October 31, 2016 “A learning objective should describe what students should know or be able to do at the end of the course that they couldn’t do before. Learning objectives should be about student performance. Good learning objectives shouldn’t be too abstract (“the students will understand what good literature is”); too narrow (“the students will know what a ground is”); or be restricted to lower-level cognitive skills (“the students will be able...
October 26, 2016 A concise definition of “successful trainer” is clearly stated by Derek Stockley in his article, “The two main requirements for success as a trainer”: “To be successful, a trainer has to have: – Knowledge and skills in training techniques. – Excellent knowledge and skills on the training topic You need to know your subject and you need to have the ability to communicate with others about it.”...
October 24, 2016 Imagine a system where learners engage with clearly stated, performance-oriented goals, acquiring skills and knowledge that are relevant to real-life challenges. In this system, designed to enable high performance, learners of all levels meet their objectives with the aid of flexible programs that accommodate varied learning styles and abilities. Learners leave the system with all the necessary skills required by both a world-class workforce and as better educated citizens...
October 16, 2012 Last year’s Manufacturing Institute’s “Manufacturing Skills and Training Study” provides us with some interesting information: U.S. Manufacturers are Ready to Grow 50% of companies surveyed plan to increase U.S.-based production jobs by at least 5% in the next five years. Nearly 25% of companies plan to grow more than 10% in the next five years. U.S. Manufacturers Continue to Experience a Skills Shortage...
October 17, 2016 My eyes automatically roll whenever I read a new ad placed by one of the many e-Learning authoring system providers. “You can do it!” “It’s easy!” “Anyone can build an e-Learning course!” Oh, yeah? The evolution of new learning technology adaptation has always been delayed by the do-it-yourselfers. I first saw it with the introduction of videotape training in the 1970s. “Just give any employee a camera and he,...
October 12, 2016 We often overlook one of the more important attributes of well conceived online learning — individualized instruction. Yet, we all recognize that our trainees bring different learning styles into the learning experience. Some read quickly and some more slowly. Some learn by “seeing” the skill being performed while others can readily conceptualize it. Some learn best while having the written portions read aloud while others prefer to read silently....
October 5, 2016 “They were born the day before yesterday, or so it may seem. Millennials have no memory of a world without the World Wide Web, cell phones, or personal computers. They are an Internet-surfing, iPoding, texting, Googling, Facebooking, and IMing generation. They have come of age during a time of dramatic technological changes in our society. Just consider the fact that the cell phone has become the fastest-adopted invention in...
October 3, 2016 Sometimes the points one wishes to make about an important subject are best expressed through thoughtful quotes: “ . . . High schools like Mercy – known as career and technical schools or vocational schools – are increasing their presence throughout the country, at a time when support for career and technical education is picking up steam as an alternative route to the middle class. There are roughly 90...