They take no time at all. I created one in about 5 minutes. Here it is:
Try it out. A great tool for trainers!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Fun Newspaper Headings!
I stumbled on this site and thought it could be a really fun application for training. On this website you can create a newspaper-looking headline and short article and then download it as an image file. Could be really fun to create these and use them to announce promotions, a job well done or general kudos.
They take no time at all. I created one in about 5 minutes. Here it is:
Try it out. A great tool for trainers!
They take no time at all. I created one in about 5 minutes. Here it is:
Try it out. A great tool for trainers!
An Easy Guide to RSS
What is an RSS Feed and What Does it Do?
RSS stands for Rich Site Summary or, alternatively, Real Simple Syndication. An RSS Feed allows users to subscribe to interesting websites or blogs and have the new content updated directly in the user’s RSS Reader or Feed. Typically with web-based content, users must visit the web site in order to read updated information. With an RSS feed, however, the content is scanned automatically and brought directly to the user. No need to visit web site after website since it gathers it for you quickly and automatically!
What is an RSS Reader?
An RSS reader, sometimes referred to as an aggregator, is simply a software program that can be set to scan the web for newly created content on sites to which to user has subscribed. Think of it as a daily newspaper but filled only with the news that of interest to the person reading it. You can set your reader to scour the web on any preset schedule you’d like and alert you when new content is found or set it to simply do its search and you visit whenever you want to, with or without the alert. Both free and commercial RSS readers available.
The benefits of subscribing to an RSS feed.
RSS Feeds can save you so time! In addition, they allow you to quickly and easily receive the most current information on topics of special interest to you. No more wasted time browsing for to find relevant information. It comes to you! An unlike our in boxes that are filled to overflowing with spam, RSS readers eliminate that problem altogether! You will receive no content other than that which you specifically request via subscription.
The RSS Button
Just look for the button with your feed reader on it, somewhere near the subscribe area. Although they may vary, they will usually name the feeder or say something like RSS or Subscribe here.
On Workplace Toons, it is on the blog in the upper right corner and looks like this:
Get Yourself a Reader
A huge list of RSS readers is here: http://www.newsonfeeds.com/faq/aggregators
Bloglines, My Yahoo, and FeedDemon are all very popular. For an in-depth discussion on popular readers and the pros and cons of each, visit http://email.about.com/od/rssreaderswin/tp/top_rss_windows.htm.
I use Google’s feed reader. You can find detailed info on it here: http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-ww-ww-sk&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=rss+feed+reader#directory-welcome-1-page
Whichever one you choose, simply download and follow the instructions to install and you’ll be up and running within minutes. It is really that easy!
Practice what you’ve learned!
Once you have downloaded your RSS reader, go to my blog home page at www.WorkplaceToons.blogspot.com and look for the Subscribe Banner on the top right side of the page. Simply click on “Posts” to get all updates I add to the blog or “Comments” to get all posts/comments made by site visitors. When you click on either, it will open a drop down menu of buttons. Choose your feeder and follow the steps to subscribe. That’s all there is to it!
Consider burning your own feed! RSS Readers are a perfect way for your students to get training content delivered as it's posted. Keep your training varied and your students interested! There are many ways to engage your learners, and don't forget training cartoons! Get a laugh and lighten things up with training cartoons from Workplace Toons!
RSS stands for Rich Site Summary or, alternatively, Real Simple Syndication. An RSS Feed allows users to subscribe to interesting websites or blogs and have the new content updated directly in the user’s RSS Reader or Feed. Typically with web-based content, users must visit the web site in order to read updated information. With an RSS feed, however, the content is scanned automatically and brought directly to the user. No need to visit web site after website since it gathers it for you quickly and automatically!
What is an RSS Reader?
An RSS reader, sometimes referred to as an aggregator, is simply a software program that can be set to scan the web for newly created content on sites to which to user has subscribed. Think of it as a daily newspaper but filled only with the news that of interest to the person reading it. You can set your reader to scour the web on any preset schedule you’d like and alert you when new content is found or set it to simply do its search and you visit whenever you want to, with or without the alert. Both free and commercial RSS readers available.
The benefits of subscribing to an RSS feed.
RSS Feeds can save you so time! In addition, they allow you to quickly and easily receive the most current information on topics of special interest to you. No more wasted time browsing for to find relevant information. It comes to you! An unlike our in boxes that are filled to overflowing with spam, RSS readers eliminate that problem altogether! You will receive no content other than that which you specifically request via subscription.
The RSS Button
Just look for the button with your feed reader on it, somewhere near the subscribe area. Although they may vary, they will usually name the feeder or say something like RSS or Subscribe here.
On Workplace Toons, it is on the blog in the upper right corner and looks like this:
Get Yourself a Reader
A huge list of RSS readers is here: http://www.newsonfeeds.com/faq/aggregators
Bloglines, My Yahoo, and FeedDemon are all very popular. For an in-depth discussion on popular readers and the pros and cons of each, visit http://email.about.com/od/rssreaderswin/tp/top_rss_windows.htm.
I use Google’s feed reader. You can find detailed info on it here: http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-ww-ww-sk&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=rss+feed+reader#directory-welcome-1-page
Whichever one you choose, simply download and follow the instructions to install and you’ll be up and running within minutes. It is really that easy!
Practice what you’ve learned!
Once you have downloaded your RSS reader, go to my blog home page at www.WorkplaceToons.blogspot.com and look for the Subscribe Banner on the top right side of the page. Simply click on “Posts” to get all updates I add to the blog or “Comments” to get all posts/comments made by site visitors. When you click on either, it will open a drop down menu of buttons. Choose your feeder and follow the steps to subscribe. That’s all there is to it!
Consider burning your own feed! RSS Readers are a perfect way for your students to get training content delivered as it's posted. Keep your training varied and your students interested! There are many ways to engage your learners, and don't forget training cartoons! Get a laugh and lighten things up with training cartoons from Workplace Toons!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Celebrity Charades (Icebreaker)
This super fun icebreaker gets people up, moving around and having a ton of fun. You will only need some pens and some sticky notes. Have a list of celebrity names prepared or have each member of the group write one down before you start the game. Just make sure you have one celebrities name on a sticky note for every person in your group.
Seat everyone in a semi-circle. Go around and place a sticky note on the forehead of each person so that their celebrity is known to all but them.
Start with the person to your left. You and others around the circle will offer hints as to who his or her celebrity is. You can make a statement, act out a behavior, or perform some famous lines that the person is known for. Each person has 1-2 minutes to give clues and to get him/her to say the correct celebrity. Go around the room until the person guesses the celebrity or everyone in the room had had a turn giving clues. Follow along until everyone has had a chance to guess their celebrity.
This a really fun game that requires very little prep work and will have everyone giggling, bonding and just having a great time! Perfect icebreaker for the first day but can be used to energize and/or unite a group any time!
Enjoy!
Lorie
Seat everyone in a semi-circle. Go around and place a sticky note on the forehead of each person so that their celebrity is known to all but them.
Start with the person to your left. You and others around the circle will offer hints as to who his or her celebrity is. You can make a statement, act out a behavior, or perform some famous lines that the person is known for. Each person has 1-2 minutes to give clues and to get him/her to say the correct celebrity. Go around the room until the person guesses the celebrity or everyone in the room had had a turn giving clues. Follow along until everyone has had a chance to guess their celebrity.
This a really fun game that requires very little prep work and will have everyone giggling, bonding and just having a great time! Perfect icebreaker for the first day but can be used to energize and/or unite a group any time!
Enjoy!
Lorie
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Invention: The Teambuilding Game
This is a fun teambuilding exercise. Divide your group in smaller groups of four to five. You will need a paper bag for each group that contains all the same items in each bag. Things like a piece of string, a couple of paperclips, a rock, some staples work best but use your imagination! For best results, make sure there are about 12-20 items in each bag and that each team bag contains identical items.
The groups separate as much as possible (suggest each take a corner of the room) and try to create an invention of some sort. Allow the teams about 10-15 minutes to come up with their masterpiece. When you call time, the finished project must be placed into the bag. No one is allowed to work extra time.
Draw straws or roll a die to see which group goes first, second, etc. Take the first group to the front of the class. One member of the team is appointed spokesperson and will explain the object and demonstrate its features, The other groups judge the effort on a score of one to ten.
The winning team gets a prize. Include all other teams for their effort. They are all winners for trying!
This exercise is great for teambuilding. You will enjoy seeing just how resourceful the teams can be!
Make sure you present and manage thisgame in a fun, lighthearted way. Do not allow any one to get too competitive or serious. Be encouraging.
End the game by thanking everyone for playing and throw out some chocolate.
Enjoy~
Lorie
The groups separate as much as possible (suggest each take a corner of the room) and try to create an invention of some sort. Allow the teams about 10-15 minutes to come up with their masterpiece. When you call time, the finished project must be placed into the bag. No one is allowed to work extra time.
Draw straws or roll a die to see which group goes first, second, etc. Take the first group to the front of the class. One member of the team is appointed spokesperson and will explain the object and demonstrate its features, The other groups judge the effort on a score of one to ten.
The winning team gets a prize. Include all other teams for their effort. They are all winners for trying!
This exercise is great for teambuilding. You will enjoy seeing just how resourceful the teams can be!
Make sure you present and manage thisgame in a fun, lighthearted way. Do not allow any one to get too competitive or serious. Be encouraging.
End the game by thanking everyone for playing and throw out some chocolate.
Enjoy~
Lorie
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Group Press Conference (Icebreaker)
I love training games! They really are essential tools for the corporate trainer.
Press Conference is a great icebreaker, one of my favorites in fact. Here’s how to play:
Choose one person to be “it” and ask him to leave the room for 3-5 minutes.
The people remaining in the classroom decide who that person is going to be. For instance, they might choose someone like “Darth Vader”.
Once decided (take no more than 5 minutes to do so!) call the person back in to the room. Remember, they do not know who they are supposed to be. Have them sit at the front of the class and have participants each ask one question as if they are reporters.
For the Darth Vader character, example questions might be “Do you have respiratory problems?”, “How is your relationship with your family?”, “Are you sometimes violent or have a bad temper?”, “What is your favorite color?” The answers of course do not match what the character would say, but it will have everyone laughing and at ease in no time.
Stress to participants that the idea is not to give away who the person is supposed to be through the questions.
The game is over in one of two ways: When the person guesses correctly the game is over. If every participant has asked a question and the person has not guessed correctly, the game is over and a new person/character is selected.
The person can guess who they are supposed to be at any time during questioning.
This game will have everyone laughing and enjoying themselves!
Enjoy!
Lorie
Remember, my training cartoons are completely unique and perfectly suited for corporate and compliance training. See my library of training cartoons here at www.WorkplaceToons.com!
Press Conference is a great icebreaker, one of my favorites in fact. Here’s how to play:
Choose one person to be “it” and ask him to leave the room for 3-5 minutes.
The people remaining in the classroom decide who that person is going to be. For instance, they might choose someone like “Darth Vader”.
Once decided (take no more than 5 minutes to do so!) call the person back in to the room. Remember, they do not know who they are supposed to be. Have them sit at the front of the class and have participants each ask one question as if they are reporters.
For the Darth Vader character, example questions might be “Do you have respiratory problems?”, “How is your relationship with your family?”, “Are you sometimes violent or have a bad temper?”, “What is your favorite color?” The answers of course do not match what the character would say, but it will have everyone laughing and at ease in no time.
Stress to participants that the idea is not to give away who the person is supposed to be through the questions.
The game is over in one of two ways: When the person guesses correctly the game is over. If every participant has asked a question and the person has not guessed correctly, the game is over and a new person/character is selected.
The person can guess who they are supposed to be at any time during questioning.
This game will have everyone laughing and enjoying themselves!
Enjoy!
Lorie
Remember, my training cartoons are completely unique and perfectly suited for corporate and compliance training. See my library of training cartoons here at www.WorkplaceToons.com!
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Positive Effects of Cartoons in the Adult Classroom
Trainers are always looking ways to engage their adult learners. Try training cartoons! When used properly, training cartoons can engage the student, help them to remember key points and enjoy a laugh or two. Funny, even slightly irreverent, training cartoons can really help your message stick! When you incorporate highly customized, topic-specific training cartoons into your learning program, the content shines and you spark an interest in even the most recalcitrant student.
Training cartoons in the adult classroom can appeal to all types of learners. They send the message to have a laugh, lighten a dry or boring topic, relax and overcome fears, all of which help create a better learning environment. Cartoons can motivate adult learners to take new approaches to more effective learning.
Cartoons are ideal for most adult learning programs, from cultural and language training to soft skills training sessions to compliance training programs like HIPAA, FMLA and Workplace Violence. Training cartoons are an ideal learning tool to bridge the gap between content and learning outcomes.
When selecting training cartoons for the classroom, look for well-designed, topic-specific collections. Never rely on generic clip art! You message can easily get lost and your students confused when your graphics are too generic and/or don’t address the specific training message. When chosen carefully, training cartoons are an excellent tool for use in adult learning environments.
Visit my website at www.WorkplaceToons.com for an ever-growing library of custom training cartoons on topics like diversity, FMLA, and HIPAA!
Training cartoons in the adult classroom can appeal to all types of learners. They send the message to have a laugh, lighten a dry or boring topic, relax and overcome fears, all of which help create a better learning environment. Cartoons can motivate adult learners to take new approaches to more effective learning.
Cartoons are ideal for most adult learning programs, from cultural and language training to soft skills training sessions to compliance training programs like HIPAA, FMLA and Workplace Violence. Training cartoons are an ideal learning tool to bridge the gap between content and learning outcomes.
When selecting training cartoons for the classroom, look for well-designed, topic-specific collections. Never rely on generic clip art! You message can easily get lost and your students confused when your graphics are too generic and/or don’t address the specific training message. When chosen carefully, training cartoons are an excellent tool for use in adult learning environments.
Visit my website at www.WorkplaceToons.com for an ever-growing library of custom training cartoons on topics like diversity, FMLA, and HIPAA!
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