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Designing Effective TrainingDesigning Effective Training

Instructor:

Paul Clothier

An Infopeople Workshop2004

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This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople ProjectThis Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project

Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the Project, go to the Infopeople Web site at infopeople.org.

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OutlineOutline

Determining Needs

Designing Instruction

Developing Content

Delivering Content

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Determining NeedsDetermining Needs

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The Purpose of Training The Purpose of Training

Why is training needed? Provide new skills? Provide new

information/knowledge? Address a problem? Improve job performance?

The purpose informs the approach

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Be Clear on Benefits Be Clear on Benefits

Who will benefit?

Why will they benefit?

How will they benefit?

When will they benefit?

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Training Development ProcessTraining Development Process

Analysis - what are the needs?

Design - create the blueprint

Development - develop the training and materials

Implementation - deliver the training

Evaluation - did you achieve your objectives?

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Review at Each StageReview at Each Stagestakeholders

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Needs Analysis - Actual vs PerceivedNeeds Analysis - Actual vs Perceived

Interviews representative sample?, mgr vs trainee?

Questionnaires / surveys online, paper, in-person?

Observation / task analysis see where the problems are

Informal conversations listen to comments, complaints

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Whose Needs?Whose Needs?

Organizational needs ROI, learning strategy, library goals

Learner needs feeling of competence, solving immediate

problems, making life easier

Task needs just enough to get the job done, use the

new system, etc. - no fluff

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Need Analysis - the LearnerNeed Analysis - the Learner

As well as analyzing the task/skill needs - take into account the learner’s:

PreferencesAttitudesConcerns FearsExperience

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Instructional ObjectivesInstructional Objectives

Why are they important?

A basis for planning the trainingA roadmap for the learnerA basis for evaluating effectivenessof the training

Will objectives ever change during the delivery of training?

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Developing ObjectivesDeveloping Objectives

Specific address specifics not vague generalities

Measurable be able to evaluate/measure the skill/knowledge

Action specify action/activity they will actually do

Realistic make it achievable

Timeframe specify a timeframe if possible

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ObjectivesObjectives

The objective of this 1hr lesson is to understand the concept of ABC database security, be able to successfully login to the system, and be able to change your user password.

 By the end of the 2-hour training session participants will be able to understand who Melvil Dewey was, the origination of the Dewey Decimal System, what it is and how it is used.

By the end of the day you will be able to use Excel to create a simple spreadsheet, use basic math functions, save and print.

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Poor ObjectivesPoor Objectives

To have participants learn the features of the new catalog system

To have learners understand the basics of using the Internet

To be able to use Word effectively to create documents.

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Designing InstructionDesigning Instruction

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Objectives drive ContentObjectives drive Content

Objectives•……..•……..•……..•……..

Objectives•……..•……..•……..•……..

Section 1……..……..……..……..

Section 1……..……..……..……..

Section 2……..……..……..……..

Section 2……..……..……..……..

Section 3……..……..……..……..

Section 3……..……..……..……..

Section 4……..……..……..……..

Section 4……..……..……..……..

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ConsiderationsConsiderations

Are you teaching skills, knowledge or behavior?

How will learners fears and concerns be accounted for?

What might be the resistances to the training?

What are the prerequisites, if any?

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BalanceBalance

Lecture, demonstration, hands-on exercise, group discussion, written exercise, group exercise, playing around…

What balance of the above activities should you have and why?

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Method and MediaMethod and Media

Method: Lecture, discussion, discovery, simulation,

activity, project, role-play, …

Media: Overhead, book/manual, paper exercise,

job aid, online resource, …

What should determine the choice of method and media?

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Exercises and ActivitiesExercises and Activities

Have learners do something whenever possible…

Hands-on

Written or oral exercise

Small and whole group interactions

Role-playing, simulations

What should the type of activity be determined by?

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After the TrainingAfter the Training

Consider how the learners might get help after the training…

Book or manual

Handouts

Cheat-sheets

Online support

Phone

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Developing ContentDeveloping Content

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OutliningOutlining

Top-down approach

Outline in Word or PowerPoint

Objective

Topics

Main points

Final content

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SequencingSequencing

Cover the simplest first

Ramp up the complexity

Ensure a logical progression

Build on previous concepts

Have any “lecturing” in the morning

Consider active participation in the afternoon

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ChunkingChunking

Break into digestible “chunks”

One idea or concept per page, screen or graphic

Approach it like a newspaper article

Idea

……..……..……..

Idea

……..……..……..

Concept

……..……..……..

Concept

……..……..……..

concept

……..……..……..

concept

……..……..……..

Idea

……..……..……..

Idea

……..……..……..

Idea

IDEAConcept

Ideaconcept

Idea

IDEAConcept

Ideaconcept

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Delivering Content*Delivering Content*

*This section will be covered in much greater detail in workshop

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Before the ClassBefore the Class

Do a dry run first Check flow, timing, balance of activities

Think visually Where could you sketch diagrams to aid

their understanding?

Association What analogies could you use? Where

could you relate content to their experience?

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During the ClassDuring the Class

Show the big picture

Explain visually whenever possible

Be sensitive to learners energy level

Relate content to learners experience

Constantly check for understanding

Be flexible and adapt

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After the ClassAfter the Class

Learner evaluations How did they feel about the class?

Evaluate your delivery How could you improve it?

Evaluate your materials design How could they be improved?