Designing a training session

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Designing a training session

• A quick overview

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Designing a training program is like planning a
trip

• Who is going?
• When are we going?
• Where what is the outcome?
• Why have we chosen this destination?
• What do we want to see and do?
• How will we get there How will I communicate
  the information?

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The basic steps

• Conduct needs analysis
• Write instructional objectives
• Develop the plan
• Select, design, develop active training methods
• Deliver
• Evaluate training

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How long does it take????

• General rule
• 10 20 hours of development
• per
• ONE HOUR of DELIVERY
• Estimates go from 40 100 hours as per ASTD

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The needs assessment

• First step in understanding the learner
• Gather and analyze data
• Creates link between the training and what the
  participants stated they want

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training needs assessment results
training content
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Writing instructional objectives

• State what the learner will be able to do at the
  end of the training program
• Describe the planned outcome rather than the
  training process
• RESULTS rather than procedures

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Writing instructional objectives

• Basis for design development of the plan
• Written from participants point of view
• Standards to measure success
• A marketing tool

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Types of Learning Objectives

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Attitude

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Knowledge

• Conveying concepts, ideas, facts
• Content cognitive learning
• Ability to demonstrate acquired knowledge,
  comprehend information, analyze concepts
• Most common and easily measured

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Skills

• Change in ability to do something
• Easier to identify and determine if met
• Focus on being able to perform a task or
  procedure
• Requires practice and feedback
• Hard to measure impact

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Attitudes

• Used to change feelings, beliefs, values
• To increase awareness of or sensitivity to
  certain issues or ideas
• Most difficult to assess
• Observed over time

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ACTION!
A
Adjust Decide
Analyze Evaluate
Assess Choose
Select Criticize
K
Cite Compare
Describe List
Explain Differentiate
Name Relate
Identify Define
Compute Prepare
Prove Design
Develop Demonstrate
Record Solve
Measure Construct
S
Objectives always start with an action verb!
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Are these objectives??

1. Understand the theories of motivation
2. Know the role of the team leader in PD
3. Identify ways to conduct market research
4. Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages
   involved in group decision making

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Characteristics

• Measurable
• Results oriented
• Clearly worded
• Action oriented
• Written in terms of performances

Specific about what participants will be able to do Specific about conditions under which participant will perform Indicate minimum level of performance acceptable
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For example
By the end of the session, the participants will
be able to list and describe at least 5
characteristics used when writing training
objectives without the aid of notes. By the end
of the training course, the participant
will design a session, demonstrating the use of
the experiential learning cycle with out the
assistance of the instructor. Given the
objectives of the training course, the
participants will choose to design a session
using the components of the experiential learning
model.
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Write your own objectives

• ACTION
• What will participants be able to do
• Emphasis on the verb, what can be observed
• CONDITION
• What participants will be given
• Tools, supplies, equipment, use of notes
• CRITERIA
• What standards apply
• Time, degree of accuracy, level of performance

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Choosing Instructional Activities

• The E in the ELC

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Visualized the session
Duration Content/ Learning Points Methods/ Activities Materials/ Aids



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Choosing an Activity

• Activities should be related to instructional
  objectives
• Activities may have to be selected in relation to
  organizational or participant acceptance
• Certain activities are of minimal effectiveness
  unless supported by other ones
• Combine various activities to create an
  instructional strategy

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Choosing an Activity

• Consider Environmental Constraints
• Budget
• Time
• Staff
• Class Size
• Trainer Philosophy/Comfort
• Physical space and Equipment

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Choosing an Activity

• Doing Active Learning
• Matching with outcomes and objectives
• Impact and Involvement
• Multiple Learning
• Trainer Comfort
• Sequence Flow

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What training activities are available?
Activity Pros Cons
Demonstration Opportunity to provide feedback Does not involve everyone
Role Play Good practice for participants and involvement May be dominated by a few participants
Lecture Good for high content if presenter is good Passive and not stimulating
Case Study Good focus and high involvement May be dominated by a few participants
Panel Discussion High content and variety of perspectives Low learner involvement
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Available Training Activities (continued)
Activities Pros Cons
Readings Provide high content Not very stimulating
Field Trips Allow for sensory perception if well structured Mechanisms must be in place to ensure learning happens
Small Group Tasks Highly participatory and task oriented May be dominated by a few participants
Video or Film Good focus and pre-designed Little participant interaction
Large Group Discussion Highly energizing and high participation May be dominated by a few participants
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Choose your Activity!
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• Objectives are set
• Activity chosen
• Now plan for
• Processing
• Generalizing
• Applying

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Questioning!

• The next three steps rely heavily on group
  facilitation and questioning skills.
• Questions to ask when facilitating a discussion
  must be prepared in advance.
• Questions will need to lead participants to
  meeting the course objectives.

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Processing

• Prepare questions that extract information about
  what happened during the activity.
• The purpose is to collect the data that be
  analyzed to create learning points
• What did you do? What were the results? What
  did you feel? What did you learn?

What ?
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Generalization

• Prepare questions that analyze previous data and
  group into learning theories.
• Draw conclusions and make generalizations about
  what was learned

What are the main points? What conclusions can
you draw? How is it related to ?
So What ?
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Application

• Prepare questions that lead participants to begin
  to see how they can USE these new theories.
• Participants need to visualize this new
  knowledge, skill or attitude being a part of
  their work.
• How does this relate to your work activities?
  How will you use this information? What will you
  do differently? What obstacles do you
  anticipate? What is the plan to overcome
  obstacles and implement?

Now What ?
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Closure

• A brief planned activity that summarizes the main
  learning points of the session
• A final check for understanding and assessment of
  meeting the objectives
• A link between previous and future sessions

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Writing it up!

• You need to write a step by step plan with all
  the pieces together.
• Check to ensure all steps of the experiential
  learning cycle are included.
• Check timings, sequencing and if content allows
  participants to achieve the objectives.

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TESTING and Starting again!

• Try it out!
• Conduct a self evaluation
• Revise your plan!

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The steps again

• Determine the content
• Set training objectives
• Select training activities and methods
• Draft processing questions
• Draw conclusions
• Apply new learnings to real life
• Design a summary