About Us

What is the Rapid Learning Institute?

The RLI is a leading provider of rapid e-learning solutions for organizations large and small. Our client list includes Fortune 500s, private firms, government offices, healthcare, educational organizations, manufacturing and more. The RLI’s key differentiator? Its no-fluff training programs are short and engaging. Employees will watch them. You’ll get a higher return on your training investment.

More about the RLI

What’s Unique About The RLI?

The Rapid Learning Institute (RLI) is the only company whose corporate learning solutions combine three powerful concepts:

1. Rapid Learning: Our programs are short, concise and high-impact. If you’re looking for comprehensive e-learning modules that require a large time commitment, the RLI is not for you. If you believe training must be tailored to employees’ short attention spans and desire for “solutions in the moment of need,” you might consider adding the RLI System to your mix of training options.

2. Interval Reinforcement. Decades of research have shown that training does not stick without follow-up. Knowledge retention increases significantly when employees revisit what they learned multiple times in the days and weeks after training occurs. RLI’s concise, six- to 10-minute e-learning modules make it convenient for employees to repeatedly review what they learned. The Interval Reinforcement Plan (IRP) that comes with each module shows you exactly how to use the modules to increase knowledge retention.

3. Shared Vocabulary. People learn best in “Learning Organizations” that build a culture of cross-training and mentoring. A shared vocabulary is key to building that culture. RLI modules are designed to distill learning concepts into precise language that becomes a sort of “shorthand” for both teaching and coaching activities. Some examples:The Five Whys Technique; The Yes Trap; Occupational A.D.D., The Career Advocate Method; The Hands-On Managerial Style, etc. Imagine managing a team where every member “gets” these concepts and they become part of your culture. That’s what the RLI delivers.

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What Is Rapid Learning?

“Rapid Learning” is concise, fast-paced online training. It’s the future of workplace learning for two reasons:

1. E-learning has arrived. Adoption of online training in corporations has increased from 11% in 2002 to nearly 40% today (Source: “ASTD State of the Industry Report 2009). In five to 10 years, we believe e-learning will be the core mode of employee development at most companies, delivered either completely online or as part of a blended learning solution.

2. Today’s employees – particularly Millennials – have short attention spans. The Internet has trained us all to expect “solutions in the moment of need.” And we want them fast. Many e-learning modules on the market today are agonizingly slow-paced. In some cases it’s appropriate – for example, a comprehensive overview of a compliance or safety issue may require 60 minutes or more. But in most cases, lengthy e-learning modules are neither appropriate nor effective. They’re long and ponderous because training writers generally aren’t focused and disciplined enough to deliver their material in a shorter time-frame. At RLI, we pride ourselves on our ability to distill take-home value into tight, fast-paced, highly engaging modules that are six to 10 minutes long.

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What Problem Does Rapid Learning Solve?

Rapid Learning makes training stick, giving your organization a higher return on training investment.

Have you ever had an employee return from a training session pumped up and deploying valuable new skills, only to find that a month later the person has fallen back into the same bad habits you were trying to change?

Why does this happen? A landmark study by a German psychologist named Hermann Ebbinghaus in the 1880s showed that if you teach people something one time, 30 days later they retain just 20% of what they learned. After a training session, employees and their managers go back to their jobs and get caught up in the day-to-day. Follow-up takes time. It’s inconvenient. And generally it just doesn’t happen. Which means, of course, that much of your training investment went down the drain.

The secret to making training stick – and protecting the investments we make in developing employees – is what we call “interval reinforcement.” Numerous studies (Tulving, 1968; Greene, 1992; Dunlosky & Hertzog, 1997; Sheffer & Ma’ayan, 2002) have shown that if people are trained in a specific skill, then they revisit the training several times in the days and weeks afterward, knowledge retention increases significantly. A recent study (Koriate, Karpicke & Roediger, 2006) also showed that intermittent testing increased retention even more than simply revisiting material in “study” mode. Conclusion: Testing isn’t a neutral process that measures learning; it actually contributes to learning and knowledge retention. That’s why all RLI programs come with challenging quizzes that ensure employees have mastered the material covered.

The core e-learning curricula on Rapid Learning Institute platforms consist of highly focused six- to 10-minute “Quick Take” rapid learning modules. Quick Takes usually deliver a single take-home message that can improve performance and impact results. They’re short, can be viewed on any computer 24/7/365, and include testing mechanisms that reinforce learning. So follow up is convenient, time-efficient and effective. Employees – either on their own or in a team setting – can watch them repeatedly. They’ll get interval reinforcement. They’ll retain what they learned. And your organization will get a higher payout on its training investment.

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What Is The RLI System?

The Rapid Learning Institute System is a learning methodology to help organizations increase knowledge retention and maximize their training return on investment. Key to the RLI System is what we call “Interval Reinforcement” – that is, revisiting training in the days and weeks afterward. Each rapid learning module comes with a customized Interval Reinforcement Plan (IRP), which outlines the follow-up steps required to enhance retention of the concepts covered in the module.

The Rapid Learning Institute (RLI) offers fast-paced online talent development systems in the following areas: Human Resources, Employment Law, Compliance, Leadership/ Management, and Sales. All RLI e-learning modules are designed to achieve exceptionally high levels of employee engagement and knowledge retention.

The RLI System is based on four truths about talent development and adult learning:

1. In traditional training, 80% of what employees learn is forgotten within 30 days (Source: landmark Ebbinghaus study, 1880s)

2. The key to knowledge retention is “interval reinforcement.” People achieve permanent mastery of skills when they revisit training in the days, weeks and months after they receive it. The role of testing is key to knowledge retention. (Source: Tulving, 1968; Greene, 1992; Dunlosky & Hertzog, 1997; Sheffer & Ma’ayan, 2002; Karpicke & Roediger, 2006)

3. Computer-based learning has arrived. Adoption of e-learning is skyrocketing because under-40 professionals in today’s workplace demand self-directed online learning solutions they can deploy 24/7/365.

4. Today’s workers have different learning needs. Increasingly, we’ll all be hiring Millennials – that is, post-2000 college graduates who have never known a world without computers. They’re multi-taskers with short attention spans who – thanks to Google – expect instant gratification. When it comes to learning, they’ll want it online, so they can access it wherever, whenever. And they’ll expect it to deliver “solutions in the moment of need.” That means they’ll demand brief, engaging, high-impact learning options that provide clearly defined, practical ways to solve problems. This is why the RLI’s core curricula consist of short, focused e-learning modules.

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How Can You Use The RLI System?

You can deliver the training to your employees in three ways:

1. Self-directed online learning. Register your employees and allow them to use the online learning platform as they see fit. Because RLI modules are fast-paced and focused, employees are much more likely to engage on their own. The system sends automatic e-mail updates every two weeks to remind users that new material has been posted.

2. In-house blended learning. You or your in-house training staff can build group learning sessions based on RLI content. Some companies have developed comprehensive instructor-led programs around the RLI e-learning modules. Others merely use them to kick start regular developmental meetings, then use the discussion guides to reinforce the key points. Either way, you get the best results when employees watch the modules multiple times to ensure “interval reinforcement” and knowledge retention.

3. Blended learning with RLI trainers. RLI can provide experienced instructors who:

  • Deliver a customized single- or multi-day program based on material from the RLI library of online learning modules
  • Show employees how to use the online programs as “interval reinforcement” to ensure knowledge retention, and
  • Show in-house trainers and other leaders in your organization how to use the RLI System as an ongoing talent development system to reinforce past learning and develop new employees.

The content – which consists of six- to 10-minute “Quick Take” rapid learning modules, full-length 30- to 60-minute e-learning modules, fast-read articles and useful tools – is updated every other week, constantly providing fresh material for users. The user-friendly online interface is intuitive and learning modules launch automatically on any computer screen. To reinforce the training, modules include quizzes, handouts, summary sheets, discussion guides and personal action sheets. Your organization can purchase either a single-user or multi-user license to an RLI system.

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