Why on earth am I doing this to myself again?

I am currently upgrading my old (read REALLY old) Cert IV Workplace Trainer & Assessor qualification to the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (Cert IV TAA).

It’s been 5 years since I have had to use it, but thought since most of the team are undertaking their’s it would be a good idea.

The good stuff

We are in the final block (3 days) of 3 blocks of workshops, we have assessments coming out of our proverbial, a full workload and yet the entire process is remarkably interesting and enjoyable for the following reasons:

1) I am getting to spend some real quality time with my colleagues.  It is opening my eyes to more of their strengths, agile minds and remarkable personalities.

2) We are actually spending time discussing training and learning – at some length, depth and breadth, and learning from each other and these conversations.  I suspect that these conversations are running much deeper than most TAA courses as we are all in the industry of T&D and also we have all been exposed in some form to VET and AQTF.  This allows us to gloss past the stuff we know and get into the juicier conversations.

3) Denise (our facilitator) is a font of knowledge. Every day there is something new to learn off your peers & colleagues.

Thinking

This has come at an opportune moment. Lately I have been thinking about learning more than normal. In fact, I would go so far as to say, a lot.  Almost non-stop.

The treadmill called reality ….and yes it does bite

I think sometimes when one gets on the treadmill and is confronted with ceaseless, never ending deadlines that a T&D environment brings, you can get complacent with (not the effort per say) but the design, approach and scaffolding of the learning event.

                                                                 Source: ~wolfie~

I am questioning everything we do as a business of late (in a good way of course). From processes to lesson plans to androgogy to technology to learning styles to organisational need / fit. 

My belief is that it is a perfect time to really critically analyse every single bit of content we deliver, how we deliver it, what outcomes we want and how we evaluate it. 

Yes, yes I know!

Yes, yes I know we should be doing this all the time – but the reality of the aforementioned treadmill isn’t always so forgiving. 

Also getting in the helicopter just occasionally to look from the top down, gives an entirely new perspective.

The TAA is only magnifying my gut feeling it is time for a great big fat spring clean of content and methodology. More blended, more online, change our in class methodology, improve our objectives and desired outcomes and in particular crank up the evaluation of behavioural change in the workplace.

Yes it makes work  – but surely it will make better outcomes in the longer term?

How often do YOU critically look and review what you do? Unconscious competence = complacency,