I haven't been to a lot of technology meetings, but I have been to other types of meetings which I did enjoy and learned a lot from. Other than being a Computer Technician I also help run the after-school program. For this job I was asked to attend a two-day training in Palm Springs. At this conference there where vendors selling products that we were there to learn about. The great thing about this training was that you had a choice of what you wanted to learn. For example, they had training for discipline of disobedience children all the way to how to organize outdoor activities without money. So depending on your preferences, you choose what you want to be trained in. Each training was about an hour and a half long with thirty minutes in between training. I needed help with outdoor activities, so I chose that training. At this training they got everyone involved, or those who wanted to participate. This made it more interesting for me because I imagined myself teaching students these activities instead of watching a video about the training and taking notes. I think this conference had great examples of professional training which were very effective. This is one characteristic I see as essential for an effective training.
One ineffective training I went to was to learn how to manage the district website for my school. I was excited about this training because it was while I was taking one of my college classes for this program. I went to the training expecting to get a lot of the work done and learning about how to build the website. I was wrong. My co-worker and I went to this training and I have to say that both of us came out of that training more confused then before. We had hands-on training, but the fact was that we were able to submit things to be put on the site, but ti had to be approved by an administrator. We spent more time sending items and waiting for them to be approved then we did on actually on the website. What I mean if we have the materials to put on the website, we are not able to actually put the them on the website right away because it has to go through the administrator. So in the end I felt like I learned nothing and I never put the knowledge to use because my co-worker and I never did anything with the website because we didn't have enough privileges to insert anything, not to mention being there from 8:00am to 4:00pm making it a long day to be sitting in front a computer. We got discouraged and gave up. Now after 6 months, the district wants us to do something with the site. They finally gave us administrator access, but we lost interest by this point. This training had potential, but it wasn't thought out and planned properly. One aspect that they needed to change was that the permissions needed to changed before the training in order for us to get the full benefit of the training. This goes back to the ED NORMAN syndrome and restricting the population from the technology.
In the end, everyone has their own ways they liked to be taught. As I remember it, don't quote me on this, there are three styles of learning; kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. Some learn by doing, some by seeing, and some learn by listening. In a training people should have the choice to participate in the activity, others could watch and listen to the training if they do not feel the need to participate. Also a great training needs to be well-planned and not intensive. The idea of short mini-training throughout the day made it more relaxing and made it feel less extensive. I don't know about anyone else, but I like to be taught little by little then to try to learn everything at once.
Activity log
3/9/09- Downloaded podcast, worked on my project presentation webpage, e-mailed Dr. Newberry, thought of training I've been to, found pros and cons of each training
3/10/09- Found out a teacher I work with is in this program, discussed our classes, wrote my blog, try to sleep not thinking about projects and work
3/11/09- Worked on posting my projects
3/12/09- Commented on students blogs, e-mailed Dr. Newberry about my reflections (Hopefully I did them up to par), continued working on my third project.
Hello Bill, I am kind of like you I like to be taught little by little than all at once because once I learned something new, for example, how to build my website, I like to try it out then when I run in to trouble I will actually have a question to ask.
ReplyDeleteHands-on training does help you to have a better grasp on what is being taught. I think this is very important especially in learning how to use technology.
ReplyDeleteBill, my experience agrees with your opinion. Most people do best, at least with technology training, with small portions. Allow users to digest and apply small pieces at a time. Teaching those that are responsible for posting material and then restricting there access is a receipt for little adoption. If we are taught how to do something, then we must be allowed the resources to apply the training. Great points. Bill K
ReplyDelete