Archive for teaching methods
What’s Wrong with This Training?
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What’s wrong with this training?
Most of us managers train……along with the other 100 things we have to do each day. Too often, we tend to ‘grab and go’……our training is not too well thought out–with good reason!
In my Instructor Development Workshop (live) and my online distance learning version of the course, Train the Trainer, I show attendees how to deliver their courses without droning through them.
case study
In case study, we create a situation that reflects real life. This case study can be rather long and complex. We use it to help students grapple with the ‘gray areas’ –just like we have to do in real life.
What is a ‘case study’?
First, it isn’t what the attorneys tell us. It’s not a case that you, the instructor, talk through and give the answers. Instead, it’s a written situation that asks the students to come to several conclusions.
When is the case study used? It’s used toward the end of your course or module.
What is the case study for? To test the students’ judgment, understanding, and application of what you’ve taught.
Who can (and should) use the delivery method (teaching method) of case study? Anyone who wants to ‘test’ students’ understanding, judgment, and ability to draw conclusions from the course. It’s great for mortgage lenders, title and escrow, attorneys, and home inspectors to use. in my classes, I ask students to create an appropraite case study for their course.
What does a case study accomplish? It throws the accountability to the student. It lets the students interact, to team build, and to learn from each other. It shows you, the instructor, how well you’ve taught and what you need to review.
Here’s that case study for you. Take a look at the case study I use in my train the trainer courses to see how well students have internalized the concepts taught in my classes. I assign the case study at the end of one class, and we debrief in small groups and then generalize in the large group. (And it helps attendees see an example of a case study and how it is used–so they can create their own case studies easily and quickly).
How did you do? Could you name 10 things ‘Sally’ did wrong?
Grab Great Teaching Methods
Get some new training strategies and step your training up to the next level. See my online program, Train the Trainer, in new course software. It’s fun to do and you learn great methods (plus I give you 8 ready-to-use teaching strategies).
Take a Sneak Preview here.
10 Tips to Make your Training Pay Off
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How many of these 10 high pay-off tips do you have in your training now?
I’ve designated June my ‘Trainer Appreciation Month’, so all my blogs spotlight training. Thanks, trainers!
Too many times we provide training because it helps us attract people to our company. Thata��s getting only a partial benefit! If you apply the 10 tips for training below, you will see your training pay off in increased productivity, lessened expenses, and much higher customer satisfaction and retention levels.A�
1. Clarify what you want the student to doa��during class, and after class. (These are your training objectives. They help you create focus and stay on track–and not to go over your desired time frames! See more in The Ultimate Real Estate Trainer’s Guide).
2. How well do you expect the student to do that activity? Establish competency levels. (Do you want them to be able to limp through a listing presentation, or do a masterful job?)
3. Make training a process, not an event. It takes 6-8 times of hearing something to begin to retain it! (Do you ‘dump the whole load’ because it’s faster and easier, or are you concerned with real learning?)
4. Space your training for a�?spaced repetitiona�?. Skills cana��t be learned in one marathon session. If your objective is to develop skills, you must create layered, spaced, repetitious workshops.
5. There must be rest and reflection between practices. Scientists have proven that skills are not retained unless there is at least 4 hours between skill-developing sessions. (Do you provide time for this within your training sessions?)
6. If ita��s skills training, three quarters of the time in class should be practicea��not teacher lecture.
7. Culturize as you train. The training should be from your point of view, your method of action, and your opportunity to create a strong culture within your training modules. (Is your culture built in, or have you copied trainings from other ‘training gurus’?)
8. Get feedback from the skills training in your meetings. It reinforces the skills and encourages others to take part. Take your skills to a higher level with additional masterminding.
9. Use a facilitation approach, not a lecture approach. Instead of delivering the information via lecture during class, have the students read articles, interview beforehand, listen to audios, etc. (Are you using other ‘delivery methods’ instead of just old boring lecture?”
10. Build in accountability. The student should be highly accountable for practicing the skills and for competency learning. (Do you have accountability as part of your training sessions?”
How many of these 10 high pay-off training tips are you already using? What do you need to change or incorporate to make your training pay off in real, measurable results?
A�A Free Resource to Help You
I’ve just finished a 5-part series on using other teaching methods instead of that old, boring lecture too many of us have relied upon.A� Take a look at my uTube channel and watch your training results soar!