November 25, 2013
November 25, 2013 The most succinct definition of “troubleshooting” that I’ve ever read comes from an article by Stephanie Krieger, “Troubleshooting 201: Ask the Right Questions,” which was published in TechNet Magazine: “There are two rules that always apply, whether you’re troubleshooting hardware or software: Troubleshooting is a process of elimination The most important assumption you can make, no matter how much you know about the technology, is that you could be...
November 20, 2013
November 20, 2013 An article, “How to Develop and Implement A Successful Maintenance Skills Training Program,” on ReliabilityWeb.com by Ricky Smith begins with the following: “Maintenance Skills Training for industry is a hot subject right now. In many areas of the country, companies are competing for skilled maintenance personnel. . . . The skill level of the maintenance personnel in most companies is well below what industry would say is acceptable. Technical...
November 18, 2013
November 18, 2013 While there is no hard research to prove the following statement, logic will tell us that, in spite of the shaky percentages used, for most learners the conclusions are probably accurate: “. . . The experts generally agree that simulations boost learning retention rates dramatically. An often-cited study conducted by the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences in Alexandria, Va., found that on average, students retain 5 percent of...
November 13, 2013
November 13, 2013 Two recent articles have shed some new light on issues regarding education and learning. The first excerpt I am posting comes from the November 10 issue of TIME magazine, entitled, “The Real Reason New College Grads Can’t Get Hired,” by Martha C. White: “. . . A survey by the Workforce Solutions Group at St. Louis Community College finds that more than 60% of employers say applicants lack “communication...
November 11, 2013
November 11, 2013 Too many of the teaching methods used today are antiquated. They are no longer in sync with the predominate learning culture of today’s younger workforce. Out-of-date because they fail to recognize that their trainees/students get much of their information and form most of their opinions from what they see on television or, in some cases, what they encounter in their gaming programs. Unfortunately, the passive “lecture/reading/testing” method of instruction...
November 6, 2013
November 6, 2013 Here’s a first for me. I’m posting a YouTube link. A link that will take you to a recent short interview segment between CNN’s Piers Morgan and Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs. Rowe makes the best possible case for re-thinking our post-high school education system and I urge you to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVIgs4g31Rc It’s important to realize that 75% of the high school students...
November 4, 2013
November 4, 2013 As “the customer,” you are central to the buying/selling process and should, therefore, drive all discussions between you and a vendor’s sales representative. Vendors that ignore your dominant position should be shown the door. Their sales representatives, who exclusively pitch “only what they’ve got,” are not potential partners for you and your organization. You make the buying decision! You are the “party in power” during any sales discussion! A...
