Training Archives - Learning Without Scars

What It Takes to Be a Great Training Instructor: Beyond the Basics

Guest writer Jim Dettore digs down into instructional practices in “What It Takes to Be a Great Training Instructor: Beyond the Basics.”

Being a great training instructor is more than knowing your material or speaking in front of a room. It’s about creating an experience that sticks with your learners long after they leave your session. Having spent over 30 years teaching technical, leadership, and communication skills, I’ve learned that delivering information is just the starting point. The true art of training lies in how you engage, connect, and bring the content and the learning space to life.

Since starting out training Grove Crane operators in the 1990s and moving into leadership and instructional roles in 1998, I’ve seen firsthand what makes some trainers exceptional. I’ve also sat through over 100 training classes and seminars myself, learning to spot the difference between average and outstanding instructors. I always wanted to emulate trainers like Lloyd Shull at Empire Cat’s Regional Dealer Learning Center, he made every session fun, engaging, and interactive. And people remembered what they learned.

Along the way, I’ve also been influenced by trainers like Amy Parrish of Iluma Learning, whose ability to create dynamic and engaging sessions is second to none. Teaching is about building connections and crafting a learning environment where people feel comfortable, curious, and motivated.

Let’s dive into what makes a great trainer, including not only communication and engagement tools but also how the physical training space itself can boost learning.

Know Your Content Inside and Out

Without deep knowledge of your subject matter, you can’t create the credibility or trust needed in a learning space. A trainer who fumbles through the material or relies too heavily on slides loses the room fast.

A standout trainer:

Knows the material thoroughly and can explain it in multiple ways.
Connects theory to real-world examples, making the information practical and relevant.
Is prepared to answer both common and complex questions.
Is comfortable going “off script” when needed to dive deeper or clarify points.

Remember: knowledge creates confidence, and confidence creates trust.

Communication Skills: The Trainer’s Toolbelt

Great communication goes beyond speaking clearly. The best trainers know how to modulate tone, pace, and language to keep their audience engaged.

Communication tips for trainers:

Tone and pace: Vary your pitch and cadence to emphasize key points and maintain energy.
Body language: Move purposefully, make eye contact with all areas of the room, and use gestures to reinforce your message.
Stories stick: Share relatable anecdotes and stories that reinforce key learning objectives.
Silence is powerful: Use pauses strategically. Silence after a question encourages thoughtful responses.
Listen, don’t just talk: Ask questions, listen actively, and allow participants to shape parts of the discussion.

Communicating to large groups:

With bigger groups, the need for energy and presence increases. Walk the room when possible, and make sure your voice reaches the back. Repeat audience contributions to ensure everyone hears and feels included.

The Learning Space Matters More Than You Think

The physical environment is often overlooked, but it’s critical to fostering engagement and focus.

What to consider in your training space:

Layout: Avoid static, lecture-style rows whenever possible. Instead, opt for circular seating, small groups, or U-shaped layouts to foster discussion and interaction.
Lighting: Bright but not harsh lighting helps maintain energy and focus.
Temperature: A too-warm or too-cold room is distracting. Aim for a comfortable middle ground.
Room flow: Allow space for movement. Walking around the room makes you more accessible and creates energy.

Visuals and Sensory Tools

Humans are visual learners by nature. A blank slide deck and a monotone voice will drain energy fast.

Visual and sensory engagement ideas:

Use visuals wisely: High-quality images, diagrams, charts, and videos can bring dry content to life.
Whiteboards and flip charts: Sketching concepts in real time helps reinforce key points and keeps learners engaged.
Fidget tools: Providing stress balls, fidget cubes, or tactile objects on tables can help kinesthetic learners focus better, especially during long sessions.
Drawing activities: Encourage participants to draw mind maps, concept sketches, or even doodle key takeaways. This promotes creative engagement and improves retention.

When I implemented simple visuals and allowed space for participants to physically interact, whether through sketching, building models, or hands-on exercises, engagement skyrocketed. Amy Parrish is a master at integrating movement and creativity into learning activities, blending traditional teaching with dynamic participation.

Engagement Tools and Techniques

The best trainers:

Break the “lecture pattern” frequently by using interactive activities.
Gamify content: Quick games, quizzes, and contests boost energy and reinforce lessons.
Role-playing: Especially effective in leadership and communication training, this tool helps learners “live” the lesson.
Open the floor: Encourage questions and discussions early and often.
Group projects or challenges: Teams working toward shared goals foster collaboration and increase buy-in.

Even providing sticky notes and markers can empower learners to participate visually during brainstorming sessions or group discussions.

Tips for keeping people engaged all day:

Break sessions into 60–90-minute chunks with regular breaks.
Use movement breaks. Get people standing, stretching, or shifting groups.
Surprise learners with new formats: Try rotating stations or walking discussions outside the traditional classroom.

Connection: The Heart of Great Training

Great instructors don’t just teach; they connect. Participants are more likely to absorb content when they feel seen and valued.

How to build individual connections:
Learn names quickly and use them.
Acknowledge contributions: Give credit when someone shares an insight or asks a thoughtful question.
Adapt to personalities: Quiet learners may need encouragement, while talkative learners might need gentle steering.

One-on-one check-ins during breaks or after sessions can also help build rapport, especially with participants who may be struggling to engage.

Building group connection:

Create a safe environment where questions and mistakes are welcomed.
Foster peer-to-peer discussion.
- Lead by example. Be open, authentic, and approachable. 7. What Makes a Trainer Stand Out?

After three decades of delivering and observing training, here’s what consistently sets great trainers apart from average ones:

Emotional Intelligence:

Reading body language, sensing energy dips, and adapting delivery in the moment makes the difference between a rigid session and one that flows naturally.
Passion:
Passion is contagious. If you’re genuinely excited about your topic, your learners will feel it too.
Flexibility:
No class goes exactly as planned. Great trainers adapt on the fly without losing momentum.

Commitment to Growth:

Despite delivering over 500 classes, I still learn something new from every session. The best trainers are humble, constantly refining their craft.

Final Thoughts: Creating the Full Experience

At the end of the day, a successful training experience is a combination of:

Strong content mastery,
Excellent communication,
An engaging and inclusive physical space,
Sensory tools to boost focus,
And most importantly, a deep connection with your learners.

When I think back to people like Lloyd Shull and Amy Parrish, what stands out isn’t just what they taught, it’s how they made their learners feel. They created spaces where people were comfortable, curious, and energized.

If you want to move from average to great as a trainer, invest in the full experience: the room, the tools, the human connection, and yourself.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

March 18, 2025

Training, Words of Wisdom

Pros and Cons of the Letter Grading System

This piece was originally published in The Week US on March 30, 2023. Theara Coleman writes about the Pros and Cons of the Letter Grading System in higher education, and the move away from traditional letter grades by some colleges.

How does the traditional school of thought stack up against ‘un-grading,’ an unorthodox assessment method gaining traction among the nation’s educators?

By Theara Coleman, The Week US

Published March 30, 2023

In an attempt at easing the high school-to-college transition, some U.S. universities have begun implementing unorthodox student assessment methods, reigniting a debate over whether the traditional letter grading system still works. The new trend, called “un-grading,” is a part of “a growing movement to stop assigning conventional A through F letter grades to first-year college students and, sometimes, upperclassmen,” NPR reports. Though it existed before the pandemic, un-grading has “taken on new urgency” as of late, “as educators around the country think twice about assigning those judgmental letters A-F to students whose schooling has been disrupted for two years,” The Washington Post wrote last year. Teachers and faculty at Texas Christian University, the University of New Hampshire, and Florida Gulf Coast University, for example, are among the growing group experimenting with some form of un-grading, which might involve allowing students to pick between written and verbal exams and letting them choose how their homework impacts their final score.

To help make better sense of the debate, we’ve outlined a few of the pros and cons of traditional letter grading below:

Pro: Letter grades hold students accountable

Advocates for the conventional grading system say it helps students easily identify “their improvements, mistakes, and areas they can work on,” per Harlem World Magazine. Indeed, a precise scale for performance feedback allows students to discover their strengths and weaknesses and “build self-analytical skills.”

“Things like grades and clear assignments can be enormously useful handrails to help you make your way,” Frederick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, told NPR. Assuming that students are “too fragile” to receive feedback from the teachers “strikes me as missing a pretty significant element of the purpose of higher education,” he added.

Con: Letter grades de-emphasize learning

Critics of the letter grading system say that “students have become so preoccupied with grades, they aren’t actually learning,” NPR summarizes. “Grades are not a representation of student learning, as hard as it is for us to break the mindset that if the student got an A, it means they learned,” said Jody Greene, special adviser to the provost for educational equity and academic success at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In fact, Greene added, letter grades “are terrible motivators for doing sustained and deep learning.”

The use of “letter grades as a currency” has “negatively distorted student motivation for generations,” Jack Schneider, professor of education at the University of Massachusetts, wrote for The New York Times “Regardless of their inclination to learn, many students strive first and foremost to get good grades.”

Pro: Letter grades are universally understood

“Grading systems are universal in nature,” Harlem World explained, and using a system that is understood across institutions makes it easier for students to “analyze and figure out where they stand in the world on the basis of their grades.”

Indeed, that the letter grading system is easy to understand is “one clear advantage over other models,” Evan Thompson wrote in a blog for ‘The Best Schools, an education resource website. “Everyone knows what grades mean,” making it “easy for students to understand where they stand in a class or on a particular subject.”

Con: Letter grades perpetuate an unfair system

Champions of un-grading say it addresses “the unfairness of a system in which some students are better ready for college than others,” NPR summarizes. For instance, UCSC’s Greene told NPR, lower-income students are most likely to feel anxiety about grades. “Let’s say they get a slightly failing grade on the first quiz. They are not likely to go and seek help. They’re likely to try and disappear,” Greene said.

Letter grades have been used to “justify and to provide unequal educational opportunities based on a student’s race or class,” Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, chief academic officer of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and Pedro A. Garcia, senior executive director of the division of instruction, said om a 2021 letter to principals. In continuing to use the old system, educators “inadvertently perpetuate achievement and opportunity gaps, rewarding our most privileged students and punishing those who are not.”

Pro: Letter grades encourage competition

Letter grades incentivize students to perform well by encouraging them to compete with each other, wrote educator Patricia Willis in a blog for Study.com, an online learning platform. Competitive students “are willing to work hard because they want to be first among their peers.” A pass/fail system, on the other hand, leaves “little incentive for students to work hard.” This can be especially true if students “feel that extra effort makes no difference in the end.”

Con: Letter grades fail to provide room for improvement

“The A-F letter-grading scale offers little room for improvement once the assignment, assessment, or course has concluded,” said Jon Alfuth, senior director of state policy at the education nonprofit KnowledgeWorks, in a letter to the editor at Education Week.

“Just because I did not answer a test question correctly today doesn’t mean I don’t have the capacity to learn it tomorrow and retake a test,” Yoshimoto-Towery told the Los Angeles Times. “Equitable grading practices align with the understanding that as people we learn at different rates and in different ways and we need multiple opportunities to do so.”

March 13, 2025

Training

The Schools Reviving Shop Class Offer a Hedge Against the AI Future

A Paper by Te-Ping Chen

This article was originally published in the Wall Street Journal on March 1, 2025.

In America’s most surprising cutting-edge classes, students pursue hand-on work with wood, metals, and machinery, getting a jump on lucrative old-school careers.

School districts around the U.S. are spending tens of millions of dollars to expand and revamp high-school shop classes for the 21st century. They are betting on the future of manual skills overlooked in the digital age, offering vocational-education classes that school officials say give students a broader view of career prospects with or without college.

With higher-education costs soaring and white-collar workers under threat by generative AI, the timing couldn’t be better.

In a suburb of Madison, Wis., Middleton High School completed a $90 million campus overhaul in 2022 that included new technical-education facilities. The school’s shop classes, for years tucked away in a back corridor, are now on display. Fishbowl-style glass walls show off the new manufacturing lab, equipped with computer-controlled machine tools and robotic arms.

Interest in the classes is high. About a quarter of the school’s 2,300 students signed up for at least one of the courses in construction, manufacturing, and woodworking at Middleton High, one of Wisconsin’s highest-rated campuses for academics.

“We want kids going to college to feel these courses fit on their transcripts along with AP and honors,” said Quincy Millerjohn, a former English teacher who is a welding instructor at the school. He shows his students local union pay scales for ironworkers, steamfitters and boilermakers, careers that can pay anywhere from $41 to $52 an hour.

“Kids can see these aren’t knuckle-dragging jobs,” Millerjohn said.

Welding teacher Quincy Millerjohn in one of the campus shops at Middleton High School in Middleton, Wis.

In Wisconsin, 32,000 high-school students took classes in architecture and construction during the 2022-2023 school year, a 10% increase over the prior year, state data show: 36,000 enrolled in manufacturing courses, a 13% increase over the same period.

“There’s a paradigm shift happening,” said Jake Mihm, an education consultant in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. “They’re high-skill, high-wage jobs that are attractive to people because they’re hands-on, and heads-on.”

Renewed interest among local governments, school districts, businesses and voters has triggered the investment in shop classes, which for decades have lost enrollment, pushed aside by demand for college-prep courses. Ohio and other states offer schools financial incentives for classes that lead to industry certifications in such high-demand jobs as pharmaceutical technician and pipe fitter.

At Middleton High, wood shop teacher Justin Zander added classes to accommodate the 175 students who enroll each semester, up 75 from four years ago. He said he still had to turn away students.

Zander, who has taught shop classes for three decades, said students and parents better understand that blue-collar work can pay well. “People are more accepting now,” he said.

‘Good choice’

American high schools began jettisoning shop class following the 1983 publication of “A Nation at Risk,” a federal report that urged high schools to raise academic standards.

The 2002 No Child Left Behind Act emphasized standardized test results to measure student achievement. Many schools, under pressure to show academic improvement, spent less on art and music classes, as well as cut back on auto repair and other shop courses.

For decades, shop programs were dogged by allegations that schools shunted students from low-income families into blue-collar careers, while well-off students headed to college.

If there is a stigma to taking shop classes, Andres Mendoza Alcala, a Middleton High senior, isn’t seeing it. “I haven’t met a single person that looks down on someone else, just because they’re doing the trades instead of college,” the 18-year-old aspiring carpenter said. “They just say it’s a good choice. These are secure jobs.”

As white-collar hiring slows, more younger workers are finding blue-collar careers. The share of workers ages 20 to 24 in blue-collar jobs was 18% last May, two points higher than it was at the start of 2019, according to an analysis by payroll provider ADP. Enrollment in vocation-focused, two-year community colleges jumped 14% in fall 2024 compared with a year earlier. Enrollment at public four-year colleges rose 3% during that period.

Students participating in wood shop and home maintenance classes at Middleton High School.

Brandon Ross at PBK, an architecture firm based in Houston, sees the boom firsthand. School construction projects tied to vocational education account for around 10% of the firm’s work, he said, a figure that has doubled in the past five years.

PBK is designing a $140 million career and technical-education center for students in the Spring Branch Independent School District, which serves the Houston area. There will be an auto-repair shop, which hasn’t been available at district schools for years, as well as courses in fields as varied as healthcare, digital animation, filmmaking, culinary arts, cosmetology, and computer networking.

“Not everybody wants to go to college, and some people don’t want to go to college right away,” said Jennifer Blaine, the district superintendent. Enrollment in vocational classes is up 9% over the past four years, she said. The project, supported by a voter-approved bond issue, will accommodate 2,200 students each semester when completed.

About 150 students at Sutherlin High School in Sutherlin, Ore., take Josh Gary’s woodworking class, a number equal to nearly half the student body. When Gary took over the shop class in 2014, he had 30 students and little equipment. He bought used tools on Craigslist with his own money and raised funds selling picnic tables he made with students.

The wood shop now features laser cutters and computer-assisted routers that enable high-level detail work. Last year, Sutherlin High opened a $750,000 metal shop. A $375,000 state grant paid for new tools, and $50,000 from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, a program launched by the tool-retailer’s founder, bought a pickup truck for use by the classes.

Gary likes to joke that he is a shop teacher who never took shop. When he was in high school during the late 1990s, he said, his father wouldn’t let him enroll. He went to college and law school but decided to teach.

“The trades are just more valued these days,” said Gary, noting that class valedictorians have taken his classes. “Electricians and plumbers make great money, and some of our higher-end students see that.”

Teacher Justin Zander’s wood shop at Middletown High School.

A welding student working at Middleton High School.

Test drive

Roughly half of college graduates end up in jobs where degrees aren’t needed, according to a 2024 analysis of more than 10 million résumés by labor analytics firm Burning Glass Institute and the nonprofit Strada Education Foundation.

Yet many high schools aren’t equipped to help students who want to skip college. One hurdle is cost. Vocational education is generally more expensive than math or English classes. Shop teachers at Middleton High spend around $20,000 a year on wood, steel, aluminum, and other materials. Updating equipment for manufacturing, woodworking and metalworking cost the district $600,000.

Recruiting shop teachers is tough, given the generous wages paid for skilled trade work.

For 22 years, Staci Sievert taught social studies at Seymour Community High School in Seymour, Wis. After the school went through three shop teachers in four years, Sievert told the principal she would learn to weld, work with wood, and teach the classes herself. She became a shop teacher in 2017.

“I just felt like we were shortchanging our kids, our community and our families if we weren’t raising the bar in tech ed,” Sievert said. In her region of northeast Wisconsin, more than a fifth of the jobs are in manufacturing. “This is who we are,” she said.

For some students, shop classes are a steppingstone, not a replacement for higher education.

Shop teacher Staci Sievert at Seymour Community High School.

While Breana Brackett was an honors student at Highland High School in Bakersfield, Calif., she took a construction class at the district’s Regional Occupational Center. She is now at California State University, Chico, working toward a degree in construction management.

The course she took in high school, Brackett said, “helped me be sure this is what I wanted to do before I spent money to go to college.”

Kern High School District, which encompasses Bakersfield, spent $100 million from a voter-approved bond measure and state grants to build a new vocational center in 2020 and expand its Regional Occupational Center. The two campuses are open to high-school juniors and seniors to take classes, some for-college credit. Roughly, 70% of the students who take courses there continue their education after high school, mostly at community college or trade schools, said Natasha Hughes, who recruits students for the district programs.

A teenager can make $20 an hour as a welder’s helper after graduating from high school with technical-education classes, Hughes said. Another year of welding instruction at a community college can boost pay to $60,000 a year for pipeline jobs in Bakersfield-area oil fields.

Even with the expansion of the district’s vocational classes, student demand outpaces available seats. Last school year, 6,200 students applied for 2,500 spots at the two vocational campuses. The waitlist for auto shop is 300 students, said Fernando Castro, one of the instructors.

Castro took a $50,000 pay cut when he left his job as an automotive technician in 2015. He said he was inspired by his mother, also a teacher. The district has since adjusted its salary formula to reflect industry experience. Castro now makes $100,000 a year, matching his former income.

“It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” he said, helping launch young adults into well-paying careers and having his summers free.

Tom Moser, service manager at Jim Burke Ford Lincoln, said the Bakersfield car dealership employs around two dozen graduates from the school district’s Regional Occupational Center, including two people he hired out of high school last year.

Experienced employees have been hard to find. “You’ll post a job and not get a qualified applicant in months,” Moser said. The dealership decided it was better to train workers who graduated from high-school shop classes. Workers who start at $19 an hour can work their way up to six-figure incomes in four years, he said.

“You can pretty much write your own ticket once you’ve acquired the skills,” Moser said.

Some students taking the district’s vocational courses learn they aren’t cut out for hands-on work. A number of students who sign up for Chad Wright’s early morning construction courses quit every year, he said. Some aren’t happy about having to rise as early as 5:30 a.m. to catch the bus for class. Others are surprised by how much endurance the course requires.

“Once they get in here and realize it’s three hours of actual standing up doing some work,” Wright said, “some of them get a little glassy-eyed and wonder what they signed up for.”

Yet, it is best to learn early about the rigors of the construction trades, he said, especially when early mornings are the best time to work during the hot summers in this part of California.

“I’m not trying to run anybody off,” Wright said. “But at the same time, I want them to understand what the real world has waiting.”

March 11, 2025

Personnel, Training

Our Electric Engine Transition

Founder Ron Slee returns this week to write about “Our Electric Engine Transition” as professionals.

Many of you have already read of my using the Steam Engine change to the Electric Engine as an indication on how we actually deal with change as a society. Society took advantage of the technology change by acquiring electric engines and replacing their old steam engines. However, if took a change in generation before the true benefits of the electric engine were realized. I attribute this to society not being able to absorb too much change at one time.

I want to revisit changes that have existed over the last seventy-five years and draw a comparison.

1950 The Computer

1960 Disk Storage and Operating System Software

1970 The Internet

1980 Cell Phone

1990 Telematics and GPS

2000 Sensors and Computerized Components

2010 Subscription Services

2020 Artificial Intelligence.

This list is not a completely true representation of when these changes have taken place, but it is close.

Now consider the approach taken during the 1800’s that it took a generation, twenty years, to take advantage of the change in the tool. Now transfer that approach to my list of the eight major changes since 1950. Do any of you think that we have done a good job of exploiting these major changes in technology? These changes in the tools that are available to us.

Let me use one simple example.

Put the computer (1950) with the internet (1970) and tell me the impact that we have realized in the customer service delivery systems of parts ordering.

Some questions please?

What percentage of your parts business comes through the internet?

How do your technicians order the parts they need for a repair or a rebuild?

What percentage of your parts invoices are paid online with a direct transfer of funds?

What percentage of your parts order pickups use a signature pad?

Do you see what I am trying to expose to you?

I bet you order more things online as a percentage of your personal purchases than your company does for their parts order. Isn’t there something wrong with that?

Let’s go in a different direction now. Please consider the following when you sell a machine.

Do you sell a maintenance agreement at the same time?

Do you sell extended warranties at the same time?

Do you sell a machine tracking system at the same time?

Do you sell an “alert” system when there is something going wrong with the machine?

Do you sell Oil Sampling at the same time?

Do you sell a field service response guarantee at the same time?

Do you sell parts delivery services at the same time?

Each of these items can be sold on a “monthly subscription” basis.

In the 1990’s Jeff Bezos started Amazon. He started by selling books. He listened very seriously to his buyers, his customers. He found out what they wanted and needed. He acted on those things that he could and that made sense to him. Go further and look at Steve Jobs and the cell phone or Sam Walton and Walmart.

One of my favorite elements is Artificial Intelligence. The field of artificial intelligence is considered to have begun at the 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project that was organized by John McCarthy. The man that is considered to be the “father of AI” is Allan Turing. Let me bring this forward to the world today. ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an AI Research company. The CEO of ChatGPT is Sam Altman. That has taken seventy years to become a common subject for discussion.

Have you used AI? Have you used ChatGPT? I bet most of you have used both. I do.

At Learning Without Scars is our purpose to help people identify your personal and professional potential. We are aiming at the Lifelong Learning market. By the way, that market doesn’t really exist at the moment. Typically, we go to Grade School, Middel School, and High School. The we either get a job and go to work making a living and a productive member of society or we continue with school. We have the choice of one of three tracks.

Technical or Vocational Schools.
Junio or Community Colleges
Public or Private Universities.

Each of these options uses a campus and facilities and what I call “The Sage on the Stage” teaching.

Lifelong Learning covers people who are already in the workforce. This would be single people and married people. The problem is these people are all remarkably busy. It is extremely hard to hold a job and also go to school. I went to night school to get more understanding of special statistical models. It was really hard to do.

For adult education we have designed our classes to take five plus hours to complete. We suggest that our students take one hour and fifteen minutes each week and take a class. You will be finished at the end of the month. You can select an individual class to upgrade your skills, or you can take class bundles, four classes to eight classes in a bundle.

To close this circle now is very premature. You can expect me to address this subject again. We as a society are in trouble. We have spent trillions of dollars on technology. However, we have not spent very much money on Sociology. Ed Gordon, one of our celebrated Contributors, says that by the year 2030 half of the workforce in the United States will not have the skills to be employable. That is quite a statement, isn’t it? I might argue it to be 2036 but that is nitpicking something that I agree with completely.

That is why adult education is so important. Get ready. You will need to accept changes coming at you faster and faster over the rest of your lives. Are you up to that? I sure hope so.

The time is now.

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December 17, 2024

Personnel, Technology, Training

Artificial Intelligence – AI and Learning Without Scars

At Learning Without Scars, we are usually ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. Our curriculum designer, Caroline Slee-Poulos, likes to joke that we were on Zoom before it was “cool.” When it comes to AI, the situation is the same. Ron Slee is giving an update this week on all things LWS with, “Artificial Intelligence – AI and Learning Without Scars.”

In our July 1st, 2024, Newsletter Ross Atkinson told us about how we have been using AI and where it will take us with this wonderful advancement in technology. As with most technological changes they create Paradigm Shifts. Methods and Policies and Systems must change. Sara Hanks eloquently covers Continuous Improvement for us through her blogs and podcasts. If you have read her blogs or listened to her podcasts, well, you don’t know what you are missing.

www.learningwithoutscars.com

I wanted to talk to you with this blog about how at Learning Without Scars (LWS) our goal is to provide the industries we serve with a platform of information. That is what we attempt to provide under our Resources tab. There you will find our blogs, podcasts, newsletter, reading lists and today I am pleased to share with you a new option – Film Clips. More on that shortly.

At our core, our purpose with the company is that we are a School. We offer more than seventy academic credits at Technical Schools, Community Colleges and Public and Private Universities worldwide. We are the only IACET accredited business in our industry. We are enormously proud to have this status for our students, Centers of Excellence, Industry Associations, and Original Equipment Manufacturers.

One of the most important aspects of our school is our Job Function Skills Assessments (CSA’s). We have created very comprehensive multiple-choice assessments to measure the skills and knowledge of the employees doing the work for dealers, distributors, associations, and manufacturers.

One more thing, before I get into AI. In the last couple of weeks, a new font has been created to help people with Dyslexia to be able to read written documents and books like a more traditional person. This to me is a HUGE development. As time permits, we will address this font for our learning material.

Artificial Intelligence – AI.

It is becoming the latest craze, almost a fad. Believe me when I tell you it is not a fad. It is here to stay and will continue to evolve in ways that we can only imagine.

ChatGPT is very new. It was created by an artificial intelligence company in 2022. Perhaps as old as two years. We are now at ChatGPT 4o. OpenAI was a research company started as a non-for-profit in 2015 and changed to for-profit in 2019. There is still a free version as well as a premium version that you purchase.

At LWS we use AI in a variety of ways. We convert word documents to audio tracks; we use it to translate from one language to another. That works for one-hundred and thirty different languages. We use it to create subtitles that allows us to be in compliance with the American with Disabilities (ADA) compliant. We use it to provide transcriptions of our podcast and create social media pieces. We use it to create avatars, what we call “HUMANARS.” ( a word we have coined)

Ross Atkinson, who directs us in all aspects of technology, keeps us out on the leading edge of technology for the education world. He is truly an indispensable part of our present and future.

Our use of Humanars is expanding.

We create film clips for social media. Ross created an entry point on our website this past weekend. We primarily intended humanars for our classes. Caroline Slee-Poulos, my incredibly talented daughter, coordinates everything we do from a learning perspective, our accreditation, our learning management software, our reporting and commercial interfaces. She has an extremely critical function to perform for us. Without her I don’t think I would have been able to transition our learning products from me being the “Sage of the Stage” teacher in front of a class to all products completely on the internet.

Our classes are undergoing a complete redo. We have had the two foundations of teaching in place since the beginning: Lectures and Homework. We have followed traditional education parameters for every hour of lectures the class has two hours of homework. In fact, we exceed that and always have. Check out our reading List on the website.

Each adult education and workforce development class consist of about twenty segments, they average about fifteen minutes each. Each segment is presented by humanars. Our humanars are male and female of varying ages and from various regions of the world as represented by the Olympic Rings. We have a pretest, to measure skills and knowledge at the outset of the class and a final assessment. Each class also includes surveys to obtain student evaluations of the classes as well as suggestions for improvement. as well as a few surveys. Each segment ends with a quiz. At the conclusion of our classes the student will have a very comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. We call all our classes Subject Specific Classes.

Now I would like to introduce you to a new member of our team. Joudeb Chakrboty, Co-founder of Virtualess IT is now driving all our social media. He is evaluating everything we do on the social media front, and we welcome him to LWS. He has asked me to provide him with five blogs a week and two film clips a week. (Note: As if I needed more work.)

So, at LWS we are becoming more and more influenced by AI.

And don’t forget CoPilot, from Microsoft or Claude, created by Anthropic. Or there is Gemini from Google or Meta AI from Facebook. The space is getting crowded.

The world keeps changing. Adapt and adjust or be left behind.

The Time is Now.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

July 9, 2024

Marketing, Technology, Training

Data Security and Your Business

This week, Ron Slee returns with new blogs. This piece is a continuation of a podcast episode with Mets Kramer and Stephanie Smith, talking about data security and its crucial role in your business.

In our recent podcast, we delved into the intricate world of data security, modern business practices, and effective marketing strategies. Our expert guests, Stephanie Smith, and Mets Kramer, offer invaluable insights into the alarming frequency of cyber breaches in the U.S. and how businesses can counteract them.

The discussion begins with an exploration of data security, highlighting the critical role of daily backups using Azure’s SQL database in maintaining operational continuity during cyber incidents. We also demystify cloud data storage and the intricacies of modern cloud infrastructure, ensuring businesses are well-equipped to fend off digital threats.

Stephanie and Mets underscore the importance of understanding cybersecurity impacts across various industries. They share that in the United States, cyber incidents occur about 2,200 times a day, making robust data protection an essential component of business strategy. They emphasize the need for clear communication and education within the industry to help businesses safeguard their systems and leverage their data effectively. Mets explains how Azure’s SQL database can provide daily backups, offering operational continuity even during cyber incidents. This approach is crucial for businesses that rely heavily on data to function.

The conversation shifts to modern security practices that every dealership should adopt. Advanced technologies such as containerization and the essential role of AI in monitoring interactions are discussed in detail. These technologies make it increasingly difficult for hackers to penetrate systems, ensuring that businesses remain secure. The episode also proposes an innovative idea: a certification for dealerships that meet high security standards. This certification could serve as both a marketing tool and a benchmark for excellence in an industry often slow to embrace new tech.

The episode further explores the challenges of the modern workplace and the effective marketing strategies needed to retain customers and drive business success. Understanding diverse workforce demographics and the need for meaningful work, especially for younger employees, is crucial. Stephanie shares impactful stories from companies like Toromont, illustrating how embedding knowledgeable developers within business units can revolutionize tech solutions. This approach fosters better communication and understanding between developers and end-users, leading to more relevant and impactful technological solutions.

Customer retention is another critical focus of the episode. Data analytics plays a significant role in maintaining business relationships. The discussion highlights how quickly customers switch providers if their needs aren’t met and emphasizes the necessity of tracking buying habits to preempt potential defections. Using daily data analysis, businesses can monitor customer behavior and implement timely interventions. Modern software and AI can automate these processes, ensuring prompt responses to changing patterns and ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.

Marketing strategies are also a key topic of discussion. The episode emphasizes that marketing is not merely a cost center but a critical component of driving ROI. Adaptability, internal marketing, and having the right partners and technology officers in place are highlighted as essential elements for successful marketing. The importance of fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to voice their opinions and engage in constructive debates to reach the best decisions is also stressed. The episode shares an anecdote about Lou Gerstner’s impactful leadership approach at IBM, underscoring the significance of knowing and prioritizing key customers.

Finally, the episode addresses the role of parts and service in covering the overhead expenses of dealerships. Better post-purchase workflows, such as automating customer reminders and services, are essential for enhancing customer satisfaction and driving business success. Leveraging CRM systems to predict maintenance needs and automate reminders can significantly improve efficiency. The potential of QR codes and barcodes for seamless scheduling and parts ordering is also discussed. The episode encourages businesses to embrace change and stay curious to keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and marketing.

In summary, this episode offers a comprehensive guide to safeguarding your business in the digital age. From data security and modern security practices to effective marketing strategies and customer retention, the insights provided by Stephanie and Mets are invaluable for any business looking to thrive in today’s competitive environment. Tune in to gain a wealth of knowledge that promises to propel your business forward.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

July 9, 2024

Personnel, Training

Our Virtual Garage

The second installment of information this week comes from our Founder, Ron Slee. Please read on to learn about “Our Virtual Garage.”

The image of the virtual garage brings to mind the humble beginnings that have started an individual journey. It is through relationships that this journey is carried through to success. The virtual garage resonates with the marketplace.

At Learning Without Scars, we have Colleagues, Associate, and Partners who collaborate to help our collective clients to realize their full potential. This collaborative team is Our Virtual Garage.

The garage environment supports this collaborative culture, where the members of Our Virtual Garage often oversee, or manage, everything from product development to marketing and sales. This direct approach can be instrumental in shaping an association’s culture and values. Working in close quarters with others in the virtual garage fosters formidable team dynamics and encourages a shift towards collaboration and solutions.

At Learning Without Scars we are dedicated to assessing skills, providing comprehensive training, and testing your employee’s knowledge and abilities to consistently meet and exceed your customers’ needs and expectations at every point of interaction.

Our holistic approach ensures that your team is well equipped to deliver exceptional customer service with confidence and proficiency. We work closely with your organization to develop customized training programs that align with your brand values and customer service goals, fostering a customer- centric culture that builds long-lasting relationships.

By identifying skill gaps in providing targeted training, we equip your employee teams with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in their roles. Our training programs are designed to enhance communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence, enabling your employees to manage diverse customer interactions with empathy and professionalism.

At LWS, we measure our success based on your ability to retain customers and increase customer transactions profitability. We understand that satisfied customers are the key to sustainable growth, and our ultimate goal is to help you achieve higher customer retention rates and improved profitability.

Through our proven methodologies and ongoing support, we partner with you to unlock your organization’s full potential and create a loyal customer base that drives your business forward.

We use cutting edge Zintoro Analytics to measure the impact of our training programs, providing you with data-driven insights and actionable recommendations.

Our analytics program tracks key performance indicators, such as customer satisfaction scores, retention rates, and revenue growth, allowing you to quantify the ROI of our training programs. By continuously monitoring and analyzing these metrics, we can refine our strategies and ensure that your employees are consistently delivering outstanding service that sets you apart from the competition.

Partner with LWS to equip your employees, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth in today’s dynamic business landscape. With our expertise, customized training solutions, and data-driven approach, you can build a high-performing team that exceeds customer expectations and drives your organization’s success.

The Time Is Now.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

April 9, 2024

Personnel, Training, Words of Wisdom

How We Teach – How You Learn

Our founder, Ron Slee, is back this week with a blog post that goes straight to the heart of our mission here at Learning Without Scars: How We Teach – How You Learn.

I have taught for many decades. During that time, I was primarily in classrooms, although sometimes it was in swimming pools, or tennis courts or golf courses. Not only did the venue change but also the age group of students changed. From infants who were taught to be able to swim and survive when on the water from the age of six months old to senior citizens who were afraid to swim. However, primarily I was in classrooms or lecture halls or auditoriums. A typical class size ranged from twenty-four students at round tables to several hundred.

I started teaching in the 1960’s so a lot of time has been involved in teaching and trying different methods to get students to “get it.”

I have always been interested in learning and understanding and not memorizing. I still want to be able to reconstruct my learning years and years later. If I don’t understand something, will I be able to remember it?

Which brings me to the specific subject of this blog. I want you to learn – to understand. So, I will never tell you the answer. I will ask questions of you. I will coax you into working it out on your own. I found out years later that this was called the “Socratic” way of teaching.

The Socratic method is a dialogue between individuals based on asking and answering questions. This method, attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, aims to probe, and examine beliefs, leading participants toward a deeper understanding of truth and coherence.

Here’s how it works – the following comes from a google search.

Questioning Common Beliefs.

The Socratic method begins with commonly held beliefs. Socrates engages in dialogue with others, questioning these beliefs to uncover inconsistencies and contradictions.

Internal Consistency and Coherence.

Through a series of questions, Socrates scrutinizes beliefs for internal consistency (whether they hold up logically) and their coherence with other beliefs. The goal is to bring everyone closer to the truth.

Midwifery of Understanding.

Socrates likens his method to midwifery, helping interlocutors develop their understanding in a way analogous to a child developing in the womb.

Pedagogical Contexts.

Modified forms of the Socratic method are employed today in various educational contexts.

In summary, the Socratic method is a powerful tool for critical thinking, encouraging self-examination and intellectual growth.

As Socrates famously said, “I know that I know nothing,” emphasizing the importance of questioning and seeking behavior.

I am sure I drove my students crazy. I used textbooks but never followed the sequence of the textbook. The students, conscientiously, would ask at the end of a lecture what the section or pages were going to be that I would cover in the next class. They wanted to be prepared. I never told them. In fact, I used to jump around in the book deliberately so that they could not prepare. I wanted them to listen to the lesson. I wanted them to have to think.

That caused me problems as a student. I didn’t want to memorize, and it cost me. In High School I took Latin and Geometry. There are certain things you do have to memorize. Like Theorems in Geometry. Like words in a new language. I got 38% in the first semester in both. The family wasn’t happy. So, I lost some privileges. Like weekends at the lake.

I spent the next three months with my grandmother. She worked my proverbial off. I completed the year with a 76% average. So, I learned a valuable lesson. One size doesn’t fit all.

Anyone who has been in a classroom with me knows how I work. I wander through the room. Watching everyone. I can see when people get it and when they are lost. I keep talking until I see the lights go on in everyone’s eyes. That really turns my crank. I still teach. Not every month like I used to but enough to know that things in the learning world are still the same. Once you get someone into a learning environment, they are subject to their teachers. They care about learning only if the teacher cares about teaching.

All our subject specific classes cover five plus hours. They have around twenty segments. Class segments and Support Material Segments. Each segment has a quiz at the end. The student must achieve a 60% score on the quiz to proceed to the next segment. We start every class with a pretest to determine the knowledge and skill level of each student before they start. We end every class with a final assessment. The students must achieve an 80% score to earn a certificate.

We are in the lifelong learning business. Learning is hard. It requires desire and discipline. If every person were to strive to be the best that they could be they would be learning every day.

The Time is Now.

Audio Tracks

French

Polish

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March 20, 2024

Personnel, Training, Words of Wisdom

Ho’oponopono

Learning Without Scars’ founder, Ron Slee, is back today with a blog post on Ho’oponopono, the Hawaiian Principle of 100% Responsibility.

Seneca, one of the most important Roman Stoic philosophers, said “Luck is what happens when preparation comes across opportunity. Thomas Edison said his work was 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. Louis Pasteur among many others felt the same way.

In every case I suggest it is much more important to be ready when opportunity comes to you more than anything else. That leads me to thinking about our lives and our work. How much of our lives is under our control? As someone who is known to be a control freak this is a nasty question.

In Hawaii we are a society that is further away from any other on the planet. It is 2500 miles to the nearest population center of any kind. Our culture has a lot of different influences. From Asia, the Americas, Oceania obviously. But there are others that cause us to wonder. It seems that using language as our tool on determining origins the Hawaiian people originally came from the middle east. That too follows ancient historical thinking.

But let us go back to Ho’opononpono and one of its foundations which is the principle of 100% responsibility. The kahunas, the priests of our culture, state that each human being is 100% responsible for their own reality. That it is useless to blame other people. We are not victims unless we choose to be victims.

Ho’opononpono says that if you don’t like your reality then you must change it. Desmond Tutu, the archbishop for South Africa had a saying that I go back to often. “If it is to be it is up to me.” In other words, we control our own destiny.

That brings me to Learning Without Scars and our purpose for being. We are here to help people identify their individual potential both personally and professionally. We are here to open your Ho’oponopono and let you take control of your destiny, of your future.

There is a problem with this line of thinking though, isn’t there?

This is a challenging work. Learning and developing and growing as a person are demanding work. For most of us it is too much work.

Let me digress for a moment. Dr Gail Matthews, of the Dominican University of California conducted a major study of “The Impact of Commitment, Accountability and Written Goals on Goal Achievement.” She found that writing down our goals increases the percentage of achieving those goals in a major way. It seems that psychologically when we write down our goals it is as though we are signing a contract with ourselves. So, let’s provide you with a simple little exercise now. Choose an area of your life in which you would like to correct something. Select from this list:

Love and Relations
Money and Finance
Goals and Work
Health
Learning and Personal Growth.

Now write down several phrases with the first thing that comes to your mind about one of the above list.

I would like you to select Learning and Personal Growth.

Don’t worry about the order. Next look at what you have written and create at most three specific goals or actions. They must be positive. Put that piece of paper on your refrigerator.

The Ho’oponopono means to correct an error. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Given that we are 100% responsible for our life if there is something we are unhappy with we must correct the mistake that got us to where we are now. However, that means that we must accept the reality that WE are 100% responsible for it.

This is one of the most critical elements of this process. Until you accept, you’re responsible, it will be difficult for you to change. Deep down everything depends on us and we must stop making excuses or blaming circumstances and get to change our lives. Here comes something that I understand and believe in. From this point on it has nothing to do with being lucky. It becomes a personal choice.

One other observation please.

The easiest person in the world to lie to is your reflection in the mirror – AND – that is the last person in the world you should ever lie to.

We are never victims unless we allow ourselves to be victims. When I say this, I am speaking of our choices – not situations involving crime. Whatever your job is, your career, you can control your outcome. You can be open to learning. You can go back to school. You can ask for help. You can go to counselling. You have many opportunities. It is a matter of making a choice.

You can apply this principle of one hundred percent responsibility to all aspects of your life. Start with the premise that everything is created in your mind before it becomes reality. SO. Change the way you think and act. It will change your reality.

In Hawaii this is called “cleaning.” We will continue to repeat the same painful episodes and circumstances because they are all coming from our subconscious.

To overcome the subconscious, Hawaiian’s, use a string of four expressions: Forgive me, I’m sorry, I love you, Thank you. You must accept it is your responsibility and when you do you have to forgive yourself deep in your subconscious for the choices you have made that got you to where you are today.

Try it. You will be surprised. It works.

The Time is Now.

This blog was provoked by a book with the title “Maneki Neko” by Nobuo Suzuki. For me it is a follow up to the book Ikigai. This book covers the Japanese Secret of Good Luck and Happiness, it is a terrific read.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

March 12, 2024

Caroline Slee-Poulos, Training

The Business Side of Education

Our Curriculum Designer, Caroline Slee-Poulos, is here with an update on all things IACET and Learning Without Scars in “The Business Side of Education.”

October was the month for our review process to maintain accreditation. Learning Without Scars is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training. We have held this accreditation since 2021. Each year, we submit a review to IACET. From this review, our accreditation remains active.

This year, our review included exciting updates. Every class is now five hours long, meaning that the CEUs offered for a Learning Without Scars Learning: On Demand course is 0.5, instead of the original 0.2 units.

In addition, we are set to release a lecture series in January of 2024. Authored by Bonnie Feigenbaum, these lectures are tailored for those wanting to master the fundamentals of marketing.

Education comes with an enormous number of behind-the-scenes details, and it’s always a thrill for us to share the updates and good news.

2024 promises to be a busy and fulfilling year, as we continue to partner with technical schools across the U.S. and Canada. We are happy to have you with us on this journey.

As Ron says, the time is now.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

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November 21, 2023