Opportunities for REAL Training

If you are a trainer or developer of training and educational programs for adults you know how difficult it can be to reach your audience. Successful adult learning programs will provide learning processes that require active involvement from the adult student. Try having the students try out new ideas where the learning activities and experiences support facts and theory. Here are some suggested opportunities for real learning and training:

1. Problem solving
2. Practice of judgement skills
3. Reflection and inquiry
4. Intuitive reasoning
5. Interactive questioning
6. Learning and practicing critical thinking skills
7. Meaningful exploration
8. Understanding of relationships through the use of metaphors and case studies
9. Exploration of questions re: values and feelings
10. Exploration of relationship between the student and others.

Incorporate as many of these opportunities listed above into the design and structure of your program and observe the results. You may be surprised at how the level of learning increases and the student's satisfaction with the program is enhanced.

Ethics vs. Compliance

Why do we need ethics in our society? You only need to turn on the news, on any given day, to hear about scandals and violence everywhere. Or, hang out in the employee lounge or your workplace hangouts and you will likely hear stories about who "fudged" or did something to get out of doing something using some sort of unethical means. What can you do about that? What efforts are being made to build an ethically sound culture?

It is important to understand the difference between ethics and compliance.

1. COMPLIANCE means that we are doing what we are legally required to do, or what we must do in our work and our life.

2. ETHICS involves doing what you are morally obligated to do and doing what you "should" do.

It is really important to understand the difference between these two. Ethics comes into play when outcomes are not always black or white - solutions to ethical problems or actions are not always easy to identify and they involve making wise and prudent choices.

One of the foundations of ethics is having respect for one another, this is first and foremost. Respecting one another is typically shown by engaging in trustworthy conduct, respectful behavior, accountability, compassion, good citizenship and responsible management.

Just a few days ago I was having a conversation with a co-worker and we discussed ethics in our particular industry. I was saddened to hear this person say that often times individuals in our industry cross the line and engage in unethical conduct because they are "forced" into doing so by their employer. Presumably to either keep their job or simply because they have given up and no longer have the energy to distinguish between right and wrong.

It is my personal belief that we lose ourselves in ethics, and compliance, when we no longer can stand up to what we believe in. If you believe something to be either right or wrong, you must be willing to take a stand for it. It may not be the popular stand and it could very well involve some conflict that would need to be managed by yourself and those you are communicating with. However, I can guarantee that when it is all said and done, you will be standing taller and have kept your self-respect intact by doing so. We should never engage in unethical conduct or slack in our responsibilities for being compliant because we cannot stand up to another.

As you lead, train and inform others of their abilities and help them to grow, do not neglect talking of, and demonstrating, compliant and ethical behavior!

Copyright Michele A. Webb, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

Developing a Course Syllabus

Creating a course syllabus to go with your training program can enhance learning from each of your students. The purpose of a syllabus is to inform students in a formal and timely way about the nature and content of the course, policies and procedures that will apply and the logistics involved in participating in class. It is also a promise, from you the instructor, as to what will, or will not be, included in the course.

The syllabus must be consistent with the latest approved curriculum for your learning organization and everything done or required in the class at any time throughout the term should be clearly identified in the syllbus. A well-planned and well-written syllabus is always worth the time and effort required to prepared it.

There are three common beliefs associated with a syllabus:

1. The syllabus is the primary tangible evidence that the instructor has a well thought out plan for the course.

2. The planning evidenced by the syllabus can reduce, before the class even begins, about half the work of teaching the course.

3. The syllabus serves as a communication device, tool, or even a learning contract that shifts the responsibility for learning to the student.

Whatever you content, topic or course, take the time to prepare a well-written and organized syllabus. You will ensure that your students gain the maximum benefit from your course with minimal confusion or anxiety.

Talking Through e-Learning

Much of our learning today comes from interactions and communications with our peers and instructions in class. e-Learning is allowing more of these opportunities each and every year. However, there are some guidelines to use for appropriate interactions that will not irritate your colleagues or jeopardize your standing with your class.

To gain the most from your learning experience, use the following guidelines for communicating with others:

• Remember - you are dealing with a PERSON, not a computer or inanimate object. Emails, chat rooms, bulletin boards, teleconferences and chats are all dealing with live people.
• Your virtual behavior should be the same as in the real world. Depending on the type of class you are taking, your friendships and interactions may be a bit more, or a bit less formal. However, you are still expected to behave as though you would if you were speaking to that individual face-to-face. Don't use email or the computer as a tool for being mean or rude to someone.
• Share with everyone. Don't forget to give back to the class. Share your experiences and what you have learned. Keep your opinions to yourself unless they are solicited. But, you have got to get your own "big give" going.
• Forgive everyone. Assume that everyone in the class means the best and that, because they are human, they may make mistakes from time to time. If someone misinterprets your genius or brainy comments, just chalk it up to an untimely mistake.
• Communicate. Write, speak, and say what you mean clearly and concisely. After that, just take your hands off the keyboard and stop. Don't "flame" or use the Internet as a virtual podium where you can solve the problems of the world.
• Use appropriate emoticons in small measures. Although these little symbols are cute and can convey a lot of meaning, keep them to a minimum and use them appropriately.

To get the most from your e-learning experience you will need to be on your best behavior. Don't forget to have fun and make some great friends and build your network up, but you need to do it maturely and with good intentions. With a little thought before you write, you'll find that others get a perfect snapshot of your personality just as easily!

Teach or Spew Data - What's Your Style?

Have you ever signed up for an email or online learning course only to find out that the instructor simply provided endless pages of information, data and statistics to read? How much did you really learn or take away from this kind of instruction? Most of us do not learn in these types of environments, much less remember it long enough to implement the learning into real life scenarios.

The Internet has been a great tool and resource for so many millions of people. However, it also allows the "would-be" instructor to publish training courses that are poorly structured, ineffective and even downright boring. It is sad, but also unfortunately very true. The e-Learning consumer is now forced to evaluate the instructional methods used by the provider to determine if they will actually benefit from the course of study. So many people have wasted their hard-earned money hoping for something that simply did not deliver.

M. David Merrill, professor of instructional technology at Utah State University, has said that "...information is not instruction." His statement is a testament to the fact that it is too easy for an individual to become fascinated with the "technology" portion and delivery of learning, but unfortunately at the expense of good design and learning outcomes. It was the sudden rush by many educators to provide online learning that led to Merrill's stance on the development of a scientific approach to learning.

If you are providing learning opportunities, regardless of whether it is tradiational or e-learning, you need to incorporate good technique and structure in the delivery process. In order to guarantee the effectiveness of any training program, remember that technology changes daily, but the way adults learn is static and does not change. Merrill recommends three key components be provided in training programs:

• Structured knowledge
• Practice
• Guidance

If you are an e-learning provider or instructor - how does your program "stack up" and use these three key components? Do you need to revisit your course materials and change the delivery in order to achieve maximum learning? Do not be afraid to conduct an assessment of your training programs to ensure that your students receive the maximum benefit.

Source: http://WeTrainU.blogspot.com

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2006. 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. Please forward a courtesy email to the author including an active web link where it is posted.

Transfer of Learning

In 1987 Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers shared the results of their ground-breaking research on how individuals learn, retain and put that learning into practice. The results of their study has become the primary source of information leading to what we know as "coaching" today. Even though the study was initially done almost twenty years ago, the findings are just as relevant today as they were at the time!

Here is what they found in regards to how learners transfer a new skill into practice as a result of a learning experience:

• 5% as a reseult of learning a THEORY
• 10% as a result of learning a theory and seeing a DEMONSTRATION
• 20% as a result of learning a theory, seeing a demonstration and PRACTICE DURING TRAINING
• 25% as a result of learning a theory, seeing a demonstration, practice during training and receiving CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK DURING THE TRAINING
• 90% as a result of learning a theory, seeing a demonstration, practice during training, receiving corrective feedback during training and IN-SITUATION COACHING

This is absolutely remarkable! Recently I have started a new adventure where a group of my peers and myself will provide free mentoring, and peer-to-peer training for Cancer Registrars (cancer data management specialists in healthcare). Clearly the data from the Joyce and Showers study is timely, relevant and will be meaningful as we work together to mentor, coach and inspire our peers!

Source: http://WeTrainU.blogspot.com

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2006. 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. Please forward a courtesy email to the author including an active web link where it is posted.

"Brain Drain" 2006

You have probably realized that we are well into the 2006 year. But, do you know that 2006 is the beginning of the baby boomer "brain drain?" Yes, this is absolutely true! The eldest of the baby boomer generation (1946 through 1964) are turning 60 years old this year. So, after all the candles on the birthday cakes have been blown out and the last fragments of wrapping paper picked up, let's examine the effect this is going to have on businesses and training trends nationwide.

According to Candace Fisher, Manager of Education for The Management Association of Illinois, this "brain drain" transition has been talked about by statisticians and management consultants for several years. This is all well and good, but what has your organization done to prepare for the mass exodus of experienced staff and the need to replace all the knowledge, skills, and abilities that they will take with them?

In a recent survey conducted by the AARP, a nonprofit membership organization for persons age 50 and over, over 70% of the baby boomers are planning to work, at least in some capacity, well into their retirement years. You might think this is good news, and to some degree it may be, however, it generally is only going to postpone the impending massive "brain drain" predicted to hit the American workforce.

There are several factors that an organization should consider as they prepare for retirement of the baby boomers:

1. Consider revising policies and procedures that will provide more flexibility and incentive for those close to retirement to extend their tenure on the job. For example: flexible hours, part- vs full-time work, or seasonal work.

2. Develop mentoring, coaching or training sessions where the experienced teaches the less experienced what they have learned.

3. Implement train-the-trainer programs where the baby boomers teach, coach and mentor the less experienced as the organization's next trainer.

4. Analyze the age demographics within your own organization to understand the impact of "brain drain." Immediately implement a plan to minimize the long-term effects of baby boomer retirement before it begins. Do not wait until baby boomers start giving notice or taking advantage of early retirement programs to take action.

The effect of baby boomer retirement will be different for each industry and organization. While it may be difficult, at best, to preduct what your organization will experience it is clearly the time to start planning now instead of waiting for something more tangible (and more painful) to appear. You may wish to solicit the feedback from selected baby boomers in your organization that have a strong vision for the future and can help you put together an industry-appropriate coaching and mentoring program.

Source: http://WeTrainU.blogspot.com

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2006. 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. Please forward a courtesy email to the author including an active web link where it is posted.