The construction of a network of internal teachers is one of the foundations from which to launch an internal training Academy within your organization. The Skilla method meets this requirement by proposing its 2+1 formula. This method consists in identifying the 2% of people in the company to involve in teaching their colleagues, sales team and post-sales, on contents that are for the most part technical. The colleagues chosen to be teachers are trained for the purpose in classroom techniques and in the basic principles of learning and should receive continuous refresher courses. To keep this role compatible with their normal working activities, they should, as a rule, not be involved in teaching for more than ten days per year. A further 1% should then be identified from among the ‘digital natives’ in the company or – failing these – from among the people most conversant with new digital technologies. These persons may be deployed in ‘reverse coaching‘ projects, partnering their more senior colleagues, often occupying positions of great responsibility, but having little familiarity with new technologies, in order to make them more aware and competent in this respect. The formation of this network, which is the basis of every Corporate Academy, should be centered on engaging and empirical teaching methodologies, in order create true innovation in internal training. Using a qualified network of internal teachers, some classroom teaching models may be renewed, especially in their timings. The classic eight-hour model of classroom teaching is a hangover from the industrial era. If we look at it carefully, its absurdity is evident because after eight hours in the classroom it is impossible to remember all of the contents presented. By contrast, short classes, frequently repeated, lasting around ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes, have a greater teaching impact in terms of learning and recall. Not by chance, these timings are the same as the length of a good film or of a play which, when done well, will be remembered for the rest of one’s life. In some cases, even shorter sessions may be tried out. An internal network of teachers, based on the 2+1 formula, has numerous advantages:
- utilization and motivation of internal young experts
- reduction of costs
- codification, diffusion and capitalization of corporate knowledge
- Innovation of educational methodologies.
Franco Amicucci