The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/21494
ASK THE VENDOR What exciting development or idea in training have you seen recently, and what are some of the possibilities related to it? Keno Kozie Associates TutorPro Ltd As knowledge itself becomes a fluid and transient thing, training needs to become a fluid and dynamic process that not only embraces change but provides the tools and processes that actively encourage and facilitate it in a way that is meaningful and structured toward a goal. A good example of this would be a context sensitive support system that delivers to the users exactly what they need to know when they need to know it. ILTA Watching students’ faces the moment they realize that they will be able to do their jobs better and faster is incredibly rewarding for a trainer, but the days of classroom training are fading. The reasons for this are varied. Some feel they are too busy to attend classes, some feel there is not enough return on their investment of time. Others have had negative experiences in previous training classes. An exciting concept and remedy for this problem is “personal” or “appointment” training. Typically, training sessions have been geared to maximize the trainer’s time, with classrooms as full as possible. In contrast, the personal approach maximizes the user’s time. The gain is significant — the user only gets training on those features that are directly relevant to how he or she works. The possibilities of personalized training are worth considering. If one were to compare personalized software training to personal fitness training, it is obvious that one visit to the gym is better than none; we also know that an ongoing training commitment or program will develop someone’s skills and yield a much greater benefit. There will always be a need for instructor-led classroom training when introducing new technologies or upgrades to the entire firm. But as a supplemental component to the firm’s training program, this is an outstanding way to raise the skill sets of professional and supporting staff. ILTA Traveling Coaches Universities are developing innovative ways to mix students’ social networks with their classroom content to build communities of interest. Purdue University just released and is piloting Mixable, a Web-based platform that integrates classrooms, Facebook and Dropbox into a single environment. That innovation is making its way into legal through the implementation of SharePoint and development around building communities of interest. The blend of social learning and formal learning increases user performance. The value of a firm lies within the knowledge of their people. Wikis increase that knowledge. The ability for SMEs to post information that others with similar interests will find valuable creates an informal mentoring program that’s convenient for everyone. ILTA 32 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer