I'm conducting some research into Accelerated Learning and wonder how itfares with self-study training solutions? I'm looking into developing some training packages for individuals, and want to be able to reap any benefits usually related to AL. Has anyone had any success with this kind of thing, or should I resign myself to designing a plain and simple self-study workbook?
Thanks.
Tracey Thake
6 Responses
Don’t see why not
I don’t have any experience of using AL for individual “solo” learners, but there is no reason that a carefully crafted AL exercise shouldn’t bring enormous benefits to one learner as well as groups.
The point of AL is to expand thought processes and horizons – you can still set tasks that you don’t have a pre-set solution for and each learner would bring their own unique solution.
I think you’d have to be careful in implementation with some phone contact or e-mail contact as a minimum during the course but if you can do that it should be great.
AL
I have created paper based learning packs which are full of accelerated learning techniques. AL can be applied in many ways. I teach my kids the techniques which they apply to their revision in their own unique way, with excellent results. Aim to create learning experiences that are interesting, meaningful, understandable, memorable and engage as many of the senses as possible and learning will be accelerated!
My favourite book on tape is Accelerated Learning Techniques by Brian Tracy and Colin Rose.
AL Success
Hi, I use the AL technique on a ‘workshop’ based course – i.e. can be run from 1 person to 20 people and have found it just as successful when run for 1. People who have attended on their own have found it great – and we have had some brilliant feedback from it.
Is AL for the masses
Hi Tracey, it’s a great question that you ask. We call ‘AL’ ‘Brain Friendly Learning’ and that may give an even more useful frame for your challenge. For me it’s not about what’s faster, it’s about what works best for the learners. I’ve certainly designed a number of interventions that would be classed as ‘open learning’ that honours our five principles of Brain Friendly Learning, in fact one of the principle is ‘Honour Uniqueness’, in short how can you allow your learners to use your open learning material the learn using their preferences or intelligences.
Happy to send you some more information or references if they would be useful.
Best regards,
Richard
AL for self study
Hi Tracey
AL isn’t really about applying “techniques” it is more about understanding the principles of learning in this way and applying them. One of the workshops I teach is to help trainers design a range of materials, eg handouts, self study material etc. The first thing I ask them to do is to go around childrens bookshops, places with computer games, record shops and ordinary learning games eg Early Learning Centre etc and see what captures their imagination for learning. I also supply a wide range of material at the workshop for them to have a look at. In the main, we generally come to the conclusion that things like childrens comics and games are the ones that are most intersting and capture the interest and imagination. The reason being that there seem to be no “strait jackets” applied to childrens products, and this is the principle applied to AL.
We then work on applying this principle to producing the material they want for their own purpose. Invarialbly we end up with a variety of stuff, very little of which is paper based, but if it is, it is colourful, graphical, and full of interesting stuff to see and do.
For a presentation skills workshop I do, I send a pre learning booklet (that is paper based!) out in advance for people to complete, if you would like a copy of this to have a look at, please e mail me on liz@bourne-to-train.co.uk and I would be happy to let you have it (anyone else as well. Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, but there are also some other ideas in my Learnig Pack from Fenman – Using Accelerated Learning.
Hope some of this helps
Best wishe
Liz
AL homework
I, too, am interested in any application of accelerated learning techniques. I have used them with groups, in my full-time training job, but have also used them for “homework” on a complementary therapy course that I teach. One of the aspects of theory that we teach is Chinese 5 Element Theory. After a class-based session about the qualities of each Element, they have to do a homework project. They can opt to do a traditional essay, but are also encouraged to explore the element in other ways. For the Wood element, we actually ask them all to draw themselves as a tree (“If you were a tree, what would you look like?”). This is always very revealing! Individual students have also come up with a range of other element-related projects: writing a poem, writing a song, a collage, a mosaic, a sculpture, a mandala, a piece of jewelery, etc. It’s delightful to see what they come up with, and the understanding that it shows. And they have fun doing it!