So, you know when you have an idea for a post and then TeachThought do it.  And then Rob Hubbard does it.

That.

But I’m doing it anyway, especially as we’re on the eve of Learning Technologies 2013 where more people will be telling me about more L&D technology.

So, what common technologies exist in the ‘real’ world that we don’t use enough of in L&D?  Here’s a few random thoughts.

Social media

I was running my favourite session last week – an Employee Development Centre.  I like the fact the content is drawn together on the day by the participants through their inputs.  One area that comes up regularly is the use of Social Media to learn.  I pinged a couple of questions out this week to be able to demonstrate how it works. My concern is that L&D are keeping FB, Twitter, pinterest, etc as part of ‘our’ build, not pushing them out to let people fly with them on their own.

E-Readers

I love the Kindle app on my tablet – I use it more than almost every other function of the device.  What I’ve found over the last 14 months or so is that I have accumulated dozens of business related books. It’s just so damn easy to highlight the text you want, ping it to evernote, or send it to your kindle account to make desk research that much easier.

Text messages

I mentor young people in my spare time and I’ve found that having the conversation where they are is really important.  A simple short sharp coaching nugget every other day between sessions works as a great reminder for them, and an easy way to track between sessions.

Online Testing

Why do we use online testing as a summative process rather than formative?  I think it rests firmly at the door of our fixation with counting without measuring.  We call it L2 evaluation and ignore how we can use it to develop alternative ways to support people. Do we need to support the person referred to us?  Let’s spin them through our development process and test their learning afterwards as it maintains our “busyness”.

iPads and Tablets

I don’t lock any content down on the DLE I run – everything is available to anyone on a non conditional basis because I want people to have access to it when they want it, not when I want to offer it.  The use of tablet devices is going to soar with great quality 7″ tablets available for the £150. Lock the contect down and guess what…they’ll just go elsewhere and won’t consider L&D has a function.

So, what day to day tech can you use for L&D?  Let me know via the comments.