Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Training Adult Learners

Training Techniques
Contents
• Training is a System
• Strive to Improve
• Characteristics of Adult Learners
• The Trainer’s Role
• Teaching Adults
• Learning Styles
• Instructional Strategies
• Instructional Media

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Contents
Training is a System
• Do’s
• Planning and Preparation
Instructors Adult Learners
• Preparation Skills
• Delivery Skills
• Facilitator Responsibilities
• Fatal Mistakes
• Dont’s Learning Instructional
Environment Materials
• Answering Questions
• Difficult Questions and Learners
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Why the
Systems View
Systems Approach?
• Preparation
• Focused • Implementation
– what the worker needs to know
– what the worker needs to be able to do • Evaluation
Learners
• Linked • Revision Materials
Instructors
– instruction and outcomes
Environment
• Reusable

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Strive to Improve Characteristics

• Use the input from student
evaluations to improve your future
performance
• Update your materials to keep
them current
• Continue to improve your
knowledge of the subject matter
of Adult Learners
• Adults are capable of lifelong learning
• Adults want to know why it’s important
(purpose) and how they can use it
• Adults like to participate in decision making
regarding learning/training
– Choices

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Characteristics
The Trainer’s Role
of Adult Learners
• Learn in their own ways • Facilitator

• Are not children

• Presenter
• Need organization
• Coach
• Preconceptions and abilities

• New vs. Old learning

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Facilitator Responsibilities Facilitator Responsibilities

• Optimal lighting for viewing • Setting the initial mood of the group

and changes in lighting as • Creating an effective climate for learning

necessary
• Motivate students to participate in the
learning process
• Ensuring the room
temperature is comfortable • Be accepting of comments, avoid getting
for the students defensive

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Facilitator Responsibilities Facilitator Responsibilities

• Control disruptive students • Make yourself available at the beginning of

breaks and after class to field individual
• Offer yourself as a resource student questions
• Allow for limited debate and/or challenges • Always treat the learners with respect
of the ideas presented
• Avoid stereotypes
• Discuss how the learning can be applied in
real world applications

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Teaching Adults Teaching Adults

• More effective retention given more than one
training method • Explain what you plan to tell or do
• Reading 10%
• Hearing
• Tell them and/or do
20%
• Seeing 30% • Tell them what you told them or did
• Seeing & Hearing 50%
• Learner explains and does
• Talking & Writing 70%
• + Doing 90%
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Learning Styles Instructional Strategy

• Active • Characteristics of workers
– Participate
– Field tips • Presentation
– Hands-on
– Presentations
• Practice
• Passive • Feedback
– Read
– Listen • Testing
– Observe

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Instructional Strategy Instructional Media

• Talking Head • Power Point

• Slides
• Demonstrations • Overheads
• Discussions • Videos
• DVDs
• One-on-one
• Flip charts
• Etc.

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Do’s Do’s

• Positive mental attitude • Speak up

• Dress appropriately • Be yourself

• Practice what you preach

• Be enthusiastic
• Watch your body language
• Be energetic
• Be the best ‘you’ that you can be
• Avoid excessive slang and vernacular
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Do’s Do’s
• Be prepared • Be accessible and approachable
• Be sensitive • Be responsive
• Acknowledge learners • Allow learners to lead
• Use your sense of humor
• Be flexible
• Be respectful
• Maintain your schedule

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Planning and Preparation Planning and Preparation


Facilities 
Learning Environment
–Location – Room - suitable classroom space for training
–Accommodations • Size

–Speakers • Setup
– tables and chairs for all attendees
–Food and beverage for breaks
– plus two extra tables at the rear reserved for

Set-up and test all the trainers)

equipment before the start – Temperature

of the session
–Arrange student seating if necessary 25 26

Planning and Preparation Planning and Preparation


Arrive at the training location early 
Administrative
•Become familiar with the facility:
– Related paper work
–Security
• Sign in forms/registration forms
–Exits
–Restrooms • Schedule

–Emergency procedures • Evaluations

–Contact person • Etc.

–Rules
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Planning and Preparation Planning and Preparation


 Audiovisual and equipment that includes

Equipment and Supplies
– Computer
– Audiovisual equipment
– LCD projector
• Hotel
– VCR/TV
• Rented
– Microphone (if needed for the size room secured)
• Personal
– Overhead transparency projector
Extra batteries and lamps
 – Whiteboard & markers
Power strip(s) – Flipcharts & markers

Extension cord(s) – 35mm slide projector
 – Projection screen

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques
Planning and Preparation

Equipment and supplies
– Transparencies
– Markers
– Flip charts
– Paper
– Pens and pencils
– Handouts
Preparation Skills
• Supplement the information that
will be on the slides with real world
examples, court decisions, news
articles, drawings etc..
• Expect to be nervous
• Do an extensive review of your
material so you are thoroughly
familiar with the topic you are going
to present
Delivery Skills
• Make sure you speak so that
students in the back have no
trouble hearing you
• Enunciate your words clearly
• Avoid saying uhm…..
• Avoid distracting mannerisms such
as jingling change or playing with
your hair
Preparation Skills
• Know your audience
• Communicate the session objectives at the
outset of your presentation
• Be familiar enough with your materials so as
to avoid reading directly from slides
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Preparation Skills
• The better you know your subject
the more confidence you will have
• The more you practice the better
you will be
• Try your presentation out on
family or co-workers
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Delivery Skills
• Involve the participants by
encouraging and asking
questions
• Start on time; make sure
that established breaks,
lunch and ending times are
adhered to
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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Delivery Skills Delivery Skills

• Pace your delivery • Keep close tabs on the climate of the

according to the allotted class
time and the material to
• Recognize your strengths and
be covered
weaknesses
• If working from a syllabus,
• Work to maximize your strengths and
make sure you cover
minimize your weakness
everything that is on it, or
explain changes
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Delivery Skills Fatal Mistakes

• Don’t pretend to know all the answers • Poor first impression

• If you don’t know something: • No objectives

– Discuss the question with the class • Dull, dry and boring

• Frozen in one spot

– Let the student know you will get the
answer, but be sure to remember to • Weak eye contact
follow up • Poor visual aids

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Fatal Mistakes Don’ts

• Weak close
• Don’t be too formal
• No humor
• Don’t be a know it all
• Poor preparation • Don’t be unprepared
• No audience involvement • Do not talk down to learners
• No enthusiasm or conviction • Do not use profanity
• Poor facial expression • Don’t be distracting

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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Don’ts
Answering Questions
• Repeat the question
• Don’t loose control
– Answer now/later
• Don’t catch people unprepared – Redirect
– Discussion
• Don’t be afraid to say you do not know
• Don’t bluff
• Don’t avoid eye contact
– You know
– You don’t know
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Difficult Questions and Learners Summary

• Training is a System
• Argumentative individual • Strive to Improve
• Characteristics of Adult Learners
• Loaded questions • The Trainer’s Role
• Teaching Adults
• Long-winded • Learning Styles
• Instructional Strategies
• No good answer
• Instructional Media

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Summary Summary
• Do’s
• Planning and Preparation
• Preparation Skills • The instructor does not know everything.
• Delivery Skills • Remember – you are leading a group.
• Facilitator Responsibilities
• Fatal Mistakes
• Dont’s
• Answering Questions
• Difficult Questions and Learners
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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques
Questions
References
Grimaldi, J. V. & Simonds, R. H. (1989). Safety
management. (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Irwin.
Handley, W. (1977). Industrial Safety handbook.
ed.). London: McGraw-Hill Book Company (UK)
Limited.
Johnson, D. (1998). Adult educators need to have
enthusiasm. Adult Learning (9) 4, 11-14.
Adult Learners
WORKSHOP
References
Bassi, L. J. & Van Buren, M. E. (1999). Sharpening the
leading edge: The State of the Industry Report reveals the
steps companies must take to ascend to the top of the
training field. American Society for Training and
Development: Alexandria, VA.
Carey, L. & Dick, W. (1996). The systematic design of
instruction. (4th ed.). New York: HarperCollins Publishers,
Inc.
Chrétien, J. (May/June 1995). Effective Training
Techniques, OH&S Canada (11) 3. 29-33.
49 50
References
McMaster, S. (2000).Training Made Easy for Health, Safety,
and Environmental Trainers. McMaster Training Associates
©.
(2nd
Krause, T. R. (1997). The behavior-based safety process:
Managing involvement for an Injury-free culture. (2nd ed.).
New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Saccaro, J. A. (1994). Developing safety training programs:
Preventing accidents and improving worker performance
through quality training. (2nd ed.). New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold.
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Its Your Turn
You will now have a chance to apply what
you have learned. The task is to design
an ergonomics training program for your
workers. What topics would you
include?
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 Training Adult Learners: Training Techniques

Group Exercise
Training Adult Learners
• Each group will develop a training module
– Lesson Plan
– Method
– Workshops/exercises
– Training Aids/Examples
– Evaluation
Training Techniques

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