This post is more about my reflections on readiness. I've been pondering this a lot lately, noting Gerry's comments in our blog and discussion forum and noting the lack of comments from nearly everyone else. Even noting the less than overwhelming participation in our f/nightly online meetings although I have been pleased with the interaction in the meetings themselves. And so far only Gerry has reflected on the program to-date noting, among other things, how disappointed she has been in the lack of interaction between participants. What went wrong? Have I thrown too much at you, overwhelmed you, or are you just not ready? Perhaps it is a time issue - I am very aware of the different demands on a Manager's work time. Often your own PD is put aside to deal with putting those fires out,
Image: MonkeyMyshkin's
or getting ready to 'fly' in other directions.
Image: sretneva
My strategy has been to expose you to a variety of online communication tools, web 2.0 tools if you like, so that you are informed as managers as to what they are and how they might be used both in a business sense and for learning. To use the e-tools to learn about e-learning per se. Of course they're not all the tools and there's a lot more to e-learning than web 2.0, as Gerry says, but they are part of the emerging trend. Our meetings were intended to be about the bigger picture - the benefits, the trends, design and implementation, the role of managers, and staffing (still to come).
Why am I linking this to readiness you might well ask? Well, I am possibly way of track but one of the things that did resonate for me last week was that I was 'ready' to learn about something new. I had been exposed to Second Life before but was busy taking everything else in. This time I listened and I allowed myself to learn. Thus the reason for me asking if all of this has been a bit too overwhelming; too much to learn.
What could have been done differently? This is important as it is a lesson that you as Managers need to be aware of when implementing e-Learning and supporting your staff, the facilitators of e-Learning. Gerry has made suggestions. What do others think?
1 comment:
The work you are doing with these managers is fantastic. For me as a practitioner I would love all our managers in our organisations to understand these tools and realise how they can be used to harness the collective wisdom in their organisations.
Perhaps in the budget each could be given a copy of Wikinomics and The World is Flat? So they can get a real feel of the true potential.
Yes Val I definitely agree you have to be at a certain point of readiness.
I have been fortunate enough to be invited not only to your great session by Nigel Paine (who is absolutely brilliant) but lots of other sessions.
What I find is I gain an incredible deal from them, yet I would not have gained as much from the same sessions 1 1/2 years ago because I now know a lot more and can relate to it all better. But if you never showed me I would never know, so keep doing what you are doing and educating.
Sue
Mobile Technology in TAFE
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