Motivated by Learning - Learning Solutions 2015

Image: http://pixabay.com/en/school-black-green-may-refer-to-73497/, Geralt.

I just returned from a recent trip to Orlando, Florida to attend the Learning Solutions 2015 conference. I absolutely love learning new things and try to take every opportunity available to do so.  So LSCON 2015 was one of those opportunities.  There are so many great sessions as well as vendors at the Expo Hall that it would be hard not to come away with something from the experience.  Over the past several months I had been toying with the idea of writing a weekly blog about some of my projects and things I have learned along the way, and LSCON 2015 motivated me to finally make it happen!

I'm not sure if there was one specific thing that caused this newly found motivation or just the overall excitement that the conference generated.  However, meeting Tom Kuhlmann, from The Rapid E-Learning Blog, in person definitely was one of the highlights that finally lit the spark.  For the past two years, I have read Tom's post on a weekly basis.  I found his blog to be extremely helpful in my professional development and have recommended it to many of my colleagues.  

---

Up until now I have been a passive reader - reading the blog, packing away the information into my already full brain, and using the information when appropriate on my projects.  I had yet to comment or share any of my own insights. Part of my dilemma was I never felt like I knew enough to make a worthwhile comment or to share ideas that would be deemed beneficial. Over the last several months I have felt a shift in my mindset as well as my confidence in the area of instructional design.  I recently started consulting with a new organization and part of my work has been sharing my ideas and skills with their instructional designers - passing along my knowledge to others who have various levels of ID skills.  

Between this new work and my continued professional and personal development, I finally have reached a point where I feel like I have something valuable to share with others - I have been motivated by learning. I plan on using this blog in several ways - 

1. To showcase some of the work I have been doing and explain the projects in more detail than what I can show in my portfolio.
2. To share any new ideas or skills I have learned through my own professional development opportunities.
3. To publish my stab at the E-Learning Challenges (from Articulate) and describe the process I used to develop them.
4. To reflect on any conferences, books, courses, other blogs, websites, and other fabulous resources that have inspired my work.

So come along on this journey and let's get motivated by learning!