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How to MASTER Accelerated Learning 21 Tip Checklist Training Room/ Venue Basics The Perfect Training Room Of The Future By rapidbi - Last updated: Monday, May 17, 2010 - Save & Share - 7 Comments

Anatomy of a Training Environment

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Times are changing, as should the use and technology within a training room and training venue, but what technologies could be used to create an effective learning environment? While at some high-tech training rooms recently it got me thinking what would I want in my perfect training room? Lets look at what most training rooms (should) contain: Powerpoint/ data projection Flip-charts Walls to put up posters/ user created flip-charts Lets first say that the assumptions as to the use of the room are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Up to 16 delegates Suitable for Soft-skills training Suitable for use as a meeting room Suitable for IT based training Suitable for facilitation of planning meetings

Basics I would expect the following basics are in place first in any high quality training venue: Ability to control light levels (and lights that are natural daylight colour) Ability to control the air temp/ air flow in the room Access to a lounge with comfy seating Access to syndicate/ breakout room Access to toilets Clock that the lead facilitator can see easily Easy access to refreshments/ water/ fruit Long cables on all the tech kit that do not cause anyone a trip hazard! Paper/ pens, stationary Place for coats/ bags Toys/ stimulating objects (A box of) Furniture at the training venue Any room must have some type of flexibility in terms of layout (see training room layout for more info)

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Once we have a flexible layout we then need some equipment. Traditionally the most flexible equipment has been rail based but this is cumbersome and rarely as flexible in practice as suppliers would have us to believe. And now for something completely different

As the old saying goes if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got! and this is just as true for training and learning environments. In addition we need to start to think about the environment and waste. Flip-charts are great for interactive work and for creating ownership by user generated content in a learning environment, but is it really sustainable or even compatible with a digital based society? So my ideal training environment (and most of this is available NOW so why dont training providers or conference providers use this?.) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A room with natural light preferable from above but one side with substantial windows is OK A data projector central at the front, complete with suitable sound system, DVD etc (no wires!) 2 white boards, one either side of the projection area full wall size height & width White boards covering the other 2 usable walls Provision of drinking water etc in the room Wireless netbooks connected together with collaboration software and connected for electronic polls etc with the main PC in the room

and then the twist

The data projector screen is a SMART board function on a standard magnetic white board All the white boards are magnetic and each has its own low cost small pc, data projector & some have their own smart recorder (at least 2 in the room, ideally 4) A printer to print any of the smartboard captures out for handouts if required or emailed to participants.

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The provision of traditional flip-charts are done via capture and then projection into a different part of the room as a poster for the remaining duration of the training. With PCs costing less than 200, data projectors costing less than 200 and smart systems (digitization) from as little as 400, developing interactive solutions is not as expensive as it once was.

This way anything written on one of the smart areas, can be projected onto another area for participants to reference throughout the training. This is also then in a convenient format for circulating as post event reminders. Optionally white boards can be replaced by LCD screens as long as they can be protected so that the smart board technology can be applied. In time these could just be large touch screen monitors with limited on-board processing. The use of magnetic walls or boards can allow environmentally friendly use of planning and note taking strategies, as well as total flexibility, and if using magnetic paint rather than metal sheets a level of flexibility can be added to an existing room for little capital outlay. What are technology rooms for technology training , and soft-skills training environments basically the same as they were 20+ years ago. Technology has the ability to integrate and create interaction between people to enhance learning. All of the tools outlined here can be purchased and implemented in an existing space, and in small steps, making the development not cost prohibitive. So why has this approach not take off universally? Simple many trainers are not aware of what is available from a technology point of view, and technology based people rarely think of the psychology of learning. Footnote This technology based solution does not rely on brain numbing powerpoint indeed using this approach you can recored all activities that would usually take place on flip-charts and automatically digitize the content for distribution during or after the event.
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Posted in Business Article, Training+Learning Tags: ideal training room, interactive training, perfect training room, perfect training venue, SMART boards, soft-skills, training environment, training room, training room layout Top Of Page

7 Responses to The Perfect Training Room Of The Future

Trackback from SharonGaskin (Sharon Gaskin) Time May 17, 2010 at 12:12 Twitter Comment

RT@rapidbi The Perfect Training Room Of The Future: Why have training environments not changed much over the last [link to post] Posted using Chat Catcher Trackback from surveyemployees (Mike)

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Time May 17, 2010 at 12:13 Twitter Comment

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post. Thanks! Comment from chris__barras (chris barras) Time August 12, 2010 at 02:20 http://rapidbi.com/management/the-perfect-training-room-of-the-future/

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