Tag: Social Learning

Meet Phoebe: A Cautionary Tale About Training and Certification

Posted on | by David Smith

Meet Phoebe: A Cautionary Tale About Certification, Safety, and a $100 million fine

Meet Phoebe, Our Unlikely Star

So, you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade from your old LMS, or maybe you’re moving to a fresh system like Totara. The first hurdle? Data. Most contracts will promise that you’ll “receive the data files.” Sounds easy enough – until you open them and realize you’re not a database wizard. No worries, this is where data mapping comes in handy, acting as your migration compass. Think of it as the Rosetta Stone, translating your old system’s cryptic table names and logic into something that fits into the new one.

Phoebe’s an endearing dog with a few quirks. She’s mastered sofa chewing and barking at postmen and, oddly enough, has a strange inclination to pursue professional certificates. While we adore her, one thing is clear: we wouldn’t trust her with decisions about health, safety, or finances. That’s a job for qualified humans.

Here’s the problem: Phoebe has over 100 professional certificates. She can drive a forklift truck, work at heights, and can even serve you a beer in Texas. Sadly, most online certifications don’t check IDs. Most don’t monitor participation. Most don’t detect the use of AI plugins that can answer assessment questions. 

What happens if you get it wrong?

Let’s illustrate with two cases

Valor Securities in New York failed to check if workers were undergoing construction safety training. Sadly, one worker fell to their death. So far, 24 people have been charged with a variety of offence,s including corruption.

Ernst & Young were fined $100 million after failing to check if their audit professionals were completing their exams. Many were found to be cheating on their exams or never actually taking them. Imagine the reputational damage.

Are you vulnerable? 

Proctoring is key

What can we learn from Phoebe and the above cases? 

First, you need a robust certification process. A high-quality certification system ensures candidates demonstrate real expertise, not just the ability to memorise information.

Second, you need to prove that people have taken courses and passed their certificates. No fakes. You need reliable proctoring to help protect your workers and avoid the consequences.

Invest in Real Expertise

At The Learning Syndicate, we believe in meaningful training and certification. It’s not about ticking boxes but fostering genuine expertise. When the right people are empowered, everyone’s well-being improves – humans and dogs alike!

So, let Phoebe stick to her antics and leave the critical decisions to properly trained professionals. By investing in reliable certification systems, we protect the integrity of essential roles and build trust in the people who hold them.

Want to Know More

Secure Your Training Certifications with Confidence – Download Our eBook Today!

Discover how to protect your organization from the risks of unverified certifications and compromised training programs. Our eBook explores real-world examples, highlights critical vulnerabilities, and provides innovative solutions for ensuring assessment integrity.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Why unverified certifications pose significant safety and financial risks.
  • The true cost of inadequate monitoring and verification in training.
  • How technology-powered, human-perfected proctoring solutions can safeguard your certification processes.

Take the first step towards safeguarding your organization. Download the eBook now and explore how our Totara Proctoring Solution can help you ensure compliance, boost learner engagement, and enhance training integrity.

How to Integrate LMS and LXP for Maximum Engagement

Posted on | by David Smith

How to Integrate LMS and LXP for Maximum Engagement

In today’s learning environment, the two big players – Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) – are essential business tools. But what happens when you integrate them? The magic happens: a seamless learning experience that keeps employees engaged and encourages them to adopt new training material faster. So, how do you merge these systems effectively to get the best of both worlds?

Let’s dive into it.

Why Integrate LMS and LXP?

Most companies already use an LMS to manage their formal training. These platforms host e-learning courses, track progress, and deliver compliance or skill-based training. On the other hand, LXPs are more about the learning experience, focusing on informal learning, social collaboration, and “learning in the flow of work.” While LMS handles structured learning, LXP thrives in peer-to-peer learning, content creation, and asynchronous discussions.

Combining these platforms allows you to build a dynamic, learner-centered ecosystem. Not only can you track formal learning, but you also encourage employees to engage in continuous, informal learning through an LXP. This blend is key to boosting engagement and adoption across the board.

6 Steps to Integrate LMS and LXP

Here’s a quick roadmap to integrating these two platforms:

  1. Support Formal Learning with Social Learning – Imagine employees participating in a formal onboarding program through the LMS, but also interacting with peers in an LXP. This informal learning network will allow new hires to ask questions, seek clarifications, and make connections – leading to better knowledge retention.
  2. Make Content Discovery Easier – An integrated LXP can surface content based on the learner’s role, experience, or interests. No more buried gems of knowledge! Learners get personalized recommendations, and the LMS content gains new visibility.
  3. Supplement Internal Learning with External Resources – LXPs provide a space where employees can share external resources like articles or videos they find valuable. This crowdsourcing of knowledge can reduce reliance on third-party training vendors and empower your team to build a learning culture from within.
  4. Enable learning in the Flow of Work – With an LXP, learning becomes as simple as answering a question on Slack. Workers can participate in discussions or contribute resources during breaks, making learning a part of their daily routine rather than a separate activity they need to block time for.
  5. Boost Knowledge Transfer Across Teams – Collaborative workspaces in LXPs create open forums where employees can exchange ideas and solve problems together. It’s like having a brainstorming session at your fingertips. This constant exchange ensures that learning is never siloed.
  6. Track Engagement with Robust Data – One of the best things about integrating LMS and LXP is the robust reporting that comes with it. An LXP not only shows you what people are learning but how they are engaging. This data provides deeper insights into which content formats are working and how formal and informal learning blend to drive better outcomes.

Benefits of LMS-LXP Integration

By integrating an LMS and LXP, you’re empowering your employees to learn in a way that suits them, while providing management with detailed insights into learning behaviors and preferences. This integrated approach leads to:

  • Increased engagement as employees can dip in and out of learning as needed.
  • Faster knowledge transfer, as employees collaborate and learn from one another.
  • Smarter reporting gives HR and learning teams the whole picture, not just part of it.

How Will This Impact Your Organization?

Organizations that integrate these platforms report higher engagement levels and stronger skill development. Employees have constant access to learning, whether it’s formal training via the LMS or informal discussions in the LXP. This improves performance and fosters a learning culture where knowledge is shared freely and personal development is encouraged.

If you want to create a learning environment that’s both structured and fluid, it’s time to integrate your LMS with an LXP. Together, they’ll make learning more engaging, accessible, and effective.

The Learning Syndicate a Platinum Partner with Totara

Building a Collaborative Digital Workspace for Remote Teams

Posted on | by David Smith

Building a Digital Workspace for Remote Teams

Remote work has changed the way we work together. We no longer drop by desks or chat over coffee. However, this change also brings new opportunities. Teams can now stay connected, share ideas, and grow in exciting ways. One way to do this is by creating a digital workspace.

A digital workspace is a single place for talking, learning, and working together. For instance, platforms like Totara Engage make it simple for teams to share ideas and help each other. So, let’s explore why digital workspaces are helpful and how to set one up.

Why Digital Workspaces Are Important

Working remotely or in a mix of remote and office settings can be hard. Without face-to-face chats, it’s more difficult to share ideas or solve problems. Thankfully, digital workspaces help solve this issue. For example, tools like Totara Engage let employees talk, share ideas, and work together at the same time. As a result, teams learn more and feel more connected. Not only do they work better, but they also feel closer as a team.

Onboarding New Team Members

Starting a new job can feel stressful. A digital workspace makes it much easier. Instead of hunting for answers, new employees can find everything they need in one place. For instance, you can include FAQs, team charts, and training guides. This helps new hires settle in quickly and feel supported. Additionally, they can introduce themselves to the team, which makes them feel welcome. According to a study by Glassdoor, most workers believe onboarding could improve. Clearly, a digital workspace helps solve this.

Making Knowledge Easy to Find

In every company, there are people everyone turns to for help. While this is useful, it can also slow things down. Instead of relying on the same people for answers, a digital workspace can keep everything in one place. For instance, you can add FAQs, guides, and videos so everyone can find answers themselves. Consequently, this saves time and helps the team work faster.

Handling Change and Growth

Every company goes through changes, such as growing fast or facing new challenges. A digital workspace makes it easier to handle these changes. For example, you can use it to share updates, policies, and other information. Moreover, workers can ask questions and give feedback, which helps leaders understand how changes affect the team. By keeping communication open, everyone stays on track, and confusion is reduced.

Keeping Employees Engaged

It is often hard to keep top workers happy. Fortunately, a digital workspace can help. It gives people a place to share ideas, show their skills, and help others. As a result, employees feel valued and more connected. When workers feel this way, they are more likely to stay. Furthermore, this also helps them grow in their careers.

Tips for Building Your Workspace

To make a workspace work well, it needs a clear goal and good leadership. First, decide why the workspace is needed, such as for training or managing projects. Next, get team members who like sharing ideas to help keep the space active. Finally, leaders should share updates, ask questions, and join discussions.

Conclusion

Digital workspaces are important for remote teams. They help workers stay connected, happy, and productive. With the right plan and tools, your team can succeed no matter where they are.

6 Easy Steps to Maximize Employee Engagement

Posted on | by David Smith

Maximizing Employee Engagement in 6 Simple Steps

Keeping employees engaged is key to success. Engaged employees are happier, work harder, and help businesses grow. So, how can you keep your team excited about their work?

Here are six easy steps to boost engagement!

1. Make Learning Easy

People love to learn, but they need access to good resources. If it’s hard to find learning tools, engagement drops. A Learning Experience Platform (LXP) can help. It puts useful content in one place, like guides or videos.

With the right tools, employees can even share resources with each other, keeping learning fun and easy.

2. Organize Information

There’s so much information out there. How do you find what’s useful? The answer: curation. Just like making a playlist, an LXP lets employees collect and share helpful resources.

This keeps things simple for everyone, whether they’re new to the team or have been around for years.

3. Encourage Teamwork

People don’t like working alone. When employees share ideas and learn together, they stay more engaged. Platforms like MS Teams or Slack let teams collaborate easily.

It’s like using a shared document but with more features for teamwork and feedback.

4. Celebrate Success

Everyone likes recognition. Whether it’s a badge or a shoutout, rewards show employees their work matters. Recognizing effort boosts morale and keeps people motivated.

When peers celebrate each other, it builds stronger connections and a positive work culture.

5. Make Learning Part of the Job

Stopping work to learn can feel disruptive. Integrating learning into daily tasks makes it easier. For example, quick learning prompts in Slack can keep employees engaged without pulling them away from work.

This approach makes learning feel natural and effective.

6. Track What Works

Data helps you see what’s working. Use reports to check which employees are engaged and what content they like. This info helps you adjust your strategy to keep things running smoothly.

Managers can also use data to spot top performers and those who need help, creating a better support system.

Ready to Get Started?

Improving engagement takes time and effort. Tools like Totara Engage can help you build a culture of learning and teamwork. Want to learn more? Request a demo today and see how Totara Engage can help your team thrive!