WELCOME TO C.R.E LEARNING !
THIS WEBSITE IS SETUP TO SHARE LEARNING PROGRAMS
– CREATIVE LEARNING EXERCISES
– FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
– LEARN TO RELAX ….. TO LEARN
ABOUT THE C.R.E. METHOD:
C.R.E. is a proven method for rapid self directed learning and confidence building.
C.R.E. applies active relaxation and play to prepare the mind to absorb new knowledge.
As applied here to language learning, business skills, physical and mental wellbeing, and more…
SEARCH THROUGH ALL THE PROGRAMS HERE:
START TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
C.R.E. Language programs use relaxation based approaches to help individuals feel confident to learn the key vocabulary, grammar, and accent a learner needs to start to speak a new language.
WEBSITE INSTRUCTIONS // FAQs
+ WHO IS THE SITE FOR ?
- For motivated learners
- For aid workers
- For travellers
- For the curious
- For groups or individuals
- For professionals
- For retirees
- For students
+ WHAT CAN YOU ACHIEVE WITH A CRE PROGRAM ?
- Learn basic conversational SPANISH, SWAHILI, PASHTO…
- Improve your accent
- Become confident in reading a balance sheet
- Learn to relax your mind and body to tackle stress
- Reframe trauma and bounce back with hope for the future
- Support yourself through illness and recovery
- and more….
+ FIND A LEARNING PROGRAMME
- SEARCH for a specific program using the search box on the homepage or magnifying glass icon in top right corner of all pages.
- EXPLORE the range of available programs by clicking on ‘Learning programs (free)’ in the banner (middle, top of the page).
+ START LEARNING
There are three ways to use the CRE learning programs.
- Register and access the course material directly online through the website.
- Download the PDF and MP3 files from the course page. No registration required.
- Purchase a hard copy of course material on publishing site lulu.com – all courses available.
+ REGISTERING ONTO THE WEBSITE (OPTIONAL)
Registering to the website allows you :
- To keep track of your learning.
- To add comments and give feedback on the learning material
- To share your experience with other users.
To open an account, fill in the registration form to create your username and password.
IMPORTANT: We do not use, sell or share any of your data with anyone or any third party.
+ ONLINE COURSES
Once registered on the website, enroll onto the website based courses.
For each course, open the summary by clicking on the 3 dashes on the upper left part of the module screen.
Click on different sections to reach the corresponding page.
Different types of content are offered: reading material, audio, video, presentations and quizzes.
In language lessons, audio can be played whilst reading the material.
+ THE CREATIVE RELAXATION EXERCISE
The Creative Relaxation Exercise is a short 5 minute guided relaxation to put the learner in a positive and confident frame of mind for learning.
It is one of the key tools of the CRE Method.
Play along, you WILL find it worthwhile!
Discover the Creative Relaxation Exercise
+ WHY FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT
CRE learning programs are continually being updated and refined to enhance the quality of course content and of the learning experience.
We are reliant on users’ feedback to help direct changes to the courses and to find new ways in which they can be improved.
Do share with us your suggestions, corrections and ideas for development.
START TO LEARN CREATIVE RELAXATION EXERCISE (CRE) TECHNIQUES
The Creative Relaxation Exercises are simple and short modules, designed to help you feel confident to approach any learning situtation.
So, why not start to improve your learning from today?
KEEP DEVELOPING YOUR MANAGEMENT SKILLS
The Management section showcases recent training programs with novel ideas and approaches to address a wide variety of Management topics including ethics, communication and the environment.
ABOUT US
The CRE LEARNING website was created by Dr Bob BOLAND in 2001 to provide free language programs for aid workers travelling to Afghanistan, which at the time was the focus of an intense foreign aid effort.
Working to support Boston University Humanitarian projects, he developed freely available short, intense learning programs to help volunteers better communicate in local languages including Dari, Pashto and Uzbek. In time, working with native speakers from across the globe, CRE language programmes were expanded to cover 80 languages.
Alongside language programs, Dr Bob Boland developed and adapted the CRE method for application to a wide range of subjects including accounting, finance, management, leadership and personal health. All are available on this site.
All the programs are the result of key collaborative efforts and focused research across for each subject areas.
They are free to use, share and adapt to different learning contexts.
A feature of all programs is the key emphasis on using creative relaxation exercises to tap into the mind’s inbuilt ability to learn.
They are available as online courses, and/or downloadable learning materials (pdf/mp3).
Online courses require a simple registration and login to assist with continuity of learning (continue where you left off).
Dr Bob Boland (1926-2020) was a lifelong learner and teacher.
A chartered accountant in his 20s, Bob Boland founded a school of management in his 30s and was a business school dean and international visiting professor in his 40s. He trained in and practiced medicine specialising in public health in his 50s and was an international civil servant in his 60s. He became a clinical hypnotherapist in his 70s, and wrote plays and volunteered as US tax accountant into his 80s and 90s.
He is the author of the AGL (Autonomous Group Learning) Method, a precursor of problem-based learning use to successfully teach finance, marketing and accounting to over 30’000 managers around the world. Whilst at the International Labour Office in the 1980s, he championed environmental auditing and foresaw the environmental impact of human activity, particularly in business.
In later life, he wrote theatrical plays to challenge societal norms and ideas across themes such as health at the end of life, managing psychological trauma and business corruption.
Driving principles in his work, and in his general approach to life, were to find joy in the learning experience and to never stop challenging in the impossible.
BOB'S STIMULATING IDEAS
Find the work and study that you really love, and then it will be a fun and a joy for you, and also for the ones that work with you.
YOUR REACTION?
HELP WANTED
CRE language programmes are the product of an extensive collaborative effort involving native language speakers across 6 continents.
Some language programs are still in a ‘DRAFT’ state. For example, ARMENIAN and LAO have been started, but we need fluent speakers to check the learning material is accurate, and to provide an audio track with a natural accent.
If you would like to contribute to CRE languages, please do get in touch!
We are currently looking for native speakers of the following languages to help correct draft versions and record an audio to help learn how to speak the language.
- A- ARMENIAN,
- B- BAMBARA, BULGAR,
- C- CHICHEWA, CROATIAN,
- D- DUTCH,
- E- ESTONIAN,
- F- FIJIAN (BAUAN)
- I- IBO, IRAQI,
- K- KIKONGO, KIKUYU, KIRUNDI, KURDE,
- L- LAO, LINGALA,
- M- MONGOL, MORE,
- N- NORWEGIAN,
- P- PERSIAN, PEUL,
- S- SANGO, SERBIAN, SERBO-CROATIAN, SOMALI, SWISS GERMAN BASEL/BERN/ZURICH
- T- TSIGANE, TSONGA, TWI
- U- UKRAINIAN
Many Thanks to Marta Tatch for recent contributions for the CATALAN and EUROPEAN PORTUGUESE, respectively.
SHARE YOUR LANGUAGE
BOOKS AND PRINTABLE
IF YOU CAME HERE TO WATCH THE THEATRE PLAYS
7 Plays addressing issues such as gender (in)equality, corruption, end-of-life, mental health, the meaning of life and much much more…