How I make sure my Train the Trainer course delivers high quality results
Choosing a Train the Trainer course which will result in high quality trainers and high quality learning is essential. You need a course which provides you with the techniques to produce effective training courses and training sessions.
Always look for a train the trainer course which practises what it preaches. Check the objectives and content against my eight secrets to decide if it is the right train the trainer course.
The most effective Train the Trainer course will provide the learners with a framework for effective design and delivery by following my eight secrets. Each secret will help you build a course or session which will have real impact and will also contribute towards changes in behaviour and attitude.
Train the Trainer Course – The Eight Secrets
Secret 1
My first secret is critical as a start point. When designing or delivering your training, you should always be focused on one thing.
Start with the End in Mind
You start with effective objectives which are written and stated in behavioural terms. This enables you to measure the progress of your learners against your objectives so that you have evidence of the learning which has taken place.
Secret 2
You then move on to your session framework. The work of Honey and Mumford, and Kolb provides the solution here.
Learning Styles is Your Design Template
Make sure every session you create has something for the Activist, something for the Reflector, something for the Theorist and something for the Pragmatist. A good train the trainer course will give you techniques and ideas to manage this easily, both when designing and when delivering your sessions.
Secret 3
You then need to use a logical approach for moving from learning style to learning style.
Change the Delivery Style Often
Do what seems to be natural or obvious. Most learners will have no idea that you are working with learning styles as they won’t know the models you are working to. They will just find it interesting, but probably without realising it.
Secret 4
The brain is more receptive to learning when relaxed, unthreatened and stimulated.
Make it Fun
People tend to remember more if they feel stimulated in some way and humour can provide the right stimulation. Be natural with your style. But be very careful not to offend.
Secret 5
Too much so called “training” in recent years has consisted of a person reading bullet points out loud to an audience from a screen based presentation. This is not training. There is little to stimulate the learners and so to my next secret:
Ask Rather Than Tell
A simple solution, however this is extremely powerful in creating thought processes in your learners. If you tell people, they will not neccessarily have the stimulus to remember. If you ask people, they will need to think for themselves and are more likely to remember.
Secret 6
Sitting still becomes challenging for anyone after a period of time so we need to implement another secret to stop this happening.
Get People Doing Stuff
When people are doing things they focus away from learning and towards the task in hand. If the task is relevant to the learning and is properly debriefed by the trainer then the learning should be effective.
Nothing beats doing the thing for real but if you cannot exactly replicate the task in your training room then get them doing something that contributes or makes the point. Activity provides both physical and mental stimulation.
Secret 7
Think about how you can add depth to your session. Think about engaging more of the senses.
Lots of Visual Media
Various research studies over the years have indicated that around 75-80% of learning takes place through the eyes.
The saying is that ” A picture says a thousand words”. Use pictures, video footage, live examples, anything that will provide appropriate visual stimulation.
Secret 8
So now you have people learning and motivated, you need a good finish.
Finish on a High
Learners will leave your training room with your final message prominent in their brains. So make this message both relevant and positive. You want them to feel energised and focused so bare this in mind when deciding what the final message will be.
A good train the trainer course will work with all eight secrets. If it doesn’t, then ask yourself if it is the right course. Remember the words of Confucius:
“He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
And finally…
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These are great Adrian. Could I please add a few more secrets?
– Overarching objectives that meet the needs of the organisation
– Encourage the learners to learn in as many ways as possible and not to be constrained by the preferred learning style. If activists only really engage by doing, will they ever reflect and adapt?
– A change in pace, tone or activity creates breaks that help to keep learners engaged – aim for a change every 20 or 30 minutes
– Get them practicing any new learning (to put it into long term memory) as soon as possible so that it frees the neocortex for more new learning
– Use the 30/70 approach 30% facilitator led to 70% learner led