Elearning - June/July 2008 - (Page 42) casestudylearningportals ties of the larger enterprise portal. This system provides a set of common services (such as profiling, search and content management) to address key business issues like: >> Enhancing employee productivity by providing commonly used functions, like “search in a consistent user experience;” >> Reducing investment in redundant functions; >> Integrating workflow among Web applications to provide a framework for embedded learning; and, >> Syndicating content and people resources through a Challenge Integrate off-the-shelf content into a learning portal that provides personalized content and information that is always relevant and current. tals that support various job functions. For example, some syndications constantly update information on leadership development opportunities for the company’s executives. Industry-specific syndications established with SkillSoft render industry resources to its “Know Your Industry” portal. New conSolution Incorporate SkillSoft’s library of courses, reference materials, books and events directly into IBM’s Learning@IBM Explorer portal. tent and changes to existing content are thus handled automatically without any user intervention. This reduces the curricula maintenance for IBM designers and requires fewer formal promotion and training awareness programs for IBM. The more granular meta-tagging is done by portfolio managers who make the changes in the registry. One of the challenges associated with learning portals is automating the process of making the content relevant and current for users. This capability is provided with SkillSoft’s Webbased open learning services architecture (OLSA), which integrates content from the SkillSoft platform into other learning systems, such as LMSs, intranets and portals. Using OLSA, the IBM learning portal (and other pages on the enterprise portal) is automatically updated with new content and changes to existing content, including elearning courses, books and other learning resources. The content is then automatically assigned to the various interest categories established for the users in the system. CONSUMABLE AND RELEVANT Recommended content is delivered in more consumable formats, as well as used more frequently. For example, a book may be recommended for a particular job role (such as a sales professional), but when getting ready to make a sales call to a CEO in a particular industry, an entire book is not a consumable format. A shorter, more current paper on trends in that industry, however, would be useful. A small interactive tutorial could also be viewed online in a browser that may transfer skills more effectively. These brief, consumable “Quickviews” can be searched for and absorbed quickly. IBM also uses portions of SkillSoft content (such as SkillBriefs) to deliver timely content and make efficient use of licensed material. Learn more by visiting the Website www.skillsoft.com. ‘IBM [provides] completely transparent content access, thus enabling information to be embedded into the everyday work life of every employee.’ common service that can easily be leveraged by any portal user. COMMERCIAL CONTENT One of the major providers of courses, books and reference materials on both soft skills and IT topics is SkillSoft. The success of the IBM learning portal, however, comes from integrating these resources into the same system that is used to access all other training content. When a user searches for information on Java programming, for example, content from SkillSoft is queried and the results are delivered to the user. IBM has syndications through the SkillSoft Books24x7 platform that are tailored to its learning portal, as well as por42 June/July 2008 Elearning! http://www.skillsoft.com
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