In this segment, we're going to look at the role of the learning technologies in organizations and potential career path relevant to learning technologies. This segment will cover the role of learning technologies in organizational settings. Second, the potential career path relevant to learning technologies operations. Finally, we'll conclude this segment with a reality check. There are two aspects when it comes to the role of learning technologies. For individual learners, learning technologies can enrich their learning experiences, learning technology also can make their learning more accessible to those otherwise cannot have opportunities to access certain learning experiences. Learning technology also can make learning more engaging using multimedia, using immersive learning environment, using mobile learning platforms to make the content more interactive and more accessible. Learning technology also can make the learning for individuals more efficient. Since the learning technology can track and monitor learners activities within the learning platforms, so those are some roles of learning technologies in order to enrich individual learners learning experience. For organizations, learning technologies can increase organizational capacity when it comes to learning and development. Learning technology also can help organizations remain competitive, to be more efficient, to be more agile, to be able to respond more quickly to challenges and opportunities in the business setting. Learning technologies can help us understand how organizations learn, which is very different from individual learners learning processes. Finally, learning technologies can help organizations scale up or down their learning and development activities depending on their purposes and needs. Here is another reminder in terms of the relationship between learning technologies and E-learning. Again, we are seeing here an E-learning system or programs will integrate or adopt different types of learning technology in order to serve different learning needs from individuals and organizations. When it comes to the career path in the field of learning technologies, is very similar to the trend we have discussed in the instructional design course. Here, I have a three-stage career path diagram for those of you who are interested in pursuing jobs or careers related to learning technologies. Generally speaking, as long as the organization has learning and development functions, then the organization will need to have some capacity when it comes to designing, developing, implementing learning technology related operations. So, the entry level from the left Learning Technologist, Instructional Technologist, Learning Technology Specialist or Analyst, Learning Technology Developer, those are all possible positions for you to explore at the entry level. After several years of experience in the entry level positions, you can move up to the Learning Technology Coordinator, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Educational Technology Coordinator or Manager, E-learning Manager or Online/Distance Learning Manager positions. So, the capacity of your position now is beyond local level within your organization. You are now managing probably multiple learning technology related operations situated in E-learning delivery systems. The third stage, of course if you're interested in going that route, years of experience as managers, as coordinators, you can move up to the executive level such as the Executive Learning Technology Officer usually it's folded into Executive Learning Officer position, very high level, deciding strategic trajectory of the organizations learning and development activities and how those activities can be enhanced by technologies. Senior Learning Technology Manager of course, now then you are managing more programs, more people, more projects and the skill level will be beyond technical some project management experiences, some team management experiences will be very valuable for you to be successful in this level or position. The third one we circle back to the Chief Learning Officer which will oversee organization wide learning and development activities. So, this is a common journey if you will for those of you who are interested in focusing on learning technology related careers. If you're interested in learning more about the skill sets, the outlook of learning technology positions at least within the United States, these are three job descriptions. You can take a look and then perhaps you can plan on developing certain aspects of your skill set in order to meet this jobs expectations. Reality check. Training and development programs will require learning technologies to be effective and sustainable. So, the role of learning technologies in order to better manage training and development programs is real. So, that's one advantage for those of you who are interested in learning technologies careers. Learning technology profession often worked with instructional designers to ensure the attainment of the intended learning processes via technological applications. Technology itself cannot guarantee learning. There must be, there needs to be a collaboration between learning technologist and instructional designers perhaps with subject matter experts even to ensure the delivery and the enhancement of the learning experiences by technologies are in alignment with the intention of the intended learning process. Some level of technical expertise is needed for learning technologies professionals to understand that design limitations of learning technologies when it comes to adding values to E-learning programs or systems. For example, there are several authoring tools for even environments, they are widely adopted in many workplaces. First one is the Articulate Storyline, some organization also prefer to use Adobe Captivate, and those are easy to learn authoring tools. Some level of technical understanding and skills, in using those two authoring tools will be very helpful for you to promote yourself among learning technology professionals. The second category that will appreciate some technical skill will be the learning management systems. Moodle is a very popular LMS. Blackboard and Canvas are both systems that have been widely used by organizations. If you are a student of the University of Illinois, then you'll have free access to E-learning authoring tool tutorials provided by Lynda.com and I strongly encourage you to look into those tutorials in terms of how to use those authoring tools, and then you can add those skill set to your professional development outcomes.
