Doom and gloom, gloom and doom, nobody's making money, stock prices are low, economy worse than 2001, learners think online learning sucks, will the industry survive, yadda yadda yadda.

I hereby decree no more complaining!

Wired magazine launched their magazine ten years ago, the same year the first web browser (it was Mosaic, not IE) was released. The current issue notes some things we weren't doing ten years ago:

• Checking e-mail from the road
• Buying a car online
• Getting directions by GPS
• Emailing pictures to friends
• Playing video games against an opponent on another continent

Pretty powerful stuff. Think of the amazing change in our lives in a very short ten years.

To put things in perspective in our field, I want to make a similar list of things we weren't doing in training and education ten years ago that we are doing today. Can you help?

Send me an e-mail with your thoughts on "what we weren't doing in training and education 10 years ago that we are doing today" or any other positive signs that the field of e-learning is strong and healthy. Send your e-mail to kkruse@e-learningguru.com.

So why is Santa's suit red?

Didn't think I'd leave you hanging, did you? From Jim Hassett's fun and affordable book Advertraining we learn that...

Before the 1930's Santa was depicted around the world in a variety of ways. Sometimes skinny, sometimes fat, and clothes were blue, yellow, and green. Then, in order to overcome slow sales in winter, Coca-Cola launched a "Thirst has no season" campaign and the artist Haddon Sundblom created the plump, red-suited Santa we know today. From 1931 to 1964, the world was inundated with the Coca-Cola Santa in all forms of advertising.

How can you better brand your training?

White Paper by Saba
Analytics: Understanding the Economics of Learning

Ten page introduction on the need for, and definition of, learning analytics. Worth a quick read for the uninitiated. Not much here for veterans.
Analytics White Paper

Book: Web-based Training edited by Badrul Khan

I haven't read this cover to cover yet, but I'll make sure it's sitting on my desk when clients come around so I'll look really smart! With 63 chapters and over 600 pages this book should win an award for size alone.

Web-based Training, edited by Badrul Khan and published by Educational Technology Publications, is an encyclopedia for the true training professional. Good material from top names including: Badrul Khan, Ellen Wagner, David Merrill, Margaret Driscoll, Harvi Singh, Thiagi and many others. You can't get this from Amazon, follow this link for a PDF file with more information and an order form.
http://BooksToRead.com/bestseller/khan/wbtad.pdf

Here's to living and learning and optimism,

-- Kevin
Kevin Kruse is the e-learning columnist for CLO, Chief Learning Officer magazine, and principal with Kenexa. He can be reached at
kkruse@e-learningguru.com.

~ ~ ~ ~ Want Kevin Kruse to Speak to Your Group or Event? ~ ~ ~ ~
* Looking for an informative and energetic keynote for your conference?
* Want to explore the future of e-learning at your next user-group meeting?
* Do you want to ignite a strategy session for your training department?
--> Drop a note describing your event to kkruse@e-learningguru.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ End Blatant Self Promotion ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~