Train the Trainer

1. Train the Trainer A refresher overview for SSD instructors [and others]

2. Rationale/WIIFM • Successful training requires proper design, development, and delivery and, you don’t want to be the instructor that the participants go to snoozeville on in class.

3. Acknowledge that: • You are a mix of classroom and distance learning cadres, and that • Specifics are best addressed within each cadre as you design, redesign, develop, update, and plan delivery of courses

4. Objectives – Upon completion, participants (you the instructors in this case) will be able to: • Understand how learning retention rates and how adults learn should affect our design, develop, and delivery of training • Recognize that we have a process and practical tips of the trade for developing and delivering instruction

5. Objectives – Upon completion, participants (you the instructors in this case) will be able to: • Recognize the components of structuring training for future course design, development, and delivery • Understand the concept of blended learning and be ready to utilize it in future course design, development, and delivery

6. Where we get our training info

16. Learning issues

17. Retention

18. It’s what the learner does in class, not what they see or hear

19. Approach is importantto retention Abstract Conceptualization (concluding / learning from the experience) Application (doing / having an experience) Reflective Observation (reviewing / reflecting on the experience) Conceptual Experience (planning / trying out what you have learned)

20. Without any follow-up by student to review or use content

21. How Adults Learn

22. Adults have a need to know why they should learn something • Training should be based on valid needs of the intended audience. • All information provided should include reasons for learning. The benefits of learning should be clearly shown. • Activities should be based on real work experiences.

23. Adults have a task-centered orientation to learning • Do not do an information dump. • Focus activities on “doing” something with information rather than simply “knowing” the information.

24. Adults have a greater volume and different quality of experience than youth. Design training activities that reflect the actual work the learners will perform. Provide activities that permit learners to compare the theoretical aspects of the training with their experiences.

25. Motivation

26. What you want to avoid doing. De-motivators are: • No energy, no eye contact, speaking in a monotone, no personal contact • “I did, I am, etc.” Too much personal experience • Poor preparation • Reading directly from manuals, slides, etc. • Lack of time for topic and for questions and answers

27. What you want to avoid doing. De-motivators are: • In the same gear all day (no, I don’t mean clothing.) • Having no credibility • Being quick to criticize • Talking down to learners, making them feel stupid • Not covering/sticking to objectives • Too many “war stories” • Disinterest in the subject and/or the learners • Monotone = disinterest?

28. What you can do • Your students may ask, “What’s in it for me?” Show them the value or use of your material. • Use praise liberally. Call it positive reinforcement. • Make course objectives clear when setting expectations, then challenge students to achieve them. For some, having a goal to attain is motivation to attain it. • Be available, before, after, and during your presentation, during breaks, etc. • Be excited about your topic.

29. Motivation includes use of proper stimulus “What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; but what I do, I understand.” How we learn: 75% through the sense of sight 13% through the sense of hearing 6% through the sense of touch 3% through the sense of smell 3% through the sense of taste

30. Logic and Sequencing • Each learning point makes sense by itself • The Why is answered • Application to specific instances are used • Logical sequence is followed • Whole to part, big picture to specific parts, importance, time, etc.

31. Participation • Active participant involvement, not passive observation, ensures effective learning. • Many training gurus believe though that: • Groups of 20 or more, participation is not practical. • Limit it to small groups within the class. • A spokesperson for the group presents their ideas. • Thus, each learner is involved in the learning just as though he/she interacted directly with the presenter.

32. Repetition • Repetition with a difference: Give the same information but vary your approach. An example would be using a quiz followed by a puzzle followed by a game show. • Refresher training: Cover the same material, but in less time and with less intensity, best applied over following weeks. • Interval training: Learners will retain only about 10% of what they learned after 30 days. If you provide the material at six intervals and increase the amount of time from each interval to the next one, they will retain 90% after 30 days.

33. Instructional development

34. 10-Step plan – planning process 1-8 • Identify audience needs. • Identify the topic and the questions that will be asked. • Determine the level of knowledge needed and the sequence of your subtopics. • Write your objectives. • Prepare an outline to structure your content. • Add the details. • Choose the presentation method. • Rehearse.

35. 10-Step plan – delivery and evaluation 9-10 • Delivery of the presentation • Evaluation – self evaluate • verbal and nonverbal communication • design of lesson, did it work, did you meet objectives, too little or too much time

36. Practical Tips

37. Small groups • Give them a task. • The task should result in a product. • Give a time limit. • Clarify task for a floundering group. • Be sure someone has been designated as leader and someone else as recorder in each group. Could rotate these tasks during the course. • Each group leader presents product to the whole group.

38. Effective lecture delivery • Projection (loudness) • Pitch (flow and variety) • Pace (rate) • Pauses (emphasis) • Pronunciation (enunciate clearly) • Phillers (uh, ah, um, okay, ya know)

39. Effective lecture delivery • Start by stating rationale and objectives. • Use good posture. • Avoid excessive “quirks.” • Use different gestures, body movements.

40. Effective lecture delivery • Look at the audience; face them and not the screen. • Move around…following you with their head/eyes helps keep them focused. • Vary the pitch of your voice, do not talk in a monotone. • Do not read to the group.

41. Effective lecture delivery • What do they see? • Stance • Gestures • Facial expressions • Eye contact

42. PowerPoints • File size – follow current methods for minimizing affect of inserted objects on file size • Slide backgrounds and design – your mantra should be dark slide, white text (I’ll have an example of what not to do in a following slide) • KISS when using slide transitions and animations

44. Questions – asking them to involve your learners • Plan them; know what you are going to ask and when in your presentation you are going to do so. • Know the purpose of each question. Are you eliciting information or an opinion? • Go from general questions to more specific ones. • Confine the questions to one topic area at a time.

45. Questions – asking them • Do not move on until someone answers – make someone answer • If they figure out that silence means you will provide the answer, they will clam up and let you do that and your attempt at interactivity will bomb out

46. Questions – asking them • Ask short, clear questions that are easy to understand. • Ask the class first • Ask a small group next, • Failing a volunteer, ask individuals by name. • Do not interrupt a person who is responding to a question. Let them finish before you comment on their answer.

47. Questions - answering • Don’t ask “Are there any questions?…” • Ask “What are your questions?” • Listen for intent and content • Acknowledge each – repeat or paraphrase to questioner and the whole class to show that you understand

48. Questions - answering • Try to answer completely and accurately • Answer should go to whole class but verify the questioners satisfaction • There are no stupid questions

49. General practical tips • Humor is a tool but jokes are a no-no • Know your subject matter and rehearse • Never apologize for anything – makes the cadre appear unprepared • They do not get a timed agenda so there is no contract in regards to when anything starts or ends

50. General practical tips • Do not rush at the end – the finish is important • Have enough time within the agenda to cover your material and/or fit your material to the agenda • Get them involved • Don’t personalize or date material (so it can be used by another person and/or at another time without having to edit) • Name ecopy files to reflect the agenda name for their easy reference