Category Archives: Training Wisdom or Training Foolishness

Here you will find pearls of wisdom Robert has authored over the years in one venue or another that haven’t been made available to a general and searching public. Some good. Some not so good. Some loud.

Jan 29

Learning “In The Gaps” and On The Go – Using Dead Time

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We live in a waiting society. Wait at the doctor. Wait in line at the supermarket. Always waiting in a fast paced demanding world. Technology is giving us a leg up on using that dead time to learn something, and we’re jumping aboard the mobile learning train.

With the advent of smartphones, PDA’S and other reading devices that range from the size of a small ipod to the larger Kindles from Amazon, you can now order, download and read learning material to use WHILE you wait for some other task. It’s pretty amazing when you think about how you can harness the power of waiting to learn what you want to learn when you want it.

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Jan 07

Why “Networking” either in person or online, turns me off.

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Everyone talks about the importance of networking. I get the point. The more people who you know, and who know a little about you, the more likely you will “make a connection” that will pay off, whether it be in person, or online. I hate the underlying assumption, or presupposition about networking, not to mention that I’ve had the experience of being at in person gatherings where everyone is “marketing” to each other under the guise of networking.

My objection is simple. Continue reading →

Dec 16

Top Ten Songs That Apply To That Special, Annoying, and Difficult Coworker Part 1

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Everybody has at least one — a difficult coworker who simply drives others crazy. It might be an Interrupter (the person who talks over you), The Drop-In and Stay (camps in your office or cubicle to stop you from working, The Credit Stealer (“Oh, you mean I didn’t come up with that great idea?”.

So, we can’t get rid of them (another always pops up when one leaves), so let’s have a little fun. Here are the first five of ten songs, and/or song titles that have special meaning when applied to those annoying colleagues.

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Dec 11

Special Tweet Series #3: Learning Theories As Applied To Instruction

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As our first in the Special Tweet Series (on leadership styles) ended, we’re about to begin the next one. This time the topic is Learning theories as applied to instruction.

Many trainers and learners have had some contact with the more popularized concepts and theories of learning, and limited contact with some of the more important ones, which tend to be talked about in journals, rather than pop psychology forums.

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Oct 21

Informal Learning’s on first, Whats on second, and I Don’t Give a Damn is on Third

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So, tell me. If I happen to go to the water cooler down the hall, and bump into George, who tells me about the new software I could use, is that informal learning? Sounds like it.

We don’t know what position Social Learning plays on this team. And you know what? I don’t give a damn, and neither do the customers and clients of trainers and educators.

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Oct 14

#lrnchat – Meeting of Dunces or Rich Learning Resource? Or Both? Oct. 8th Report

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lrnchat is a twitter based system to chatting which has been trumpeted by at least some of its users and hosts, as being a prime example of how Twitter, and social network platforms can be rich in learning.

Periodically we’ll check in and take a look at the chat, and highlight some of the features, so you can decide on its value. Feel free to surf the transcript for the Oct. 8 version here.

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Oct 14

Shocking Discovery In Education: Most Breathing Done Informally

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In a shocking study recently published in the Journal of Training and Development, meta study review reveals that over 95% of breathing is done without formal structure, or outside interference. Not only is breathing informal, but it was discovered that training in breathing did not effectively cause breathing and neither did the absence of training result in cessation of breathing.

The Association of Training and Development (ASTD) has announced that they will be partnering with a number of vendors to provide training in informal breathing techniques. Head of ASTD Bingham says: Continue reading →

Sep 21

Training/Learning Related Whitepapers for Trainers/HR Professionals

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I came across these three white papers for those in the training industry about online learning and training. I haven’t seen them since they are available only to those in the USA, so interested in comments about quality, accuracy, etc. I shrunk the links so they would work in email.

How to Market Training: Four Principles of Effective Online Learning

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Sep 18

How to Promote the Value of Online Training Within Your Organization

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Short Description: Discover how to promote the value of online training in your organization.

Long Description: This new white paper explores the benefits and ROI of online training and takes an in-depth look at how two innovative companies successfully implemented Web-based training.

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Sep 09

Definitional Problems Damage the E-Learning/Social Learning Field

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If you are at all involved in the delivery of training via the use of technologies, you have probably seen, heard, or used the terms e-learning or social learning*. They have become common currency in the discussion of training and learning undertaken in non face-to-face training and education contexts.

Unlike the term “distance learning” which is an older term with a very clear and precise definition, both the terms e-learning and social learning lack clarity of definition to the extent that many practitioners who use the words don’t have clear ideas about what they themselves mean;  what is included and what the terms exclude. This is not an abstract issue of linguistics but a practical issue that has profound impact on both research and practice.

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