Motivation is the desire to do things. Psychology Today describes motivation as "the difference between waking up before dawn to pound the pavement and lazing around the house all day." Motivation is a critical element in setting and attaining goals—and the great news is research shows you can influence your own levels of self-control and motivation. Get the worm or catch the firefly It turns out that circadian rhythms really do affect how we work; we all have peaks and valleys in our physical and mental capacity to get work done. "Numerous studies have demonstrated that our best performance on challenging, attention-demanding tasks occurs at our peak time of day. When we operate at our optimal time of day, we filter out the distractions in our world and get down to business." Scientific American Some of us are early birds, and are motivated and able to work harder and more efficiently early in the day. Others are night owls and find that our most productive hours happen after the sun sets. Pay attention to your day and how you feel at certain times. Write down your observations and determine if there is an obvious pattern as to when you feel more confident, capable and focused. Then make sure to plan appropriate tasks for this time period. Lose the Yoga Pants (unless you are actually doing yoga) In a Forbes article entitled, "Is Casual Dress Killing Your Productivity at Work?", Dr. Karen Pine, professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and fashion psychologist had this to say about choosing what to wear each day: "When we put on an item of clothing it is common for the wearer to adopt the characteristics associated with that garment. A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it’s ‘professional work attire’ or ‘relaxing weekend wear,’ so when we put it on we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning." Select clothing that representst the frame of mind you want to be in! There are some things best left out of the bedroom Using electronics in the bedroom, right before bed, may negatively impact sleep quality. "One of the most simple but important reasons technology affects our sleep is cognitive stimulation," says Mark Rosekind, PhD, former director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Program at the NASA Ames Research Center and president and chief scientist at the scientific consulting firm Alertness Solutions. Scientific data documents the role of light in promoting wakefulness; even our smallest electronic devices emit sufficient light to send signals to the brain to promote wakefulness.  Your best bet? Make where you sleep an electronic-free zone. If you have to work in the bedroom, it’s best to unplug at least 45-60 minutes before bedtime. There’s an app for that To-do lists, calendars, work schedules and deadlines; there are a lot of things to keep track of nowadays. Lucky for us there are hundreds of apps to help us become a bit more organized. There are even apps that track your digital time to give you insight into where you are spending your precious hours. And my favorite? Apps that help break down seemingly impossible tasks into smaller, more manageable, bite-size chunks. Wiggle it - just a little bit (or a lot) Really, it’s no joke. Being sedentary is not only harmful for your health; it is terrible for your motivation and discipline. The boost of energy you get from exercising can help you with productivity. Go for a walk - or take frequent breaks to walk up and down the stairs - you’ll feel like you’ve done something important for yourself! What’s your carrot? We all have motivators, or in some cases distracters that can become motivators if regulated. Is your favorite past time surfing the internet? Scrolling through Twitter? Watching TV? Do two hours of solid work and then log on to your favorite websites or watch an episode of something. Get that important task finished and reward yourself with something - a manicure, a trip to Starbucks. Tune into your motivators, and turn your distractions into rewards! Go off the radar Whenever you have a deadline, or simply need to focus, log off of all other websites including social sites. Turn off your "chat" feature, log out of email, turn off the ringer on your phone, and turn off television/radio. The frequent distractions of these things not only take time to deal with; they also disrupt your thought process and can set you behind. Turn them off. Use them as your "carrot" if needed. You might find that you are working so efficiently, that you don’t even miss them! Air out, Connect and Communicate If your work is solitary, you don’t want to become a recluse. Make a point to get out into the world at least once a day. Get some Vitamin D by walking around the block or by going to the store to pick up a gallon of milk. And while you’re there, connect and communicate. Make eye-to-eye contact with the store clerk and ask how their day is going, or share a funny story. Keep your social skills active! Really, it’s about finding out what energizes you; what makes you feel productive and what makes you most successful. Find those things and do more of them! Ed4Online offers many courses to assist with goal setting, productivity and time management. Sign up for our self-study course Time and Action Management and our four week long, instructor led course Personal Excellence - they are both are excellent places to start! Sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/motivation http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/01/22/11-ways-to-stay-motivated-while-working-from-home/#63e228f64102 http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/power-down-better-sleep http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/02/08/5-best-apps-for-getting-and-staying-organized/#5c14516869db        

Here’s a cool interactive glossary of terms commonly used in the papermaking industry. We’ve focused on some "basics," and drew the images, terms, and definitions from two of our paper manufacturing e-learning courses: Pulping and Papermaking Overview and Introduction to Paper and Board Machines. Of course, these are just two of MANY paper manufacturing titles we offer, but it’s a nice place to begin. Hope you enjoy this glossary. Don’t forget to check out our paper manufacturing e-learning library while you’re here, too. Convergence Training is a training solutions provider with a specialist in paper/pulp/tissue/corrugated manufacturing. We make e-learning courses, learning management systems (LMSs), and custom training solutions. Contact us to learn more. And while you’re here, why not download this Guide to Effective Paper Manufacturing Training? Enjoy the glossary (it’s just a little further below). Soon, we hope to make this available in a form that you can download for free, so check back for that later. Please note that if you choose to download this glossary, you’re going to get a zipped folder in your inbox. You must take that zipped folder and import it into a SCORM-compliant LMS if you want to use the glossary. You can’t just unzip the folder and "play" the glossary outside of an LMS. Which means you have to have a SCORM-compliant LMS, natch. If you’ve got any questions about that, feel free to read the two helpful articles below or just give us a jingle at media@convergencetraining.com and we’ll explain it all to you. What Is an LMS? What Is SCORM? The images, terms, and definitions for the glossary come from two of our paper manufacturing e-learning courses: Pulping and Papermaking Overview Introduction to Paper and Board Machines Click the links above to learn more about those two courses, or watch the short samples of those courses below. Pulping and Papermaking Overview Introduction to Paper and Board Machines Don’t forget to download our guide to effective manufacturing training (below). The post Free Paper Manufacturing Interactive Glossary appeared first on Convergence Training Blog.

A lot of you write test questions for online training (or even for paper-based training). Maybe you’re doing it with an e-learning authoring tool, such as the ones from Articulate, Adobe, or Lectora, or maybe you’re doing it with quizmaking tool built into your learning management system (LMS). Or maybe with pencil and paper. However you’re doing it, you may sometimes find yourself wondering about the best practices for writing standard question types. (By the way, instructional designers often use the wonky phrases "assessment" for a test and "assessment item" for a question within a test.) We’ve got a few of those best practices for you below. Hope this helps you with your question writin’. Convergence Training is a training solutions provider. We make learning management systems (LMSs), off-the-shelf e-learning courses, custom training solutions, and more. Contact us for more information. While you’re here, you may want to download some of our free guides: Guide to Effective Manufacturing Training Guide to Effective EHS Training Guide to Writing Learning Objectives General Tips for Writing Test Questions Let’s cover some general tips for writing questions ("assessment items") before we zero in on multiple-choice questions. We’re going to separate these into Do’s and Don’ts. What To Do When You Write Questions: General Tips Here are some things that you SHOULD DO when you’re writing questions for tests. Do Create Questions for All of Your Learning Objectives Make sure your questions assess learning objectives and nothing but learning objectives. And make sure your questions cover all of the learning objectives (it can be easy to miss one or more sometimes). You can write more than one question per learning objective. Don’t know what a learning objective is? Here’s a good guide to learning objectives. Do Write Questions that Anticipate Common Misunderstandings/Errors Now, this is different than a trick question. And it’s OK and even good to write questions like this. These kind of questions can help you identify people who only "kind of" understand, or understand superficially, or have a common misunderstanding that needs to be corrected. Do Stick to One Point per Question Write questions that address one point per question. Avoid writing questions that attempt to assess multiple points. Do Include Feedback Find a way to include feedback to inform the employee if they got the answer correct or incorrect, and what the correct answer is. This can be easier to do with online systems, and is a nice benefit of the kind of automation you can get with online learning management systems, but you can do it after a test is turned in if you’re grading by hand. Do Review and Edit Questions Don’t just write your questions and let ’em out in the wild. Review all of your tests and test items carefully before you deliver them to employees. Check for poorly written questions that are confusing or vague; check for typos, spelling and grammar errors, and any other miscues you don’t want to be associated with; check the reading level to see if it’s appropriate for your testing population; check to make sure the questions don’t include a bias, putting one sub-group of employees at an unfair advantage or disadvantage; check for material that’s offensive, insulting, or needlessly controversial or disturbing. If you can, have another person (or even better, a team) review them as well-it’s always hard to review your own work. Then maybe see if you can get a small group of employees to "beta test" your test as a pilot. What NOT To Do When You Write Questions: General Tips Now let’s look at some things you SHOULDN’T DO when writing questions for tests. Don’t Write Trick Questions Don’t write trick questions. You’re creating assessments and writing assessment items ("questions") because you want to see if employees know something. You’re not writing a test item to see if employees are especially skillful at taking tests or at recognizing trick questions. So, if your goal is to determine if employees know something, and not to see how clever they are at sniffing out trick questions, don’t write trick questions. No matter how tempting it may be. Don’t Write Questions that Test Only Recall In many cases, it’s easier to write a test question that tests an employee’s ability to recall material than it is to write a question that tests their ability to apply information. Avoid writing questions that focus only or too much on recall/recognition. (For more context on recall/recognition, application, and other forms of learning, see this article on Bloom’s taxonomy.) Don’t Help Employees Identify Correct Answer Based on Tips from Grammar You can sometimes make it easier for an employee to answer a question correctly just with the grammar you use. For example, if the question is phrased in a singular manner, and all answer options are plural except one answer option that’s singular, that singular answer option is probably the correct answer. Or, for another example, if your question stem ends with "an" and the four answer options begin with "cat," "dog," "leopard," and "otter," employees will know that the correct answer is "an otter." Review your questions to make sure you’re not tipping your hand and making it easy for employees who don’t know the correct answer to use grammar tips to identify the correct answer. Don’t Write Questions That Provide Answers to Other Questions Try to avoid writing a question that includes information that makes it easier for employees to answer a second question. Don’t Write a Question Because It’s "Easy" to Write or Grade If you want to create effective assessment items ("questions"), then do it. Don’t take the easy way out and create an assessment that doesn’t do what you want it to do. We all get tired sometime; I get it. It can be tempting to create a question in a certain format just because it’s easier to write. Or, thinking down the road, because it’s easier to evaluate/grade. But don’t do that; don’t give in to your weaker moments. Be a training superstar and write the best question you can-one that truly assesses whether or not employees understand the content. Don’t Write Questions That Are Phrased with Double Negatives-and Try to Avoid Negative Phrasings Too Avoid writing questions that are phrased with double negatives. For example, a question that asks "Which of the following is NOT unnecessary?" has a double negative ("not" and "unnecessary") and can be confusing. Rewrite a question like this actively, to something like "Which of the following is necessary?" You should always avoid double-negatives, as we just said. But in addition, you may want to be careful about questions that include negatives of any sort, and see if you can rewrite it in a more active manner. For example, "Which of the following tools should not be in a hot work area?" could be rewritten actively as "Which of the following tools is forbidden in a hot work area?" Tips for Writing Multiple-Choice Questions Now let’s give some tips that are specific to multiple-choice questions. Parts of a Multiple Choice Question Let’s begin by talking about and naming the different parts of a multiple-choice question. We’ve written a sample multiple-choice question below and have labeled its different parts. As shown above, multiple-choice questions have four different parts: Stem: The base of question (in this case, "What color is the sky?"). Answer options: The possible answer choices. This includes the correct and incorrect answers. In this example, it’s A, B, C, and D (or red, orange, blue, and purple). Correct answer: The answer option that is correct. In this example, it’s C, or blue. Distractors: All of the answer options other than the correct answer. In this example, it’s A, B, and D, or red, orange, and purple. Now that we’ve got our terms down, let’s look at some guidelines for creating each part of a multiple-choice question: Tips for Writing the Stem of a Multiple-Choice Question Here are some tips for writing the stem: Keep the stem short and simple. Keep the wording precise. Don’t write something that’s vague, ambiguous, or confusing. Try to write the stem as a complete question (such as "What color is the sky?") instead of fill-in-the-blank ("The sky is _____.") when possible. If you do write a fill-in-the-blank-style question, put the "blank" space at the end of the stem and not in the middle when possible. For example, write this ("The author who wrote Hamlet is ________.") instead of this ("The writer _____ wrote Hamlet."). Put any wording that’s repeated in every answer alternative into the stem, so it only has to be written once. Tips for Writing the Answer Options of a Multiple-Choice Question Here are some tips for writing the answer options: All answer options should be "plausible." This means they are all reasonable alternatives. Don’t write answer options that obviously can’t be correct. Write all answer options in a simple, clear manner. Aim for at least three answer options per question. There’s no single "correct" number of answer options to include in a question. Four or five seems to be a standard. It is not absolutely necessary to always have the same number of answer options for each question. Try to remain consistent when possible, though. If you need to add one or more answer options beyond your standard, that’s OK if there’s a good reason but don’t do it without a good reason. If you can’t seem to come up with enough answer options, think hard and try to create one or more plausible one. But if you can’t find enough plausible answer options, it’s better to go with fewer answer options than to create non-plausible answer options. Avoid writing answer options like "B and C". Avoid using "All of the above" and "None of the above" as answer options. "All of the above" tends to be the correct answer a large number of times when it’s used, and so it helps employees guess the correct answer. Plus, if an employee knows that just one of the answer options is incorrect, the employee will know that "All of the above" is incorrect, too. And if "None of the above" is the correct answer, the question item doesn’t tell you if the employee knows the correct answer. Use the words the words all, always, and never with caution. These words tend to indicate an incorrect answer. Be careful when using words like usually, generally, or typically. These words tend to indicate a correct answer. Try to write all answer options in a similar format. If you know your grammar a bit, this includes writing your answer options in a parallel structure. If you’re not familiar with "parallel structure," that link you just passed should help. Try to keep all answer options to a similar length. Be especially careful not to write the correct answer in a way that’s different than the other answer options (for example, notably longer-this is common). When possible, put the answer options in a logical order (alphabetic, numeric, some other logical order) or randomize the order of the answer options. Avoid answer options that overlap. Avoid writing more than one answer option that is arguably correct (unless it’s a multiple-response question that accepts multiple answers). Tips for Writing the Correct Answer of a Multiple-Choice Question Here are some tips for writing the correct answer: Don’t copy the correct answer word-for-word directly from the training materials. Instead, paraphrase the correct answer so it means the same thing in slightly different words. Double-check to make sure that the correct answer is written in a similar fashion as the other answer options. Correct answers are often written in a different manner (for example, they’re often longer) and as a result they can help employees guess the correct answer. "Mix up" the correct answers, so that they’re randomly distributed amongst A, B, C, and D not always/often the same value-such as C. For example, in a 10-question test, these correct answers are mixed up well (adcbbadbca) and these correct answers are not mixed up well (acbcdccbcc). Also, watch for obvious patterns (abcdabcdab). It may help you to know that question writers tend to make B and C the correct answer most often. Related to the last point (and to our earlier point about trick questions), don’t try to play "head games" with employees by doing things like having the correct answer be C for ten questions in a row. Again, you’re trying to create an effective assessment of workforce training (and learning), not a psychology test. Tips for Writing the Distractors of a Multiple-Choice Question Here are some tips for writing the distractors: Write distractors that could be correct (learning experts call this making the distractors plausible). Don’t write nonsense answer options. This can be hard, but dig deep and put in the work to come up with good distractors. Don’t write joke distractors. There are other times to be funny. Don’t include distractors that cover material that you can’t be confident all employees are familiar with as a result of the training. This can create a biased question that allow some employees to answer the question correctly more easily than other employees because of something they are familiar with from outside of the training. Conclusion: Writing Multiple-Choice Questions for Tests Well, that’s what we’ve got for you. What are your own thoughts? About writing tests and test items in general? About writing multiple-choice questions? If you found this interesting, you can also enjoy this other article about workforce training assessment, which introduces the topics of reliability and validity and covers more stuff, too. Also, stay tuned for a future blog post on the topic of performance assessments-assessments that ask a worker to perform a real-world job task. That’s coming, we think. And don’t forget to download the free Guide to Effective Manufacturing Training below while you’re here.       The post How to Write Multiple-Choice Questions for Workforce Training appeared first on Convergence Training Blog.

So where do you find the numbers you need to make your cost estimates?Historical and Organizational InformationHopefully, your organization keeps records of all of its previous projects and how much they cost.  Find the ones most similar to your project.  The more similar the project to the one you are proposing, the more accurate the estimate.Also, hopefully, your organization is willing to work with you on collecting current contract information if you have a similar solution already in place.  This may prove to be trickier than collecting old project information if the contract for the solution isn't currently in your team's "control".  I have found that people, even in the same org, are not entirely keen to share what they are spending.  --------------------------------Call a Friend The Ed Tech community is friendly and willing to help.  They may not be able to provide specifics, but many will be able to provide general cost ranges for particular solutions based on their experience.  They can also talk through lessons learned for their organizations and other potential hazards as you begin pursuing your project. ------------------------------------VendorsStrategy 1 - Meander around conference halls and talk to the vendors.   You'll get an idea of what is out there, but they will generally want to use this as an opportunity to start a sales conversation.Strategy 2 - Requests for Proposals.  Our organization treats source selection for larger solutions as separate projects.  Mostly due to the work required to get the requirements in shape and evaluate the proposed solutions.  These projects end with either a decision to not pursue a solution or a completed, signed procurement contract.You can use the resulting bids as a way to begin cost estimation for implementation.  You would still need to estimate costs for work done by the resources in-house.Involving the IT department (if you are not a part of one already) is a really good idea at this point.  Even if you THINK you will not be involving them. They can provide insight into levels of effort required for more technical tasks.  They are also very good at refining and poking holes into plans.  Embrace that!  Especially in these early planning stages.--------------------------

By L Stewart of Discovery Education ​Discovery Education and 3M are looking for the country’s Top Young Scientist of 2016. Does this sound like someone you know? Or does this sound like YOU? Read on!  Now through April 20, entries are being accepted for this year’s Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier science competition for students in grades 5-8. ​Finalists chosen will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work closely with a 3M Scientist Mentor, compete for $25,000, and earn the title of "America’s Top Young Scientist." Any student in grades 5-8 can enter the contest by creating a one to two-minute video communicating the science behind a new innovation or solution that could solve or impact an everyday problem. Videos will not be judged on production skills and may be recorded on cell phones or basic digital cameras.Instead, video entries will be evaluated based on their creativity, scientific knowledge, persuasiveness and overall presentation. Ten finalists will then be chosen to participate in an exclusive mentorship program where they will work closely with a 3M scientist. During the program, finalists will be challenged to develop an innovation that positively impacts them, their family, their community or the global population.The students will meet virtually with their mentors and will receive additional resources and support from 3M and Discovery Education. Each finalist will also receive a trip to the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn., to compete at the final event in October 2016.Since its inception in 1999, Young Scientist Challenge has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in student scholarships and prizes, paired students with world-renowned scientists to give them real-world insights and delivered much-needed science resources to millions of students, teachers and families across the country.Previous winners have met the President of the United States, addressed members of Congress, worked with the nation’s top scientists and been featured in Forbes magazine’s annual "30 Under 30" list.To learn more about the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including submission guidelines, tips from previous winners and complete rules, please visit: www.youngscientistchallenge.com.

GatherEducation is a virtual, interactive learning platform that allows you to host or participate in online sessions from nearly anywhere with a wifi or cell signal. This platform enables teachers and students to interact remotely while mirroring the classroom environment and maintaining teaching styles.  Check out our review page for more information!

http://www.slideshare.net/andonisanz/gamification-mechanics-in-education-andonisanz

http://www.slideshare.net/andonisanz/harvard-projectzero-visiblethinking-map-of-thought-by-andonisanz-59326497

Having prioritised what information the PhD student needs to know in order to make progress towards answering the research question, the next step is to consider where new data can be found. An initial role of the supervisor is to direct the student towards existing data, then to discuss what sort of data might be required to build upon this prior knowledge in order to give new insights. This might not be quite so simple as it at first appears. In an idealised view of research, the problem is articulated, the types of information needed to answer the problem are identified, and then the researcher goes out and collects that data to be analysed. In the real world, there are several problems to be addressed. Firstly, the data that the researcher needs might be hidden, unavailable, or simply difficult to get. Secondly, even if it is accessible, the data needs to be collected in a way that is impartial, systematic, and allows subsequent analysis. Thirdly, there may be problems with the design of the data collection methods, such as obtaining ethical approval, or enabling cross-comparison with previous data, which need to be resolved before the primary research activities can proceed. The role of a good supervisor is to help smooth the path of the research student without actually doing the data collection work for them. This certainly entails casting a critical eye over the research design and giving friendly feedback. It may require the supervisor to provide a covering letter of introduction for the student, to open doors and archives and to confirm that the student is a serious researcher worth giving some time to. In some situations it may be that the student is directed to existing data sets, either online or in archives, which can be used to provide preliminary analyses. Perhaps the supervisor has already done some research on the subject already, so there are practical tasks which s/he can advise on - the selection of data-gathering methods, the construction of questionnaires or interview schedules, and of course ensuring that any ethical issues relating to the proposed research are adequately covered. In considering what sort of data are needed to answer the research question, and where this data might be found, the research student and the supervisor have a common interest to ensure that sufficient thought goes into the pre-planning process. Thinking carefully in advance about the possible obstacles involved in collecting robust new data to explore the research topic, is time well-spent. Knowing what to ask will be critical for the study, but knowing who to ask could be more important still. Depending on the subject discipline, and the nature of the study, the identification of key contacts, or an appropriate population of study participants, could make the difference between a perspective which gives a blinding flash of the obvious versus an exciting and innovatory research discovery. It will not be possible to foresee every possible angle of the research process, but having a clear idea of where data can be found, or with whom, is a big step in the research project design.

I’ve written many times about the importance of managers working with each direct report to set smart goals, to praise progress and goal achievement, and to redirect when performance is falling short. In our new First-time Manager program, we train managers how to have conversations around these three secrets—goal setting, praising, and redirecting—from my book with Spencer Johnson, The New One Minute Manager®. We also introduce the importance of a fourth conversation—the wrapping up conversation. The wrapping up conversation happens at the completion of a task or project. It offers the opportunity for a manager to celebrate a direct report’s accomplishment as well as new knowledge or skills gained during the process. It is also a good time to discuss what could be improved in the future. This kind of conversation allows both manager and direct report to review and honor the work that has been accomplished before moving on to the next project or goal. When I have a wrapping-up conversation with members of my team, I see them become more energized and engaged. The manager begins this conversation by endorsing the other person and celebrating their achievement. Then the two openly talk about anything that could have been handled differently, discussing how the direct report feels about the goal or project, results that were accomplished, and the impact of the project on the department or company. The manager documents any key learnings or areas for improvement, and always ends the conversation with another endorsement for a job well done. At the quick pace of business today, when people are jumping from one project to another or juggling several at once, it’s easy for the wrapping up conversation to be put off—sometimes indefinitely. However, taking time to reflect on a project provides another occasion for a manager to improve their relationship with a team member. Every conversation is crucial when developing a nurturing, trusting work environment. I’d like to know what kind of conversations you are having with your direct reports. Are you consistently having conversations to set goals? Do you praise people for a job well done and redirect them when necessary? Do you have a conversation at the end of a project to honor the work? Share your comments below to let me know what kind of conversations are the most useful to you and your staff.