Transform your Instructor-focused Training to Learner-focused Training
Let's face it. We are all busy. With training, we are charged with helping participants learn something new or develop a new skill. Occasionally, we only have enough time to get the information out. In this case, we lecture our employees until their eyes roll out and our presenters lose their voices. So, how do we balance getting the information out with increasing effectiveness and engagement?
What's the problem?
Learning effectiveness is directly related to the environment we create for learning. Suppose we focus on what participants should know and not necessarily how we enable learning to occur. When this happens, we have an immediate gap in effectiveness. With a lecture approach, a subject matter expert usually presents information with the assistance of presentation slides. Don't get me wrong, there are times when strictly delivering information is necessary, if not required. For example, suppose you registered a large audience for an online webinar or in-person presentation. In that case, you clearly have a lot of content to get through within a limited time. What we end up doing is focusing on just getting the information out. At the same time, the learning aspect gets lost.
What is the difference?
The approach is called instructor-focused because the presenter is the star. The presenter has the information, and they share what they know and what they think participants should know during the session. The advantage is that the information is more accurate, and the instructor can match the audience's needs on the fly. However, engagement often suffers from this approach if the participants have different levels of knowledge and experience.
So, what’s the alternative? The learner-focused approach is the opposite of the instructor-focused method. Whereas the instructor-focused approach emphasizes the instructor's information, the learner-focus emphasizes the participants. Participants can then share their knowledge, socialize, and even brainstorm concepts. The SME or instructor is even more important in this situation. The instructor becomes a guide or facilitator. The instructor can level-set information participants share, correct misunderstandings, and even improve proficiency.
What is an example?
Remember that learning effectiveness is directly tied to how information is presented to participants. Imagine this situation. You are delivering a one-day online training session. It's 1:30 pm, and you are about to present how to create an action plan. What's the big deal? We do this all the time. Experienced instructors know that the lunch crash usually enters the building around 1:30 pm, making it difficult to engage participants. The challenge is that you have a group of participants who are already struggling, and the information is important but still needs to be more engaging. How could we address this situation? One way would be to transition the responsibility from the instructor to the participants. Prompt participants with questions related to the content. This would be an excellent opportunity to create group exercises or participant-led discussions centered around the action planning goals. The benefit of doing this is that the instructor can address learning gaps or refocus the remaining aspect of the session on addressing these gaps.
Three tips for introducing a learner-centered environment?
Use Materials to Drive Learner-Focused exercises.
As learning professionals, we sometimes view the learning materials as supplemental resources. After all, they provide all the required content and additional resources. Instructors can use these materials to create short or walk-through exercises together. The bottom line of this recommendation is to use these resources to do more than serve as reference documents. Use them to structure activities for your participants.
Ask More, Speak Less
As instructors, you may get used to speaking to your participants. You want to ensure they receive the critical information. But how can you confirm that they received the essential information and not simply "heard" it? Ask questions. Effective questioning can assist you with evaluating participants' knowledge and skills. Questioning can also enhance engagement in the learning environment. Remember, in a learner-centered environment, the learner is at the center of the event.
Design a Classroom Simulation
Okay, this one could seem like a lot. However, the subject matter expert is in one of the best situations to outline the exercises. Why would you do a simulation? The simulation approach can help you enable a completely learner-centered event. Participants can engage with one another and the instructors and challenge their thinking. The simulation approach's key is ensuring your participants have the necessary foundational knowledge and skills to support this endeavor. You will definitely need a SME to develop simulations.
These three approaches are ways to transform your learning environment from an instructor-focused to a learner-focused event. These tips can work in face-to-face environments and online environments just the same. Suppose you choose to adopt these approaches in an online learning space. In that case, you may benefit from the support of a skilled online learning instructional designer. Either way, you can successfully transform your instructor-focused session into a learner-focused one.