Is the ASTD Competency Model Still Relevant? Yes!
By Gina Anzaldo | August 26, 2008
To answer this question, ASTD did a thorough study of the model and reported on their findings in the August issue of T&D Magazine. The study found that, yes, the ASTD Competency Model remains highly relevant today. The study did find, though, that the context in which the Competency Model is applied is shifting. To a high degree, this shifting context is occurring due to changing trends in technology.
So what does that mean? It means that all of us who work within the training function need to insure that our core competencies, which have always been a focus, are adapted to newer technologies (new context). For example, when managing a virtual classroom the competencies you bring as an instructor will need to shift to adapt to the new environment where you may not have visual eye contact with your learners.
Regardless of your function in the training realm, your world is probably shifting! How do you move with this shift?
I read blogs that are most relevant to the type of work that I do - or most relevant to the ‘context’ in which I do my work. Fortunately, many training pros who have successfully adapted to newer technologies are also some of the best bloggers on the subject. No surprise there! Two of my favorite training blogs which speak to the changes occurring in training are Clive on Learning and elearning Technology
There are many ways to stay tapped into the trends that are changing our training world. What about you? Does reading blogs help you make the shift? If so, what are some of your favorites?
Topics: - Competency Model | 6 Comments »
ASTD Board Recap
By Kelly Orehovec | August 20, 2008
Thanks to all of you who came to the Board Meeting last night at PGE. What a fantastically creative, talented and energetic group of people we had in one room!
As a recap for those of you who could not make the Board Meeting last night to hear about the Board, Director and volunteer opportunities, here is a quick recap of what we did together.
· Lots of networking—that is how I know what creative, talented and energetic people we were surrounded by!
· Poster Board Sessions where we got to learn
o What our four focus areas are and how our four focus areas were developed
o Roles and responsibilities of Volunteers and the resources available to you
o What experienced Board members experiences have been to date—what they have learned, some of their challenges and the resources that they rely on
There are many ways to get involved in your ASTD Cascadia Chapter. Here is a list of our open Board positions.
1. VP of Learning Technologies
2. VP of Geographical Interest Groups (GIGs)
3. VP of Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
4. VP of Human Resources
5. VP of Marketing and Communication
6. Secretary
Here is a list of our open Director Positions.
1. Director of Programs (2 positions open)
2. Lane County GIG Director
3. Elearning Series Director
4. Fundamentals of Training Series Director
5. Managing Training Series Director
6. Director of Orientations
7. Director of Blogs
There are also many opportunities to volunteer with our September 2009 conference that we are just beginning to plan.
If you are interested in a Board, Director or volunteer position, please call or email me. I would like to know your interest about Board positions by Saturday, August 30. You can also read more information on our web site . Thank you!
Kelly Orehovec
President Elect
503-407-1120
Also, please check out our upcoming Senior Forum on September 17th .
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Membership Meetings and Orientation…Oh My!!!
By Shari Ward | August 12, 2008
Does the thought of planning quarterly membership meetings tickle your fancy? Do you squeal at the thought of helping to create a new member orientation program that will be delivered online?
If so, you are in luck! Our VP of Membership, Angela Watson, is looking for talented, energetic members to work on these activities. Here are some details:
Desired volunteer traits:
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Enjoy planning and coordinating meetings and events
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Good organizational and communication skills
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Interested in helping chapter members become better-connected and better-informed
Help plan and launch a new online version of the new member orientation.
Desired volunteer traits:
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Experience presenting or coordinating a web conference (via WebEx, MS Live Meeting, Adobe Connect, or similar platform)
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Interested in helping our chapter better meet the needs of our newest members.
Are we talkin’ your language? Then contact Angela at angelawatson06@gmail.com and put your ideas into action!
Topics: - Volunteer opportunites, Volunteers | No Comments »
ASTD Cascadia’s Board, Director and Volunteer roles
By Kelly Orehovec | August 8, 2008
ASTD Cascadia chapter wants you to get the most out of your membership. There are 4 ways that you benefit from being a member.
- Networking
- Business Opportunities
- Giving Back and
- Professional Development
Right now, you have the opportunity to Give Back to ASTD Cascadia and in doing so, have much to gain. Please join us at the August 19 Board meeting downtown Portland at PGE, One World Trade Center, 8th Floor, Conference Room A, 121 SW Salmon Street,
Portland, OR 97204 to learn more open Board, Director and Volunteer roles. We will serve you delicious food and you will network with many of finest folks in the Training and Development sector in the Oregon and SW Washington area.
This is a great chance for you to further your career, build your network of professionals, receive professional development by gaining skills to strengthen the way you lead, and implement new ideas within our workplace learning community
If you are interested in a Board, Director or volunteer position, please call or email me. You can also read more information on our web site. Thank you!
Kelly Orehovec
President Elect
503-407-1120
Also, please check out our upcoming Senior Forum on September 17th.
Topics: -Board members, ASTD-Cascadia Members | No Comments »
The “Law of Attraction”
By Ralph Hall | August 6, 2008
Focus is a critical component of success. Brian Tracy echoes the sentiments of many thought leaders in talking about having a “laser-like focus” on your goals. If we build our goals on the foundation of values and principles that are valid and important to us, our chance of success dramatically improves.
Another powerful tool is the act of writing down our goals. I have found that as I write down my guiding principles then write down my top ten goals, making any adjustments where the goals conflict with my values and principles, the “law of attraction” kicks in. It is a powerful thing.
It works the same way as when you buy a new (to you) car. When my wife and I bought our first car for $650, we found ourselves driving around in what I thought was the most hideous vehicle I had ever seen - a yellow ‘78 Toyota Celica. I was sure there was no other car on earth quite as ugly. Yet, as soon as we started driving it around we noticed three other identical cars in our college town. They certainly had been there the months and years before, but we had never noticed them.
Likewise, as you write down your goals - say, for the next 12-60 months - you will notice things in your environment that are already in place to help you achieve those goals. Those things will not just suddenly appear or begin to exist, but rather your brain will stop filtering them out of your view.
Think about it: there are millions of pieces of data all around us. There are observable data such as pictures on the wall, the color of your chair, the location you last set your keys, etc. Other data can be read or felt or heard. For your safety and sanity your brain is constantly engaged in filtering out data to avoid overload. It likewise is making assumptions and filling in blanks to connect pieces of data so that you don’t have to take valuable time re-analyzing every situation.
As you write your goals down you are re-setting the filter that the brain is using. This is particularly effective if the goals are based on your values and principles.
Topics: SW Washington GIG | 2 Comments »
Agonizing over social learning?
By Christine Martell | August 4, 2008
A while back I wrote a post on Learning Frameworks, about work being done by Ray Jimenez Ph. D. He dropped by the post and left a comment, where he says he agonizes:
I agonize about social learning. For me there is a huge jump from traditional learning to Web 2.0/social learning. I must be really growing old and part of me resists to just jump. My liability is that “I have the need” to think through, whereas the digital natives “don’t think through.” They jump into and swim. Phew … I remember the days when I too would just jump, I think ignorance has its own blessings. (Mine or the young person? Hmmmm. We are both ignorant, suppose.)
He goes on to share another framework in Deepening Social Learning to Work Performance - Proposed Model.
He says:
Instead of outrigthly dismissing the formal structure as old and antiquated and have no place in Learning 2.0, might it be possible that the formal structure can serve as a social learning model but with an added element - the element of a deepening process?
The Shifting Role of the Trainer
What do we do when content is generated by the users? Ray suggests we become trainer-facilitator-network weavers. Is our role shifting to be more of a guide? Creating rich resource pools which learners can dip into as needed?
I’m beginning to understand more why Ray is agonizing over social learning. Not only are we being asked to help others make fundamental changes in how they interact with technology, we need to do it first in order to be able to guide others. The longer I immerse myself, the more I see how fundamental these shifts are in how I operate as a learning professional.
How ready are you to jump in and swim?
Topics: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
ASTD Cascadia Succession Planning
By Kelly Orehovec | July 17, 2008
Hi,
Please take a moment to check out the many opportunities you have to get involved at the ASTD Cascadia chapter.
Also, did any of you attend the Portland ASTD Cascadia program yesterday with Patti Digh and David Robinson? Wow! What did you think? I really loved it. I just cruised around Patti’s blog as well.
Let’s talk about why this blog is so incredibly powerful.
Kelly
Topics: - Volunteer opportunites | No Comments »
State agencies team up to host career fair
By Theme Grenz | July 10, 2008
Hi all!
If any of you are looking for a state job, this is the career fair for YOU! News Release attached.
Theme Grenz, ASTD-Cascadia Past President
**************************
Oregon Department of Administrative Services
155 Cottage Street NE, U20 Salem, Oregon 97301-3966
News Release
For Immediate Release July 10, 2008
Contact: Lonn Hoklin, Public Affairs Manager, DAS
(503) 378-2627 lonn.hoklin@state.or.us
State agencies team up to host career fair
careerfair Oregon will showcase career opportunities in state government
Salem—The state of Oregon will host a major career event in September on the Capitol Mall to showcase the many diverse job opportunities that are available with state agencies, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) announced Thursday.
The event, careerfairOregon, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the lawn of the Capitol Mall. Its purpose is to invite Oregonians to check out employment opportunities with state government, Oregon’s biggest employer, and to encourage existing state employees to explore new job possibilities within state government.
“Within the next five years, a third of our state workers will become eligible to retire,” said DAS Director Scott Harra. “State government needs new people to step into the jobs retirees will leave behind. This exciting career fair will enable Oregonians to meet state recruiters face-to-face, and find out about the great opportunities that await them.”
More than 40 state agencies will participate in careerfairOregon, Harra said. Agency representatives will describe to job-seekers the advantages of working in state government, and the satisfaction of following a career in public service.
“The fair will help job-seekers understand the progressive and innovative ways that state government serves the needs of the workers, consumers and citizens of Oregon,” Harra said. The event will include training sessions and on-the-spot informational interviews, he added, with emphasis on how someone can get a job with the state.
For additional information about this event, contact careerfairOregon at (503) 373-7677, or visit the website at: www.oregonjobs.org (click on “careerfairOregon”).
More information on CareerfairOregon:
Objectives:
Showcase the career opportunities at state agencies to internal employees and external job seekers, and brand the state of Oregon as an “employer of choice.”
Time and Place:
September 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit the large marquee tent on the Capitol Mall.
Booths:
Approximately 50 booths will offer information on state careers, including hard-to-fill occupations such as nursing, information technology, auditing, financial professionals, etc.
Agenda:
Besides career information provided at agencies’ booths, there will be workshops on different topics of importance to current employees and potential candidates such as promotion/career development with state government, interviewing, application tips, etc.
Cost:
Free to job seekers
Parking:
Free underground parking at the Capitol Mall
Key Contact:
General Information: Twyla Lawson, Sr. Recruitment Consultant, (503) 373-7677
Topics: - Transitions SIG | 1 Comment »
Leaning Into Our Discomfort: Creating Inclusion Across Difference
By Christine Martell | July 7, 2008
Patti Digh, along with David Robinson will be facilitating the July 16, 2008 ASTD-Cascadia program . Here is an overview
Before we learn about other groups, this session invites us to consider ourselves and our capacity for walking toward difference, as opposed to away from it.
“The work of diversity is messy and chaotic – too often we try to ‘fix’ it with tame solutions that only perpetuate the problem,” says Patti Digh, co-facilitator of this session. “Many organizations avoid messiness even though it is the stuff that drives innovation, creativity and real learning. And we too often focus on behavioral change…but in our experience, behavior – like water – follows the structure of the land. To really achieve change around inclusion issues, we need to look more at the ‘structure of the land’ in our organizations. That, too, is sometimes messy.”
If the real work of diversity and inclusion happens at the far edges of our comfort zone, how can we learn to step toward our discomfort when our impulses tell us to run away? What is the difference between how we behave on those edges and how we think we behave? How does our need for safety keep us and our organizations from really engaging in the work of inclusion? What in the structure of the land of our organizations keeps us from achieving what we need around diversity and inclusion?
This session will address those questions and provide tools for moving ourselves and our organizations toward true inclusion. Please bring both hemispheres of your brain because you’ll need them both!
I have attended several programs with Patti and David, and I always come away with insights into myself and my work as well as tools I can put to work right away.
There are two recent interviews with Patti. The first is on PodCascadia where we interviewed her about the workshop, as well as finding out about her upcoming book, Life is a Verb. She was also interviewed by AOL Canada’s Lifestyle page, where you can read more about her book, blog, and work in diversity and inclusion.
Patti’s new book came from the essays she writes on her blog, 37days . I find her blog to be consistently inspiring, well worth some time exploring. While she writes on many topics, two of my favorite essays about walking with diversity and inclusion are:
Join us for the program July 16, 2008 from 2-5
Registration is still available here .
Topics: Programs | No Comments »
Measurement Job Aid
By Christine Martell | June 27, 2008
Here is a link to a very interesting job aid created by Dr Will Thalheimer. It gives you things to think about (based on research) when you are designing evaluation for training. It is broken into sections by evaluation levels and provides best practice and rationale.
You can download it to print out and reference the next time you are designing any kind of evaluation.
And while you are there, poke around his blog. There is a lot there well worth reading.
Topics: Training Tips | No Comments »