A Hodge-Podge of Top Ten Lists for Learning and Performance Improvement

I stumbled across another "top ten learning trends" list today, and I got to thinking, "it seems like everyone has a top 10 list of where the industry is going." I did some searching and found several interesting lists. I've included the lists below, but I need to make a few caveats and general observances. First, I'll refer to all of these as "lists" (rather than "trends"), because they don't show evidence of the level of analysis and data collection required of "trends". Second, many of the lists are so general that it is difficult to distinguish if they are referring to technologies for learners, designers, developers, managers, etc. Anyway...onto some of the lists...I know there are many more that are not included below.

This was a list on the top ten smart technologies for schools that I found when I first started getting into the field. It is a little old, but it is interesting to go back and see what folks were saying a couple of years ago (just like it will be interesting to look back at this post a few years from now).

1. Voice to Text
2. Next Wave
3. Hybrid Computing
4. Virtual Reality
5. Artificial Intelligence
6. Telementoring
7. Assessment on the Fly
8. Digital Video Production
9. Fingerprint Recognition
10. The Brain

This is a list by Clark Aldrich on the Top 11 Trends for Organizational Learning.

1. Google
2. Blogs
3. Wiki's
4. Open Source
5. IM/VOIP
6. Ambient Information
7. Mobile phones as content inputs/outputs
8. Podcasts
9. Computer games driving educational simulations
10. Growing training budgets
11. More decentralized college programs

I think this list from World Wide Learn could be classified as a "trend" as it is based on research from a number of different sources. However, it does not get into specifics on how the data was collected (i.e. longitudinal, one-time snapshot, etc.) or who provided the insight (managers, developers, etc.).

1. Application Service Providers offer more quick start options
2. Companies integrate e-learning into their infrastructure
3. Churning skill sets require e-learning initiative
4. E-learning cuts the cost of high quality content
5. E-learning levels professional playing field around the world
6. Gamers bring interactive skills to e-learning
7. Governments deploy e-learning at all levels
8. Partners and collaborators use e-learning to get everyone on the same page sooner
9. Wireless technology helps e-learning initiatives "cut the cord"
10. E-learning's Movers and Shakers

Tom Werner posted a list from a recent conference he attended. This is a list of the top nine non-learning innovations affecting learning.

1. Performance Support
2. Gaming and Simulations
3. Self-Publishing
4. Collaboration
5. Web Services/Mashups
6. High-Bandwidth to the Hand
7. New Input Devices
8. Video and Image Search
9. Embedded Devices

This is a list by Tony Karrer on the top 9 e-learning trends. To Tony's credit, he also did a very interesting (but self-acknowledged "crude") analysis on the hot topics in the industry. I found this list more amusing than any of the other top 10 lists.

1. E-learning 2.0
2. Virtual Environments
3. Open source and free tools
4. Do-it-yourself learning
5. Course and courseware fading
6. Emergent systems
7. Composition, Add-ins, Mash-ups
8. Move towards easier/faster tools
9. Shift in LMS

If the above lists have not included something, then this list on the Top 100 Tools for Learning 2007 probably will include it (it's actually 150). I'll only include the top 10. This list was compiled from an open invitation to learning professionals who were asked to mention tools that were used for either their learning, "creating learning", or "delivering learning" (quick side note...see my previous post on whether or not learning can be created and delivered).

1. Firefox
2. del.icio.us
3. Skype
4. Google Search
5. PowerPoint
6. Wordpress
7. Gmail
8. Google Reader
9. Blogger
10. Word

To see the top 10 lists of the individuals who contributed to the list above, go to the Top 10 Tools for E-learning. It includes lists from Karl Kapp, Jay Cross, Stephen Downes, and about 100 people I've never heard of, but value their insight.

I considered throwing in my own $0.02 by creating a list, but decided I would just highlight the number one overall "trend" in the field...and that is the continual movement toward human performance improvement. With this overall direction, the professional is free to select the tool and technology that best accomplishes this mission (regardless if it is the latest/coolest trend).