Apparently BBC employees are being offered a day's course on how to ride the buses in Manchester. Isn't that a great idea? I have been on many courses in my time, and I can tell you exactly the kind of thing they'll be up to.
1. "Breaking the ice". This may involve a game. For example, John Humprheys throws a ball to Jeremy Paxman shouting "Jeremy!", and Jeremy throws the ball to Eddy Grundy shouting "Eddy!" etc. etc. until we all know who everyone is.
2. Brainstorming, with a large flipchart and someone important wielding a felt marker writing down words like "bus stop" and "timetable".
3. Map-reading (this is a guess; I have never been on a course where maps were involved, but then I have never tried to navigage my way round Manchester).
4. Dividing into small groups. This is an absolute must on any course. The small groups discuss things (routes around Manchester; how to hail a bus; that kind of thing), and then re-form in the larger group to share their findings. There will be a huge sheet of paper and another felt marker for each group.
5. Conclusion. Have we enjoyed ourselves? What have we learnt? Followed by the handing out of sheets of paper for Feedback (score each part of the course from no.1 = useless, to no 5 = wonderful).
6. I guess this is optional, but they may just get to have a ride in a real bus.
There will be tea/coffee and biscuits throughout the day, but as a licence-payer, I do hope they are providing their own sandwiches.
