Exciting learning versus boring training

How to make learning exciting...

For a moment, stop reading this and reflect on the worst training experience you've ever had.

You haven't stopped reading. Go on - stop and think.
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OK.

What made it bad? Perhaps you came up with some of the following:

• a trainer who didn't involve you and just talked
• a trainer who didn't know their material
• a trainer who wouldn't take or answer questions
• no breaks
• poor materials

Of course, there are plenty of other items that make for poor quality training.

Now, think for a moment about the best learning experience you've ever had - what made it so good?

The chances are it was entertaining, involving, interactive, paced differently throughout - and you possibly didn't even feel like a formal training was taking place.

As adults, we are often so conditioned from school that we expect to be fed with a spoon and to be left unengaged whilst the teacher does all the work...

The reality is that a learning experience should feel GOOD! Increasing your confidencing and willingness to try something, regardless of whether you succeed or fail.

Learning to Blog

This is the first of my learning posts.

There is so much stuff around learning that I want to keep it simple.

Learning takes place in order to allow someone or a group of someones to do something they could not previously do.

A child learns automatically and until they get to school they do not realise they are learning.

An adult meanwhile makes a conscious effort to learn. I might make the deliberate choice to become able to do something I could not do before. This might involve practice or the gaining of knowledge in order to engender this change.

Meanwhile, everyone is learning all the time. We just don't always realise it!

This morning, if I think back, I have learnt that I don't always need to drag my big briefcase around with me, as my satchel works just fine. I realised this because I have been using the satchel for a week perfectly satisfactorily.

The moment of epiphany I had when realising this happened "out of the blue". We can choose to spot these epiphanies by a process of reflecting - thinking about what has happened in a defined framework of time or of situation.

As this blog develops I want to create some epiphanies for you, my readers. I hope that you have your own jumping-off points for inspiration!

I want this to be a living work so please feel free to add your comments, positive or negative, as long as they are constructive.