What is a sign of a good training session?
Posted by Lynette Maldonado on Wed, Sep 07, 2011 @ 10:13 AM
By: Daniel Fitz-Enz, Trainer, EOS International
As a trainer I think about this question a lot.
The trainer tries to make the training topic enjoyable and simple for the learners to understand. This is not always easy to do. If a topic is complex the trainer divides the topic into sub-topics and maybe sub-sub-topics or sub-sub-sub-topics. The trainer organizes the information in such a way that hopefully learners will be able to digest and understand the topic.
A sure sign of a good training session is lots of note taking.
When learners can look at notes a few days or weeks after the training session and after their memories have faded a little, and recall from the notes what was covered in the training (i.e. key points, step-by-step instructions, or other useful details), that is a sign of a good training session.
For there to be good notes, learners must have understood the training topic well enough to write the notes. For learners to have understood the training topic, the trainer must have organized and presented the topic to learners so they can digest the information and transfer that information to their notes. Learners also ask questions, maybe many questions. Questions are good.
Now, let me say notes don’t have to be perfect. They don’t have to include every detail the trainer said. Notes should include enough information for the learner to know how to do what the learner needs to do or at least show how to get started. Notes also should include where the learner can look for more information. Information like this:
- Help Website: Click on the ‘?’ icon to open the Help website.
- How-To: There is step-by –step how-to: web pages on the help website.
- Training Guides: these are found under Client Services (Client Services | Training Guides)
- Training Videos: these are found under Client Services (Client Services | Virtual University)
- Help desk: 1-888-728-8746 (24/7/365) email: support@eosintl.com
When I see good notes I know I am doing a good job.