Show Me the Money!

Clarity Consultants has provided a copy of the Learning Professionals Salary report published by T+D Magazine. Check it out to make sure your pay is in line with your position, experience and education. If it is not, you have the following options:

1. Find another job.
2. Go to your current employer and ask for a salary review (Best option). Some employers may give push back. However, be persistent. Also be prepared to be able to speak to why what you bring to the table is worth the pay.
3. Just accept the fact that you are underpaid. However, don't let me hear you complain, when you surely can do something about the situation.

http://www.clarityconsultants.com/downloads/What_Drives_Pay_for_Learning_Professionals.pdf

Tips for Relating Across Generations

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association Office of Diversity did a White Paper, TIPS TO IMPROVE INTERACTION AMONG THE GENERATIONS. From this paper I have gleened some communication tips that address each generational group....quite helpful once the target audience for training has been determined.

Supportive Behaviors and Tips For Communicating with Traditionalists

• By nature Traditionalists are private, the "silent generation". Don't expect members of this generation to share their thoughts immediately.
• For the Traditionalist a educator's word is his/her bond, so it's important to focus on words rather than body language or inferences.
• Face to face or written communication is preferred.
• Don't waste their time, or let them feel as though their time is being wasted.

Supportive Behaviors & Tips For Communicating With Baby Boomers

• Boomers are the "show me" generation, so your body language is important when communicating.
• Speak in an open, direct style but avoid controlling language. Answer questions thoroughly and expect to be pressed for the details.
• Present options to demonstrate flexibility in your thinking.

Supportive Behaviors & Tips for Communicating With Generation X

• Use email as a primary communication tool.
• Talk in short sound bites to keep their attention.
• Ask them for their feedback and provide them with regular feedback.
• Share information with them on a regular basis and strive to keep them in the loop.
• Use an informal communication style.

Supportive Behaviors & Tips for Communicating With Generation Y (Nexters)

• Use action words and challenge them at every opportunity.
• They will resent it if you talk down to them.
• They prefer email communication.
• Seek their feedback constantly and provide them with regular feedback.
• Use humor and create a fun learning environment. Don't take yourself too seriously.
• Encourage them to take risks and break the rules so that they can explore new ways of learning.

Honolulu Community College is on Point

As most of you know, in our Internet driven world a lot of research in done online. As a rsult of searching the web for information for a course I am designing I happened to stumble upon Honolulu Community College's staff development resource page. While I have seen other university's staff development sites that are a little more snazzy, I think they did a pretty good job of applying K.I.S.S. in the layout. Its a gold mine of resources for faculty members. Check it out for yourself.
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm

We Worked Hard

Click the link below to read the CSC article about the U.S. Army's shift to Guided Experiential Learning(GEL) using Instructional Design for Performance (IDP) and Army Performance Improvement(API).

Shout out to me and my team who worked on this HUGE project. The final team included: LaCrecia Williams, and myself Tammy McClain as the lead.

http://www.csc.com/features/2007/256.shtml

Shot of the Day

Anyone Can Design Training.....Sike!
Fool yourself if you want when making the statement, “Anyone can design training.” However, what you will find is that anyone can put something together. However, will it be effective and reap positive ROI for the organization? As a senior instructional designer, one of the most irritating things I face in my profession are those who think that if you can write a coherent sentence, you can design and develop a training program…NOT. As, a result people who clearly do not have the background, education, experience, or even common sense are tasked with creating training programs. Surprisingly, when the programs are implemented and evaluated, both the summative and formative evaluations show the program to be a complete failure. This results in the need for retraining, which in the end makes the entire endeavor cost more than if the training would have been initially designed by a qualified instructional designer. What seemed to be the cheap and easy solution ended up being very costly.

Please stop tasking the creation of training to Julie at the front desk or Bobby, the Excel spreadsheet guru, or Dave the retired military officer who wants to start a new career with his degree in accounting. Do this and you will find that anyone can design BAD training.