Coral Presenter Blog

Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 Demos:

Keep sane with the Selection Pane - If you work with layered items on PowerPoint slides, the Selection Pane, new in the 2007 Office release, can make that task easier.  The Selection Pane lists each item on your slide so you can apply custom effects to just that item, without having to click through the layers on the slide itself. When you finish, you can preview the effects and unhide all the items.

Use 3-D effects - You want your presentation to convey key points to your audience. The new 3-D effects in PowerPoint 2007 give you dozens of ways to create graphics effects that pop off the slide and highlight the information you want to be remembered. Watch the demo to see how to do this with slides. Similar options are available in Excel 2007, Outlook 2007, and Word  2007.

Click Here for All Free Microsoft Office 2007 Software & Resources

"...increases to 59.5% of..."

Trainingindustry.com, a portal for the training industry, likes to polish the crystal ball once a year and look at the 12 months ahead.

Below is a summary of 10 Trainingindustry.com’s predictions for 2009:

1. Total spend for training services will decline by 10%
2. The Training Workforce in North America will decline by 11%.
3. Re-engineering Activities for Training Organizations Will Increase
4. Investment in Customer Training Increases to 59.5% of Total Spend
5. Consolidation of Training Departments Will Increase
6. Fixed Resources Dedicated to Training Will Decrease
7. Supply Based Training Models Will Decrease
8. Availability of Informal Learning Content will Increase
9. Creation of User Generated Content Will Increase
10. Development of Compliance Based Training Increases

Apart from the very specific numbers quoted (11%? 59.5%? hmmm…), the predictions appear to be valid generally.

Prediction #9 is of most interest. Amidst all the cuts and consolidations there is one growth area: user generated content! This is exactly the where Coral Presenter comes in. It’s ideal for use by staff with valuable knowledge to share and familiarity with Powerpoint to rapidly create web-presentations and elearning.

For an explanation of each prediction see: Top 10 Market Predictions for 2009: Are YOU ready for the New Training Industry?

Janet Clarey

According to Brandon Hall’s Janet Clarey the following are the top five learning trends for 2009:

1. Mobile learning:  Mobile learning has advanced in significant ways and now is on the edge of widespread use in the corporate environment.
2. Do-it-yourself (DIY) learning:  Learning in the workplace increasingly will provide more options to create learning.
3. Flexible learning environments:  Driven by Web 2.0 tools such as social networks and the expectations of Millennial workers, we will continue to see more LMSs transitioning from 1.0 to 2.0 platforms.
4. Virtual worlds:  This year, we’ll see more feasibility testing on the use of virtual worlds for workplace learning.
5. Games and simulations: Games have moved beyond “edutainment” into complex topics that require higher-order thinking. Learning designers are realizing the potential for games to provide a realistic, interactive experience that draws people in, as well as to address the gaming culture associated with younger workers.

We certainly agree that pressure to cut costs will result in a great deal of what Janet terms DIY learning. Coral Presenter is an excellent low-cost tool for developing this kind of learning content. Download a trial and check it out.