Training Make-over, Make-over Ideas for Trainers
This section provides a practical tool-kit for trainers on ways to regenerate and refresh current training programmes, much in the same way as a house can be given a make-over.
It is intended for development professionals who already know their subject matter but recognise the need to present it in an innovative and re-worked fashion to create maximum impact and to ensure learning sticks.
The chapters are designed to allow you to look at your existing courses afresh, re-work existing material and work with new as well as finding new approaches and methodologies to enliven your delivery.
Chapter 1: Looking at your current courses afresh
In this chapter we look at how you can start to look at your existing courses afresh. We will cover:
1. Clarifying learning objectives
2. Taking account of existing feedback
3. Establishing participants' learning styles and needs
4. Reviewing the course ingredients
5. Analysing your existing course design
This review will give us the raw materials with which you can rework the course afresh.
In order to act as a reference, we suggest that in this and subsequent chapters you record your thoughts and answers to the prompt questions that we pose.
1. Clarifying learning objectives
Thinking about the course that you would like to re-vitalise, review the learning objectives that you have written for the course:
What would you like the leaner to know or do differently as a result of the training intervention?
Write the learning objectives in language that is measurable. E.g. By the end of the course participants will be able to:
• State
• Describe
• Explain
• Operate
Write the learning objectives here:
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
2. Reviewing existing course feedback
If you have run the course before, review the feedback that you have received from course participants and any evaluation you have undertaken of how well they transferred the learning to the workplace. If you have not undertaken a feedback and evaluation process as a result of the course, we suggest that you do this now.
List below what was helpful to participants as a result of the course, what they would have liked to see amended in the course, what was missing from the course, what could have been dropped from the course.
Review of participants' feedback and evaluation
1. What was helpful
2. What could have been amended
3. What was missing
4. What could have been dropped
3. Establishing participants' learning styles and needs
Consider the target audience for your learning intervention and find out the answers to the following questions:
• Who needs to be trained?
• What is their prior knowledge of the topic?
• What other training have they undertaken of a similar nature?
• Is there a predominant learning style amongst the intended participants (e.g. activist, pragmatist, theorist or reflector)? Or do you need to cater for all styles?
• How many people need to be trained?
• When is the optimum time for the training (date and duration)
• What learning methodologies may be applicable to the learners other than traditional training courses (e.g. one-to-one coaching, reading, e-learning, watching a video etc)
4. Reviewing the course ingredients
Given the needs of the learner, what are the essential topics that must be covered on the course and which are those that are less essential?
Priority topics that must be covered
Topics that are less essential to be covered
5. Analysing your existing course design
Having undertaken this review, list below:
• The strengths of your current course design
• The weaknesses of your current course design
• Any opportunities you see to enhance your existing course design
Strengths of Current Course Design
Weaknesses of Current Course Design
Opportunities to Enhance your Existing Course Design
You now have some of the raw materials for your course re-design. Like any good cook, your success is dependent on using the best ingredients, selecting the correct recipe to follow, finding new combinations and flavours and presenting the dish in an appetising way.
In the following chapters we will investigate:
• New angles and how to find them
• Matching learning methodologies to learning styles
• Adopting new approaches and methodologies
Bon Appetit!
Sarah Cook, Stairway Consultancy Ltd, 01628 526535
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