Short and Sweet
Staff training for the modern learner
By Kim Aycock
Distracted. Impatient. Overwhelmed. Unfortunately, this is how today’s learner is often described (thank you, multi-tasking, and not at all what I am doing while writing this)! Not only is this the case in school and the workplace, but it is also reality during pre-camp training. According to DeLoitte’s 2017 Global Mobile Consumer Survey, the average 18- to 24-year-old picks up a phone more than 80 times a day. A study by Microsoft found that goldfish have an average attention span of nine seconds and stay focused longer than the college-aged camp counselor who struggles to hang in there after eight seconds. As of June 2018, Statista reported that close to 50,000 photos are posted on Instagram every minute. Most of us are on information overload much of the time. It’s a wonder that anyone can last three whole minutes while a microwave heats up a meal, let alone survive the hours, days, and weeks of staff training.
Illustrations: © Can Stock Photo / venimo
The modern learner (today’s staff member) both communicates and collaborates online. Various social networks have made it possible to connect and share ideas with others. Google Docs or other online sharing platforms allow multiple people to work together in real time. Learning today is very visual, as evidenced with the popularity of sharing stories and content through images on Instagram and videos on YouTube or Vimeo. Information to navigate a typical day is at the ready. Directions to a restaurant, the score to a game, brand comparison for a pair of shoes, and changing a tire can all be found in a matter of seconds. Learners today are utilizing their brainpower to locate pertinent knowledge at the time it is needed instead of focusing on skill mastery for future use. And this mostly happens on a device that fits in a back pocket and is accessible 24 hours a day.
An Effective Tool
The story is almost always the same, whether staff training is a few hours or several weeks—there is so much information to give in so little time. So, what is a camp director to do to present this vast amount of content in a way that resonates with today’s staff members? The answer is micro-learning, not new to the education scene, but increasingly popular due to its effectiveness in reaching the modern learner. In a nutshell, micro-learning can be described as bite-sized learning delivered in short blasts. Visualize breaking up staff training to give a quick introduction to a distinct piece of timely information that aims to reach a learning outcome in a short amount of time (10 minutes or less).
“In a nutshell, micro-learning can be described as bite-sized learning delivered in short blasts.”
An easy way to think of micro-learning is “heavy on content and short on minutes.” We tend to keep adding to the important content we are presenting so staff members really “get” a particular concept. In actuality, we are most likely losing them along the way and reducing their chances of remembering anything at all. What needs to happen instead is to pare down the content so nothing else can be taken away, and the most crucial nuggets of information remain. Think of a billboard with limited space. How much can one really take in while driving by at 70 mph? That is perfection.
With this “less-is-more” approach, staff-training sessions will look different and take some adjusting to “the way it has always been done.” Examples of how to incorporate this effective style of learning are shared here to help jump-start your own staff training.
Short Videos
The first avenue is to explore training through the use of short videos (less than four minutes is the approximate engagement-threshold currently). Research tells us the brain remembers images more than words; thus videos are a powerful way to invite staff members into the learning experience AND boost information retention. Redwoods Group has a library of FREE videos that are perfect for this purpose (http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/safety-resources/camp-safety-training/camp-safety-video-index/). Videos on golf-cart safety, how to properly wear a life jacket, and the importance of staying hydrated are just a few titles found in this amazing resource.
Intersperse these videos throughout orientation (or for ongoing training purposes) to give important information when staff members need it most. Once a video has been shown, it is important to follow up with a quick discussion to solidify the critical points. For the one-minute golf-cart video, sample questions might be:
Why are golf carts considered to be dangerous?
What is the importance of taking the keys out of the ignition?
How many people can safely ride in a golf cart?
What is the back of the golf cart used for?
Where should golf carts be driven?
To foster a more open-ended conversation, another question might be, “If you were the golf-cart police, what would you recommend to encourage safe driving?” With some thought and creativity, these and other videos can also be used for training prior to staff members arriving at camp (another way to get a higher ROI for training).
I understand that camps for the most part are trying to minimize the use of “screens” and creating an environment to unplug; however, I am also a fan of meeting staff members where they are to help them learn and use technology for educational purposes. Off my soapbox, to share another thought on the use of videos that can engage staff members even MORE! There is also evidence that learners remember a higher percentage of material if they are able to teach it to someone else, so create a list of training topics (including some of those mentioned previously), and have staff members work in small groups to cover the content by creating their own micro-learning videos. This is a win-win for you and them. Staff members will not only buy into the process by having some control over their own learning, but will also truly be learning the material because they are sharing their knowledge with others.
A Good Hook
A second example of micro-learning involves activities to “hook” the learner into wanting to know more. At some point each year, time is spent telling or reminding staff members of the importance of listening to campers (and each other). Listening is easy. Everyone knows how to do it. But do any of us truly listen? Have staff members find a partner and give the instruction to share a time when the person felt he or she had a positive impact on a child, thus far in the summer or prior to working at camp (giving each person 90 seconds to do so). Next, tell the partner to S-P-E-L-L E-V-E-R-Y W-O-R-D. G-O! First, watch the look on their faces when they hear you spelling the directions (priceless!). Then, observe what occurs during the next several minutes in order to conduct an effective debrief.
Now ask the person what it was like to be both on the telling and the listening end of the conversation. Chances are the person sharing the story will be more concise than otherwise. This is a great opportunity to talk about what we share with the campers, particularly about the appropriateness of the information we are divulging (and the importance of using easy-to-remember steps). It also makes the point in a BIG way to focus attention on the present moment and just listen to what the other person is saying, whether that be a camper, colleague, or supervisor. No problems are being solved. No comebacks are being prepared. Staff members witness firsthand what it is like to be in the present moment and how to focus attention in order to be a good listener. This activity can then be used as the springboard for partners to have a lively discussion about active listening techniques.
Savor The Details
Another micro-learning opportunity works well when there is a need for staff members to slow down to experience a period of calm amid the daily flurry of activity. For this activity, each staff member is given a piece of hard candy (fruity, minty, or other) with the instruction to SAVOR the taste of the candy for as long as possible—a few minutes at least—while avoiding any temptation to bite the candy. Tell staff members to really focus on their five senses—what they hear, see, taste, smell, and feel. Once time is called, have the members share any observations from this experience with a partner.
Then teach staff how SAVOR is an acronym that can be used to recall this feeling of calm and being mindful:
S reminds us to take in all we can using the five senses (the sound of chirping birds, the aroma of a campfire, the sensation of the sun on our face, etc.).
A stands for appreciate—to marinate the mind in gratefulness and to remember all there is to be thankful for (the opportunity to work at camp, lessons learned by campers, support from another staff member).
V is vitalize and how a given moment enlivens and provides energy (increasing awareness of positive emotions).
O is the opportunity to open our heart and wish ourselves and others well (to mentally spread goodness to those around us).
R is to remember the importance of rest—to sink into the experience without feeling the need to do anything for a period of time. So nice and so needed! (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/savor-the-moment_n_5233331)
Given in a condensed, timely format, micro-learning addresses the needs of the modern learner—your staff members. Happy training!
Kim Aycock, MST, has more than 30 years of experience blending the skills of a master teacher with the knowledge of a seasoned camp expert. She trains camp staff at all levels and speaks professionally at regional and national conferences. Reach her at kimdaycock@gmail.com.