Santa’s Elves Make Training Stick (December 2018)

2018 has been an eventful year for Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Elves, and the Reindeer with so much to learn in preparation for Christmas!  Rudolph and the reindeers have been busy training on newer, safer methods of transporting packages while the elves have been learning how to make brighter, more colorful toys and electronics for children across the world.

Santa promised to keep up with change and provide boys and girls the best, brightest, and most up to date toys, electronics, and gadgets every year.  But the toys the boys and girls started asking for had changed, especially those electronic toys.    The elves – and Rudolph – needed continuing education and learning throughout the year.  Instead of taking the elves off the production line, Rudolph decided to use e-learning.

But Santa’s goal to create brighter, more colorful toys and electronics may be at risk for this year’s Christmas. Chief Elf Bernard and the elves have been in the workshop trying to complete e-learning on creating toys for Christmas 2018. The elves have told Bernard they just simply don’t like the e-learning. They say it is impersonal and they can’t ask questions.  And the elves can’t focus on the e-learning because they’re distracted by their work machines and tools, emails, telephone calls, reindeer dropping in, and calendars full of meetings and other commitments.

•  Elf Bernard immediately set up computers away from the elves’ work areas (but still closeby) where they could focus on their learning.

•   Mrs. Claus came by with copies of Making Learning Stick, and Making eLearning Stick and offered to help.  She had used techniques from the books to learn how to make new cookie recipes.

•   Mrs. Claus showed Elf Bernard how to revise the eLearning content and curriculum using the Checklist for Better Training Transfer (Resource:  Making eLearning Stick, pg. 26).

•   She also showed him someTechniques to Integrate Education (TIEs) to reinforce the training and how to modify his e-learning  to integrate TIEs (Resources:   Making Learning Stick, chap. 2)

•   Elf Bernard decided to use these TIEs:

(1) Before Training:  Action Learning, Boss Briefing, and Training Buddies

(2) During Training: Mind Sweep, Strategy Link, Virtual Tutor, Threaded Discussion

(3) After Training: Action Plans, Boss Debriefing, and Use It or Lose It Checklist

The elves were happy with their new learning environment and most importantly, they are now hard at work making the latest and greatest toys and electronics for Santa to deliver to good little girls and boys everywhere on Christmas Day!

And everyone will live happily ever after – that is, until the next major change or shift in learning.

Happy Holidays from the Make Training Stick!® Team!

Until next time…