Learning blog posts
Leadership Training And Its Significance In The Current Market
By Joyeeta Bose
Leadership Training is often described as one of the best ways to develop the sense of team spirit and managerial skills in an organization. Over the past few decades, many successful industry leaders have acknowledged the fact that leadership training has significantly influenced their decision-making process within the organization. Leadership training is for those types of senior leaders who are finding it difficult to keep pace with rising competition in the business world. Moreover, leadership training is designed for active employees who are beneficial for the organization and its growth. To deepen and broaden the impact of organizational success, leadership training assists in casting a positive influence on the growth of the organization. Coaching executives have evolved in the following manner to be on top of the industry trends: Situational Leadership Training and its importance in recent years Executive direction and leadership training are two interrelated terms that are complimentary. It implies that both these terms have a direct impact on each other. Executive coaches also play a big hand in developing the situational leadership skills of the client they are working with a close association. Situational leadership refers to the process when an executive coach influences the personal leadership styles of the leader. On the other hand, many feel that situational leadership has not kept its pace with the emerging trends of other forms of leadership styles. Executive leadership relies on the need for leadership training to influence organizational success. The importance of the assessment of leadership skills in an organization At present, leadership training changes a broad range of decision-making processes in an organization. Also, executive leaders who are affected by leadership training play a lead role in bringing success to the team. Leadership training nowadays has a direct impact on the growth of the company. It helps in accumulating better profit. The leader’s behavior on leadership qualities is also seen as a positive influence of leadership training. On the other hand, assessment of the number of stakeholders and their efficient management also emerges from the positive impact of leadership training. Leadership training helps in building dynamic leaders who can help in the growth of an organization As compared to earlier times when there are a few companies in the competitive market, the business environment of the current time boasts of a lot of potential companies that can compete for market share and profit. However, the organizations that operate in a consumer products industry are frequently experiencing the high level of competition from other small companies. They are taking up the market share of large enterprises. Hence, a lot of businesses laid stress on adopting leadership training to counter attacks the effects of this stiff competition. Moreover, another way in which executive coaches can influence the success rate of companies lies in the fact that it has become dynamic in recent times. Leadership training can play a crucial role in motivating the employees of the current organization so that the several types of opportunities are leveraged to the right type of employees. Leadership training actively cooperates with various staff members so that they can give their excellent base. The extent to which leadership skills can be shaped using leadership training methods The area of leadership training in recent years has attained tremendous demand. It is so because leadership training is regarded as the first pipeline from which a lot of managerial skills can be developed. However, it is important to comprehend the proper meaning of leadership training to understand its scope in building leadership skills. Leadership training refers to a professional coach who works in close tandem with the client to yield better results. On the other hand, leadership training is also seen as a creative and thought oriented process where the customer is considered to maintain awareness of his or her professional and personal needs. The client is also taught to manage personal, and career changes were thereby developing executive strategic thinking. Leadership training also helps an individual to achieve powerful team spirit within an organization. During the last decade, coaching executives have garnered a lot of popularity for their profession. Leadership training within an organization Most importantly, many organizations are awarding their employees in the form of leadership training. The executive coaches design appropriate coaching material for their clients so that they can develop their leadership skills. Mentoring encompasses a broad range of activities that also includes the manner through which leadership skills can be enhanced. An executive coach is sometimes referred to as the business coach who oversees some leadership skills developed by the clients. Also, it is widely accepted that leadership training increases ability to motivate fellow staff members. Hence, it can be said that leadership training is the core idea behind developing leadership. These days a plenty of organizations are looking to improve other competency levels of their employees by utilizing the leadership skills of their staff. The prospect of leadership training in developing the leadership skills of the employee is bright in nature. On the other hand, many organizations have made it mandatory to inculcate leadership training as a part of employee development program. The overwhelming advantages of leadership training The benefits of this type of coaching are not visible in a short period. Many organizations feel that the benefits of coaching can be felt over a considerable period. It is so because it takes the time to develop the leadership skills of the employees. On the other hand, if these types of leadership programs are practiced for a sufficiently extended period, the employees will experience that they can handle work related pressures in a better way. Also, executive leadership classes can train the employee to make them immune to deadline pressures and stress. Executive coaches assist future leaders in managing the crisis. Furthermore, it helps in building decent talent at the senior most levels of an organization. Many organizations also view useful coaching as a powerful tool to engage best performers and make high yield employees. There is a lot of scope for leadership training shortly for those companies who are looking to be a part of a business growth in near future. Moreover, leadership training has emerged as the best organizational practices towards the development of leadership.
Leadership Training And Its Significance In The Current Market
By Joyeeta Bose
Leadership Training is often described as one of the best ways to develop the sense of team spirit and managerial skills in an organization. Over the past few decades, many successful industry leaders have acknowledged the fact that leadership training has significantly influenced their decision-making process within the organization. Leadership training is for those types of senior leaders who are finding it difficult to keep pace with rising competition in the business world. Moreover, leadership training is designed for active employees who are beneficial for the organization and its growth. To deepen and broaden the impact of organizational success, leadership training assists in casting a positive influence on the growth of the organization. Coaching executives have evolved in the following manner to be on top of the industry trends: Situational Leadership Training and its importance in recent years Executive direction and leadership training are two interrelated terms that are complimentary. It implies that both these terms have a direct impact on each other. Executive coaches also play a big hand in developing the situational leadership skills of the client they are working with a close association. Situational leadership refers to the process when an executive coach influences the personal leadership styles of the leader. On the other hand, many feel that situational leadership has not kept its pace with the emerging trends of other forms of leadership styles. Executive leadership relies on the need for leadership training to influence organizational success. The importance of the assessment of leadership skills in an organization At present, leadership training changes a broad range of decision-making processes in an organization. Also, executive leaders who are affected by leadership training play a lead role in bringing success to the team. Leadership training nowadays has a direct impact on the growth of the company. It helps in accumulating better profit. The leader’s behavior on leadership qualities is also seen as a positive influence of leadership training. On the other hand, assessment of the number of stakeholders and their efficient management also emerges from the positive impact of leadership training. Leadership training helps in building dynamic leaders who can help in the growth of an organization As compared to earlier times when there are a few companies in the competitive market, the business environment of the current time boasts of a lot of potential companies that can compete for market share and profit. However, the organizations that operate in a consumer products industry are frequently experiencing the high level of competition from other small companies. They are taking up the market share of large enterprises. Hence, a lot of businesses laid stress on adopting leadership training to counter attacks the effects of this stiff competition. Moreover, another way in which executive coaches can influence the success rate of companies lies in the fact that it has become dynamic in recent times. Leadership training can play a crucial role in motivating the employees of the current organization so that the several types of opportunities are leveraged to the right type of employees. Leadership training actively cooperates with various staff members so that they can give their excellent base. The extent to which leadership skills can be shaped using leadership training methods The area of leadership training in recent years has attained tremendous demand. It is so because leadership training is regarded as the first pipeline from which a lot of managerial skills can be developed. However, it is important to comprehend the proper meaning of leadership training to understand its scope in building leadership skills. Leadership training refers to a professional coach who works in close tandem with the client to yield better results. On the other hand, leadership training is also seen as a creative and thought oriented process where the customer is considered to maintain awareness of his or her professional and personal needs. The client is also taught to manage personal, and career changes were thereby developing executive strategic thinking. Leadership training also helps an individual to achieve powerful team spirit within an organization. During the last decade, coaching executives have garnered a lot of popularity for their profession. Leadership training within an organization Most importantly, many organizations are awarding their employees in the form of leadership training. The executive coaches design appropriate coaching material for their clients so that they can develop their leadership skills. Mentoring encompasses a broad range of activities that also includes the manner through which leadership skills can be enhanced. An executive coach is sometimes referred to as the business coach who oversees some leadership skills developed by the clients. Also, it is widely accepted that leadership training increases ability to motivate fellow staff members. Hence, it can be said that leadership training is the core idea behind developing leadership. These days a plenty of organizations are looking to improve other competency levels of their employees by utilizing the leadership skills of their staff. The prospect of leadership training in developing the leadership skills of the employee is bright in nature. On the other hand, many organizations have made it mandatory to inculcate leadership training as a part of employee development program. The overwhelming advantages of leadership training The benefits of this type of coaching are not visible in a short period. Many organizations feel that the benefits of coaching can be felt over a considerable period. It is so because it takes the time to develop the leadership skills of the employees. On the other hand, if these types of leadership programs are practiced for a sufficiently extended period, the employees will experience that they can handle work related pressures in a better way. Also, executive leadership classes can train the employee to make them immune to deadline pressures and stress. Executive coaches assist future leaders in managing the crisis. Furthermore, it helps in building decent talent at the senior most levels of an organization. Many organizations also view useful coaching as a powerful tool to engage best performers and make high yield employees. There is a lot of scope for leadership training shortly for those companies who are looking to be a part of a business growth in near future. Moreover, leadership training has emerged as the best organizational practices towards the development of leadership.
600
- by Joyeeta Bose
- 12 Jul 2017
Leadership Training is often described as one of t... Read More
How Do The E-Learning Courses Boost One’s Skill Sets?
By Fred Kusi
It is said that when preparation meets opportunity, success is inevitable, as a professional in any field of business, it is very important to have a Continues Professional Development (CDP) plan or else you’ll be lagging behind your colleagues. “For he who fails to plan is planning to fail.” In an ever-increasing globalised and competitive society, the importance of Continuing Professional Development cannot be overstated. The world’s industries are forever evolving and creating exciting opportunities. As an individual you must regularly pay attention to the important areas of development and take appropriate action to reduce any shortfalls in knowledge and remain competitive with your peers Your traditional academic background or qualification is important to secure you a place in the job market, but your relevance and sustainability in this dynamic, cosmopolitan and world, requires a personal mindset to develop your skills and embrace the changes that presents itself on a day to day basis. A personal empowerment of learning brings with it an increase in confidence and resulting abilities, all of which correlate to an improvement of capability for their employment environment The most important thing about developing one skill set is that it can be done at your own pace and environment, taking advantage of the fact growing internet based E-learning, webinars, conferences, seminars and the like. As busy as one might be as a working professional, time is a greater resource that hinders one’s ability to pursue feature career aspects through e-learning. The best way to go about this is through E-Learning platform. Pursuing E-Learning comes with it divers advantages that one can think of. 1. Broader educational options breaking geographical boundaries and limitations, giving room for greater student interactions, collaborates with other from different background, not withstanding better instructor and student contact. Instructor and learner approach can create a better interactive online environment for enhanced understanding through case studies, online references, demonstrations, discussion groups, project teams, streamed videos among others 2. Every individual having different needs and skill set development is able to choose the content of learning that best suite his/her developmental needs. 3. Having a self space of learning, one is able to manage the time lines and combine both work and learning without much stress and time constraints. Having at your disposal 24/7 online accessibility that will enable you to pan and schedule your own study timetable. 4. E-Learning present with itself the opportunity to have access to the major international universities that just by once means of recourses wouldn’t have had that leverage of access. Using myself as a typical case study have gotten myself certified by international accredited universities as well as other university courses that were outside my scope includes but not limited to: Getting and Cleaning Data – Johns Hopkins University Exploratory Data Analysis-Johns Hopkins University Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: The First Step in Entrepreneurship – University of Maryland Programming for Everybody – University of Michigan Negotiation and Conflict Management-United State Institute of Peace 5. Elimination of cost associated with traveling, food, accommodation and other expenses that come with taking the traditional classroom courses cannot be over emphasis. You can be at the comfort of your home, be on your bed, be on a round table with a cap of coffee or even be on a trip in a car or a plan and still study without constraints once you have your device connected to the internet and sometime have an offline access. 6. Organization that believes in CPD but is constrained with time and cost adopts E-learning for as the best means for skills development. 7. A higher knowledge retention rate can be assured through E-learning with its blended learning approach and as well communicate new policies within the organization. 8. Risk free environment in the area of E-Learning in terms of been intimidated for getting it wrong is greater as compared with the normal traditional class room training. Learners will have the leverage to learn new things from scratch make mistakes, relearn and unlearn. 9. Wider scope of experience and knowledge hub to tap from learners who shares their experience and feedback on issues and how it’s been applied in different environment and background. Considering geographical boundaries and believes E-learning comes with a lot of advantages that you can tap into as an individual in enhancing your skill set to remain competitive in your professional field and relevant to your employers.
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- by Fred Kusi
- 11 Jul 2017
It is said that when preparation meets opportunity... Read More
Top 6 Key Qualities Required For A Great Leader
By Mark Kijo
When it comes to leadership, great leaders will all have several qualities in common. Being able to direct teams, coordinate resources and demonstrate the creativity to drive a business forward are just some of the key attributes that you will find many leaders possess. Strong leaders are those who can inspire and motivate employees to carry out a range of tasks to a high standard. Working within a managerial role is perhaps one of the most rewarding yet challenging positions that you can occupy. Whether you are just entering the world of leadership or you are a seasoned leader with extensive experience, knowing what traits effective leaders should possess is fundamental to your success. Mainly every leader should know about emotional intelligence. Great leaders are people who have outstanding managerial capabilities combined with energy, enthusiasm and lots of vision for the future. Key Qualities Required for Great Leadership Integrity Perhaps one of the most respected and valued quality of a leadership professional is integrity. As one of the most important skills, integrity is about committing to something and then following through on your promises. This certainly builds trust and loyalty within your team. Integrity could include actions such as: Standing firm on what you believe in and speaking out when something isn’t right Demonstrating the courage and determination to pursue a course of action even when it presents complex challenges and obstacles and the outcome is far from certain The best leaders are those who can remain in control and calm, even when those around them are having doubts or debating whether it is the right decision. When you demonstrate confidence in your decisions, actions and the people who support you this in turn encourages others to have confidence in their own work and abilities. In addition, many leaders possess what is known as courageous patience. This is a term used to describe the period of time between making a decision and waiting for the results. During this time there is always a period of uncertainty when it is difficult to determine whether the outcome is going to be successful and the effort worthwhile. Competence and Character When you are in a leadership role, trust is one of the most important attributes to display. If you cannot be trusted, the whole reputation of the business, your staff, your products and services is at risk, but in order to be trusted you must be trustworthy. As a manager you are more likely to be trusted as a leader if you believe in yourself, the decisions that you make, the company and the people who work for you. It is important that you genuinely believe that you are offering products and/or services that are valuable to the customer and they really make a difference. Being at the head of a company that you are proud of is crucial to building a great company. Honesty Whatever your beliefs outside of work, good leaders are those who are honest. Honest about the claims you make in relation to the products or services that you sell and honest to your employees, partners and stakeholders. Any business is a reflection of its leader and if you place honesty and ethical decisions at the centre of your vision and values, your team will follow. Leaders should be integral in defining the values of the company and promoting these to customers and employees. Delegate As a successful leader you must learn to delegate. Refining your brand, vision and values is essential to creating an efficient and finely tuned business. But if you don’t learn to trust your team to follow through your ideas and values it can be difficult to move forwards. Trusting your team with an idea is a sign of strength in leadership. As a leader who everyone looks up to, it is your responsibility to delegate tasks with skill and care, assigning work to the right departments. The more you take on yourself the more quality and standards will suffer and productivity will decline. The key to success when it comes to delegation is identifying the strengths of the teams who support your business and taking advantage of this. Find out about each member of team, explore their strengths and weaknesses and then assign work accordingly. Allocating work in this manner will ensure that the work is completed with greater enthusiasm and the employee will take more time and effort to complete the task. This not only boosts productivity but it gives them faith that you trust them and their abilities. It will also help free up more of your time to focus on the tasks that cannot be delegated. Communication Of all the qualities that a good leader has, communication has to be one of the most important. Being able to communicate what you need both clearly and concisely is essential in any workplace. If you can’t communicate your vision, values and expectations to your team, it is almost impossible to work towards and achieve the same objectives. Good leaders are those who provide quality training experiences for their staff and create productive working environments. All of these require strong communication skills. If the company is hit by a major technical issue, there are problems with finances or the business is going through a period of change, employees will look towards leaders to provide clear communications and reassurance during difficult times. Positivity Strong leaders realise that a business cannot develop a motivated and happy team if they are not motivated themselves. Motivation can be demonstrated through remaining positive even in adverse situations, creating a relaxed and happy place to work. Even small incentives such as providing staff with cup cakes on a Friday can make all the difference. Team members are more likely to work harder and agree to overtime if they feel appreciated and content with their work. Positivity can also be encouraged by providing inspiration to your team and acknowledging the work that they carry out, commending them on their individual and collective efforts. If leaders are positive then teams are too. Making small changes can have a significant impact on your organisation. Being a great leader doesn’t happen overnight and it requires patience, determination and the drive to succeed.
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- by Mark Kijo
- 18 Jun 2017
When it comes to leadership, great leaders will al... Read More
Is Your LMS Scorm Compliant and Why Should You Care
By Jason Grills
Do you often hear about the importance of plugins, add-ons and who the other types of features, that are presented as must-haves for your learning management system(LMS)? The truth of the matter is you may or may not need a majority of them but when it comes to introducing Scorm, you should be confident and not doubtful. An LMS that is Scorm compliant with Scorm is definitely an asset that is actually capable of transforming the way learning occurs in your organization. Want to know how? Just continue reading because we will be discussing the importance of SCORM compliant LMS. So, if you aren’t really familiar with this feature, this post will surely help you grasp this concept and make an informed decision. Introduction: Scorm Content for Beginners Let’s begin by making clear what does Scorm stand for. SCORM = Sharable Content Object Reference Model Formally explained, when you talk about Scorm content, basically it means the type of content that is developed in accordance with the specifications of Scorm model. Simply put, Scorm is an LMS which is basically designed to be presented in a browser and organized as a set of numerous different objects. All of these objects are packed in a way which can be imported from any of the platforms that are compatible with Scorm. In other words, Scorm content is created in a form that allows it be portable and easy distribution using whichever browser within any operating system. How does Scorm pack the content? Scorm defines two basic types of objects that are an integral part of the content. These are ASSET and SCO. The ASSET objects are the basic elements that usually appear in a certain content. These can be texts, images, web pages, documents, multimedia etc. On the other hand, the SCO (Shareable Content Objects) are the learning objects. When it comes to their structure, it is pretty similar to the structure of the ASSET objects. However, SCO objects have the additional capability of communicating with the LMS platform. In simple words, they know how to read and write. SCO should be a single learning unit that is independent of its context since it is supposed to be used in different contexts and content types. Accordingly, Scorm package is the structure that groups and organizes these two types of objects into a comprehensive unity. How does Scorm describe the content? Both types of listed (ASSET and SCO) objects are described using a file that lists both their technical and pedagogical aspects. This information actually represents meta-data (a set of data that usually describes and offers key information about other data) and it is physically written in the XML archives. The meta-data is listed in nine categories: General data – Groups the generic information that describes and identifies the content as a whole. Life cycle data – Groups the information about the history and the actual state of the content Meta-metadata – Groups the information about the meta-data (not about the content described by the meta-data) Technical data – Groups the information about the requirements and technical characteristics of the content Educational data – Groups the descriptions of the pedagogical and educational characteristics of the content Rights data – Groups the information about the intellectual property rights and the conditions of the content usage Relations data – Groups the data defining the relationships within this resource and other related contents Comments data – Provides comments about the educational usage of the content as well as the information about when the comments were created Classification data – Describes the place that’s occupied by this content within a certain classification system This file is defined for each SCO that becomes a part of a course. It permits the classification of the content with all its aspects and allows including it in a database of a digital library or knowledge bank. Once it’s done, every SCO can be found using different types of searches. It can also be backed-up so that we can use it again in the new content. What are the main specifications of an SCORM compliant LMS? In order to be Scorm compliant, an elerning tool must be capable of accepting Scorm content and making it available for the platform users. It should also provide an execution environment in which the content can be initiated and presented using a browser. Accordingly, it should provide the execution environment that is in accordance with technical demands of Scorm. Why should you care about Scorm compliance? Reason #1: In future, you may consider replacing your existing LMS Although no company would want to implement an LMS just to have it changed after a while, sometimes it happens. Many times, managers realize the LMS isn’t good enough and needs to be replaced. Do you know what happens with the content stored in your LMS if you don’t have an SCORM compliant LMS? Well, it vanishes. You will have to completely start over again and re-create the content. Reason #2: Learners simply love it The environment provided by Scorm is stimulating and more engaging. There’s a wide variety of tasks and other elements based on interesting interactions and fun features – mini-quizzes, expandable components, dynamic text, etc. Reason #3: Scorm compliant LMS provides you with user data In other words, once you get the information about the users and their experience, you’ll easily become aware of the features you can introduce or change in order to improve the training. The data that learning manager receives from SCORM compliant LMS encompasses of in-depth information such as user scores, if the learners accessed the content or not and much more. Conclusion To sum up – Scorm compliant LMS Softwarehas a bright future ahead. Empowering your training with SCORM compliant LMS for your organization is definitely worth a shot if you already haven’t done so. Once you transform all your data to Scorm content, you won’t have to worry about their compatibility with different environments and problems that may appear when you upgrade your LMS. Go for Scorm compliant LMS and make learning more impactful.
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- by Jason Grills
- 05 Jun 2017
Do you often hear about the importance of plugins,... Read More
Elements Of Better Online Branding For A Startup
By Gerath Bale
2017 is full of challenges and opportunities for startups. The barriers to entry in the market are practically non-existent as once were. That is why there are increased chances of reaching customers and tapping into their needs. As with every opportunity, the number of threats also rise. By threats we mean competition. An abundance of competition ensues. The marketplace is becoming saturated and for a startup to survive it takes improved branding than before. In this article, we will highlight some elements for online branding which will make your startup stand out of the crowd.What are these elements? Read on to find out. Start telling stories We are by nature storytellers and are also naturally brain wired to listen to stories. I mean doesn’t like stories, right? According to one study, stories at large, not only stimulates the brain’s language processing part but also the parts as if we experienced the story ourselves. You don’t have to be an expert to understand what power stories pack. It appeals to people of all groups and age. Stories tend to incite emotions in us which then stay there for longer periods of time.Now apply this formula to any marketing campaign and you have a winner! Time and again we have seen that by employing storytelling as your marketing strategy renders your campaign successful. Branding is all about narrating your brand’s story to the desired audience. With time marketers have devised a new strategy which is to market themselves as storytellers instead of telling stories about the brand they are responsible for. Thus, the following garnered, as a result, is enough and gives a particular brand an edge over its rivals. Whatever the marketer says he has consumed or availed automatically makes the customer want to have it (product or a service). Defy expectations By defying expectations it means you go beyond the call of duty in serving your customers. It is achieved by defying certain conventions which are practiced in your industry and it is up to you which conventions you break and which you do not. Much of it largely depends on the type of audience you cater. Take a stand Taking a stand means practicing newness in your branding. Cause-driven marketing campaigns are getting old at least from the millennials perspective. But they are the ones which are carrying the human generation forward and cannot be ruled out. Philanthropy is considered as something which millennials don’t seem to care about. Let me tell this just a perspective. The truth is far from it. That is why I say millennials are very skeptical of acause-driven marketing campaign. To them merely maximizing shareholder’s wealth is not enough to get them to make purchases. So in order for this to be addressed, there is a need for cause-driven business which takes into account the philanthropy aspects of the business. Earning money is not bad but it should also bebringing value to the humankind. The concept of finding meaningful work is quite common among millennials, why? Because they want to contribute to the society with the work they do. They wish to be the catalysts of change, the difference makers which the baby boomers lacked. Focus on great design Another techniqueby way of which you can give your startup a kick-ass start is by focusing on great design. The intent shouldbe to make products and services extraordinary. Now you must be thinking that I knew this already. I know great design is nothing is new, people have been doing great design for ages but it’s worth a mention because it is just not thebeauty of things. Many products have experienced a shift from traditional ones to being a software and the looks in the traditional sense does not count rather it is the experience the end user derives out of it. I would like to discuss a classic example of Tinder here. Now Tinder is a popular app but as for its design or the beauty elements, this app is nothing exceptional. Neither it is subtle nor elegant in its overall look but why does it continue to woo masses, one might ask? The answer is user experience (UX). The intuitive interface of Tinder has not only made the usage of app extremely addictive but has perfectly conveyed the company’s message of casual online dating. Now for a startup to exhibit all of the above traits including design, Tinder carries all of them. With casual dating aspect, Tinder is akin to a bar where naturally you approach a person and offer adrink, talk and ask out (not in that specific order, of course). Thus, defying expectations.
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- by Gerath Bale
- 28 May 2017
2017 is full of challenges and opportunities for s... Read More
Distance Learning: How To Keep Motivation High When You Are An Online Learner?
By Mary Jane Kleim
Online studies give you significant advantages over traditional learning. Study costs are lower, you can establish an adequate learning rhythm, and it allows you the comfort of the home environment. That’s why surveys revealed that by 2019 more than 50% of all courses will be conducted online. This is the trend that has been growing steadily in the last five years. However, traditional learning has an important social component, which is very difficult to replace with modern study tools. There are no facial expressions, new acquaintances, face-to-face talks, nonverbal communication, and all those little details that make “real life” learning more interesting. That’s why online students sometimes can’t keep motivation high and need advice how to deal with it & also need to know when to use online training. In this article, we will give you the most efficient tips on how to successfully build your distance learning motivation. Get to know your course Most of the online trainees who lack motivation don’t really understand what their studies are all about. They are under prepared and giving up is most common among this type of distance learners. If you decide to join online courses, make sure to read the syllabus carefully and understand each segment of your studies. The syllabus will provide you with the course essentials and prepare you for the coming assignments. Once you know what you are dealing with, there will be no unpleasant surprises to slow you down and undermine motivation. Planning and scheduling As always, good plans make a half of work done already. Keep in mind that you should schedule all activities on a weekly basis. That way, things become much simpler, as you will not forget due dates and weekly activities. Furthermore, you will focus on smaller goals. If you only pay attention to all the work required throughout the entire course, you will probably lose motivation. A study calendar will keep you on the right track, and you will be glad to see how you get the job completed step by step. Join the online learning community Despite the advantages of distance learning, you will sometimes feel alienated studying far away from your peers. In this case, what technology is taking away from you, technology will give back. You can join an online community of course attendees, which is a very common solution in all eLearning platforms. It will help you exchange opinions about your studies or to share learning experiences with each other. Online communities also serve to open specific topics, such as where to find additional learning materials, statistical analysis of the subject, etc. With this kind of support group, you will not feel alone and under-motivated. Use online tools to strengthen focus When you are all alone in the room, relying only on your mental strength and endurance, these virtues can’t last forever. Sooner than later you will find yourself texting messages, playing one of those addictive online games, or simply exploring Instagram profiles. This could slow you down big time, so you can take advantage of online tools that encourage focus and concentration. These web browser extensions discourage procrastination by blocking any undesired content. There are tools like Personal Blocklist, Simple Blocker or Stay Focusd, to name but a few. Grammarly will help you proofread assignments in case you don’t have enough time for it, while experts at Assignment Masters can suggest professional support with the most difficult tasks. Ask mentor for help The best way to learn something is to ask someone. And who can answer your inquiries better than your instructor? After all, it is their job. Distance learning can seem inappropriate for communication with the mentor, but don’t be shy to break the silence and ask for advice. Online learning is a relatively new thing and people are still getting used to it. However, the number of online students is growing rapidly, so now almost 30% of all students in the US take one or more distance education courses. Online learning is obviously becoming a big deal and there is no reason not to accept helpful practices. One of these practices is to ask your mentor for help, so don’t hesitate to do so. Chart the progress It is important to establish a work schedule but it is even more important to keep your motivation high by keeping records of your progress. Each goal you fulfill takes you a little closer to the overall success, so make a nice chart to see how the achievements are building up. This is a genuine motivation booster because you will always be able to remind yourself what you have already accomplished so far. Keep the ultimate goal in mind Yes, you enrolled online courses to gain knowledge and obtain a certificate but what is your ultimate goal? If you start feeling the lack of motivation, always visualize the final goal ahead of you. It can be a better position in your company, bigger salary, self-esteem boost, etc. This approach always adds to your mental power and gives you new will to continue working. Give your assignments a few minutes more All the advice mentioned above make a fabulous cornerstone for your online learning motivation. However, you will for sure deal with moments when you want to give up for that day and leave an important part of your studies unfinished. Whenever you feel like doing so, just give your learning five more minutes! It sounds negligible, but only a few minutes is usually more than enough to regain focus and continue working. And before you even notice, you will see than an hour or two have passed in the meantime. From our personal experience, this is by far the most important motivation booster! Conclusion People are really good at making excuses but students are experts in that regard, especially distance learners. There are many reasons to slow down online studies or even abandon it completely, so we made a list of the most valuable suggestions on how to keep the motivation high for online learning. If you follow these steps carefully, don’t worry about the outcome. Keeping the high-level motivation is not different than anything else you do – practice makes it perfect!
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- by Mary Jane Kleim
- 09 May 2017
Online studies give you significant advantages ove... Read More