Sep 28, 2016Better Learning
Successfully tying your shoelaces. Learning the Pledge of Allegiance. Memorizing multiplication tables. Conjugating irregular verbs in Spanish. What do these things have in common? They are all mastered through repetitive attempts. From a very young age, we begin to achieve retention through repetition, and that strategy still applies for mastering new content and new skills as we become adults.
However, when your athletic training staff attends a conference, seminar, or meeting, even if they listen carefully, take notes, study the handouts, and relate the material to their personal experiences, they will not be able to recall all of the most critical and relevant points. Neuroscience research and experience indicates that with only one exposure to the material, this is the governing reality. True retention comes from repeated exposure and practice of the skills that are taught. That is why continuing and online training makes sense.
p>The future belongs to those who can adapt to the changing times. Success happens when people are more multifaceted in their competence and willing to learn something new.
When athletic training departments invest in continuing and online training programs for their staff, here are some benefits they reap:
• An opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the personal progress and growth of your staff athletic trainers. Employees will stay longer, work harder, and be more committed to employers that help them learn skills that will last a lifetime.
• Assurance that your staff will keep pace with the current standards of others.
• A chance for athletic trainers to earn continuing education credits.
• A way to promote a culture of learning and looking ahead. When you provide employees with access to resources, not only will they feel like they are gaining value from their relationship with their employer, but they will also be empowered to develop their professional skills.
• Cost savings. Funding online and continuing education is often a fraction of the cost of in-person training.
• Convenience for your staff. In many organizations, it’s tough to get a full athletic training staff in the same room for an extended period of time. Online and continuing education solves this problem. Athletic trainers can access the training at times and in locations that are convenient and practical for them. As many online programs are very well-produced and have a “gamified” feel to them, employees are more likely to watch on their mobile devices on their own time.
When it comes to learning something new, it is important for staff members to have opportunities to thoroughly retain the information. Just like learning to tie shoelaces, being able to revisit lessons through online or continuing education can make all the difference in whether those skills become imbedded. And when they do take hold, it will have a powerful and enduring impact on your athletic training organization.
