Peak User Group Conference 2020:Hit eLearning Out of the Park!

Peak User Group Conference 2020:
Hit eLearning Out of the Park!

by | Feb 13, 2020 | Blog, News

CommPartners’ Peak User Group Conference started in 2018. After meeting clients face-to-face, and receiving positive feedback from participants, we knew this was something we wanted to repeat. So, we created a biennial, in-person learning and networking event that would bring together all the associates we work with within the eLearning space.

Now we have arrived at Peak 2020. Peak 2020 is a 2-day conference bringing together members from CommPartners’ growing community of clients, partners, and industry experts to network, collaborate, and learn. Enjoy a full schedule of Elevate LMS Training, Virtual Event Training, thought-leader presentations, and social opportunities with the thrilling backdrop of Nationals Park, home of the reigning World Series Champions, the Washington Nationals!

We designed this conference to specifically cater to prospective clients as well as current Elevate users using two educational tracks. Track A is more than just getting to know Elevate, it’s learning how to use the LMS to leverage your educational strategy. Track B focuses on getting the most out of Elevate, concentrating on creative and innovative uses for the LMS beyond what administrators might already be doing. These tracks are specialized to meet the needs of our learners, ensuring they have the tools to implement successful online educational programs.

If you have attended in the past, don’t expect the same content you saw at Peak 2018, says Kate Ratcliffe, Marketing Director, “as general technology is always changing, so is Elevate. We are going to highlight new features; we are going to highlight underused features”. Attendees will also have the opportunity to brainstorm with CommPartners’ team members to be sure they are best leveraging what they have learned throughout the conference within their organizations.

Whether you are already an Elevate user or you think it might be something you could use to enhance your education efforts, Peak 2020 has something to offer you:

What will you get out of Peak 2020?

  • Learn about Elevate LMS strategies and best practices
  • Make sure you are getting the most out of your current Elevate system or learn how your organization could benefit from an LMS
  • Hear about the latest online education trends from community experts
  • Pick up tips and tricks to keep your education program relevant and engaging
  • Earn CAE credits for your participation
  • Networking opportunities Engage fellow CommPartners’ clients to network and share ideas
  • Participate in fun activities such as dugout tours, batting practice, and have a picture taken with the world series trophy
  • Enjoy an evening at the ballpark with CommPartners’ staff and colleagues

Peak 2020 will be July 30-31, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Register now until March 26, 2020, for a “Pre-Season” discount. Please visit the Peak 2020 website for all the details. We are looking forward to seeing you in Washington, D.C., this summer!

Learn More!

From Client to Employee, Meet Cristyn Johnson

From Client to Employee, Meet Cristyn Johnson

by | Jan 30, 2020 | Blog

Cristyn Johnson

Cristyn Johnson is the newest addition to the CommPartners team. She may be a new name to some clients, but she no stranger to Elevate or CommPartners. Cristyn is a former client who has joined us as a Client Development Manager. She told me a little bit about her position, what it was like to transition from client to team member, and what unique perspectives she brings to the table.

 

JR: What is your job title, and what will you be doing for CommPartners?

CJ: I am a Client Development Manager. I will be working with all existing clients – that includes Elevate, content capture, live-stream clients – helping them optimize their systems, brainstorming new ideas and initiatives they might be excited to embark on, and making sure they get the most out of our services.

JR: Exciting! What aspects of your new position are you looking forward to the most?

CJ: I am a huge professional development and learning nerd, so I am really looking forward to learning about all of the really cool projects and initiatives our clients are doing or could be doing with CommPartners.

JR: How about association education? What makes you excited working in this space?

CJ: I get really excited when other people get really excited about learning.

JR: Sounds like you’re in the right industry! So, you have the unique experience of coming to CommPartners as a former client, can you speak to what that transition was like?

CJ: In my previous position, I was managing our Elevate platform. As the position grew, I found myself drawn to helping others use the platform more effectively, think critically about how they use the platform, and how the end-users use the platform. So, it seemed serendipitous when this position at CommPartners became available where I could similarly help other Elevate administrators across the platform.

JR: Do you think that experience has given you a unique perspective you can use in your new position?

CJ: Absolutely! I think the association world is very unique with so many dynamics and strategies and ideas, and having that deeper knowledge is going to help me make more informed recommendations to clients. It also means, we can have a certain level of insight that we didn’t necessarily have before, new initiatives or new products can have an added association perspective built into the way they are created.

JR: Now that you’re working for CommPartners, what makes us unique compared to other online education companies you have worked with/have experience with?

CJ: CommPartners takes the time to listen and get to know all of our clients, and I felt that interaction when I was on the other side as a client too. That goes a long way in the association world because a lot of them are not-for-profit entities, other companies can write them off as a faceless name in a crowd – you don’t feel that with CommPartners.

JR: What’s a unique element of Elevate that really excites you?

CJ: Elevate has a module called Connect. It is a great way to connect all your users within your LMS. Where on a discussion board the conversation just kind of ends, the Connect Module allows you to create an interactive community with all of your Elevate users. Users can talk and share resources beyond single product interaction.

JR: Bonus question round! What is one movie you can watch over and over and over?

CJ: Slums of Beverly Hills!

Cristyn is looking forward to working with our clients to make sure they are getting the most out CommPartners’ products and services. If you have an idea you’d like to try out within your education services or feel like your education toolbox could use a refresh, contact Cristyn.
She is ready to find a new way to engage your learners or maybe better leverage what you already have.

Cristyn can be reached by email cjohnson@commpartners.com or phone (443) 539-4858.

“Just because it’s not optimal, doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial.”

“Just because it’s not optimal, doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial.”

by | Jul 30, 2019 | Blog, Education

I’m a big fan of the author James Clear who writes about the formation of habits. I believe (good!) habits are an important element of success (I’ve written about it before.)

In a recent blog post, Clear wrote: “Just because it’s not optimal, doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial.” Read another way, this is the old adage of don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Or don’t let perfection be your target, because you’ll always fail.

I see this very commonly when discussing the integration of systems with clients (e.g., AMS and LMS). The optimal situation is a real-time, two-way integration between the two systems so that data is shared immediately.

But this often proves to be very time-consuming and expensive to develop (and sometimes can’t be developed!). So rather than a two-way, real-time integration we opt for a two-way passing of data on a schedule (e.g., once per day). Optimal? No. Beneficial? Absolutely.

So when considering changes to process or technology within your organization, keep in mind that while the change might not be optimal, it can be beneficial, and that’s what we’re looking for.

This guest blog post/article first appeared at www.effectivedatabase.com and is repurposed with permission.

 

Wes Trochlil is a published author on data management in the association market. He helps organizations move data management from a cost center to a revenue generator.

CP Adds Certification Module to Elevate LMS

CP Adds Certification Module to Elevate LMS

by | Apr 30, 2019 | News

Columbia, MD – April 30, 2019. CommPartners, a leading provider of Learning Management Software has announced the launch of their new Certification Module as a component of its Elevate Learning Management System. The Certification Module allows organizations who utilize Elevate, to provide their communities a more holistic method for validating learning achievement over a period of time.  Organizations who utilize Elevate as their LMS will now be able to provide online courses and other content that can immediately be applied towards a certification or re-certification within the same education platform.

The Certification Module allows administrators the ability to define eligibility prerequisites, earning requirements, duration and expiration. In addition, the module manages re-certification start periods and requirements, access eligibility, access costs, and defines required and elective courseware. Tracking of user progress keeps participants abreast of where they are in the process.

Richard Finstein, CEO of CommPartners stated:  “We are thrilled to add certification to our Elevate LMS.  It makes sense to have a single platform for a credentialing program and the eLearning content that contributes to that greater achievement.”

 

About CommPartners

CommPartners is an established leader in online education and event solutions to the association community. At the core of the company’s offering is our Elevate Learning Management System. To extend the value of Elevate LMS, we provide a wide range of online education services including curriculum design, instructional design, fully managed webinars, webcasts, livestream programs and virtual conferences.

To learn more about CommPartners, Elevate LMS and the Certification Module, visit www.commpartners.com or contact Meghan Gowen at mgowen@commpartners.com.

 

###

CP Receives Best Continuing Education System Award

CP Receives Best Continuing Education System Award

by | Feb 28, 2019 | News

CommPartners is excited to announce we have received the Best Continuing Education System Award from Talented Learning, an independent research and consulting firm devoted to helping organizations of all sizes choose and use LMS solutions and related technologies for their unique business needs. The selection of CommPartners as an award recipient included an extensive consultation and a detailed review of the platform. . CommPartners is honored to have been selected from over 750 LMS providers.

“I am grateful to be a part of this community and to have the opportunity to continue to evolve our Elevate LMS to support our clients development and growth. We are excited about 2019 as we continue to introduce new features that allow our clients to become their community’s primary source for knowledge and continuing education Says Rich Finstein, CEO of CommPartners

CEO & Lead Analyst of Talented Learning, John Leh, shared, “With more than 25 years of experience in serving associations and non-profit organizations, CommPartners has grown and evolved along with continuing education needs and technologies. The CommPartners solution is unique because it offers more than just a strong, community-oriented, mobile-responsive, modern LMS.

The platform is also supported by a variety of companion services, including curriculum and instructional design, as well as production and management of webinars, webcasts, live-streamed events and virtual conferences. With personalized, hands-on guidance from in-house experts, CommPartners ensures that clients achieve high-quality results from their investment in continuing education programs.”

If you are interested in learning more about Elevate LMS or CommPartners’ online learning and event solutions please contact us at info@commpartners.com.