In this time of transition, as we exchange the old year for a new one and return from the holidays to the work routine, it’s a good time to take one last look at the big events and achievements of 2012.

Some of the trends and headlines that caught our eye in 2012 include:

Growth in the Market for Mobile Learning
In 2012, the market for mobile learning continued to grow as new devices hit the market, including Apple’s iPhone 5. As a result, C² has continued to evolve our mobile learning strategy, supporting our customers with such products as:

• a mobile app that allows managers to find training to address specific managerial competencies.
• a game that allows Patriot missile operators to practice field skills they seldom get to use, which has won multiple awards, including Best Serious Game: Mobile Category at I/ITSEC, as well as Hermes Creative, Omni Intermedia, Davey, MARCOM, Training Officer’s Consortium, and Chief Learning Officer awards.

Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Google introduced its CourseBuilder software, allowing developers to create online courses for hundreds of thousands of participants online. For the Veterans Administration, C² explored options for using MOOCs.

Tin Can
The recently released Tin Can LMS opens the door for tracking completion of many different types of learning, including mobile learning, simulations, virtual worlds, serious games, real-world activities, experiential learning, social learning, offline learning, informal learning, and collaborative learning.

Articulate Storyline
Articulate introduced a new product for quick and easy e-learning development—Articulate Storyline. This product includes a social dimension in the form of the Articulate Community for instant access to tips, resources, and help in creating e-learning courses.

Social Learning
Social media became further integrated into learning solutions. IBM purchased Kenexa, a publicly-held recruiting/talent management solution provider, and then used its technology platform to release Learning Suite 3.0, which offers such social learning features as networking, interactive elements, knowledge sharing and collaboration along with a Learning Content Management system and mobile learning capabilities.

C² used SharePoint to develop some innovative tools for customers, including:

• An event management site for the Department of Education and DC Department of Health, which included functionality for registering for conferences, obtaining logistical details and meeting information, and downloading pre-and post-conference materials.
• A Training Schedule management portal and  database for the FAA that tracks and manages hundreds of course offerings
• Portals and information sites for CMS to organize, manage, and search the volumes of information and news related to implementing the Affordable Care Act

The Multigenerational Workplace
Both private- and public-sector organizations grapple with the challenges of meeting the learning needs and preferences of the four generations in today’s workforce. In meeting the needs of a clients trying to engage younger workers, C² has created an immersive virtual environment that makes new hire orientation feel more like a video game.

Special Areas of Interest
At C², we saw growth in the areas of greatest need in the public sector: health care, security, and leadership.

Health Care
The upholding of the Affordable Care Act sent companies scrambling to figure out how to implement its requirements. To address this need, C² currently supports The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with training for call centers, as well as culturally sensitive outreach training that provides reliable healthcare information for consumers via a wide range of media, including posters, Webinars, videos, and Web-based training. In 2013, C² plans to extend our healthcare training services to the state level.

Security
In testimony to Congress, FBI Director Robert Mueller stated that cyber threats will soon surpass terrorism as the nation’s top security concern. C² supports our customers with engaging security training. Our Mr. Smith Goes to the Information Age video, developed for the Veterans Administration, has won numerous awards, including MarCom Platinum, CINE Golden Eagle, Gold Remi, and a Telly Bronze. For the Council of State Archivists (CoSA), we developed blended learning, consisting of an interactive portal, Webinars, instructor-led training, and Web-based training, that addresses the security of essential records during emergencies. This training won an Omni award. Additionally, our client has told us that this training and the tools we developed have been very helpful for those affected by recent disasters.

Leadership Development
In 2012, the call for change in leadership development approaches escalated. As Bill Pelster of Deloitte said, “The overriding theme of what I’ve been hearing from clients recently is that they’re a bit stunned –shocked, actually – at how the leadership-development programs they’d had in place were not able to meet the needs of their business as we’ve gone through these tremendously disruptive economic changes over the past few years.”

C² is partnering with clients to revamp their leadership development programs to apply technology to:

• Extend learning beyond scheduled events
• Offer shorter, more targeted learning over time
• Use gaming techniques to increase learner engagement and let prospective leaders practice new skills

An area of particular interest for C² is the use of games in leadership development programs. Look for our white paper on this topic in the coming weeks.

Auld Lang Syne
For C², 2012 was a year of many achievements, as demonstrated by the numerous awards for our products. Despite a year of tough economic conditions, C² did well in 2012, and we look forward to the opportunities and challenges that 2013 will bring.