Where to be at DevLearn 2014

New worlds of possibilities are emerging in learning and development. As training managers, or other related professionals, we need to constantly update our current knowledge bank to ensure our skill sets remain current and ahead of the learning trends. That’s why I’m so excited for DevLearn 2014 Conference & Expo. This year, DevLearn takes place October 29-31 in Las Vegas. With so many speakers to see and so many great exhibitors to check out, it can be difficult to pack everything into a few short days. Here are the highlights of what to see and what to do at DevLearn 2014. KEYNOTES Science Literacy and the Future of Work Neil deGrasse Tyson Director, Hayden Planetarium and Host of COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey Wednesday, October 29, 8:30a Interest in STEM education—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—is on the rise. In this fascinating opening keynote, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of the television show Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, will explore how and why STEM is critical not just in the education of young people, but also in impacting the landscape of today’s workplace. Dr. Tyson will discuss how strong foundations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can be leveraged in organizational training, and how that foundation can be expanded upon to empower workers to solve business-related problems—even problems they have never before seen. How Perception Shapes the Universe of the Mind Beau Lotto Director, Lottolab Thursday, October 30, 8:30a Perception is what drives everything we know, think, feel, and believe. It also impacts how we learn. In this thought-provoking keynote presentation, renowned neuroscientist Dr. Beau Lotto will use perceptual neuroscience to explore creativity and the critical role it plays in learning. He will examine what creativity is from the perspective of the mind, and discuss why fear and stress are the main barriers to creativity. Dr. Lotto will explore how you can create an environment that allows maximum creativity for yourself and others. This presentation will help you understand how the brain resolves uncertainty and how “destructive creation” is at the heart of learning itself. Viewing Workplace Technology Through a New Lens Belinda Parmar Founder, Little Miss Geek Friday, October 31, 11:00a Technology has an image problem. Women are consuming technology but not creating it. Women are leaving the technology sector at twice the rate of men. The number of young women studying technology related subjects has declined every year for the past 10 years. This is increasingly weakening the effectiveness of organizations and workplace learning teams.In this timely keynote, Belinda Parmar will explore the societal influences that function as blinders to how girls and young women look at technology. She will explore the expectations that are coded into our perceptions as children and how they shape young women’s assumptions of what “working with tech” means, discuss the importance of technology in the context of work, and examine the types of technology skills that are critical in tomorrow’s workplace. FEATURED SESSIONS: Fresh Perspectives from Industry Leaders How Technology Is Changing the Future of Education Allison Rossett, Principal, Allison Rossett & Associates Badges: New Currency for Competencies and High-value Credentials Anne Derryberry, Market Analyst, Sage Road Solutions Matching the Right Learning Content with the Right Learning Strategy Karl Kapp, Professor of Instructional Technology, Bloomsburg University Building a Learning Ecosystem: A Holistic Approach to Learning and Performance Marc Rosenberg, Principal, Marc Rosenberg and Associates and Steve Foreman, President, Infomedia Designs Why Mobile Is Critical to the Future of Learning and Performance Expert Panel How to Make Community Part of Your Training Tom Kuhlmann, VP, Community, Articulate EXPO: Be sure to visit WalkMe at booth #625. WalkMe, the Enterprise-Class Guidance and Engagement Platform, will demonstrate its employee training and performance support technology.