Evolution of the Classroom
Every Speaker Talks Change
ROSSI ‘Does’ It!

CLASS IN THE ROUND

Evolution of the Learning Environment!

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 I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked harder the last twenty-four months than ever before. Now I’m not complaining, because hard work is a path to a good life. So then why do I even bring it up? Because, we’ve been told if you work hard and pay attention, you can learn. If I have one life goal, it is to learn something every day until I die! And what I learned about the business of education in the last two years is gigantic! Allow me to illuminate.

CHANGE

Since Dr. Norman Vincent Peal, teachers, trainers, educators, and speakers have been extolling and promoting the virtues of CHANGE. How do they demonstrate this? They line students up in classroom style – turn their backs to them and read the small print on the screen. Or flash endless slides, or scribbled flip charts.

  When you think out of the box, you’re just getting in another box!

EMPTY CLASSROOMS?

Getting people to sit in a classroom environment has become increasingly difficult, if not impossible. There seems to be a cloak of apathy regarding ‘classroom education’. Given the above example it’s no wonder.

GOOGLE EFFECT

Or – put off obtaining knowledge until you need it. No need to sit in class, I’ll GOOGLE it when I need it.

WANT TO LEARN PLAGUED BY HAVE TO LEARN

Professionals in many industries are now obligated to sit in CE (continuing education) classes to maintain their licenses! Soliciting an ‘Ah Crap – not again!’ attitude about classes in general. I’m not saying the CE classes are bad, but how exciting is mandatory education taught by disinterested, low, or no pay instructors?

POWERPOINTITIS  

People, globally, have been PowerPointed to death, mostly by droll speakers reading small print from a screen in a darkened room, occasionally putting up a chart, clip art, or photo. I had one instructor recently put up a PowerPoint copy of a cartoon. Then not only did he read the caption bubbles, he commenced to describe the cartoon cell, “The pointed haired boss says to Dilbert. This is Dilbert…” OMG! I wanted to scream.

APATHETIC MINDSET

Living this nightmare. as both student and teacher. has caused me to re-think EVERYTHING I’ve done for the last 28 years! Contemplating how the classroom has evolved. I completely redesigned my presentation, style, delivery, and room setup. Doing everything in my power to break this apathetic mindset, scrub the ‘classroom mold’, reinvent the student experience, and make student time spent a “Noteworthy & Valuable”experience.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

You will not hear, “Turn off your phone and put away your iPad” in my classes. Wake up people! Connectivity is Life today. Instead, they are encouraged to bring their preferred method of connectivity

“EYES FRONT CHILDREN!”

…was commanded of Laura Engels on Little House on the Prairie. STOP IT! Chalk dust and rulers do not a classroom make. We learn differently today because we can! Class and course providers must adapt. There is still a need for face-to-face education. For the naysayers who voice, “But they won’t pay attention if they are typing or texting.” I shout, “BUNK!”

NO POWERPOINT ZONE

Embracing technology means using the spectacular tools we have in our world today. It’s so easy to have all materials online and accessible to the student. These visuals have become ordinary, mundane, and boring. There is a better way. PowerPut – that is Put the Power in their hand. No need for projected visuals. I post all ROSSI Speaks presentations to the Internet, give the attendee a short link, and they have EVERYTHING instantly – all updated to the minute and available on the device of their choice, laptop, iPad, or Smartphone. Students are notified of this in advance.

THREE IN ONE!

NOW discover the next change to the EVOLVED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. It’s been uncovered that in every single event there actually are three simultaneous events, they are: Instructor/Student,Student/Student via text, and Student/non-attendee (outside of the class) via text and video. No one can, or will, stop electronic communication, so why not Embrace It!

LEVEL FOUR OF THE EVOLVED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

CLASS SET IN THE ROUND! Look what miraculously happens, a fourth class is created by attendee/attendee via the fact that they are facing one another stimulating a whole new student interaction – the power of unconditioned response (requested observation). The class now becomes a workshop without the interactive ‘workshop’ stigma.

GOAL ATTAINED!

Class Attendance UP!

Student Attention UP!

Because they are being observed!

Participation UP!

They can comment without raising their hand.

Attendee Satisfaction UP!

They feel part of the class instead of being lectured to and PowerPointed.

Take Home UP!

Learning takes place when attendees are involved, participate, and laugh.

Knowledge Implementation UP!

Feedback of “I’ve already put in effect…” has been very strong!