| A characteristic of adult learners is that they are | | | | adult-centered training design and effective |
| self-directed and want to have a sense of ownership | | | | presentation skills in your work as a trainer. Then we |
| over their learning goals. If I am using | | | | reviewed the agenda to see how we would make |
| learner-centered instructional design, having begun | | | | progress toward that outcome. |
| with the end in mind while utilizing stakeholders to | | | | Next I invited learners to set their own personal |
| write behavioral outcomes, then I am in a good | | | | learning goal under the umbrella of the outcome. I |
| position to design training that intentionally plans to | | | | asked, given the outcome, what is a current problem, |
| meet the adult learner's need to have ownership | | | | challenge, or opportunity you have in your design or |
| over his learning goals. Here's how I do that. | | | | presentation of training you'd like to resolve? |
| I utilize Gagne's lesson design template that begins | | | | Learners wrote their personal learning goal on a |
| with an attention gaining activity. Attention gainers | | | | sticky note, read it aloud during group introductions |
| I've used include a provocative thought, question, | | | | and posted it under the training outcome. Not only |
| movie clip, cartoon strip, or story that introduces the | | | | did they have an opportunity to focus and state their |
| topic as a problem that can be solved. Remember, | | | | learning need, I had an opportunity to hear what was |
| the adult learner pays for and sits through training if | | | | important to them so that I could adjust the |
| he thinks it will help him solve a problem in his life. | | | | application of the content throughout the day. |
| In a recent design and presentation skills training for | | | | To follow through, we circled back to learning goals |
| trainers I told three true but hair-rising stories about a | | | | at the end of the training with a performance task |
| trio of pickles I found myself in when training | | | | and a time for reporting out. Learners were given 20 |
| participants either 1) challenged the content 2) got | | | | minutes near the end of the training to think about |
| irritated and very vocal waiting for my individual help | | | | and make plans for how they would use the day's |
| during an activity or 3) flat out refused to do an | | | | content and resources to address their problem, |
| activity that affected the division of work and | | | | challenge or opportunity. After quiet reflection and |
| reporting out to the larger group. I stopped each | | | | journaling, each participant was invited to report out |
| story at the point of resistance without telling how I | | | | on their progress toward their personal learning goal |
| handled each situation. Then I asked the group if | | | | and what they planned to do next. |
| they could relate. In addition to creating instant rapt | | | | Providing time for adult learners to set personal |
| interest, this generated the sharing of a few similar | | | | learning goals meets the need these learners have |
| stories, and contributed to a sense of community | | | | for ownership and self-direction in their learning. It |
| among the participants who were also trainers and | | | | also focuses their learning for the day by |
| had found themselves in one or a variation of these | | | | front-loading the area of focus through which they |
| same pickles themselves! | | | | will filter the day's information. They are more likely |
| After the opening activity that allowed participants to | | | | to remember what they find personally useful and |
| respond to the problem, relate to the problem, give | | | | they are more likely to consider something personally |
| their opinion on the problem, or admit to the problem, | | | | useful if they've been given time in the training to |
| I delivered the behavioral outcome. In the above | | | | write down how they plan to think about and use |
| training on design and presentation skills the | | | | the content you are planning to deliver, in the form |
| behavioral outcome was to demonstrate | | | | of a personal challenge or problem they'd like to |
| understanding of adult learner characteristics, | | | | solve. |