As ASTD gears up for the International Conference and Expo 2011, we sat down with Bill Thimmesch from the Federal Government Distance Learning Association to get a preview of what he will be sharing with us at the conference in his speaking session, “Instructional Design on a Dime.”
The Importance of Creativity
Working in the government sector, I hear a lot of whining--and have done some myself--about the lack of funds for training and development. The truth is, the more important training that takes place occurs on the job anyway (not in the classroom). I think the financials are forcing us to be a lot more creative as trainers in using existing technologies and learning resources to create more effective training programs for our employees. It’s a great time to be creative!
Challenges with e-Learning
Synchronous or not, the biggest challenge I’ve seen is getting students to participate. We just finished a leadership webinar yesterday and I noticed there was a lot of silence on the line. A very observant student wrote me to point out that this was much different than our very talkative classroom seminar that kicked off the training. He suggested that I call on people specifically—as you might do in a face-to-face setting. Those are great ideas, and I think learner engagement is going to be something we will need to continue to pay attention to.
The Benefits of Using In-House Resources
Definitely, I’d say relevancy. When you use in-house resources (mentors, senior leadership panels, organizational case studies, etc.) you have more relevant content for the learner to apply. Most commercial (COTS) training is too generic for most companies and organizations. I think the more you tap the resources you have, the more effective you are in delivering a training program that makes sense to your learners.
Advice for Leadership Development Programs
Start with your subject-matter-experts. They’re the ones who can provide input on action learning strategies, case studies, and ways to apply the training to realistic leadership situations. It’s time-intensive but well worth it!
Main Takeaways at ASTD 2011
The best will certainly be the sharing of resources. In our session we’ll have dedicated time at the end for participants to inventory their existing learning assets, and then have time to share and discuss those assets with their peers. Think of it as a social learning experience where they’re given time to apply what they’ve been learning all week at the Conference.
Join Bill in his speaking session at ASTD 2011, “Instructional Design on a Dime” on Wednesday, May 25th at 1:15 p.m. in room W 203 ABC.