HUMAN PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGIST
Just what is a Human Performance Technologist as opposed to a Teacher?
A Human performance Technologist is a person who first, is concerned with what skills a student or trainee possesses already. He/She often conducts a skills inventory. This is a critical step! Education involves taking one from the "known" to the "unknown". More often that not Teachers attempt to start at the unknown!
A Human Performance Technologists teaches using metaphors with which the learner is familiar. A recent (and very productive) trend in training is to teach concepts using clips from old popular (familiar) movies.
TEACHING TIP...Take students from the known to the unknown.
The next step is to determine aptitudes and "Learning Styles". A Human Performance Technologist determines the Learning Styles of his students.
TEACHING TIP...Discover the Learning Styles of the people that you have to teach.
The next step a Human Performance Technologists does is to create measureable objectives and share them with the class. My worst educational experience was studying all night long for a test..and none of the material I internalized was on the test. Tell the students WHAT you want them to learn!
TEACHING TIP...Give the students Behavioral Objectives. TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO LEARN. No tricks no surprises.
There are techniques used to internalized information. Has anyone ever taught you HOW to learn. A Human Performance Technologist teaches, not only WHAT, but HOW.
TEACHING TIP...Give the students mnemonic devices. SHOW THEM HOW TO LEARN.
(See the How to Learn presentation in the "Educational Series" on this web site.)
The next step a Human Performance Technologists does is to design activity
oriented programs that will accomplish educational objectives>
TEACHING TIP...People learn by doing!. ACTIVITY! The Lecture method is the worst method of instruction. The lecture method is the most commonly used method.
ACTIVITIES makes learning FUN.
Human Performance Technologists determine WHY students don't learn and make
course corrections. For example, if 80% of the students miss number 18 on the test,
The Human Performance Technologist discovers "why" and "fixes" it. Teachers often just ....go on to the next unit ..thinking they don't have time.
Human Performance Technologist are people who are successful by getting the most from students. They find a way because they are looking for a way...scientifically. They always believe that the goal can be accomplished. They
never blame the student, the principal, the system. or society. They can. They do.
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