Attribute 12: Facilitate the ability of graduates to participate with confidence in the future
workforce as capable and sustainable practitioners
I have outlined a particular case study in how I have helped my learners to be sustainable practitioners in the workplace in Case Study 2, where I worked with our Patient Care Managers who were new or recently returned to the workforce.
In my current and past roles as an educator within a corporate environment, my focus has been somewhat different, as my learners are already in employments and I have delivered education within their workplace context. However I still have to focus on sustainable practice, so that what is delivered not only has a short term impact but leads to longer term behavioural change that leads to sustainable results.
I can identify 4 significant things I do in order to ensure sustainability in practice:
In my current and past roles as an educator within a corporate environment, my focus has been somewhat different, as my learners are already in employments and I have delivered education within their workplace context. However I still have to focus on sustainable practice, so that what is delivered not only has a short term impact but leads to longer term behavioural change that leads to sustainable results.
I can identify 4 significant things I do in order to ensure sustainability in practice:
- Focus on workplace practice in courses: As outlined in previous sections, I design my courses to be immediately relevant to workplace environment. I do not only present models or theories, but also provide tools and give opportunities for learners to reflect on their work practice and how they can change it using the content covered in classes.
- Followup activities: I believe learning extends beyond the classroom, and as such focus on followup activities to ensure successful transfer of learning. During classes I ask also learners at the conclusion of each course to make 1-3 SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound) goals for how they will apply what they have learnt in their work practice. I also look for opportunities to have followup activities outside of classroom sessions. For example in the Time and Priority Management course, participants tell me a Quadrant 2 activity (which is an activity that is important but not urgent) that they regularly neglect and with each participant I book time in their schedules for them to work on this important task back in their workplace. As it is an appointment they set with me, their is greater accountability to follow through as I check-in with the learner, and they get to see the benefit of spending time on valuable activities in practice.
- Providing supporting resources and reading: Learners need resources to continue to pursue their own learning beyond the structured classroom environment. As an educator I look to provide resources and guidance to further education that may be useful to my learners. An example of an end of course email I would send out can be found at the bottom of this page. This also means learners can be accountable for their own continued learning.
- The use of long term evaluation: As already outlined in Attribute 2, I have driven the development of long term evaluations that look at changes in workplace behaviour and results, as opposed to just immediate reaction to learning. By measuring long term performance, accountability increases for ensuring that what is learnt is applied to practice.