Training For Dummies

Tackle training and development the fun and easy way so you can share your specialized knowledge with others Millions of Americans train others as part of their jobs. Whether you're an employee training your co-workers on a new process or skill, a volunteer asked to train new volunteers, a chef training your staff, or a paramedic giving CPR training, it's just as important to know how to teach others as it is to know what you're talking about. It doesn't matter how much you know about your subject if you can't share it with others. And that's where Training For Dummies comes in—it offers all the nuts and bolts of training for anyone who has to educate others on any subject and in any field—and it's written in plain English. Covering all the modern, interactive instructional methods and dynamic training approaches available, this hands-on guide will help you inspire trainees and keep them engaged throughout the training program. You'll discover: How to master the jargon of training The keys to using audio and visual aids effectively How to prepare for the training certification process Helpful ways to evaluate your results and improve your tactics Tips, techniques, and tidbits for enhancing your training sessions Methods that improve trainee participation Alternatives to the traditional lecture method Tactics for gauging and managing group dynamics Strategies for addressing problems in the classroom Hints for understanding and adapting to different learning styles Resources and other extra material you can immediately use The book has a part dedicated to the training profession, so if you're interested in becoming a professional trainer, you'll learn how to upgrade your skills and knowledge and what the trainer certification process entails. You'll also gain a perspective on other aspects of the field of training. Additionally, Training For Dummies shows you ways to inject humor into your training sessions, ideas for saving time in the training room, and icebreakers that actually break the ice. Get your own copy to start flexing your training muscle today.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1 Part I: So You’re Going to Be a Trainer! 5 Chapter 1: What’s a Trainer? 7 What is Training? 8 What forms does training take? 8 Why is training necessary? 9 Is training just for business? 12 What Do Trainers Do? 12 Assessing your training potential 13 Take stock of your skills 14 Your self-assessment 18 How do you become a trainer? 19 A Day in the Life of a Trainer 20 Do You Have What It Takes? 21 Chapter 2: Why Adults Learn 25 Adult Learning Theory 25 Who is Malcolm Knowles? 26 Applying adult learning theory to training 27 How Do People Learn? 28 Three types of learning: KSAs 30 Other considerations for learning 30 Helping Adults Learn in the Classroom 32 Create a safe haven for learning 33 Create a comfortable environment 33 Encourage participation 36 Facilitate more than you lecture 36 One Last Note: Who’s Who and What’s What 36 Who’s who? 37 What’s what? 37 Chapter 3: The Training Cycle 39 The Training Cycle: An Overview 39 Assess and analyze needs 40 Develop learning objectives 41 Design and develop the program 42 Implement the design 42 Evaluate performance 43 Training Jargon 43 Learning and The Training Cycle 45 Variety and flexibility 45 Conditions of learning 46 Part II: Designing the Best Darn Training in the World 47 Chapter 4: Assessing Needs and Developing Learning Objectives 49 Conducting Needs Assessments 49 The why, how, who, and when of needs assessment 50 Is it training? 56 If your time is limited 57 Writing Objectives 59 What objectives should do 59 Task analysis 62 Chapter 5: Developing the Training Design 65 How Do I Begin? 67 Designing a Dynamic Opening 70 All about icebreakers 70 What else will your participants expect in your design? 73 Designing the Body to Ensure Learning Occurs 74 Lectures 75 Countless alternatives to lecture 77 Selecting activities 83 Adding Zest with Visuals 87 Knowing why you need visuals 87 Creating effective visuals 88 Designing a Finale That Brings Closure 92 Ensuring that expectations were met 92 Providing a shared group experience 92 Evaluating the learning experience 93 Requesting feedback and suggestions 93 Accomplishments and commitment to action 93 Sending them off with an encouraging word 94 Pulling It All Together 95 Factors that affect a design 96 Strategies for a good design 97 Developing materials 98 Chapter 6: Using Off-the-Shelf Training 101 The Art of Selecting Off-the-Shelf Training 101 Make or buy? That’s the question! 102 What should you know before you buy? 103 How can you make sure off-the-shelf training meets your needs? 104 Molding It to Meet Your Needs 105 Adapting the design 105 Off the shelf, out of the can 105 Adding Creativity to Training 106 Chapter 7: Being Prepared to Succeed 109 Preparing Your Training Environment 109 Know when, where, what, who 110 Room arrangements 110 Equipment and visuals 114 Preparing Your Participants 118 Preparing participants: What works? 118 Preparing participants: What doesn’t work? 119 Preparing Yourself 119 Prepare to avoid crises 120 Identifying your training style 122 Find out who’s in your session 124 Practice, practice, practice 124 Tips for staying organized 125 Prepare your body and brain 130 Travel if you must 131 The procrastinator’s checklist 131 Being prepared to succeed 133 Part III: Showtime: Delivering a Dynamic Training Session 135 Chapter 8: Implementing Training Designs: Your Job as Facilitator 137 Training, Facilitation, and Presentation: What’s the Difference? 137 Are you a trainer or a facilitator? 138 Use facilitative skills when you present 139 Facilitating Successful Training 141 Experience is the best teacher 143 Tips for facilitating activities 145 Participation Prescription: Continue to Increase the Dosage 148 Gotta play the game to perform 148 Participants’ expectations of participation 149 Increasing participation — or why are they called “participants”? 150 REACTing 155 Chapter 9: It’s Showtime: Delivering Success 157 Opening Your Training Session with a BANG 158 Build interest in the session 159 Ask what participants know and what they want to know 159 Note the ground rules and what to expect 159 Get them involved 160 Looking at Seven Disastrous Debuts 161 Creating a Supportive Learning Environment 162 Get to know your participants 162 What’s in a name: Five secrets to remembering names 163 Let them know about you 165 Training Like a Pro 166 Presentation skills 166 The participants’ materials 171 Notes: To be or note to be 171 Asking and Answering Questions 173 Encouraging participants to ask questions 174 Guidelines for answering questions 174 Asking questions 176 Questions in action 177 Smooth Transitions 178 Wrap Up an Effective Training Session 179 Ensure that expectations were met 179 Provide a shared group experience 180 Evaluate the learning experience 180 Summarize the accomplishments and gain commitment to action 180 Send them off with a final encouraging word — or two 181 Chapter 10: Mastering Media and Other Visuals 183 Select the Best Visual to Do the Job 184 What’s available? 185 What are the benefits? 186 Ensure That the Visual Adds to the Learning 187 Computer projection systems 187 Videos and DVDs 188 Overhead projectors 188 Flipcharts 189 Boards of all types (including electronic) 189 Props 190 Look Like a Pro 190 Tips for using visuals in general 191 Guidelines for using specific media and visuals 192 Hot Tips for a Cool Ending 198 Chapter 11: Training with Style 201 Understanding Your Training Style Strengths 201 Building the training style model 202 Exploring the four training styles 204 Using your training style 209 Gauging Group Dynamics 210 Composition 210 Atmosphere 211 Norms 211 Values 212 Communication and participation 212 Roles 213 Power and influence 213 Creating an Energizing, Exciting, Encouraging Environment 214 Coloring outside the lines 215 Energizing the group 217 Let me entertrain you! 219 Celebrating success 221 Putting It All Together 222 Chapter 12: Addressing Problems: What’s a Trainer to Do? 223 Problems in the Classroom 223 Problems with logistics 224 Equipment problems 224 Difficult personal situations 227 Difficult group situation 229 If training is not the solution 230 Taking a COOL approach 232 Using humor to deal with problems 232 Managing Disruptive Behaviors 233 Preventing disruptions 234 Managing disruptive types 235 Sweaty Palms, Parched Throat: Overcoming Nervousness 239 Understanding pre-performance jitters 239 Accepting your nervousness as natural 239 Mastering nervous symptoms 242 Tips for specific anxiety problems 246 Problems Can Be Prevented or Resolved 248 Part IV: It’s Not Over Yet: The Follow-Up 249 Chapter 13: Evaluation: It’s Not Over Yet! 251 Understanding the Purpose of Evaluations 252 Reviewing Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation 253 Level I: Reaction 253 Level II: Learning 254 Level III: Behavior 255 Level IV: Results 256 Guidelines for measuring the four levels 258 Evaluation methods 263 ROI: What’s All the Hype? 266 Level V: Return on investment 266 What’s the ROI process? 266 Benefits of adding a Level V 267 Evaluation: The Last Training Cycle Stage but the First Step to Improvement 270 Chapter 14: Transfer of Learning 275 Making Your Training Memorable: Following-Up 276 Barriers to transfer of learning 276 Strategies for transfer of learning 277 Pre-training strategies 277 Training strategies — during the session 278 Post-training strategies 279 What Great Trainers Do After Training 281 Part V: The Professional Trainer 283 Chapter 15: The Consummate Professional 285 Become a Lifelong Learner 285 Attend formal learning events 285 Ask others 286 Do it yourself 287 Go the Extra Mile: Stay on Top of Your Game! 288 Good to great 288 Where’s your energy? Stay pumped! 289 Design 291 What does professional mean to you? 291 Give Back to the Profession 294 Chapter 16: Training Certification 295 All About ASTD 296 Why is ASTD’s mission important? 296 What does ASTD do? 296 Introducing the ASTD Competency Model 298 Overview of the model 298 The value of a competency model 301 Certification: What It Means for You 302 Certification versus certificate 302 Certification: Why now? 303 Certification: Show me the value 303 ASTD Certification: A Quick Look 304 Competencies and certification 304 Certification design 304 Applicant process and flow 305 The Certification Life Cycle 307 Chapter 17: Training Trends 309 The Changing Training Environment 310 Alternative Training Options 312 What’s to know about e-learning? 312 Blended learning 314 Considerations for one-on-one training 315 Team Training 316 Meet prior to the session 317 Make each other look good during the session 317 Provide feedback following the session 318 Help for the Part-Time Trainer 319 The art of managing both training and your real job 319 Training on the run 320 Planning for Today’s Diverse Learners 321 Part VI: The Part of Tens 323 Chapter 18: Ten Tips to Start Off on the Right Foot 325 Establish a Climate Conducive to Learning 326 Clarify Participants’ Expectations 326 Introduce the Content 327 Surprise! 328 Introduce Participants 328 Learn About the Group 329 Establish Ground Rules 330 Confront Any Issues 330 Establish Your Credibility and Style 331 Take a Break! 332 Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Increase Participation 333 Begin to Encourage Participation Right from the Start 333 Cards for the Shy and Faint of Heart 334 Give Your Role Away 335 Participation; Repeat, Participation 335 On Your Feet! 336 Say a Lot without a Word 336 Remove the Tables 337 Attention-Getting Answers 337 The Quietest 338 Participation Right to the End 338 Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Save Time in the Training Room 339 Consider the Relationship of Time to Small Groups 339 One Activity, Two (or More) Objectives 340 Gentle Prods 340 Different Pace for Different Folks 341 Divvy Up the Work 341 The Time Is Now 342 Be Prepared 342 Cut Out the Fat 342 Use Timekeepers 343 Pre-Training Strategies 343 Chapter 21: Ten Quick Ways to Form Small Groups 345 Count Off 346 Noise Level 347 Go to Your Corners 347 Personal Data 347 Secret Codes 348 Puzzling Participants 348 Dog Days 348 Small Groups Where None Dares to Go 349 Pick a Prop 349 Make Mine Different 350 Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Adding Humor to Training 351 Laugh and Learn 351 Start Off on a Funny Foot 352 I’m Lost! 353 Get Participants in the Act 354 Practical Humor 355 Don’t Be Original! 355 Phunny Props and Puns 356 Ten Tips to Make a Joke Bomb 357 But I’m Not Funny! 358 Austere Attitudes 359 Chapter 23: Ten Icebreakers That Work 361 Bingo 364 Expectations 365 Hopes and Fears 366 Introduce Me, I Introduce You 366 Go to Your Corners 367 Little White Lie 367 Personal Coat of Arms 368 Autographs 369 Name Association 369 Ask a Question 370 Index 373

About the Author :
Elaine Biech, known as "the trainer's trainer," is President and Managing Principal of ebb associates inc, a strategic implementation, leadership development, and experiential learning consulting firm.