In our preparation questions, not only should we focus on the desired outcome(s) and skills, but also on the additional planning needed to deliver an effective training experience:
- What resources are needed to deliver the training and to help participants acquire the expected or required knowledge and skills? Prior to training, we must identify the materials and support resources needed for the event or program. These are both the resources required to effectively deliver training as well as what is needed by the participants to engage in the process.
- What delivery strategy, or strategies, will I use to address the different learning styles among participants? This is a crucial question to answer in preparation for training. Whether in the classroom or training room, adult learners incorporate a variety of learning styles. They need to have the opportunity to see, hear, think and do. This allows us to plan our delivery techniques to encompass a combination of presentation, discussion, activities and interaction.
- How will I measure whether or not participants have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to mastering the expected outcome? Addressing this question brings things full circle. How do we know that trainees have mastered the knowledge, skills and/or applications necessary for achieving the overall training outcomes? The trainer must identify, even in informal training, methods for assessing or evaluating participants' accomplishments. In future blogs, we will look at some ways to assess whether or not a training event is successful. Through considering these planning questions, trainers, facilitators and teachers can more effectively deliver a valued training experience that meets the desired outcomes.
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