| Training leaders know that their programs should | | | | designed, the voice and tone of modules should be in |
| engage learners and keep them satisfied with the | | | | a style that suggests the narrator is "along for the |
| organization and with their jobs. But should learning be | | | | ride" and is not asking the participants to do anything |
| difficult in order to make this happen? Can adult | | | | that "he" or "she" hasn't done in the past. When this |
| learning be easy while maintaining effectiveness and | | | | translates to an instructor, he or she should employ a |
| proving its value? It can definitely be easy if you | | | | style that shows participants the same thing. For |
| follow a few steps in your training programs. | | | | example, instructors should move around the room |
| Participants will learn seamlessly and the organization | | | | when participants are working on projects, computer |
| will benefit from their knowledge and retention. Let's | | | | simulations, or group discussions. If the course calls |
| look at those steps and make your training easy. | | | | for role-play activities, the instructor should participate |
| The word "engaging" has already been used here to | | | | in one before assigning them to other participants. |
| describe adult education programming. But what | | | | Instructors should be accessible, friendly, open, and |
| exactly is an engaging training session? To begin with, | | | | willing to share their knowledge and experience at all |
| engagement means that the learner is excited to be | | | | times. This simple shift in mentality will go a long way |
| present and aware that his or her experience will | | | | to making learning a little easier. |
| further job satisfaction and upward mobility in the | | | | In relation to learning development, training leaders |
| organization. The material should keep the | | | | should remove "learning for learning's sake". Some |
| participant's attention without being "silly" or | | | | organizations have the mentality that certain topics |
| elementary but at the same time should deliver | | | | should be part of all associates' learning plans, |
| learning between every bullet point and every period. | | | | regardless of how certain participant groups are |
| Presentation styles should be dynamic; participants | | | | related to the material. Be careful how you choose |
| should not feel like they are in a classroom listening | | | | programs and evaluate learning based on its |
| to a "stuffy" professor teaching a college course. | | | | applicability to all populations. The true litmus test is |
| Along with this, the learning sessions should be | | | | that participants should not have to ask, "why am I |
| interactive, where instructors openly and actively | | | | attending this training session when I could be back |
| seek the input of participants. Even if participants are | | | | at the office?" If you can present every piece of |
| new hires, their past experiences should be | | | | learning with a direct reason and link as we've already |
| integrated into the learning. In other words, engaging | | | | discussed, your learning will have meaning and will |
| learning is not college-style lecture and question and | | | | resonate with each participant. This type of learning is |
| answer. It is alive, dynamic, and interactive. | | | | easy, whereas learning when you're not sure why |
| Next, learning will be easy if it is applicable to the | | | | you're learning is very difficult. |
| participants. Training must be designed to show how | | | | Finally, develop learning from organizational and |
| it will benefit the participants at every stage of their | | | | individual competencies. For example, if organizational |
| development - and on the job. Adult learners must | | | | leadership has determined that a customer service |
| feel a connection to what they are learning, even if | | | | orientation is a necessary competency for anyone |
| they are new to the subject matter. This is where | | | | who works in the organization, develop the training |
| instructors can use previous experience to link the | | | | course from that competency. Don't pull it off the |
| past to the future in training sessions. For example, | | | | shelf or buy a "one size fits all" program. Take the |
| when instructors introduce a new concept or skill, | | | | time to have it developed in a way that tailors it to |
| make sure they introduce and wrap up by explaining, | | | | the organization. When training courses move into |
| "When you learn this, you'll be able to perform these | | | | individual job functions, make sure that each piece of |
| functions for our organization." This live link is vital to | | | | information can be linked back to one of the |
| learning and will make the process easier for | | | | competencies for the job. When participants begin to |
| participants. | | | | see these links, they will enjoy training and will |
| You can also make learning easy by changing the | | | | understand its significance to their careers. |
| mentality of your training developers and instructors. | | | | So can training be easy? Absolutely. Any information |
| The first change is to go from an academic mentality | | | | is easily absorbed, retained, and utilized if it is |
| to a mentor mentality. When training is being | | | | designed and delivered with these concepts in mind. |