September 2015
Welcome
Sheri Dougherty
Dr. Sherilyne Dougherty, CEO
With the change to Fall weather, this month we are thinking about how to use change management to successfully transform an organization and create a culture of success. Also in this issue of the DAI Advisor, we discuss how to create more engaging and, ultimately, better learning programs using stories.      

Thank you for supporting the DAI Advisor, and remember, past editions can always be accessed on our archive page.

DAI Supports 2015 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award Ceremony at the Pentagon 
For the third consecutive year, DAI assisted in the planning, promotion and execution of the prestigious Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony. Held at the Pentagon on August 21, the event was attended by DoD, Congressional and business leaders. After a formal keynote address, Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work formally recognized 15 employers as the 2015 Freedom Award recipients. The event's master of ceremonies was Leon Harris, Emmy Award-winning news anchor from local WJLA Channel 7, and country music artist Mark Wills performed.
 
The Freedom Award is the highest honor the DoD gives to employers for support of National Guard and Reserve employees. Any Guard or Reserve servicemember may nominate their employer. Additionally, family members may submit an employer nomination on behalf of a servicemember unable to submit a nomination package. The 2016 nomination season runs October 1 - December 31, 2015. To learn more, visit freedomaward.mil.

Transforming Organizations --- It Starts With Change Management   
In today's globalized and inter-connected economy, organizations deal with continually shifting market conditions, customer demands, technologies, and competition. They must adapt or fail. And yet, a recent global study found that 50 percent of executives surveyed "do not believe their culture is adaptive enough to respond positively to change."

Our human capital, communications, and change management consultants examined this challenge in "Transforming Organizations - It Starts With Change Management." In this white paper, they explore how change management can help organizations adapt and ultimately succeed. To view the complete white paper, visit our website
Using Stories to Build Engaging Courses
Have you ever attended a training course that simply focused on theory instead of applicable knowledge? Or a course that provided little opportunity for interaction or few activities? Many learners find courses that show how content applies to their jobs are more memorable and engaging.

To develop an engaging course, first ensure you have a strong understanding of the audience, content, and desired outcomes. With this understanding, you'll be able to select the appropriate media and instructional strategy to engage learners. The strategy should incorporate engaging exercises, interactivity and group discussions to help make the course more memorable and applicable. One strategy that facilitates learner engagement is scenario-based learning.

In this type of learning, stories deliver multi-disciplinary content. Scenario-based learning is defined as "a methodology which aims to promote deep learning and awareness by involving participants in realistic critical incidents where they are forced to consider a wide range of factors, make decisions and reflect on the outcomes and what they have learned from this" (CLPD, University of Adelaide).

As government agencies continue to face budget cuts and travel limitations, virtual course delivery is becoming a more practical and effective way to deliver training to federal employees. Incorporating scenario-based learning in Web-based training provides opportunities for greater interaction, ensuring opportunities for learner engagement as virtual courses become more popular.

In this article, DAI's Learning Consultants examine how stories improve virtual courses. See the full article here.
      
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