Enspire Learning Blog

We’ve all sat through a class or training session where we’d prefer to examine our fingernails or doodle in our notes rather than listen to the teacher. Boredom in the classroom inhibits the learning process, drastically decreasing the likelihood that we’ll retain information given to us during the class. On the other hand, we’ve also all had teachers who were engaging, effective, and, importantly, genuinely funny. There is a correlation between comedy and successful teaching; humor is often used to combat boredom in the classroom and ensure that learners stay engaged.

Just as humor is an effective tool in the classroom, it can be applied with great results in an e-learning environment. Internal research at Enspire has discovered four key facts about using humor in e-learning effectively.

1) Humor is necessary. When tasked with learning a particularly difficult or unexciting concept, learners may disengage from the activity. Humor keeps them interested.
2) Research your audience. When designing a course, it’s important to note who you’re teaching. Some audiences may expect “just the facts, ma’am,” while others may be open to a more light-hearted course.

Enspire Learning is pleased to release a free white Paper Playing Games with Leadership: How Business Simulations and Games Are Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders. This white paper explores the advantages of leadership simulations and the design issues that must be navigated in choosing, commissioning, or creating one to meet your business needs.

Michael Watkins is an expert on leadership development and cofounder of Genesis Advisers (a leadership development consulting company) who blogs for Harvard Business Online. In a recent entry on his blog, The Leading Edge, Watkins addresses "How to Think Strategically." Watkins argues that organizations "must find ways to identify and cultivate future leaders with the capacity to think strategically."

Watkins goes on to state that simulations are a great way to develop strategic thinking abilities and calls out Enspire's Executive Challenge as his favorite example. Executive Challenge allows individuals to develop leadership skills and business acumen within a safe, simulated environment.

Check out Watkins's blog, which was just featured in Business Week magazine's blogspotting!

Enspire’s very own Beth Cowan, Executive Challenge Product Manager, spoke Thursday, February 1st at SALT's 2007 New Learning Technologies Conference in Orlando, Florida. The presentation featured a case study, "Executive Challenge launches change at Pitney Bowes: Developing the Right Stuff," that illustrated how simulations can effectively lead to changes in behavior and perspective. In this instance, Pitney Bowes saw their Sales District Directors evolve into General Managers with a keener eye for the future and a more sophisticated approach toward long-term selling. If you missed Beth in Orlando, you still have a chance: she’ll be demoing Executive Challenge in Austin, Texas on February 22nd. Or, you could return to the Magic Kingdom to catch Bjorn Billhardt introducing the award-winning simulation at Training 2007 in Orlando on February 25th, 2007. Stay tuned for more information on these events.