Tuesday, November 29, 2005

e-Learning Options: Web-Based Courses

Web-based training (WBT) include the use and delivery of educational materials via a Web browser over the public Internet, a private Intranet, or an Extranet.

Web-based training often provides links to other learning resources, too, such as: references, email, bulletin boards and discussion groups. WBT also may include a facilitator who can provide course guidelines, manage the discussion boards or forums and deliver lectures or educational content.

When using a facilitator, web-based training offers some advantages of instructor-led training and yet retains the advantages, too, of computer-based training.

When evaluating the use and applicability of web-based training for your particular need, keep in mind the audience, how diversely they are geographically and the benefits of both instructor-led vs computer-delivered courses.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Friday, November 18, 2005

eLearning Options: Pre and Post Assessments

As we have explored in previous posts, online learning uses a variety of techniques and methods to deliver and enhance the learning experience. One of these options is the use of pre- and post-assessments.

Pre-learning assessments are taken by students prior to taking a formal course. By using intermediate scoring the instructor (and the student) can quickly determine a good baseline for the learning curriculum. In addition, the educator can use the feedback to determine where the gaps are in the participants experience as compared to the curriculum and then quickly take action to bridge the gaps so that the maximum learning effect is achieved. Or, in some cases, the educator can work with the student to "jump" them ahead to an appropriate level of learning should the feedback indicate that the student is further advanced than the course was designed.

Post-assessments taken at the completion of the course can measure and demonstrate successful achievement and/or application of specific competencies, skills and tasks. The educator can use these results to recommend additional resources that will enable the student to take advantage of continuous learning opportunities based on their specific achievement(s).

In summary, the use of pre- and post-assessments can be beneficial to both the educator and the student. With careful evaluation of the results the educator can quickly adapt or bridge any gaps that the student(s) may have based on the chosen curriculum. And, with post-assessment results the educator can not only recommend additional learning oppoortunities for the student, but then the curriculum can be amended for future sessions.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

eLearning Options: Surveys

Online learning uses technology to deliver a variety of formal and informal options to deliver the learning experience. One of these options is the use of surveys. This post will briefly explore the description, instructional value, development and costs associated with use of surveys in the elearning environment.

Surveys are commonly used to develop hard evidence on the effectiveness of the instructional programs and improvement needed. Data gathered from a survey is usually obtained from the participants, educators, or a specific community of members (i.e., particular specialty or niche market).

If properly designed, surveys will gather self-assessment, opinion measures, attitudinal measures or, at the very least, the participants' perceptions on the learning experience and whether it was successful or not.

The instructional value from the data obtained from a survey is low, however, and in terms of feedback it is quite valuable. The educator should plan on taking approximately 1 to 2 weeks to properly develop a survey for distribution. Costs associated with the development and delivery of a survey are, however, low making them quite useful in situations where the training budget is limited.

The educator should not rule out the use of surveys from time to time as the feedback gained from the participants self-assessment and perception of the learning experience can help to enhance and improve future sessions. In terms of development time, cost and delivery associated with use of the survey the educator will find these to be low and affordable making them a good tool to use from time to time.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Comparison of Classroom vs eLearning Aspects

In this post today we will compare the different aspects found in the traditional classroom vs e-learning environments. Educators and organizations who are providing learning opportunities need to be aware of these different aspects and tailor the learning experience around whichever environment will best suit the objectives and purpose of the sessions.
There are five main aspects of any training session:
  1. Learning instance
  2. Time and cost
  3. Activities
  4. Best uses
  5. Ease of use

For each of the five aspects, we will compare classroom to self-paced or elearning applicability:

Learning Instance:

  • Classroom Training: event-based and occurs at a specific time and place
  • eLearning: process-based and occurs any time, anywhere (24/7); it also integrates with the workplace

Time and Cost:

  • Classroom Training: travel to/from trainings increase costs significantly and there is the added cost of the trainer(s)
  • eLearning: costs are incrementally lowered with reduction in travel and with the training spread over a wider base of participants

Activities:

  • Classroom Training: are usually linear in nature, time-bound and learner support and feedback is immediate
  • eLearning: activities occur over time; encourages shy or analytical participants to contribute and be involved

Best Uses:

  • Classroom Training: there is a criticial need for immediate interaction, support and visual cues; it is easier for the participants, and the trainer, to see performance, practical training is important
  • eLearning: content can be accessed anytime, anywhere (24/7), there is a dispersed audience, content is standardized and it must be quickly updated, there is ongoing performance support with distance collaboration and dialog, the learner can access the course(s) at their time and pace

Ease of Use:

  • Classroom Training: instructional materials are generally in printed, or text, format; they are easy to use
  • eLearning: instruction can be challenging to use and technical support for the student is critical

If you are planning on providing a learning opportunity, or a company seeking to determine which type or method of training best suits your needs, you may want to review the information above and do a comparison for your specific needs and objectives. By determining the best method and comparing each aspect of training each environment provides you will ensure that a successful learning experience is achieved for all participants.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://WeTrainU.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

When to Use e-Learning vs Classroom Training

Both classroom and online instruction can be utilized to meet organizational and student learning requirements. If the requirements are for standardization, especially with compliance, anywhere anytime learning, and participation for a large number of employees, online learning can be the best option to meet the organizational objectives.

If immediate feedback is crucial or the educator needs to be onsite to judge performance, tradiational classroom instruction offers the best advantage. The different methods to achieve, or deliver, the learning objectives in both the tradiational classroom and elearning environments are provided below:

To Acquire Knowledge:
  • Classroom: presentations
  • eLearning: self-study guides, self-paced elearning courses, white papers and documentation and recorded live elearning sessions

For Practice (hands-on, role-playing, etc):

  • Classroom: workshops with application practice, on-the-job training, coaching and mentoring
  • eLearning: simulations, games, online case studies, interactive elearning modules, reinforcements and checkpoints within the modules

To Assess Knowledge and Skill Acquisition:

  • Classroom: behavior observation, feedback on activities and exercises, paper-based tests
  • eLearning: online assessments, immediate feedback via online chats, etc

Collaboration:

  • Classroom: classroom events incorporating networking, action planning and discussion
  • eLearning: email, bulletin boards, and online communities of practice

For Support and Reinforcement:

  • Classroom: coaching and mentoring
  • eLearning: online help and expert systems, job aids and decision support tools, online knowledge management systems

By evaluating the organization and student's needs for learning, and then by choosing the appropriate methods for delivery, the educator can tailor the learning experience to best meet the student's needs.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Bank of Knowledge

(Part Three of a multi-part series)

In our society today individuals are constantly generating and transmitting a bank of knowledge. Educators, or the experts, are working at the boundary between the known and the unknown, constantly adding to the bank of knowledge.

It is very important that knowledge be transmitted to all members of our society. The transfer of knowledge takes place through structures like schools, families and training courses (either classroom-based or online) or any other structured learning experience.

Certain attributes are necessary to generate and effectively transmit knowledge. The attributes that the experts use to generate new knowledge are very similar to the qualities needed to effectively transmit knowledge within the learning experience and environment. Here are the required elements for effective inquiry learning:
  • Experts see patterns and meanings not apparent to the students
  • Experts have in-depth knowledge in their field or specialty and it is structured so it is most useful to the student
  • Experts knowledge is not just a set of facts or bulleted data points - it is structured to be accessible, transferable, and applicable to a variety of situations
  • Experts can easily retrieve their knowledge and learn new information in their fields or specialty with little effort

If you are an expert in your field or specialty and privileged to be sharing your bank of knowledge with others, take a few moments to review these attributes. Identify where and how the learning environment you use contains these essential elements or not and make adjustments where necessary. Generating and transmitting from the bank of knowledge is a precious gift and skill!

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

(Source: http://WeTrainU.blogspot.com)

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Importance of Inquiry in Learning

(Part Two of a multi-part series)

Memorizing facts, data and information is not the most important skill in today's world as it was in the past. Facts change rapidly and information is readily available. What is needed today is an understanding of how to get and make sense of the mass of information we must process.

Teachers must understand that the learning experience needs to go beyond data and information accumulation and move toward the generation of useful and applicable knowledge. It is this process that is supported by inquiry-based learning. In the past the success of our country depended upon a supply of natural resources. Today is depends upon a workforce that "works smarter."

Through the process of inquiry-based learning individuals can construct much of their understanding of the natural and human-designed worlds. As we noted in Part One, inquiry implies a "need or want to know" premise. Inquiry is not so much seeking the right answer, because often there is none to find. Rather, inquiry is seeking appropriate answers to questions and issues. For educators and trainers, this implies that there will be an emphasis on the development of inquiry skills and nurturing of inquiring attitudes or habits that will enable individuals to continue their quest for knowledge throughout their life.

Content as part of the learning experience is important, but it is not a means to an end, and not an end in itself. Knowledge, data and information is ever-evolving and constantly expanding. No one individual can ever learn everything, but they can enhance or develop their skills and nurture the inquiring attitudes necessary to continue to learn and grow the rest of their lives. For successful educators and trainers, the skills and abilities to continue learning, using inquiry-based learning, should be the most important outcome.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

What is Inquiry-Based Learning?

(Part One of a multi-part series)

"Tell me and I forget,
show me and I remember,
involve me and I understand."
-- Author Unknown

This quote bears the essence of inquiry-based learning. Inquiry implies that there is involvement that leads to understanding. Furthermore, involvement in learning implies possessing skills and attitudes that permit you to seek answers to questions and resolutions to problems while you are constructing new knowledge or skills.

Inquiry has been defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge -- seeking information by questioning." We carry on this process of inquiry from the moment we are born until we die. Learning by inquiry continues on, even if the individual does not reflect upon the learning experience or process. Infants begin to make sense of the world by inquiring. Watch how a baby begins to make sense of the world by grasping for objects, putting things in their mouths and then using their voices, arms, legs and feet. It is logical then, for inquiry to begin with gathering information and data through the application of the human senses - seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling.

Unfortunately, our traditional educational systems seem to work in a way that discourages inquiry. Students are less apt to ask questions as they move through the learning process. In traditional schools if a student asks too many questions they may be scolded, even reprimanded or told to sit and listen, instead, to what is being told to them.

So, why would any teacher discourage inquiry-based learning? Typically this would happen because of a lack of understanding about the deeper nature of the inquiry-based learning process as a whole. There may even be a tendency to view it as "fluff" learning. Effective learning by inquiry is more than just asking questions. It is a complex process where individuals attepmt to convert information and data into useful knowledge. In order for inquiry-based learning to be effective, it must include several factors: a context for questions; a framework for questions; focus for questions; and different levels of questions. Well-designed learning produces a knowledge construct that can be widely applied by the student.

As a teacher, learning how to incorporate the factors of inquiry-based learning into the classroom setting will require some careful attention to the philosophy of the process as well as structure to set the proper environment and framework in place that will allow the student to ask questions. Without this, however, the learning experience will simply not be as effective as it could. If your students are adults, in particular, the learning experience must be inquiry-based in order to appeal to the adults needs and motivations.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Monday, November 07, 2005

Engaging Adult Learners

"[I deeply believe] that all human beings
can be aided to become increasingly self-reliant
and autonomous, that the most important
single principle is that the learner be fully engaged,
and that the main goal of adult-learning is to
develop men and women who are, at the same time,
compassionately sensitive and tough-minded."

--Roby Kidd, How Adults Learn (1959)

Aging Factors and the Adult Learner

The speed by which an adult learns tends to decrease with age, but the depth of learning increases. So, while it may take us a bit longer to learn as we get older, we do grasp what is learned at a deeper level and find more relevancy in its content.

A teacher can shorten the time to learning, or "cement" the depth of learning by using a few techniques and tools during the learning session.

Illustrations:
graphic illustrations such as bar graphs or crosstab reports to explain data; color codes to highlight specific information; maps for geographical data; wall charts to display points to be remembered; written outlines; drawing or designs to illustrate overhead presentations; and repeating verbal instructions.

Audible:
if giving a fast-paced presentation or lecture, group discussion is a good way to reinforce the learning concepts; a good joke or story to illustrate a specific point; verbal cues such as pneumonic devices to help the students remember information; music at the beginning, or during transitions in the presentation; or words to accompany a cartoon.

Movement:
movement such as moving across the front of the classroom, or in between desks or rows; hands-on experience to learn a task; gestures while making a point; role play exercises; shaking hands when meeting or greeting people; trying new types of activities or relevant games; frequent breaks; opportunities to change seating or the room arrangement; or "just doing it" vs talking about it.


Adult learners may experience barriers to learning such as hearing or vision impairements. Educators can compensate for these challenges by paying attention to the physical learning environment and making adjustments where needed.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved


PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Teaching in a Clockwise Fashion

Teaching is a skill or experience that requires constant refinenment. There are some basics, however, to keep in mind that will enhance the effectiveness of the teacher's delivery. We can liken this to teaching in a "clockwise fashion" because it is a continual process or cycle that the teacher and student use to build upon known vs new concepts, skills or techniques. Here are two tips teachers can use to improve the effectiveness of classroom delivery:

Begin with what the student knows.
Learning will move foward much faster when the teacher builds on what the student already knows, or does. Begin teaching by comparing the old, or known information or process with the new, unknown one. By doing this the student will grasp the new information more quickly.

Move from simple to complex concepts.
Not only will the student grasp the concepts more quickly but the learning experience will be more positive and rewarding if he, or she, has the opportunity to master the simple concepts or proceses first and then apply these to the more complex ones. Remember, however, that what one student finds simple may be more complex to another. A teacher must make a careful assessement of the student's backgrounds and current skill sets to take these differences into account and to plan the appropriate starting point in the learning session.

Planning a teaching session requires the teacher to carefully evaluate not only the material to be presented, but the abilities and backgrounds of each of the students or participants. It is important that everyone participating starts together with a common knowledge base before they can take new, simple concepts that can be melded into more complex ones. A good teacher will be aware of this process and take care to ensure that the lesson plan accounts for everyone's unique needs and differences.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Great Teachers are Great Communicators

The ability to communicate well is one of the basic characteristics of good teaching. A great teacher not only likes talking with other people, but they are also compulsive listeners. Great communicators will provoke more out of their students than he/she believed possible. Great teachers will know which tests and questions to put to their students in order to convince them of their own learning experience and to lure them into further learning. It also means that great teachers will believe in the dignity of their students and in the stage of life in which they are now finding themselves and they will neither mock nor underestimate the student's life experiences. Great teachers will find ways to tap into their students life history and provoke inquisitiveness and thoughts that will guide the student in desiring to learn more.

At the outset this may seem a bit overblown or pretentious. However, these ARE achievable goals and have been demonstrated by many great teachers who have gone before us. Anything less than these goals would be demeaning the role and purpose of education. To break this down into a manageable size, though, there are a number of little, seeming trivial, things a teacher can do that will support these goals and to earn the respect and attention of their students. These little things help to pave the way so that the student is open and receptive to the concepts presented.

Let's examine some practical approaches to good communication:
  • Know your student's names, and call them by name
  • Greet students and colleagues courteously and pleasantly at all times
  • Remember and follow-up with your students regarding academic or life events that they have shared with you
  • Resist sarcasm or responding to sarcastic remarks made by your students, even if they are funny
  • Never tolerate insensitive or politically incorrect statements or remarks from your students or insulting jokes arising from one's sex or ethnic origin
  • Be scrupulous in following the addage: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"

Regardless of the age or demographic differences in your classroom, good communication begins with respect for one another. To be a great teacher and to stimulate the student's desire and motivation to learn more begins first with your approach and how you honor and respect their lives and contribution to the learning experience. Practice good listening and feedback skills by using some of these simple techniques and you will be amazed at how your students will learn and respond to your teaching!

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Confucius Says ...

"Learn avidly. Question repeatedly
what you have learned. Analyze
it carefully. Then, put what you
have learned into practice intelligently.

- Confucius

Friday, November 04, 2005

Principles of Adult Learning

Adults have different motivations and needs for seeking learning opportunities. A successful educator or trainer will understand what drives an adults needs and tailor their presentations and classes to meet these needs. There are ten basic principles of adult learning as shown below:
  1. Adults learn to do by doing.
  2. They learn to do what they do and not something else (i.e., the fabled "underwater basic weaving" or "freebie" courses taken in a traditional college course vs taking a specific course to enhance or learn a new skill).
  3. The experience must include readiness otherwise it will be inefficient and could even be harmful.
  4. Must include motivation otherwise there can be no learning at all.
  5. Responses and feedback must be immediately reinforced if the experience is to be effective.
  6. Meaningful content is learned better and retained longer than less meaningful content.
  7. To maximize the learning experience, responses should be learned in the way that they will be used by the adult (i.e., if teaching a class on electronic banking the instruction should not be about manual banking procedures).
  8. The adults response will vary according to how he / she perceives the situation.
  9. Individual responses will vary according to the learning atmosphere (i.e., conduciveness to learning, applicability).
  10. Learning will be accomplished using the talents, physical inheritance, background and cultural norms present during the experience.

After a careful review of the ten principles the trainer will better understand the depth and detail to which they need to tailor their presentations and communications with their students.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

What Motivates Adults to Learn?

Adults have very different motivations and needs for seeking out learning or educational opportunities. As an educator or trainer you should be familiar with these differences and tailor your interactions to meet these unique needs. To help you understand, here are some of the motivational factors that adults use when seeking out new learning opportunities.

Life events: adults may seek out new learning experiences in order to cope with specific life-changing events such as: marriage, divorce, a new job, a promotion, being fired or laid off, retiring, loss of a loved one or relocation to a new city.

Accumulation of life events: the more life-changing events an adult encounters the more likely he / she is to seek out new learning experiences. As stress increases when life-changing events start to accumulate, the adults need to cope with these changes by increasing their learning opportunities also increases.

Correlation: to the adults perception the learning opportunities that they seek out will be directly related to the life-changing events that they are experiencing.

Immediate need: adults are most generally willing and motivated to engage in new learning experiences before, after or even during the actual life-changing event is taking place. Once they are convinced that change is a certainty, they will engage in learning opportunity that promises to help them cope with the life-changing event.

Applicability: the need to seek out new learning opportunities usually arises because the adult has an immediate use or need for the knowledge or information that they are seeking. Learning, then, becomes a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Empowerment: engaging in new learning experiences will increase or maintain an adults sense of self-esteem, pleasure and sense of value to their workplace, community or social circle. They become empowered by this new knowledge and experience, particularly if it is a positive encounter.

If you are an educator or trainer in adult learning you should spend some time reviewing these motivating factors and then reviewing your course materials to determine that it meets these objectives. By taking some time to ensure that you completely understand what motivates an adult learner you will enhance the learning experience for both the adult and yourself.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Mentors as Trainers

Mentors can be a key to unlocking a huge network in your niche market and to marketing your business by developing new contacts and getting the word out to potential customers. Mentors are also a great source of knowledge, expertise, training and support for your business. A mentor can be just what you need to break into a new career or niche market. But, how do you go about finding a mentor?

Here's a few tips on how to find the right mentor for you:

1. Stand out from the rest of the crowd. Work harder than anyone else around you or in your niche market so that you are recognized for being a top achiever. Being seen as a potential mega-successor will attract mentors to you.

2. Find someone who has done what you want to do. Be assertive. Ask them if they would be willing to help you learn by their experience. You will need to gain their trust and above all, be serious about the committment you are asking them to make on your behalf. Trust is as easily given as it is taken away. As you build a relationship with your mentor, they will begin to do more for you as they see that you are willing to benefit from their experience and that you take their role seriously.

3. Dress for success and project a positive attitude. You never know when someone will be observing your behavior or when a golden opportunity will come your way. If you're dressed in your sloppy sweatsuit, or inappropriately for your business, you will likely be passed over.

4. Check out local, regional and national programs. Check with the Small Business Administration (SBA) office in your area as well as other business development offices, the Chamber of Commerce or other organizations designed to help you. See if they have a mentoring program or individuals who have volunteered to be mentors.

5. Join professional groups. Join your local Toastmasters or Chamber of Commerce to increase your visibility and your chances of finding a mentor.

Finding the right mentor for your needs is a great way to improve your overall success and gives you an opportunity to benefit from someone else's experience. Remember to be open to new ideas, flexible and above all, thankful for your mentor's investment in your success.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.