I’ve been in front of this computer too long. I stopped my drafting for a bit to post this on FirstClass, which is the online forum where students in my course meet to discuss and submit assignments.

Is anyone else finding this course as relevant as I am? My application of the theory is slightly different (skill training in the work force), but I’ve already found the chapters on learner differences, cognitive development, and culture VERY useful in my job.

I work in a production environment (think assembly line), trying to train “new” employees on a bunch of different workstations. By new, I mean existing employees that have transferred from a different department. There is a lot to teach them, and they all have drastically different skill sets and come from very different cultural backgrounds. Some are quiet, fast learners who don’t ask questions if they are confused. Others ask questions all the time but find it difficult to work without supervision. The one thing they have in common is that they are all over 40 and have difficulty with learning computer skills.

Anyhow, I’ve tried some of the techniques from chapter 4 and 5 to overcome some of the learning barriers. Their feedback shows that they work! This is keeping me motivated in learning more in this class and finding new ways to apply this theory to a business/human resources environment.

Just my two cents!