People learn in many ways, and sometimes we forget as adults, but when we were children we learned by using our five senses. Tactile learning is very important. The sense of touch allows us to hold the device or technology and to become familiar with it. We must remember that there is more than one way to learn. Providing a second way can make the difference between frustration and success.
Handing someone a step-by-step written guide may not be enough. If the person has never worked with that device or technology before, the experience can be very overwhelming. A better way to handle the situation is to allow staff to play with the item. That is why we create demonstrations or have devices at a "petting zoo." We want people to see a device, become familiar with it, and to realize that it is not as scary as it looks. I have personally learned that screen shots are a great enhancement to written procedures. This technique might be leaning on being overly cautious, however, for some learners, that is exactly what is needed. The experience will remind them: what it looked like when they were actually using the device, where they were in the list of steps, and what it should look like. Remember, we learn by listening, seeing, and using our hands.
I recently responded to a colleague about the best techniques on teaching staff how to use an iPad. Here was my response:
Children aren't the only ones who like to play games and, for those who are up for it, a simple "challenge" could be a fun way to learn. When I learned how to use a 3D printer, I remembered more when I did the entire job from start to finish. Don't be afraid to give up a little control- a written procedure is a good backup and it might help some staff but most likely it won't help everyone. On the other hand, screen captures in the written procedure and hands-on learning is the winning combination to help patrons learn how to use new technology.How to train the staff… that is tough, especially since a quick 15 minutes didn’t work for me I would say that a real hands on approach would be best. Try to make it fun, let them play a game! You can say it’s too loud/quiet, you want to switch games, and so on. Another training that works is pairs- pairing up someone who has experience with those who don't. But of course, DON’T pair up as a team that has someone who is a little slower to catch on with someone who is impatient. Honestly, playing with a device and using it is the best way to learn. For written procedures, I find that screen shots are a life saver. Unfortunately, iPads do like to update regularly- especially with the new iOS 8 (operating system, software for Apple devices).If you have a person who seems really unsure about iPads, let them borrow one for a night or a weekend. You can always create a backup, so even if they change all the settings, your favorite settings are easily changed back.
