WW ACADEMY
Online learning to reach new peaks
courses, we have entered into an agreement with the company CrossKnowledge. The CrossKnowledge Faculty is made up of the best professors, authors and professionals of Management coming from the most renowned Business Schools such as Harvard, Stanford, IMD and HEC. Working with CrossKnowledge is giving WW employees access to high quality learning,’ says Lundwall. ‘We plan to combine our own in-house learning with “off-the-shelf” learning, as we believe that we can cater for a more diverse audience with different learning needs,’ says Bourgein.
A record 20 000 eLearning courses were completed in 2013. A new WW Academy online learning platform should bring that figure even higher in 2014, with integrated “off-the-shelf” online courses from leading learning providers.
WW employees will get access to online learning from the most renowned Business Schools such as Harvard, Stanford, IMD and HEC.
Text and photo: Håvard Solerød
slo, Norway: ‘A new Learning Management System (LMS) and an “off-the-shelf” library will take our online learning to even higher levels in 2014,’ said WW Academy learning managers Cristina Rynning, Emilie Lundwall and Michelle Bourgein when WW World signed in for a lesson on the latest WW Academy developments. The 2013 eLearning record of 20 000 courses was achieved on the six years old LMS platform that is now to be updated. ‘WW Academy had a new focus in 2013. We saw the need for someone to develop our in-house online learning and to improve our service to each business area. Michelle Bourgein, with a masters degree in eLearning has become our new “eLearning master”. Since then, participation has peaked beyond our expectations,’ say Rynning and Lundwall.
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More flexible and personalized. The learning managers describe the new LMS platform as “less system and more personal”, as compared to the old platform. ‘The new platform is a lot more flexible. To supplement our own tailor-made in-house 56 WWWORLD 1 2014
New opportunities ahead: WW Academy learning managers Emilie Lundwall and Cristina Rynning promise a lot of exciting online learning opportunities during the coming year. (Michelle Bourgein was unfortunately absent when the photo was taken)
Access across BA’s. The old LMS functioned mainly as a catalogue to browse for online courses. This will now be different: ‘One example: We haven’t used it as a knowledge sharing platform before. It has just been a place where we stored all our eLearning. We can now open up our in-house online learning across the entire WW group,’ says Rynning. The new LMS will be available in the early 2014. ‘Among the first things we will focus on is to provide a toolbox to support our managers during performance appraisals. The toolbox will enable managers to conduct more effective PAs. For example, if the PA identifies a training need for delegation skills, the “offthe-shelf” library from CrossKnowledge can provide the learner with a suggested list of courses,’ says Rynning. ‘The new eLearning platform will be an advantage in supporting the training needs for the 4SEA project,’ says Bourgein. So finally: what will be the biggest benefits with this change of focus? ‘More engaged employees. It is also about attracting and retaining the right people, and having a global reach as befits a global company. The quality of learning will improve a lot in the near future,’ say the three learning managers.
Three on eLearning 1: Which eLearning course did you take, and why? 2: How was your experience?
Sachin Gupta, WSS IT, Oslo 1: My most recent courses are Project Execution Model (PEM) and Train The Trainer (TTT). These were required before we attended the actual classroom training. 2: eLearning brings classroom style coaching straight at ones fingertips with just one click of your computer mouse. We can always refer back the courses to clear our doubts when they arise. I feel that eLearning cannot replace classroom coaching completely, where everyone can share their experience and learn from each other. However, eLearning can also be used along with classroom coaching.
Eric Holmes, WSS, product marketing manager, Oslo 1: I have taken a number of courses, among them Governance Boiler and Cooling Water Technical, Project Execution Model (PEM), and Performance Appraisal to supplement my knowledge and be in line with company guidelines. Currently we are preparing new courses for the new WSS Portable Water Test Kit, and on general safety and the handling of chemicals.
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2: I am comfortable with the eLearning experience and believe that it is a very cost effective way to train in large international organizations.
Stella Koh, WSS accounting manager, Singapore 1: Governance Challenge, Individual Security Awareness, My WW4net Computer, WSS Anti-Corruption, Introduction to GIMs, Introduction to finance and budgeting, AOP, how to use Manager Self Service, OFAC Bridger Insight XG Screening, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Finance Champion, Giving effective feedback, Introduction to Safety Products (in progress) Two of these courses are required by HR. I take others to improve communications and get a better understanding of the company's business. 2: Some of the courses are very interesting with hands on activities (eg. WW4net Computer). Some have longer loading time and no instructions for "press the forward button". It causes a lot of waiting time. The feedback has been good; fast responses and actions taken when necessary.
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