I was in a discussion this week about why academic colleagues are reluctant to attend formal training in the skills they need for teaching – even when there is a huge change in teaching and a bunch of new skillls needed. I do worry that some people would rather struggle with a technology tool for hours, or days and weeks rather than even try taking the training course.
I was told that the courses don’t cover the kind of teaching they do.
I was a bit pleased with myself for saying ‘ I think it is more Dunning-Kruger than Munn and Dunning’ but afterwards I did have to check that Munn and Dunning was what I thought it was. The Dunning–Kruger effect leads people with low ability at a task to overestimate their ability.
I have lots of data about who attends our learning technology training courses. In some parts of the university the numbers are really very low. It might be that people are very teaching tech savvy. It might be that the the tools are simple and easy to use. It might.
