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Insights and Headlines from the Field

Engaging Students Through Gamification

Gamification has been proven to be an effective strategy in learning over the last few decades. Numerous empirical studies published in peer-reviewed journals provide evidence to support its use. Although more research is needed to understand the benefits and best practices in design and implementation, its value has been recognized in various areas. One of …

Opinion on Nuclear – Pandora’s Promise documentary review

Robert Stone’s 2013 documentary film “Pandora’s Promise” argues in favor of nuclear power as a solution to climate change and reducing carbon emissions. The film features interviews with environmentalists, energy experts, and former anti-nuclear activists who have changed their position on nuclear power.  While the film has been praised by some for presenting a persuasive …

Virtual Instructor-Led Training: It’s Much More Than Zoom

Virtual instructor-led training, or VILT, is education facilitated by an instructor that can occur in a synchronous (live) or asynchronous (self-scheduled or reviewed) virtual format. This saves valuable time and money for the utility, the instructor, and the student. Industries use VILT to train and onboard employees and colleges offer undergraduate and graduate VILT programs. …
modernization of nuclear training

The Modernization and Transformation of Nuclear Training

In 1994, my roommate at Clemson University let me experience the Virtual Reality (VR) lab he worked in on campus. I walked a plank between two skyscrapers. I will never forget the sensation when I intentionally stepped off the plank.  My stomach turned and I lost all bearings as I hurled down to the city …

The Stress of the Final Exam

When I look back on my initial license training program to obtain my Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) license, I recall the intense amount of plant information and tasks I needed to learn just to be able to pass the final NRC exam.  Over three decades ago, the SRO operating exam consisted …

Five Nuclear Education Trends in 2022

It is interesting to reflect on how far education and training have come in the last two years. The pandemic threw face-to-face classroom instruction into a realm of impossibility, and a terrifying realization presented itself to instructors. We were not prepared. The pandemic forced educational technology (EdTech) to center stage in Nuclear Education as well …

Giving Back to the Nuclear Industry One Mentor at a Time

A year ago, I wrote about our new The Mentor Program℠ that was launched to help develop newly appointed training leaders in the industry. The new program was designed to help match experienced mentors from our industry with current nuclear professionals who were recently promoted into a training manager role.   An individualized, online experience   The online mentoring …

How We Learn

Do you ever think about how you learned what you know today? By Dan Roy I recently reflected on how I used flash cards to learn my multiplication tables when I was young, and today I see children using calculators instead. I laugh because when I started my freshman year of engineering school, I learned …

PLANT™ Improvements Stay Cutting Edge

PLANT from Accelerant Solutions is transforming how the commercial nuclear power industry is engaging and training students.

Benefits of Having a Mentor

Have you benefited from having an amazing mentor during your career? If you answered yes, you probably realize that a great mentor can accelerate your professional development and propel you to success. Having someone show you the ropes and provide real-life examples of how they managed challenges common to your position is a huge asset. …