Training design

Michael Roberts, The Arizona Republic

Learning objectives

Conditions for effective adult learning

3 training module designs

Characteristics of active training

Active training techniques

Build training modules to take home

Your best / worst module

Conditions for learning

• Adults need to know why they need to learnsomething.

• Adults need to learn experientially.

• Adults approach learning as problem solving.

• Adults learn best when the topic is ofimmediate value.

Bad design

Training design modules

Training design #1

Objectives

Activities

Evaluation

FeedbackConfirming Corrective

Rationale

Training design #1

Rationale: Why, value, how it will help

Objectives: Learning objectives

Activities: Demonstrate, apply

Evaluation: Check for understanding

Feedback: Confirm or correct

Module: Video story forms

Rationale: Show bad video, ask for assessment.Ask for problems / needs in video assignments.

Objectives: How to use five video story forms toplan, shoot and edit video.

Activities: Explain forms, show examples, poseassignments to develop.

Evaluation: Facilitate discussion of results.

Feedback: Confirm and correct responses.

Exercise: Your design

Training design #2

Building blocks

Middle activities

Advanced knowledge / skills

Application activities

Opening exercises

Training design #2

Opening exercises: Activities that buildinterest in the program and introduce somemajor ideas.

Building blocks: Basic knowledge / skills,via lecture, discussion, activities.

Middle activities: Activities that help reviewbuilding blocks and introduce advancedmaterial.

Training design #2

Advanced knowledge / skills: Activitiesthat teach more advanced ideas and / orreal-world problem solving. Tap experienceof participants.

Application activities: Activities that helptest new knowledge and skills and helpmake the transition back to on-the-jobapplication.

Module: Digital photography

Opening exercises: Show selection of good/ bad photos (portraits, environmentals).Participants critique.

Building blocks: Explain how to operatepoint-and-shoot camera, shoot a portrait,display and discuss. Explain qualities of goodportrait in composition and lighting.

Module: Digital photography

Middle activities: Shoot more portraits inworkplace that require composition andlighting, and visual information as to theperson’s job. Share and discuss.

Advanced knowledge / skills: Discusscomposition and lighting of environmentalportraits. Show selection of good examples.

Module: Digital photography

Application activities: Provide storyassignments, or use stories alreadyassigned, to plan portraits to run with storyand / appear in slide show online.

Exercise: Your design

Robert Gagne’s design

1. Gain attention2. Identify objective3. Recall prior learning4. Present stimulus5. Guide learning6. Elicit performance7. Provide feedback8. Assess performance9. Enhance retention/transfer

Module: Anecdotal leads

1. Gain attention: Share examples of agood and a bad anecdotal lead.

2. Identify objective: How to write goodanecdotal leads.

3. Recall prior learning: Ask participants tolist other types of leads, their strengths anduses, and reasons to use an anecdotal lead.

Robert Gagne’s design

4. Present stimulus: The how-to lecturette: Listthe four elements of a good anecdotal lead.

5. Guide learning: Evaluate examples of weakanecdotal leads using the how-to material.

6. Elicit performance: Ask participants toevaluate and rewrite weak anecdotal leads withthe how-to material. (Alternative: Present rawmaterial for another story and ask participantsto construct an anecdotal lead.)

Robert Gagne’s design

7. Provide feedback: Share and discuss theiranecdotal leads.

8. Assess performance: Identify successfulexamples.

9. Enhance retention / transfer: Askparticipants to share potential anecdotal leadsfrom stories they are now working on.

Active training

Have people DOwhat you want

them to LEARN.

Active training characteristics

• A moderate amount of content

• Balance between affective,behavioral, cognitive learning

• Variety of learning approaches

• Opportunities for group participation

• Utilization of participants’ expertise

• Recycling earlier learned concepts, skills

• Real life problem solving

• Allowance for future planning

Active training characteristics

Active training techniques

Tasks

Demonstration

Case studies

Group inquiry

Games

Problem solving

Guided teaching

Action learning

Information search

Jigsaw learning

Exercise: Your design