How Adults Learn/How to Design and Evaluate Effective Training

Participants engage in a series of active learning experiences that provide the foundation for designing, implementing, and evaluating new training programs or for refining existing training programs. A variety of self-directed, partner, and small group tasks is facilitated. The goals of the class are to analyze the qualities of effective trainers, understand the characteristics of the adult learner, apply a systematic approach to planning and designing training programs, determine a training style preference, and create a results-oriented process for evaluating training programs.

Who Should Attend:
Trainers, instructors, designers, analysts, and training supervisors who want to develop their skills and learn creative and successful methods of training programs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the characteristics of effective trainers.
2. Appraise the 11 trainer performance criteria.
3. Apply a real-life performance rating scale.
4. Recognize the five assumptions underlying adult learning.
5. List 10 principles of adult learning; examine 30 things known about adult learning.
6. Utilize a guided discovery approach to motivate adult learners.
7. Explain three principles of program planning.
8. Employ goals and measurable objectives that include the four essential “ABCD” elements; complete a program planning matrix.
9. Determine and appraise personal training style preferences.
10. Determine a preference for the four levels of training evaluation.
11. Differentiate among a variety of feedback and evaluation tools.
12. Identify the advantages and limitations of selected response test items (multiple choice, true/false, matching).
 

Course Outline:

References and Web Sites
Action Plans
Introduction
    · Assumptions
    · Triple-Entry Journal
    · Goals and Objectives
    · Class Schedule
    · Essential Components of Any Training Program
    · Training Designing/Refining Model
Trainer Quality
    · Characteristics of Effective Trainers
    · Trainer Performance Criteria
    · Performance Criteria Rating Sheet
Adult Learner
    · Foundation for Adult Learning
    · Principles of Adult Learning
    · Things We Know About Adult Learners
    · Motivating Adults:  Guided Discovery
Planning and Designing Training
    · Goals/Objectives Planning Principles
    · Taxonomy of Goals/Objectives
    · The ABCDs of Goals/Objectives
    · Planning Matrix
    · Training Style Inventory/Analysis
    · Training Style Pyramid/Web Sites
Results-Oriented Training Evaluation
    · Self-Appraisal
    · Levels of Training Evaluation
    · Evaluation Tools
    · Selected Response Items
    · Rubrics