Name: Clark Quinn
Check it out: Clark’s website and blog can be found at Quinnovation.
What do you do, and what is your favorite part of your job?
I’m a learning technology strategy consultant, which means I help organizations get more out of their use of technology by leveraging what learning science tells us. That plays out in two ways. First, it’s about helping them refine their learning design processes to get maximum effectiveness with minimum changes to their existing processes. Second, it’s about assisting them to see the ‘big picture’ of technology facilitating performance in the organization. That means going beyond ‘the course’ to performance support, informal learning, innovation, and more. The best part of this is watching the eyes light up when they ‘get’ it; that the nuances matter and there are great opportunities right to hand!
How did you get started in eLearning?
As an undergraduate, I was tutoring (for some extra cash) – physics, chemistry, and calculus – and taking some computer science classes. I got a job doing the computer support for the office that managed the tutoring, and a light went on: computers supporting learning! There wasn’t a program in this, but we did have a way to design your own major, and so I did just that, and it’s been my life ever since.
What makes you a qualified judge of eLearning MVPs?
I believe it’s a combination of several things: 30+ years pushing the boundaries of education technology as a practitioner and researcher, reflecting on it through publications and presentations, learning with others through projects and conversations, and tracking others’ thoughts through reading and reviewing journal articles and reviewing and listening to conference presentations.
What’s a notable trend in eLearning that you’re seeing lately?
I think I’m seeing a greater interest in cutting through the hype and beginning to get serious about the underlying learning science. It’s no longer about the latest shiny object, it’s “what does this give me that I don’t have now!” I’m biased, because I’ve been actually pushing this alone and with colleagues (c.f. the Serious eLearning Manifesto and Millennials, Goldfish & Other Training Misconceptions). However, it does feel like there’s more interest and more recognition of the value than there was previously. I certainly hope so!
What fictional character do you most identify with?
Just today I was reading my daughter’s proposed talk on that for a college assignment! There are several I could choose, but I resonate with Indiana Jones because he does have academic knowledge, yet he keeps agreeing to do these crazy real world assignments that end up being much more challenging than he imagined. Still, he stumbles through with knowledge, some luck, and a lot of stubbornness.
Name: Megan Torrance
Check it out: Megan’s website can be found at TorranceLearning.
What do you do, and what is your favorite part of your job?
I’m the CEO at TorranceLearning. In that role, I’m involved in strategic solution design with all of our custom learning clients which is one of the most fun things I do from a client-facing perspective. Internally, I love our triannual performance review cycles because it’s a time that I get to connect with my team and help develop careers.
How did you get started in eLearning?
I was trained early in my career in basic instructional design and elearning before moving into a process consulting and project management role. After implementing a learning management system I got back into instructional design and elearning in 2006. Now with xAPI taking hold, my work in learning design and my work in LMS implementation are converging again. One of the biggest joys I get is in helping others implement best practices in their work – whether it’s project management, instructional design or learning data & analytics.
What makes you a qualified judge of eLearning MVPs?
I’m not sure. Why’d you pick me? (sorry … I’m really uncomfortable tooting my own horn)
(editor’s note: As the CEO (Chief Energy Officer) of TorranceLearning, Megan has experience both in creating learning solutions and in teaching others the ins and outs of instructional design. She’s been working in the L&D space for over a decade, and her passion for building better processes (and improving old ones) has driven her to become a top mind in using L&D to improve all areas of the organizations she works with. So of course she’s qualified, and we’re very happy to have her on!)
What’s a notable trend in eLearning that you’re seeing lately?
I’m seeing a lot of traction these days with xAPI and people very interested in (finally!) getting more data out of the learning experiences and being able to connect learning with performance outcomes. For example, TorranceLearning hosts the xAPI Learning Cohort, a free 12-week vendor neutral virtual learning experience about the Experience API. We run this twice a year. The first time we offered the Cohort, 35 people participated. The next 3 Cohorts averaged 100 participants. The Spring 2018 Cohort had over 750 participants by time it was done. Now in it’s first few weeks, the Fall 2018 Cohort already has over 680 participants and growing daily. To me this is a clear sign of a shift in the industry and uptick in adoption. It’s an exciting time to be in Elearning.
What’s your favorite museum?
I *just* had this conversation today, actually. My heart belongs to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, where I served as a Trustee for 6 years, have spearheaded their successful TechTwilight event and built out a digital exhibit engagement program. My three runners up for both kid & adult visitors are The Henry Ford & Greenfield Village in Detroit, Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry and Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry. Each has a fabulously engaging array of exhibits and experiences as well as a robust community engagement model.
Name: Cara North
What do you do, and what is your favorite part of your job?
I’m a Learning Experience Designer that supports faculty at The Ohio State University. My favorite part of my job is creating learning experiences that engage students and get faculty excited about online teaching.
What makes you a qualified judge of eLearning MVPs?
This is my 10th year in L&D and I’ve done a little bit of everything: eLearning development, curriculum development, instructor-led training, LMS administration, L&D research, and project management. I have worked in corporate and higher education settings and I’m still in the trenches. I’m also working on my Ph.D. in Educational Studies with an emphasis in Learning technologies.
What’s a notable trend in eLearning that you’re seeing lately?
I’m excited that the focus is back on the training population. I’ve seen an emergence on using UX and marketing to influence eLearning. It’s about supporting the training population to help them do their jobs better!
What’s your favorite museum?
My favorite museum is the British Museum in London. I was able to visit this past summer and enjoyed seeing all of the Egyptian artifacts and the Rosetta Stone. Incredible to think about how pedestrian pots, jewelry, and other artifacts were to the ancient Egyptians but so awe-inspiring to us.
Name: Ryan Tracey
Check it out: Ryan’s website is E-Learning Provocateur.
What do you do, and what is your favorite part of your job?
I’m a Learning Innovation Manager, which essentially means that I am modernising L&D in the organization I work for. My favorite part of the job is observing the outcomes of the innovations we implement.
How did you get started in eLearning?
I was working for a textbook publishing company when the e-learning wave swept through the education sector. My boss asked for someone to take care of the “new media” portfolio, and I naively put up my hand up for it. I’ve been in e-learning in one form or another ever since.
What makes you qualified to judge eLearning MVPs?
Beyond education and experience, I’m a practitioner. I have unique insight into what works in the corporate environment (and conversely, what doesn’t) because I live it every day.
What’s a notable trend in eLearning that you’re seeing lately?
I’m seeing a big push towards on-demand learning, replacing much of the formal training (including online modules) for which we have neither the time nor the inclination.
What’s an interesting book that you’ve read lately?
I’m currently reading The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I’m fascinated by it for several reasons. While the different culture and era are entertaining on their own merits, the misidentification of the protagonist as the eponymous idiot on the basis of his epilepsy and kind-hearted nature by those around him are resonant of how I think we too often treat one another to this day. The plot mashes various other themes and characters, though too many for my liking, and I don’t always agree with the author’s push. Nonetheless it’s something different and it fires the little grey cells!