Business Communication Course

Transcription

1 ABSTRACT Designing tasks to transfer learning to and from the workplace There was a resident complained a new staff. I explained the reason and sorted the problem. Gains in language, literacy and numeracy are always welcome, however, employers really value changes in practice as newly learnt skills are applied in the workplace. The model of instruction we use is classroom-based so it is important to engineer tasks that learners carry out in their normal work to put what they are learning into practice. This workshop is a chance for participants to sample some transfer tasks and consider how these ideas could be adapted for other teaching situations. The context for this workshop is the Business Communications Course, a workplace literacy and numeracy course at The Selwyn Foundation, an elder care provider based in the Upper North Island. In the workshop, we describe the goals, structure of the course and some of its initial impacts. We then look at tasks used on the course. Participants evaluate the extent to which these task scaffold transfer to the workplace. The final part of the workshop considers how the ideas and content from the course are feeding back into regular training in the workplace as The Selwyn Foundation moves towards sustainability with LLN. (198 words)

2 PLAN 1. INTRODUCTIONS: Yvonne (you + Selwyn) Nick (me + LI) Who s here?... How many tutors? How many managers / coordinator / course developers? How many business people? Others? 2 mins 2. WORKSHOP PLAN (Nick) 1 min (Set the context by talking about the work that Selwyn have been doing over the last 2 years. Then share some practice related to tasks that we design to encourage learners to put what they are learning into practice in the workplace) 3. THE CONTEXT: (5 mins) Why we started? Benefits for Selwyn and individuals? Sustainability? 4. Video (5 mins) 5. FACTORS THAT ENCOURAGE TRANSFER: The Business Communications Course uses a very low intensity programme 2 hours per week in class over a long period of time. TASK 1: Brainstorm factors that encourage workplace learners to put things into practice in the workplace. Feedback by handing out the ones we thought of. Check any different ones? Any that you didn t think of? (3 mins) 6. TASK 2: Sort tasks into 2 columns. 1 that tutors can control directly. 1 that tutors can influence. Feedback: Any that you couldn t place? (2 mins) 7. FOCUS ON TASK DESIGN (transfer tasks) TASK 3: On your tables are 4 transfer tasks. First of all identify the literacy / numeracy skill that is the main focus of each task and work out what learners need to do. Quick feedback. 8. TASK 4: In groups discuss which of the tasks you like the most and why? Also any issues / improvements you would make to these tasks. Emma s quote. (10 mins) 9. TASK 5: DESIGN YOUR OWN TRANSFER TASK FOR A COURSE AND A GROUP OF LEARNERS. Present to your table. (10 Mins) 10. Questions. (3 mins)

3 Policies Procedure: You will need 10 minutes for this task. With a colleague, find the policy folder in your workplace. Together, choose a policy that is relevant to your work that you don t know well. Afterwards: Business Communication Course Complete this so that you are ready to talk about it in class next week. We read. The most interesting thing we learnt was Reflection Which of the strategies from class did you use when you read the policy? Think about what you know of the policy first and what you want to find out. Use the index to find the part you are interested in. Use the headings in the policy. Read more than once. Talk about it after you read it. What difficult vocabulary did you find? Write the words here How did you deal with these words? Ignored the word Guessed Broke the word down to syllables Used a dictionary Asked someone

4 Charts and graphs Procedure You need a phone with a camera. If you don t have a phone with a camera, team up with someone who has one. Walk around your workplace and look for graphs and charts on the walls. See if you can find any graphs or charts like the infection control graph we looked at in class. They might be about health and safety, occupancy rates or they might be financial information. They could be line graphs or pie charts. They might just be tables. When you find a graph, take a photo of it. Bring these photos to class next week so that we can talk about them. Afterwards Sit down together with a colleague and look at one of the graphs you have photographed. Talk about what the graph shows. To do this: Read the title. If it is a graph, look at the X-Axis. Does it show time or something else? What s on the Y-Axis? What units 100s, 1000s? Look at the trends Is it upwards, stable or downwards. Is the picture showing that things are getting better or worse? How do you think this graph is produced? Where does the data come from? Why do you think it is important that this graph is displayed?

5 Handover meetings Procedure: Focus on handover meetings this week and notice things we looked at in class. What words did people use to interrupt respectfully? E.g. Excuse me ; Can I just check ; May I say something? ; Sorry People checking information. How did they do this? People asking for more detailed information. What did they ask for? People who speak clearly and pause well. Who does this well? People who use sentence stress and gesture to highlight key words. Who in your team does this well? People who were involved and people who were not included. Before the next class, have a chat with some of your colleagues about handover meetings. What do you feel you need to do better to be more involved? How could the meetings be more effective? Report back at the start of next week s class.

6 The ABC Behaviour Chart Procedure: This week, put this into practice with a real example. When you have finished, 1. Check it against the guidelines that we wrote in class and edit. 2. Check it with a colleague. Ask your colleague if it is clear. Edit if necessary. 3. After the RN has read your chart, get feedback from them. Was there a clear enough picture of the resident s behaviour for their purposes? Next week come to class and talk about the changes you made when editing your writing. Guidelines for New Carers The ABC Behaviour Chart The purpose of the ABC Behaviour Chart is to report a resident s behaviour that you feel needs to be recorded. It is a useful tool to keep yourself, other staff and residents safe. It is used to review a resident s behaviour and monitor their care. The charts are read by a range of people: other carers, RNs, GPs, management, the resident s family member (if requested). When you are filling it in, it is important to: Make sure you include your name and the resident s name Include the date and time. Give enough details of the behaviour for your report to be useful to a reviewer. Remember behaviour has to be observed actions and reactions. There is space for what happened before. Include: where, when, what the resident was doing. Write objectively not about how you felt or how you think the resident felt. Use reporting language (shouted, asked, said, told me). Include direct speech (if what the resident said is important). Use past tense verbs for writing about the past. Write in the right boxes this makes the chart easier to read. Make sure you sign it.

7 Confidence in general Security at work and a sense that they are valued and trusted Encouragement from class Peer support (from colleagues) Tasks that add legitimacy Course design with transfer tasks built in Support and understanding from managers and supervisors Relevant learning materials tailored to everyday work Individuals willingness and readiness to take risks Confidence that it s OK to try things out Individual s desire to make life better / more meaningful Opportunities to reflect Innate desire to explore, look at the way things are done with a new lens Degree of autonomy (as a learner and as an employee) Literacy and numeracy goals linked to performance on the job Practised in class and happy they can do it well

8 They feel their achievements and progress are recognised Encouragement from tutors to try things out