U-Blog 5

Today's blog is going to be on the different styles of teaching. My main thought when I first started reading the different styles of teaching was on how it completely depends on who is being taught.

In a classroom setting, I believe it would be impossible for one style to be effective on all students, and therefore the teacher must determine the "most" effective and go with it. On the other hand there are some teachers that just teach the style that they are most comfortable with. In my opinion this is fine, but obviously not in the best interest of the students.

I think the best way would be to somehow implement many different kinds of teaching into the classroom. For example, one day the teacher would have a lecture and get all of the information out to the students and then the following class they would use a discovery method like small-group discussions. This would allow the students to break into small groups and talk about the information with other students.

In the end, I believe it is also on the student, to want to learn. If they have no desire to learn then no amount or style of teaching in the world will allow them to do so. And on the other foot, the teacher has to want the students to learn and not just be there to lecture through material and give out tests.

U-Blog 4

In the last week or so we have been reading a good deal on learning objectives and the importance of them. Robert Mager gave some insight on how to more effectively write them. He wanted to avoid vague phrases such as "understand". Instead he wanted to focus on what exactly he wanted the trainee to accomplish. For example, in the observation I had at the Lowman Home, the group was giving a training session on "Internet Use". They had objectives listed that were very specific. They stated specifically what the trainee was going to be able to do after the session, or at least what they wanted the trainees to be able to do.
They were not vague as in "After this course: You will be able to surf the internet". It was more like, "You will know how to return to your homepage." They were very specific.
I think it is very imperative to have good training objectives/goals to strive to achieve for during a training session. Just like it is wise to have goals to strive to achieve for throughout your life.

U-Blog 4

This week I was able to go observe a training session presented by TSTM 564 at the Lowman Home. The students conducting the learning session were teaching the residents about "How To Use The Internet". After they went over the basic lecture they let the residents surf around the web working on different assignments that they believed would be beneficial to them. At that point I was able to go around the class and help out and try and show the ins and outs of web browsing.

We were there for slightly over an hour and was able to teach them a decent amount about the web. Some seemed very nervous about even attempting to click buttons. Overall they learned the basics to web browsing and how to search for things they are interested in, along with being able to go to websites they see advertised on tv, newspaper, etc.

I think now that they have a basic understanding of how to do some things on the internet, that as they spend more time browsing, they will eventually get better and better and using it.

It was an interesting experience and I can now move forward and help my group design our presentation.

U-Blog 3

Today I am blogging about the Instructional Development Cycle. I do think this is a great system for companies to be using today. I think companies are starting to realize this simple concept can give them a gracious return on their investment. However, that does not mean all companies feel this way.

I think some companies feel that good training is a waste of money. They may also want their internal IT team to conduct most of the training. I think what they are failing to realize is the importance of a professional trainer in the workplace. But this again, will cost the company more money which they do not want to spend because they don't believe they will see a return on it.

I kind of see it as to what companies beliefs of "Project Managers" used to be. Companies did not think hiring a Project Manager was worth the money that they cost either. It was not until companies starting seeing how a good Project Manager could greatly contribute to the success of the company, that Project Managers now have a significant role in the workplace.

All in all, companies first have to change their opinion on training in general before they even begin to consider the IDC.

U-Blog 1

My first U-blog is going to be about one of our readings from the past week. The article was about Jetblu and their "Corporate U". It was about how Jetblu had this wonderful idea about a corporate university to train its employees.

That's right. Train employees. Haven't companies been training their employees since the beginning of time? Whats the great new idea they are talking about? All I see is just a new name slapped on the training department. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am sure Jetblu is doing great things in employee training, but it is not much more than every other big company around the world.

The article does show the importance of good employee training which I do agree with, but there was also a good bit of hype of the "Corporate U" being this new great thing, which I do not agree with.