June 25th, 2009 by Learning Systems

In LMS training programs, oftentimes trainers ask staff members to work in groups to develop ideas, produce reports, and assume different roles within a group to achieve organizational objectives.

We’ve all seen the corporate art poster that reads “TEAMWORK” at the top, and at the bottom, the old Japanese proverb: “None of us is as smart as all of us.” There’s a photo in the center of hands of placed one over the other, suggesting that cooperation and team spirit yield success.

Some of us with a dryer sense of humor have also appreciated another poster, with the same image and “TEAMWORK” at the top. Below the image reads the slogan: “None of us is as dumb as all of us.”

Which slogan is more accurate, humor aside? Are teams a worthwhile venture in a training program–or in any educational context, for that matter?

Studies have shown that when a strong and clear structure exists, team learning systems can be highly efficient and successful. When lead by an experienced trainer or organized by an LMS online system, the benefits of creating teams for training purposes outweigh the few hazards of teamwork. But teams do need to be coordinated correctly.

Everyone is born with different talents, and throughout our lives, we each cultivate different sets of skills. We all have something unique to offer. Experienced teachers have always understood this, which is why group projects continue to be assigned to students–even in this individualistic day and age.

However, despite the fact that “teamwork” is a sort of buzzword in the corporate world, businesses often make only put forth a superficial effort to create a functional and trusting team environment. Many managers continue to nurture competitive work environments, convinced that the strongest employees will rise to the surface.

This becomes a major obstacle to corporate team-building efforts–managers themselves often possess weak teamwork skills or don’t really believe in teamwork, and so imparting and fostering these skills in others becomes difficult and unrealistic.

But when teams are organized and guided with good faith, a successful team learning experience creates a happy, productive staff. But when teams are handled poorly–tasks are unclear, competition exists, etc.–the opposite scenario becomes true: a tense, unhappy, and unproductive staff.

Because of this, both trainers and trainees benefit largely from team-building learning systems. LMS training can help to organize teams and assign individual tasks and aid in the development, distribution of goals and roles amongst team members.

LMS training can also be used to provide teamwork skills training. Teamwork is something that is taught–it’s not an innate understanding or knowledge that comes natural to most people. There are plenty of team-building learning systems online. Coggno offers a wide range of cost-effective courses on areas ranging from Group and Team Management, to Workplace Communication, to Team Dynamics and Motivation in the Workplace.

Team development LMS training can help both managers and staff become better communicators and achieve organizational goals together.

January 2nd, 2009 by Learning Systems

Wikis are an increasingly useful tool at the center of the collaborative learning trend. The Wikimedia Foundation offers a glimpse into what future learning could look like. Wikimedia is really a collection of learning systems, including Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Wiki Books, Wikiquote, WikiNews, Wikisource, Wikispecies, and more. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding the growth, development and distribution of free and multilingual learning content.

Wikiversity is a project whose goal is the creation of free, collaborative learning systems. It promises learning resources, projects and research for all levels, types, and styles of education from pre-school to university, including professional training and informal learning. Its goal is to create open learning systems and collaborative learning communities, constructing learning resources “from the ground up” while also linking to existing internet resources.

December 12th, 2008 by Learning Systems

What exactly does conflict resolution look like for children and teens? The major points of conflict resolution learning systems are active listening, where participants are called on to summarize what each person has said; cooperation between disputants; acceptance of each other’s differences; and creative problem solving, which takes into account each person’s position. 

The learning systems focus on learning from experience, with teachers serving not as instructors but as facilitators and coaches. Students engage in role-playing and team projects to learn how to deal with anger and work with others to arrive at win-win solutions. Schools with mediation learning systems use students as mediators so they can learn from experience how conflicts may be resolved in a peaceful way. 

December 12th, 2008 by Learning Systems

According to ERIC Digest’s Morton Inger, conflict resolution is becoming a major learning system across the U.S. Conflict is especially widespread in urban schools, due to their size, limited resources, and very diverse student body. To deal with the institutional problems caused by school conflict, and to help students and staff handle conflict in a more productive way, more conflict resolution programs are being implemented. Educators like Teachers College’s Morton Deutsch have laid the theoretical groundwork for many conflict resolution learning systems, arguing that schools shouldn’t try to eliminate or prevent conflict. Conflict, after all, is not only inevitable but a healthy part of life.

The key to effective conflict resolution learning systems is to encourage and promote lively, effective controversy. Conflict prevents stagnation, as well as the potential for anger to be withheld and ultimately explode. It stimulates interest and curiosity, allows problems to be addressed, and is the catalyst for personal and social change. 

December 12th, 2008 by Learning Systems

What can employees expect to gain from an LMS-hosted course in conflict management? They will acquire the communicative tools needed to prevent and deal with workplace conflicts as they arise. A good LMS course will train employees how to use different strategies for dealing with different kinds of conflict. 

Employees will also learn how to use assertive, rather than aggressive or passive, behavior. They will learn to be firm, standing their ground and reaching a positive solution without losing their tempers. Staff will be taught the different kinds of conflict at work and the different styles of dealing with it. An LMS course in conflict management should help staff vastly improve their workplace communication skills. 

December 12th, 2008 by Learning Systems

As Derek Bok said, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Workplace conflict decreases productivity, creates factions, induces absenteeism, prompts resignation, makes recruitment difficult, and prevents creativity. So the skills necessary to manage workplace conflicts are worth every penny an organization might spend on LMS-delivered training. Arrange conflict resolution online training through your LMS. It will prove an effective measure to preserve the most precious resources in the workplace–harmonious and productive employees. Not to mention the time and money it will save a company whose employees are otherwise unable to function as a team. 

The best LMS-hosted online courses for conflict management are those that focus on self-awareness. Search for a courseware system platform like Coggno to find a conflict management training course suitable for your organization’s needs. 

December 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems

One study by G.H. Varney reported that conflict remained the number-one problem for most teams operating within a large energy company, even after repeated training sessions on how to resolve conflict and how to minimize the negative impact on team members. Despite their experience in a conflict resolution learning system, many managers don’t seem to give the issue enough attention.  With this in mind, it’s important for team members to be possess the skills to resolve conflict among themselves. 

Conflict resolution skills, like communication skills, are just those–skills. As such, they should be taught early on in children’s learning systems. In my opinion, both communication and conflict resolution should be skills taught as school learning systems like home economics or gym, as children make their way into adulthood. As we get older, conflicts may become more complex, but the same set of communication skills is able to carry us through. 

December 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems

Conflicts are best resolved quickly and openly. And although teams working together face-to-face may experience more interpersonal conflicts, virtual teams can also experience disagreements. Along with using an LMS for tracking and updating goals and achievements, an LMS can be accompanied by discussion boards, video conferencing and other Web 2.0 tools to facilitate communication between members. 

Communication is both the cause of and the remedy for conflict. But understanding how to communicate effectively can help to both avoid and resolve disputes. One common source of conflict is the unclear relegation of responsibilities within a team. The use of an LMS to assign tasks and responsibilities will help prevent conflicts before they arise.