"Most training in organisations still takes place on a very formal basis using the traditional training object - the 'course'. However, it is now well recognised that something like 70% of learning actually takes place informally in organisations, i.e. not in the classroom nor working through an online course, but in everyday working life as employees carry out their jobs - finding out information, reading documents, talking to other colleagues etc. It is these kinds of informal learning activities that need to be supported and encouraged online. E-learning is therefore not just about e-training but also about information, communication, collaboration, performance support and knowledge sharing."

Jane Knight, Founder, e-Learning Centre
From Top ten tips for implementing e-learning

Meeting Announcement

November2005: Podcasting @ Cisco--A Case Study

Over 30 million iPods have been sold in four short years and podcasting has become an over-night phenomenon.  Audio downloading as a means of digital content distribution has quickly evolved from music sharing to news dissemination.  It is now standard fare on websites ranging from NPR to The New York Times and The San Jose Mercury-News.  Podcasting has become the audio equivalent of another recent craze, blogging, and is part of a much larger “flat-world” trend of user-generated content and citizen journalism.  The question that many are pondering is whether podcasting has an important role to play in enterprise learning—and the answer from this successful Cisco Systems case study is a resounding yes!

Cisco Systems is well known for its extensive and innovative use of eLearning to decrease time to competence and increase field productivity.  Less well known is Cisco’s systematic process for capturing and quickly disseminating critical knowledge to its sales force.  Cisco pioneered the effective use communities of practice (called “virtual teams”) for systems engineers to help build competencies in the technologies that are strategically important to Cisco’s sustained success.  Periodic virtual team meetings bring together experts from the business units and the field to share knowledge on the latest developments in products, solutions, markets, and the competition.  The structure, organization, and practices of the virtual teams were discussed in an earlier eLearning Forum meeting back in September 2003 (click here to see the video archive of the presentations). 

The November meeting will provide an update to Cisco’s innovative program and present a case study of how podcasting has recently been successfully implemented as another popular medium for field communications and learning.  Podcasting is still a very new medium and the case study will answer a number of questions that are on people’s minds, including:

  • What really is podcasting?
  • What is involved in producing a podcast?
  • What is RSS subscription and how do RSS readers work?
  • What role can podcasting play in the enterprise?
  • How do you conduct a podcast pilot project?
  • If we build it, will people really come?
  • Is podcasting really learning?
  • How is the use of podcasts different than other digital content?
  • What is the ROI on podcasting?
  • Where does podcasting in the enterprise go from here?

Speakers

  • Juan Gamez is the Manager of Technical Programs, Systems Engineering Group, in Cisco's World-Wide Salesforce Development department.  His primary esponsiblity in this position is managing Cisco SE Virtual Teams proagram. Juan has been the leader of Cisco's innovative use of podcasting for field communications and training.  Previously at Cisco, Juan managed eLearning for Technical Readiness for WW Sales Force Development. 
  • Sebastian Grady is the Chief Operating Officer of Altus Learning Systems, where he is responsible for all business development and corporate relations. Prior to joining Altus, Sebastian was President and Chief Operating Officer of Saba Software and served as Vice President and General Manager of the Customer Sales Division at PeopleSoft.
  • Del Langdon is eLearning Forum Board Member, will serve as the meeting moderator.

When
November 30, 2005
9:00 Registration
9:15: Program
11:30 Lunch

Where
Cisco Systems
325 E. Tasman Drive, Building 5
San Jose, CA

Remote Participation:
People not able to attend the meeting can join in using Macromedia Breeze at the following URL:
http://breeze16165304.breezecentral.com/november2005/

For audio participation, use the following conference ID and dial in numbers:
MeetingID: 372468
Local San Jose & International : 408-902-7863
Domestic Toll Free (Outside San Jose ONLY) : 866-902-7863 ***This number WILL NOT work from the 408 area code.***

Registration
Click here to Save $10 with on-line registration
Registration at the door $30



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