There is more to Learning Technologies than E-Learning!

June 8, 2017June 10, 20172 Comments

podcast I admit it: I have no idea what is currently in the top 40’s on the radio.

Partly this is because there is bad reception in my area, but that helped me become a podcast convert. My driving time is now filled with fascinating topics from military tactics to organic gardening as I tune into a collection of podcasts based on my mood and drive time.

The word podcast originally came from the blending of “audio broadcasting” and “iPod”. I am grateful that podcasting has lasted longer than my iPod! In fact, it has really taken off with multiple software options for creators, multiple sources for seekers and an almost unlimited variety of topics available for your listening pleasure. Although the idea has been around for years now, many consider podcasts to be part of the Learning 2.0 space because they are a mobile form of media and a type of social media format.

Benefits

Flexible learning – Help cater to those people with time to spare driving, or who can close their eyes on the plane/train and tune in for some learning time. Learners can work at their own pace, starting and stopping when necessary and replaying key points of the podcast as they feel necessary
Aural learning preferences – There are some people who actually learn better when they can hear concepts explained as part of a conversation. For learners with literacy issues, the spoken word will also make it easier to take in the content.
Cheaper and easier than other learning technology options – A microphone (or Skype) and a computer is basically all you need to create a podcast. It is comparatively fast, easy and inexpensive compared to full-blown e-learning courses.
Easy Access – If you have some way to play music on your computer or mobile device, you can listen to podcasts. They can be downloaded or streamed, which helps those with slow bandwidth or limited data plans.
Expert Access – Podcasting can empower knowledgeable people within our organisation as well as external experts to share their skills and knowledge in a way that many people can benefit.
Controlled Access – Podcasts can be shared publicly through iTunes and other sites or privately through an internal network/intranet.
Ongoing Access – Learners can subscribe to a feed, meaning content is pushed to them as it becomes available.

Possibilities

As with anything, there are so many ways people can learn and so many ways we can offer training. We need to be realistic about how best we expend our training energies, but it is worth considering podcasting as a tool to add to the current mix.

Option One: Those of us with less than zero time available

There is already a variety of podcasts available that can be referenced for use. You can search for particular key words, or you can subscribe to a feed from a particular source. You can recommend podcasts to learners or include links to podcasts that may interest them. Some to check out from an emergency services and training perspective:

Emergency Management Australia
Emergency Management Connection (US/Global Based)
Disaster Podcast (US Based)
Army Training and Doctrine Podcast
House of #EdTech Podcast
TedTalks

Option Two: Those of us who want to give it a go

As mentioned above, if you have a microphone or are using Skype and have a computer that can create audio tracks you are set!

LifeHacker has a great set of instructions about how to get going.

Think about if you are creating some one-off resources, or if this is going to be an ongoing thing you want to commit to.

You could start by recording some appropriate sessions at a conference or training day, making learning available to those who couldn’t get there. Creating a podcast to support the roll out of a new skill/topic/procedure could work well.
If you are interviewing someone for a particular focus, have an idea of what exactly you want to cover. Just like any training session, you want to plan it out so learners get the best from it.
Think about focusing on a person or a role, and using a FAQ format, with questions possibly even collected from people that will be listening to the podcast.

Option Three: Those of us who want to make a bigger impact

If you plan on making podcasting a long term and regular thing, be prepared to commit.

It is probable that you can’t manage it all yourself, so get together a committed team of people that will make it work. Listeners tend to stop listening when there is no regular updates and new material.
Share your idea with higher levels of the organisation – maybe this is something that can be supported at a state level?
Take advantage of all the expertise floating around the organisation. There are likely many people that could contribute content to a podcast.
Have an ideas list that is constantly added to and prepare content in advance so there is always new stuff being readied for release.
Have a mechanism to collect feedback from learners about what works, what doesn’t and what they would like to learn more about.

Share What You Know

What podcasts are you currently listening to? Share the gems!

Actions for NOW to Support E-learning

May 13, 2017June 10, 20171 Comment

Forget for a moment whether you are a native or immigrant, digitally speaking. Cease your Learning Management System envy for a minute. The truth is we are all living together in this ever developing digital world. There are many things that will probably remain an issue for years to come, and well past the roll out of the NBN!

So much research has emphasised the differences between learners – but what about the similarities between us all?
So many blogs, software programs and companies highlight the possible features and outcomes from using e-learning – but what about the principles of effective training and learning (online or otherwise)?

There are things that can be done that will support not just digital immigrants, but because they are just good training practices in general will support everyone.

Here are our top 10 tips to support e-learning in the realities of our current digital environment:

Run some workshops or test groups to establish a baseline for the learners expected to use the e-learning. Search wide, high and low – get a good cross section. This helps identify issues with devices, internet speeds, security issues and general technology literacy skills. This research will be invaluable as you develop all future e-learning.
Develop a standard format and set of features. Look up the term skeuomorphism and consider your icon design. Maintain a degree of consistency across e-learning developed, especially with regards to navigation. For those who take extra time to get used to the setup, once they have learnt how it goes having consistent navigation will help them progress more efficiently through future e-learning.
Build escalation of design and complexity into e-learning. Just like when learning practical skills, start with the basics then add extra features and more complex interactions/ expectations progressively.
Consider responsive design as a part of the roll out. While some people may struggle using the desktop, they might be more confident with their tablet device. Some learning management systems and e-learning software will also streamline things for tablet devices, which may make navigation easier for some people.
Break up the learning. Many digital immigrants (and many digital natives!) prefer to access things as bite sized learning rather than one lengthy course. This can be done in a few ways – such as breaking a large course down into smaller modules and topics. Some agencies have also developed a Wiki/YouTube style approach which takes content and skills out from a course and makes them available as independent “bites” of learning or reference as needed.
Limit or break up text. The brain of many digital immigrants are actually wired differently! It is literally harder to absorb information from a screen. With the preference of text and interactives held by many digital natives, developing e-learning that incorporates a high percentage of visuals is better for everyone.
Consider the integration of technology such as social media. This provides opportunities for support and to build community. Learners can ask questions, seek clarification, discuss concepts and also get some help about how to access and use the e-learning. Many organisations, especially those with volunteers such as RFS, CFA and SES have already established pages to support members and trainers.
Invest in online support – whether this be a formal or informal arrangement. Ensure there is a point of contact in the training department (who is reliable in answering questions promptly!), consider how the IT help desk will support e-learning, and think about asking for online volunteers who are willing to be contacted directly (maybe by snapchat, messenger or email) for one-on-one mentoring and support.
Don’t forget to talk about the WHY! Spread the message: Why is something being made as e-learning – does it save learner’s time? Why is a certain activity included in e-learning? How does it help develop skill or understanding?
Persist. Persist some more. With such diverse organisations there is always going to be people who struggle and resist. Good news – time marches on. More digital natives join our organisations every year, and every year that passes is extra time for digital immigrants to learn skills and gain confidence.

Many of Us are Digital Immigrants

May 13, 2017June 10, 20171 Comment

OK, be warned: This is a three part special!

Part 1 – The concept of Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives
Part 2 – Adoption of E-learning and Current Complaints
Part 3 – Actions for NOW to Support E-learning

The terms Digital Native and Digital Immigrant

In the early 2000’s Mark Prensky stated:

An event has occurred which has changed things so fundamentally there is absolutely no going back: the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology.

Prensky (a big advocate for game-based education) was big in 2001 when he coined the terms Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants. Some of the learners in our organisations today are “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet. Those of us who were not born into the digital world but who have adopted many aspects of the new technology are, and always will be when compared to the natives, Digital Immigrants. Some people adapt to new environment better than others. Some of us immigrants retain an “accent” (such as turning to a manual first rather than looking for a YouTube video, or printing out emails or documents to read and edit them).

There are also some generalised preferences that have been used to help describe the differences between natives and immigrants. The following list is taken from Digital Culture: Immigrants and Tourists Responding to the Natives’ Drumbeat, but don’t get too particular about this list because with people there are always exceptions!

Digital Natives

Digital Immigrant’s

• Prefer receiving information quickly from multiple multimedia sources

• Prefer parallel processing and quickly hopping between tasks

• Prefer processing pictures, sounds, and video before text

• Prefer random access to hyperlinked multimedia information

• Prefer to interact/network simultaneously with many others

• Prefer instant gratification and instant rewards

• Prefer learning that is relevant, instantly useful, and fun

• Prefer to learn “just-in-time”

• Prefer slow and controlled release of information from limited sources

• Prefer singular processing and single or limited tasking

• Prefer to provide text before pictures, sounds, and video

• Prefer to provide information linearly, logically, and sequentially

• Prefer students to work independently rather than network and interact

• Prefer deferred gratification and deferred rewards

• Prefer “just-in-case” it’s on the test or needed at some point in the future

A Continuum of Digital People

In 2010 Linda Feeney (a University Director of E-learning) wrote about the idea of people being on more of a continuum, expanding the concept above to include a few more variations.

How would you compare yourself and those you know with these categories?

Digital recluse: use of technology is a result of the need to function in the current environment, not used by choice; computers are avoided or refused (Becoming a rare species)
Digital refugee: unwillingly forced to use technology; prefers hard copies, does not trust electronic resources; seeks assistance; may have grown up with technology or adopted it as an adult (Being forced to assimilate due to general environment)
Digital immigrant: willingly uses technology, but not familiar with its potential; believes technology can be used successfully for some tasks; may have grown up with technology or adopted it as an adult (Shout out to my mum! This is you!)
Digital native: chooses to use technology for numerous tasks; adapts as the tools change; may have grown up with technology or adopted it as an adult.
Digital explorer: uses technology to push the envelope; seeks new tools that provide more work, faster, and easier.
Digital innovator: adapts and changes old tools for new tasks; creates new tools.
Digital addict: dependent on technology; will go through withdrawal when technology is not available (Oh boy! Know few of these too!)

Now that the definitions are out of the way, let’s talk about how e-learning is affected by this diversity of people.

On to Part Two:
Adopting E-learning and Ongoing Complaints

Realities of Scenario Based Training

April 30, 2017June 10, 2017Leave a comment

Regardless of whether you work in a full time emergency service or fill volunteer and retained roles, we all have the challenge of practicing skills that are honestly not used all that often, but remain critical for that occasional time it is actually needed.

Scenario based training is a preferred way to practice and drill these skills – providing a realistic and holistic approach and helping us “train how we play”. But in the day to day world (especially for those who also have to fit in other paid employment, or work with training cupboards that are looking a bit bare) there are many challenges to overcome when trying to make training as realistic as possible. So let’s talk about some of these challenges, and why I’m currently sitting here with a laminator and a pair of scissors.

My challenges this week

Last week I was asked to help out running some training at my retained ambulance branch. We plan to practice different scenarios that utilise pharmacology.

Challenge 1: The branch has one ambulance – with one drug kit, oxygen kit and assessment kit… and we are working with three groups of people. There is no additional funding allocated for this training. There isn’t really scene props, and no moulage (I’m not sure I could convince everyone about that anyway, and the best volunteer moulage people I know are in Sydney).

Challenge 2: It’s a pretty busy week for me. I am working most days developing things for other people, as well as doing some on call shifts with the ambulance. Time is tight! I am looking at five different scenarios to be developed for my small group.

Challenge 3: This is the first year that the branch is trying this style of training, with a move away from lectures. It needs to be good. We want everyone convinced this is a better way to do things.

The Iron Triangle

So to me, this is another of my regular triangle dilemmas:

scope The project management guru’s are spot on with this diagram: Life says everything we do is delivered under certain constraints. One side of this triangle cannot be changed without affecting the others, or affecting quality.

To maintain high quality, it’s either going to take more time, cost more money, or you are going to need to reduce how much you want to achieve.

The realities of running scenario based training mean you are always going to juggle these, and something may have to give. Being around long enough now I have made peace (of sorts) with this… but the angst about where to give always persists! So back to my challenges.

Overcoming Challenges

Scope: I do need to provide five scenarios to cover all the required pharmacology. This can’t change.

Time: I have set aside some time on two evenings to think things through and prepare resources. After a quick internet search to see any existing templates I could use, I’m also saving some time by reusing and updating a template from first aid training I did years ago. It’s not perfect (ouch!) but it is definitely effective. So I know this costs me some family and relaxation time, but I think its worth it for the bigger picture of quality training for my branch and the flow on effects for community.

Cost: One of the educators has offered to bring up some extra gear from another branch (score!) In addition to this I hit Google image search – I found some pictures that will more accurately show how different conditions may present and give us a mental picture. I also found pictures of our equipment and have made a very flat pack version of our kits from the ambulance. Coloured paper, laminating pouches and some Velcro dots and I have reusable, easy to transport props.

I know it wont allow us to actually practice using these tools, but process wise it allows us to go through some motions and give us the visual memory rather than just saying and forgetting things. Luckily the focus is on pharmacology thinking, so I don’t feel this affects the overall quality of the training activity too much.

So, overall – not the highest quality training I will ever produce, but it will work. It meets scope, cost and time constraints to the best of my ability. Compared to lecture style training it is still an improved level of quality.

Moving On

My key reflections from this?

When training has constraints such as cost, you can’t beat having a network of other trainers or people who are willing to share and help out.
If you invest some time in making things, do it well enough that you will keep resources and don’t forget them! They will save you time in the future.
There is nothing wrong with building on what others have done. Why start from scratch if you don’t need to?
If you are going to be laminating and cutting lots of things out, don’t forget a glass of wine to go with it.

Learners Make Mis-Takes

March 3, 2017March 3, 2017Leave a comment

mistake I don’t know where this thinking first came from, but I will always be eternally grateful for the school principal who I first heard say this to me. She was cutting edge in many ways, especially in her beliefs about how we all learn.

She said “It’s not making a mistake, it’s a mis-take.”

Learners try to do something and when they don’t get it right it is one try closer to when they do. Every time there is a mis-take there is an opportunity. Learners get so upset thinking they got it wrong, that they can’t always see the opportunity. It’s our job as teachers/trainers to remind them that making mis-takes is how we know we are trying to learn new things.

How do we do that?

Power of the hyphen

My best success in helping learners remember this was through the power of the hyphen. It was amazing how inserting one small line in the middle of a word made it take on such different meaning. It changes the way you say it, and it magically seemed to change the way people thought about the word too!

Make mis-takes a desirable thing

Mis-takes unfairly have a bad reputation. It’s great that more and more people are catching on to this and are starting to appreciate how good mis-takes can be. Thanks to the power of social media and search engines like Google (49,700,000 hits for mistake quotes) the word is getting out there. We are aided by the words of powerful and successful people reassuring us that mis-takes are a good thing! Find your favourites, print them, quote them and display them.

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”
Oscar Wilde

As trainers we need to join this positive mindset – we should encourage everyone to challenge themselves enough that they do make mis-takes. We need to make it an expectation of learning that mis-takes will be made. (In fact, historically this is how new methods and practices have been created!) The only bad mis-take is one we learn nothing from.

We need to lead by example and show that we are happy to see mis-takes happen. We should also be highlighting that even as experienced people we make mis-takes. I wonder how the attitudes of learners would be affected if they heard the following options during the debrief:

Trainer Option A	Trainer Option B
I’m glad you did it that way, I was hoping someone would try it that way today. Now we can talk about why it’s harder in the long run if you do it in that order and what other options you have.	You didn’t cut that in the correct order. That just made it harder and longer to complete the task. Remember that for next time.

Trainer Option A	Trainer Option B
Why didn’t it work for me? See, even experienced people don’t get it right all the time! Well done for noticing and thanks for saying something.	I was just checking to see if you would notice if I did it the wrong way, ha ha.

Analogy making

Pick any area that the learner can relate to – Professional sports, music, making movies… the theatre (my favourite analogy!) There are always practices and dress-rehearsals before opening night. Learning something new and becoming competent in a skill is no different. It was just a rehearsal, and next time I will know how to do it better. When learners can stop blaming and worrying, they can move on, smarter because of their mis-takes.

A note about mis-takes in Emergency Services

I can hear some people calling out: “It’s different in emergencies. Mis-takes can cause damage and injuries or cost lives.” This is true.

This is why we should devote so much time to training and practicing outside of emergency situations. The more mis-takes that we can make during training, the better muscle memory, memory slides and understanding we have to apply during real situations. Also, the better we can test equipment and procedures which can also suffer from issues. The Swiss Cheese model of accident causation as well as numerous inquests shows that it is rarely just an individual that is responsible for a serious mis-take during operations.

If the worst thing happens and a mis-take is made, then although we won’t be celebrating it the same way as we would in training we can still ensure that everyone learns from it (without any nasty blaming and shaming) so hopefully it doesn’t happen again. Growing a culture where it is encouraged to take responsibility for and report mis-takes IS a big part of working in Emergency Services these days.

When the right thing is the wrong thing

February 17, 2017March 3, 2017Leave a comment

rules

We focus training time on teaching newbies how to do things right and the “rules” they should follow. But what happens when they find themselves in the situation where the right thing is the wrong thing to do?

There are countless examples and stories of when doing the right thing is the wrong thing. There is a great example in Simon Sinek’s book Leaders Eat Last, that talks about a FAA air traffic controller who chose to break the rules in order to guide an airliner in distress down to the ground as quickly and safely as possible. Sinek talks about giving permission to break rules – giving people as much as they need to in order to do the right thing … and setting the environment up for that to occur is the task of leaders (and trainers).

What we are really talking about here is the skill of recognising when the rules should not not apply, and creating an environment where it’s OK to break them.

START WITH THE RULES BUT PRACTICE IMPROVISING

“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.”
(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

As higher level skill holders we know from our experiences that rules work well and we have an understanding of why the rules are there.We need to start by helping novices learn not just what the rules are, but the reasons why the rules are there and why they work.

Our experience has taught us that there are exceptions to everything. As part of training we need to give learners opportunities so they can also recognise when the rules will work and when its OK to break them. We must do everything we can to discourage mindless rule following.

Here are basic strategies that help with this:

Always take the time to explain why rules exist, and always question learners as to why they are doing something a certain way to check their understanding
Use case studies and suitable anecdotes – expose learners to situations where things didn’t go to plan and rules were successfully (or unsuccessfully) broken.
Invest time in training contingency skills (a dimension of competency that forms part of all units of competency).
- Use variations on the basic scenario – don’t train it just one way. Even changing one element such as a different location or removal of one piece of equipment can totally change how learners must approach the situation.
- Use the “what if…?” strategy – It can be done anytime and anywhere. Take the situation and ask them to think about what they would do if… x, y, z happened.
- Activate Plan B – best practice is that we should always have a Plan B in our brain, or even better a plan discussed with those we are working with. Often Plan B is the more creative and possibly rule breaking plan, so why not give it a go during training before you ever need to do it in battle.
Encourage creative thinking – Rules are made to be tested. Set challenges, for example, how many different ways could you complete task x, y, z. Set the standard: “Is it safe and does it work?” (Bill Webster). After the first few suggestions you will likely start getting to the more creative ones. Discussion around the best ones, safety considerations and how these follow or break the rules should be encouraged.

REBRAND

Sometimes the definition we hold of “rules” as inflexible things stunts our creative thinking and problem solving. There are very few black and white situations – everything is a shade of grey. Experienced people are better at seeing the shades. Practicing improvising helps with this, but go a step further.

Let’s have a re-branding. Instead of talking about rules, help spread the idea that the ideas we focus on in training are actually “guidelines” based on best practice and most common experiences of others.

TEACH THE “RULES FOR BREAKING RULES”

There is a clear difference between newbies who break rules due to ignorance, and the rule breaking down by those who are proficient in the skill. The experienced person breaks rules based on their understanding of what the rules do and why they exist. They are also guided by the “rules for breaking rules”.

Break the rules as a last resort – Follow the rules most of the time. Rules may be thought of as guidelines or options, but they are usually the tried and tested best options.
For each rule you break, have a good reason – Break a rule after careful consideration, so you know breaking the rule is the most effective and meaningful way to get something done. Have an explanation for every single step outside the accepted standard operating procedure.
Be prepared to accept the consequences – Your decision can be questioned. Have confidence that you made the best decision you could at the time, and that if it turned out you were wrong, you made a choice in good faith, for the right reasons after consideration of the possible outcomes.

NEVER FORGET THE HUMAN FACTOR

Sometimes the right thing is the wrong thing due to the people involved in the situation. We know the human factor in any situation is often the most unpredictable – it looks like the rule could/should apply, but due to the people involved it’s just not the best way to go about things. Often these situations that involve managing people and their emotions are much harder than knowing when a technical skill will not apply. Again, it is with experience that we get better at navigating this minefield, but I can share these tips:

When you can, treat people the way they want to be treated rather than how best practice or rules say things should be done.
Sometimes explaining the rule to the people involved helps them understand why you are doing something a certain way, earning their cooperation and making it easier for you to then follow the rules.
You can’t change people much, so be prepared to adjust other factors in order follow the rule – know it will affect things like time and effort required.

The “one size fits all” e-learning challenge

January 5, 2017January 5, 2017Leave a comment

The research has said it loud and clear for years… just like clothes, a ‘one size fits all’ learning approach is rarely a great fit for everyone.

With the increasing use of e-learning, research now highlights how this could be the opportunity to tailor learning to individual needs and increase flexibility of learning. I don’t disagree with the truth of this, I am just often disappointed by the reality experienced by many.

Higher Education and larger vocational courses tend to have wider scope than many for personalising learning. They can focus tasks on individual workplaces (there is often more generation of content by the learner rather than presentation of content to the learner). They also often include community aspects such as discussion forums as part of the course. The expectations of learner’s ability to read, write, respond and research independently allows greater options for online learning activities personalised to their situation, as does the longer timeframe courses usually lasts for.

These factors of available time and baseline skill sets of learners prove challenging to many organisations. For people in these organisations, completing e-learning provides some increased flexibility to learners as it can be accessed at times that suit. There is access to learning from different geographical areas and sometimes options for establishing connections with other interested people. Depending on available budget, there may be some tailoring of learning experiences for individuals such as through different branches of content and activity.

Challenge: How can you personalise e-learning in short duration and cost conscious training?

The best real world trainers have so many strategies that allow for personalisation of learning in a classroom setting. Surely some of these could translate across? I believe there must be ways to easily (and cheaply!) create online learning that considers the user, identifies knowledge gaps, considers previous experience and then present the learning appropriate to them?

Idea one: Ask the learner about their “size”

Great trainers ask learners questions to find out about their background, their experiences, what they want to know and why. There is so much functionality already built into e-learning software that can be used to do this. This will let learners know from the start they are not just another number moving through a course. By adding variables to different parts of the course, learners can then be presented with customised menus or options to start from different points or to access different resources or level of content. This does not need to interfere with any compliance requirements as standard assessment components could still be included. (Does it really matter how they know it, so long as they know it?!)

Software considerations – uses built in quiz functionality.
Cost considerations – extra time to load content options and pathways for different options, but variable depending on what you can afford.

Idea two: Let the learners search for content

Great trainers know that knowledge is no substitute for experience, and that the things we best remember are those where we have discovered the answer themselves, often after attempts and mistakes. Having learners seek information from outside the content provided does increase challenge – maybe too much for those with lower learning or literacy levels. However as an option for some learners with the background (as identified in idea 1) this would allow them to search, find and probably learn and remember more. A guided web quest is one type of activity that is half way between the two extremes and could support a wide range of learners.

Software considerations – uses built in multimedia and URL link features.
Cost considerations – may actually save time developing content! But may increase load if learner generated content needs to be checked, for example by an assessor. (Again, webquest style activities balance this consideration midway).

Idea three: Let the learners make mistakes

This can work in a few ways, all of which are based on a concept that we have blogged about before (see: Learning in Reverse) where learners work through a challenge or scenario BEFORE they are loaded with any content. Branching scenarios are great for this – depending on what they decide, depends on what content they access. Similarly, a “pre-assessment” of the final assessment will lead to the same thing. The level of interaction is much higher (no click-fest!) and if the learners have the background or experience then they are not made to read what they already know.

Software considerations – uses built in functionality for branching scenarios and resources, or standard assessment questions and variables to control visibility of content options.
Cost consideration – setting up the branching scenarios will take more time, however not as much as developing games or simulators. Can still be done using basic skill sets.

There are so many amazing trainers and developers around – there must be a hundred more ideas and little tweaks that improve things. We would love to hear what others have done!

Precious Gifts

December 9, 2016December 10, 2016Leave a comment

With Christmas fast approaching (like, WAY too fast!) I truly feel its important amidst the hustle to stop and remember what gifts we give to those around us
not just at Christmas but all year round…. and I am not talking about certificates of competency, lolly prizes, early finishes or sharing our precious scented flip chart markers (there are limits!!)

We are in the unique position of helping other achieve goals, supporting growth mindsets and hopefully helping create a love of lifelong learning in those we work with. If we were to think of how these things could be packaged up as gif
ts, I like the idea of Art Costa’s Habits of Mind as 16 nicely wrapped parcels.

My favourite gifts from the list that I like to share (with both learners and other trainers I work with) include these:

The Gift of Thinking about Thinking

I’m talking about expecting meta cognition to be an everyday part of training, and helping others develop the habit of doing this without conscious effort. I like to model it – talking out loud about what I am thinking as I do something, explaining why I am doing something a particular way. When you encourage learners and other trainers to do the same, it really helps highlight where they may be confused about something or how they understand something. It also promotes self correction, an important step towards mastery. This talking can also include that valuable self question of “If I did this again, I would do xyz differently”.

The Gift of Thinking Interdependently
I am a strong believer in the cooperative learning approach. There is much to be learnt from each other, not to mention the skills needed to work with others that is such a big part of 21st Century work places. As Michael De Montaigne said, “it is good to rub and polish our brain against that of others”. Choosing to include cooperative structures into training and working takes extra time and organisation. It may not relate directly to content learning outcomes, however in the big picture the time spent is a gift helping develop a bigger, transferable and important skill set.

The Gift of Questioning and Posing Problems
Anyone who has studied Bloom’s taxonomy can tell you that the higher order thinking skills focus on analysis, evaluation and creation. If as trainers and facilitators we can offer experiences that encourage learners to do this, they will have a higher level of understanding and greater mastery. I like using questions to draw knowledge from others as it increases engagement and allows for stronger connections in the brain. I also like the idea of creating opportunities to have others ask questions and pose problems to be answered by themselves or others around them. If we can get others into this habit, even if its just the question “how does this apply to me and what I do?” then that’s a pretty good gift.

The Gift of Wonderment and Awe
I saved this one for last! Being passionate about ideas, learning and relationships with others is a key value here at Brio Consulting. Often it is not the content that is covered that makes training memorable or have impact, its the feelings learners sense and remember. Enthusiasm, enjoyment and engagement is a gift that not all trainers and facilitators share with those around them, but I love for others to see how I feel about what we are learning. It definitely uses energy! I know at the end of each session I feel that I have been drained, but the enthusiasm and engagement in return from learners and those around me is a gift in return that fills my fuel tank back up. They say that this is a habit of mind that is usually “caught not taught”. What a great virus to be spread!

So, what gifts do you love to give?

Learning in Reverse

August 4, 2016December 11, 20162 Comments

reverse-card Let’s talk about flipping the standard process of
“tell, show, do”.

I have been known the spruik the benefits of clear modelling and demonstration to support learners in gaining new skills and processes. After some very enjoyable ‘Amen sister!” reading, courtesy of kindred spirit Cathy Moore (Let’s Save the World From Boring Training) I feel the need to also reaffirm my commitment to challenge based learning, scenario based learning and experiential learning.

These are my favourite types of learning design. You can still set a clear goal, but the way the learners get there is more about trial and error, thinking it through and problem solving in a real, rich and relevant environment.

While the demonstration method is great for task skills (short processes or longer ones taught in chunks) the scenario based method allows learners to also develop a range of task management, job role, environment and contingency skills that will be faced in the real world.

When it comes to creating this type of training however, there are still cost-benefit considerations. I sum up the key ones for me as follows:

Key considerations

Safety

What are the safety considerations of allowing untrained personnel to complete the tasks in this way?

Time/cost
How much extra time will it take for learners to gain the key concepts through these experiences, rather than just being told? Have I got that much time available? Is the time and resources cost viable?

Fidelity
How hard is it to simulate the type of scenario to give them the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge? What about the use of online simulated environments?

Key benefits

Real, rich and relevant
Giving learners to closest thing possible to real life experiences of the task – making the experience more challenging, memorable and potentially increasing the amount of learning gained from the training.

Higher thinking skills
Learning that requires thinking, planning, problem solving – often more benefical and useful in real life as learners are more flexible than those only reproducing shown process.

Increased retention
We remember more of what we do for ourselves than what we are told by others. Working out the answer and the process through scenarios should lead to better retention of knowledge and skills.

How do you make this work for you?

1. Begin with the end in mind – set the goal
As Stephen Covey famously says, “begin with the end in mind”. You need to have a clear picture of what a competent person looks like. What scenarios will the person have to face? What does a competent person do in these situations? How do they apply their knowledge? What do they pay attention to?

Once you have this worked out, you can then determine what scenario or challenge will give learners the opportunities to gain exposure, develop knowledge and gain skills.

Also think about where this approach can be used to best effect. It is often not practicable or affordable to cover all concepts in this manner. If you have to be selective, save this for where it will have the biggest impact on learner attitudes and behaviours.

2. Consider how you will support learners
Just because there is problem solving to be done, it doesn’t mean learners don’t need guidance and support. Learning should be challenging, not impossible.

What resources, job aids, cheat sheets, flowcharts etc do people use? This can be accessed by learners to scaffold their experience and help them be successful. Having a guide present in the form of an already competent person is also great – so long as they know the boundaries. Their role is not to be ‘sage on the stage’ but the ‘guide on the side’ to answer questions and monitor safety.

Note – jumping in too early stops learners from being able to see consequences of their decisions and limits their problem solving opportunities. Let them learn from these experiences now rather than in the field, if it can be safety done.

3. Don’t forget to debrief
The best learning comes from the meta-discussion after the experience where learners can process what they did, what they learned (from what worked well and what didn’t work too) and can plan for the future – what they will do (or not do) next time! This helps cement learning in the brain and will help ensure the highest level of retention.

Clear Goals and Modelling to Increase Success

February 14, 2016December 11, 2016Leave a comment

How many goals could you shoot in 5 minutes?

blind-basketball-player I’m not too bad at scoring goals in netball, but definitely not as good as this pro basketball player who knows his stuff so well he can even shoot a goal blindfolded. Whatever my number or your number, I think it’s guaranteed we would successfully get more goals if we could see where we were aiming.

This is my favourite analogy for explaining why its so important to set clear goals as part of training and to do everything we can as trainers to make it easy to see exactly what it is we want learners to achieve.

To continue the analogy, let’s compare the following:

A person blindfolded who doesn’t know where the hoop is.

Someone trying to learn a skill without knowing the learning goal and without adequate support or clear guidance.

A person who can see the hoop and is told to just have a go getting it in.

Someone who has been told what it is they should achieve or need to try and do, such as when a trainer shares learning outcomes. This increases their chance of success, but will their independent skill level negatively affect their chance of success?

Having our pro player demonstrate the skill of how to shoot the ball first, then the learner having a go.
Having a skilled person demonstrate the skill first, breaking it down to step by step and giving the helpful hints that will improve technique, then supporting and giving feedback you have a go.

Our job is to help people succeed. We increase the chance of their success when we support learners and make it clear what they should be trying to achieve. If someone just isn’t hitting the mark in training, I always try to remember to check for blindfolds and to make sure they had a pro giving them some much needed coaching.

What’s your approach?