marc

FUN = enjoyment, amusement, or light-hearted pleasure.

OLOGY = subject of study; a branch of knowledge.

FUNOLOGY = A study of (learning) enjoyment!

marc

Aside from building subject-matter knowledge, timing would be the next biggest challenge for new trainers and trainers of new material. It is often difficult to accurately ascertain how long material will take to cover and equally problematic to identify appropriate timeframes for learner activity. As such, trainers need to work strategies into their planning that will give them some flexibility when delivering and enable them to do more with the time they have.

marc

Learning and Development is a vital part of any organization, large or small. It helps to increase efficiency, generate performance improvement and support workplace competitiveness. As practitioners, we have a profound responsibility in guiding the futures of our participants and setting them up to be capable and confident learners as well as productive workers.

marc

There are a plethora of articles out there focused on helping the classroom trainer to engage with their audiences. However, there seems to be a real dearth of content to support the virtual trainer. Given the explosion of webinars as a virtual facilitation tool in recent years we owe it to these participants to identify ways to strengthen their learning experience. Rather than trying to take our classroom resources and make them fit the online space, we need to underpin the journey with sound andragogy.

marc

In training, “the appetizer” relates to the opening. This is where the trainer gets to make their first impressions and is also their opportunity to focus the participant to what is coming next, both in terms of content and experience. As such, the appetizer represents a bite-sized taste of what is to follow and is the trainer’s chance to whet the student’s appetite.

So give them a TASTER of what they can expect:

marc

One of the best tools in the trainer’s arsenal is “regrouping”. It helps to build energy, break pre-occupation, facilitate networking and keep bodies in motion. However, from the classroom management perspective, regular regrouping assists the trainer to stay in control of the group and ensures that the difficult personalities are shared around the room. There are many ways (both subtle and less-subtle) to break-up groups when training. So here are five to get you going, which use the technique of “regrouping”.

marc

Whilst it is some time since MacGyver has graced our televisions with new episodes, the character made famous by Richard Dean Anderson continues to live in the hearts and minds of those who grew up with handy hero who could dismantle a bomb with little more than duct tape, chewing gum and a Swiss Army knife! But what can trainers learn from TV’s MacGyver?

marc

Having just completed two weeks of training to French Speaking participants in Mali, I was reminded that there are approaches and techniques that are universal to training, regardless of language, literacy, culture, ethnicity or religion. I have categorized these into the “Four E’s” below:

Energy

marc

Ken Blanchard (author of the One Minute Manager) argues that we should be spend at least as much time on training follow-up as we do on its organisation and delivery. Below are four simple things that trainers can do to support the transfer of learning post training:

1. Send a Post Card

marc

The world of Formula One may seem foreign to the learning and development space. However, there are some great correlations to be made for success in both spheres. Presenters are often in front of a podium and racing drivers want to be standing atop a podium at the end of the race. So let’s examine some of the key things that trainers can learn from Formula One.

1. Planning