Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description
A presentation given to an
Lectures audience with little (if any)
interaction or feed back
Formal A presentation incorporating
a variety of techniques and
teaching allowing for participation by
the learners in the form of
questions and discussion.
Demonstrations A session where a skill is
learned following a formal
procedure such as:
-description of skill;
illustration of end-product;
‘slow motion’ demonstration
may be followed by one or
more at normal speed
-summary of main points of
demonstration; re-emphasis
of any health and safety
procedures
-performance of skill under
supervision
-feedback on performance
Team teaching The work of several classes
taking the same course is
closely co-ordinated.
Teachers taking those
classes work as a team,
taking different roles with
groups of varying size.
Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use
Suitable for use with Potentially a very - conveying large
large groups of passive learning amounts of information
learners, where experience. Lack of in a limited time
participant is limited learner participation, - encouraging and directing
because of numbers. requires learners to further private study
The lecture can be fully understand and
planned precisely assimilate the
and used to convey a information as it is
large amount of presented.
information in a short
period of time.
Suitable for The learners have
conveying the opportunity to Any programme of learning
information to groups participate but may involving group teaching.
of learners. not wish to do so.
Participation by the The communication
learners may keep will then be all one
their interest and lead way and the session
to a degree of will be little different
involvement. from a lecture.
Particularly suitable Does not guarantee
for teaching skills. A that learning will take Craft courses, laboratory
skill may be broken place. Must be work, office skills, musical
down into small consolidated by skills.
stages which can be practice in order to be
practiced, enabling effective as soon as
expertise to be possible after the
developed in small demonstration. Works
stages. well only if fully
visible to all learners
and well performed.
It may be too ‘slick’
and , as a result, the
learners may not fully
appreciate the
complexity of the
task; conversely it
may be bungled and/
or poorly prepared
and , as a result, the
tutor may lose face
and the learners’
confidence.
The demonstration
must be clearly
visible to the whole
group.
-economise on -organisation may Coursers which:
specialist staff become too rigid -require elaborate
-enables staff to -lectures to several demonstration, films,
concentrate on their groups gathered outside speakers
particular special together may be -have larger numbers of
interests un-stimulating for learners and few specialist
-frees staff for learners and strain lecturers
supporting activities for lecturers and -have well motivated
; preparing material, may provide learners.
 Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use

marking , etc. problem of note

-gives learners making and
contact with several participation
tutors rather than -rooms of the right
one size may not be
-enables new available
lecturers to be
inducted and the
work of absent
lecturers to be
absorbed
-several groups may
be taught at the
same time by one
tutor.

Search or Learners are placed in -allows learners to Poorly motivated Particularly successful
discovery situations requiring self- demonstrate and learners may with more highly
directed learning under develop a wide regard the freedom motivated learners.
the tutor’s general range of skills and of learner – Underpins the move
guidance. Exercise, persona; qualities. centred strategies towards competence –
tasks or games are used These include the as an opportunity based education and
– enabling learners to ability to show to do very little. training with its highly
make their own initiative, to take individualized approach
discoveries. responsibility and and emphasis on self-
plan , to solve directed learning.
problems, make
decisions and
communicate
effectively.
-is a highly active
and participative
form of learning.
-opportunity for
involvement may
encourage poorly
motivated learners

Discussion Knowledge, ideas and Particularly -learners may stray To follow up a visit or a
opinions on particular suitable where: from the subject- talk by a visiting speaker
subjects are freely -the content matters or fail to or the showing of a film
exchanged among the involves matters of discuss it usefully or video. Of course
tutor and learners. opinion -whole session many of the best
-tutors aim to may be unfocused discussions are
change attitudes. and woolly spontaneous and
Useful for obtaining -learners may unplanned.
feedback about the become
learners’ level of entrenched in their
understanding and attitudes rather
ability to apply than be prepared
knowledge. to change them
-group leader may
talk too much,
intervene too
readily to fill
silences.
 Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use

Role play Learners practice being -learners can Learners may: The training of social
in particular roles by practice and -be embarrassed workers, managers and
acting out a face-to-face receive advice -suffer loss of others involved in
situation that represents and criticism in the confidence personal relationships;
real life-work situation safety of a learning -not take the role the training of tutors,
for instance. Each situation play seriously through microteaching.
participant should have -practice in role
sufficient background play provides
information to allow a guidelines for
proper understanding of future behavior
the part to be played. - learners gain
insight into the
motives and
attitude of other
people
- a highly active
learning
experience that
enables learners
to draw their own
conclusions and
formulate their
own needs

Case Studies A history of an event or -particular suitable Learners may not -courses focusing on
set of circumstances where a cool look realize that human behaviour
where the relevant at a problem or set decisions taken in -training in decision-
details are examined by of circumstances the training making (management)
the learners. Case free from the situation are -diagnostic work in any
studies fall into two pressures of the different from those subject area
broad categories: actual event is which have to be
beneficial made ‘on the spot’
-Those in which the -useful opportunity in a life situation
learners diagnose the to exchange ideas
causes of a particular about solutions to
problem or draw common work
conclusions about a problems
certain situation
-Those in which the
learners set out to solve
a particular problem

Simulation Learners may be asked -a highly active -must be realistic -teaching practice
to undertake a particular form of learning and the expected personnel selection
task, such as solving a -particularly result reasonably -courses for armed
problem using the same suitable for any attainable by all forces and ‘emergency’
procedures as those situation where learners services- police, first aid,
which operate in real life learners need to -may be expensive fire
situation. Simulation practise making and time onsuming -in-service training
often involves a practice choices and to prepare industry and commercial
session or a test of following through / public sector
knowledge acquired the implications of organisations
prior to the exercise their choices
-frequently used
instead of formal
 Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description
Games/ ice Games take all kinds of
breakers forms but often involve
competition (and
cooperation), teams,
points, scoring etc. They
are often used to
simulate real-life
situations and allow
learners to experience
roles where they are
required to make
decisions and present to
case.
Ice breakers can be
used when a group first
meets to establish a
good rapport quickly,
enable learners to get to
know each other and
help diffuse possible
tensions or they may be
used at the beginning of
regular sessions to
establish an appropriate
group atmosphere
Individual /group These may be longer than
class work exercises –
projects and giving the learner much
assignments greater opportunity for the
display of initiative and
creative ideas. The
particular task may be
negotiated with the tutor,
but the strategy to follow to
meet the objectives is left to
the learner to decide.
Projects or assignments are
often integrated activities –
involving more than one
subject.
Seminars Assignments for individuals
or groups who report on a
topic and lead discussion
Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use
tests to find out
how much learners
have assimilated
and how well they
can apply new
skills.
-similar to those of Badly handled they -can be used to good
role plays can fall flat, effect in most subject
-allow participation embarrassing or areas – but must be
by learners of even alienating used tactfully and
varying ability and antagonizing skillfully in appropriate
-add variety / assist learners situations
in problem-solving -management education
and in
understanding
inter-personal
relationships
-can be used to
introduce
competition (or
promote co-
operation) and
provide motivation
-both stimulate and Project must have -as part of a process of
assess initiative and learners’ full interest formal continuous
creativity and co-operation. assessment
-provide feedback on Assignments may be -in practical courses, work-
learners’ personal copied or taken from based courses, and
qualities as well as a limited range of integrated work
their range of sources.
knowledge and
attitudes.
- can be challenging -help may be needed -optional parts of a course
and stimulating with stuffy, -to assess learners abilities
experience presentation skills
-help develop skills
involved in stating
and arguing a case,
making a
presentation
 Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description
Small Groups/ Groups of learners are split
into smaller sub groups to
Syndicates work ( sometimes in
competition with the other
groups) on related
problems/ issues
Brain –storming A group is given a topic or
question and for five or ten
minutes members say
anything that occurs to
them in connection with it. A
recorder writes up anything
that is said however
irrelevant silly or
challengeable – on a board
or flip chart.
At the end of the
brainstorming members
elaborate on their
comments and can discuss
and evaluate all the ideas
produced. The following
ground rules are important:
-call out suggestions in any
order
-don’t explain or justify your
suggestions
-don’t comment initially on
other people’s suggestions
Individual/ A more personal
small/group exchange or opinion and
tutorials feedback, often on a one
to one basis
Learning-group May take the form of
informal or occasional
meetings between two
or more learners or self-
help groups meeting on
a regular basis
Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use
-provide an -provision of sufficient -management training
opportunity for basic information is -in service training; often
learners to show essential used in conjunction with
initiative -group work activity simulation exercises where
-can be highly must be well planned groups work concurrently
motivating and prepared and on the same ( or different)
seen to be relevant life-like problems
-a good method for -requires good group Buzz groups are a way of
introducing a topic management and splitting learners into sub-
-makes everyone feel timing groups. The term describes
involved and valued the common practice of
as a contributor briefly dividing up a group
-often helps to throw of learners into sub-groups
new or unexpected to discuss an issue or topic
light on a topic focused on by, for instance
-stimulates creative a video –before full group
thinking discussion. One of the
members of each buzz
group can act as a recorder
of information and spokes
person at the stage when
the large group has
reconvened – the plenary
stage.
-particularly useful for
problem-solving
-useful for -insufficient time The development of
reviewing progress may be available competence based
and discussion, for tutorials. education and training,
specific with its highly
assignments and individualized approach,
projects. will require tutors to
-an opportunity to spend more time
provide individual coaching individual
counselling and learners, helping with
guidance study problems,
negotiating and
renegotiating targets and
generally providing
guidance and support on
an individual basis.
May be extremely -learners may have Useful in most learning
motivating – insufficient programmes.
especially where experience or Particularly valuable in
contact with a tutor knowledge of topic open/flexible learning
is limited -personality
clashes may occur
 Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods
Method Description Benefits Limitations Key Areas Of Use

Open learning Open learning is the Particularly useful Open learning Where learners are well
term used to describe where access to requires motivated and willing to
any form of learning conventional investment in high work independently for
where the provider courses is quality materials significant periods of
enables individuals restricted (e.g. for and in training time.
choice over any one or domestic, work or tutorial and
more of a number of geographical administrative staff
aspects of learning. It reasons). Learners to adopt a more
frequently involves the can work through flexible, learner-
use of materials open learning centred role.
developed specially to materials at their Where such
allow independent own pace- often at investment is
learning. The tutor’s role home or during lacking learners
is usually a combination quiet times at work can rapidly
of ‘resource manager’ – although the become
guide and advisor. materials may be demotivated
used in a college – especially where
based workshop. there are repeated
An individualized problems
approach is being
embodied in the
move towards
competence based
education and
training and the
introduction of
National Vocational
Qualifications. This
is likely to lead to
increasing use of
open learning in
the education
mainstream