Inspiration

Visual menus

/ Susan Hendrich / Leave a comment

I’m wild about Cathy Moore’s post on Visual menus: structure with style. 

My favorite part is her brainstorm list of visual elements (graphics) that could become menus:

  • Timeline
  • Flow chart
  • Mind map
  • The product or item that the course examines
  • Head shots of people asking questions (each question links to the section that answers it)
  • Map of a building or place
  • Game board  

So, here’s your challenge:

Can you think of other graphic elements that could serve as visual menus/maps?

Submit your ideas through the “comments” feature below!

Susan

 

Spotlight on…

/ Susan Hendrich / 2 Comments

Sharon Bowman

Looking for tips and articles to help you energize your training sessions? Check out Sharon Bowman’s sparkly site: http://www.bowperson.com/articles.htm.  Sharon’s site is chock full of web site links, newsletters, catalogs, and books that will help you become a master at “teaching it quick and making it stick!”  Here are two of her latest examples:

Stand, Stretch and Speak: Using Topic-Related Energizers.
From: Preventing Death by Lecture!
Author: Sharon L. Bowman
Format: Adobe Acrobat PDF

The Gallery Walk: An Opening, Closing, and Review Activity.
From: How To Give It So They Get It.
A more detailed version is found in: The Ten-Minute Trainer.
Author: Sharon L. Bowman
Format: Adobe Acrobat PDF

Safety to fail

/ Susan Hendrich / 9 Comments

To err is human; to forgive, divine. – Alexander Pope

Forgiveness is a gift that costs nothing.

There is tremendous power in forgiveness. We pardon mistakes or wrong choices of others as a means of growing, healing, learning and moving on. The power of forgiveness has long been documented. Think of the role it plays in self-esteem, interpersonal relations, philosophy, sports, child-rearing, education, and law.  Forgiveness brings closure and resolution. Forgiveness frees us to make better choices next time.

So, where does forgiveness fit into training and leadership?

There is no greater learning opportunity than the chance to make a decision that carries the risk of failing. When we provide a safe environment in which learners can try, fail, and try again, we open up a world of learning opportunities. 

How have you incorporated forgiveness into your training and leadership?

Susan Hendrich

Invite interaction

/ Susan Hendrich / 5 Comments

magnet.jpgAre you connecting?

So, what do you do when learner Mollie lands in your learning environment and she wants to know, “What do you have here that’s relevant to me?” 

  • Does your course offer Mollie cues that she might learn something useful? 
  • Does your course begin with a “hook” that draws Mollie in to the experience?
  • How does the material you present relate to Mollie’s job?
  • What about your course tells Mollie that it’s worth its “wait” in clicks?

  

It’s all about interaction.

Check out Tom Kuhlmann’s ASTD TechKnowledge presentation on “Adding Interactivity to Your Rapid E-Learning Courses.”