410 Learning Technology’s Past, Present, and Future: A Guild Master Panel
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM Thursday, October 25
Management and Strategy
Bermuda AB
Technology has shaped much of the world of education and training for decades. Understanding the role technology plays in our work is critical as technology continues to advance and become even more embedded into our work. Being prepared for this emerging world won’t be easy and will require an understanding of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are headed.
In this session, you will join in a discussion with many of those recognized as Guild Masters exploring the role technology plays in our work. You will discuss the various technologies that have shifted the landscape of organizational learning, and the common characteristics of emerging technologies that have the potential to disrupt organizational learning. We’ve invited all our Guild Masters to this discussion, making this super-sized panel a conversation you won’t want to miss.
In this session, you will learn:
- How technology can disrupt organizational learning
- Lessons from the past that inform how we approach the future
- The common characteristics shared by disruptive technologies
- Tips for staying ahead of changes in the learning technology landscape
Audience:
Designers, developers, and managers.

Joe Ganci
President
eLearning Joe
Joe Ganci is the owner and president of eLearning Joe, a custom learning company. Since 1983, he has been involved in every aspect of multimedia and learning development. Joe holds a computer science degree, writes books and articles about eLearning, and is widely considered an eLearning development guru. He consults worldwide and also teaches at conferences and client sites. Joe writes tool reviews and has received several awards for his work in eLearning, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 and an eLearning Guild Master Award in 2013. His mission is to improve the quality of eLearning with practical approaches that work.

Marc Rosenberg
President
Marc Rosenberg and Associates
Marc Rosenberg is a leading authority and author in training, organizational learning, eLearning, knowledge management, and performance improvement. He has written two best-selling books, E-Learning: Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age and Beyond E-Learning: Approaches and Technologies to Enhance Organizational Knowledge, Learning and Performance. “Marc My Words,” his collection of over 100 columns from 2010 through 2018, is archived online in The eLearning Guild’s magazine Learning Solutions. Marc is past president and honorary life member of the International Society for Performance Improvement, has spoken at the White House, debated eLearning’s future at Oxford University, authored over 50 articles, and is frequently quoted in major trade publications. Marc was awarded the Guild Master Award in 2013 for his accomplishments and contributions to the eLearning community.

Michael Allen
CEO
Allen Interactions
Michael Allen, the CEO of Allen Interactions, has had a long and lauded career in eLearning, from his work with IBM on their Coursewriter system to his direction of R&D for Control Data’s PLATO system to his development of Authorware. Michael has been recognized with the most prestigious career awards from ATD, The eLearning Guild, and many others. He holds a PhD in educational psychology from Ohio State University, is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and has authored eight books on effective eLearning.

Julie Dirksen
Learning Strategist
Usable Learning
Julie Dirksen, a learning strategist with Usable Learning, is a consultant and instructional designer with more than 15 years’ experience creating highly interactive eLearning experiences for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to technology startups to grant-funded research initiatives. She’s interested in using neuroscience, change management, and persuasive technology to promote sustainable long- term learning and behavior change. Her MS degree in instructional systems technology is from Indiana University, and she’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She is the author of Design For How People Learn.

Jane Bozarth
Director of Research
The eLearning Guild
Jane Bozarth, the director of research for The eLearning Guild, is a veteran classroom trainer who transitioned to eLearning in the late 1990s and has never looked back. In her previous job as leader of the State of North Carolina’s award-winning eLearning program, Jane specialized in finding low-cost ways of providing online training solutions. She is the author of several books, including eLearning Solutions on a Shoestring, Social Media for Trainers, and Show Your Work: The Payoffs and How-To's of Working Out Loud. Jane holds a doctorate in training and development and was awarded the Guild Master Award in 2013 for her accomplishments and contributions to the eLearning community.

Nick Floro
Learning Architect & CEO
Sealworks Interactive Studios
Nick Floro, a co-founder and learning architect at Sealworks Interactive Studios, has over 25 years of experience developing learning solutions, applications, and web platforms. Nick is passionate about how design and technology can enhance learning and loves to share his knowledge and experience to teach, inspire and motivate. As a learning architect, Nick gets to sketch, imagine, and prototype for each challenge. He has worked with start-ups to Fortune 500 companies to help them understand the technology and develop innovative solutions to support their audiences. Nick has won numerous awards from Apple and organizations for productions and services, and has been able to reach over a million users with his latest project, which helps students in grades 2-12 learn how to think and write an essay critically.

Robert Gadd
President
OnPoint Digital
Robert Gadd is president of OnPoint Digital and responsible for the company’s vision and strategy. OnPoint’s online and mobile-enabled offerings support more than one million workers and include innovative methods for content authoring, conversion, and delivery extended with social interactions, gamification, and enterprise-grade security for workers on their device or platform of choice. Prior to OnPoint, Robert spent 10 years as CTO of Datatec Systems and president/CTO of spin-off eDeploy.com. He is a frequent speaker on learning solutions—including mobile, informal learning, xAPI, and gamification—at national and international T&D conferences.

David Kelly
Executive Vice President and Executive Director
The eLearning Guild
David Kelly is the executive vice president and executive director of The eLearning Guild. David has been a learning and performance consultant and training director for more than 15 years. He is a leading voice exploring how technology can be used to enhance training, education, learning, and organizational performance. David is an active member of the learning community and can frequently be found speaking at industry events. He has contributed to organizations including ATD, eLearn Magazine, LINGOs, and more. David is also known for his curation efforts, especially related to conferences and events for learning and performance professionals.