Adult Learning Specialist
PLC Bob
Instructional Design
Articulate 360
Web Based Training
Classroom Training
Mechatronics/Electronics
Custom Mfg Trainers
Educating Adults
Starting as the trainer in the Air Force and going on to teach technical topics at six different colleges, Bob has experienced what works in technical training, both the good and the bad. Technology evolves faster than educational resources, so Bob created new courses, lessons, and lab assignments to prepare his students for success.
Practical Programmer
Fascinated by computing since the early 70’s, Bob has been an early adaptor of applications employing computing power. Whether inputting machine code via toggle switches, crafting rungs of ladder logic, or AI prompt engineering, Bob has been there.
What About Bob?
What are some things about Bob that would make him a good choice for your instructional design or training project?
Old Smarts vs New Smarts
In the seasoned generation, you were considered smart if you knew things. You didn’t have to know everything, but you had to be knowledgeable about things in your chosen career. You valued the amount of effort it took to overcome challenges and you retained those gems of knowledge. The mobile phone generation is considered smart if they can find things. The quicker they find them, the smarter they are. Knowledge is immediate and becomes inconsequential past the time it is no longer needed. It can always be found again, or even a better way next time.
Keys to Just-in-Time Learning
Fingertip Access
Maintainers get calls while they’re all over the plant. To be practical, the media device pretty much has to be on their person – the smart phone. Tablet style devices are better suited for maintainers doing inspections or PMs as they prep for the task ahead.
Distrbuted Access
Wireless coverage needs to be evenly distributed even in warehouses, mezzanines, and outside the building work areas. Uneven coverage will result in complaints and eventually, a tendency not to carry the device.
IP Secutity
Permission based access to Intellectual Property is the most basic safeguard. When then that needed info isn’t on the device, there’s a strong temptation to seek public manuals and documents – even to pose a question on a public forum.
Proceedural vs Technical Skill
A PM task is procedural, relying on the maintainer’s knowledge and experience to further identify conditions needing correcting. Good base knowledge – from general technical knowledge – gives the best PM – proceedural – l results.
Safety
An electronic device is generally prohibited from areas with combustable vapors or powders. Also the device needs to survive a 20 foot drop to the ground without damage or loss of functionality. Another consideration is having it locked out during PIV operation.
Qualification
Competentcy testing methods for promotion to higher grade levels or job positions tends to be retained knowledge based. Shifting to more problem scenario based resolution methods is preferable for younger employees.
How Learners Acquire Knowledge
Visual
Visual learners would seem to be the most common because technical learning is most commonly presented in textbook form. In my observation of adult learners, only about 30% can read well enough to grasp new material from a written document. If it wasn’t for the videos, images and instructor’s narration, students, students wouldn’t pass courses.
Aural
Aural learners pick up knowledge by hearing the technical topics. We’ve all heard of the musical talent who can “play by ear” or the student who passes courses without “cracking open the textbook.”
Tactile
Tactile learners grasp proficiency through their fingertips – facts and procedures really don’t make sense until they have put their hands on it.
