I have always wanted to start my own business doing what I like the best. Training people to solve problems. Check out this site.
www.dmssigma.com
This blog is centered around the standards of excellence for six sigma training. I have just started this business and as I have scanned the internet regarding green/yellow/blackbelt/master blackbelt training, it seems there is appetite for the quick checkmark on the resume. The DMSS - Design and Manufacturing Six Sigma business training I have put together is far from that. To earn a blackbelt from this program requires 4 weeks of face to face training. A deep understanding of the concepts taught are verified through an open ended set of questions where the blackbelt seeking certification must truly explain their thoughts on each question. There is no simple online, check the one answer that fits. Life does not work that way. I have spent 30 years in manufacturing and can say I have seen many solutions work, some better than others. There are many paths to those great solutions, so how would we simply ask yes/no or multiple choice questions to assess someone's understanding of concepts. It takes face to face discussion. The true learning I have observed in the classroom setting as I have taught this type of material, is that the face to face, bouncing understanding back and forth is what it takes to verify if the student really gets what is being said. There is a strategy to call upon people to make sure they are engaged, and on track with the materials. So to start this initial thread....what are your thoughts on
1. One way conversations?
2. Testing with only one answer available.... haven't you thought, well that depends?
1.) Through my years of schooling, I have noticed there is a time and place for one-way (lecture) type conversations. Many times, there is just no other way to present information. Minimizing that time is the true challenge. There is a philosophy class I once took that emphasized the importance of using the Jewish teaching style of 'Chavruta,' meaning companionship/friendship. This style of learning was based on the idea that truth cannot be found alone, and must be coaxed out between dialogue between to individuals. While this teaching style was more directed at two students sharing this dialogue, what better way to coax out truth than through a mentor and student sharing the same dialogue? Vygotsky, a human-development theorist in the late nineteen hundreds believed in scaffolding and social imprinting. Scaffolding, a learning term, describes the idea that people of a higher skill level build up those of a lesser level until the lesser no longer needs the extra "scaffold" that the mentor provides. A very fitting description considering your personal experience, and the hands on shaping that this type of training requires. Lectures have a place to quickly give as much information as possible, but information requires understanding and application to be useful; I personally believe understanding and application are created through dialogue, hands on activities, and exploration.
ReplyDelete2.) Nothing screams more, "I have an agenda for what I want you to learn," than to give a dichotomy/strict answer regulation to extremely complex questions. While there are definitely answers to some questions that are 'more' right than others, it is important to realize when learning about controlling real life circumstances that the 'not so right' answers still work and could potentially still solve a problem. Not only is it limiting to give strict answers, it is problematic to the teacher to see if the student truly knows and understands the correct answer, or simply guessed correctly. Just as I stated before, there is a time and a place for multiple choice/quick answer questions, but it seems that the ideas and goals you are wanting your students to shoot for require a much more in depth assessment strategy; namely open ended.
I believe you are definitely on the right path to providing your students with a great education. Application of these ideas is even more difficult than arriving at them, however. I do believe, considering your experience, that you already have all of this in mind, and that it is already structured so as to fulfill these concepts. I hope my confirmation is of help!
Charlie Czar, Thanks so much for the great input. I can clearly see you have a background in teaching methodologies. As stated, your confirmation is of help.
DeleteWell, the fall has come and there were no takers to my class as I went at level pricing with the market. So now we go the other path and take the price low. This will be harder work for sure as it may take a few years to build the base and demand, but it will bring a great value to the students who choose to take this life changing course. I call it life changing as it changed the way I view information presented. These latest polls are great examples of me wanting the facts behind the figures and the methods used to obtain the data. One should never go seeking data with the desired end result in mind, but only to let the data point out what exists.
ReplyDeleteYour concepts were easy to understand that I wondered why I never looked at it before. Thank you for this blog. This is very interesting and useful.If someone looking for Six Sigma training certification in India. Join us
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