ATC Instructors deserve their own logo

Last month Lektor launched a new, special event, which is the International Day of the ATC Instructor. The launch was received quite enthusiastically around the world and we got way over one hundred individual participating as Founders of this day.

We created a Wall of Champions showcasing the names of each Founder and this Wall is accessible on our website. Later down the line, we will create a physical plaque as well and set it up in our headquarter office.

This, however is not quite enough, we thought. Let’s take it further and create an icon for it. Something that reminds us of the work ATC Instructors do and that reminds us of this day. It could be something you can carry or wear to show the world your heart pumps for these heroes.

A moment all instructors really live and work for is to see students learning. Some call this moment as epiphany, some as penny dropping, some as pieces clicking together. It is something sudden and fast, and brings a big change. We at Lektor, like to think of this moment as a lightbulb moment. It is the second, when student realises how something works, what something means, or how to do something.

Often learning is a slow process and it takes time to get one’s head around new things, but sometimes it can come to you suddenly like a flash. A light comes on and illuminates the things that have been hidden in the dark. It reveals the path for someone who did not know where to go before. It also brings warmth and a feeling of safety to something that was cold, dark and scary. When the light is switched on, the learners “see” things differently. They experience feeling of being safe because they are not lost anymore. Learning has happened.

This post introduces the new icon for ATC Instructors in the form of logo with more symbolism, than in a Kubrick movie. It shows an Instructor’s headphone wired up to a lightbulb, which has the glowing filaments forming the letters ATC. The headphone represents the instructor who is connected to the learner, represented by the bulb, which feeds from the knowledge of the instructor. The light and heat come from within the learner, not from the instructor. This tells about the inner processes of the learner. ATC is the vehicle of light and heat representing the context of work and learning.

As you see, the icon has many levels and possible explanations. I ask you to send your own “readings” into this logo as a comment on this post or on our LinkedIn update about this. In the meantime, we have updated the look of the Wall of Champions to include this new logo.

Happy analysing and don’t forget to elbow bump an ATC Instructor when you see one.

MVP out this week! We feel like winners!

Drumroll, please! We have given birth to something new and exciting at our Wonderland office. In case design jargon threw you off, MVP stands for ‘minimum viable product’ and for us in this case it means sample content modules on a virtual learning platform. We have created modules and lessons, and we are now surveying our test audience on their experience. Hearts are pounding and the excitement is palpable as we are waiting for the results. 

Lektor has taken the bull by the horns and decided to focus on online solutions in order to make modern learning methodologies a golden standard in the industry. In learning, what works in the classroom, most often works in an online environment as well. The learners need to be kept active and we must try our best to avoid dumping loads of information on them. They need to be ‘doing’ and not just passively ‘consuming’. Too much too fast will overload the learner’s capacity to process information. Hence microlearning units of information and tasks. This means that you can learn in small bits and returning to the material becomes effortless as you don’t have to worry about finding out where you left off in an exhausting bulk of text or in lengthy videos. 

Designing feedback can be challenging when learners take a virtual course without instructor always available. We believe that immediate feedback promotes learning, because when you can test your knowledge and get feedback from your choices, learning happens. 

We’ve been able to start testing and reiterating in about a month’s time, so this baby will see the daylight after some proper hatching. We’ll invite you to the celebration. In the meantime, stay safe and keep washing those hands, peeps!

Lektor creates history for itself

Lektor’s STDI Basic course is a deeply traditional and historical product. It has been in our portfolio from the day the company was established and the content has remained the same until today. The course has grown deep roots, which grounds it firmly in the soil of ATC training history. Its heritage is apparent and it is highly appraised by those who have had the privilege to bathe in the warmth and light of learning on the course. Fortunately, the corridors of Lektor learning facilities are not yet haunted with ghosts of past participants, because this week we got to run the STDI Basic course for the first time.

That’s right! All of the above is true, as we just started making our own legacy of our own STDI training course. It was the first time we ever held the course, but it also marked the very first time that we got participants arriving from out of town just to do a course with Lektor. There was some pressure and excitement in the air, when we started the classes on Monday. 

Private screening of Parasite.

The course was one thing of course, but on top of the standard, we were able to land some extracurricular activities on the schedule as well. One participant got to do an English language assessment after class, which helped really reboot his licence for future instructor duties. The next evening, we got a special treat, as we were able to squeeze in to a private movie screening in a theater normally closed for the public due to the current health situation. With a legally small enough group from our working environment Wonderland, we saw the film, enjoyed a few drinks and had a great time afterwards. An event that probably cannot be replicated on future Lektor classes.

Happiness and excitement just radiates from the presenter and the graduate!

Graduation day was going to be a big deal. We were supposed to have a marching band and a grand choir in the background when the certificates were handed out to graduating students. The stadium was booked and an F18 formation fly-by scheduled. Matching robes and hats were ordered for graduates and family members were supposed to attend. Sean Connery had agreed to come and give an honorary speech about Lektor on the occasion. Unfortunately events of this size are not allowed before June, so we had to downscale and bring the ceremony into the Lektor classroom. Sean was the most disappointed of all. 

The smiles on the faces of Lektor’s first ever STDI graduates was a reward in itself. We will keep on doing these courses and continue bringing the training service closer to the customer.

Decisions, decisions...

Now we’re talking!...Tools and tech for modern learning

It’s been a steep learning curve for me as a virtual learning designer here at Lektor after a couple of week’s work. Samuli and I have been throwing ideas, plans, suggestions and monologues at each other on topics including gamification, service design, customer journey, e-commercing solutions, expectation management just to name a few. Mostly we have been focusing on what we’re aiming for and how, still discussing technology and how it can bring added value to learning. We start with learning and then choose the tools, not the other way around. 

What a daunting task it is, choosing the right tech for learning. According to some estimates, there are over 1,000 LXP (Learning Experience Platform) vendors out there and dozens of authoring tools for content with varying degrees of assets and functionalities. How can one make informed decisions that support the business not only in the present but in the future as well? 

Here at Lektor, we have decided to take a pragmatic approach. To get to where we want to be, we will review LXP demos, acquire necessary admin rights and simply start testing. Learning has to happen fast: whatever supports our vision of modern learning will be seriously considered in the final design. We will create a learning “persona” whose preferences and context dictates the design decisions. We will move on to prototyping and testing our solutions with the customers as quickly as possible. Before any vendor choices, we need to do our homework on strategy and what solutions best work for our customers. This is the best part of design - imagining a possible solution and creating the steps on how to get there. 

Our journey to the cloud continues, one conversation at a time. 

Marjut

New member in the Lektor squad

Lektor is thrilled to welcome a new employee to manage virtual learning design. 

Lektor introduces a new employee to design virtual training and set up online implementation. Marjut Sadeharju has a background in languages, adult education and digital learning. Her previous employer was Helsinki University Continuing Education and Development, HY+,  where she worked as a development specialist. Marjut has written textbooks, taught English language and literature in the IB, mentored international teachers and student teachers and designed online teacher training programs for overseas customers, for example in China.

At Lektor, Marjut helps with project management, virtual learning design and business development. Traditionally seen as heavily regulated and conservative, the air navigation service industry needs a fresh and novel way to train and upskill its staff. Face-to-face training has long been the prevailing method of air navigation service training. As there is a need to offer high quality online training both nationally and internationally, there are fantastic opportunities to design learner-centered solutions and refresh traditional training practices. 

Marjut will be bringing the latest instructional developments to the field by first devising a modern learning ecosystem and designing an effective pedagogical approach. Understanding the learner and how to support their professional development is first on her task list. When asked about her feelings on starting this new project, Marjut stated that she has “rolled up her sleeves but has her head in the clouds”. Seems like the cloud is where Lektor is headed as well.

Samuli

Training services have commenced

After getting the training certification in February, Lektor was pumped to get the first courses running. We did the necessary preparations to conduct our very first STDI refresher course, called people, booked conference room, scheduled lunches, booked flights and hotels. And then, corona.

First it seemed okay. We are still a group of less than 10 persons in the same room, so that is fine. Travelling inside Europe was still ok, only China was off-limits. Then things started to tighten up. Finns were recommended not to leave the country and any Finn returning to their home country would need to quarantine themselves for two weeks. For a foreigner, getting in the country got tough, as they might not let you in if you don’t have a pressing reason for it. And my guy was coming in from abroad. Then they closed off the region of Nyland (Uusimaa), where Helsinki and Lektor are located.

This was a nut to crack. The course is planned for traditional face-to-face delivery, but the participant cannot participate due to travel restrictions. He still needs to get the refresher training done before the licence endorsement expires.

Lektor decided to request an exemption to use virtual connection for the delivery of the course. A technical solution to connect the instructor and the trainee with audio and video connection to allow for discussions and visual presentation of material.

Fortunately, Traficom, the Finnish competent authority in aviation understood the situation. They had a few very appropriate and justified concerns about how to ensure that the training objectives will be met and what methodology we would be using as per training plan. After a constructive negotiation, Lektor was given green light to go ahead with its first ever training course. And so we did.

Participant name changed to protect privacy. And it is funnier this way too!

Now the seal is broken, and the flow may begin. However, we still need to overcome the travel restrictions and limitations of people gathering to same space. This means that we need to begin a vigorous development program to create courses to be digital proof, and cooperation with the regulator for eventual approvals.

The one thing this corona virus and the restrictions it has brought worldwide has proven, is that we cannot look at the way work or training the same way again. What used to be the norm, suddenly became something impossible. This situation will disrupt the training field like it has never done before. Lektor is happy to be shaking the tree and rocking the boat.

Lektor is now a certified ATC Training Organisation

On February 6th 2020, Lektor got a much anticipated contact from Finland’s national aviation regulator, Traficom. Their message included a scanned copy of a Training Organisation (TO) Certificate we had applied for in September the previous year. The certificate allows Lektor to train practical instructors and assessors for a professional endorsement.

We don’t normally do this in the office, but this was an occasion worthy of a moderate and responsible celebration.

Being approved as a TO is quite a big deal for a small company such as Lektor. The process of acquiring the certificate included creating an organisational management system with a manual describing what we do, where we do it, how we do it, with what equipment we do it, how we manage safety and changes, how we ensure we will not lose our capability do it etc. All with their necessary documentation of course. Then we needed to have the training plans for On the Job Training instructor, Synthetic Training Device Instructor and Competence Assessor courses. And respective refresher courses as well.

Who’s got the certificate? Who?!

In December 2019, the documentation was already on a level which allowed for the regulator to book an on-site audit with us. The date was agreed to late January when the auditors arrived to check Lektor’s premises, equipment and to ask for some questions. With just a few details to clarify on our manuals, the audit was a success. Soon we got confirmation that the training plans were also acceptable, so the only thing left was the writing and signing of the actual certificate. And that is what happened on the 6th of Feb.

The regulator wanted to mail the paperwork to us (not email, but actual mail), but we were way too anxious to wait for that. We wanted to get the document in our hand an on our wall as soon as possible. So we put our coats and hats on and made our way to Traficom’s office to receive the envelope personally.

A milestone reached.

We are very proud of this accomplishment. Lektor is only the second organisation in Finland to receive this certificate, which makes us the first company ever to knock on the dominance on field of ANS training.

I am particularly thankful for Lektor's staff, who made this possible through black-belt professionalism and a strong vision of what is needed and how to organise the different pieces together.

Now it is time to move on to next steps. Keep following us for future developments.