Leadership Development Center (LDC)

Learning

Advances in hardware and software has made it possible to model proven research on learning in a technology platform. Proven techniques and consistent instructional design can now be programmed into the learning experience, so that learners are always using their own initiative and intelligence to solve problems, make choices and experience success and failure. This is a far more impressive experience than a PowerPoint presentation.

The learner can immediately go out and apply her learning in realistic contexts. This will enable people to understand the relevance of their learning.

Learners will be able to learn at their own speed. They will not be stuck going at the speed of the slowest learner. With relevant learning scripts and interactivity, people will learn faster. Trainers and teachers will be freed up to do what they do best: coach people through unusual or particularly challenging situations. There will be little opportunity for the learning process to get off track.

People will be able to access the learning at their own time and when they need it. The same learning that is presented in the formal courses can be called up later as a just-in-time job aid.

There will be more transfer of the learning into actual realistic situations.

The ability to track and evaluate progress can identify early on if the learner is not mastering concepts.

Partners

While the LDC is able to do in-house instrument creation, we partner with industry leaders to create large-scale technology instruments. Little Planet Learning (LPL) is one such partner. LPL was founded as a Vanderbilt partner committed to the ideal that learning science and technology can help underprivileged children learn to read and remains staffed with people whose hearts are drawn to the just cause of helping people improve their lives through education. It as a vested interest in and a natural concern for what happens in its own backyard.

In 13+ years of developing learning experiences, LPL has found that the single most important determinant in the final quality of our work is the quality of the collaborations that they help build. By nature, they are oriented toward and prefer collaborative efforts. (more...)

In-House Creation

The LDC has the ability to create in house learning modules on a technology platform. Staff and students are trained not only in technology programming but on how to apply learning theories to available programming in order to enrich the learning experience of our constituencies.