A recent study, published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication in the USA, has studied the impact of insulting comments about an article on readers’ capacity to understand the article’s content accurately. It has concluded that an abusive or offensive comment not only changes a reader’s response to what s/he’s read, it also changes her/his [...]
Typically, buyers of learning materials want the best products at the least cost, in the shortest time cycles, with the minimum risk and from the best vendors. They also want ‘continuity’ from those from whom they buy. Online learning is characterised by being produced by multi-disciplinary teams, to demanding project management requirements and – [...]
It’s all very well to promote the benefits of any or all forms of online learning – especially its flexibility - but people will only embrace this learning if they want to learn and are actively encouraged to do so by both their line and senior managers. In addition to this managerial encouragement, there [...]
Using facilitation skills expounded by Tony Mann, of Resource Strategic Change and senior examiner on APMG-International’s facilitation skills certification scheme, with the senior team at Premier Foods’ Hovis plant in Avonmouth, has proved extremely powerful, believes the Site Manufacturing Manager, Gordon Swanston. According to Gordon: “Our ability to very quickly coalesce as a [...]
According to Gordon Swanston, currently a Site Manufacturing Manager based in Avonmouth with the bakers, Hovis – part of Premier Foods Ltd, one of the benefits of applying facilitation tools and techniques is that both the facilitators and those who are ‘facilitated’ become much more engaged. He observed that, when he was working for British [...]
Gordon Swanston, currently a Site Manufacturing Manager based in Avonmouth with the bakers, Hovis – part of Premier Foods Ltd – has been a fan of facilitation tools and techniques for some ten years. In that time, in various business contexts, Gordon has seen the application of these tools and techniques produce increased [...]
Quotes from Sir Winston Churchill were much in evidence at the official launch of APMG-International’s certification scheme in Facilitation skills. The scheme, which aims to teach candidates how to design, apply and use specific processes and tools in order to increase the success of programmes and projects, was launched at the Cabinet War Rooms – [...]
A while ago, over 100 learning professionals were asked what one thing most annoys them about online learning materials. Their responses were both varied and – significantly – many. Of these, the 13 most annoying traits of online learning materials were: Patronising the learner Having a section called ‘how to use this e-learning module’ [...]
Any impending visitor is enough to make anyone want to ‘tidy up a bit’ but, when that visitor is a member of the Royal Family, it’s an even more impelling reason to get rid of unsightly waste. So, when HRH the Duchess of Cornwall was about to visit Medical Detection Dogs, a Milton Keynes-based [...]
There’s a tendency to do ‘just-in-case’ training rather than ‘just-in-time’ training. In other words, people are given access to learning materials in case they ever need to know what they’re being taught. Key issues in today’s workplace are the pace of change; the appearance of broader and more complex job tasks, and the question [...]
