Just in case you wonder why this site has gone quiet - it’s because we’ve rebranded and moved to www.academy28.com
And for all things type - you’ll still find Your Preferences at www.yourpreferences.net

Earlier this summer, on behalf of Academy Internet, we designed and delivered a programme on managing virtual teams for Coca Cola Latin America. With participants in Brazil, Puerto Rico and Argentina, and our facilitation team in the UK and the south of France, it really was learning that transcended boundaries. See the case study on the eskills sector skills council Towards Maturity website.

Hi Clare - All went will with our 23 trainees today. Thanks, Tracey. Employability Skills Instructor, Finchale College, Durham

Finchale - a residential vocational training college for adults - has been using Your Preferences in its induction for its students since the very first pilot in 2004. They do great work for their students - and we’re delighted that they have chosen Your Preferences to be an integral part of their new trainee induction process. Read on for more information.
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The Virtual Classroom

Synchronous e-learning. Online presentations. Webcasts, web conferences, webinars. Whatever you call it, whichever form it takes, the ‘virtual classroom’ is a central part of the modern training experience. It’s a training and communication channel that’s here to stay. Why?
- ability to connect learners spread over a wide area: no longer do learners have to be sitting in the same room as the trainer/presenter, or as each other
- sense of immediacy and camaraderie across the business: connections can be built and relationships formed, throughout the geographical spread of your organization, or your client group
- the platforms are getting better all the time: unique features of web classrooms include annotating whiteboard exercises, real-time polling, and recording and playback of key aspects of the session
- ability to ‘get inside’ a user’s computer: a presenter can take a real hands-on approach, getting access (if granted) to other computers in order to demonstrate certain difficult-to-describe concepts
- cost-effectiveness: studies have shown that up to 70% of an organization’s training budget goes on travel and meeting arrangements, factors completely cut out by the virtual classroom (Hyder et al 10)

Here’s a preview of a new tool that e-coaches is developing to enable all trainers - no matter what their background or skills level - to get the most out of any online training or presenting opportunity.

Join us for a half-day seminar on the afternoon of 29th November 2007 where Peter Malone will help us look at type through film. There are still a couple of places left. 2.00 - 6.00. And a cream tea to go with it. Contact us to for more information and to book now.

We’re almost ready to launch our new, integrated team, trainers and development tool at YourPreferences.net. Can you help us make sure it is as good as it can be?

We’re looking for teams willing to run pilots and trials for us. What you get? A full analysis of your team, based on personal preferences and other revealing diagnostics. Plus an hour’s coaching session for the team leader with one of our team consultants. No charges - just your honest feedback. Please contact Clare if you’re interested - clare.howard@e-coaches.co.uk

Margaret and Gary Hartzler will be running a one-day workshop: “Introductions to the Step II Facets of Type". It will give participants with an interest in Jungian/Myers Briggs Typology:

- definitions of the 40 facets of the Step II of the MBTI
- exercises for teach of the facets to help people in groups understand the differences between them
- coaching activities
- exercises to use in team building

Knowledge of type is a pre-requisite for this workshop, but it is not necessary to be qualified in Step I or Step II.

Contact us for more information and booking information.

The BAPT (British Association of Psychological Type) conference will be held in Milton Keynes 11 -13 May 2007. The keynote speaker is Katherine Hirsh, and there are plenty of diverse sessions and workshops over the 3 days. For a full programme and booking information see the BAPT website.

We’v recently been running a survey on Type and Stereotype in the Training Room.

Howard included the results in his presentation at the Learning Technologies Conference on the 1st February.

“I made the possibly contentious comment that those with a temperament most likely to be attracted to teaching or training are most likely to set up classroom situations and activities that are not conducive to the learning of those of different temperaments.

I was asked what we should do differently as a result of this research. My reply:
1) ensure classroom trainers understand their own type and how to help those of different types (work being undertaken by e-coaches)
2) ensure learning designers create material that offers options within the framework of the MBTI (as documented in Individual Preferences in E-learning).”

You can download the presentation slides and narrative here:

http://www.e-coaches.co.uk/news/Hills-Learning-Technologies.pdf
http://www.e-coaches.co.uk/news/LT-Motivating-Learners.pdf

And you’ll find more information on type and learning at www.yourpreferences.net

We’ll keep you informed as our research continues.

See my blog for occasional thoughts on skills, learning and earning

We’ve been working with icom for the last 2 years supporting the development of the i-portfolio. Register at iviva.com for access to up to date information and support on developing your career.

How’s your work-life balance? When did you last have time to read for pleasure? Are you stuck in a rut and want to discover some new authors to read?

Now you can get away from it all, meet new people, and immerse yourself in reading and discussions, helped along by local wine and good food, all under the Provencal sun at Le Colombier
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This year’s Annual BAPT (the British Association of Psychological Type) Conference is taking place on Friday 12th May – Sunday 14th May at Harben House, near Milton Keynes.
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An important date for your diary: 14th June 2006

LondonType’is pleased to announce a Workshop to be led by an internationally renowned guest speaker from the United States - Dario Nardi

‘8 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN ORGANIZATIONS’
(Focussing on the eight Jungian functions)
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A seminar by e.learning age on 6th June 2006 Hammersmith, London

The theme is e-learning and and how people learn. I’ll be running a session: Making e-learning appeal to different personality types.
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Interested in Type and personality preferences?

London Type has been set up for anyone interested in type and personality preferences to developa community of interest, share experiences and knowledge, and set up networking and learning opportunities. See www.LondonType.co.uk for more information, and to register for email updates.

Here’s a simple graphical tool to help you find out what makes you tick - and get some handy hints and tips on getting the best out of your learning. This is personality preferences in action.

We’ve recently upgraded the content on the site - so if you’re a learner, a teacher/trainer, or a parent, have a look now at www.yourpreferences.net

Come and experience the charms, colours and scents of Provence -and improve your photographic skills. Led by highly experienced photographers, the courses are based in Le Colombier near Nyons. You’ll meet new people, explore the landscapes and villages and sights of Provence, enjoy the food and local wines, as well as improving your photographic techniques. All levels welcome. Digital photography and software a special focus.

Active learning has never been so rewarding.

Dates Course 1: Sunday 2nd July - Friday 7th July
Dates Course 2: Sunday 9th July - Friday 14th July

For more information contact clare.howard@e-coaches.co.uk; or see some of the photos taken on a “prospecting trip” for the course here

A tip in the Metro yesterday for remembering those ever increasing PIN numbers and numeric passwords that are now part of our everyday lives (from the psychologist David Lewis).

Create a sentence in which each word has the same number of letters as the number to be recalled.

So, to remember 413563:

Have (4) a (1) hot (3) curry (5) before (6) tea(3)

We are working on an exciting partnership project with William UK, developing a (free) career and education site specifically aimed at 14 - 24 year olds.

It includes a new interactive version of our Your Preferences tool to provide personality preferences guidance on learning and developing your future career plans.

A testing site - www.i-explore.co.uk - is now live and waiting to receive 1500 young users - to help us test and validate the tool and results. And it’s a two way deal - we are offering participants a chance to win Nokia phones or a holiday by participating!

Please help us spread the word far and wide, either to friends and family, or to other contacts who might have contacts. And although our target age range is 14 - 24, you can have a go as well if you like!

I picked up this book - Watching the English by Kate Fox (Hodder 1994) - at Gatwick airport, and haven’t been able to put it down. If you like people watching, and working out what makes people tick, especially the English, this is a great book for you. It’s well written, very funny (I was constantly laughing out loud), and a very accessible analysis of English codes of behaviour. Do look out for it and enjoy it.

Check out our new interactive to assess the team culture you’re in. You also get a chance to describe the team culture you’d like to work in - and your personal report gives you ideas on what you can do to create the changes you want.

Thankfully, my interactions are not all e-learning and sitting behind a computer or on the telephone.

I was delighted to be invited by FrenchMottershead to be one of their experts for the premiere of an exciting new interactive microperformance art club - Club Class - supported by Arts Council England, London through New Work Network’s Networked Bodies and the Great Eastern Hotel. There’s still time to book (more…)

We’ve just developed a short self-assessment interactive (20 questions) on motivating dispersed teams. It gives you focused, specific and tailored guidance unique to your self rating.

We’d welcome your comments and feedback.