As one of the industry’s leading events, the lead up to HR Tech 2019 was an exciting time. This year the conference was held in the beautiful Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, and it didn’t disappoint. Here at Synapse, we traveled down to Vegas not just to attend the conference, but also to exhibit for two days at the HR Tech expo. But, with some of the biggest names in the industry delivering keynotes, we still found time to take in all the event had to offer. Here are our highlights from HR Tech 2019! Keynotes at HR Tech Tuesday, October 1 Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran opened with a keyn ..read more

Social learning theory is a theory of learning process and social behavior which suggests that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and imitating others. Developed by Canadian-American psychologist Albert Bandura, social learning theory posits that people learn from one another via observation, imitation, and modeling. The theory has often been called a bridge between behaviorist and cognitive learning theories because it encompasses attention, memory, and motivation. How L&D Leaders Utilize Social Learning  We’ve written before about how employees want to learn from others. But ..read more

How do you know whether your employees want training? (Chances are, they do.) And how do you know whether the training they’re requesting is worth your and your team’s time to develop it? First, a system or mechanism needs to be in place for fielding training requests. This mechanism is essentially finding out who wants training and in what areas, then assessing the viability of the request becoming an actual learning experience. Training requests have traditionally been handled by managers, directors, or division heads. Technology exists today to allow for every employee in a company to submi ..read more

Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics, often in non-game contexts, to engage users in solving problems. It’s essentially the concept of applying game-design thinking to non-game applications. Game elements can include rounds, stages or levels, simulations, the collection of items of value, the gaining of points, winning or losing, or a race against the clock. Not all of these elements need to make it into the instructional design of a course. However, the shrewd L&D leader can supercharge the learning experience by incorporating gamification elements when it makes sen ..read more

As learning and development leaders, you know that a core part of staying on your game is practicing what you preach and taking the time to learn and develop in your role.  And because they provide such excellent opportunities to learn, it’s no surprise that conferences, events, and expos abound within the L&D community.  Things move especially fast when it comes to elearning and digital learning formats. So, which events should corporate learning leaders be attending to stay ahead of the curve?  We’ve rounded up the best elearning confere ..read more

Synapse, a provider of technology for the Learning and Development market announced today that it closed a US$2.5 million seed financing to fuel the growth of its Learning Design System. The first-of-its-kind platform automates the instructional design process, allowing organizations to quickly transform institutional knowledge into on-demand training. Instructional design is a function that is performed by a few highly-trained individuals, impeding organizations from creating and deploying training at scale. Benchmarks indicate  that it can take over 70 hours and up to $10,000 to create ..read more

Creating a great corporate culture is a critical component of any business, but when you don’t share the same space or even the same country, it’s not without challenges! That’s what made Synapse’s recent company meeting in Mérida, Mexico so important. And in true Synapse fashion, we hit it out of the park. We wanted to incorporate learning and team building in an environment of open communication. But how do you accomplish that when you have software developers, marketers, and salespeople all participating together? Well, games and activities of course! Here’s how we did it. Let them Yell BI ..read more

Elearning is the delivery of training or education through digital methods. Both the content and delivery are digital, generally accessed via devices or platforms of the learner’s choosing.  With today’s global and remote workforces, elearning is often the only training option available, as instructor-led training can be costly and inconvenient. The flexibility and accessibility of both creating and delivering elearning make it the most attractive option for the L&D function in organizations today. According to data compiled by portal eLearningIndustry, the elearning market, including ..read more

Assessments are often the expected conclusion to a course, class or training program. However, that same expectation has often led to generic question types, summative testing and delayed feedback. Assessments should be used as a way to ask learners to demonstrate what they’ve learned, and technology is continuing to enable this in powerful ways.  Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Synapse Advanced Assessments which gives our clients the ability to include engaging, dynamic and customizable assessment questions in the flow of their training design and provide their learners wi ..read more

In the realm of L&D, organizations frequently encounter requests to develop various initiatives aimed at enhancing employee skills and knowledge. However, it is crucial for L&D teams to differentiate between programs, projects, and tasks to ensure effective resource allocation, streamlined workflows, and successful outcomes.  This article explores the distinctions between these three categories and highlights the significance of Cognota in supporting LearnOps initiatives.  Programs Programs are comprehensive and strategic endeavours that consist of multiple interrelated pr ..read more