Learning Styles...

Just want to drop a quick note before I hit the bed.

In class just now, after a set of instructions and an envelop containing small the activity materials were given to us, very quickly H and me prepared ourselves to start the activity.

H being a super Kinaesthetic Learner naturally ignored the printed instructions and quickly dived into opening the envelop, eager to see and explore and figure out the 'what' and the 'how'. On the other hand, I was exhibiting my high Tactile characteristic and jumped into reading the printed instructions. Funny both of us quickly realised how we had reacted and found it amusing.

Looking back, if I were to reflect upon all my previous trainings conducted, I could more or less recall some learners who had exhibited clear and distinct learning styles too. Amazing that I'm paying more attention to these details now.

I will definitely use this Learning Styles knowledge to start observing and adjusting trainings, not just my trainees but my colleagues as well.

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Here are what's inside the envelop and I see the moral of the game now...

So, what was inside the envelop?
A sliced-up Lesson Plan! We were to rearrange them using the Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory toput them into better and suitable placement from the orginal version + a little backgruond on the trainees.
Interesting and very creative! I'm sure I will adopt this 'slicing' everytime I finish a training plan just to make sure I cater to learners with different needs and dimensions.

These Little Cards...

... we played.

In Monday evening's class... we were given plenty of small cards with words or phases to sort out and these phases and words are extracted from different Learning Theories.

Personally, I found games like these extremely helpful. Much more than sitting through a lecture. At least by sorting them where they belong, I could remember better. I hope I'm right to say, games like these satisfy the visually, kinaesthetically & tactilely-inclined learners. Definitely, ME! I'm sure the auditory learners could be satisfied too, if they were reading out or if they were listening to the theories being read out and checked later.

As we were given the cards earlier in the session and were asked to sort out, I was embarrassingly shocked that some of my team mates could remember where these phrases came from, or rather, they remembered bits and pieces of these theories. Strange I couldn't. I found myself having to rely heavily on the notes thereby spent some time flipping through the notes.

Time given was, I would say, sufficient for the sorting out. The outcome was effective because the impression and knowledge are still fresh in my mind - I could remember well because I'd seen the cards and words, I touched them and learned through group discussion and sharing.

Here's what our group did! Beautiful, aren't they? Kudos to my creative and responsible team mates.

We've sorted out and put together the few Learning Theories:

• Critical Thinking Theory
• Collaborative Learning
• Experiential Learning
• Mezirow's Transformative Learning
• Self-Directed Learning

After all the sorting out were done, we were told we'd just gone through Collaborative Learning - which is working with others to construct learning. We came together, supported each other with what we knew and and put together Theories in the correct manner. We've also shared with each other what and why the cards should be here or there thus resulting in an active and constructive process and we'd developed these learning together.

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If there were 3 of us in our group and all 3 were like me, with half my mind blank the moment the game had started with the only verbal and quick instructions given as 'Sort The Cards', would it have ended with a different learning outcome? Having the right mix of learners in a Collaborative Learning environment is crucial, isn't it? Peer support was important to me during the game and I remembered feeling slightly out of place as I was disassociated. So I definitely think that social learning took place too!

NOW WHAT IF... just what if, again... the theories were briefed or revised with us before we started the game?
Would we have done even better?
Would we be sorting out within a shorter span of time?

Personally, I know that it would. Especially for me, that is. If the theories were briefed through and explained before we started the game, I'm thinking that Experiential Learning Cycle would have taken place too!

Wait a minute, can I say that we'd gone through Self-Directed Learning too?

We were given the cards and asked to sort out, those were the instructions.
As a group, we were all eager to and were definitely also motivated to complete them.
We looked for the information through the notes.
We split ourselves and took on different sets so that we could complete them and not forgetting to help each other when our own was completed.
We respected each other's thoughts on where or how the placements should be and worked together as a team.
... YES! Self-Directed Learning took place and had intertwined itself perfectly into our Collaborative Learning!

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What've I learnt? I clearly understand now that to share or teach a knowledge, it isn't always necessary to go through by-the-book and give out the instructions or information first. I could give out related information in bits and pieces and allow the learners space and time to sort them out on their own before gathering them to pin point or reinforce the important notes too. I could also give out instructions for them to search and research more information before the session begins.

I'm sure this would change how I plot Lesson Plans in the near future. I am, for sure, eager to see how I'd churn out Lesson Plan with these new theories I have learnt.

* * * * * * * * * * *

It was a fruitful day. I didn't just refreshed my memories on the theories, I actually went through a couple of them through these games and examples too.

Now I get why they'd like us to keep a journal, if I hadn't try to pen these down, I wouldn't have sat here and reflect on the session and to be pleasantly surprised that so many theories happened during one activity, let alone, one session.

ACTA Then & Now...

When I first heard we're required to submit a journal as a part of the assessment criteria, I do not know whether I should laugh or cry. Though I love to pen my thoughts more than any of my friends, I've never thought that there's such a journal made for my line of work. However tedious, I'll have to start somewhere, somehow.

Since acquiring ACTA in 2009, I've been more than eager to apply what I've learnt to work. What I felt was most useful through ACTA was definitely getting to know

• adult learning theories that led to the understanding of different learning styles;
• factors that push or pull people in or from pursuing more learning;
• and different types of learning methods...

Not forgetting, of course, the documentation part of it all! I've learnt how coursewares and assessments should be designed and carried out, under strict WSQ guidelines and procedures. These, in turn, created a sense of organization and structure in my daily training work and the inevitable, and sometimes irritating filing system at my messy work cubicle

And.... I finally understood why I feel lost sometimes during lectures and meetings and would need to find time after to read up on notes and minutes. Also it used to puzzle me why my books and meeting materials would be scribbled full of pointers and notes to myself, more than anyone elses'! I'm a very bad auditory learner. I was glad to find out and accepted this and informed all the ACTA assessors, truthfully, on assessment day to allow me to repeat their oral questions to myself a few times before making my final answers. Thank goodness. I used to think there was, perhaps, something wrong with my 'processing unit'.

Personally and/or professionally, I feel that the achievements, or at least to me, before 2011 ends, was finally granted the opportunity in designing and getting my first WSQ Courseware accredited. (yahoo!) It was something I had wanted to do for so long but the previous management was just not up to it and instead paid someone external for them to be done. After months of polite recommending, assertive proposing and aggressive promising them to 'let me do it', it was finally agreed; completed and most importantly, accredited. I've also learnt to submit the courses and their documents for the actual accreditation via skillsconnect.

I'm happy.
My first accredited set of training and assessment materials.


This first course will be rolled out in another month's time and by the time its first run completes, I'd be able to reflect on the entire journey from the preparation, designing, the assessment + my new responsibility of submitting the relevant assessments and other claims through skillsconnect too. I'm looking forward anyhow.

Did the completion of ACTA changed me and how I conduct training?

I believe it did, and in many ways.
I'm paying attention to the learner's background and profiles more than before and I'd create more classes for each 'subject' so that the learners are more comfortable to mingle within peers of similar capacity in terms of language, educational and competency standards.
I'm incorporating more learning methods rather than pure lectures to cater to learners with different learning styles.
All these and more...
The trainings done here, where I work, caters very much to trainees and learners from different education and cultural background, they also came with different expectations and are motivated by different things in life and ACTA helped clarify some of the common issues faced before and has helped smoothen out these since.

* * * * * * * * * *

With ACTA, I believe if I were to apply the 6 core values on how it has changed me or is going to change more of my future learning or development ways, the following have definitely taken place

• Without my Passion for Lifelong Learning, I would never have embarked on the journey to learn and understanding training and educating adult on a deeper level. Without passion, there are many things impossible.
• I've definitely grasped the The Uniqueness of Every Adult Learner, understanding that they have different stregnth and weaknesses as well as learning styles and these knowledge would help in future curriculum development to cater to suit the learners much better.
• A deeper understanding in the learners, in how to plan, design and facilitate trainings and finally conducting proper assessments, these are definitely helping in the Improvement of my Professional Practice.
• I've also seen some changes in how I'm planning trainings now and am no longer carrying the only goal to transfer learning only. I do pay attention to ensure different methods are being used and tried so to ensure the most appropriate ways are used. It is no longer I-train-You-Listen but I am showing more interest and respect to their prior experiences as well. These fall under Spirit Of Inquiry And Innovation.
• I always ensure trainings done are meaningful and purposeful. In their case, role-plays are very popular, as well as OJT because they make them feel comfortable and relevant to be put into practice almost immediately = Authentic Learning.

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Right now, I'm excited to see where DACE takes me and how I could evolve further. :)