Training/Professional Development
- Adult Learner Engagement Strategy
- Supporting Adult Learners
- Attitude of Entitlement
- Leaving a First Employer
- Dating a Coworker
- Writing a Course Outline
- Types of Test Questions
- Getting Along with Coworkers
- Homework in Corporate Training
- Sabotaging Your Career
Adult Learner Engagement Strategy
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Adult students present unique challenges to instructors as they often have competing priorities that present logistical challenges.
In Supporting Adult Learners, a case study was presented where an adult learner’s circumstances lead to her wanting to withdraw from the last course she needed to complete her adult education certification. The real life solution to the question, “What would you do as her instructor to keep her engaged?” is presented below.
The instructor in this situation saw this as a unique opportunity to practice what she preached and asked Donna what she needed in order to finish this course. The answer was to not have to drive the two and a half hours in the snow to get to the course. The instructor then came up with a plan to allow her to work from home until the snow was not a concern. The solution included sending lecture notes, assigning discussion questions that had to be responded to in writing prior to each class, and that all assignments had to be completed on time – no exceptions. An agreement was made.
During class discussions, the instructor would say, “…and Donna’s comment is…” to include Donna in the class discussions as participation was part of the evaluation of the course.
When the snow was gone, Donna returned to the classroom. She struggled to reintegrate and was confronted by one student who said, “You won’t get 10% for participation, as you were not here!”. Donna chose to not defend herself as she had been participating, albeit from a distance.
The experience taught Donna more about adult education than the classes she took. She understood how some adults need flexibility to remain engaged and that it is challenging to reintegrating into a classroom.
Related articles in this Principles of Adult Education series:
Part 3: Inner Factors, Styles and Setting: Learner Focused Delivery
Part 4: Socializing, Content and Coaching: Concise, Fun Facilitation
The instructor in this situation saw this as a unique opportunity to practice what she preached and asked Donna what she needed in order to finish this course. The answer was to not have to drive the two and a half hours in the snow to get to the course. The instructor then came up with a plan to allow her to work from home until the snow was not a concern. The solution included sending lecture notes, assigning discussion questions that had to be responded to in writing prior to each class, and that all assignments had to be completed on time – no exceptions. An agreement was made.
During class discussions, the instructor would say, “…and Donna’s comment is…” to include Donna in the class discussions as participation was part of the evaluation of the course.
When the snow was gone, Donna returned to the classroom. She struggled to reintegrate and was confronted by one student who said, “You won’t get 10% for participation, as you were not here!”. Donna chose to not defend herself as she had been participating, albeit from a distance.
The experience taught Donna more about adult education than the classes she took. She understood how some adults need flexibility to remain engaged and that it is challenging to reintegrating into a classroom.
Related articles in this Principles of Adult Education series:
Part 3: Inner Factors, Styles and Setting: Learner Focused Delivery
Part 4: Socializing, Content and Coaching: Concise, Fun Facilitation
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
A friend recently told me a story where her instructor went to exceptional lengths to accommodate her needs as a learner. Do you remove barriers for your adult students?
Donna was a single mother of a teenager and had one last course to take in order to receive her certificate in adult education. To take this course, it required a long two and a half hour drive each way. The course ran from January to April and so the added stress of driving in snow was a huge concern. She had made this drive countless times to complete her other courses but had recently opened a business that was successful and taking up a lot of her time. The thought of adding the last course to her already crazy life seemed over the top. Donna was at the end of her rope and was worrying that this added responsibility would cause her to have a nervous breakdown. The problem was that if she didn’t take the course at that time, she’d have to wait another year to complete her credential.
She made the decision to withdraw from the course and prepared a speech to deliver to the instructor. With tears in her eyes, Donna told the instructor that she would be withdrawing from the course. Her instructor, an astute adult educator, asked her, “What can I do to help you finish this course?”. She was dumbfounded and repeated her problems. The instructor repeated the question and this time got the response, “Not to have to drive the commute in the winter”.
What would you do as the instructor in this situation? The solution to this case will be presented in the next blog.
Related articles in this Principles of Adult Education series:
Part 1: Self Direction and Experience: Learner Control and Prior Learning
Part 2: Learning Needs and Application: Design Practical, Vital Training
She made the decision to withdraw from the course and prepared a speech to deliver to the instructor. With tears in her eyes, Donna told the instructor that she would be withdrawing from the course. Her instructor, an astute adult educator, asked her, “What can I do to help you finish this course?”. She was dumbfounded and repeated her problems. The instructor repeated the question and this time got the response, “Not to have to drive the commute in the winter”.
What would you do as the instructor in this situation? The solution to this case will be presented in the next blog.
Related articles in this Principles of Adult Education series:
Part 1: Self Direction and Experience: Learner Control and Prior Learning
Part 2: Learning Needs and Application: Design Practical, Vital Training
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
How an employee chooses to get their needs met at work can influence career success and job satisfaction.
When I meet with various employers to discuss employee performance, one of the most common complaints I hear is that an employee has an over exaggerated sense of entitlement. Second to an over zealous sense of entitlement, employers complain about employees that do not communicate their needs.
An employee with a high sense of entitlement can cause a lot of friction on the job. A boss who must contend with a demanding employee will eventually shut down and not respond to yet another selfish request from this employee. On the other hand, having a low sense of entitlement can be just as detrimental. Bosses and coworkers can label you as a push over and take advantage of your low sense of entitlement.
An Example of a High Sense of Entitlement
The copyright of this blog is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
An employee with a high sense of entitlement can cause a lot of friction on the job. A boss who must contend with a demanding employee will eventually shut down and not respond to yet another selfish request from this employee. On the other hand, having a low sense of entitlement can be just as detrimental. Bosses and coworkers can label you as a push over and take advantage of your low sense of entitlement.
An Example of a High Sense of Entitlement
- Your cover letters and interviews focus on what the employer can do for you and your career.
- Your cover letters and interviews focus on what you can bring to the company while you consider the fit with the company and management.
- Your cover letters and interviews poorly represent your skills and show a lack of confidence. You are at the mercy of an employer being desperate.
The copyright of this blog is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Loyalties to a first company or boss can be strong. Learning to make career decisions that serve you is an important career development technique.
I had a conversation recently with a manager who relayed a story about how she struggled to quit her first job and move on with her career. She had been with the company for five years. She had bonds with fellow employees and fit in well with the corporate culture.
Although the opportunity before her was an obvious choice as it was more in line with her education, she struggled to let go. When we spend a significant part of our career with one employer, especially our first employer, the bonds can be deep. Like a first love, the first employer reserves a special place in our hearts as they helped to initiate the development of our professional side.
Her wise supervisor said to her at the time, with a gentle smile, “We will be able to function without you”. The phrase eased her mind and helped her to realize that although she had made a contribution to the company, she was replaceable. That is not to say that her replacement would be able to offer the same skills and talents, but the company would survive without her. He continued to encourage her to do what was best for her career and to make that the forefront of her career decision making.
She is not alone in this struggle as loyalty to an employer is a common career value that is demonstrated not only by employee behaviors but as a company value on which performance is assessed. Also, while first employers can be difficult to leave, the same can be said for most long term employer commitments regardless of when they occur in a career. Keep the wise words of this supervisor in mind. Move on with confidence and make career decisions that serve you.
Although the opportunity before her was an obvious choice as it was more in line with her education, she struggled to let go. When we spend a significant part of our career with one employer, especially our first employer, the bonds can be deep. Like a first love, the first employer reserves a special place in our hearts as they helped to initiate the development of our professional side.
Her wise supervisor said to her at the time, with a gentle smile, “We will be able to function without you”. The phrase eased her mind and helped her to realize that although she had made a contribution to the company, she was replaceable. That is not to say that her replacement would be able to offer the same skills and talents, but the company would survive without her. He continued to encourage her to do what was best for her career and to make that the forefront of her career decision making.
She is not alone in this struggle as loyalty to an employer is a common career value that is demonstrated not only by employee behaviors but as a company value on which performance is assessed. Also, while first employers can be difficult to leave, the same can be said for most long term employer commitments regardless of when they occur in a career. Keep the wise words of this supervisor in mind. Move on with confidence and make career decisions that serve you.
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Are you attracted to a coworker? Are you debating whether to initiate a romantic relationship at work? Make sure the pros outweigh the cons.
Finding a person who is attractive, shares a similar lifestyle and has similar interests can be tough. One common solution is to date someone you work with. While the chances are high that you’ll share some interests if you work in the same industry, it can also mean complications to the relationship simply because you share the same employer.
Be sure to check your policy and procedures manual to ensure that your company permits coworker dating. You may need to disclose your relationship to your HR department and your boss. The disclosure may mean that one of you is transferred to a different department or branch.
Pros
Be sure to check your policy and procedures manual to ensure that your company permits coworker dating. You may need to disclose your relationship to your HR department and your boss. The disclosure may mean that one of you is transferred to a different department or branch.
Pros
- You can see more of each other
- You can car pool
- Your partner can empathize when you complain about a work situation
- You can eat lunch together
- You can reduce the cost of benefits if plans are the same
- You can both be part of a solution to a big corporate problem
- If you break-up, it could be awkward to see them daily
- Business decisions that affect your partner are harder to make
- Your personal life isn’t as private
- You may be violating company policy and could be fired
- If you work in the same office, you may find that you spend too much time together
- It lessen your chances for a promotion
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
A great course outline can be instrumental in encouraging the target audience to enroll. It can also be a tool to encourage structure and clarity.
A good course outline will give you a clear idea of what content to include when designing presentations and handouts, make sure you have all of the supplies and equipment you need as well as attract enrollments.
Title
The title needs to be descriptive enough to stand alone and convey the content of the course or workshop. This is especially important if the titles are listed without the course descriptions in any of the promotional materials (web site, brochures, posters etc.). Be careful with cute titles that are not descriptive of the content as they can deter potential enrollments.
Course Description
The course or workshop description is a vital part of promotion of the session. The benefits to the participants will need to be clearly articulated. For participants to enroll, they need to clearly see how this training will improve their performance on the job. The course description also needs to include the main concepts that will be discussed in detail in the workshop or course. The description should be between 80 - 125 words for most web site or brochures, especially when multiple workshops or courses are being promoted. If this outline is to be used as a handout to students on the first class, add a detailed session by session break down and description.
Basic Facts
The basic facts are the important details that participants require apart from the course content. They include:
The instructor profile or biography is important to establish the level of expertise of the instructor. A typical profile describes the instructor’s past employment, education, and any relevant special projects or volunteer work.
Optional Sections
Title
The title needs to be descriptive enough to stand alone and convey the content of the course or workshop. This is especially important if the titles are listed without the course descriptions in any of the promotional materials (web site, brochures, posters etc.). Be careful with cute titles that are not descriptive of the content as they can deter potential enrollments.
Course Description
The course or workshop description is a vital part of promotion of the session. The benefits to the participants will need to be clearly articulated. For participants to enroll, they need to clearly see how this training will improve their performance on the job. The course description also needs to include the main concepts that will be discussed in detail in the workshop or course. The description should be between 80 - 125 words for most web site or brochures, especially when multiple workshops or courses are being promoted. If this outline is to be used as a handout to students on the first class, add a detailed session by session break down and description.
Basic Facts
The basic facts are the important details that participants require apart from the course content. They include:
- Start time
- End time
- Start date
- End date
- Number of sessions
- Location
The instructor profile or biography is important to establish the level of expertise of the instructor. A typical profile describes the instructor’s past employment, education, and any relevant special projects or volunteer work.
Optional Sections
- Course ID
- Fees
- Supplies
- AV requirements
- Registration instructions
- Target audience
- Promotional ideas
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
The type of test questions used to assess learning in a corporate training environment depends on the whether qualitative or quantitative results are wanted.
If you require quantitative results to assess corporate training, multiple choice, true or false, fill in the blank, or matching questions should be used. If a more qualitative result is what you are after, then short or long answer questions will provide more detail.
Multiple Choice
Multiple choice questions are a great option when you want quantifiable results for statistical purposes or need to reduce the amount of marking time. Make sure that the options offered are worded in a parallel grammatical structure.
True/False
True or false questions are an easy option for a quiz or other shorter test. The statements need to be all true or all false i.e. very black or white in order for this type of question to be valid.
Fill in the Blank or Matching
When your goal is to teach terminology, fill in the blank or matching questions can test participant’s knowledge of the definitions taught.
Short Answer
Short answer questions provide the learner an opportunity to elaborate on their level of understanding of a concept. Short answer questions allow a more vivid picture of the learning but also require more marking/reading time.
Long Answer or Essay
When it is necessary to test participant’s ability to apply the different concepts they have learned, case studies or broader essay questions may be the best choice. Some good starts to essay questions are:
Multiple Choice
Multiple choice questions are a great option when you want quantifiable results for statistical purposes or need to reduce the amount of marking time. Make sure that the options offered are worded in a parallel grammatical structure.
True/False
True or false questions are an easy option for a quiz or other shorter test. The statements need to be all true or all false i.e. very black or white in order for this type of question to be valid.
Fill in the Blank or Matching
When your goal is to teach terminology, fill in the blank or matching questions can test participant’s knowledge of the definitions taught.
Short Answer
Short answer questions provide the learner an opportunity to elaborate on their level of understanding of a concept. Short answer questions allow a more vivid picture of the learning but also require more marking/reading time.
Long Answer or Essay
When it is necessary to test participant’s ability to apply the different concepts they have learned, case studies or broader essay questions may be the best choice. Some good starts to essay questions are:
- Compare and contrast…
- Give an example of…
- Describe the process where…
- Explain why…
- Give a counter argument to the statement…
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Employees who get along well with their coworkers are valued employees. They are well liked and can easily assume leadership roles as their coworkers respect them.
Employers want to hire people that get along with their coworkers. How can you demonstrate that you don’t leave dead bodies in your wake? Demonstrate these behaviours and you’ll find that your coworkers genuinely enjoy working with you. This will not only make your boss smile, it will be seen as a sign of leadership potential. Dale Carnegie in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People shares his pointers for making friends in and out of work.
Show Genuine Interest
Be sincere with your attention and focus on being interested in what others are sharing with you.
Smile
People want to work around happy people. Smile, stay positive and have fun! Participate in social activities and other opportunities to have fun.
Remember Names
Use memory tricks to remember people’s names. If you are good at remembering someone’s name, they will remember you. The company org chart or directory will give you the spelling of their name and the department they work in. Also, some companies post pictures of their staff beside profiles which can really help you learn who is who.
Listen
Spend more time listening than talking. If you hope to really understand someone, you need to listen carefully when they are talking.
Discuss What Interests Others
Being knowledgeable about someone’s interests, especially if it is a person you want to impress, will create an immediate bond that can weather difficult situations or challenges.
Make Others Feel Important
Everyone wants to feel they are important. Offer your respect and look for ways you can appreciate the contribution of others.
Getting along with coworkers is an essential skill if you see yourself in a leadership role in the future. Hone these skills now so that you will be seen as someone who people want on their team.
Show Genuine Interest
Be sincere with your attention and focus on being interested in what others are sharing with you.
Smile
People want to work around happy people. Smile, stay positive and have fun! Participate in social activities and other opportunities to have fun.
Remember Names
Use memory tricks to remember people’s names. If you are good at remembering someone’s name, they will remember you. The company org chart or directory will give you the spelling of their name and the department they work in. Also, some companies post pictures of their staff beside profiles which can really help you learn who is who.
Listen
Spend more time listening than talking. If you hope to really understand someone, you need to listen carefully when they are talking.
Discuss What Interests Others
Being knowledgeable about someone’s interests, especially if it is a person you want to impress, will create an immediate bond that can weather difficult situations or challenges.
Make Others Feel Important
Everyone wants to feel they are important. Offer your respect and look for ways you can appreciate the contribution of others.
Getting along with coworkers is an essential skill if you see yourself in a leadership role in the future. Hone these skills now so that you will be seen as someone who people want on their team.
Homework in Corporate Training
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Assigning homework outside of classroom or online corporate training allows an intensive topic to be covered. There are various types of homework assignments.
If your training is content heavy, one strategy to cover a larger amount of material than you can in one session is to assign tasks that participants complete outside of class. These assignments can require extensive time to learn new concepts outside of class or can be a refresher or reinforcement of material covered in class. Homework can be completed in teams or individually.
Assigned Reading
Reading can be assigned from a course text book, articles or web content. Be sure to let the students know that you will be discussing the material in the reading in the next class if you feel this reading is mandatory to their learning. If it is very important, you can quiz them on the reading. Readings can also be of a more supplemental nature, to help students gain another point of view or reinforce the concepts discussed in class.
Research Assignment
Research assignments are a great way for students to delve deeper into a subject. The assignment can be a series of questions they need to answer, a list of facts they need to gather or can form the basis for a large assignment such as a research paper.
Interviews
Asking students to create a list of interview questions and interview people with a specific background or expertise can be a creative way to reinforce learning.
Field Trip
Take students on short excursions to learn about different environments or meet a group of people that can offer them a new view point. Learning is enhanced when the concepts are demonstrated in a real life setting. For example, if you are teaching customer service, a trip to a mall where students observe customer/sales staff interactions can be very enlightening.
Breaking up a lecture format delivery by out of class assignments can increase student engagement and ensure learning.
Assigned Reading
Reading can be assigned from a course text book, articles or web content. Be sure to let the students know that you will be discussing the material in the reading in the next class if you feel this reading is mandatory to their learning. If it is very important, you can quiz them on the reading. Readings can also be of a more supplemental nature, to help students gain another point of view or reinforce the concepts discussed in class.
Research Assignment
Research assignments are a great way for students to delve deeper into a subject. The assignment can be a series of questions they need to answer, a list of facts they need to gather or can form the basis for a large assignment such as a research paper.
Interviews
Asking students to create a list of interview questions and interview people with a specific background or expertise can be a creative way to reinforce learning.
Field Trip
Take students on short excursions to learn about different environments or meet a group of people that can offer them a new view point. Learning is enhanced when the concepts are demonstrated in a real life setting. For example, if you are teaching customer service, a trip to a mall where students observe customer/sales staff interactions can be very enlightening.
Breaking up a lecture format delivery by out of class assignments can increase student engagement and ensure learning.
Posted by
Joni Rose
Joni Rose
Setting expectations that are beyond that of your supervisor can lead to unnecessary job stress and effect job performance.
Sometimes employees are their own worst enemy. They set standards for their performance that far exceed the expectations of their bosses. They then feel extremely stressed when there performance doesn’t match these expectations.
Typically over achievers don’t listen to their bosses praise and if they do hear it, they quickly minimize it. Over achievers dismiss their boss’s opinion as it doesn’t match with their opinion of themselves.
These exaggerated expectations can translate into a very negative, blaming, victim mentality and can even lead to bad references or dismissal. No one wants to work with miserable person.
The irony is that their boss could have a very different opinion of their performance and wish that they understood that they don’t need to work as hard or beat themselves up for each minor mistake. In fact, most managers look at mistakes as learning opportunities and therefore expect employees to make mistakes. If an employee admits to their mistakes and takes responsibility for correcting and analyzing the problem to prevent a repeat of the issue, then a manager is happy.
Perfectionism is great in moderation, but if it is so extreme that it is impossible to be happy on the job, it is time to question whether the perfectionism is the real issue.
Typically over achievers don’t listen to their bosses praise and if they do hear it, they quickly minimize it. Over achievers dismiss their boss’s opinion as it doesn’t match with their opinion of themselves.
These exaggerated expectations can translate into a very negative, blaming, victim mentality and can even lead to bad references or dismissal. No one wants to work with miserable person.
The irony is that their boss could have a very different opinion of their performance and wish that they understood that they don’t need to work as hard or beat themselves up for each minor mistake. In fact, most managers look at mistakes as learning opportunities and therefore expect employees to make mistakes. If an employee admits to their mistakes and takes responsibility for correcting and analyzing the problem to prevent a repeat of the issue, then a manager is happy.
Perfectionism is great in moderation, but if it is so extreme that it is impossible to be happy on the job, it is time to question whether the perfectionism is the real issue.
- Do you spend a lot of time feeling inadequate despite your boss’s raves about how well you are doing?
- Do you complain about not having skills or resources and yet meet deadlines and produce results that far exceed your predecessors?
- Are you suffering from stress related illnesses?
- Was your performance review above average according to your boss and/or coworkers and yet your self review was well below average?
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