The idea for this program stems from a "back-to-the-basics" approach to learning. Christine Hitchcock, Training Development Manager at West Corporation, and Jonathan Titus, Continuing Education Director at Bellevue University will present a fun and engaging program about the principles of pedagogy, where they will help us draw out both the similarities and differences between that and andragogy. As adult learning professionals, it can be easy to underestimate some of the important principles and research regarding pedagogy. When we narrow our focus so intently on how we can best impact our adult learners, it is easy to lose the forest for the trees. We encourage you to join us for the June program to step back, and take a refreshing look at learning from a child's perspective. We will challenge you to use some of the well-practiced Early Childhood Education strategies that you may have begun to take for granted, such as:

• telling engaging stories to keep the attention of your learners,
• playing games that aid in repetition and layer the information (knowledge transfer, scaffolding),
• and breaking up big ideas into smaller chunks.

Chris Hitchcock began her career teaching elementary school children from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade.  After teaching middle school students at Boys Town, she was offered a position training other teachers and learning professionals across the United States to use the behavioral management program utilized by the Boys Town schools.  The transition from teaching children to training adults was less of a leap than expected.  Now Manager of Training at the West Corporation, Chris has been teaching adults for more than 15 years and continually finds the principles of teaching children to be relevant and applicable in her work with adult learners.  She currently serves on our board as the Past President.  She holds a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education with an Endorsement in Early Childhood Education.

Jon Titus has been specializing in effective communication and knowledge transfer for a little over a decade.  Many of the intense learning experiences he encountered as a Peace Corps volunteer with youth in small villages in the Chuquisaca Department of Bolivia have transitioned well to his adult learners at GEICO, the University of Iowa, Mutual of Omaha, and now Bellevue University where he is the Director of Continuing Education.  Last year, Jon earned his CPLP (the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance credential from ASTD), and he currently serves on our board as the VP of Education.  He holds an MBA from the Tippie School of Management at the University of Iowa.  He is passionate about the value of life-long learning.

Event Contact: 

Jen Wichern
vpprogramming@astdnebraska.org 

Cancellation Policy: No-shows will be billed. To avoid a no-show billing, please cancel by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Monday, June 9, 2014, by calling 402-850-6710 .