TS,Tuesday September 14, 2010
I wish to share an effective learning method which can help raise our nations’ human capital and be more competitive globally.
It has been successfully used in training new staff with little or no related job experience, undergraduates and working adults.
Full day training begins with a brainstorming session. Participants are given only note pads to write what they wish to ask and salient points.
In this way, they pay more attention and make extra effort to understand, as they are required to make a short speech on a related topic and its application, towards the end of the day.
Articulating what is in their mind is the best method to gauge their grasp of the subject. It will also be a great learning opportunity for all when mistakes are pointed out, explained and corrected on the spot.
The quality of questions is a good indicator of a person’s potential as it is necessary to continue learning. They are also the seeds of creation and innovation.
As such, the training should just be the beginning of a continuous learning process by searching for better answers and solutions through print and electronic sources, observation, discussions and debates with peers and seeking guidance from the wise.
However, when notes are handed out, students tend to relax as they can refer to them later. Being spoon-fed, there is no need to think and look for answers.
This is one of the main reasons students in our tertiary institutions and working adults who attend short courses have learned or picked up skills far less than what they could.
YS Chan
Kuala Lumpur
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