jmaccauley

Let’s face it, everyone needs to stay current in their career arena. Most, if not all, employers expect their people to be well versed in the latest techniques, laws, technology, etc. and show proof of this education. To that end, a great deal of money is spent on training and certification. By the way, certification is merely evidence that you attended the class and maybe passed a test. Your proficiency cannot be guaranteed after the class ends.
Training does not always involve the investment of cash, but there is always the investment of time and energy. Amazingly enough, just showing up at a briefing will transfer a certain amount of knowledge to the attendee. For the sake of this blog, I will divide training into three types (although there may be others that I have not thought of). These are lectures, workshops and seminars.

Lectures

These are the most common and, in my opinion, the probably the least likely to leave a lasting impression on the audience. We have all attended these types of training classes. The lecturer/instructor has a podium full of notes or, god forbid, a power point presentation. Even the most dynamic speaker can only hold your attention for a limited amount of time. It has been said that you will forget 60% of what you heard within a few days, or sooner. Within a month, you can expect to forget half of whats left. Even having good notes doesn’t help you recall the important points that the instructor wanted to pass along. It is just too “one dimensional.” In order for an adult to learn, experts insist that they must first see a need for the information then actively participate in the educational experience, known as experiential learning.

Workshops

These are usually multi-media events and a balanced combination of lecture, hands on training and, an opportunity to demonstrate a new skill. The best part of workshops is the ability to interact directly with the course provider while absorbing the information. Questions can be brought up and addressed immediately. This has been proven to keep the student engaged and subsequently have a longer lasting impression than merely listening to a lecture. When the workshop allows sufficient time to practice a new skill, the foundation is laid for future reference. This makes recall easier and a quick review of notes will help place these skills into longer term memory.

Seminars

Seminars usually involve several different topics being addressed in various formats. Short lectures, hands on workshops and instruction as well as time to practice, are the hallmarks of a good seminar.
There is a common myth that states a new physical skill set needs hundreds, or even thousands, of repetitions in order to develop “muscle memory.” I call it a myth, because I don’t believe that muscles actually “remember” what to do on their own. Of course I believe that their is a mind/body connection. I also understand that muscles can be conditioned to bend, stretch, flex, etc. in order to perform a certain way. What I mean is that the brain has to learn how to send the appropriate commands to the nerves, which signal the muscles to move.
Without crossing into physiological areas that I am totally unqualified to explore, I will say that I have seen how muscle memory can be derailed. Think about what happens to the unfortunate criminal (or student) who finds themselves on the business end of a TASER. The most well coordinated athlete cannot make their muscles obey their commands. The memory didn’t fade but the ability to respond to the mental command was severed.

I am a strong proponent of learning by watching, doing, then teaching.
Surgeons often learn new techniques by these simple training prinicples. It is referred to as: See one, Do one , Teach one. Short, sweet and to the point. No mental overload.
The beauty of this is that it covers all of the adult learning principles in a fraction of the time of a lecture, a workshop or high repetitions.

When you find yourself in need of refresher training, certification or just plain desire to learn something new, consider a training program that employs multiple methods of instruction delivery. Do not base your choice strictly on hours or the reputation of the instructor. Training dollars are scarce these days. Getting the most “bang” for your buck should guide your choices. Unless it’s a mandatory refresher class that requires a set number of hours, you probably will get more out of some type of experiential based training. Get your hands dirty and pass your knowledge on to someone else. Your new skills will last much longer if you do.