1.
Feed Your Workforce
( little and often )
Dr Adam Chester

2.
Agenda
• Introduction
• How technology is changing our brains
• What does this mean for learning & development
• Feeding your workforce
• Top 5 tips

3.
Training Technology
• Cave Paintings
• Papyrus
• Printing Press
• World Wide Web

4.
The World Wide Web
• The WWW has existed for 25 years.
• Vast quantities of information are available to us.
!
• It has affected all areas of our daily lives.

5.
Google
• We “google” information
• Google acts as the gatekeeper to the information

6.
Time for a game
• On the next slide is a list of 12 words.
• You will see them for one minute.
!
• I’ll ask you to recall them later.

7.
Word List
• Tiger
• Handbag
• Computer
• Stick
• Packet
• Bridge
• Newspaper
• Fragrance
• Cake
• Tunnel
• Aeroplane
• Green

8.
How Do We Think?
• We have two memory stores.
• Working memory
• Long-term memory

9.
How Do We Think?
• Working memory is a scratch-pad.
• We use it while we are “thinking”.
!
• What is (3+4) x 4 ÷ 2?

10.
How Do We Think?
• Long term memory is our permanent store
• What is your favourite colour?
• How many children do you have?

11.
Effects of the Web
• We don’t remember as much information
• Attention span has changed
• Attitude has changed

12.
Reduced Memory Ability
• When was the last time you remembered a phone
number?
• What do you do if you can’t recall the name of the
lead actor in Casablanca?
• Research has shown that if we know information
will be stored by technology then we are less likely
to remember it ourselves.

13.
Attention Span
• Ten years ago the average attention span was 12
minutes.
• An experiment last year concluded that the
average was now only 5 minutes!
• This effect is most pronounced for younger people.

14.
Changed Attitudes
• We expect everything to be on demand!
!
• We are much less patient!
!
• Instant gratification.

15.
What does this mean for
learning & development?

16.
Traditional Delivery
Learner acquires
knowledge/skills
Learner attends
training
Learner applies
knowledge/skills

17.
Where’s the problem?
• People forget!
• People won’t ask!

18.
“You can’t teach people everything they need to
know. The best you can do is position them
where they can find what they need to know
when they need it.”
– Samuel Papert, MIT

19.
Bitesize Learning
• Creating resources that learners can use as a
reference.
• Common use cases:
• Business Processes
• Software Based Tasks

20.
What should go into a
resource?
• A short course should cover a single topic.
• How to raise an order for steel stock
• NOT!
• How to raise orders
!
• Keeps the course brief and focussed.

21.
A Short Course Template
• We use this template for
creating short course
libraries.
!
• Lets use my washing
machine as an example.
A list of important
steps
A detailed
walkthrough of the
task
Further Resources

22.
Step 1: A list of important
steps
1. Open door
2. Load clothes
3. Close door
4. Add powder to drawer
5. Add fabric softener to drawer
6. Choose cycle

23.
Step 2: Detailed
walkthrough
• Pull the lever to open the door.
• Insert either coloured or white clothes.
• Add 35g of Persil washing powder into the drawer.

24.
Step 2: Detailed
walkthrough
• Fill drawer up to indicator with fabric softener.
!
!
!
• Close drawer.

25.
Step 2: Detailed
walkthrough
• Choose a programme
Clothes Temperature Drying Timer Programme
Towels 90 180 1
Whites 60 120 2
Coloured Cotton 40 120 3
Delicates 40 - 4

26.
Step 3: Further Resources
• A guide to laundry care symbols - http://
www.textileaffairs.com/lguide.htm
• Washing Machine Manual - http://www.electrolux-ui.
com//DocumentDownLoad.aspx?
DocURL=2011132935111EN.pdf

27.
Template Stages
• In the first stage we are providing a simple outline
of the task.
• The second stage gives the learner a complete
walkthrough of the task.
• Since the course is focussed on a single topic
the learner can focus on the individual task.
• Additional resources provides opportunities for
further relevant learning.

28.
Distributing your
courses

29.
Distributing short courses
• There are many potential options for making your
resources available.
• Physical resources
• Documents on shared storage
• Online e-learning courses

30.
Physical Resources
Pros
Portable
Do not take over
the user’s screen
Cons
May be expensive
to reproduce
Require reissue on
changes to process
May be moved or
lost

31.
Documents on Shared
Storage
Pros
Easily shared
Updated at minimal
cost
Cons
Old versions may
be stored locally
No reporting
No feedback
mechanism

32.
E-learning Courses
Pros
Include multimedia
resources
Can be used on
mobile devices
Can be reported
on.
Collect feedback
from learners
Cons
May be difficult to
produce
LMS required

33.
How do short courses
help?

34.
Addressing Memory
Adaptations
• By creating and indexing your processes learners
can look up what they need.
!
• You can provide authoritative resources

35.
Addressing Attention Span
• Short courses are focussed on a single topic.
• Duration should be no longer than 10 minutes
• There should be exit points
• I know what I’m doing from here so I’ll stop.

36.
Addressing Attitude
• Your resources can be instantly accessible online.
• Learners don’t have to wait for you to run courses.
!
• Learners are in charge of their own learning.

37.
Making the most of
your courses!

38.
1: Make your courses visible
• Everyone needs to know about the courses!
• Link on the intranet
• Reminders in the weekly email
• Posters in communal areas

39.
2: Keep them up to date
• Courses need to be updated with changes to
processes
• Nothing will stop them being used quicker than the
suggestion that they are out of date.

40.
3: Encourage their use
• Encourage your learners to use the system.
• If you can get buy in from other departments and
managers then that is a good start!

41.
4: Measurement and
Feedback
• Monitor the uptake of the courses and review your
approach to points 1-3.
• It may take some time for the new library to
become established.
• Use the feedback from learners to improve the
resources

42.
5: Build it for mobile
• Enable your learners to access the material from
any device.
• They can now access your resources wherever and
whenever they need to.

43.
Conclusions

44.
Changes
• Modern technology is changing learning brains.
!
• Maintaining engagement is becoming more
difficult.

45.
Memory Challenge
• How many words can you remember?
• 6 or more?
• 8 or more?
• 10 or more?
• All 12

46.
Questions?