Training Activity Design

Engage!: Techniques for Cooking Up Interactive, Instructor-Led Training

Program Overview

"That session was great!" "I wasn't bored like I thought I would be!" "I never knew that paint drying could be so interesting!" Those are the comments most facilitators dream of when they begin a training session. This course is designed to provide the tools to help make that dream a reality.

Program Objectives

At this program's conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Describe actions they can take to lay a foundation for success before a session begins.
• Avoid monotony by applying different methods for presenting content.
• Ask questions that connect learning points to their learners' existing experiences.
• Design PowerPoint presentations and handouts that are visually pleasing and easy to digest.

The following outline highlights some of the course's key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of participant materials prior to the session(s).

Course Outline

Invitations: Actions Facilitators Can Take to Lay the Groundwork for Success Before the Session Starts

This program begins with a discussion of actions facilitators can take to engage participants in learning before a program begins. Topics such as assigning meaningful pre-work, performing on-the-spot needs analysis, setting ground rules, and getting participant buy-in are included in this discussion.

Creative Conversations: Exploring Frameworks for Presenting Information

We all know that lectures can be boring, but what can facilitators do when the topic is dry and they just need to get the information out? This portion explores methods for presenting information: group work and variations, gallery walks, stories, case studies, role plays, quizzes, models, flow charts, and more. Session participants will learn about each technique and then practice applying some to spice up their current training sessions.

Who? How? What? Why?: Using Questions to Connect Learners with Your Content

Good instruction is a dialogue and not a monologue, and asking questions is essential to connecting participants with learning points. This part of the program explores different kinds of questions and how and when to ask them.

Appetizing PowerPoint and Other Visual Aids: Looking Good in Print and on Screen

Face it: ugly text is hard to swallow. If the materials don't look good, most people will find them hard to digest. This segment reviews the essentials of designing written screens and documents that look good and techniques for creating participant interaction using visual materials.

At the program's conclusion, participants will have an arsenal of tools that they can immediately apply to their training sessions.