Latest conference news about the big exciting LERN annual conference in Savannah Nov. 6-9, 2018. 8 Hotels from Which to Choose We have eight hotels, all right downtown in the historic architectural area, and all within just three blocks from the riverfront and River Street and ferry. You get to choose which hotel, based on

This year the LERN Annual Conference was changed forever.  Gen Yers and LERN leaders initiated the transition to a more engaged and active conference.  The new session formats were met with huge approval by the almost 700 lifelong learning practitioners in attendance. It almost assuredly guarantees that your classes and courses will also be changed

Each year LERN performs more than 20 Program Reviews. A LERN Program Review is an informal review of your continuing education or lifelong learning unit. Attend a free, informational webinar – Program Review: Position Your Unit for Success – and understand: How a LERN Program Review works, as well as LERN’s support with recommendation implementation The data,

The future of lifelong learning may very well be educational gaming. In a stunningly insightful and fun keynote before 700 LERN conference attendees, former Intel game developer Scott Crabtree reported on the science of learning based on games and outlined the four key intrinsic motivators for work, games and learning. Then he took the audience

Everyone is creative but not everyone is effectively tapping into their creativity, says Senior LERN consultant Kassia Dellabough. Dellabough says tapping into your creativity is important because it helps improve problem-solving skills, allows for greater flexibility, and can lead to new ideas. She suggests trying one of the following tactics – even better if you

The schedule for the 2018 Contract Training Conference is available and registration is officially open.

by Jeffrey S Russell, University of Wisconsin-Madison People concerned about the environment often remind us to “reuse, repurpose, and recycle.” In fact, recycling is a great way to make more efficient and effective use of finite resources. With that in mind, continuing education leaders might consider taking a page out of the environmentalist playbook. In

The most comprehensive library of materials and information in continuing education is now open after two years of work. Over 800 guidebooks, books, manuals, articles, archived webinars and original training presentations with slides are now available. The new online service converts all of LERN’s paid print publications into a digital format so that up to

From an exclusive LERN survey of over 6,000 adults in the workplace, these courses are what your customers are actually willing to spend time and dollars on. From the February-April session of UGotClass, here are the top ten. If you want to make sure your community has the top ten skills, plus get 50% of

In a stunning development,  Ed2Go and its parent Cengage appear to be offering the same Ed2Go classes free to the public through public libraries. The move is shocking a number of LERN members across the United States and Canada who offer Ed2Go courses and see this is as direct competition. It is a bizarre situation

Beekeeping is the hottest course right now at the nationally famous Chicago Botanic Gardens, according to gardens educators Beth Pinargote and Christina Swets. They report chicken keeping now on the downside after several years of being their hottest class.  But pruning classes are their bread and butter, remaining popular year in and year out, Ms.

More good news about teenagers these days, with a positive implication for your lifelong learning program. But if you are a grumpy older person trying to find more reasons why “kids these days” are resulting in a massive decline in civilization, you won’t be happy. Here’s the news: Crime among teens today is down compared

Brochures get even more visual. Captions finally appear, including a new caption technique created by Debbie Sagen of the lifelong learning program in Colorado Springs, CO. Facebook ads begin to work. Several LERN members report good ROI and success with Facebook ads, for both local in-person classes and with online courses. Kyle Harkness of the

Make experiments to improve your program last no longer than 1 hour and cost no more than $100,  keynoter and CEO advisor Rhona Berengut told a packed audience at the big LERN annual conference in Baltimore.   In this century, one of the new organizational skills is to create bite-sized experiments and tests instead of

Just 11 months after they became the largest generation in the workforce, Gen Y interests and needs are now dominating the field of lifelong learning.  From the big LERN annual conference in Baltimore, here are some of the ways the change is evident now: New Customer Base    Gen Y is now the focus of

Integrated marketing has taken a big jump forward this year, as seen in the tips, presentations and awards at the big LERN conference in Baltimore. It is one of the top three stories coming out of the conference.    Here are some of the things going on in the field: -Brochure – Web one-two punch.

LERN’s annual fall registration survey of member programs has not been this positive in over a decade.  Some 76% of you are either Up or the Same.  Just 23% of programs are Down. That’s a huge improvement, and actually back to the good old days.  Registrations had been stuck in a 10-year funk, with too

The next LERN Best Practices Summit will take place in Chicago on April 5-7, 2017 and will be limited to 50 people.

The first advanced, practical how-to information from the big LERN Conference in Baltimore is in.  Exclusive to you as a LERN Member. Check it out in the LERN Club.  Whether you were there or not, get tips worth thousands of dollars to your program. Forgot your password?  Just email us at info@lern.org  or call us

We are delighted to present our Program Management and Marketing Institutes in Chicago on April 3-6, 2017.

The first new advanced practical how-to tips are already coming in from presenters at the big LERN Annual Conference in Baltimore Nov. 16-19. In a stunning revelation, direct marketing expert Paul Franklin will tell the crowd that too many, maybe even most, lifelong learning programs are putting their brochure copy in the WRONG type font.

Your classrooms and meeting rooms will look very different 10 years from now.  The new model is now taking hold.  The new model will be shown in the annual Nine Shift closing session at the big LERN Annual Conference in Baltimore Nov. 16-19. The new model was first created by Don Collins for Coburg high

by Sean Carton, Chief Strategist, idfive, Baltimore Sean Carton will be a SuperStar presenter at the big LERN annual conference in Baltimore, speaking on Integrated Marketing.  He is Chief Strategist for idfive, a company that works with colleges and universities on integrated marketing.  The website is www.idfive.com One of the most common questions I get

The 2017 International Awards in Lifelong Learning, which will be announced at the big LERN conference in Baltimore Nov 16-19, reflect a response to a changing customer base says LERN’s Julie Coates. She says more awards nominations than ever include these two activities:  1.Focus groups, and 2.Rebranding.  Coates says the field is rapidly repositioning to

Reducing your cancellation rate is one of the biggest issues and “to-do’s” in programming today. Some 28% of programs last year reported their Cancellation Rates are too high. And other programmers were probably telling a white lie.  Now, for the first time, we put together our list of 14 successful techniques for lowering your cancellation

LERN members and customers are flocking to LERN events this fall.

Online technology guru Jennifer Selke will be presenting a session on Mobile- and Web-Based Apps to Enhance Productivity at the big LERN Annual Conference in Baltimore Nov. 16-19.

Do you know what makes a good brochure cover picture?

Information specialists and customer service staff should be knowledgeable, friendly, and solutions-focused. They should also know how to drive sales. In LERN’s all new webinar, Top Notch Customer Service & How To Leverage your Front-Line Staff to Drive Registrations and Sales, you will discover: – How to turn every phone call into a no-pressure sales opportunity