and continuously updating skills and attributes that will be at a premium in future” is a recommendation in the report “The Future of Work: Jobs and Skills in 2030,” published by The United Kingdom Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).5 The document explores four possible scenarios for the UK jobs and skills landscape 12 years from now, and suggests key areas for consideration by individuals, employers, policy makers and training providers. Professionals are encouraged to “change [their] mind-set regarding the nature of work as it becomes less location-specific, more network-oriented, project-based and increasingly technology-intensive.” It also says it’s important to “be open to and take advantage of new and different approaches to learning, such as self-directed, bite-sized learning, peer-to-peer learning and technology-enabled training opportunities.” UKCES also suggests that individuals include skills and training opportunities as part of contract
8
13 SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE
R ES E A R C H
The main skills that will be in demand over the next decade will need to be developed through the collaboration of individuals, employers and education institutions.
1
PROBLEM SOLVING
Addressing problems and developing solutions is a universally needed skill, and it should grow in importance as professionals gain more autonomy. 4
4
The nature of work is changing, with more fluid employment arrangements, flexible work schedules and the growth of remote work. These new dispositions tend to save commuting time, costs and resources, but they also require new competencies such as the ability to collaborate virtually.3
7
COMPETENCY
Cultural agility, or the ability to operate effectively across a broad range of environments, will become even more important, including language skills and the adaptability to quickly switch between contexts in a globally connected and diverse world.3
This one is a classic. Effective communication, both oral and written, will remain vital in the future workplace. And that includes foreign language skills. 4
5
LEADERSHIP
In the future, leadership should remain a critical skill, but new forms of leadership will be in demand. For example, the ability to manage a more diverse workforce, operate from different locations on a project-by-project basis and to offer motivation and guidance.5
SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE
The emergence of social media in the last decade has raised many questions about how we create and sustain relationships. Social intelligence will be a critical skill for both managing relationships and adapting to new kinds of workplace scenarios. 3
8
6
RESILIENCE
The ability to adapt to change, overcome challenges and recover from setbacks will be more and more needed as the workplaces undergo increasingly rapid transformations.3
9
SENSE-MAKING
As artificial intelligence and smart machines are being used more and more to automate activities, there will be increasing demand for the kinds of skills that machines cannot perform well. These higher-level cognitive skills are the ones that help us create unique insights that are critical to decision-making. 3
11
3
COMMUNICATION
In our increasingly connected life, with workplaces becoming more and more team-oriented— being able to interact constructively with people offering different skills and viewpoints, and appreciate alternative perspectives is vital. 4
VIRTUAL COLLABORATION
CROSS-CULTURAL
2
TEAM WORK
DIGITAL LITERACY
10
New types of media, technologies and tools demand professionals to become fluent in these new contexts in order to understand how to receive information and subsequently interpret the world.3,4 This includes the ability to learn from online courses and digital tools.
12
13
COGNITIVE LOAD MANAGEMENT
TRANSDISCIPLINARY THINKING
SELF-MANAGEMENT
The unprecedented amount of data we need to process from multiple sources everyday makes it a challenge to skillfully manage one’s cognitive capacity. The ability to focus, to deal with the “culture of interruption” and to stay productive in our cognitively overwhelming environment is already crucial. 3
Some of the most interesting developments in recent years have come from interdisciplinary practice. That means integrating fields and perspectives or, as writer and theorist Howard Rheingold explains, “speaking the languages of multiple disciplines.” 3
As work models become more fluid and flexible, employees are expected to have more responsibility for skill development. Self-management and the ability to promote one’s personal brand will become increasingly vital.5
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negotiations with employers and keep in
DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN FUTURE JOBS AND SKILLS
touch with relevant labor market developments.
Corporate Learning Will Grow Stronger
According to Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and other senior talent and strategy executives from 371 leading global employers surveyed by the World Economic Forum. INDUSTRIES OVERALL - SHARE OF RESPONDENTS RATING DRIVER AS TOP TREND, %
When it comes to employers, UKCES recommends leading the way and taking responsibility for developing the skills needed for business success. Collaboration is recommended and will play a key role in this success. This includes collaboration with the education and training sector to access critical skills, industry-wide collaboration by business to address key skills challenges and collaboration with government to develop sustainable career and learning pathways for young people. Companies already seem to be moving toward that direction. According to Deloitte Consulting6, the corporate L&D industry is now more than $140 billion in size and continues to grow.
Demographic and socio-economic Changing nature of work, flexible work
44%
Middle class in emerging markets
23%
Climate change, natural resources
23%
Geopolitical volatility
21%
Consumer ethics, privacy issues
16%
Longevity, ageing societies
14%
Young demographics in emerging markets
13%
Women’s economic power, aspirations Rapid urbanization
12% 8%
Source: Future of Jobs Survey, World Economic Forum. 1
Thanks to online learning and digital tools, L&D programs have been reinvented in recent years, and “careers and learning” have become the second most important topic among CEOs and human resources leaders – only topped by “organization of the future.”7 That data indicates the necessary alignment between education and business is possible – and it has already began. In a world where previously valued skills are becoming obsolete, companies are realizing that learning—and in particular online learning—is critical to future business success. Although online learning began more than 20 years ago, more companies are finally starting to realize the benefits of online and blended programs, and how they can help their remote and diverse workforce continue to grow and develop.
10
Technological Mobile internet, cloud technology
34%
Processing power, Big Data
26%
New energy supplies and technologies
22%
Internet of Things
14%
Sharing economy, crowdsourcing Robotics, autonomous transport Artificial intelligence
12% 9% 7%
Adv. manufacturing, 3D printing
6%
Adv. materials, biotechnology
6%
Source: Future of Jobs Survey, World Economic Forum. 1
R ES E A R C H
FUTURE WORKFORCE STRATEGIES According to Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and other senior talent and strategy executives from 371 leading global employers surveyed by the World Economic Forum. INDUSTRIES OVERALL - SHARE OF RESPONDENTS PURSUING STRATEGY, %
SOURCES Invest in reskilling current employees
65%
Support mobility and job rotation
39%
Collaborate, educational institutions
25%
Target female talent
25%
Attract foreign talent
22%
Offer apprenticeships
22%
Collaborate, other companies across industries
14%
Collaborate, other companies in industry
12%
Target minorities’ talent
12%
Hire more short-term workers
11%
Source: Future of Jobs Survey, World Economic Forum. 1
IS YOUR ORGANIZATION PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE?
As corporate L&D initiatives develop and grow to accommodate the need for new roles and skills in today’s organizations, online and blended learning options can provide opportunities to better engage teams and future leaders in this challenging scenario. Professionals, employers and educational institutions must be ready to promptly adapt to this new reality. Are you prepared?
1. World Economic Forum. (2016, January). The Future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from http://www3.weforum. org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs.pdf. 2. McKinsey Global Institute. (2017, December). Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: Workforce Transitions in A Time of Automation. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/ McKinsey/Global%20 Themes/Future%20 of%20Organizations/ What%20the%20 future%20of%20 work%20will%20 mean%20for%20 jobs%20skills%20 and%20wages/ MGI-Jobs-Lost-JobsGained-Report-December-6-2017.ashx 3. Fidler, D. (2016). Future Skills: Update and Literature Review. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from http://www.iftf.org/ fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/wfi/ ACTF_IFTF_FutureSkills-report.pdf 4. The Economist Intelligence Unit. (2015). Driving the skills agenda: Preparing students for the
future. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from https:// static.googleusercontent.com/media/edu. google.com/pt-BR// pdfs/skills-of-thefuture-report.pdf 5. UK Commission for Employment and Skills. (2014, February). The Future of Work: Jobs and Skills in 2030. Retrieved February 15, 2018, from https://www.gov.uk/ government/uploads/ system/uploads/ attachment_data/ file/303334/er84the-future-of-workevidence-report.pdf. 6. Bersin, J. (2017, August 16). The Disruption of Digital Learning: Ten Things We Have Learned. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from www.joshbersin. com/2017/03/thedisruption-of-digitallearning-ten-thingswe-have-learned. 7. Deloitte. (2017). Rewriting the rules for the digital age 2017: Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from https://www2. deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ global/Documents/ About-Deloitte/central-europe/ce-global-human-capital-trends.pdf.
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“Corporate Learning Is More Important Than Ever” AN INTERVIEW WITH JOSH BERSIN
In today’s “always-on” workplace, companies should not be afraid to invest in new tools and platforms that deliver the learning people want and aspire for, says Josh Bersin, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and founder and editor-in- chief of Bersin. “Artificial intelligence, chatbots, video, and virtual and augmented reality will significantly change learning in the years ahead.” by: priscila zigunovas and josh bersin oakland, calif., united states
12
I N T E RV I E W
Josh Bersin Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and Founder and editor-in-chief of Bersin
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BERSIN IS THE LEADING PROVIDER OF RESEARCH
2017, business and HR leaders’ concern with learn-
and advisory services focused on corporate
ing and career development skyrocketed, up by
learning. More than 60% of the Fortune’s 100
almost 40%. To what do you attribute this growth?
Best Companies to Work For are Bersin members, and more than a million human resources professionals read Bersin research every month.
JB: There are two huge drivers of learning today. First,
the economy is booming, so companies are hiring, training, and reskilling their people faster than ever. Second, the
In this interview, Josh Bersin talks about
rate of change in technology, tools, and business practices
the transformations that are taking place in
is breathtaking. The digital revolution, growth in AI and
the learning & development segment and
new algorithms, growth in the use of software, and all the
analyzes the trends and challenges that will
automation at work has forced us all to go “back to school.” So
shape the future of corporate learning.
employees and leaders are very focused on reskilling our people (at all levels) and the appetite for
E-LEARN: What changes have you
modern, easy to consume learning is enormous.
observed in L&D in the past 10 years? E-LEARN: How JB: Ten years ago we were building page-turn-
do you foster and build a
learning culture within the company? What
ing e-learning programs and they barely ran on
are the main issues for a company to be-
mobile devices. The content was really a “repur-
come a high impact learning organization?
pose” of instructor-led training and much of the content development was based on the ADDIE
JB: In all the research we’ve done (and we’ve done a lot),
model. We developed the concept of “blended
we always conclude that no matter how good or weak your
learning” (which is now called “flipped learning”)
learning technology is, it’s culture that matters. When a company
so people could study online and then attend
has a “culture of learning” – people take time to reflect, they
a class in person. And we had very traditional
have time to learn, they talk about mistakes in a positive way
learning management systems, which arranged
– people can learn. While technology-enabled learning
content into courses, programs, and curricula.
is important, it’s not as important as giving people mentors, sponsors, and experts to learn from – and
As social media entered our lives, of course all
giving them the time, rewards, and environment to
this changed. Employees and consumers now
learn at work. Companies that embrace a learning culture can
want bite-sized instructional content (now called
adapt, reorganize, move into new product areas, and grow in a
“micro-learning”), they want content that is very
much more sustainable way – and our research proves this.
easy to find, and they want a user experience that feels more like a search engine or a TV set, not a course catalog. We have been trying to build this
E-LEARN: What is the key to creating a successful
L&D program that really impacts the company results?
infrastructure for the last five years, and now in 2018 it’s finally possible. Consumer libraries and many others have accelerated this shift.
JB: I’ve written two books on corporate training and it’s
not a simple process. The first step is to really diagnose the problem you’re trying to solve. Is your “sales training” program
E-LEARN: According to a survey by
Deloitte Consulting LLP, from 2016 to
14
designed to help people sell? Upsell? Increase new sales? Or increase close rates? The clearer and more prescriptive you are in
I N T E RV I E W
to evaluate learning by asking employees “would
While technology-enabled learning is important, it’s not as important as giving people mentors, sponsors, and experts to learn from – and giving them the time, rewards, and environment to learn at work.
you recommend this?” and “have you used this?” This kind of practical analysis helps you stay grounded in reality, and not spend too much time creating academic content that may not really drive the business result. E-LEARN: Recently you characterized Blackboard
as a “Program Experience (Delivery) Platform.” Can you speak more about what that means and how Program Experience (Delivery) Platforms impact business and learning at organizations today? JB: Yes. Throughout the L&D market companies need
problem definition the easier it is to really identify
platforms to help them design, build, implement and
the learning objectives and the learning gaps.
measure their training programs. The original LMS vision was to be this platform, but it really became a learning
Second the designer must use what is now called
“management system” and not a true “learning system.”
“design thinking” (we used to call it performance consulting) to understand the learners’ work envi-
Today, given the enormous growth in micro and macro forms
ronment, existing skills, educational background,
of online learning, there is a need for a new set of platforms.
and managerial environment. A training program
These include systems that can manage content, administer
alone won’t solve a problem if it doesn’t reinforce
traditional training, and programs that can bring together
and support the entire work environment. This
instructor facilitated programs (ie. leader-led or instructor-
also means understanding what type of learning
led courses) in high-fidelity programs like onboarding, sales
experience will really “grab” the employees and get
training, customer service training, ethics, and other high
them to pay attention. And this also involves inter-
consequence programs. Blackboard falls into this category.
viewing people in the role, to see what gaps exist.
Where most education has a teacher, Blackboard’s platform provides a solution for training programs that involve an
Third, the designer must build a set of small, easy
instructor, a subject-matter expert, or a mentor or coach.
to absorb, highly interactive learning experiences,
Many companies need this type of solution, and Blackboard’s
content, and interactivities that drive a learning
specific design can be useful for many training applications.
outcome. This is the instructional design stage, and the designer should be up to date on the latest tech-
E-LEARN: What are micro and macro-learn-
nologies and approaches. Right now micro-learning,
ing and how can companies help employees
virtual and augmented reality, chatbots and video
identify what type of learning they need?
are really exciting approaches. But often a face to face exercise, simulation, or project is needed.
JB: Every learning solution has macro and micro-topics.
Fundamentals, background, and theory are always macro If you do all this work, and test and iterate on
or longer-form topics. For example, if you want to learn
your design, your program will really drive
how to become a Java programmer, you need fundamental
value. I always encourage L&D leaders
education in data structures, syntax, language, and use of
15
the various Java tools. Once you become a programmer and learn how to code, however, you may need lots of “add-on” education which teaches you special techniques, solutions to common problems, and small answers to typical questions in a micro format. This blend is common in every type of learning. Macro learning is fundamental. Micro-learning is applications, answers to questions, and new applications. E-LEARN: How can companies select and
apply technology in a way that truly engage workers in their learning programs? JB: As I mentioned above, the hot new topic
is “learning experience design.” What will it really feel like to take this course or program? Will it fit into the flow of work? Will the learner enjoy it and
PHOTOS: AFP Erin Lubin
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“Our true learning challenge is to identify these “non-certified” capabilities and skills and teach people to focus on improving in these areas, giving people experiences to learn”
feel compelled to complete it? Will the learner meet others and feel inspired to create a community from this course? Will it help them move their career goals forward? Will it provide the types of learning (auditory, lecture, example, simulation, virtual reality, video, project, etc.) that the learner
in traditional e-learning, but using virtual reality and 3D
enjoys and remembers? Will there be enough
animation they made it compelling and very memorable.
“spaced learning” to let the material sink in and really stick? All these questions are independent of
E-LEARN:
You have mentioned in a lecture that
the topic, and they represent the excitement and
companies tend to increasingly reward workers
design opportunities for learning leaders to build
for skills and abilities, not position. At the same
something truly amazing for their companies.
time, recent research indicates that people are looking for non-traditional, short-term degrees
An oil and gas company I know recently built
and certifications. They want to learn specif-
a 3D virtual world to teach employees about
ic skills that help them grow and evolve at work.
geology, history of rock and sediments, and
How can corporate learning contribute to that?
the different types of chemistry that go into the formation of fossil fuels. The experience is
JB: Every organization rewards people for their formal
more fascinating than a movie, and extremely
education, certificates, and certified skills. But beyond that, real
memorable. This type of program would be
performance is based on an individual’s true abilities, experiences,
boring in a classroom and probably boring
their natural gifts, and their desire and passion to solve problems.
16
I N T E RV I E W
where employees are overwhelmed by information, how can companies make continuous learning easier? JB: This just gets back to the topic of
experience design and micro-learning. Can you give me “just enough” learning to solve my problem without forcing me to complete a
Bersin & Associates 180 Grand Avenue Oakland, CA
course when I don’t need it? That’s the magic of a modern learning experience today. E-LEARN: What trends will define
the future of corporate learning? JB: In summary, I would say that corporate
learning is more important than ever. Today, we have a vast amount of new technology, terminology, and concepts to teach people. But at the same time we want to teach people “how to perform better” – as technical professionals, managers, leaders, or workers. These “performance learning” programs are always custom-designed and need to reflect “what works in your company.” So our job in L&D is to apply all the new technologies and design approaches to These “non-certifiable” areas of capabilities are what we try to
making our particular company perform better.
assess in behavioral interviews, reference checks, and on-the-job assessments and exercises. Knowing that someone is “certified”
Finally, I would say that artificial intelligence,
in Sales or Engineering may mean nothing about their actual
chatbots, video, and virtual and augmented reality
experience and capabilities in different domains of these fields.
will significantly change learning in the years ahead. We now have algorithms that can observe
We in L&D have to help recruiters vet this out, and our
what works best, communicate with us in human
true learning challenge is to identify these “non-
language, and show us how to do something that
certified” capabilities and skills and teach people
might be expensive or dangerous in the real world.
to focus on improving in these areas, giving people
I strongly urge L&D professionals to experiment
experiences to learn, and coaching and mentoring
with these new tools, many will become the
people with strong advice on how to improve.
most powerful technologies and solutions in the future. And of course don’t be afraid to invest in
E-LEARN: Research indicates that individuals
new platforms. Now is the time to look for new
now are working harder and they are more dis-
platforms that deliver the learning people want
tracted and less productive than ever. In a scenario
and aspire for in today’s “always-on” workplace.
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How to Set Up a Highimpact Corporate Learning Program S TA R T I N G W I T H A C O R P O R AT E U N I V E R S I T Y
by: cristina wagner
i n f o g r a p h i c : t r iib u Studio
In today’s increasingly competitive world, companies are continually looking for ways to evolve and transform their organizations. Executives are now counting on their leaders to develop businesses that can rapidly respond to change and address specific business challenges through employee learning and development.
THE CORPORATE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT (L&D) INDUSTRY IS
worth the investment, as organizational culture
more than 140 billion U.S. dollars in size. With the devel-
is usually addressed through individualized
opment of digital content and tools, educational programs
learning opportunities. A survey by the Boston
and training courses are being reinvented for instant online
Consulting Group (BCG) shows that the number
access— enabling businesses and employees to learn like never
of formal corporate universities in the United
before. Corporate universities are one of the resources com-
States doubled and grew to approximately 2,000
panies are adopting to promote learning among employees.
between 1997 and 2007. Today, you’ll find them at
1
more than 4,000 companies all over the world.3 Although not a new concept—General Electric was considered to have created the first corporate university in the 1950’s—cor-
One of the most common goals behind a cor-
porate universities seem to be making a comeback. It’s certainly
porate university is to provide the training and
18
I N FO G R A PH I C
BENEFITS OF A CORPORATE UNIVERSITY Creating an L&D program can offer both your company and your employees many benefits. Here are just a few:
1
2
3 development needed to keep corporations and employees competitive in the marketplace. In order to achieve that, the focus is mainly placed on developing practical skills that are not usually part of core university or college curriculums, and working under the belief that by benefiting employees individually, the entire organization benefits.2 Defining the role of the corporate university is more than just placing a logo on company training courses and materials. They usually have two distinguishing features: 1) A dedicated facility(whether brick and mortar or online), and 2) a curriculum tailored to the company’s overarching strategy.3
4
CONTINUED EDUCATION/ CAREER ADVANCEMENT
A corporate university can inspire employees to learn and develop new abilities and skill sets. It can promote ongoing learning by producing a framework that includes certification programs and career advancement opportunities through continued education. EMPLOYEE RETENTION
A significant number of employees will choose to remain at a company that allows them to develop and grow, along with career advancement opportunities. Employee retention is an important cost-benefit for companies as the average cost of hiring a new employee is around US $4,129.4 ENHANCED COMPANY BRAND
Corporate universities offer multiple marketing opportunities to promote an organization’s brand and image. Such branding can go beyond employees and include partnerships with other companies and educational institutions. GREAT ROI POTENTIAL
Although creating a corporate university requires an investment, the return can be quite significant. This can be achieved through employee development and retention, knowledge management and improved team results.
19
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Make marketing a core component—work closely with your marketing group to brand your corporate university.
TIPS ON MANAGING A CORPORATE UNIVERSITY
Here are some key points to consider in order to keep your initiative running smoothly and efficiently:
Operate like a business. Create detailed plans and assign clear owners to each task.
Use the power of recognition—remember that individuals like to be recognized, so maximize this power to drive the success of your initiative. Embrace technology— by using the right technology, learning can become continuous, immediate, and dynamic.
FIRST STEPS TO SETTING UP A CORPORATE UNIVERSITY5
Determine with the senior executive team how learning supports the organization’s strategy and vision.
Determine key initiatives and how you will measure success.
Create a corporate university name, logo and brand.
1
2
Identify how to align training activities with organizational initiatives.
20
3
4
5
Develop a vision, mission and value statement.
I N FO G R A PH I C
Think of learning as an ongoing process—learning should be a process and not just an event or one-time training program. Consider offering certification or degree programs—offer long-term development plans for employees, with the opportunity to obtain a professional certification or corporate university degree.
Evaluate learning initiatives— determine how to define and measure success, considering the company’s business goals and strategies, what the company strives to achieve in terms of human resources (retention, development, etc.), and how it impacts customers and stakeholders.
Build communities of practice—a “community of practice” is a group of people who come together to capitalize on their collective knowledge on a given job role or function within a company. They can be formal or informal and often use some type of technology to enable collaboration.
Work with your marketing team to create an internal marketing and communications plan for the corporate university.
SOURCES 1. The Disruptive of Digital Learning – 10 Things We Have Learned [PDF]. (n.d). Deloitte Development 2. Fayad, A. The Corporate Shift: Why great companies invest in custom learning. Retrieved on February 20, 2018, from http:// elearningmind.com/the-corporate-university-shift/ 3. The Economist. Keeping it on the company campus. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://www. economist.com/news/ business/21651217-morefirms-have-set-up-their-owncorporate-universities-theyhave-become-less-willing-pay 4. Average Cost-per-Hire for Companies Is $4,129, SHRM Survey Finds. (2017, May 19). Retrieved April 03, 2018, from https://www.shrm.org/aboutshrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/human-capital-benchmarking-report.aspx 5. Site Staff. Corporate Universities: A Powerful Model for Learning. Retrievied on February 20, 2018, from http://www. clomedia.com/2002/11/01/ corporate-universities-a-powerful-model-for-learning/
6
Identify the best program experience platform to help achieve the corporate university’s goals.
7
Create a rollout plan and ensure that it touches every part of the organization.
8
Today’s corporate universities hardly resemble the dull training programs of yesterday. By shifting the focus away from the organizational benefit and placing it on the individual benefit, corporate universities help learners realize the advantages of continuing education. Developing a curriculum that truly focuses on the individual is the best way to extract both the raw talent and the potential from each and every employee.
21
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Sponsored by Blackboard
Vrushabh Shah Senior Associate, Prevention at National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
22
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
IMPROVING PUBLIC H E A LT H S Y S T E M S W I T H
Learning and Development Programs
by: alessandro oliveri washington, dc, united states
PHOTO: AFP Tasos Katopodis
Individuals are more engaged when receiving development opportunities. Learning and Development (L&D) programs aim to improve employee performance by sharing knowledge and enhancing skills, and play an important role in an organization’s talent management. With the implementation of an L&D program, individual performance can be aligned with organizational goals so that structures and processes can be enhanced—and best practices disseminated. THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANCE (CBA)
the world by improving the performance of
and technical assistance, the National Alli-
public health officials throughout the Ameri-
ance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
cas, Africa and Asia. Technical assistance and
(NASTAD) is strengthening both domestic and
L&D programs offered through online learning
global governmental public health. For over 20
modalities currently play an important role
years, this leading non-profit organization has
in helping achieve this, while also promoting
helped often-marginalized populations around
the effective use of public health systems.
23
E - L E AR N
L&D programs at NASTAD are focused on
into Blackboard, and find what they need with a couple of
promoting HIV and hepatitis prevention.
clicks,” Shah explains. “In addition, we also have webi-
The organization develops the programs
nars and different learning communities on our Black-
and disseminates best practices among
board Learn, which allow us to share resources, have
health departments, enabling them to meet
discussions and enables learners to join multiple pro-
the needs of target populations, as well as
grams where they can get technical assistance in differ-
to share knowledge with their peers.
ent areas, get resources and have discussions with other peers—all through a digital learning environment.”
NASTAD works with local partners to help health departments and ministries of health around
He also mentions that some of the resources are perma-
the world find more cost-effective methods to
nently kept in their digital learning environment, so that
improve outcomes—an approach that optimizes
users can quickly find what they need. “In terms of tools, for
efficacy and provides online technical assistance
example, we keep a map on Blackboard created for health
platforms aimed for capacity building. To support
departments who want to learn how to implement practices
those partners, NASTAD leverages the experience
in Data to Care, a public health strategy that aims to use HIV
of peer public health experts, so that methods,
surveillance data to identify HIV-diagnosed individuals that
tools and resources are adapted to the local
are not currently in care, and link them to it,” says Shah.
context, and progress can be rapidly achieved.
Acting Globally NASTAD relies on virtual learning tools to deliver its L&D programs. Not only are they effective and
Digital tools are especially relevant in NASTAD’s Global
help with waste reduction, but the platform truly
Program, which works to build the organizational and human
helps to strengthen public health—as mem-
resources skills of counterparts across the world by using a
bers learn, share expertise and work together
peer-to-peer capacity building framework that helps local lead-
to solve common problems. NASTAD leverages
ership plan, manage and evaluate programs. NASTAD Global
online learning methods and tools to enhance
leverages the expertise of U.S.-based public health
technical assistance, and capacity building
practitioners, and pairs them with international public
to achieve a highly cost-effective training.
health peers to enhance national health systems.
Vrushabh Shah, NASTAD’s Prevention Team
“Domestically, we work with the health departments.
senior associate within the CBA program,
In the global team, we work with local jurisdictions. We
notes that a digital learning environment
provide technical assistance and CBA from peers who are
makes L&D programs more intuitive and
already on the ground or from experts who have already
effective, with tools that engage learn-
done the work, and make sure that they are connected to
ers and provide multiple ways to present
peers who benefit from that work they’ve done. In general,
content and interaction among peers.
we do all of our technical assistance and capacity building through a peer-to-peer training model,” explains Shah.
“What previously had be done in a meeting, can now be done via a video conferencing
Learning technology is a cost-effective strategy for
solution, such as Blackboard Collaborate.
providing technical assistance and capacity build-
Professionals at health departments can log
ing abroad, and a more efficient way to assess gaps
24
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
NASTAD’s Capacity Building Assistance Process in Five Steps 1
BUILD PARTNERSHIPS :
NASTAD members leverage public health experiences and knowledge to build and maintain strong peer-based relationships.
2
ASSESSMENT:
Work with partners to assess needs based on public health models and competencies.
3
DEVELOPMENT:
web-based application that enables Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and healthcare organizations to request assistance. NASTAD assesses needs, tracks progress and ensures organizations receive tools to continue communicating with the health department involved in the peer-to-peer training, models and resources at their disposal. “The most important aspect is making sure there are solid connections on the ground that
IMPLEMENTATION :
Implement training and program along with partners, and use monitoring and evaluation systems to adapt and improve outcomes.
5
CRIS (CBA Request Information System), a
so they have all the best evidence-based Define scope of work with set deliverables. At this point, the capacity building begins with local staff and programs.
4
assistance and CBA come from a system called
the health department will be able to leverage. But we often hear from health departments that they just need a template or guideline, or that assistance is necessary to implement
TRANSITION :
a certain kind of program,” says Shah.
Transition established projects, programs and innovations to the host country, providing additional supportive capacity building as needed to ensure efficacy and sustainability.
NASTAD plays an important role in program implementation, which typically takes place in the following order: establish partnerships, assess needs and define priorities. Subsequently, data and evidence are used to
and deliver content. “We used to provide all the assis-
guide the program design, later transitioning
tance in person or over the phone, but we noticed a lot of
it to the local government. This last phase is
gaps, and many things that just couldn’t be done,” says Shah.
what defines the success of the program.
“This model has allowed us to provide personal assistance via virtual meetings and, as a result, it has definitely re-
“We assess whether the goals were achieved
duced time and costs. It has also offered us opportunities to
based on how successfully the local juris-
explore new models to reduce learning barriers. If there is an
diction was able to implement a program or
operational or financial limitation in a health department,
a model of care. If they are using our technical
staff will benefit from high-quality online technical assis-
assistance or that of another health department,
tance and the fact that they don’t have to travel to get it.”
that is good, but it doesn’t mean much if they are not able to move the dice forward. When we leave,
An Inclusive Approach
they should be able to monitor, implement and design an intervention, with NASTAD getting
NASTAD provides assistance based on local jurisdictions
information from the partner government agency
and local government concerns. Most requests for technical
through feedback sessions,” comments Shah.
25
E - L E AR N
The duration of training varies, depending on
“The short-term benefits of this kind of program are the cre-
its structure. Some training may last around
ation of immediate networking opportunities, capacity and
six weeks, with weekly webinar sessions. Some
education. In the long-term, we are able to better implement a
may last for months. And some training may
health program or a public health intervention, because they
be ongoing—with a program based on resource
have attempted with the models the other health depart-
sharing and featuring an undefined timeline. “It
ments have already utilized and learned from,” adds Shah.
depends on what resources we are sharing with them, what interest they have in that specific topic
Programs are implemented under the direction
area, and what their on-the-ground needs are.”
of a local partner, leveraging technical support in a peer-to-peer approach. Success is achieved
“I think there are many opportunities to use
when local government takes the lead role in de-
online learning in our programs, because staff
sign, implementation and long-term manage-
under training is able to be engaged faster. It
ment of needs-based public health programs.
depends on what the needs are, but in general, having more options available benefits
“This has been our model since our inception. And it is a
health departments, says Shah. “We’re able
very successful model, because we found that people on the
to find out what their needs are within their
ground are a lot more concerned about how the other health
health department and post-check whether
departments are doing similar work,” comments Shah. “With
they like this system. So we can make sure
online learning, we make sure we’re giving staff what they
what we’ve done is useful and important for
need in real time, and the concerns are heard in real time. We
them. As a result, we saw an improvement
are catering based on these needs a lot faster than we would
in our outcomes, because it keeps us focused
if we had meetings in person. It is a win-win for both sides.”
on what they need so we direct our effort.”
Connecting People NASTAD Global provides peer support to help local partners define needs, opportunities and outcomes. Facilitating the design, development, implementation, evaluation and institutionalization of initiatives—NASTAD Global improves
Peer-to-Peer Peer-to-peer training allows organizations to identify gaps and skills, saving time and resources that can be used to provide a cost-effective, engaging and efficient capacity building. With peer learning, professionals are more easily up to date on new trends, and can feel more comfortable when asking questions.
access to care and supports treatment adherence. Providing content is an important part of the programs. To achieve NASTAD’s goals, it is
“We’ve been training people for over 20 years now. We
essential to have a well-structured communi-
have reached over 100,000 people throughout doz-
cation plan and tools that enable the collabora-
ens of countries, including the 50 United States and in
tion and interaction between peers to sustain
all U.S. territories. We see many health departments
enthusiasm over the long term. Stakeholders
coming back for technical assistance, which means
need to be aware of learning opportunities and
that they are benefiting from the training we’re of-
create a culture in which learning is routine.
fering, and this is very gratifying,” says Shah.
26
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
Where NASTAD Operates
NASTAD represents public health officials in all 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, seven local jurisdictions receiving direct funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Pacific Island jurisdictions.
U.S. Pacific Island Jurisdictions
Guam
U.S.A 1
San Francisco
2
Los Angeles County
3
Houston
4
Chicago
5
Baltimore
6
Philadelphia
7
New York City
American Samoa Northern Mariana Islands
Local Jurisdictions 4
1
6
2
The Marshall
7
Islands
5
Federated States of Micronesia Palau
3 1
11
2
NASTAD also supports partner governments in Africa, the Central America region, and the Caribbean region.
7
6
3 5
9 8
12
4
13
CONVENTIONS
10
Focus Countries Former Countries
4
AFRICA
INFOGRAPHIC: TRiiBU Studio
5 1
Tanzania
2
Zambia
3
Botswana
4
Ethiopia
5
Uganda
6
Mozambique
7
South Africa
1 6
2 3
7
1
Bahamas
2
Belize
3
Jamaica
4
Costa Rica
5
Barbados
6
Guatemala
7
Honduras
8
El Salvador
9
Nicaragua
10
Panama
CENTRAL AMERICA
11
Haiti
12
Trinidad & Tobago
13
Guyana
27
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Sponsored by Blackboard
TRAINING THE STREET:
Leader in Financial Education Uses Online Learning to Boost the Student Experience
FOUNDED 19 YEARS AGO, TRAINING THE STREET (TTS)
offers one-of-a-kind financial training programs focused mainly on corporate education. The untraditional structure of TTS academic programs, which are not organized by semesters or years, has led the company to adopt an entirely new strategy and direction. “We try and ensure our students have all the resources and assets that they might need to get ready for their job,” says Scott Thomson, Learning Management System (LMS) administrator at Training The Street. That includes considering different learning styles, teaching methods and course designs. “From a strategy standpoint, I think that, for us, is the biggest thing. Primarily, we’re educators, so it’s essential for us to be able to make sure that people are learning the information they need,” says Al Riddick, business development officer and relationship manager at TTS.
Global Expansion Through Online Learning Online learning plays a big part in that strategy. According to Riddick, online courses can be by: priscila zigunovas
very helpful to engage learners—as it may not be
charlotte, nc, united states
realistic for many organizations to take an entire group off their desks for a few days to do training.
From teaching Wall Street bankers to delivering globally recognized training programs online, Training The Street is now the world’s leading financial learning services company, offering courses in accounting, capital markets, financial modeling and valuation for finance professionals. 28
During its first 13 years of business, the New York City-based company exclusively offered face-toface instruction. It was in 2012 that they started using Moodlerooms, primarily as a testing engine to offer quizzes and assessment for students. “We started using it more as a complement to our live instruction, incorporating online videos, files and other exercises. Now, that’s
PHOTO: AFP Nell Redmond
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
Scott Thomson LMS administrator at Training The Street
just continued to evolve for us and we’re using it for on-
know that Blackboard is there manag-
line-only self-study courses as well,” says Thomson.
ing the under-the-hood stuff, but at the same time we get a lot of the benefits
Thomson said Moodlerooms is a very flexible LMS
that open source Moodle provides.”
and proved to be a good solution for the company, because it offers all the benefits of Moodle’s
The primary focus of TTS is training new
open source technology, as well as a wealth of
financial professionals, including in-
plug-ins and components that can be added.
vestment bankers, private equity firms, asset managers and consultants.
“We also have taken advantage of the managing-hosting support from Blackboard, which makes
“Most of what we do is very technical. It’s a
sure everything’s working well, that everything’s
lot of work in Excel for you to create finan-
working together seamlessly,” he said. “We don’t
cial models and build the skills to value a
have a dedicated IT department, so it’s nice to
company, mergers and acquisitions and
29
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leverage buyouts,” explains Riddick. “With that technical slant, we’ve found Moodlerooms to be a good complement to be able to provide
Trends in Corporate Learning
some other styles of learning to complement what we do well in the classroom.” Riddick adds that the familiarity stu-
After almost two decades of training finance professionals, TTS is engaged in the evolution of corporate learning. Upward trends seen in higher education seem to be on the rise in the L&D sector, as well.
dents have with the LMS from using it in previous classes is also a big plus.
Resources and Tools Video is one of the main resources used in TTS
Growing Use of Technology
training programs, according to Thomson. As the company is a big proponent of the flipped
Personalization
classroom approach (see box), students are often asked to watch lecture videos as homework. “That way we can spend classroom time doing more engaging things and more hands-on activities, like using the news forum for collaboration and group projects, for example,” says Thomson.
Active Learning/ Flipped Classroom
In Moodlerooms, one of the most-used tools is the Personalized Learning Designer (PLD), which allows instructors to create different adaptive learning paths (see box) for students with customized resources and learning activities. “Our students come from different backgrounds and have different prior knowledge in certain areas. So we, for example, use the PLD to assign students different
Use of Data to Inform Strategies and Decisions
ment scores. If a student’s score is low on an assessment, we’ll assign them more chapters in a book to brush up on the topics they’re struggling with. The students who score high on an assessment will get a different customized e-mail with less chapters to read, because they have a better knowledge in those areas,” Thomson explains.
30
Convenience
ILLUSTRATION: TRiiBU Studio
types of homework based on their assess-
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
This practice helps to engage students more by ensur-
What Is a Flipped Classroom?
ing that they are learning the skills they need to learn, as opposed to struggling with topics that are too hard or getting bored with subjects they have already mastered.
The flipped classroom is a blended learning strategy in which students are required to study course materials outside of class, before they engage in purposeful activities with their peers.1 As a result, instructors can use class time to facilitate learning by assisting students individually or in groups.2 The purpose of this strategy is to improve student engagement and success by placing greater focus on the application of conceptual knowledge, rather than factual recall or straight transfer of information.1
For Thomson, one of the main reasons for the success of their programs is the flexibility for instructors to control the classroom in whatever method that best suits them. “In the LMS, they can review content at their pace, hide and unhide sections and different assessments and basically be able to customize things as they see fit.”
Future Challenges In the next few years, the company wants to continue adapting to changes in students’ learning styles and find better ways to engage learners. “Through things like gamification, getting our video li-
What Is Adaptive Learning?
brary to be potentially more interactive or building more assignments and materials that take place in the LMS versus out of the LMS—we want to be able to make learning more engaging for the students,” says Thomson. TTS also wants to be able to offer students more immediate feedback and get better data to analyze trends. For example, data analysis can allow instructors to identify at-risk learners and provide early support to those who are struggling. “I think the biggest trends we see in corporate learning is technology continuing to be incorporated more and more, and people being able to learn at the time and the place they want.
Adaptive learning is a technique for personalized learning that uses technologies such as data analysis and artificial intelligence to adjust the path and pace of learning for each student.3 With adaptive learning, it is possible to tailor the experience according to prior student knowledge, performance and level of engagement, sometimes in real time.4 It’s an evolution of what the best teachers have been practicing for a long time: adapt to the needs and learning styles of their students.
So we need to give them resources for that,” says Riddick.
SOURCE 1. Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation - The University of Queensland. (n.d.). What is the ‘Flipped Classroom’? Retrieved April 10, 2018, from http://
www.uq.edu.au/ teach/flipped-classroom/what-is-fc.html. 2. Center for Teaching and Learning - University of Washington. (n.d.). Flipping the
classroom. Retrieved April 10, 2018, from http://www.washington.edu/teaching/ teaching-resources/ engaging-students-in-learning/flipping-the-classroom.
3. Educause. (2017, January). 7 Things You Should Know About Adaptive Learning. Retrieved April 05, 2018, from https://library. educause.edu/
resources/2017/1/7things-you-shouldknow-about-adaptive-learning. 4. Katsifli, D. (2017, January 31). Reasons to care about
Adaptive Online Learning. Retrieved April 05, 2018, from https://blog. blackboard.com/ adaptive-online-learning/
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Sponsored by Blackboard
The Impact of Online Migration on ManchesterCF’s UNIQUE FINANCIAL CRIME
ILLUSTRATION: TRiiBU Studio
PREVENTION COURSES
32
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
ManchesterCF provides financial crime training to help multinational corporations, banks and financial institutions combat money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, corruption and financial fraud. These timely topics are the focus of the organization’s training programs, which are now available online.
by: priscila zigunovas toronto, canada
BASED IN ONTARIO, CANADA, MANCHESTERCF HAS BEEN
penalties for facilitating money
providing financial intelligence training to organizations
laundering and terrorist financing,
in North America, Europe and Asia over the past 12 years.
according to Tariq. For some institutions,
Their courses traditionally relied on face-to-face seminars
these penalties may have reached hundreds of
and printed textbooks, but two years ago, the company
millions of dollars. For others, even billions.
decided to migrate all programs to the online environment. “One of the challenges in this area is that the According to Tariq,* head of e-learning at ManchesterCF, while
financial crime industry is global. There are
the company was highly regarded by international financial
unique cultural and economic situations in each
institutions as a training provider, rethinking their training
market that the financial services organizations
approach was necessary, as they realized the business potential
are operating in. That means they need to have
in training underserved financial intelligence professionals.
a great deal of knowledge about the economy, the culture and the politics, and they must use
“The number of trainees has grown exponentially over
this knowledge appropriately to make their
the past decade and cannot be adequately served through
decisions and operate successfully,” says Tariq.
face-to-face seminars anymore. Additionally, the body of knowledge is constantly evolving, and staffs need constant
As an example, he notes that certain regions
access to the most current information,” notes Tariq.
in the world are politically unstable, while others are more open to corruption. “When a
Understanding Financial Crime Risk Management
bank begins to operate in a region like that, it becomes exposed to those risks, and it has to understand what they are—otherwise, it
Since the beginning of the 21st century, banks
will be vulnerable to financial crime,” Tariq
around the world have been hit by fines and
explains. “The number one challenge is banks having information and being aware, so they
Tariq* is head of e-learning at ManchesterCF
*Due to the company’s sensitive area of operation, the interviewee asked to be identified by his first name only.
can guard themselves against these risks, mitigate them and manage them accordingly.”
33
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Training Programs Strategy Financial crime risk management is a growing field for financial institutions that’s been getting more attention over the last two decades. Very few educational institutions
Some ManchesterCF Courses at a Glance
currently offer training on the subject.
$ TRADE-BASED MONEY LAUNDERING
One of the first courses developed by the company and also the most popular. Trade-Based Money Laundering offers knowledge on trade finance and how individuals and organizations are exploiting it to commit financial crime.
According to Tariq, the area is slowly developing—as regulators, lawmakers and bank employees become aware of how much money laundering and terrorist financing is actually happening through traditional channels, like banks. Many of the professionals who work as financial investigators learned what they know on the job. However, the body of knowledge is growing, the number of students is
CRITICAL THINKING
growing and ManchesterCF is providing
FOR FINANCIAL
quality training for these professionals. “What we do is really immersive. We are taking an academic approach because our plan is to fill that gap that currently exists, but isn’t being filled ,” says Tariq.
INVESTIGATIONS
This unique course is mainly for financial analysts. It teaches them how to evaluate information and situations critically, which is a crucial skill for financial investigators.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
ManchesterCF consulted with a human trafficking survivor who is a subject matter expert to develop this course. It deals with an emerging topic: how financial institutions can play a more active role in identifying human trafficking channels.
According to Tariq, having an adequately trained risk management staff is one of the major challenges for financial institutions.
In order to train these professionals effectively, Manchester-
“To mitigate the risk of compliance failures, banks
CF’s strategy is to deliver courses that are well-packaged with a
employ small armies of financial crime analysts
good understanding of what their audience needs. The courses
to review and monitor transactions,” he says.
are focused on explaining fundamental principles, as well as best practices to be adopted, always with a global perspective.
Front-line staff within a financial institution must also be trained on the patterns of financial
ManchesterCF also acts as a curator of financial intel-
crime. ManchesterCF’s Front-Office Training
ligence knowledge. In order to do this, the instructors
series is designed for the sales function and senior
constantly research the latest newspaper and journal
management. Both the front and back office can
articles, regulatory findings and publications produced
be trained to spot similar patterns of potential
by agencies such as the United Nations, the Finan-
money laundering or terrorist financing activity.
cial Action Task Force and banking regulators.
34
C U STO M E R S N A P S H OT
Tariq says it’s unrealistic to expect that the anti-money launder-
interactive rendition of the course material. We
ing staff has the time to research and read all of this informa-
believe that active participation from all members
tion, so the instructors ‘translate’ these materials for them.
of the team helps us create richer content.”
Challenges in the Online Migration
In all courses, students are encouraged to learn through group discussions, wikis and blogs, and
Two years ago, when the company first started migrating
share their learning with colleagues. “We like
from face-to-face education to online courses, they were
to leverage the social learning aspects and, with
faced with a challenge. They realized that banks, being
these resources, we make sure that the users are
very conservative organizations, have strict technology
actively engaged in the process of learning and
policies in terms of information security and privacy.
that they are talking to each other,” says Tariq.
“When we were going through the digital learning environment
Tariq adds that Blackboard has enabled Manches-
selection process, Blackboard Learn was one of the top contend-
terCF to offer testing and reporting capabilities for
ers. But it did better than any of the others because Blackboard
student testing purposes. “Enabling our clients to
really has dispelled the fears of the banks in terms of
extract meaningful metrics is a key component of
information security and privacy,” notes Tariq. “We simply
our value proposition,” he said. “We distinguish our-
showed our clients a list of all the banks and other organiza-
selves by providing a more rigorous approach in this
tions —such as the U.S. Department of Defense—that were using
domain. Providing a diversity of testing options, as
Blackboard.” Tariq then worked actively with Blackboard to
well as analytics for gauging performance, helps our
make sure that all of the security requirements were being met.
clients measure progress and gauge performance.”
The second challenge was creating online courses that maintained the engaging and dynamic style of the face-toface-seminars. Due to technology constraints at financial institutions, ManchesterCF couldn’t rely on video, since many students wouldn’t be able to access video in their workplaces. “It was challenging to take that approach and still keep it interesting and interactive, while making sure it was current and accurate. But Blackboard Learn has enabled us to present our seminar training content as fluid online learning,” says Tariq. He notes that the course development process is very lean and fluid. “We start with a clear definition of requirements which helps us shape objectives and identify subject matter experts (SMEs) from academia and practitioners. Our research analyst and production editor work actively with the SMEs to develop the content. Then, they fill in the gaps by using sources in the public domain. Graphic, media and instructional designers
The Positive Impact of Online Learning ManchesterCF’s first online client signed up in January 2017. Today, 15 months later, ManchesterCF is in the process of signing thousands of participants from financial institutions, law enforcement, banking regulators and government agencies. ManchesterCF has published 27 modules so far, going up to 33 over 2018. They have experienced dramatic growth in revenue, and the company’s team has doubled in size. The next challenge is expanding to the Asia-Pacific region, which will be possible through their online learning courses and diverse language capabilities.
work in parallel to identify opportunities for creating engaging,
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Scott Thomson LMS administrator at Training The Street
“Knowing that our students come from different backgrounds and have different prior knowledge in certain areas, we, as an example, use the Moodlerooms PLD to assign students different types of homework based on their assessment scores.”
Josh Bersin Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and Founder and editor-in-chief of Bersin
“Our true learning challenge is to identify these ‘non-certified’ capabilities and skills and teach people to focus on improving in these areas, giving people experiences to learn, and coaching and mentoring people with strong advice on how to improve.”
Vrushabh Shah Senior Associate, Prevention at National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
“Digital learning environment makes L&D programs more intuitive and effective, with tools that engage learners and provide multiple ways to present content and interaction among peers.”