Chrisbie's Critique

When the Learning Takes Place

2008-03-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes instructors feel like they have to constantly be teaching to be doing the job effectively. The truth is, participants need some independent time to apply their new-found knowledge.

When training computer applications, it is important to have workbook exercises that will help participants apply the skills that were covered by the instructor. For years I have trained computer applications and the participants are very good at doing what I tell them to do (at least most of them are!). When I have the students do an independent exercise, some of them struggle and make errors. That is when the real learning takes place. If we make an error and then fix it, we remember how to do things. Learning is a process.

I have started to incorporate the Internet into the classroom. I train a concept/product/topic and then have the participants go on the Internet and research. The current class that I am training have been in class for several weeks. This week they are putting it all together. They are going into all of the systems they have learned to do research on the various products they have learned. It's wonderful. I think they have learned more in three days than in the two weeks that had an instructor standing in front of them filling their minds with information.

Let's give our students a break and allow them to learn according to their own style and by making mistakes. I know that has been what has worked for me. How about you?

Delivering Feedback

2008-03-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of observing student presentations. Since this was the first presentation that each student had done in training, it was important for them to receive valuable feedback.

When delivering feedback, it is very important to categorize the feedback in one of three categories:

Praise
Refine
Redirect

Since it was the first observation, it was important to deliver plenty of praise. Pointing out what participants are doing well helps them to be more receptive to feedback in general. It also allows the other participants to know what went well so that they can also do something worthy of praise.

Refine is when the participant does something that wasn't wrong, it just could've been done better. There are always plenty of opportunities to deliver this type of feedback. The important part of delivering this type of feedback is to ensure that you never use the words "but", "however", etc. If you start out with praise, pause and breath before you go into the refine portion of the feedback, otherwise, the praise will be lost.

Redirect is when something is wrong and it needs to be corrected.

All feedback is communicated in a professional manner and in front of the entire class. The entire class can benefit from the delivery of the feedback. The participants also understand that there is no discussion associated with the feedback. It is one-way communication. That way time can be spent delivering the feedback and everyone can get through their presentations. If the participants would like to have a discussion, they can set that up on an individual case basis.

It always amazes me that when I follow this strategy, the participants love getting the feedback. They are receptive and want to know more. It's important not to provide all of the feedback that could potentially be delivered. You don't want the feedback to be overwhelming.

What a productive day!

Time Management in Training

2008-03-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

When I train computer applications, it is when I have the participants do hands-on workbook activities that they actually learn. When I am introducing the step-by-step directions, the participants see the application as easy. When participants are left on their own to perform routine tasks, the rubber meets the road.

Workbook activities serve multiple purposes. Not only do the participants get to apply the knowledge and skills learned from instructor-led training, but the instructor also gets a break from teaching. Both instructors and learners can become exhausted from listening to the instructor. Activities provide another aspect of learning by allowing participants to figure things out on their own.

Next week I plan to have a research component to my classroom. I have a presentation that has a significant amount of terms. I am going to have the participants look up the terms on the Internet. Not only will the students learn the terminology, they will also be learning the sites that will best serve them when they are on the job. My goal - talk less.

Utilization of Delivery Methods

2008-03-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

This past week I had the pleasure of training a group of new hires. I had a significant amount of content to cover. There were days where they just couldn't listen to one more thing I had to say. I knew I had to switch gears.

The material I was trying to cover was also available online as a recorded, self-paced session. I had the students first take the self-paced session that took about 15 minutes. I had workbooks that they did next which were independent study. Then I reviewed the workbook exercise by walking through the example and displaying the example on a projector. Same content, three different ways. It took all of 1 1/2 hours. It was at the end of the day, when there isn't much energy left in the room.

The next day the students were tested on the application and the results were astounding.

Back to the Basics

2008-02-23T04:15:00.001-08:00

This week I had the pleasure of training at a hospital. I taught an Excel Fundamentals class. I had 10 students with mixed levels of experience with Excel.

While I drove the class, the feedback from the students guided my content. The manual I was given to deliver was fairly weak in communicating important fundamentals about Excel. I listened to what my participants wanted to get out of the class and modified my content accordingly. Breaks are not just for students. It's an opportunity for the instructor to modify the direction of the class so that the needs of the participants are met.

What a concept!!! Student-focused training! This also requires the instructor to be knowledgeable of the content in order to be able to adapt.

Observing where students are struggling is also important in the learning process. When I prep for classes I deliberately make mistakes so that I know potentially what students might do and then I also learn how to get myself and the students back on track - probably the most important piece of information so that the trainer does not lose credibility with the students.

Prep, prep, prep. That way the instructor will have the flexibility to take the class where it needs to go, based on the needs of the participants, always.

Thoughts?

Using Technology in Training

2008-02-13T11:16:00.000-08:00

I am interesting to hear other's opinions on using technology in training. I personally have used blogging, podcasts, captivate, articulate, Quizmaker, PowerPoint, and Word. How much is overkill? Is there such a thing?

The various methods of delivering training can help to meet the needs of the learner. Some learners need to hear the message, some need to read it, some need to have hands on. While I'm in favor of delivering these methods, I'm not sure we should be forcing our learners to take training in all of the formats in which it is delivered. Why not provide options where learners can take the training in the method that best suits their needs? I know that if I had to learn something for my job, listening would be the least effective for me. I need to read. Why force me to read and listen?

If we are providing the various delivery methods, why not let the learner have the choice of how they need to get the message.

Thoughts?

Practice What We Preach

2008-02-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

How many times have trainers attended a meeting to discuss training and the rules of training are not followed? I would venture to say billions.

I have attended training meetings that do not have clear agendas, time allotments for agenda items, do not have breaks or at least very few, do not have team building time, do not have ample time for lunch, start too early, and ended too late. What makes trainers think that the rules that are applied to a learning environment do not apply to our own development?

I often feel that I am "building the plane in the air". I do not have enough time for development and for that matter, I sometimes do not have enough time for training delivery. When will we begin to practice what we preach?

Prep Time

2008-01-30T15:14:00.000-08:00

Preparing for training can vary depending on the type of training that is going to be delivered. For example, training a computer application can be very challenging since the instructor isn't just responsible for the content of a manual; the instructor must anticipate where students may get lost.

When preparing to do systems training, instructors should put on their "student hat" and try to anticipate where students will make errors. I think I am very fortunate in this respect because I make many errors when learning computer applications! Not only do I try to make the error, I figure out how to get myself back and then remember how I did it.

After almost 15 years of training computer applications, I have learned to diagnose where a student may have gotten lost and navigate them back to where the rest of the class is, providing the student with a "teachable moment". That participant gets the benefit of learning beyond what is covered in the course material.

Think about it. Haven't we all learned by making mistakes much better than doing it right the first time? When I do something incorrectly and then have to correct it, I know that I get it!

Thoughts?

"WebEx" Training

2008-01-21T16:28:00.001-08:00

Lately I have been conducting a fair amount of web-based training. I conduct a live session while reviewing a presentation and various systems. I am always working to keep these sessions interactive. I'm not sure other trainers feel the same way. The reason I say this is because it seems as though my participants do not have an expectation that they will need to participate in the session.

Listening skills are important, but as a trainer I need to ensure that learning is taking place. Asking questions throughout is the tactic that I use. I have periodic knowledge checks in place that help participants review the content and understand the important elements of the training.

It is helpful to have an independent quiz that the participants can take after the session. Informing them of this exercise will also help to encourage the participants to focus on the content of the session rather than allowing themselves to be distracted by emails, instant messages, phones ringing, co-workers or other factors.

I am interested in other trainer's techniques to keep participants engaged in learning throughout a web-based training.

Chrisbie

Student-Focused Training

2008-01-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

The topic of this blog says it all, in my opinion. When delivering training, trainers need to remember that it is not all about them! The number one question that all trainers should ask themselves is "is the student learning"?

I train a fair amount of computer applications. I have been using Microsoft Word and Excel for well over 10 years. I use both applications every day. When training new users, it is important for me to remember what it was like to not know how to do certain things. It keeps me humble.

It doesn't matter that I know how to do things, the importance of training is that the environment is a friendly learning environment and not intimidating. I think we all have had the math teacher who knew how to do calculations in their head. It was great that they knew how to do the problems, but wasn't it about whether or not the students learned?!!

If participants learn, then we, as trainers, have done our job.

Your thoughts?

Training War Stories

2008-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Every trainer has some war stories. It's fun to get a group of trainers together and compare notes on who has the worst training story.

I heard one training story where a student failed an exam and then jumped out of a classroom window which was 17 stories up. Believe it or not, the student lived. I'm glad I didn't experience anything this extreme in my training history.

I train adults and it is always amazing to me that there is not much difference between adults and children. I have had students give me every excuse in the book as to why they cannot be on time for class.

My best war story is when I worked for a company that was contracted with a major telecommunications company. We built a call center with contracted employees. We were responsible for training. I had a student that failed an exam and had to re-take it. He was told that he could review his exam but needed to stay in an office with me while he reviewed it. He asked me a question that I needed another trainer to answer. I sent him across the hall to ask the other trainer. He was gone for an unusually long time. When I went to look for him, he was missing. He never went across the hall. I made a mad dash to the copy room.

There he was shoving paper in his pocket when I stormed in. I asked him if he had copied the exam and he denied it. I asked him numerous times and each time he denied copying the exam. Defeated, I went back to my desk. A manager came back to my office and informed me that she witnessed the student copying the exam and lying to me. Needless to say, the student was terminated.

Two years later, the contracted company became part of the major telecommunications company. I was getting ready to train another new hire class. I reviewed the roster and wouldn't you know, the terminated student was on my roster. I flipped! I informed the hiring manager. There was nothing that could be done. An offer had already been made.

Monday morning he shows up to my class. Would you believe late!!! He was coached. Second day, late again. I coached him again. He asked me what time did my watch say. I replied "it says you're late". He then proceeded to ask me what time should he be in the parking lot to ensure that he was in class on time. I told him that he was an adult and needed to figure out what he needed to do to be in his seat at 8:00 AM. By this time my blood pressure was really elevated.

On his fourth day a manager came to my door and requested the student. He was terminated. It turned out that he had two Social Security numbers and one belonged to his deceased uncle. He had actually worked for the company previously and had been terminated with a "do not rehire" status.

Sometimes I think I should write a book of war stories. I'd love to hear other trainers' stories. Somehow it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone.

Chrisbie

The Value of the Workplace

2007-11-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

There are times when I feel that I need to reflect on the positive things of my life. It is easy to complain about our jobs. We complain about what doesn't work well, about co-workers, bureaucracy, etc. I would like to help remind people of the value of the workplace.

I work with some of the best people. Because of my co-workers, I have learned so much. Today I had the pleasure of sitting in on a co-worker's training class. It was wonderful. I work in the telecommunications field and learned about Internet Dedicated Access and Private IP. My co-worker is Kevin Mogee. Perhaps you have checked out some of his blogs at http://mytwocentsrant.blogspot.com/. If not, be prepared to think about things differently.

Another co-worker, Kevin Huff, is brilliant. Not only have I learned practical information that helps me to do my job better, I have learned skills that will be with me forever. Check out http://blogs.kevinmhuff.com/ and ipersona.blogspot.com.

It is important to look at all of the benefits of your workplace. Not just the paycheck, healthcare, and possible discounts to your favorite stores; but the people that surround you. Sure there may be people that won't have a positive impact on your life. I challenge you to find those key people in your workplace that will have a lasting impact on you.

Happy hunting!

Chris Bertino (Chrisbie)

PowerPoint Blunder #2

2007-11-04T06:05:00.000-08:00

Overkill. Too many bullets, animation, fonts, transitions, graphics, text, yadda, yadda, yadda. When the PowerPoint document is overwhelming with information, put yourself in the participant's shoes. In fact, that is where most presentations go wrong. Participant-focused. If we can put ourselves in the shoes of the participant, it will help us focus on the correct things for the presentation.

Keep it simple. Presenters try to over complicate information, I think because they are trying to establish credibility. Clear and concise will always establish credibility. The audience appreciates it.

When participants get bored they start to count the number of um's the presenter says. Have you done that?

Your thoughts. . .

Chrisbie (aka Chris Bertino)

PowerPoint Blunder #1

2007-10-25T14:31:00.001-07:00

Now that PowerPoint exists, there are new, creative ways in which presentations can be bad.

The most obvious errors are when presenters put too much text on a slide. Too many words per bullet and too many bullets per slide. The rule is 7 +/- 2. That means that the average is seven items (words per bullet and bullets per slide). That number can go as high as nine (which is very high) and and low as five. The audience appreciates "white space". Too much text and the brain shuts down. So do the ears. Remember, a slide is meant to be an outline of a presentation; not the presentation.

When too much text is on a slide, the presenter has a tendency to read the slide, rather than conduct the presentation. Ever sat in a presentation where your view was the presenter's back because he/she was reading the slide. If the slide provides only an outline, it is impossible for the presenter to continue to read to the audience.

Stay tuned for future blunders and feel free to share some of your own experiences.

Chrisbie

Bad Presentations

2007-10-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever sat through a bad presentation? Something tells me that the answer is yes. What makes them so bad?

About 20 years ago I was a secretary. I know that with the help of my bosses at the time, I was responsible for some of those bad presentations. I remember being in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. It was a company convention. I helped one of my bosses put together an hour long presentation. He was a very intelligent man. He knew his material.

The presentation was a manual that he put together and had me copy on transparencies. Ugh!!! There were over 50 slides. There's a certain pain in your stomach you get when you walk into a room and see 50 slides that you know you have to sit through!!!

No one could read the slides. Copying a manual onto slides is not an effective form of presentation materials. Granted, these were the days before PowerPoint, so it's amazing to me to still see bad presentations. That was the first of many things wrong with the presentation.

My boss was not an engaging speaker. He was bright, but not riveting, if you know what I mean! He turned out the lights during the presentation. What a sleeper!!! No one could read the slides, no one could read their handouts, he was monotone, and the lights were out! Sounds like a good opportunity for a nap, however, keep in mind that we were in St. Thomas!!!

I'd like to hear your horror stories of some of the bad presentations that you have either had the unfortunate opportunity to sit through, or worse, deliver.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. . .