Taking a New Look at Training and Learning

Beth Aguci, WebJunction; Jennifer Peterson, WebJunction, Maurice Coleman, Harford County PL, Gerri Ventura, Washington Library Trainers (no idea if names are spelled correctly, they weren’t listed in the program I looked at).

Started out talking to the person next to us about what motivates us to learn. Around the room: Engagement, curiosity, interest, competitiveness, empowerment, relevance, desperation, challenge, fun, fear, innovation, sharing/collaboration.

Individually read and as a group discussed some learning ideas. Materials are all here. Whole group throwing out ideas:

• Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation.
• Different generations are motivated by different types of things. [More like just different people.]
• Timing – set a time boundary. Take as little as you need and tell them up front. Stimulates curiosity when you get them into it and then it’s over.
• Let the students determine some part of what they’re learning. (Example – Criteria for evaluating websites.)
• “This is a more effective/fast/efficient way to do this thing you’re already doing.”
• Have them choose their learning but they only get credit after they teach it back.
• Peer tutoring – C students were better tutors than A students. Knew more than one way to do things and were more patient.
• Forcing people to review/prep before the session changes/increases participation.

Overall not sure this was particularly useful for my purposes, but it was a vibrant session and people enjoyed it.