Why You Should Be Investing in Online Learning for Hard Skills Training

Soft skills are increasingly emphasized in job recruitment. Monster’s The Future of Work 2021: Global Hiring Outlook reported that when employers were asked to name the top skills they want in employees, they cited soft skills such as dependability, teamwork/collaboration, flexibility and problem-solving. These skills are desirable because they are regarded as harder to teach than hard skills. But as emphasis is placed on soft skills during job recruitment, conversations about the workforce’s hard “skills gap” grow louder. 

Just how deep is the skills gap void? Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute issued a report showing that as many as 2.4 million jobs could go unfilled in the next decade. To put a dollar amount to it, that gap could jeopardize $454 billion of economic output in 2028 or more than $2.5 trillion over the next decade. Furthermore, almost 40 percent of American employers say they cannot find people with the skills they need, even for entry-level jobs, according to McKinsey & Company. Almost 60 percent complain of lack of preparation, even for entry-level jobs. This sounds like a lot of untapped talent that could be developed with effective training. 

Employers are behind the eight ball when it comes to investing in training to address this workforce dilemma. Corporate investment in workforce training fell by 30 percent between 1999 and 2015. More generally, as a share of GDP, the U.S. federal government now invests less than half as much in workforce training as it did 30 years ago. However, a new hire for a skilled role can cost up to 20% more than workers that companies reskill to do the same tasks. So, why the hesitation? If organizations are aware of the continuously increasing skills gap and still aren’t investing in training, there must be something barring them from making the leap.  

Investing in training is risky — what if your investment doesn’t produce real training outcomes, doesn’t increase productivity, or doesn’t improve the organization’s bottom line? There remains an ambiguous connection between training initiatives and business outcomes. If a training solution could prove learning occurred and training was successful, organizations could then measure the business impact of training following implementation. There are a number of training solutions — apprenticeships, programs, instructor-led training, eLearning platforms — that aim to provide organizations with an alternative that effectively closes skill gaps. Amplifire’s brain science-based learning platform stands apart because of its ability to demonstrate that learning has occurred, thus ensuring training has been effective. 

Online learning offers a flexible solution for organizations who not only require training that fits within their structure, but also generates ROI and tangible outcomes. When it comes to upskilling, reskilling, and training employees, Amplifire’s adaptive platform creates a personalized learning experience for each learner. This, combined with proven-effective brain science principles incorporated throughout the platform’s design is what generates the positive outcomes that our customers experience — shown through our ability to provide evidence of learning. 

Amplifire not only employs cutting-edge science to close the skills gap but has also benefited businesses by decreasing employee turnover and preemptively mitigating risks. Here’s how effective learning can translate into ROI. 

How online learning improves business outcomes with effective training 

Close the skills gap by closing knowledge gaps 

From the Amplifire perspective, a skills gap is the result of a knowledge gap — one that can be filled by effective learning strategies. Our adaptive learning platform fixes knowledge gaps, uncertainty, and misinformation quickly by determining what learners already know, versus what they don’t. This way, the employees’ learning experience is tailored to their experience level. They spend less time training and more time on the job, cultivating their careers, equipped with more skills. 

This type of personalized learning for skills training increases employees’ growth potential, expanding their career opportunities. 

Decrease employee turnover 

We touched on how personalized learning for skills training increases employees’ growth potential, expanding their career opportunities. Additionally, personalized learning keeps employees actively engaged — and employee engagement is critical these days. A Workday report revealed that growth-related comments represented 8% of all employee comments in 2021 — a 2% increase compared to 2020. This figure puts lack of professional growth as a top correlate to high turnover rates. 

Amplifire also encourages the leadership side to engage with employees, as well. For example, when a learner demonstrates significant struggle on specific questions or topics, Amplifire’s reporting suite provides that information to instructors and/or managers as an opportunity for more personalized intervention. Ultimately, more one-on-one interactions emerge — perhaps an ironic result of a virtual solution. 

Learning experience aside, Amplifire was first and foremost designed to make learning stick. Our platform is armed with numerous cognitive triggers that have been found to help people learn faster and retain more information. Faster, better training means increased productivity, and increased productivity is good for your bottom line. 

Preemptively mitigate risks 

A unique capability of Amplifire’s learning platform is that it detects commonly held misinformation (CHM). CHM describes the scenario when a person believes they are correct, but they are actually wrong. This confidence, although misplaced, is a precursor to action. When a person is confident, they act. When they act based on a misconception, mistakes are made that can be insignificant or substantial. CHM is detrimental to good business and can cost organizations revenue or worse — but you’d never know it’s there until after the mistake was made. 

With the ability to detect and subsequently correct CHM before it results in costly mistakes is Amplifire’s superpower. As an online learning platform, we have the unique bandwidth to execute this feature.  

Other benefits of online learning for skills training 

Many of the business outcomes we discussed snowball into associated benefits. For example, offering skills training through Amplifire’s platform keeps employees engaged, thus promoting employee retention. But establishing a culture and infrastructure of training for hard skills not only helps to keep talent, it also allows companies to engage in more inclusive hiring practices. Say you find the perfect candidate, but they are lacking some hard skills as a result of circumstance. With an effective training program in place, companies can hire a wider range of talent. 

The bottom line is: training is good for your business. Moreover, investing in the right training solution is even better for your business. Online learning is a scalable, flexible solution that can be tailored to fit your business needs. Amplifire’s platform takes online learning a step further, combining brain science with personalized learning to create a uniquely effective experience for learners. As the skills gap continues to grow, fill the hole instead of yelling into the void. 

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

The Best Assessment Strategies for Effective Learning

When we think of assessments or tests in a learning context, we think of them as a tool for instructors to measure how much a student knows. But if the goal is to ensure that learners retain as much material as possible for as long as possible, what if the most effective use of assessments is before they’ve actually studied anything?  

At Amplifire, we’re concerned with better learning: remembering more, faster, over a longer period of time. And frankly, we believe that is everyone’s goal when it comes to learning. Our platform is built on brain science principles and employs the Socratic questioning method to stimulate learning. Our approach to assessment is science-based; and, as it turns out, assessments themselves can promote stronger, longer lasting memories. However, not all assessments are created equal. We’d like to share some of our research-backed testing strategies for better learning. 

Best type of test for learning: Multiple choice 

As we mentioned, not all assessment strategies are created equal. Some resources will say that open-ended, essay-like questions are the best way for students to practice recalling information. There are many types of test questions out there, including true/false, fill in the blank, the aforementioned essay, and more. But according to research by some of the world’s leading cognitive scientists, the multiple-choice format is the best type of test question to truly promote better, long-lasting learning.  

After all, testing isn’t simply about evaluating what learners know — the act of testing can be a tool to improve memory. In a study about testing efficacy, researchers Elizabeth Ligon Bjork, of the Bjork Learning and Forgetting Laboratory at UCLA, and Jeri L. Little concluded,  

“Answering multiple-choice questions…can enhance performance on a later test, not only on questions about the information previously tested, but also on questions about related information not previously tested — in particular, on questions about information pertaining to the previously incorrect alternatives.” 

They then investigated why this is true. The format of a multiple-choice question presents a prompt with several answers in which one or more choices are correct, and one or more choices are incorrect. The test-taker must read and contemplate all the answers to determine which is correct, invoking a “search and retrieval” of information stored in the brain. Therefore, multiple choice is not merely about recognizing the correct answer. It is a combination of recognition and recall, tapping into the cognitive process that increases memory retrieval and storage strength. 

How to design an effective multiple-choice test 

There are several criteria that ensure your multiple-choice assessment is optimized for maximum efficacy. Factors like timing, feedback, and content design all contribute to the quality of the questions and ultimately the quality of retention derived from the assessment. That is because these factors are known cognitive triggers — mechanisms that maximize the brain’s natural memory processes. The multiple-choice format, combined with these factors, can help any learner retain more. 

Timing 

Tests are most often given after learning and studying to gauge learners’ retention. Learners implement a variety of study methods — from flashcards to notes, from cramming to spaced-out prep — in the hopes of achieving a high score. But if the ultimate goal is truly to learn and retain as much as possible, then it might surprise you that the best time to give a test isn’t after students learn material, but before they study anything. 

The reason pretesting is so effective for learning is because it invokes a cognitive trigger known as priming. When compared to traditional studying, pretesting before learning and studying — or “priming” — results in higher test scores, regardless of whether learners perform well on a pretest (a 2010 study).  

Not only is pretesting conducive to better learning, but it also helps learners and instructors gauge existing knowledge, so they know where to focus attention. Rather than wasting time learning what they already know, learners can focus on topics they struggle with. 

Feedback 

If you’re using multiple-choice assessments as a pretest, this process allows for feedback either during learning or after the test is completed. Feedback is a great way to directly access the brain’s natural memory-storage process to help learners retain more correct information. 

Studies have shown that feedback in the form of a correct answer and explanation can improve retention dramatically. This is especially true for low-confidence, correct answers. Let’s face it, we’re not always confident about the answers we give, but feedback including the right answer can help solidify correct information in learners’ minds. Therefore, offering an opportunity for feedback (slightly delayed after a learner answers a question) can greatly enhance retention. 

Content 

When it comes to writing multiple-choice questions, the content of the entire question matters, even the incorrect answers. The key to designing an effective multiple-choice test is to make sure all the content in the questions serves a purpose. The study by Elizabeth Bjork and Jeri L. Little not only determined that the multiple-choice format led to better learning outcomes, but also determined specifically what type of content led to those outcomes. They post-tested for results comparing a group that pretested with multiple-choice questions that contained non-competitive (obviously incorrect compared to the correct answer) incorrect responses and a group that pretested with questions that contained competitive (intentionally similar) incorrect responses. They found that the content in the alternative, incorrect responses made an impact on later test performance on related material. Learners who took the test with competitive alternatives performed better on a later test than the other group. Content matters, even if it’s the incorrect response. 

These triggers are built into Amplifire’s eLearning platform, along with a few others. Like we mentioned during our discussion of feedback, learners aren’t always confident in the answers they choose — which isn’t a bad thing. For example, another trigger known as metacognition is also woven into the platform’s answering process. Learners can indicate whether they feel confident or unsure about their answer or indicate that they don’t know the answer. The process of thinking about how much you know strengthens the pathways around that information, promoting stronger learning. 

So, while multiple-choice format gets a bad reputation as an easier form of testing, it is the most effective way to test — not only for evaluation purposes, but for more thorough learning. By enhancing your multiple-choice pretests with certain cognitive triggers, you set learners up for success with stronger memories and better retention with less time spent learning, overall. 

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

Amplifire Partner, Pri-Med Institute, Receives Two NAMEC Best Practice in CME Awards for 2021

An Amplifire partner, Pri-Med Institute, is the recipient of two 2021 Best Practice Awards from the National Association of Medical Education Companies (NAMEC). The 17th annual NAMEC Best Practice in CME Awards recognize best practices — ideas or processes that can be implemented by NAMEC members to improve continuing medical education (CME/CE). We are excited to join in celebrating Pri-Med’s continued accomplishments in continuing medical education and are proud to have collaborated on an award-winning course.

Of the two award-winning courses, “Treating More Than Just an Itch: Updates on Atopic Dermatitis for the Primary Care Provider” — which was developed in partnership with the Amplifire Healthcare Alliance — was recognized as “Best Practice in Enduring Material Educational Design.” By working with Amplifire, this leader in continuing medical education created a curriculum that combines the principles of active cognitive brain science and artificial intelligence to provide clinicians with a personalized pathway to mastery.

The Pri-Med Institute also received “Best Practice in Collaboration Among CME Stakeholders” for the CME/CE curriculum “Current Issues in Obesity: Stigma, Science, and Solutions,” developed in partnership with the Obesity Medicine Association.

Mindi Daiga, vice president of accreditation at Pri-Med, said “With our fifth NAMEC award in the past two years, we’re proud to be at the forefront of developing relevant education that meets the needs of clinicians and their patients.” She added, “We’ll continue to work with top-tier clinical faculty and education partners to develop courses that provide the latest medical insights, in the formats that best serve the primary care community.”

To read the full press release, go to “Pri-Med Institute Receives Two NAMEC Best Practice in CME Awards for 2021.” Learn more about how Amplifire is helping organizations put the power of brain science to work.

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

How eLearning is Making the Learning Experience More Personal

In a post-pandemic world, offering virtual options is now the bare minimum. People expect personalization. Technology has been the go-to solution in the face of pandemic challenges; but, while tech often inherently allows for more flexibility, it’s not always a personalized experience for users. Whether in a virtual, hybrid, or in-person setting, employees are demanding to be seen as more than just a number. Therefore, it is critical to choose tech that understands the nuances of balancing your employees’ needs and organization-wide goals. An eLearning platform that has the capabilities to provide a highly personalized learning experience for employees is the solution. 

The importance of personalized learning 

“Personalized learning” refers to learning experiences that meet employees where they are. Many experts say it offers an elegant solution to a long-standing dilemma: Learning and development are critical to corporate success, but if leaders aren’t careful, training can quickly swallow big chunks of employees’ time and a company’s budget. One-size-fits-all never works, and as it turns out, it is an expensive waste of time for employees and the organization. That’s where personalized learning makes a difference. 

At Amplifire, we see the impact of personalized learning through our training results. Our platform guides employees to proficiency in less time at less cost. Take electronic health record (EHR) training, for example. EHR installations can cost billions. At UCHealth, a national center for EHR training, classroom instruction has been fully replaced with Amplifire. The result was a 56% reduction in training time and an estimated $1.45 million in cost savings. These consequential organizational results aside, UCHealth’s providers returned to the floor with the confidence to do their job to the best of their ability because their training targeted exactly what they needed to know and didn’t waste time reteaching what they already knew.  

Personalized, “learner-centric” training can be applied in corporate training settings with the same results: a >50% reduction in training time is common across the board. It is possible to achieve strong results consistently because learner-centric training puts the learner back at the center of the learning process — they are active agents in their learning. To truly offer an effective personalized learning experience, your training platform must be learner centric. 

3 Must-haves to personalize the online learning experience 

It may seem contradictory to claim that online learning could be more personal than literal in-person instruction. But as a company whose job is to ensure learning is effective and long-lasting, a personalized, learner-centric approach is at the heart of Amplifire’s eLearning platform. We rely on features that not only make the online learning experience better but have also proven to be more effective than traditional teaching and training methods. Here are some examples of what personalized learning looks like in a training platform: 

1. Adaptive platform 

An adaptive platform that adjusts to individual learners’ knowledge levels is essential to learning personalization. It tailors the experience to learners’ needs, filling in knowledge gaps, shoring up uncertainties, and correcting misconceptions. By adapting to their knowledge level, trainees don’t waste time relearning things they already know. Instead, they spend more time only on subjects they demonstrate struggle with. The platform then provides feedback to support active learning that sticks. Furthermore, trainees receive real-time guidance from Amplifire’s virtual coach. The coach encourages and cajoles trainees to keep up the good work, improve their pace, or to keep focused when they get off track. 

Amplifire’s adaptive platform is uniquely learner-centric because it allows trainees to indicate whether they don’t know an answer, are unsure about the answer they’re providing, or if they are answering confidently. This feature represents a particularly effective brain science technique that allows the platform to identify areas of weakness and adjust accordingly.  We’ll explain this personalized aspect in a bit more depth… 

2. Brain science-based techniques 

A common assumption about online learning is that platforms tend to neglect the humanity of the learner on the other side of the screen. However, our platform harnesses the brain’s natural learning mechanisms, which are innately personalized to the human experience. Combined with our adaptive algorithm that guides each learner, the cognitive science principles built into the platform provide yet another level of personalization. 

Amplifire is built on 23 cognitive triggers that are proven to make learning stick. One such trigger is meta-cognition which is built into the answering format we previously described. When learners think about how well they do or do not know something, it forces extra attention to strengthen or fill in any knowledge gaps, thus, better learning! What’s more personal than a platform that values how a trainee thinks and feels while they learn. 

Another trigger is feedback. Research indicates that a slight delay in feedback is optimal for better learning. So, when a learner gives an answer, feedback is adjusted to whether they answer incorrectly, correctly, or hesitantly, and is given with a slight delay. This is experience is tailored to individuals and is not one-size-fits-all feedback.   

These are just two examples of nearly two-dozen triggers embedded in the Amplifire platform to enhance the learning process on a personal level. 

3. Analytics

Robust analytics collected on an individual basis provide an outlook on a learner’s starting point and progress, down to the exact instances of misconceptions, uncertainties, and gaps up to the degree of mastery.  

But analytics aren’t only for back-end use — they can help learners inform their own progress, too. If learners are preparing for certification exams, tests, or simply gauging their knowledge on a particular topic, self-assessment pre-tests are a great way to identify where to focus time and effort. These pre-tests also act as a priming mechanism — another powerful cognitive trigger to make learning stick. 

Learners can also access their personal dashboard, which is constructed on the fly during learning. The dashboard gives each learner insight into their pathway to mastery. 

Online training doesn’t have to be cold, impersonal, and boring. In fact, when built right, it can be extremely engaging, highly personalized, and uniquely effective. 

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

Leverage Online Learning to Enhance Your Learning & Development Strategy

Over the past two-plus years, the workforce has changed dramatically. Although we are emerging from the chaos of a pandemic, the reality is that we live in a changed world. Technology has enabled remote work and made us more productive than ever before. In this same vein, online learning — including online training and professional development opportunities — has the potential to make us smarter than ever. Forward-thinking employers have been investing in training platforms that quickly and effectively onboard, train, reskill, and upskill their employees at all stages of their career while reaping the analytics to continuously optimize and refine their process to achieve maximum ROI.

To help their people and your organization at large achieve their full potential, leaders and learning and development professionals need to evaluate their L&D strategy with a critical eye. The most effective way to gain insight into if an employee training and development program is working, is to employ an adaptive learning platform, such as Amplifire. The adaptive nature of the platform allows for a completely personalized learning experience which, in turn, collects valuable learner analytics. These learner analytics can provide deeper insights into employees’ progress, knowledge, and skill levels; inform instructional intervention; and help calculate your ROI. Eventually, these insights inform organizational development strategy moving forward.

In the modern world, the strength  of your learning and development strategy cannot be comprehensively evaluated without the help of an effective eLearning platform. To maximize your organization’s potential, here is what industry leaders should be looking at:

Employee training and development audit

When it comes to providing a learning experience that helps your people learn the right things faster and retain more training, it is important to align your L&D strategy with your organization’s goals and nail down your learners’ persona(s).

Strategy

The first step in your learning & development audit is to refine your strategy. Without the big picture in mind, high-level objectives remain allusive. A tangible outline can kick start the process of materializing goals.

Consider these questions:

• What is the mission? What do you do? How do you do it? Who do you do it for?
• What are your L&D departmental objectives? Do they align with the organization’s mission?
• What initiatives will accomplish these objectives?
• What KPIs measure success of the initiatives?
• What is the timeline? What milestones will you set?

To sufficiently attack your initiatives and overall objectives, use the SMART approach. Your efforts should be specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timebound. Ultimately, your training content will reflect your initiatives and objectives, and L&D strategy at large. Amplifire’s rich analytics lets you know if your content is landing with learners or if they are struggling to grasp certain topics, skills, and ideas. A high struggle rate may indicate that it is time to update or refine training content.

Persona

Let’s be honest, one-size-fits-all never works. Don’t doom your new L&D strategy from the start by assuming it works for every individual. To ensure your new L&D strategy reaches all your employees, you must identify their learner personas.

A learner persona might include:

• Name, age, seniority, and previous experience
• Role
• Areas of struggle
• Hard skills acquired
• Career aspirations

Just as marketing teams use personas to reach their target audience as potently as possible, leadership can identify personas to guide decisions where content and learning materials are produced.

Modern learners expect a personalized learning experience. They don’t want to waste time reviewing content they have already mastered. As an adaptive learning platform, Amplifire assesses learners’ current knowledge level and tailors content to fill knowledge gaps, uncertainty, and misinformation. Meet all your employees’ needs through adaptive learning, whether they are brand new or have 20 years’ experience in your industry. They will appreciate that you have respected their time with an adaptive approach.

Personalized learning also works to keep learners engaged. Furthermore, Amplifire uses cognitive triggers that are proven to make learning last by stimulating the brain’s natural sense of curiosity. Our platform is based on powerful brain science discoveries, and curiosity is just one of 27 triggers used to make learning stick for good. Tech often makes the mistake of forgetting who is on the other end: a human being! A foundation in biology — cognitive and neuroscience, specifically — is what sets Amplifire’s platform apart. It’s critical appeal to how people actually learn to see results.

Data and learner analytics audit

Learning and development teams spend countless hours developing training courses for employees. But inevitably, organizations need to ask: is this training effective? Do employees find it useful? Are we properly supporting organizational goals and improving performance? Without robust learner analytics, a training program’s impact is subjective.

Some helpful questions to evaluate the analytics provided by your learning platform:

• What metrics are tracked?
  • Are they vanity metrics, or are they deeply insightful?
• Are the metrics indicative of your L&D strategy’s success?
  • Are you using initiative KPIs?
• Can you leverage these metrics in other ways?
  • Will they help refine your training content?
  • Will they report on the success of your initiatives?
  • Are they useful in informing ongoing L&D strategy?
  • Can you connect training outcomes to business outcomes?

We’re not talking about a cluttered dashboard of confusing acronyms and seemingly arbitrary numbers. At Amplifire, we’re talking specifics: the ability to pinpoint exactly who knows what, how much of it they know, and how well they know it. This type of learner analytic provides the unique ability to see inside the minds that make up your organization, allowing you to nurture your talent and mitigate risks that arise from commonly held misinformation.

Moreover, our struggle report allows L&D teams to identify which individuals may need further remediation. Intervening when employees struggle not only eliminates the risk of costly mistakes down the line, but also provides an additional learning opportunity, as well as a chance to genuinely invest in employees’ success.

These analytics equip instructors and L&D teams with tools to offer the highest quality training in a fraction of the time, often at a lower cost, and always with improved outcomes.

ROI and the Big Picture

Choosing an adaptive eLearning platform for your learning and development initiatives can provide deep insights into what kind of return on investment your employees are gaining from their training, and what return your organization is seeing in the long run. Amplifire customers often see returns in the form of shortened training time, reduced training costs, and improved outcomes for learners and organizations at large. Every organization has different learning and development priorities. Here are some examples:

Time Saved	Costs Saved	Revenue Gains
EHR installations can cost billions. At UCHealth, a national center for Epic training, classroom instruction has been fully replaced with Amplifire. Savings: 56% reduction in training time with $1.45 million estimated cost savings.	At Intermountain Healthcare, a  system of 23 hospitals, results are measured in mistakes avoided, lives saved, and reimbursement from insurers. Savings: $3.6 million ROI: 25×	At this leading telecom , where customer service performance is measured in revenue per 100 calls, Amplifire was tested against legacy training. Revenue increase: 123%

We help organizations achieve results like this because we make learning stick. With brain science-based techniques, adaptive learning, and a plethora of robust reporting at your fingertips, your L&D strategy can come to life, propelling your organization full steam ahead into the new reality.

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

How Hybrid Learning Can Inform Instructor-Led Training

Most industries are using help from data analytics, including education and training. Data analytics applied in a learning context is also known as learning analytics. The learning analytics market value is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of ~24% to reach $36.59 billion by 2029, according to the latest market projections. There is a reason why the learning analytics market is growing so rapidly, and that’s because educators and learning & development leaders have recognized the untapped potential in learning optimization. In a world where ROI is becoming increasingly critical, learning analytics can provide diagnostic and predictive analysis for a faster, more effective learning experience. New learning technologies — specifically adaptive eLearning platforms — that collect learner data can facilitate personalized learning and interventions that enhance the learning experience and improve learner outcomes.

Without the support of an eLearning platform that provides robust analytics, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to provide an optimized, personalized learning experience. We’re not referring to a tech takeover, but rather to the ability to harness insights gathered by learning algorithms that can inform instructor-led training and teaching.

For Amplifire, our eLearning solution is often used in a hybrid learning environment to supplement in-person instruction with online learning, or in a primarily online setting with in-person intervention and remediation. The platform gives you the remarkable ability to see how the facts, concepts, processes, and procedures that you are teaching are arrayed in the minds of your learners so that you can make necessary adjustments to the curriculum until all have mastered it. This deeper level of insight into your learners’ minds would not be possible without learner analytics — analytics that only Amplifire works to provide to instructors. Not all eLearning platforms offer insights that instructors can use in an actionable way to optimize their instruction. Here are some of the ways you can use Amplifire’s eLearning platform in a hybrid environment: 

5 ways hybrid learning informs instructor-led training: 

1.     Identify knowledge gaps

Not all learners start at the same knowledge level. Knowledge gaps exist in all types of learners, from students in a classroom, to trainees with no experience to twenty years’ experience. As an instructor, it can be difficult to tailor lessons to wide ranging gaps in knowledge — not to mention the gaps that learners aren’t aware of. When instructors use Amplifire as a priming tool, they not only prepare learners for an upcoming lesson, but they can also use the data from the assessment to identify what topics need to be covered and what learners already know. This makes instructors’ efforts more efficient and relevant to the learners.

2.     Increase learner engagement

If learners aren’t engaged, they’re not learning. Some eLearning platforms use passive learning techniques — like PowerPoint or video. Without active engagement, learners can zone out. As it turns out, there is a science behind learner engagement and improved learning quality — at Amplifire, we like to call it: how to make learning stick, as our Science Advisory Board member Henry Roediger writes in his book “Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning.” Around 27 cognitive triggers are built into the platform and are proven to keep learners engaged, who subsequently learn faster and retain more. Tap into learners’ curiosity effortlessly with the help of cognitive science.

3.     Pinpoint struggle

As an instructor, guiding learners to the best possible outcome is the top priority. However, doing so is difficult without a personalized approach. In other eLearning platforms, a learner can click enough times to finally get the right answer without much learning taking place. This behavior can indicate that a learner doesn’t truly understand the material and hasn’t actually learned it. Amplifire, however, tracks the amount of struggle a learner faces and with what questions they are associated — pinpointing what topics they may need further coaching. Not all material comes as naturally to every learner. With a feature like this, instructors can offer a personalized learning experience for individuals, or create small study groups for those with similar struggle. 

4.     Create robust remediation plans

Identifying knowledge gaps and struggle are one thing but refining exactly what topics need elaboration or remediation is another. Amplifire can provide these insights to instructors on the topic-specific, individual, or group levels via reporting. 

When Amplifire’s platform was deployed at a private university, instructors were able to access reporting that detailed exactly which students were struggling and where. Instructors were able to be proactive with an intervention plan that was personalized for the student. Using this approach, student grades increased by over 51% in a class with notoriously high failure rates.

Additionally, when Amplifire is used in on-the-job training, it detects and corrects instances of misinformation, knowledge gaps, and struggle. But for learners who show significant signs of struggle, especially with life-threatening topics such as central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), actionable reports are generated from individuals’ interactions for instructors to conduct highly informed interventions. In a case where 588 nurses took a course covering CLABSI topics, 89 learners showed evidence of high struggle. In this case, instructors were able to offer personalized remediation to help these learners succeed on the job. When lives are at stake, this level of individualized attention and personalized intervention is critical.

Sometimes, multiple people struggle on the same topics. If, as an instructor, you could access data that organizes who struggles by what topic, you may then create study groups by topic, making your instruction more efficient and impactful because it is optimized to your learners’ needs. Moreover, in onboarding situations, learners can begin with a wide range of preexisting knowledge. Some learners may fly through material, while some may struggle with more advanced topics. Instructors can then group students by experience and struggle, ensuring everyone achieves mastery. 

5.     Enrich course content

When instructional design and eLearning come together, design intersects with science to create a powerful, efficient, and effective learning experience. Instructors can bring their designs to life and enrich lessons with dynamic content to illustrate information in the most effective way.

Struggle data can inform not only where there is learner struggle but an issue with the content itself. For instance, if instructors see that a lot of learners are struggling with a particular question or topic, it could be an indicator that there may be room for revision on the content level.

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

Dos and Don’ts of Hybrid Learning

For more than two years now, virtual has been the new reality. Corporate America has leaned into virtual work and training, and few have looked back (and those who have, have been met with a wrath of protest). Schools have incorporated more technology than ever before to keep students on track. While the circumstances of the pandemic forced this virtual experiment, we’re now — thankfully — in a place where we have the privilege to ask, “Is this new reality working?”

There are pros and cons to each side: in-person interaction is still invaluable in many situations, and virtual solutions can make life easier in between (read: work and training has become more efficient, and students are more engaged). The fact is, we can’t go back to the way it was before — we live in a changed world, post-pandemic. But what we can do is take a look at the things that work and the things that don’t and forge a more efficient, modern world. Thus, hybrid learning rises from the firestorm of virtual trial and error.

As an eLearning platform, hybrid learning is the name of the game here at Amplifire. Built on brain science principles, our platform is designed to harness technology to promote faster, longer lasting learning. Whether in schools or the workforce, our users benefit from a personalized learning experience made possible by brain-science-backed techniques and analytics. However, humanity is at the core of what we do. Our platform is meant to support people working to achieve better outcomes through learning, which is why we want to share some of our experience with hybrid learning and discuss the dos and don’ts when it comes to navigating this space.

What is hybrid learning?

Hybrid learning is the comprehensive approach of combining the best parts of in-person learning with the most effective parts of virtual learning. It’s more than just half in-person, half online. It’s a strategic format that puts the learner at the center of the experience, incorporating the best teaching strategies for better learning and stronger retention.

Many resources will describe hybrid learning as a type of blended learning or use the terms interchangeably, but they are two separate teaching styles. Blended learning refers to combining the traditional in-person setting with any digital technology. Examples include the use of whiteboards, learning software, computer labs, etc. On the other hand, hybrid learning uses a virtual setting to complement, enrich, or supplement in-person learning, usually in equal parts. In this way, it takes blended learning into the post-pandemic space where teaching is more learner-centric, rather than forcing the learner to conform to one setting.

What are the benefits of hybrid learning?

For a while, in-person learning was all we knew. Virtual learning had been growing since before the pandemic, particularly in adult learning settings, from higher education to on-the-job training and beyond. While the pandemic gave virtual solutions a bad rap (we know, the Slack sound is triggering), hybrid learning is truly an asset to schools and corporations moving forward. Here’s why:

Flexibility. Hybrid learning doesn’t eliminate in-person learning, it just adds to it. Learning comes to the learner, rather than the other way around. When learners can participate in their own time at their own pace, they ultimately spend more time learning than figuring out transportation or scheduling.

Inclusivity. Hybrid learning is more inclusive than the traditional in-person setting. The ability to learn anywhere allows those who don’t have access to reliable transportation to participate more regularly. Hybrid learning is more accommodating for those with other work, family, and educational obligations. For students who require accommodations for special needs or disabilities, eLearning can offer support where schools and organizations might not have the resources.

Efficacy. Let’s face it: in-person learning is simply not the most effective method for teaching and training. Thanks to the work done by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus on the forgetting curve, we understand the importance of incorporating brain science principles like repetition. Just seven days after a training session, employees will have forgotten 65% of the material covered. The same applies to students. Replace that one-and-done session with a hybrid scenario where learners are presented and quizzed on the material more than once, and the material is more likely to stick.

Personalization. The one-size-fits-all approach never works — whether it’s a tee-shirt or a lesson plan, uniformity is ineffective. Learners progress at different rates, depending on prior knowledge, misconceptions, distractions, and other factors. Technology has the bandwidth to make it possible for instructors to incorporate adaptive learning and meet learners where they are.

Cost. The pandemic has had a lasting effect on the workforce. Many schools and organizations are feeling the pressure of labor shortages and increasing costs, leaving employees feeling the strain. Employees need more support as employers work to offer what they can. eLearning has emerged as a cost-effective solution. Data insights and virtual tools can support teachers who are overextended. Amplifire’s learning algorithms have shown to deliver effective employee training in less time at lower costs. In a time of financial strain, hybrid solutions ease the burden on all fronts.

Hybrid learning dos and don’ts:

Don’t: let learners get discouraged

Remote learners are susceptible to virtual burnout (think: the Zoom meeting that could have been an email; students getting antsy during virtual class). So, it’s imperative that instructors keep things interesting. It’s okay to acknowledge the burnout and prime hybrid learning with a positive outlook.

Do: take advantage of different teaching mediums

Hybrid learning allows for a variety of teaching styles that are limited in person. With the help of tech, instructors can offer in-person lectures, debates, discussion groups, self-paced learning, videos, graphics, pre-recorded lessons, interactive games, and more. Each style has its best use case where it’s most effective.

Don’t: neglect change management features

The transition to hybrid learning doesn’t have to be challenging. You won’t have to manage everything on your own — a good platform will support your change. Consider how your lesson plan or training program can adapt to a virtual format. Implement instructional design principles to build a hybrid program that suits your needs.

Do: invest in the right tech

Not all eLearning platforms are created equal. Choose a platform that enhances the learning experience. When used correctly, they make learning stick better and longer. Techniques based in brain science, like gamification, repetition, curiosity, feedback, and metacognition, enrich any lesson plan, making it more effective on a biological level.

For example, when the Amplifire eLearning platform — which is built using the techniques mentioned above — was implemented at a private university as a supplement to classroom learning, grades increased by 51%, and the average final grade increased from 57% to 86%. Retention rates increased and failure rates decreased — dramatically.

Do: let virtual instruction inform in-person interactions

Virtual and in-person learning should complement each other in a hybrid scenario. Instructors can use insights from virtual learning to inform in-person sessions. For example, Amplifire’s Virtual AI  identifies where specific students are struggling and helps instructors formulate an action plan for further teaching. Tech doesn’t replace instructors — it supports them.

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

Instructional Design and eLearning: Education’s Dynamic Duo

Instructional design dates back to World War II, when hundreds of thousands of soldiers needed to be well trained — and fast. Psychologists and education specialists were called upon to both assess soldiers’ learning abilities and to create training materials en masse. B.F. Skinner’s stimulus-response techniques, positive reinforcement training, and behavior-based feedback were put to practice, where instructors maintained the optimistic assumption that all learners could achieve mastery through better training. This was also the first time that audio-visual aids, like short films, were used for training purposes. This marked the beginning of technology being used for teaching. From the start, instructional design and its precursors were always forward thinking.

Instructional design is an essential component of effective teaching today. When coupled with an eLearning environment, teaching can be optimized in ways that make the potential for learning limitless. Let’s investigate.

What is instructional design and why is it important for better learning?

Instructional design is the process by which learning experiences are designed, developed, and delivered. It is so much more than simply creating instructional material. It blends learning theory, behavioral psychology, and communication strategies to craft an effective learning experience for a target group of people. In this way, instructional design is inherently learner-centric, focusing on why students learn, how they learn best, and what methods of instruction will be most effective.

The instructional designer is the one who applies the aspects mentioned above and is responsible for creating the course design as well as instructional materials. The instructional designer conducts analysis to determine the best strategies to use for learners. Again, it’s an extremely learner-centric process.

Instructional design is important because it puts the learner back at the center of the learning process. Oftentimes, teaching the material is the main priority, but that doesn’t mean the material will be retained by default. Sure, instructors can lecture at length, or splice in a variety of videos, images, sounds, etc. to spice up a lesson. But without intention, these efforts are in vain. Instructional design ensures the material is taught effectively by the most appropriate means.

Key principles of instructional design

Depending on where you look, you may find anywhere from five to nine standard instructional design principles. To cover all the bases, we’ll include all nine, which derive from American education psychologist Robert Gagné. The principles are also known as Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction and serve as a checklist to help managers, trainers, and facilitators structure their training. They fall into three phases:

1. Preparation
   • Gain attention
   • Inform learners of the objectives
   • Stimulate recall of prior learning
2. Instruction and practice
   • Present new content
   • Provide guidance
   • Elicit performance
   • Provide feedback
3. Assessment and transfer
   • Assess learning performance
   • Enhance retention and performance

These principles guide the process of teaching to ensure a better learning experience on behalf of the learner. The principles are step one. Step two is to determine the best mode of teaching — the best way to make the lessons stick. This is where an eLearning platform can be extremely useful.

Instructional design and eLearning

When instructional design meets eLearning, a dynamic duo is born. It’s no coincidence that Amplifire’s own eLearning platform, which is built on brain science discoveries, echos many Gagné’s principles for effective learning. Research like Gagné’s and the members of Amplifire’s Science Advisory Board exists so instructors in any setting can maximize teaching’s effectiveness.

Technological mediums, like eLearning platforms, enable instructional design to operate at its highest capacity. For example, Amplifire’s teaching algorithms prime and prepare learners for new material — one of the most effective triggers for better learning. During the “instruction and practice” phase, Amplifire actively engages learners with more research-backed learning triggers. The platform gauges learners’ confidence to determine their knowledge level and meets them where they are to provide feedback and guidance in real time. Meanwhile, instructors have access to analytical data on the back end to assess learners’ performance to offer further guidance. These features are proven to improve retention and performance, which align with the goals of instructional design.

When instructional design and eLearning come together, design intersects with science to create a powerful, efficient, and effective learning experience. Teaching is really about how well a student learns, so why not use practices that put the learner at the center of the whole process?

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. Learn more about how Amplifire helps people learn better and faster by checking out a demo.

How eLearning Will Close the Learning Gaps in K-12 Math

The pandemic has created a lasting, devasting effect on education, leaving many students struggling to keep pace with their grade standard. Many point in blame to the coldhearted limitations of virtual learning. Others cite systemic powers at large for widening education gaps and poor test scores. The bottom line is that the education system desperately needs a solution, and one that satisfies a very nuanced set of requirements, at that. eLearning and other hybrid and virtual solutions are not the enemy, but rather, may be the bridge that closes the learning gaps.

According to a 2021 study that analyzed data from more than 2,500 K-12 students using curriculum-based online learning software both before and during the pandemic shutdown found that students’ performance actually increased during the shutdown. Evidence of the improvement was shown through teachers assigning more difficult problem sets to students during the school closures compared to the year before. Even more interesting, the data indicate performance improvements were higher for students categorized as low performing, suggesting a narrowing learning gap between students.

Even still, math scores are lower than ever in the U.S., and there is no shortage of reasoning behind it. Although eLearning has shown positive results in action, what is required to implement edtech in a realistic, effective way?

Barriers and difficulties for students learning mathematics

Many students are still feeling the effects of the pandemic where their education is concerned. In-person learning has resumed and has shown that the hardships of the pandemic exacerbated existing problems, while piling on a few new ones, too.

Statistics continue to emerge which reveal socioeconomic barriers for K-12 students learning math. According to the latest research covering 5.4 M U.S. students, average fall 2021 math test scores in grades 3-8 were 0.20-0.27 standard deviations (SDs) lower relative to same-grade peers in fall 2019 — a significant drop. Moreover, test-score gaps between students in low-poverty and high-poverty elementary schools grew by approximately 20% in math. So, A) students aren’t learning as well as they should be and B) more resources are needed to serve children from all communities in pursuit of education.

On the topic of resources, the U.S. education system — like most other industries — is facing a shortage. Teachers are over-worked and under-paid, and schools lack funding to solve this issue. Schools also lack funds to offer the resources to ensure all students are adequately served, for one reason or another.

All this considered, why should schools invest in tech? Well, the Wall Street Journal reported that “K–12 school districts in the US haven’t spent 93% of the $122 billion in Covid relief they were awarded last year.” These funds will disappear in September 2024 if they’re not used. And while this money could not reasonably support new full-time hires (due to the limited time frame of the money allowance) and supply chain shortages prevent infrastructure projects (ventilation systems, etc.) from moving ahead, tech is still on the table.

Benefits of eLearning for K-12 learners

With over 3.8 billion learner interactions on our platform, we can speak with confidence from our own experience at Amplifire about the benefits of eLearning:

Support struggling students with intervention and remediation

Students struggle to learn for a variety of reasons. It can be difficult from the school’s standpoint to accommodate each and every reason, whether due to a lack of resources or bandwidth. When the responsibility falls on the teacher, this can be daunting as well, especially when teachers are stretched to the max. This is where a solution, like Amplifire specifically, can help.

Again, we are speaking from experience. Our platform collects data to pinpoint where students struggle or have misconceptions. Analytics identify knowledge gaps and offer remediation suggestions based on the actual course material. This reporting capability is completely personalized to the student and their learning habits. This way, teachers are able to offer at-the-elbow assistance with all the information they need to help struggling students on a more personal level, preventing them from falling behind or missing necessary lessons.

Self-paced learning opportunities allow for advanced learning

eLearning has the bandwidth to support students at varying levels of proficiency. Where schools may lack the resources to accommodate “gifted” students as well as “average” or “struggling” students all at once, technology-based instruction can adapt to students’ needs. Students who have demonstrated mastery can move ahead or take more advanced courses while the platform still ensures struggling students get the help they need. It’s a win-win.

Course design supports the way teachers want to help their students

While smaller classrooms are usually preferred for the sake of more hands-on teaching and individualized attention, it’s not always possible to offer them. eLearning solutions like Amplifire give instructors the bandwidth to offer more guidance without overexertion and burnout. Schools and instructors can design and customize courses to meet educational standards and to best serve their students. Instructors can then see how students are learning, whether many students are struggling with a certain topic, or only a few individuals are having trouble. This can inform how class time is spent, allowing instructors to increase the overall efficiency of their lessons. Moreover, like we mentioned before, instructors can also have the tools in formation they need to offer more robust individualized support when needed.

By incorporating cognitive and brain science, the quality of learning improves

A unique characteristic of a platform like Amplifire, specifically, is that our solution is based in cognitive and neuroscience principles. These principles have been researched by some of the world’s leading brain scientists and are proven to make learning stick. Our teaching algorithms are tuned to the way the brain naturally works — using techniques like gamification, spacing, feedback, retrieval, and more — so students learn faster and retain more.

By learning in ways that are more naturally aligned with the way the brain works best, eLearning can foster a more positive relationship between students and academics. When Amplifire was used to teach a class notorious for high failure rates at a private university, professors saw a 51% increase in student grades. Students gave testimonials like, “I loved this class and the new format! I felt much more engaged with the professor with this format as well,” and, “I love using this to study. If I get the answer wrong, it explains the correct answer and tells me what I put down actually is.” Beyond that, in a survey of 24,356 students, traditional classroom learning produced only a 75% pass rate, whereas of students who used Amplifire, 91% passed the class.

The reality of implementing eLearning in the K-12 setting

The benefits of eLearning directly address the main barriers associated with struggling students learning math in the U.S., as well as issues present in the education system that generally inhibit effective reform (like lack of monetary, personnel, and infrastructural resources).

But is implementing eLearning on a large scale realistic? Most tech is scalable, meaning it can grow to accommodate changing needs. It fills in the worker shortage gap by offering valuable support to teachers already in classrooms. Students are already familiar with virtual learning formats from the pandemic. Rather than being an isolating, restricting experience, hybrid/technologically enriched learning only enhances the quality of education schools can offer.

There remains the dilemma of providing computers and equipment to underprivileged students, and training students and teachers to use new systems. If schools have the means to offer computer access, whether with the COVID-19 stimulus options or otherwise, many long-term issues can be eliminated.

From the beginning, Amplifire has relied on innovative brain science to guide its product development to create the most effective learning and training solution, perfectly tailored to the way the human brain works. To learn more about how Amplifire can benefit your educational needs, download our education case study or check out a demo.

Top 5 Talent Development Priorities to Modernize Your Organization

It’s an exciting, yet anxious time in the world of learning and development. Suddenly, it may seem like your organization is lagging behind the increasingly steep talent development curve. To keep up with the pace of business, L&D professionals, HR, and management are working to navigate best courses of action. It’s time to respond to the “Great Reprioritization” with improved talent development strategies and some new priorities of your own.

The marker of success in the new work world will be how well organizations can quickly adapt to rapidly changing environments. Additionally, organizations will rely on well-developed talent to execute these changes. Organizations are already recognizing this need. According to Brandon Hall Group research in 2021, “63% of organizations indicated they would invest moderately or heavily in improving the alignment between talent strategy and business goals.”

So, where do you start?  First, organizations must understand how to nurture and maximize employees’ potential. Next, organizations must set talent development priorities that best align the needs of employees and the business.

The Great Reprioritization

The “Great Reprioritization” movement is about employees rediscovering their values and recognizing their potential, underscored by a general gap between employee desires and career opportunities.  According to The University of Phoenix’s Annual Career Optimism Index 2022:

• 68 percent of workers say they would stay with their employer throughout their career if they had opportunities to upskill
• 65 percent of workers said they would stay throughout their career if their employer made an effort to reskill them.
• 49 percent of employees want to develop their skills but don’t know where to begin — this is up 6 percentage points compared to 2021 — and 66 percent of employers believe the same

The Great Reprioritization isn’t only about meeting employees’ needs – it’s about shifting business perspectives to support sustainable growth. By investing in talent development, organizations respond to this movement with finesse. Define priorities in the context of the new normal.

Talent development planning/strategy

The hardest part of change is change management. Companies are facing barriers in their efforts to skill their employees, but with the help of L&D professionals and the guidance of a unified plan, organizations can eliminate some of these challenges. By narrowing focus and setting goals, change becomes less daunting. Here are some actionable priorities to guide your talent development plan and set your organization on track.

Your top talent development priorities:

1. Make onboarding seamless and effective
Employee turnover and ineffective onboarding is time consuming and costly. By implementing an effective onboarding solution, companies can set the tone for seamless workflow and promote organizational values.

For example, in this Amplifire case study, a call center invested in improving their onboarding process and found that an effective eLearning solution transformed their employee performance and morale. Well-trained employees were more confident and had higher job performance metrics than their previous onboarding strategy.

2. Create a learning culture with a growth mindset
There is a strong link between learning culture and success, which is why it is so important to create a learning culture and growth mindset among your people. Benefits include attracting and retaining top talent, competitive advantage, increased productivity and more.

3. Determine development needs related to business goals
The first part of this is identifying employee knowledge gaps to measure employee competencies. These gaps can inform the baseline for training.

The second part is identifying the gap between competency and where you want to be. This gap will inform the training and/or teaching that will empower your organization to reach its goals.

The third part of this equation is to align development needs with employee aspirations. Harness your people’s desire to level up and grow.

4. Embed learning in workflow
Incorporate learning opportunities in the workflow. Continuous learning boosts employee engagement. Engaged employees are happier and more productive – and more likely to stay. As much of the workforce is leaning virtual, a technical solution is necessary to power continuous learning. With an adaptive learning solution that can support virtual and hybrid instruction, employers can better engage their people.

5. Offer training aimed at inclusion
As reported by the Society for Human Resource Management, senior vice president of people strategy at Hired, Samantha Lawrence, predicts, “Companies that will double down on their DE&I efforts and successfully leverage best practices to expand their talent pipeline will not only deliver on the public DE&I commitments they made in 2019 and 2020, but also attract and retain top talent.” Offering comprehensive training to eliminate bias and misinformation is a great way to tackle this initiative.

A note on leveraging technology

It goes without saying that many of these priorities are made possible by leveraging technology. With effective tools, such as eLearning solutions, L&D professionals can harness data and insights into the effectiveness of these priorities. They can also refine and optimize talent development processes as time goes on. Aligning with the new work world will require ongoing effort – and leveraging tech makes it manageable.

Amplifire’s goal is to support businesses looking to gain an edge in the modern age by offering an adaptive learning solution that supports employee learning, training, and growth. Learn more about how we can enrich talent development at your organization.