The Most Effective Training Techniques

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The Most Effective Training Techniques Techniques There are numerous methods and materials available to help you prepare and equip employees to better do their jobs. Indeed, with so many choices out there, it can be daunting to determine which methods to use and when to use them. And using several methods for each training session may actually be the most effective way to help employees learn and retain information. In this article, we tae a close loo at each of the myriad techniques, and e!amine their advantages and disadvantages. "e also e!plain how you can combine the various methods into an effective blended learning approach. #verall $onsiderations %efore considering specific training techniques, as yourself these questions& 

"hat are your training goals for this session'  (ew sills o  (ew techniques for old sills o %etter worplace behavior  o A safer worplace o o A fair and equal worplace free of discrimination and harassment



"ho is being trained'  (ew employees o o )easoned employees *pper management o "hat is your training budget' +ow much time has been allocated alloca ted for training within your organiation' "hat training resources and materials do you have at your disposal'

  

-our -our answers to these questions begin the narrowing n arrowing process for your training choices.  (ow lets e!amine those training methods, their pros and cons, and where they best fit in a training program.

 (# TIME T# T# /0E/A0E /0E/A0E #0 1E2I3E0 T0AI(I(4' "ith "ith TrainingToday, TrainingToday, your employees can start taing essential training courses the same day you sign up5 )tart your free preview now5

The $hoices Even with the many technological advances ad vances in the training industry, traditional formats remain viable and effective. $lassroom or Instructor62ed Training

Instructor6led training remains one of the most popular training techniques for trainers. There are many types including& 

%lacboard or whiteboard. This may be the most 7old6fashioned8 method, but it can still be effective, especially if you invite trainees to write on the board or as for feedbac that you write on the board.  #verhead projector. This method is increasingly being replaced with /ower/oint  presentations, which are less manually demanding, but overheads do allow you to write on them and customie presentations easily on the spot.  3ideo portion. 2ectures can be broen up with video portions that e!plain sections of the training topic or that present case studies for discussion.  /ower/oint9 presentation. /resentation software is used to create customied group training sessions that are led by an instructor. Training materials are provided on $10#M and displayed on a large screen for any number of trainees. Employees can also use the programs individually, which allows for easy mae6up sessions for employees who miss the group session. This method is one o f the most popular lecture methods and can be combined with handouts and other interactive methods. :)ee page ;< for /ower/oint presentation tips.= 

)torytelling. )tories can be used as e!amples of right and wrong ways to perform sills with the outcome of each way described. This method is most effective with debriefing questions, such as& +ow does this story relate to training' o +ow did the main characters choices mae you feel' o o "hat assumptions did you mae throughout the story' "ere they correct' "hat would you have done differently' o This technique maes communication easier since it is nonthreatening with no one right answer. It is cost effective, especially if trainers have their own stories to tell. )tories can also mae sessions more personal if they involve people trainees now. -ou can also find many training stories online. Advantages 

Instructor6led classroom training is an efficient method for presenting a large body of material to large or small groups of employees.  It is a personal, face6to6face type of training as opposed to computer6based training and other methods we will discuss later.  It ensures that everyone gets the same information at the same time.  t is cost6effective, especially when not outsourced to guest speaers.  )torytelling grabs peoples attention. 1isadvantages 

)ometimes it is not interactive.  Too much of the success of the training depends on the effectiveness of the lecturer.



)cheduling classroom sessions for large numbers of trainees can be difficult>  especially when trainees are at multiple locations. -ou can use lectures effectively by maing sure your audience is engaged throughout the session. +ere are several ways to achieve this&   

Train your trainers in the art and science of public speaing. 4ive your trainers the materials they need. *se with interactive methods.

Interactive Methods There are many ways that you can brea up training sessions and eep trainees attentive and involved, including& 

?uies. @or long, complicated training, stop periodically to administer brief quies on information presented to that point. -ou can also begin sessions with a  prequi and let participants now there will also be a follow6up qui. Trainees will stay engaged in order to improve their prequi scores on the final qui. @urther motivate participants by offering awards to the highest scorers or the most improved scores.  )mall group discussions. %rea the participants down into small groups and give them case studies or wor situations to discuss or solve. This is a good way for nowledgeable veteran employees to pass on their e!perience to newer employees.  $ase studies. Adults tend to bring a problem6oriented way of thining to worplace training. $ase studies are an e!ce llent way to capitalie on this type of adult learning. %y analying real job6related situations, employees can learn how to handle similar situations. They can also see how various elements of a job wor together to create problems as well as solutions.  Active summaries. $reate small groups and have them choose a leader. As them to summarie the lectures major points and have each team leader present the summaries to the class. 0ead aloud a prewritten summary and compare this with  participants impressions.  ?  A sessions. Informal question6and6answer sessions are most effective with small groups and for updating sills rather than teaching new sills. @or e!ample, some changes in departmental procedure might easily be handled by a short e!planation by the supervisor, followed by a question6and6answer period and a discussion period.  ?uestion cards. 1uring the lecture, as participants to write questions on the subject matter. $ollect them and conduct a quiBreview session.  0ole6playing. %y assuming roles and acting out situations that might occur in the worplace, employees learn how to handle various situations before they face them on the job. 0ole6playing is an e!cellent training technique for many interpersonal sills, such as customer service, interviewing, and supervising.  /articipant control. $reate a subject menu of what will be covered. As  participants to review it and pic items they want to now more about. $all on a

 participant to identify his or her choice. $over that topic and move on to the ne!t  participant.  1emonstrations. "henever possible, bring tools or equipment that are part of the training topic and demonstrate the steps being taught or the processes being adopted. 

#ther activities. o $reate a personal action plan 0aise arguments to issues in the lecture o /araphrase important or comple! points in the lecture o

Advantages 

Interactive sessions eep trainees engaged in the training, which maes them more receptive to the new information.  They mae training more fun and enjoyable.  They provide ways for veteran employees to pass on nowledge and e!perience to newer employees.  They can provide in6session feedbac to trainers on how well trainees are learning. 1isadvantages 

Interactive sessions can tae longer because activities, such as taing quies or  breaing into small groups, are time6consuming.  )ome methods, such as participant control, can be less structured, and trainers will need to mae sure that all necessary information is covered.

 (# TIME T# /0E/A0E #0 1E2I3E0 T0AI(I(4' "ith TrainingToday, your employees can start taing essential training courses the same day you sign up5 )tart your free preview now5

+ands6#n Training E!periential, or hands6on, training, offers several more effective techniques for teaching employees, including& 

$ross6training. This method allows employees to e!perience other jobs, which not only enhances employee sills but also gives companies the benefit of having employees who can perform more than one job. $ross6training also gives employees a  better appreciation of what co6worers do and how their own jobs fit in with the wor  of others to achieve company goals.  1emonstrations. 1emonstrations are attention6grabbers. They are an e!cellent way to teach employees to use new equipment or to teach the steps in a new process.

They are also effective in teaching safety sills. $ombined with the opportunity for questions and answers, this is a powerful, engaging form of training. 

$oaching. The goal of job coaching is to improve an employees performance. $oaching focuses on the individual needs of an employee and is generally less formal than other inds of training. There are usually no set training sessions. A manager, supervisor, or veteran employee serves as the coach. +e or she gets together with the employee being coached when time allows and wors with this employee to& Answer questions o )uggest more effective strategies o $orrect errors o 4uide toward goals o 4ive support and encouragement o o /rovide nowledgeable feedbac   Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships give employers the opportunity to shape ine!perienced worers to fit e!isting and future jobs. These programs give young worers the opportunity to learn a trade or profession and earn a modest income. Apprenticeship combines supervised training on the job with classroom instruction in a formal, structured program that can last for a year or more.  1rills. 1rilling is a good way for employees to practice sills. Evacuation drills are effective when training emergency preparedness, for e!ample. Advantages 

+ands6on training methods are effective for training in new procedures and new equipment.  They are immediately applicable to trainees jobs.  They allow trainers to immediately determine whether a trainee has learned the new sill or procedure. 1isadvantages 

They are not good for large groups if you do not have enough equipment or machines for everyone to use.  /ersonal coaching can be disruptive to the coachs productivity.  Apprenticeship can be e!pensive for companies paying for employees who are  being trained on the job and are not yet as productive as regular employees. $omputer6%ased Training C$%TD $omputer6based training is becoming increasingly prevalent as technology becomes more widespread and easy to use. Though traditional forms of training are not liely to be replaced completely by technological solutions, they will most liely be enhanced by them. +uman interaction will always remain a ey component of worplace training.  (onetheless, it is a good idea to loo more closely at what training technologies have to offer and how they might be used to supplement e!isting training programs or used when

developing new ones. $omputer6based training formats vary from the simplest te!t6only  programs to highly sophisticated multimedia programs to virtual reality. $onsider the following types& 

Te!t6only. The simplest computer6based training programs offer self6paced training in a te!t6only format. These programs are similar to print6based, individualied training modules with the addition, in most cases, of interactive features. "hile simple in format, these programs can be highly effective and present complicated information and concepts in a comprehensible and easily accessible way.  $160#M. A wide variety of off6the6shelf training programs covering a broad range of worplace topics are available on $160#M. /rograms can also be created  by training consultants for the specific needs of the particular organiation or individual departments.  Multimedia. These training materials are an advanced form of computer6based training. They are much more sophisticated than the original te!t6only programs. In addition to te!t, they provide stimulating graphics, audio, animation, andBor video. Multimedia tends to be more provocative and challenging and, therefore, more stimulating to the adult mind. Although costs are higher than te!t6only software, the  benefits in terms of employee learning may well be worth it. Multimedia training materials are typically found in 131 format.  3irtual reality. 3irtual reality is three6dimensional and interactive, immersing the trainee in a learning e!perience. Most virtual reality training programs tae the form of simulation, which is a highly effective form of training. It is hands6on e!pe rience without the riss of actual performance. @light simulators, for e!ample, have been used successfully for years to train airline and military pilots in critical flying sills, as well as to prepare them for emergency situations in a safe and forgiving environment. Advantages 

$omputer6based training programs are easy to use.  They can often be customied or custom designed.  They are good for helping employees develop and practice new sills.  They are useful for refresher training. They are applicable to self6directed learning.  They can be cost6effective because the same equipment and program can be used  by large numbers of employees.  They are fle!ible because trainees can learn at their own pace and at a time thats convenient for them. $omputer6based programs are available F ho urs a day, < days a wee. (o matter which shift an employee wors, training is always available.  )ome programs are interactive, requiring trainees to answer questions, mae choices, and e!perience the consequences of those choices. This interaction generally results in greater comprehension and retention.  They are uniform, which maes it possible to standardie training.  They are measurable. "hen computers are used for training, it is possible to trac what each employee has learned right on the computer. Most programs have post6tests

to determine whether the employee has understood the training. Test scores give trainers statistics for training evaluations. 1isadvantages 

These programs require trainees to be computer literate.  They require trainees to have computer access.  There is little or no interaction with a trainerG if trainees have questions, theres no one to as.  These programs are not effective at teaching 7soft6sills,8 such as customer service, sales, or sensitivity training.  They are not the best choice for new or one6time training. Trainers need live interaction to ensure new sills or concepts are b eing communicated. Trainees need to  be able to as questions and receive feedbac.  )ome poorly designed programs are 7boring8 and result in trainees having a poor retention rate of the material as well as a low finish rate. #nline or E62earning In addition to computer6based training, many companies with employees in a variety of locations across the country are relying on other technologies to deliver training. According to the A)T1 7)tate of the Industry8 report, companies are using a record level of e6learning, and A)T1 predicts that number will continue to rise. This method is  becoming more and more popular as access to the "eb becomes more widely available. )ome e!amples include& 

"eb6based training. This method puts computer6based training modules onto the "eb, which companies can then mae available to their employees either on the companys intranet or on a section of the vendors website that is set up for your company. There are many courses available on the Internet in many different topic areas. These courses provide a hands6on, interactive wa y for employees to wor through training presentations that are similar to $160#M or /ower/oint, on their own. Training materials are standardied because all trainees will use the same  program. Materials are also easy to update, so your training is always in step with your industry. "eb6based training programs are also often lined with software Ca learning management system, or 2M)D that maes trainees progress tracable, which maes recordeeping very easy for the training administrator.  Tele6 or videoconferencing. These methods allow the trainer to be in one location and trainees to be scattered in several locations. /articipants are networed into the central location and can usually as questions of the trainer via the telephone or by a webchat feature. 2ectures and demonstrations can be effective using this method.  Audioconferencing. This method is similar to videoconferencing but involves audio only. /articipants dial in at the scheduled meeting time and hear speaers  present their training. ?uestion and answer sessions are frequently held at the end of sessions in which participants can email questions or call in and tal to a presenter.  "eb meetings, or webinars. This method contains audio and visual components.

/articipants dial in to receive live audio training and also follow visual material that appears on their computer screens. These presentations are similar to $160#M or /ower/oint presentations and sometimes offer minimal online interactivity. ?  A sessions may also be held at the end of sessions.  #nline colleges and universities. This method is also nown as distance learning, and many schools now offer certificates or degrees through online programs that require only minimal on6campus residency.  $ollaborative document preparation. This method requires participants to be lined on the same networ. It can be used with coaches and trainees to teach writing reports and technical documents.  E6mail. -ou can use e6mail to promote or enhance training. )end reminders for upcoming training. )olicit follow6up questions for trainers andBor managers. $onduct training evaluations through e6mail forms. Advantages 

#nline or e6learning programs are effective for training across multiple locations.  They save the company money on travel e!penses.  They can be a less e!pensive way to get training from e!pert industry  professionals and consultants from outside the company.  They are useful for refresher training.  They are good for self6directed learning.  They can be easy to update with new company policies or procedures, federal regulations, and compliance issues.  They offer trainers a growing array of choices for matching training programs to employee nowledge and sill levels. 1isadvantages 

These programs require trainees to be computer literate.  They are usually generic and not customied to your companys needs.  )ome employees may not lie the impersonal nature of this training.  Employees may be too intimidated by the technology or the remoteness of the trainer to as questions.  2ac of computer terminals or insufficient online time may restrict or preclude access to training.  Inadequate or outdated hardware devices Ce.g., sound cards, graphics accelerators, and local area networsD can cause programs to malfunction.  -our companys Internet servers may not have enough bandwidth to receive the materials.  )elf6instruction offers limited opportunities to receive conte!t6specific e!pert advice or timely response to questions +ow to *se a %lended 2earning Approach %lended learning is a commonsense concept that results in great learning success. The

 blended learning approach is simply acnowledging that one sie doesnt fit all when it comes to training. In a nutshell, blended learning means using more than one training method to train on one subject. +ere are several good reasons to use a blended learning approach& 

A *niversity of Tennessee study showed that a blended learning program reduced  both the time and the cost of training by more than H percent.  The same study showed a J percent improved result in learning outcomes compared with traditional training.  2earning e!perts believe that a big advantage of blended learning is that it more closely replicates how people actually learn on the job, through e!perience and interaction with co6worers. This approach wors well because the variety of approaches eeps trainers and trainees engaged in training. %lended learning simply maes a lot of sense. $onsider the many factors that affect training&      

)ubject matter  Audience mae6up Types of learners %udget considerations )pace constraints $ompliance issues

Any or all of these considerations affect your choices for training and may even necessitate that you use a blended learning approach. $hances are you already use this method perhaps without even realiing it. +ave you ever& 

*sed a /ower/oint training session and incorporated written quies, small group discussions, and role plays at various points in the training'  %roen a comple! subject into parts and used a different training method to teach each section or step'  *sed a live trainer with hands6on demonstrations for initial training and a $16 0#M or online course for refresher training' If you have done any of the above methods, you are already using a blended learning approach. +eres how to plan a blended learning training program. #nce youve identified training needs, answer these questions about each situation&      

"hat are the training conditions' 1o you have a classroom' +ow many people will it hold' +ow many computers do you have access to' "hat resources are available' "hat are the characteristics of the training content' Is it soft or hard' "ho is your target audience'

   

"hat are its demographics' +ow many languages do you need to accommodate' "hich ones' +ow many employees need this training' +ow quicly do you need to accomplish this training'

-our answers will direct you to the optimal delivery method. +owever time consuming this process may seem, blended learning offers trainees a well6planned session that is custom6designed for them, the subject, and the learning environment. In the long run,  blended learning saves time and money since this training process is an efficient use of resources to help employees develop sufficient levels of nowledge retention.

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