Day two morning session two all about learning styles

Kolb learning cycle:




When applying this to facilitation

View learning as a cycle.

Be aware of the different stages

Be aware of how you prefer to learn

Think about how different aspects of learning require different approaches

Planning activities for learning make sure that participants are exposed to all aspects of the process not just the ones you are comfortable with

Should we find out the learning styles of the group?

Whats in it for me?
MAke sure you are not teaching a lesson but facilitating adults!

New model

Based on the works several well-known adult learning theorists, the

HRDQ Experiential Learning Model™ illustrates the learning process as a fluid cycle — with actions for both the facilitator and the learner. From Focusing to Integrating, each phase of the model furthers the movement toward the learning goal.

What is it?

• Learning centers around the individual and his/her active involvement
• Lessons that are relevant to the individual and his/her current situation
• Participants develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning
• Learning environment is adaptable to the individual’s needs

What are some examples?
• Constructing a model with teammates
• Taking an assessment
• Recognizing behaviors and preferences
• Role-playing
• Exchanging feedback
• Considering past experience in the workplace
• Discussing insights with colleagues
• Creating an action plan for improvement

The Seven Deadly Sins of Trainers

Published: 2009-04-17

Rollin O. Glaser, EdD

The older you get the faster life seems to pass. But it's not all bad. Each year brings opportunities to make changes in the way we've been doing things. And because I'm a trainer and facilitator, I've been thinking about some things I might work on during the coming year. I'll call it the Seven Deadly Sins of Trainers.

Sin Number One:
Inadequate or no planning.
How many times have you been asked to do a session but received little or no information about the problems, the participants, or the outcomes desired? And because you are so eager to make a contribution, you don't ask questions or insist on defining the problems the training is supposed to solve. This year, let's resolve to do a thorough needs analysis before we start the training - even if we run the risk of exasperating a few powerful people.

Sin Number Two:
Ignoring established principles of adult learning.
Let's agree that we will not make programs that are predominately lecture oriented, that we will not train when people are seated in rows facing us, and that we will not ignore our participants as resources to the learning process. By now we should all be familiar with what helps adults to learn. Let's put these principles into practice in our classes and courses for the coming year.

Sin Number Three:
Letting video carry the learning.
Okay, using well placed video now and then can make some sense. But too often, we expect video to do the work for us. Sure, we can relax while our participants watch the screen instead of interacting with each other. But how much learning is really taking place? While videos can be well done and helpful learning tools, eventually our participants need to define problems, do some critical thinking, and commit themselves to action.

Sin Number Four:
Presenting training of low relevance to our participants.
We all know how expensive training is to our organization. Sometimes we fail to make sure that the training we're presenting is clearly related to the problems our participants face. When our training is not relevant, we run the risk of boring our participants and diluting the impact of the learning training is meant to produce. From a practical point of view, this means constantly testing our content for its worth to our participants in solving organizational problems.

Sin Number Five:
Staying at too high a level on the ladder of abstraction.
Many trainers love theory. Some participants love theory, too. The trouble is the theory may not be connected to the problems faced by our participants. We need to find real examples from our organization. Stuff that our participants can relate to. This takes research and persistence, but the lower on the ladder of abstraction you remain, the more relevant your training becomes.

Sin Number Six:
Forgetting to help participants transfer their learning back to their jobs.
As trainers we may be making the assumption that our participants will connect classroom learning to their work. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. As trainers it's up to us to create a place for participants to make the connections. This means that what we teach or facilitate must be explicitly connected to work problems if we expect transfer of learning to take place.

Sin Number Seven:
Settling for "smile" evaluations from our participants.
We all do it. We ask our participants in various ways, "How did you like the course?" Rate the instructor on a scale from 1 to 5. And so on. We all know that our organizations expect much more from their training/learning investment, such as what changes occurred in output as a result of the training? This year, let's take the time to really get a handle on evaluation instead of settling for a round of applause.

Remember to use multiple perspectives when looking at the activities

Make sure that you log what has been the most powerful learning moment online in the community