Below are several articles on topics of specialization by Sierra Training Associates. Each article focuses on specific elements of teaching and learning. Take a look at the articles that most interest you. You may find the contents of each can add to your effectiveness teaching, presenting, or facilitating. We hope you enjoy the offerings.
Adult Learning Theories and Practices
This brief article provides a basic framework for the instructor to consider as they plan and deliver training to adult learners. The article contains information on Knowles, Kolb, Gardner, Dunn, and Gagne as they relate to instructional design.
Nonverbal Communicative Intelligence for Classroom Management
This article introduces nonverbal communicative intelligence. Within the article, five skills are described and set in practical exercises to practice and refine.
Nonverbal Communicative Intelligence and Workplace Communication
This article offers an introduction to five nonverbal skills you can use at work to enhance communication, credibility, and rapport. The skills are anchored in nonverbal communicative intelligence, a model of communication introduced in this article.
What the Best Teachers Do
Ken Bain studied dozens of the best college teachers in America. This article distills Bain's findings in a direct and simple approach to support implementation of these skills into your classroom setting.
Lesson Design and Planning
Outcome Based Design (OBD). Adapted from the work of Wiggins and McTighe it is a lesson planning design that sets a tone of deliberate intention on your part as an instructor. It enhances your use of time more efficiently, aligns the learning with the desired outcome, and to more effectively support student learning.
Lesson Planning Template
The following template was created to assist the teacher or trainer interested in performing a comprehensive planning effort aligned with Outcome-Based Design principles, critical thinking protocols and active adult learning strategies.
Surfacing Thinking—The Academy Class
What does it mean to surface the thinking of students? To study this further, we will "sit in" on a police academy class and listen to its progress. If you're a peace officer, this might bring forth the emotional response of a similar experience. If you are not, the dialogue will still be quite familiar to that in any other adult learning setting.
Classroom Training and Field Performance
This article addresses the gap between an adult's training experience and their performance once in real world environs. Solutions to address this gap are addressed in a simple, straightforward model.
The Lesson Plan
When considering the lesson plan you will construct for your training or course segment, your agency or organization may have a format to follow. If so, think of the following list as a guideline to ensure essential issues are addressed.
What Is Problem-Based Learning?
Problem-Based Learning is a curriculum development and instructional method that places the student in an active role as a problem-solver confronted with ill-structured, real-life problems.