How to Write Terrific Training Materials: Methods, Tools, and Techniques

Now you can access Jean Barbazette's systematic process for creating winning training materials that will help raise your skills to the next level. The book is filled with easy-to-use tools and templates that answer all the questions trainers, course designers, and subject matter experts (SMEs) have about what it takes to develop training materials and how they can easily create the best training program in the shortest amount of time. "Jean is a master at providing her readers with new ideas and innovative approaches to the art of delivering excellent learning solutions. Our field has gone through so many changes and Jean is on top of them and out in front all at the same time. Bravo!" —Beverly Kaye, founder/chairman of the board, Career Systems International and coauthor of Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go "Barbazette has done it again: she has made your job easier with step-by-step guidelines for developing training materials. Jean covers the entire process in her typical easy-to-follow manner, simplifying the complicated and making you the hero! Don't miss this one!" —Elaine Biech, ebb associates inc. and author of The Business of Consulting "Once again master trainer Barbazette has provided an elegantly simple, step-by-step guide to what can often be the most tedious part of the training process: writing training materials that support and expand a learner's results. Both seasoned professional and newcomer will find this an easy-to-follow guide and valuable resource to be used over and over." —Eileen McDargh, president, McDargh Communications, and author of Talk Ain't Cheap — It's Priceless "Barbazette is back to fill another gap in the training literature. This extensive work on how and when to write training materials is chock-full of templates and other tools. Systematic and thorough, this is an exceptional guide for those wanting to efficiently create successful training interventions." —Jane Bozarth, Ed.D., eLearning Coordinator, State of North Carolina and author of Better Than Bullet Points

Table of Contents:
Exhibits and Tools xv Website Contents xix Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction xxv Chapter 1 Overview of the Design Process 1 Essential Steps in the Training Design Process 2 Where Materials Development Fits into the Design Process 3 A Ten-Part Training Plan to Use as a Blueprint for Materials Development 4 How to Present a Training Plan to Management and Gain Approval 7 Next Steps 7 Chapter 2 Objectives for Writing Projects 9 Instructional Objectives Versus Objectives for Training Program Materials 10 Write Instructional Objectives 10 Four Characteristics of Instructional Objectives 10 Four Elements of Well-Written Objectives for Training Program Materials 14 Sample Objectives for Writing Materials 16 Next Steps 18 Chapter 3 Use the Writing Process 19 Assess Your Writing Skills 20 Use Four Steps to Organize Your Ideas 21 Next Steps 28 Chapter 4 What Are the Best Training Methods? 29 Select the Best Learning Experiences 31 Select the Appropriate Technical Training Methods to Promote Recall and Application 36 Select the Best Audiovisual Support for Materials Design and Delivery 40 Pace Training Methods to Avoid Boredom 42 Determine How Much Practice Is Needed to Learn a Skill 45 Sequence Training Methods Using a Situational Training Model 48 Describe How the Materials Development Process Changes Based on Classroom Versus e-Learning Delivery 51 Next Steps 52 Chapter 5 Develop Materials for Learning Activities 57 Write Three Types of Materials, Depending on the Purpose 59 Use a Seven-Step Process to Design Learning Activities 60 Adapt, Modify, or Create New Learning Experiences 65 Create Discovery Learning by Developing Five Adult Learning Steps to Process Any Learning Activity 68 Distinguish the Use of Different Types of Handout Materials 72 Edit Materials to Address Content and Format Issues 73 Develop Effective and Lean Job Aids 75 Use Different Graphic Looks to Enhance Training Materials 80 Next Steps 87 Chapter 6 Develop Learning Activities to Acquire Knowledge and Skill and to Influence Attitudes 89 Application Sharing 91 The Case Study Method 94 How to Develop a Case Study 106 Discussion or Chat 121 Games and Simulations 124 In-Basket Exercises 132 Interviews 134 Jigsaw Learning, Teaching Learning Teams, Teaching Projects 135 Polling 138 Task Force Projects 138 Writing Tasks 143 Session Starters and Energizers 145 Next Steps 147 Chapter 7 Develop Learning Activities to Acquire Knowledge 149 Lecture 151 Learning Tournaments 155 Self-Study Materials, Printed Resources, and Information Search 157 Course Pre-Work 158 Study Groups 160 Observation, Field Trips, and Video 160 Demonstrations 162 Tests 163 Next Steps 163 Chapter 8 Develop Learning Activities to Acquire Skill 165 Practice and Return Demonstrations 170 Role Play/Skill Practice 173 Next Steps 174 Chapter 9 Develop Learning Activities to In fluence Attitudes 177 Empathy Role Play 179 Inquiry-Oriented Discussions 183 Self-Assessments and Inventories 186 Behavior Modeling 191 Next Steps 194 Chapter 10 Develop Assessments and Tests 195 Why Write Tests? 197 Do We Need to Test? Criteria for Testing 197 Skill Performance Tests 198 Knowledge Tests 199 Test Development Steps 199 Test Reliability 206 Test Validity 207 Skill Performance Rating Systems 209 Next Steps 220 Chapter 11 Develop a Lesson Plan or Leader’s Guide 221 Contents of Lesson Plans 222 Types of Lesson Plans 222 Chapter 12 Design Effective Visual Support 233 Flip Charts, Whiteboards 237 Design Slides with Power 239 Color Psychology 239 Transition and Build Checklist 240 Video Scripting 241 Converting Classrom Training for e-Learning 246 Bibliography 251 About the Author 253 Index 255

About the Author :
Jean Barbazette is founder of The Training Clinic, a consulting firm based in Seal Beach, California.