In-Person, Virtual, and/or Digital Delivery of Frontline Advocacy

Designing Training to Meet Today’s Training Needs

ALAPre-Conference

Train the Trainer Friday, June 25, 2:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Julie Todaro1

Co-Chair, Alire Presidential Initiative

Empowering all levels of library staff to become a better advocate for their libraries and for themselves is crucial for libraries to survive this currenteconomy. This Train-the-Trainer program will focus on selecting CONTENT AND technology appropriate to physical settings and all library types, as well as teaching techniques appropriate for the frontline advocacy initiative. Best 2.0 practices for frontline advocacy teaching and learning; as well as matching 21st century modes and methods of technology teaching to participant learning styleswill be covered.

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We know that teaching and learning and – for our purposes today – training has changed dramatically in the last decade. And we know it has changed in every way…

Different modes and methods of delivery

Varied styles of teaching

Expanded learning styles

Expanded learning preferences

Faster pace of change in delivery modes and methods

Faster pace of change of curriculum

Broader content required for basic skills (people now need to know more at the most elementary levels)

Different skills sets preferred

Different skills sets required

Curriculum organized in shorter “chunks” of learning

Expanded venues for learning cohorts (in person, digital/virtual, online, etc.)

Wide range of assessment for learning

Greatly diverse employees and library workers (all generations, all cultures, all ethnicities, all learning styles, etc.)

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We also know that our teaching and learning and training environments have changed dramatically – specifically…

Significantly reduced dollars for training in library and information settings

Expanded blend of external and internal curriculum/training materials available

Expanded delivery of “classroom” venues such as library worker desktops

Timelines for training vary from more traditional “day-long” to multi-hour, point-of-use short term chunks of learning

Greatly expanded e-learning

Online only - no face-to-face

Hybrid/Blended Learning – variety of modes and methods

Video/audio tape - Asynchronous

Video/audiotape - Synchronous

Web-delivered streaming/Synchronous

Web-delivered streaming/Asynchronous

Course management software-self directed; faculty led

Course management software- self directed; no lead

Computer aided instruction – DVD/CD-ROM

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Frontline Advocacy materials provide content that offers the widest variety of learning opportunities for all types and sizes of libraries including:

Self directed forms for individual

Self directed forms for groups

Scenarios to direct planning/localize training content

Scripts to guide design of institutional content/localize content

Training content delivered in PPT’s

An online tutorial to introduce the concept of frontline advocacy

Video clips explaining the concept and illustrating the importance of frontline advocacy

Video clips designed not only to inform but to motivate learners

Identification of individuals – based on match to criterion - in organizations to serve as role models

PPT’s to introduce, inform and motivate

Massive lists of specific and related websites to provide a myriad of examples, best practices and content for trainers to repurpose by

o Type of library

o Size of library

o Target population to be trained

o Preferences of target populations/audience/participants

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But with all of these changes, what do we know about our library workers and learning?

Prior learning is critical to interest in and success with learning

Theory and practical/hand-on experience is balanced and available

Content is best retained when it is shown to be relevant to work roles and responsibilities

Choices for learning are offered with the choice of some self directed offered

Self-reflection/self assessment is built into learning

Assessment includes identification of mistakes and direction for correction

Interaction – synchronous or asynchronous – is possible

Peer cohorts can experience peer-to-peer discussion

Leader/teacher discussion is possible

Integrated technology modes and methods need more direction

What is specific to your workers? Audience? Participants? Constituents? Target population?

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What is specific to your environment? Only opportunities for one-on-one? Virtual opportunities only?

What style do you prefer for presentation? Lecture plus audience participation? Audience prepares for content by self assessing/taking tutorials then you lead guided discussion?

The frontline advocacy initiative had content for all teaching and learning styles!

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And how should we prepare our individual library workers/constituents for training? Workers should be assessed and taught to recognize their own learning

style. Trainers should then match individual preferences and styles to the advocacy frontline content.

Auditory learning(learning while listening or if you hear it, you remember it.)

Auditory Learners

Characteristics:

Prefers to get information by listening--needs to hear it to know it. May not follow written directions/instructions as well or as quickly. Difficulty with reading and writing the variety of formats, forms.

Learning Tips:

Record/use tapes for reading and for program note taking. Learn by interviewing or by participating in panel (etc.) discussions. After workers read content, discuss it with each other or summarize it on tape

individually or in groups. Verbally review spelling words and lectures with a peer worker.

And what frontline advocacy materials do we have for today’s 2.0 auditory learners?

Video stream with Alire presenting content and motivating action Interview/sound file with Alire motivating/defining frontline advocacy

initiative Scripts for organizations taped/also will be put on website during best

practices PPT presentations for people to group together to view, talk about Soon to come – sound files with interviews with best practices from

libraries

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Visual learning(learning while seeing or looking or you have to see it to believe it)

Visual Learners Characteristics:

Needs to see it to know it. Appreciates color. Appreciates or often has artistic/design skills/abilities. Prefers NOT working from spoken directions individually or in groups. May prefer no competing sounds during content presentation. Larger group discussion not as effective (tables of 10 not good) Trouble following flat/discussion delivery-only lectures. May misinterpret words if no print/visuals accompany.

Learning Tips:

Use graphics to reinforce learning--films, videos, slides (PPT), illustrations, doodles, charts, notes, flashcards and handouts designed more in technical writing with forms.

Color code to organize notes and handouts. Written directions – designed with technical writing and opportunities for workers

to personalize for own/later use. Use flow charts and diagrams for note-taking. Visualize spelling of words or facts to be memorized. Write out everything or provide note-taking content for personalization for

frequent and personal, visual review. Have participants create an organizational wiki for posting scripts, sharing ideas.

And what frontline advocacy materials do we have for today’s 2.0 visual learners?

Video streams PPT presentations (colorful with variety) Content designed “into” forms Content dropped into tables Content (scripts) to repurpose and put on your own wiki.

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Kinesthetic/tactile learning(learning while touching or doing, interacting with content, others)

Tactual Learners:

Characteristics:

Prefers hands-on learning opportunities. Can assemble parts without reading directions. Difficulty sitting still. Learns better when physical activity is involved. May be very well coordinated and have athletic ability. “Interacts” with content by underlining, highlighting. “Interacts” with content by personalizing.

Learning Tips:

Choose experiential learning (make models, do lab work, and role play). Schedule movement during learning activities including breaks….such as changing

tables, standing up/interacting with flip charts. Use small group activities where handouts are completed Request recorders for small group situations. Use interactive tutorials/hands on. Provide scripts/items to memorize or become familiar with. Provide forms to write out facts/personalize information –if possible, repetitively. Have participants blog their own experiences and share their best practices for the

learning cohort.

And what frontline advocacy materials do we have for today’s 2.0 kinesthetic/tactile learners?

Forms to complete for self assessment Forms to complete for organization assessment Online tutorial All materials available in word docs so trainers can use the personalization

of tables, etc. as a teaching/learning tool Scripts to create/words to choose

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And although there isn’t a massive amount of research –especially (obviously) longitudinal - on individual or target population preferences or success in online learning, initial observations and preliminary research data show:

Some synchronous learning opportunities are preferred within online learning forums

Assessment/grading in general and specifically – more timely grading - is given more importance by learners to increase confidence in learning

Desktop delivery to an individual’s own technology is preferred to learning in lab or unknown classroom situations unless they accompany face-to-face routine learning opportunities

Peer mentoring contributes to success of learning

Structures – study groups, paired learners – contribute to individual student online learning success

Newer 2.0 techniques support visual and tactile learning with opportunities for aggregating selected and created content with wiki’s and self-expression through blogs, comments, shared experiences – to name a few.

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In addition, one of the most important elements to delivering within current teaching and learning environments is the match of modes and methods to content. Knowledge(s), skills/abilities and attitudes - are best delivered in the certain venues.

Knowledge(s) Advocacy Understand the importance of advocacy

Familiarity with the role of advocacy within the library

Awareness of advocacy within specific types of libraries

class or classroom setting

lecture

workshop

panel discussion

visual/video/movie/television

reading on own

reading/discussion

workplace calendar

Lecture of how advocacy relates to institution paired with viewing of motivating video by Alire

View video of panel discussion and show PPT of initiative goals

Create panel of members of the organization discussing how they see frontline advocacy work within the organization and follow up with presentation of scripts of successful exchanges

Request that frontline employees read 23 things and peruse “type of library” docs on the website. Then have library workers take online tutorial and discuss content in a staff meeting.

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Skills/Abilities Advocacy Ability to integrate advocacy language into

frontline customer interactions

Skill in communicating advocacy needs of library to general and specific target populations

demonstration preferably with hands on and in context of employees work

dramatization

case method

problem-based method

scenario

scripting

critical incident

problem solving discussion

games

if a “presentation” format (ex. Lecture) must have some audience participation

Form a team of frontline library workers and charge them with reviewing website scripts to choose and personalize scripts

Have team illustrate scripts chosen/redesigned for a dramatization within a two-hour morning workshop

Identify target populations with staff in a brainstorming session and discuss critical exchanges where frontline advocacy can take place. Create – post identification:

o Local scripts o Practice environments peered with other

staff

Instruct staff to take online tutorial and then choose frontline staff (from committee?) to form a panel and discuss the tutorial.

Create frontline advocacy “input” sharing environment including but not limited to online frontline advocacy listserv, frontline advocacy wiki pages

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Attitudes Advocacy Committed to frontline advocacy

Enthusiastic about integrating frontline advocacy into customer service/patron interactions

role playing

exercises (in-basket) where learner gets a real-life appreciation

case method with participation

non-verbal exercises

presentation with guided discussion

critical incident

scripting

role modeling (with directed observation)

Create peer worker teams to choose scripts and practice/observe each other during learning periods

Bring in peer library staff to form a panel to share experiences/successes

Have departments, location teams read content, view motivating video streams, create possible scripts to share in staff meetings and have all workers take the online tutorial post discussion

Have worker teams create messages and match to target populations, and then have departments compare messages and target populations among library departments, etc.

So…share your blogs, wiki’s, scripts, and scenarios back with us! Let us know how your group designed frontline advocacy

content through your creative efforts! Please assist us in keeping this critical initiative current, vital and content-rich!

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