Continuing Education at Work (RubyConf)

Abstract:
The list of things we want to learn is infinite. How many of us have marked talks to watch, or books to read, yet have never gone back to them (until our browser crashes and we lose everything that was in an open tab)? Left to my own devices, I often only learn what I directly need in my work, despite the best of intentions. It wasn’t until I started running a couple lightweight continuing education programs at work that I followed through on my goals around continuing to expand my technical knowledge base. This talk will discuss setting up programs to finally get yourself reading those technical books and watching technical talks. We’ll discuss strategies for making these programs low maintenance and long-lived, as well as flexible enough to help both more and less experienced folks. If you’ve been looking for a more structured approach to self-education, this talk is for you!

This talk was presented at RubyConf 2016 in Cincinnati, ~43 minutes: https://youtu.be/9uRho69xSAI
Blog post: http://kwugirl.blogspot.com/2015/10/continuing-education-at-work-talk.html

Transcript

1. CONTINUING EDUCATION AT WORK Katherine Wu @kwugirl Software Engineer
2. @kwugirl PROGRAM OVERVIEWS WHY THIS IS A GOOD IDEA 3 GENERAL PRINCIPLES PROGRAM DETAILS FINAL THOUGHTS
3. PROGRAM OVERVIEWS
4. @kwugirl technical book club PROGRAM OVERVIEWS >
5. @kwugirl PROGRAM OVERVIEWS > TECHNICAL BOOK CLUB
6. @kwugirl PROGRAM OVERVIEWS > TECHNICAL BOOK CLUB
7. @kwugirl LunchConf PROGRAM OVERVIEWS >
8. @kwugirl PROGRAM OVERVIEWS > LUNCHCONF
9. @kwugirl PROGRAM OVERVIEWS > LUNCHCONF …and more!
10. WHY THIS IS A GOOD IDEA
11. @kwugirl WHY GOOD IDEA >
12. @kwugirl “Book club gives me shiny hair and clear skin!” —someone
 WHY GOOD IDEA >
13. @kwugirl “Book club gives me shiny hair and clear skin!” —someone
 “In just 3 visits, LunchConf made me grow 2 inches taller!” 
 —someone else WHY GOOD IDEA >
14. @kwugirl “All of the learning, none of the stress!” WHY GOOD IDEA >
15. @kwugirl “Watching conference talks is a whole different experience when you get to talk about them afterward.” WHY GOOD IDEA >
16. @kwugirl WHY CONTINUING ED? WHY GROUP LEARNING? WHY AT WORK? WHY GOOD IDEA >
17. @kwugirl WHY CONTINUING EDUCATION? WHY GOOD IDEA >
18. @kwugirl it’s fun! WHY GOOD IDEA > CONTINUING ED
19. @kwugirl good for your current job WHY GOOD IDEA > CONTINUING ED
20. @kwugirl “LunchConf has been such a super thing for me :) 
 just totally used non-greedy regex in researching a customer issue” WHY GOOD IDEA > CONTINUING ED > CURRENT JOB
21. @kwugirl “I get to notice all the gaps in my knowledge…before they become fatal flaws!” WHY GOOD IDEA > CONTINUING ED > CURRENT JOB
22. @kwugirl good for your career WHY GOOD IDEA > CONTINUING ED
23. @kwugirl WHY GROUP LEARNING? WHY GOOD IDEA >
24. @kwugirl use peer pressure on yourself WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING
25. @kwugirl active learning WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING
26. @kwugirl “How come ch4 says ___, 
 but ch7 says ___? WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING > ACTIVE LEARNING
27. @kwugirl “It’s the human interaction, hearing from others, explaining my thoughts, and getting instant feedback that really helps lock knowledge in for me.” WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING > ACTIVE LEARNING
28. @kwugirl “I’m not the most social of people, and yet learning socially is how I learn best.” WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING > ACTIVE LEARNING
29. @kwugirl learn more WHY GOOD IDEA > GROUP LEARNING
30. @kwugirl WHY AT WORK? WHY GOOD IDEA >
31. @kwugirl more convenient WHY GOOD IDEA > AT WORK
32. @kwugirl take advantage of resources WHY GOOD IDEA > AT WORK
33. @kwugirl make material more relevant WHY GOOD IDEA > AT WORK
34. @kwugirl develop relationships WHY GOOD IDEA > AT WORK
35. @kwugirl set the discussion WHY GOOD IDEA > AT WORK
36. 3 GENERAL PRINCIPLES
37. @kwugirl ADDS OVERHEAD GETTING STUCK MANAGING EASY TO DEPRIORITIZE GENERAL PRINCIPLES >
38. @kwugirl make it GENERAL PRINCIPLES > adds overhead EASY
39. @kwugirl make it GENERAL PRINCIPLES > getting stuck managing DISTRIBUTED
40. @kwugirl make it GENERAL PRINCIPLES > easy to deprioritize USEFUL
41. @kwugirl GENERAL PRINCIPLES >
42. @kwugirl GENERAL PRINCIPLES > EASY E
43. @kwugirl GENERAL PRINCIPLES > EASY E DISTRIBUTED D
44. @kwugirl GENERAL PRINCIPLES > EASY E DISTRIBUTED D USEFUL U
45. PROGRAM DETAILS
46. @kwugirl GETTING STARTED DETAILS >
47. @kwugirl pick your own starting point DETAILS > GETTING STARTED EASY USEFUL
48. @kwugirl DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > STARTING POINT
49. @kwugirl DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > STARTING POINT
50. @kwugirl recruit participants DETAILS > GETTING STARTED
51. @kwugirl gather a core group DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > RECRUIT DISTRIBUTED
52. @kwugirl get different experience levels DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > RECRUIT USEFUL
53. @kwugirl loop in mentors DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > RECRUIT USEFUL
54. @kwugirl pick a consistent time and location DETAILS > GETTING STARTED DISTRIBUTED EASY
55. @kwugirl discuss & set ground rules DETAILS > GETTING STARTED
56. @kwugirl the first rule of book club is… DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES EASY
57. @kwugirl come to book club! DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES EASY
58. @kwugirl talk about motivations DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES USEFUL
59. @kwugirl if 2 people are around, will meet DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES EASY
60. @kwugirl it’s ok to disagree! DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES USEFUL
61. @kwugirl involve remote folks DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES DISTRIBUTED
62. @kwugirl ok to leave a talk DETAILS > GETTING STARTED > GROUND RULES USEFUL
63. @kwugirl have a place to record things DETAILS > GETTING STARTED EASY USEFUL DISTRIBUTED
64. @kwugirl RUNNING THE EVENTS DETAILS >
65. @kwugirl moderating DETAILS > EVENTS
66. @kwugirl commit to doing *all* the reading DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING USEFUL
67. @kwugirl bring work examples DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING USEFUL
68. @kwugirl create space
 for everyone DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING USEFUL
69. @kwugirl “I’d like to hear a comment or question from someone who hasn’t spoken yet.” DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING USEFUL
70. @kwugirl assign 2 moderators DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING DISTRIBUTED
71. @kwugirl rotate assignments DETAILS > EVENTS > MODERATING DISTRIBUTED
72. @kwugirl have a forum for continued discussion DETAILS > EVENTS EASY USEFUL DISTRIBUTED
73. @kwugirl RESUSCITATING ATTENDANCE DETAILS >
74. @kwugirl ask questions DETAILS > RESUSCITATING ATTENDANCE EASY
75. @kwugirl light guilt-tripping DETAILS > RESUSCITATING ATTENDANCE
76. @kwugirl remind of goals DETAILS > RESUSCITATING ATTENDANCE USEFUL
77. @kwugirl CHOOSING THE NEXT THING DETAILS >
78. @kwugirl choosing the next book DETAILS > NEXT EASY USEFUL DISTRIBUTED
79. @kwugirl choosing the next talk DETAILS > NEXT EASY USEFUL DISTRIBUTED
80. @kwugirl VARIATIONS ON A THEME DETAILS >
81. @kwugirl DETAILS > VARIATIONS
82. @kwugirl Business Time DETAILS > VARIATIONS
83. @kwugirl Business Time Security Book Club DETAILS > VARIATIONS
84. @kwugirl Business Time Security Book Club 5th Floor Book Club DETAILS > VARIATIONS
85. @kwugirl Business Time Security Book Club 5th Floor Book Club Introvert Book Club! DETAILS > VARIATIONS
86. @kwugirl DETAILS > VARIATIONS DISTRIBUTED
87. @kwugirl rubybookclub.com DETAILS > VARIATIONS DISTRIBUTED
88. @kwugirl “selfconf” DETAILS > VARIATIONS http://tech.forter.com/selfconf-empowering-group-learning-for-software-engineers/ EASY USEFUL DISTRIBUTED
89. FINAL THOUGHTS
90. @kwugirl don’t have to run these programs forever FINAL THOUGHTS > DISTRIBUTED
91. @kwugirl adapt for the work culture you’re in FINAL THOUGHTS > EASY USEFUL
92. @kwugirl may your bookmarks decrease in number! FINAL THOUGHTS >
93. CONTINUING EDUCATION AT WORK Katherine Wu @kwugirl Software Engineer bit.ly/ContinuingEdAtWork DISTRIBUTED EASY USEFUL E D U
94. @kwugirl THANKS FOR FEEDBACK & HELP PRACTICING! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS > Adam V Alexis G Alice G Amy B Emily H Eric B Erika A Jason C Andrew G Cory J Daniel S David P Karl S Kelsey Y Ruby A Zoe K
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