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 TOOL OF THE MONTH
"Practice makes permanent"
Don't let learners forget what they've learned.
The experts tell us, practice does not make perfect, it "makes permanent." If practice is stopped altogether, the neurons that are no longer being used are eventually assigned to other tasks and skill mastery will decline. In other words, use it or lose it! (Amunts et al., 1997).
With the metaphor of the Magic Coloring Book you can quickly and visually make the point that effort and practice help learners add color and nuance to the methods introduced and outlined in training.
Magic Coloring Book
$7.00
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TIP OF THE MONTH
 Tailor your icebreaker to your specific workshop goals
Many people consider icebreakers to be fluff, but in Madeleine Allen's training, the icebreaker is an important prelude to the day's learning. She tells us:
"In my Listening Skills workshop, I use the 'Virtues & Values Thumball,' imprinted with each letter of the alphabet and three personal attributes (e.g. T: Talkative Talented Tenacious), as both a basis for personal introductions and a stimulus for further conversations about communication.
"Whoever catches the ball must introduce themself with true story about a time when they displayed one of those attributes. One participant picked 'Talkative,' and told a story about a customer who complained about high prices. The participant said she kept talking to the customer to calm him down, empathise with him and help him focus on value rather than cost. From there, the group discussed customer care, persuasion, tact and problem-solving and more. Madeleine Allen, Leadership Trainer, Edinburgh, UK.
More on icebreakers . . .
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TOY OF THE MONTH
Reduce stress to improve learning and retention
The experts agree. When we're stressed out, our brains can't remember much. Cortisol is the culprit. It's released by the adrenal glands when we feel threatened and interferes with our brain cells' ability to transmit information (more).
These Robby Jr. Fiddles are one of our newest stress toys. Their happy faces are the antithesis of threatening and their pliable material lets us pull, stretch and squeeze to release extra pent-up energy.
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Robby Jr. Fiddles |
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$2.75 |
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and more...
Can we get you FREE admission to the ASTD Expo?
It's been a few years since we've been to the ASTD International Conference and EXPO, but we'll be there this year, May 22-25, in Orlando. Maybe you can come too.
Click here to get a free EXPO only registration pass.
Who knows, you might even get to see Mickey Mouse.
One more mnemonic . . .
In my last email, I asked if you have any favorite mnemonics. Brother Leta shared this favorite for session wrap-ups:
W. I. N. = What’s Important Now?
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FEATURE:
Turn your content into a high-impact webinar!
For those instances when you simply can't get your group into one place at one time, Jean DiGiovanna offers seven great tips on converting your best and greatest training sessions into effective webinars.
In her brief article, Jean focuses on:
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Finding the right topic, time, and price
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Setting direction before diving into design
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Knowing when less is more
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Making information relevant and actionable
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Encouraging interactivity
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Establishing next steps
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Providing continued support
This quick read article is sure to stimulate your thinking.
Jean M. DiGiovanna is founder of Workshop University and a certified coach, speaker and educator with over 20 years of experience in training and instructional design. She has delivered hundreds of workshops/webinars and seminars in business and life strategies to Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits and academia and has spoken both nationally and internationally. Download a free quickstart kit to launch powerful workshops and webinars.
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DOCU-Pockets today!
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