Comments (2)

By Erica, December 18, 2008 9:48 pm

As I’ve mentioned, there’s been an ongoing conversation about whether or not having toys/doodads available in training is a good thing for kinesthetic learners. I have always maintained that’s poppycock.

The other day there was a meeting of our training center managers who once again covered that subject and my supervisor told me each center spends around $10K a year on doodads (multiple that by five centers and we’re talking a lot of money). Some of the training center managers want to put a stop to it because it’s insane to spend that much money on plastic trinkets. I told my supervisor that I’d come up with something she could use at the next meeting to put to rest this needless expenditure of money (as if that budget line wasn’t enough to immediately cease and desist).

I turned to ADLT601 and re-read some of Kolb’s and Gagne’s work and then I unearthed the VARK tool we used in that class–that info was emailed to my supervisor. Today my supervisor came to me and wondered aloud how we ever let someone tell us that plastic trinkets would make for better training. I think we’re about to banish this silly tradition.

Comments (4)

By Erica, November 7, 2008 9:33 am

Sometimes I’m asked about adult learning theory and it’s usually in the sense of “we think this is stupid and would like to point to a theory to prove our point”. I usually like to use my power for good so I speak in generalities and try not to get involved in someone else’s petty argument (now, my petty argument? That’s another story).

This question keeps coming up and I’d like to know your opinions.

Is it appropriate to have doodads on the table during a training if the doodads have no direct correlation to the training? I am calling the following items doodads: pipe cleaners, bendy animals, anything you could buy in bulk from Oriental Trading Company. I’m not including pens, sticky notes or stress balls into the doodad category because those items may actually be used throughout the course of the training session.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you provide items to trainees in addition to handouts? If so what do you give away?