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www.iltanet.org Firm University 19 The new functionality available in a Web 2.0 world includes some interesting features, which will be very useful to law firms and will liven up the learning experience for users. The new functionality will undoubtedly allow law firms to deliver learning more closely aligned to their business goals and demonstrate the true value of training. Indeed, the LMS now allows trainers to prove beyond a doubt the worth of what they offer. From the point of view of law firms, here are some of the more useful aspects of new LMS functionality: praCtICe-speCIFIC InterFaCes Making Learners Stay The LMS must compete for attention with many other work demands and computing opportunities available to the learner. To do that successfully, learning professionals can now make their LMS "stickier" both by encouraging more visits and increasing the learners' length of stay. With Web 2.0, the learner- facing home page can now be dynamic and active, giving visitors new and relevant data each time they visit, making it a more interesting place to visit. Some suggestions from vendors include: • Have different interfaces for different practice groups or roles within the firm and encourage practice or group ownership of these areas • Make the home page as dynamic as possible — many parts are now updateable • Communicate changes either by e-mail or RSS feed • Make the content precisely relevant • Update and change the content on the home page often • Include an "Amazon-style" rating system for the courseware and classroom training in order to encourage quality and further usage Essentially, the take-home message is that you can now make the system dynamic, which encourages learners to engage with the system. Language Interface Learning management systems have been deployed by so many firms worldwide that interfaces are now available in different languages. For firms with an international presence, making the LMS available in the local language can help user adoption. This might be a luxury for internal learning purposes, but it is essential for those offering training to overseas-based clients. InFormaL LearnIng tooLs Learners now have access to a plethora of informal learning online: Google, YouTube, chat groups, blogs, wikis and other sources of information. How does the learning professional control or compete with this? At present, most informal learning applications can be squeezed into Google gadgets or Web parts. By including this technology within a learning system, access to recommended wikis, blogs and social networking sites can be encouraged and managed to form a useful part of a formal learning program.

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