Economics: Cheaper always has a price

I was driving through our neighborhood recently  with my son on the way back from soccer practice.  It was one of the first really warm days of Spring, so many of the local shopkeepers were busy outside their stores cleaning windows, sweeping sidewalks and putting out colourful chalkboard signs that promised great deals and upcoming sales.  It was one of these signs that caught my son’s eye, outside the local Pet store.  The sign’s proclamation was simple, if not devastating.  Printed in a bold black font,

“Going out of Business Sale”

Reading the sign took only a second, but I knew the impact would last far longer.  Ask most parents in our neighbourhood (any neighbourhood I suppose) and they will say the same thing. The local pet store is more than just a place to buy food for their cherished family member…. it’s a mini zoo, where they can spend an hour on a Sunday afternoon… a place that in their children’s eyes, is filled with wondrous creatures great and small.

As a proud Canadian business owner myself, I am always saddened to see a local business fail, but this particular closing was especially troubling.

My son knows all too well, the sacrifices a family endures when they own their own business…. the weekends spent working…. the late nights… the endless “give me second” references, signalling that he should come back to talk to me later.  These are all too familiar, but made worthwhile when we succeed, which thankfully my company has been able to do.  But I do not think until that very moment, he had realized that sometimes a business can fail, even one as wonderful and joyous as our local pet store.

Naturally he asked ‘why’?

“Could be any number of reasons,” I said. “But, most likely, it’s because they couldn’t compete with the bigger pet stores”.

“What do you mean, they couldn’t compete; because they are small?” “Does that mean your company will go out of business too?”

“No, we’re just fine. What I mean by ‘compete’, is that some companies (large companies) can buy the things they sell to customers much cheaper than smaller stores can, because they paid less to get them. So their customers are happy, because they save money when they shop there.”

“Yes,” he said jumping in… “but the people working in the small companies aren’t happy, because now they don’t have a job.”

“Yah,” I sighed. “That’s economics; cheaper, always has a price.”

Naturally this conversation, got me thinking about my business. Pathways is a learning technology company. We are by all accounts successful. Growing, employing Canadians. But we don’t sell widgets. We sell services that become products. eLearning, gaming, animations, simulations etc. Our cheaper options would come in the form of people. We could outsource. Many in our industry do. It’s easy. In most cases, no one has to be the any the wiser. We could pass the savings on to our customers. Then everybody wins, right?

I know that ‘cheaper always has a price’. I know that local talent must be fostered and supported for our customers to really enjoy what we’re selling. I also know that you can outsource yourself right out of a job. It all comes around eventually.

Before writing this entry, I asked one of my colleagues what he believed our competitive advantage was. He paused for a moment and said, “We care. All of us. We all care. We may not always be perfect, but we care about what we do – because we see the direct impact of our work on our clients. If you don’t know your customers, how can you care about them?

He was right.

Small business owners know how much each and every client matters. They have to, because their livelihoods depend upon each and every one of them. People often talk about small business being the life-blood of our economy, but the real measure of those words comes when we make choices to buy our pet food somewhere cheaper.

WHAT GAME-BASED LEARNING AND GAMIFICATION CAN (AND CAN’T) DO

Games and gamification are not magic bullets.

Lumos Labs, the maker of a suite of so-called brain-training games called Luminosity, has recently been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission (U.S.A.) to pay $2 million in damages. The reason? Lumos Labs’ aggressive marketing strategy is built around the false claim that its games promote brain health and can reduce or delay the impact of brain diseases such as dementia. There is no valid or reliable evidence – qualitative or quantitative – to support the claim that Luminosity causes improved brain health. And anecdotes, as compelling as they may be in advertising, are not evidence.

So what can game-based learning and gamification actually do?

Multitasking

There is some evidence to support the claim that gaming may improve our ability to multitask.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have studied the cognitive ability of older adults, aged 60 – 85, as they complete sessions in a driving simulator called NeuroRacer. The complexity of the simulation increases as gameplay continues thus forcing players to multitask the more they play. The study has demonstrated that with practice, players can improve their ability to multitask and the effects can be felt in subsequent NeuroRacer sessions months after game-play.

It is unclear if these skills can be transferred to the real world.

Strategizing

A European study of 152 participants (of which 80 were female, 72 were male and the average age was 14) found a “robust positive association” between gameplay and physiological changes in the brain – these changes are related to higher-order activities such as decision-making, prioritizing and strategizing.

What does this mean? We may be able to leverage games and game elements to promote the development of complex decision-making processes that involve sorting through and prioritizing mass amounts of information.

Focus

Flying in the face of popular and often vocal alarm about video games and shrinking attention spans, a Bristol University study used neuroimaging to see gaming brains at work and found they remained focused throughout gameplay. How did they do this? Researchers had participants study in the conventional way (reading notes and reviewing sample questions) while viewing their brain activity. Then they had participants complete a gamified, competitive study session while viewing brain activity as before. The result? Learners were much more focused when study was gamified.

Implications for adult learning

So what does all this mean for Instructional Design and adult learning?

Do, not tell: Science does support the claim that we retain information better if we’re able to apply it immediately. Games and gamified learning, if designed well, can provide learners with genuine opportunities for application and feedback that would support the retention of new information and set learners up for knowledge transfer.

Remember your audience: Digital natives are, obviously, more familiar with games and game elements than those of us who were introduced to digital life via the Commodore 64 or the Atari. Using games and game elements for digital natives means you can streamline or dispense with cumbersome text-based instructions.

Design a fun experience: Learning solutions that incorporate game elements or adopt the game form should be fun. And if the learning is fun, odds are, you’ll find higher engagement, retention and completion rates. Capture and interpret the data and share the results.

If Luminosity has taught us anything, it’s that we must learn to be critical of grand claims about the effects of games on the brain. Yet despite the abundance of misinformation about the cognitive effects of gaming, it’s clear that games and game elements can be used to support learning. They’re powerful tools, not magic bullets.

TOOLS FOR ACCESSIBLE ELEARNING

AN INTRODUCTION

Accessible eLearning is often something that’s overlooked when designing a program that’s reaching a mass audience. Many times there are people with varying needs or learning styles that would learn the lessons you’re trying to convey in many different ways. Once of the ways we can help to make eLearning more accessible, is by accommodating your content for a screen or document reader. These are programs that will dictate and describe on-screen elements with text-based cues.

WHAT’S OUT THERE?

A couple of popular options available are Kurzweil, and JAWS (Job Access With Speech) reader. Beginning with Kurzweil, this software will use a source document that contains a complete text-based transcription od the content in order to dictate the material. Alternatively, Kurzweil is able to read content from your web browser along with a long list of other features available such as translating phrases and exporting the dictation for later use. JAWS reader performs many of the same functions, though not as capable as Kurzweil, will provide a braille output for use later. Additionally, JAWS doesn’t have a mobile app as an accompaniment in the same way that Kurzweil does with firefly.

Either one of these packages will provide value for your eLearning course, and more information can be found on their respective websites:

Kurzweil 3000 + Firefly: https://www.kurzweiledu.com/default.html

JAWS Reader: http://www.freedomscientific.com/

It’s also worth noting too, that neither software is free, but Kurzweil offers a more flexible trial package with a consistent 30-day period. JAWS, however, will only provide a short time of functionality per session of use which can be very inhibiting.

WRAPPING UP

If you would like to explore more about gamification, mobile learning and eLearning, take a peek at our company website: Pathways Training and eLearning, at http://www.pathwaystrainingandelearning.com/. We always look for fresh ways to engage learners and to make the learning experience as fun as possible!

Building Trust in a New Relationship with Your Training Vendor

Credit to Mark Snook for this post.

Last week I was walking around our office’s downtown neighborhood looking for a new option for lunch, when I was suddenly struck with a very distinctive aroma emanating from an open door just ahead. I immediately made a bee-line for the open door as there was no mistaking what delicious scent I had encountered…. food being cooked in a deep fryer.

As soon as I entered I noticed at least 30 – 40 menu options colorfully displayed in chalk behind the counter. Not having my glasses handy I asked the person behind the counter if they had Montreal smoke meat on their menu…this was returned wit a quizzical, bemused stare as the shopkeeper replied

“We only sell Poutine”

Following a few moments of stunned silence, I asked what then all the options were that were listed on the menu displayed so proudly behind him.   His reply was a very firm….

“Those are all the different kinds of Poutine we make…the best you have ever had. Trust Me!”

And there it was. Two little words that we hear constantly in our everyday lives, be that personal, business or otherwise…” Trust Me”.

In the context of the vendor-customer relationship, trust is often established over time through a collaborative working partnership that has seen project after project brought to a successful conclusion, so based on past history, when the vendor says “trust me” the customer is more likely to do just that. There is also “trust by association” where a customer enters an agreement with a vendor in part, due to the recommendation from someone (company, associate, etc.…) whose opinion they value. So again when the vendor needs the trust of their customer usually it is given. But what do we do when there has not been any type of relationship established or recommendation made? Can we really trust at first sight?

There is no denying that for some organisations the decision for determining which vendor best suits their needs is made much easier by looking at factors such as reputation for delivering quality work on budget and on time and the ability to demonstrate their expertise on demand…and thus, for them anyway, the trust portion of the relationship has been satisfied. But for many organisations they need more, they need to be able to trust the people making the promise. Here a critical point has been reached…the stage in the relationship where two parties begin to get to know each other as a means of establishing trust, and it is here where some vendors fall short for one simple reason…the person(s) they have made responsible for managing the customer relationship is not qualified for the job. That may mean they have poor organisations skills, below average communication skills or over – promise and under-deliver just to name a few. Regardless, the point is that for vendors, when choosing a person to represent your organisation, chose wisely as it does not always take much to sour a relationship to the extent the customer opts to take their business elsewhere.

 

So how can an individual convey a feeling of trust to those they are getting to know? Well I have been involved in managing relationships long enough to understand there is no simple answer to that question. Having said that, in talking to many project managers who deal with vendors (and speaking from my own experience) one of the first things they look for is   ”does the person have a passion for what they do” ?   People who love their job tend to be more realistic and honest about what they are capable of delivering, so starting a relationship with a person who brings passion and honesty is a great way to build trust.

It goes without saying that different people will look for different things, put more value in certain character traits than perhaps someone else would or simply some will just go by that ol’ standby, a gut feeling when deciding if the person across the table can be trusted. Regardless of what characteristics may be considered more telling than others, I think is safe to suggest that whom is chosen to sit at that table across from the customer can make a big difference, good or bad, in the relationship.

In considering the above and as a final thought, we are left with the question “If trust is not established does that mean in all instances that a successful working relationship cannot ensue?” I am not sure I have the definitive answer to that, however in thinking about that question I am reminded of a line from the movie “The Godfather II”, when Michael Corleone questions the distrust Frank Pentangeli has for Hyman Roth. To this Pentangeli replied in referring to the relationship Roth had with Michael’s father, Vito Corleone….

“Your father did business with Hyman Roth, he respected Hyman Roth… but he never trusted Hyman Roth!”.  

Spoiler alert, things do not end well for Hyman Roth so perhaps one could suggest that if he and the Godfather had a better trusting relationship, he would not have been gunned down in an airport.

Oh…as for the poutine and whether it was the “best I ever had” It was very tasty I will grant you that…but I think I will go back a few times before making any decisions. Trust Me.

Making Animated StoryLine 2 Backgrounds with Adobe Flash Professional

Today I want to write about an easy way to add some glitz to your StoryLine 2 e-learning course. The tip? Use Adobe Flash.

I know, I know, that’s a little like saying you can make your Toyota Echo go 0-60 in 3.6 seconds…by putting a Ferrari engine in it. But hear me out. There are some things that StoryLine 2 is great at (like integrating with various LMS, and those cool drag-and-drop activities), and there are other areas where it leaves a little to be desired (animation, for our purposes today). It’s true that with enough motion paths and enough patience, you can create any animation you can imagine, but who has time for that? Life’s short, and there are doughnuts to be eaten. I find it much more efficient to create the majority of my animations with Adobe Flash Professional (or the new Adobe Edge Animate), and to import them to StoryLine 2 as I build out the course.

This doesn’t mean you need to build your entire slide with Flash, however! That could also turn into a ‘who has time for that’ scenario; StoryLine has already automated many interactions that would be time-consuming to create from scratch in Flash. Here’s the pro tip: rather than using StoryLine 2 or Flash, use both! Try using a Flash movie as a base layer, treating it as if it were a static background, and layering StoryLine 2 content on top of it. Using this layered approach, you can use StoryLine 2 components to do what they’re good at, and Flash components to do what they’re good at.

For the Flash background, include an image with, say, a simple scaling-down motion tween. Add a title with literally any of the Motion Presets supplied by Adode Flash Pro. Maybe zip in a little semi-transparent underline for emphasis, and you’re done! Just import it to the correct StoryLine 2 slide, and lock it down as the bottommost layer. Viola, your background is now exponentially more awesome.

Not only is this technique simple and great-looking, it’s also highly modular; the title of the Flash movie (and thus of your slide) can be changed by simply changing the text of its library instance, and the background can be swapped for another, all without disturbing the underlying animation. This means you’ll be able to get a lot of mileage out of a just few high-quality animations. Now… where were those doughnuts?

To learn more and to discover the innovative learning solutions offered by Pathways, visit our award-winning team, at http://www.Pathwaysinc.ca.

Creating Effective Tests As Part of Your eLearning Course

Every trainer who has ever facilitated a course has been there.  You spend several minutes explaining a specific process to a room full of students and pause to ask the class if there are any questions before you continue on.  You then stand and wait in anticipation, knowing by the looks on some of the faces that there are definitely a few questions, but regardless the room remains silent.  This is a critical point in training as a good facilitator, recognising there are gaps in the student’s understanding of the topic, should be prepared to offer a few follow-up questions to the group as a means to gauge the overall level of comprehension before feeing comfortable to move on.    This begs the question, “What can be done to truly gauge an individual’s level of understanding when they are completing a self- paced eLearning course, minus an available trainer nearby” especially if the eLearning course is being offered as a stand-alone and in not part of a blended learning curriculum.

Writing and creating effective tests for understanding is a crucial component of developing a good eLearning program, and sadly however something that is often overlooked.   Think about it for a moment…. how many times have you ever reviewed an eLearning course by skimming through the material, not really reading all of the content, muting the audio portions at times and despite all that, still aced the quiz at the end?  Assuming most of us do not possess an eidetic memory or the ability to grasp and understand with a simple glance, circumstances such as this are often due to the fact the test was a poor reflection of the learning objectives.  These situations are made worse when you consider the fact that while a printed certificate tacked to the side of a desk may proclaim successful completion of a program, the learner is often no better off and in fact often annoyed at the perceived waste of time it took to complete the program.

At this point it is important to note I am not suggesting a well written test is the magic elixir that will determine with certainty if a person will both remember and retain the information intended…but it will most definitely give you a pretty good idea.  Please note as well this discussion is more geared towards writing test questions with the topic of creating unique methods of testing to follow in a later publication.  With that said, here are a few simple strategies I use when developing test questions for an eLearning course.

Test to the learning objectives!  This can not be stated clearly enough.   Depending on the nature of the material, at a minimum there should be 3-5 questions that specifically test the understanding of a specific learning objective.

Be brief and clear on what you are asking.   Questions that run on too long will often confuse the learner or may result in them missing what is being asked in the first place.  Keep the question simple and to the point.

Avoid ambiguous questions in your eLearning course.  There should only be one correct answer as opposed to one answer that is “more correct” than another.   Student’s can at times get hung up on why a specific answer they have selected is wrong which in turn can detract from the material.  A simple way to avoid this is to ensure your question has one, and only one answer based on the provided materials.

Exam Keys Showing Examination Exams Or Test Online

Limit multiple choice possible responses.  If you are developing a multiple choice test, limit the possible answers to a maximum of four choices and avoid using “all of the above” or “none of the above” as a possible answer.  Also try and avoid using combinations for a correct answer, such as A and C, B and D, etc.…   Multiple choice questions that use various combinations as possible answers are often seen as confusing which may frustrate the learner.  Keep the options straight forward and clear.

Test your test.   Before publishing an eLearning course have a few co-workers, peers, etc. take the quizzes and exams that are part of your eLearning.  This will not only be a good way to determine if the questions are clearly understood, but also help to determine if the test itself is behaving as you planned, answers are being scored correctly and so on.  It is extremely frustrating to spend hours taking an eLearning course only to discover you will have to do it again as the exam you just passed did not mark your results accurately.

There are I am sure other strategies that experienced developers use when creating an effective test as part of their eLearning course, especially for programs that are more technical in nature.  With that said and by using the tips mentioned above, a developer will be well on their way to creating something great

To learn more about eLearning training solutions offered by Pathways please visit our website at http://www.Pathwaysinc.ca

When to use eLearning

Back around the time AOL was the number one Internet Provider and the sitcom “Cheers” ruled the airwaves, computer seminars were all the rage.  Software Companies would book huge conference centres and invite customers to attend “how to” sessions.   I actually participated in one of these myself that was intended to demonstrate to the audience members how to use Microsoft Office products more effectively.   The session was held in an auditorium with at least 500 in the audience and the demonstrations being broadcast on a 10 x 10 screen at the front.  As we did not have laptops the only way to follow along was to watch the small screen at the front and take notes as quickly as possible.  After 60 minutes of this fruitless exercise I got up and left along with the person sitting beside me, who as we were leaving the room said something that I have never forgotten….” This would have been much easier to do at home” My prophetic friend could not have been more correct, and while it did take a few more years before hosted webinars were the norm, eventually the message was received.

This leads to what I wanted to briefly discuss, that being how does one determine when to use eLearning versus in class, instructor led sessions.

In some instances, making the determination between using eLearning or instructor led training is simple, and often done for you before development starts.  For example, consider geographic location of the intended audience.  If the material you are developing is intended for a national or even global audience, or it is not economically feasible to bring your intended audience in to a classroom, then eLearning it is.   Also, aside from the fact eLearning is a significantly cheaper option when compared to instructor led training, many organisations are now focusing on making “greener” choices when it comes to the business decisions that are made.  Understanding that, using eLearning is a perfect compliment to that philosophy.  By having the participant learn from home or the office, the individual’s carbon footprint is significantly reduced by avoiding unnecessary travel, hotel stays or the use of conference halls, classrooms, etc.

Another simple determining factor is content.  What is it that you wish the students to learn?   If the learning objectives all relate to understanding the finer points of karate, then I and probably most of us would choose to attend a class led by a qualified instructor as opposed to staying home and watching Bruce Lee movies.  However, if the tasks, activities, functions, etc. are either performed on a computer or easily viewed on any type of media, then there is a very high probability that eLearning will be the best method for providing that content.  Colleges and Universities across North America have been using self paced eLearning for several years now to provide instruction in almost all courses that are offered as part of their curriculum, so the limits are endless when it comes to what subjects one can learn through eLearning.

In some instances, the pros/cons are seemingly equal between going with instructor led training versus eLearning.  In these situations, a person then should consider who will deliver the training if instructor led is chosen as the delivery method.  I am sure most would agree that just because a person is an expert on the content, does not mean they will be able to effectively teach the material to a classroom full of students.   We have all been in at least 1-2 classrooms where the facilitator was a terrible communicator, could not manage questions, was rude to the student’s, etc.…  As such in situations where there may not be 100% confidence in the ability of finding the right facilitator to deliver the content, then eLearning would be the way to go.

Finally, if nothing else trust your instincts and common sense to help make the eLearning versus instructor led training decision.  If an experienced developer can picture themselves completing the training they have been asked to create using eLearning, then chances are that is the right choice.

To learn more about eLearning training solutions offered by Pathways please visit our website at http://www.Pathwaysinc.ca

Learning and education concept in 3d word tag cloud on white

eLearning Gamification – Strengths of Virtual Simulation

Since the dawn of interactive entertainment, the then unattainable goal was virtual reality. But as technology advances and new innovations such as the Oculus rift, HTC vive, or Project Morpheus are bringing us closer than ever before.  But while a matrix like VR experience is still a long way off, the creation of interactive simulations has proven to be an excellent tool for learning and training for several reasons.

Greater retention of content

Thinking about the experience of an eLearning module vs. a video of the same content.  Assuming audio and visuals are identical to each, you will absorb more from an eLearning module because it involves interaction.  Without interaction the module cannot proceed. It is an active way of learning compared to the more passive example of video. User involvement automatically makes the experience more significant. This logic is what makes videogames such an immersive experience when compared to television or movies.

This same comparison can be made between virtual simulation vs. eLearning modules. Typically an eLearning module goes over the learning material and then eventually tests the user on it (in a similar manner to classroom learning).  But virtual simulations goes about learning in a more practical sense. Instead of being tested on content in a classroom setting, the user is thrust into the role. The virtual environment provides a practical learning environment which will help with the transfer of learning.  Studies have shown that learners recall 90% of information when simulations are used.

* Source – elearningindustry.com

Taking part in a simulation teaches the user in a much faster way, not only because engagement equals significance, but also because the nature of simulations results in a quicker rhythm of feedback teaching the user through their mistakes at a faster rate.

If you would like to learn more about eLearning, virtual simulations and gamification please visit us at

www.pathwaysinc.ca

The Advantages of ELearning

Often when completing a needs analysis for a development project I am asked to include elements of ELearning.  When I inquire as to what type of ELearning the stakeholders were interested in, the reply is often “you know…the normal kind”.

This is not to suggest that those responsible for assigning training development projects such as a program leader or operations manager do not know what they need or are not very familiar with ELearning…quite the contrary, often they know more than they realise.   By that I mean many people tend to think of ELearning as something that is relatively new in training development, but the truth is ELearning has been in all of our daily lives for several years.  Early examples of ELearning include taking a driver’s exam that used video and online testing, or installing software that came with a “how to” section…. even doing your taxes online, something that has been around for more than 10 years, could be considered ELearning.

Simply put, ELearning can be any activity that uses navigation (forward, back, pause, next, etc.…) and is presented in a digital format.  Examples of ELearning can range from something as simple as explaining how to fill out a form using highlights and arrows, to much more complex materials that incorporate elements such as HD video, gaming, interactive activities and whiteboard animation while tracking the learners progress and providing pass/fail feedback for all tests and quizzes.

The advantages of ELearning are enormous and go far beyond the significant cost savings that companies and learners alike enjoy by choosing ELearning over more traditional classroom training.  With ELearning the student completes their training from any location, on any device and often at their own pace, and with the expansion of the virtual classroom ELearning continues to grow and evolve to the point many students of today are earning degrees from accredited Universities without ever stepping foot on a campus!

While the advantages of ELearning are certainly impressive it is important to note there are times an instructor may be needed to assist with the ELearning journey, however that journey continues to become more and more exciting each passing day and I have no doubt that when it comes to ELearning, the best is yet to come!

To learn more about ELearning solutions offered by Pathways please visit our website at http://www.Pathwaysinc.ca

Advancements in Instructional Design

Highway Signpost with New Technology wording on Sky Background.

As we progress through the 21^st century I continually marvel at the technological advances that have been introduced and continue to emerge at a rapid rate.  Just in the past few years we have seen cars that can park themselves, a fridge that can tell you when you need to buy milk, a phone that can lock your door when you are a thousand kilometres away, robots that can clean your floors and drones filling our skies that are quite literately flying where no man has flown before and doing everything from delivering a package to mapping out the best areas to grow crops.   While many of these examples have made our lives easier they have also conditioned us to expect the same type of progress in all aspects of our lives, including how we learn.

It wasn’t that long ago that training meant going to classroom, reading from a thick manual and listening to a facilitator tell you what you needed to know.  Now while there remain situations where having a facilitator assist you in learning is beneficial, the fact remains today’s student expects more, and more is what they have been getting.  Through virtual learning today’s student can attend a course being taught by person on the other side of the country while still participating in live exercises, collaborating with their fellow students and receiving immediate feedback on tests and quizzes.   With mobile learning (or Mlearning) a student can not only access course material that has been specifically formatted for their hand held device or smartphone, but are also able to view and complete interactive exercises, the same as they would on a laptop or desktop computer.

Looking at the content being developed the advancements have been just as impressive. With Elearning, course materials and manuals come to life by integrating elements and interactions that keep the learner engaged. This can include 3D graphic and Whiteboard animation, technologies that not that long ago were only seen on your local movie screen. If that were not enough to excite and engage, learners can also complete exercises and reviews through gaming which is quickly becoming a popular option, especially with the younger audiences.

With the continued advances in training and course design there has emerged a parallel need to house the materials in a central location that is easily accessible for the learner. As such many organisations over these past few years have moved to using a Learning Management System, or LMS. These learning portals can provide the user many great options including easy access to course materials through a simple menu design and search features, links to social media, chat options, forums for discussions and quick availability to a student’s learning profile.

Considering all of the above I think it fair to say these are indeed exciting times in training and development and am equally certain that the best is yet to come!

To learn more about training solutions offered by Pathways please visit our website at http://www.Pathwaysinc.ca