Friend-LINK: <%=INSERTTEXT%>


 

A weekly syndicated web column for InfoQuest Internet Technologies, Inc.


WelchWrite Main -- Douglas E. Welch -- Rosanne Welch


Learning by rote

by Douglas E. Welch

September 28, 1999

© 1999, Douglas E. Welch


Learning by rote

During my 15+ years as a computer support worker and private consultant I have learned that change is the only constant. Technologies come and go as do our own preconceptions and quickly outdated beliefs. My own thinking about computer training changed quite dramatically recently and I found once again that old thinking will simply not survive in such a new world.

Step-by-step

My previous experience with computer training was probably very similar to your own. All the students sat at a computer, or perhaps they shared, while and instructor led them through a series of tasks, step-by-step. First do this, then do that, then do the other. Even though I enjoyed and understood computers I was often bored by this approach to training. There had to be a better way, but I had not figured it out. I even began to train people in much that same fashion as I had been taught.

The biggest flaw with this type of training is that it fosters a narrow-minded focus in the minds of the students. As long as their computers operated exactly like those they were trained on all was well. Throw in one small difference, though, and the user is unable to deal with it. Work grinds to a halt until someone can help them. This hardly fosters a productive work environment.

Help them help themselves

This was exactly the issue I faced every day while working in support. It was nearly impossible to provide computer support to people who never cultivated a base level of computer knowledge. The step-by-step training we performed forced them to call us whenever the slightest change occurred. I quickly realized that the only way to dig myself and my peers out of this support nightmare was to attack this very problem.

The first step was to establish fun, casual lunch time training sessions that my partner at the time entitled "Computer Snacks." Over lunch we would seek to answer the most pressing user questions about a specific piece of software or the operation and use of our extensive computer network. While the mood was decidedly low key I found that the users retained much more of what they learned. They also felt better about their computers because they could immediately apply what they had learned. Instead of trying to teach an entire program we taught what the users needed to know when they needed to know it.

Putting it together

I should have paid more attention to our success at the time but one job led to another and I didn’t have the opportunity to apply what I had learned for many years. When the head librarian of my local library asked me to teach patrons how to use the newly installed Internet services, I saw my chance. I began teaching 2 classes each month, one beginner and one intermediate. Both were based on the concepts I had learned earlier; make people comfortable and answer there most important questions. The results have been better than I ever could have hoped.

I have received so many compliments on these classes when, in reality, I am more of a facilitator than a teacher. Sure I answer the technical questions but you can see people’s minds turning as we talk through issues of ISPs, URLs, Windows, modems and the Internet itself. Many of the students have come back to say how much the classes have helped them because it gave the background that allows them to make intelligent guesses when working with their computers. They don’t get stalled just because a dialog box asks them a question. Since they have learned what is going on behind the scenes they can often work through problems that would have stopped other users cold.

I used to believe that hands-on training was the only way to teach people about computers. Now I have found a new way of opening up the world of computers to anyone. It all has to do with teaching people how computers operate so that they make intelligent assumptions when things don’t go quite as planned. The next time you are on either end of the training equation make sure you are asking or answering the right questions.


Douglas E. Welch is a freelance writer and computer consultant in Van Nuys, California.He also writes Career Opportunities, a weekly column on high-tech careers and A Gardener's Notebook. You can find more of Douglas' writing on his web page at: http://www.welchwrite.com/

He can reached via email at douglas@welchwrite.com


Book Recommendation

Browse the WelchWrite Bookstore

<%=INSERTTEXT%> 

 

Also on Welchwrite.com

<%=INSERTTEXT%> 

© 1999 Douglas E. Welch