Comments for Transform Your Training http://transformyourtraining.com Helping You Become an Outstanding Trainer Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:56:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on What Is “Learner-Centred” Training? by a_matthews http://transformyourtraining.com/2012/02/07/what-is-learner-centred-training/#comment-43 a_matthews Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:56:08 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=407#comment-43 Absolutely right, Helen. One difficulty for independent trainers like ourselves can be getting it from the horses's mouth, so to speak. By that I mean I sometimes have people contacting me, who may be senior managers or people from HR departments, telling me what their people "need". Then, when I speak to the people involved, their view of what they actually need is quite different. When I send out pre-course questionnaires, I usually ask the question, " What would make this training worthwhile for you? " to make sure I can deliver what the learners themselves are looking for. Absolutely right, Helen. One difficulty for independent trainers like ourselves can be getting it from the horses’s mouth, so to speak. By that I mean I sometimes have people contacting me, who may be senior managers or people from HR departments, telling me what their people “need”. Then, when I speak to the people involved, their view of what they actually need is quite different. When I send out pre-course questionnaires, I usually ask the question, ” What would make this training worthwhile for you? ” to make sure I can deliver what the learners themselves are looking for.

]]> Comment on What Is “Learner-Centred” Training? by Helen Ashton http://transformyourtraining.com/2012/02/07/what-is-learner-centred-training/#comment-42 Helen Ashton Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:23:54 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=407#comment-42 Hi Alan thanks for yet another newsletter topic that had me nodding as I read through. For me when I explain to people my starting point for pulling a programme together it is "What do the individuals need or want to know?" rather than "What must I tell them?". Using this as the start point you become someone who facilitates the individual's learning. It is then more likely to make a difference to how they work and isn't that what we are all about? Hi Alan thanks for yet another newsletter topic that had me nodding as I read through. For me when I explain to people my starting point for pulling a programme together it is “What do the individuals need or want to know?” rather than “What must I tell them?”. Using this as the start point you become someone who facilitates the individual’s learning. It is then more likely to make a difference to how they work and isn’t that what we are all about?

]]> Comment on Is Classroom-Based Training Out Of Date? by a_matthews http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/11/23/is-classroom-based-training-out-of-date/#comment-39 a_matthews Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:50:09 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=392#comment-39 Hi Mel, Thanks for your comment, glad you agree! I wish more organisations would invest a bit more in combining coaching with training as they would see much better results than just running " magic wand " training sessions where they hope everything will be transformed after a 1 day workshop. Alan Hi Mel,

Thanks for your comment, glad you agree! I wish more organisations would invest a bit more in combining coaching with training as they would see much better results than just running ” magic wand ” training sessions where they hope everything will be transformed after a 1 day workshop.

Alan

]]> Comment on Is Classroom-Based Training Out Of Date? by a_matthews http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/11/23/is-classroom-based-training-out-of-date/#comment-38 a_matthews Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:46:47 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=392#comment-38 Hi Martin, Thanks for your comment. I agree e-learning programmes can be one way to transfer knowledge and information but, as you suggest, effective learning is about far more than that. I still can't help feeling that the primary driver for most e-learning " solutions " is cost rather than effectiveness. I'll take a look at your blog - the more ideas we trainers share the better! Alan Hi Martin,

Thanks for your comment. I agree e-learning programmes can be one way to transfer knowledge and information but, as you suggest, effective learning is about far more than that. I still can’t help feeling that the primary driver for most e-learning ” solutions ” is cost rather than effectiveness.

I’ll take a look at your blog – the more ideas we trainers share the better!

Alan

]]> Comment on Is Classroom-Based Training Out Of Date? by Martin le Comte http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/11/23/is-classroom-based-training-out-of-date/#comment-36 Martin le Comte Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:24:29 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=392#comment-36 Very interesting topic Alan. I remember well the time when e-learning was supposed to be the answer. The organisation that I worked in at the time invested heavily in e-learning as a blended learning solution, moving many of the ‘traditional’ face to face development interventions to this exciting, time and cost efficient method of learning. This was the first time I heard the phrase “the days of traditional training are well and truly over”. As you rightly mention, the advent of e-learning has enabled individuals to learn at their own pace, reduce time away from the office and eliminate the associated costs of trainer time, travel and accommodation. It has an impressive list of benefits that convinced many, both inside and outside of the L&D arena, that the future was already here! But what many people forget is that human beings are fundamentally social creatures. The majority of us live in groups either in villages, towns or cities – huddled reasonably close together – ‘Maslow’s hierarchy of needs’ anyone? As a society we are prone to consider people who lock themselves away and have little or no social interaction as a bit odd. In my experience e-learning is an excellent way of transferring knowledge but much less successful at transferring and embedding tools and techniques. Until there is a way of effectively measuring confidence without the benefit of human interaction, face to face training will always have its place. I've written a post on my own blog that goes into a bit more detail, if you'd like to read it: http://www.phoenix-training.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/12/is-classroom-training-out-of-date/ Martin Very interesting topic Alan.
I remember well the time when e-learning was supposed to be the answer. The organisation that I worked in at the time invested heavily in e-learning as a blended learning solution, moving many of the ‘traditional’ face to face development interventions to this exciting, time and cost efficient method of learning.
This was the first time I heard the phrase “the days of traditional training are well and truly over”. As you rightly mention, the advent of e-learning has enabled individuals to learn at their own pace, reduce time away from the office and eliminate the associated costs of trainer time, travel and accommodation. It has an impressive list of benefits that convinced many, both inside and outside of the L&D arena, that the future was already here!
But what many people forget is that human beings are fundamentally social creatures. The majority of us live in groups either in villages, towns or cities – huddled reasonably close together – ‘Maslow’s hierarchy of needs’ anyone? As a society we are prone to consider people who lock themselves away and have little or no social interaction as a bit odd.
In my experience e-learning is an excellent way of transferring knowledge but much less successful at transferring and embedding tools and techniques. Until there is a way of effectively measuring confidence without the benefit of human interaction, face to face training will always have its place.
I’ve written a post on my own blog that goes into a bit more detail, if you’d like to read it: http://www.phoenix-training.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/12/is-classroom-training-out-of-date/
Martin

]]> Comment on Is Classroom-Based Training Out Of Date? by Mel http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/11/23/is-classroom-based-training-out-of-date/#comment-33 Mel Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:30:37 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=392#comment-33 I couldn't agree enough Alan! Design and delivery methods that are "brain friendly" maximise learning and improved performance. Face to face training and coaching, whilst usually more expensive than e-learning, are, in my experience and opinion, the best in terms of investment return. I couldn’t agree enough Alan! Design and delivery methods that are “brain friendly” maximise learning and improved performance. Face to face training and coaching, whilst usually more expensive than e-learning, are, in my experience and opinion, the best in terms of investment return.

]]> Comment on How To Deal With Difficult Questions by a_matthews http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/10/23/how-to-deal-with-tricky-questions/#comment-20 a_matthews Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:10:20 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=370#comment-20 Thanks for your comment, Marie. Don't worry - it happens to all of us! As you say, I take it as a clue that I haven't explained something as clearly as I should have done. And I would rather someone asked me to go over it again than have them walk away thinking, "I've no idea what he was talking about." Good luck with all your training! Alan Thanks for your comment, Marie. Don’t worry – it happens to all of us! As you say, I take it as a clue that I haven’t explained something as clearly as I should have done. And I would rather someone asked me to go over it again than have them walk away thinking, “I’ve no idea what he was talking about.”

Good luck with all your training!

Alan

]]> Comment on How To Deal With Difficult Questions by Marie Smith http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/10/23/how-to-deal-with-tricky-questions/#comment-19 Marie Smith Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:50:52 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=370#comment-19 Hi Alan Another intersting article. I just wanted to say that I agree with most of what you've said here and particularly want to coment on the 3rd area - someone asks you something that you've already covered. For me, if this happens, I feel it's often because of a failing on part - I've not explained it properly, I've not checked each person's understanding or I've not recapped sufficiently. This is more likely to happen when I've been training the same session for a while - it's easy to fall into complacency as much as I do try hard with every training session. It's good to know that it happens to other trainers too! Kind regards, Marie Hi Alan
Another intersting article.
I just wanted to say that I agree with most of what you’ve said here and particularly want to coment on the 3rd area – someone asks you something that you’ve already covered. For me, if this happens, I feel it’s often because of a failing on part – I’ve not explained it properly, I’ve not checked each person’s understanding or I’ve not recapped sufficiently. This is more likely to happen when I’ve been training the same session for a while – it’s easy to fall into complacency as much as I do try hard with every training session.
It’s good to know that it happens to other trainers too!
Kind regards, Marie

]]> Comment on How To Build Rapport With A Group by a_matthews http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/07/27/how-to-build-rapport-with-a-group/#comment-13 a_matthews Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:32:09 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=263#comment-13 Hi Grant, Thanks for your question. In the article I tried to cover methods which would work with any size of group so I think the tips I've given above can be used where you have more than 3 people. With larger groups, it's obviously harder to make personal contact but you can still follow the guidelines here. I've used this method when presenting to large audiences as well as when working interactively with small groups on workshops. Alan Hi Grant,
Thanks for your question. In the article I tried to cover methods which would work with any size of group so I think the tips I’ve given above can be used where you have more than 3 people. With larger groups, it’s obviously harder to make personal contact but you can still follow the guidelines here. I’ve used this method when presenting to large audiences as well as when working interactively with small groups on workshops.
Alan

]]> Comment on Do Toys And Smelly Pens Really Make A Difference? by Mel http://transformyourtraining.com/2011/09/28/do-toys-and-smelly-pens-really-make-a-difference/#comment-12 Mel Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:32:07 +0000 http://transformyourtraining.com/?p=346#comment-12 Hooray!! Excellent article and I am delighted that you share the passion for Brain Friendly Learning (BFL). There are BFL Groups that run as support for trainers in the North South and Midlands. For more details and to register for free people can follow the links at http://www.firstclass-training.co.uk/brain_friendly_learning_group_2011.html Hooray!!
Excellent article and I am delighted that you share the passion for Brain Friendly Learning (BFL). There are BFL Groups that run as support for trainers in the North South and Midlands. For more details and to register for free people can follow the links at http://www.firstclass-training.co.uk/brain_friendly_learning_group_2011.html

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