It has been observed that learning and development (L & D) professionals are often so busy helping other people within their organisations that they can neglect their own continuing professional development. The intense pace scale and pace of change can mean that L & D personnel are more inclined to be assisting other colleagues than applying the lessons to themselves.
To this end, CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) has published a report, ‘Insight and intuition – the key to ideas and innovation,’ to encourage their members to be both innovative and creative in their thinking within the working environment. The report detailed the science and language that supports insight and innovation.
Ruth Stewart, the L & D Research Advisor at the CIPD, remarked: ‘L & D professionals are used to helping others cope with the scale and pace of change in the world of work but they need to make sure they keep up too. Getting to grips with concepts like the science of learning and the cognitive processes behind innovation and idea generation are crucial if L & D practitioners are to play a critical role at this game-changing moment for the world of work.’
The report gives pointers such as:
· The awareness of thinking and perceiving skills in how ideas are generated and sustained.
· This awareness is to be translated into practical applications so that the organisation benefits.
· The utilisation of basic thinking and diagnostic tools so that people can retain and develop what has been taught.
· The use of popular insight-generators (such as Albert Einstein or Steve Jobs) to demonstrate how insights and intuitions shape the world in general and society in particular.
· The support and analysis of insight and intuition skills within an organisation and, if possible, to permeate them through coaching and talent programmes, building continuous reflection and awareness.
· There should be the experience of having fun with intuition and insight, with energy and enthusiasm being built into the programme.
The importance of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within the teaching and learning sector is important, which includes those within our churches.
There are resources that can be obtained to make the teaching of others to be more effective. One such book is ‘7 Laws of the Learner’ written by Bruce Wilkinson (the founder of Walk Thru the Bible), which outlines how different people take in information (such as kinaesthetic, aural or visual) and how teachers can help people learn according to their preferences.
The Bible informs that teachers within the church are accountable to God (James 3: 1). In order for others to absorb the material in the most effective manner, the teacher of God’s Word needs to be aware of the subject matter and the style of presentation. It might mean that the presenter might need to adapt his or own style, taking into account the CPD that the teacher has undertaken, in order that the hearers will maximise the opportunity of learning. In the words of the apostle Paul: ‘Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible’ (1 Corinthians 9: 19) before he stated in verse 23: ‘I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.’
It is of the utmost importance for teachers of the Bible especially to continue in improving how they present Biblical truths so that God can work in the hearts, minds and lives of the listeners.
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