What is it?
A set of tools, processes, templates, and conventions that ensure that the materials created to support learning in an organization are consistently designed, developed, deployed, and tracked in support of business goals.
Why is it important?
Learning takes resources. To obtain the resources needed to sustain a learning culture, you need to think strategically about how you will use those resources. Having a strategy with respect to learning content standards helps ensure that decisions about allocating resources are always made in the context of the bigger picture.
Why does a business professional need to know this?
Business professionals know that learning is a key strategic activity. However, learning departments are under pressure to reduce costs and justify their spending. Because they are a cost center, they must have a demonstrable strategy as to how they deliver value and manage costs. Having solid learning content standards helps ensure that their investment is worthwhile and reflects the needs of the business.
Learning content standards help leverage the power of these technologies:
- Learning Management System (LMS): a platform to support the deployment of learning events, launch learning content, and return data about the completion of learning experiences and satisfaction of learning requirements. Note: one reason eLearning is possible is because an LMS can record course completion without the intervention of an instructor (see Learning Management System).
- Learning Experience Platform (LXP): a platform to enable users to find needed learning experiences by organizing resources based on their relevance to skills, business goals, and related offerings(LXP).
- eXperience Application Programming Interface (xAPI): a standard for capturing and storing data about learner behavior. xAPI can capture test scores and completion status as well as other information about what users do during the learning experience(xAPI).
References
- (Ohio DOE 2015) Ohio’s Learning Standards: Ohio Department of Education. Defines several different types of educational standards.
- (CA BOE) CA Department of Education Content Standards: California State Board of Education. Describes content standards adopted by the California State Board of Education.
- (UNESCO) Content Standards: International Bureau of Education (UNESCO). A definition of content standards.
- (xAPI) What is the Experience API?: xAPI.com.
- (LXP) Learning Experience Platforms: The Ultimate LXP Guide for 2022: filtered. Defines LXP and Discusses their history.
About Adam Weisblatt
Adam Weisblatt is passionate about building the resilience of learning and development organizations so they can create business value. Adam has experience in all aspects of workplace learning and a proven track record of implementing global enterprise-wide projects using an agile, collaborative, and creative approach to meeting organizational needs. He has the ability to analyze systems, processes, and team dynamics and uses outstanding visuals and storytelling to explain them to a wide audience. He provides consulting and design services for companies throughout their digital transformation. Adam speaks at conferences and writes for industry magazines. He is also a cartoonist and puppeteer.
Term: Learning Content Standards
Email: adamjweisblatt@gmail.com
Twitter: @weisblatt
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