7 steps to make a training session enjoyable (Part 1)
Over the past three months, “in training” is a common response that I give to my colleagues and students to inform them of my absence from the office. I am either in front of the training room, training participants; running around the room, helping my co-trainer and participants go through activities during the sessions; or sitting in a classroom/round table setting, being on the receiving end of the training session.
This is the first of a two-part article on training.
- In the first part of the article (this article), I will share seven steps to make a training session enjoyable.
- In the second part of the article (upcoming), I will talk about good practices from training sessions that I have attended for the past three months.
Organisations invest in training in order to develop employee competencies, enhance employee engagement, and increase staff retention. This investment will be beneficial to the organisations in the long run, as well-trained employees are more proficient and efficient in carrying out their tasks.
That said, a training session can be a joy or a pain for both the trainer and the participants:
- I have participants who requested me to re-explain my co-trainer’s instructions and points shared during the session, as the co-trainer used terms that are too complex for them.
- I have sat through sessions where the trainer used slides with too many words, and we had to squint through the session.
- A few trainers read the slides with a flat monotone, not realising that their participants (including me) have dozed off during their sessions.
- In a few rare sessions, we enjoyed the activities and Q&A sessions very much, we didn’t realise that it was way past meal times…
The following is a list of 7 steps to take note of, in order to ensure everyone involved enjoy their time in training. The 7-step list is written from the perspective of a trainer. However, if you are joining a training session as a participant, the list also helps you to maximise your learning during the session as much as possible.
Here it goes:
BEFORE THE SESSION
1. Set aside some time to think about the overall session.
If you are a trainer, look at the participants involved in the training. Who are they? Where do they come from? What do they do on a daily basis? How long, in terms of time, do you have with these participants? By understanding the profile of the participants, you are able to create specific objectives that cater to critical competencies required from the training session.
It is also important to understand how adults learn (andragogy), as they learn differently from schoolchildren (pedagogy):
Adults tend to relate what is being shared during training with what they have to do at the workplace; as such, trainers need to create clear links between concepts and theories to what is currently happening in the workplace.
2. Establish clear learning outcomes.
As a trainer, there is just too much information to share within a short period of time. However, we have to be practical — what is absolutely necessary for the participants to learn within the given duration of training?
I find setting clear learning outcomes helpful in training. I will ask myself, “By the end of this training session, my participants will be able to…”, and list down at least three outcomes appropriate for the session. These outcomes will be used to assess whether my participants have learnt from me — through simple activities throughout the session.
3. Design training materials and activities
Once I have set learning outcomes for the session, I will start to think about the kind of materials to be used during training, and activities for my participants.
If I were to use PowerPoint slides during my training, I will make sure that the slides amplify the key learning points that I would like to share with my participants. I will use more images, and ensure that the words are visible and readable, even for the participants who sit at the end of the training room. There are many tips to create engaging and interactive presentations online — go ask Google!
The activities that I design for my sessions requires my participants to interact with one another, and reflect on their own perspectives, as well as perspectives of other participants. I also look at the activities as a way to learn about my participants. This page has 280 quick activities that can be tailored to elicit response and engage participants; the possibilities are endless.
DURING THE SESSION
4. Pace your training for the participants
Let’s say you are allocated 4 hours to train a group of participants. You could not possibly train the participants for 4 hours straight — you will be exhausted by the end of the session, and your participants would not be able to learn much from the session.
The average person has an attention span of approximately 20 minutes, or the duration of a TED video.
As such, the 4-hour session should be broken down into segments of 20 minutes. The segments should be intertwined with interactive activities, as well as short breaks to give room for both you and the participants to catch your breath.
5. Make yourself (and others) comfortable
As a trainer, this is the time for me to think about myself — how should I dress up, the treats (chocolates, sweets, and other assorted snacks) to share with my participants, and most importantly: my water bottle and/or tumbler, for my supply of hot and/or cold drinks!
I would also be thinking about my participants. Do they have enough refreshments throughout the session? Is the room too cold? Can the participants move about comfortably in the room? If I am training international participants, I would need to think about time difference, and how this would affect their concentration and energy.
6. Speak clearly — and in simple language
I have come to realise that delivering a lecture in the classroom, and training participants in the training room, are one and the same.
I have to deliver my message in clear and simple language so that my students or participants would understand the lesson or training session well.
AFTER THE SESSION
7. Get feedback on the training session
It would be good to obtain feedback from participants on the training session. To do this, I would prepare a general survey and distribute the survey to the participants at the end of the session.
Feedback can also be obtained informally. It can be done by speaking to the participants during break times. The participants’ input, as well as the input from the survey, can be used to improve training sessions in the future.
