Recording isn’t just for entertainment anymore. Training provides a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of today’s fabulous recording technology while having fun and engaging your participants. In this blog I will share three opportunities that will allow your learners to take center stage. I’ll follow up at a later time with a blog about how to play back your recordings.
Role Play
Role playing is a fantastic way for learners to practice interpersonal skills. One of the biggest frustrations among learners, when role playing, is that they can’t really see how they did. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce the camera. Place the role play participants in a separate room for recording while the others continue working in the main classroom; this allows for a quiet environment to record. Keep in mind, 3 to 5 minutes is usually all they will need to capture their work. Consider having an observer (another participant) record the action. When recording, use a variety of camera angles such as close-up and wide-view angles to capture facial expressions and other interactions.
Task Assessment
When practicing a physical task, the participant is usually so involved in what they are doing that they may not be able to look at their performance objectively. Here’s another opportunity for the camera. Have another participant, or the instructor, shadow and record each individual as they work on the task. This technique allows the participants to critique themselves later using a job aid or checklist. Sometimes self-correction is more comfortable, and the ability to freeze or review actions can be a great advantage when analyzing performance. This analysis can be done individually during class or at another time. The perspective of the camera is also important. If the task is confined to a small area or involves the hands only, get a shot from over the participant’s shoulder. When it’s time for play back, the participant will see the work from the same angle it was performed. A shot from the side or from a distance may be more appropriate when large equipment or large amounts of space are required.
Object Lesson
Have you ever had your participants go through an activity so that you can draw out key teaching points (an object lesson)? Well, try recording the activity with the intent of playing it later in the class. The key to success here is to ask for volunteers to participate in the activity – you want them to be OK with being recorded. Create role cards for the volunteers so they know how they are supposed to perform during the activity. Like a role play, use a variety of camera angles, so you can capture the behavior you need to illustrate your teaching points.
I have often said that training is not theater, but there is nothing wrong with giving your participants some camera time. Keep it light, maybe even pick up a director’s slate, so you can yell “Action,” and snap the slate. Recording in the classroom is a unique way to really “focus” on your participants.
Jim
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Hi Jim,
These are some great ideas. I have been looking into the potential of recording some training sessions as well, but I have been focused on the coaching aspect for the trainer, and less on using recording for the participants benefit.
I also think recording sessions is valuable for later reference and review of training session.
Thanks for your comments.
Jeff