Effective Training Characteristics

In my initial blog post last year, I stated that the blog would focus on high business value training. I also specified that high business value training solutions improve performance measurably, leading to the achievement of desired business outcomes. As such, solutions that are of high business …

[Read more...] about Improving the Business Value of Instructor-led Training with Good Principles of Facilitation

No two people learn exactly the same way or at the same pace. A program’s content may be easily understood by some learners, while others may find it harder to comprehend. Similarly, some learners may prefer certain types of training methods and activities over others. For example, some students may …

[Read more...] about Increasing Training’s Business Value by Recognizing Learner Differences and Preferences

Another characteristic of high business value training is the use of learning media and materials that are well designed, well matched to the content of the program and intended outcomes, and properly employed. Learning media and materials can be defined as the physical resources that are used to …

[Read more...] about Supporting Learning with Media and Materials: Basic Principles to Follow

The focus of last month’s post was to introduce sound principles that should be followed when providing learners with feedback about their performance, and using informal assessments to evaluate training outcomes. Providing learners with feedback is a powerful way to facilitate learning. When …

[Read more...] about More on Feedback and Assessments: Rules for Questions

One of the most powerful ways that learning can be facilitated is by providing learners with feedback about their performance. When positive feedback is provided, learning is reinforced. When corrective feedback is provided, learners can adjust and improve their performance on the next try. In …

[Read more...] about Facilitating Learning with Feedback and Informal Assessments

Last month’s newsletter introduced three new terms: instructional strategy, instruction method, and instructional tactics. An instructional strategy can be thought of as an overall plan of experiences that will help learners acquire verbal information, establish cognitive strategy, or develop …

[Read more...] about More on Instructional Methods and Tactics: Facilitating Learning Toward Defined Goals

The difference between a learning program and a presentation is that learning programs use activities to facilitate learning toward defined goals. When a learning program is designed, experiences are arranged to facilitate the creation of new knowledge and skills as well as the assimilation to those …

[Read more...] about Increasing Training’s Business Value with Instructional Methods and Tactics

We all know what it’s like to sit in a training class when you don’t want to be there. You fidget, you check the time, you write a to-do list, and you check your email. So the question is, if you’re not motivated to learn, and instead direct your attention elsewhere, is the training valuable to the …

[Read more...] about Increasing Training’s Business Value by Motivating Learners

Perhaps nothing impacts the overall value of a training program more than its content. A program with incomplete, incorrect, inconsistent, or confusing content has little chance of preparing learners to complete a task or achieve the desired learning outcomes. We also know from cognitive …

[Read more...] about Stating the Obvious: The Business Value of Training is Contingent upon the Training Content

Last month’s newsletter introduced the concept of training transfer as the act of applying new knowledge and skills learned in training back on the job. And, as also noted last month, for training programs to be of high business value, learners must use the knowledge and skills they’ve learned back …

[Read more...] about More on Training Transfer: Supporting the Use of New Skills on the Job

For training programs to be of high business value, learners must use the knowledge and skills they’ve learned back on the job, performance must be improved, and the impact on the business must be positive. A positive impact might be an increase in the number of forms processed, or an increase in …

[Read more...] about Increasing the Business Value of Training by Improving Training Transfer

For the most part, companies train their employees with pretty straightforward and specific goals in mind. New hire orientation provides employees with an introduction to the organization and its policies. Employees in individual departments receive training on business processes and procedures, and …

[Read more...] about Delivering Training of High Business Value: Initial Blog Post