Relevance

When people come to training, their main concern is learning skills they can use in their jobs. No matter how interesting a fact may be when you design a course or prepare to deliver a course, if it doesn’t focus on how to perform work, it probably shouldn’t be in there. This is at the heart of the lean training approach. It has been said that in every fat course, there’s a thin course trying to get out. What this means is that your course content should focus on job tasks, and avoid topics or non-relevant information as much as possible.

Rationale

People love when instructions are clear-cut, but they also tend to question things a lot. Employees seem to constantly be asking themselves, “Why should I do it this way?” Don’t allow your learners to begin doubting the reasons for the work processes taught in the course; begin every lesson with a rationale for the process. Describe the personal and professional benefits people will gain from using the new process.

Realism

Look at any training that teaches skills where lives are at stake. How realistic is the practice in that training? Consider the training an airline pilot gets, or a firefighter gets, or a soldier gets. Guess how much of their graded activities are paper-based tests versus practical simulations of their work. We should be emulating that philosophy whenever possible. Rather than prepare written tests or oral quizzes, we should be creating practical exercises that resemble the learners’ real jobs as much as possible.

GRRREAT!

Yes, three “R”s in “great” because that’s what your training will be if you apply Relevance, Rationale, and Realism to your training. There are hundreds of ways to implement these concepts in your courses; you’re limited only by your creativity. But it’s nice to have something catchy that keeps that training design and delivery philosophy anchored in our minds. That way we don’t lose our way when we’re eyebrows-deep in the details of a specific course.

Alan

I was shopping the other day at a major department store and walked by their kitchen appliance section where I saw the words, “Kitchen Electrics.” The word electrics seem to have replaced the word electronics! Or did it replace the word appliances? I’m confused. Was this new word created for marketing purposes? These made-up words just bug me. Or maybe I just need to take an English grammar class to update my knowledge!

So you may be wondering what my word pet peeves have to do with training. I am not an expert in English grammar but I do know that how well you write makes a difference in teaching others. Think of all of the training materials we write. They include, but are not limited to, participant guides, lesson plans, job aids, power point slides, e-learning lesson text, etc. These made-up words may be acceptable in marketing or when texting (oh, another one!) a friend, but unclear words and confusing text in training materials can confuse our students and hinder the learning process.

Here are some examples to illustrate my point: Have you ever tried to read a legal document of any kind and really understood what it meant? Have you received medical test results in the mail and said, “What does all of this really mean?” When you purchased or re-financed your home and signed the seemingly endless amount of forms, did you ever fear that you were making a big mistake somewhere because you really did not understand all of the mortgage industry jargon in the paperwork?

Different writing styles exist because we write for different purposes and to different audiences. As trainers and designers we need to teach people about new things or how to do new things.

Here are some simple tips to keep our training materials easy and user friendly:

• Keep the words as simple as possible – the fewer syllables, the better. Be conversational!
• Avoid technical jargon or at least define the words when you first use them.
• Use short sentences approximately 15-20 words in length.
• Spell your words correctly and use correct punctuation. If necessary, consult the appropriate reference manual such as a dictionary or a style book.
• Use the FOG index to determine how “readable” your material is. (You will find more information about the FOG index in my colleague Melissa’s blog!)

Remember, our writing ability not only affects our credibility as professional designers and trainers but it affects how well our employees learn from us. Some write to impress but we write to make an impression!

Lynne

A. Create the Game

Determine the role of the employees on the job to determine the number of questions you will need. The number of questions will be twice the number of letters in the job title. For example, if you play “Who Wants to Be a Manager,” the number of questions you will need is 14, since the word “Manager” has 7 letters.

Create 4 multiple-choice questions based on the content you will be reviewing and assign them a letter (“A,” “B,” “C,” “D”).

Note: In the early questions, focus on less complex content. Also feel free to have some fun with a silly answer for question “D.” This will lighten the mood and help your participants feel more comfortable and confident.

B.  Prepare to Play

Create a game board on the flipchart containing the following information:

• Team Name: Team 1, Team 2 written horizontally across page.
• Lifeline Indicators (T I P) written under each Team name: T=Ask a teammate, I=Instructor narrows the choices to 2 (50/50), P=Poll the group by asking for a show of hands
• Job Title: e.g. Managerwrittenvertically down left side of page with an under the last letter.
• The game board should look like the following:

Place a blank Post-It^® note at the bottom of each team column, beside the arrow.

Create a PowerPoint slide, index card, etc. for each question to be used in the game.  Arrange the questions so they become more difficult as the game progresses. Ensure that you include pairs of questions at the same level of difficulty, as play will alternate from team to team.

• Use the following question format:

Document the questions and answers in your lesson plan.

C. Play the Game

Split the group into 2 teams.

Reveal the game board.

Explain the lifelines (TIP).

Explain how the game will be played.

• Play alternates from team to team.
• Each team selects one team member to answer the first question. Other team members will answer the other questions.
• If the team member does not know the answer, a lifeline may be used.
• Once the team member states his or her “Final Answer” the correct answer is revealed.
• If the answer is correct, the team’s Post-It^® note is moved up to the next letter.
• If the answer is incorrect, the team’s Post-It^® note will not be moved.
• The team that moves the farthest up the board will be declared the winner.

Ask Team 1 to decide who will answer the first question.

Ask the question.

Facilitate using a lifeline if requested.

Ask for “Final Answer.”

Reveal correct answer.

If “Final Answer is CORRECT, move Post-It^® note up one letter.  If “Final Answer” is INCORRECT, do not move the Post-It^® note.

Repeat Steps 5-10 for Team 2.

Alternate play between both teams until all the questions have been asked.

Congratulate the winning team.

Thank everyone for taking part in the interactive review.

Last Few Words…

If you enjoy this review format, have a look at Game Shows in Training – Jeopardy! or Hollywood Squares.

If you’d like to know how to use a specific game show in the classroom, add your request as a comment to any of the “Game Shows in Training” blogs.

Jim

HANDLING QUESTIONS RESPECTFULLY

In all of our Langevin courses, we address the topic of questions as a part of our housekeeping. We invite the learner to ask questions and even challenge us respectfully. We also post a parking lot, a technique used to “park” questions that can be dealt with at a later time. I often tell participants that I respect that some people may be shy and perhaps not comfortable posing questions in front of a large group; so I invite them to write their question(s) on a post-it-note without their name, if they prefer to remain anonymous. We also offer learners additional time after class to ask questions. Obviously the learners’ questions are important to us and, therefore, we must inform them that questions are not a sign of ignorance, but an indication that they want to broaden their scope and sharpen their skills.

On the flip side, as instructors, we need to examine our own feelings about learner questions. Often we are concerned that we may not have the answers and for some reason feel that we are supposed to know everything. Obviously we should know what we are tasked to train but it is inevitable that there will be questions that we cannot answer. The text book approach clearly states, “Don’t fake an answer,” as this will surely damage the instructor’s credibility. It is best to be honest and transparent when you don’t have an answer and to do your best to get an answer to the learner as soon as possible. Another technique for dealing with questions for which you may not have an answer is to relay the question; many times other learners may have the answer. Remember, they are adults who bring experience with them to the classroom. Not knowing the answer provides a teachable moment for us as instructors to broaden our knowledge and scope. I am always picking up new information and nuggets from our participants. And, if the same question is posed again in another class, guess what? I’ll have an answer.

A good training environment should create a climate where there is two-way communication and mutual respect. Questions keep us in touch and represent an opportunity to create and build resources. We truly want to avoid the scenario that my friend experienced, so let’s embrace the who, what, where, when, why and how and, as the proverb states, never lose our way.

Linda

But NOTHING is more valuable to me than learning whatever I can about the people who are in attendance as early on in the workshop as possible. Finding out as much about my learners is of greatest significance to me because it helps me to create the best possible learning dynamics and experience for everyone in the classroom. What information do I look for?

I like to find out each learner’s role in his/her organization, challenges he/she is interested in discussing during the workshop, and what he/she would like to get out of the training he/she is attending. Finding out what workshops or skills training he/she has had in the past gives me an idea of his/her disposition towards the current training, what he/she should already know a little about, and what modules may be of higher interest to him/her.

Knowing that someone has been exposed to certain concepts during previous training sessions, or is currently dealing with certain frustrations that the course content addresses, opens the door for me so I can let him/her shine by sharing his/her experiences and achievements and/or challenges and frustrations during the course. This will almost always motivate other learners to share, ask questions, or shift their level of involvement in the course.

The more I know about my learners, the better equipped I am to help them succeed in the classroom and in their on-the-job application of what they have learned. This is why the opening introductions, warm-up activities, and general “schmoozing” with participants before and after class, and during breaks, are so important to me.

What are you doing to get to know your learners before, or as, they arrive in your classroom? Write to us and share your techniques, strategies, and tricks for getting to know your learners early on and how that has opened doors for you, and your learners, in the classroom. I look forward to your comments.

José

And the name “Hollywood Squares” can be changed to reflect your city, company, etc.

A. Create the Game

1. Decide on how many complete games you want to play based on the number of participants and the amount of content to cover.
2. Create at least 10 questions for each complete game.
3. Group your questions into games based on specific areas of course content when playing multiple games.
4. Create one index card per question containing the following (you may want to laminate these cards for durability): the questions and the correct answer.
5. Document the questions and answers in your lesson plan.
6. Create 9 two-sided letter cards (8½ x 11card stock works well): side 1 = X, side = O (you may want to laminate these cards for durability).
7. Bring the following additional supplies to class: blank card stock, markers, and 3 chairs.

B. Prepare the Game

1. Ask for 9 volunteers to become your celebrities.
2. Give each volunteer a blank sheet of card stock.
3. Ask each of your nine volunteers to write the name of the celebrity they wish to represent on his or her card.
4. Divide the remaining participants into the following two groups: X Group and Group
5. Ask the 9 celebrity volunteers to the front of the room and arrange them as follows: 3 standing, 3 sitting directly in front of them on chairs, 3 sitting directly in front of the chairs on the floor. Note: This arrangement will create the game board for tic-tac-toe.
6. Ask each volunteer to hold up his or her name card in front of the letter card.

C. The Rules

1. The game plays like tic-tac-toe. To win you need 3 Xs or 3 Os horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
2. Each team will have a chance to choose a celebrity.
3. The Game Host will read a question.
4. The chosen celebrity will answer the question. (They may answer correctly or bluff).
5. The team can agree or disagree with celebrity’s answer.
6. If the team is correct they will be awarded that square.
7. If the team is incorrect the other team will be awarded the square, unless it gives them the win. In that case, they will have to earn the win with a new question.
8. The first team with a straight line wins the game.

D. Play the Game

1. Ask Team X to select a celebrity.
2. Read a question to the celebrity.
3. Ask Team X whether they agree or disagree with the answer provided by the celebrity.
   • IF the celebrity is correct and Team X agrees THEN the celebrity holds the X card in front of his or her name.
   • IF the celebrity is correct and Team X disagrees THEN the celebrity holds the O card in front of his or her name. (Exception: if this gives Team O the win the celebrity will continue to hold up his or her name card)
   • IF the celebrity is not correct and Team X disagrees THEN the celebrity holds the X card in front of his or her name.
   • IF the celebrity is not correct and Team X agrees THEN the celebrity holds the O card in front of his or name. (Exception: if this gives Team O the win the celebrity will continue to hold up his or her name card)
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 for Team O.
5. Continue to repeat Steps 1-4 until one team has completed a line or until all 9 squares display a letter.

If you enjoy this review format, have a look at Game Shows in Training – Jeopardy!.

If you’d like to know how to use a specific game show in the classroom, add your request as a comment to any of the “Game Shows in Training” blogs.

Jim

For many years, Langevin has been teaching Instructional Designers to consider the reading level of their audience in regard to any written training materials (participant manuals, hand-outs, etc.). In theory, this means avoiding many multi-syllable words, unusual words, or long and awkward sentences. So, as training professionals, what grade level do we write at and how do we use The FOG Index to ensure our learners can read & understand our content?

Use the following calculation to determine the Index on any written work:

1. Take a 100 word extract (ending at a full stop).
2. Count the number of sentences in the selected section.
3. Divide 100 by the number of sentences in the selection. This will show the average sentence length (ASL).
4. Count the number of words (NW) that have 3 syllables or more.
5. Add the ASL and NW and then multiply by 0.4. This will give you the FOG Index.

The FI gives comic books, Mark Twain, and Shakespeare a rating of around 6.

Now – if all this sounds like too much effort, technology makes determining the readability of your written materials effortless. There is another tool, The “Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula,” that assigns a U.S. grade-level to your writing as well – and best of all, your computer does all the work! To turn on the readability stats feature in Word:

1. Choose “Tools” from MS Word menu.
2. Select “Spelling & Grammar” from the drop-down tools menu.
3. Click on the “Options” button.
4. At the bottom of the grammar menu, click on “Show Readability Stats” to turn it on (look for the check mark to indicate it is on).
5. NOTE: In some versions of MS Word (including MAC versions), you must select “Options” first, then “Spelling & Grammar.”

And just in case you are wondering, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level rating on this article is, 7.6.

So remember, less really is more, when it comes to helping learners read and understand our content – and The FOG Index or The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula are two tools that can help us do just that.

I’d love to hear about your experience in using either of these techniques. Feel free to share your thoughts!

Melissa

As instructors we work hard to learn our course content. During this process we may get very attached to our content and feel like we own it and that our way is THE way. If we teach the same course repeatedly, we may become even more entrenched in our content. It then becomes very easy to fall into the trap of believing that our content should be adopted without question by our learners. In some cases (when safety is involved) that may be true, but when teaching conceptual content there could be other, equally valuable, points of view.

Novice learners typically, but not always, accept the knowledge and skills that we give them without resistance because it is new. However, when teaching an experienced group of learners, you may face a situation that happened to me not long ago. I was teaching instructional design to a very knowledgeable and experienced group of instructors. At one point in the workshop I introduced a key concept to the group. Instead of the group shaking their heads in agreement, which is normally the case, one learner shouted out quite loudly, “I disagree!”

Needless to say I was taken aback. After a short pause to collect my thoughts, I nicely and diplomatically said, “Oh, it’s interesting to hear a different perspective, would you like to share your thoughts?” The learner stated his position and why he felt that his way was THE way. The group and I patiently listened and although his perspective was different from what I was teaching, it was no less valuable. That moment paved the way for a meaningful discussion where everyone offered their points of view on the subject.

After the discussion came to an end, it remained clear that he was going to hold firm to his position while I needed to stick to my content. As the workshop continued over the next few days, I re-emphasized the concept often because it linked to other pieces of knowledge and skill that came later in the course. There were times when I gave specific examples of how to apply this concept during the instructional design process and again why it was important although I remained mindful of other points of view.

At the end of the workshop when the participants had completed their evaluation forms and were leaving the room, I received a surprise. The gentleman who had disagreed with me came up to me and said that, after finishing the week, he now agreed with the important principle that was taught.  He came to appreciate how valuable it truly was and he gave me an appreciative hug!

So I learned something very important that day about teaching: Whether a learner agrees with you or not is not the important thing. What matters is that they learn from you!

Lynne

While thinking about this quote, I asked myself, “Why did Cupid rely on what he knew instead of what he saw?” Because appearances can – and often are – deceiving. What may be apparent to the eyes is not always a fact – and this can also be true when it comes to training. All too often we may have participants who have seen, or been exposed to, less-than-desirable training and, from that point on, these participants believe that what they have seen honestly represents us and our industry. This often results in them appearing as “prisoners” or “vacationers” in the classroom.

To these learners, training is often perceived as a waste of time and no amount of knowledge and skill will divert them from their convictions that previous training experiences have given them. So it is up to us, as Training and Development specialists, to be skillful in aiming our best “arrows” at their hearts with the intent to rekindle their passion or interest (at minimum) for what training has to offer them.

When we examine what Malcolm Knowles has taught us about andragogy (the art and science of teaching adults), we discover that the learning environment may become a very intimidating one for adults, especially if they have been previously subjected to a poor learning experience. As Training and Development specialists, we must also recognize when a learner’s behavior or demeanor is based on negative earlier negative training experiences where his or her needs were not met or his or her self-esteem might have been ignored. The learner might have created a thick skin so he or she won’t be exposed to another less-than-positive experience. We MUST be sensitive to the possibility that there might be a reasonable reason for a learner’s negative behavior.

There are 7 arrows we can steal from Cupid to help reframe the adult learning environment for these individuals:

1. Use the experience learners have had in the past – positive or negative – and have the learners share them the classroom. This involves them, lets them realize they are an intricate part of the learning, and it also reduces the amount of time we lecture to them (which, of course, can be a drag).
2. Ensure we make them feel good about their contributions. Like Lorenzo Lamas said in the ‘80s “you feel good, but you must look good too. And baby you look MAHVELOUS!” We have the ability to protect our participants’ self esteem by validating them and encouraging them to share – from a positive perspective – even their worse memories.
3. Cover topics that are relevant to their jobs. Never assume the learners make the connection between course content and job performance. Make it clear for them.
4. Acknowledge that that the phrase “what’s in it for me?” does contain the words “company,” “team,” “division,” “boss,” “industry,” or “client”  Learners need to know how the training content benefits THEM directly.
5. Concentrate on what the learners need to know and do NOW, not 7 months after the class. If adults can’t immediately use what they learned, they will forget it or classify it as unimportant.
6. Be as inclusive as possible in all activities. Adult learners learn by doing not by being told. Active participation allows them to formulate relevant questions and focus on the knowledge and skill they’ll need to succeed.
7. Strike them with the arrow of autonomy. Customize the training session based on their input and performance.

What are you doing to change your learners’ hearts about training? These are times when people are looking for solutions, job security, added skills, improved performance, or even just the chance for survival.  Take a shot straight for their hearts and sting them with the elixir that will once again make their hearts open to what training has to offer. How are you using your design and/or delivery to win their hearts?

Write me and share with our readers your best “arrows” (techniques) to change the hearts of those who have fallen out of love with training. I look forward to reading your ideas.

José

A. Create the Game

1. Identify 3 to 5 categories of content to cover during the game.
2. Create 4 or 5 questions and answers within each category. Be sure to use the same number of questions in each category to ensure consistency.
3. Assign a point value to each question. Use single digit point values for ease of scoring.
4. Create a diagram of the game board with categories across the top and point values going down each column.
5. Create index cards containing the following on each card (you may want to laminate these cards for durability): Category, Question, Answer, Point Value.
6. Document the categories, questions, and answers in your lesson plan.

B.  Prepare to Play

1. Turn the flipchart away from the participants.
2. Write the category names across the top of a flipchart page while the participants study to prep for the game.
3. Place Post-It^® notes in each category column, using one Post-It^® note for each point value.
4. Write the point value on each Post-It^® note starting with 1 and increasing the numbers as you go down the column.
5. Place the index cards face down on a table so the cards correspond to their position on the game board. This will make it easier for you to pull the right card when needed.

C. Play the Game

1. Split the participants into 3 teams.
2. Allow the teams 10 minutes to review content.
3. Follow the 5 steps listed under the “Prepare to Play” section while the participant review the content.
4. Turn the flipchart so it is visible to the participants when the 10 minutes of review time is over.
5. Ask Team 1 to select a category and point value.
6. Remove the Post-It^® note from the flipchart and stick it to the back of the corresponding index card.
7. Read the question.
8. Allow Team 1 30 seconds to answer the question. If they answer correctly go to Step 11. If they answer incorrectly go to Step 9.
9. Allow Team 2 10 seconds to answer the question. If they answer correctly go to Step 11. If they answer incorrectly go to Step 10.
10. Allow Team 3 10 seconds to answer the question. If they answer correctly go to Step 11. If they answer incorrectly place the points in a point pool to be awarded any way you wish later in the game.
11. Repeat Steps 5-10 two more times so each team has a chance to select a category and point value.
12. At the end of each round (steps 5-10) select the team with the lowest number of points to start the next round. In the event of a tie, use the order from a previous round.
13. Proceed to Final Jeopardy when all the categories have been used.

D. Play Final Jeopardy

1. Give each team a blank Post-It^® note.
2. Ask each team to determine the number of points they want to wager.
3. Ask each team to write their team number and wager on the Post-It^® note.
4. Collect the completed Post-It^® note from each team.
5. Give each team another blank Post-It^® note.
6. Read your Final Jeopardy question.
7. Allow the teams 1 minute to write their answers on the Post-It^® note. Encourage them to discuss their answers quietly, so the other teams can’t hear them.
8. Collect the “Answer” Post-It^® notes.
9. Calculate the results: If the answer is correct add the accumulated points to the points wagered. The team with the highest number of points will be the winner.
10. Reveal the results beginning with the team with the lowest number of points.

If you enjoy this review format, look for future “Game Shows In Training” blogs. If you’d like to know how to use a specific game show in the classroom, add your request as a comment to this blog.  For more information about how to create and administer games in training, take a look at this great resource kit.

Keeping your participants engaged, and encouraging them to have a little fun along the way makes joining a review and a game show a winning combination.

Jim