There are numerous methods and materials available to help you prepare and equip employees to better do their jobs. Indeed, with so many choices out there, it can be daunting to determine which methods to use and when to use them.
Using several methods for each training session may actually be the most effective way to help employees learn and retain information.
This month, we’ll look at the traditional training format of classroom or instructor-led training. Even with the many technological advances in the training industry, traditional formats remain viable and effective. There are many types, including:
- Blackboard or whiteboard. This may be the most "old-fashioned" method, but it can still be effective, especially if you invite trainees to write on the board or ask for feedback that you write on the board.
- Video portion. Lectures can be broken up with video portions that explain sections of the training topic or that present case studies for discussion.
- PowerPoint® presentation. Presentation software is used to create customized group training sessions that are led by an instructor. Training materials are provided on CD, DVD, or online (see Webinars below) and displayed on a large screen for any number of trainees. Employees can also use the programs individually, which allows for easy makeup sessions for employees who miss the group session. This method is one of the most popular lecture methods and can be combined with handouts and other interactive methods.
- Storytelling. Stories can be used as examples of right and wrong ways to perform skills with the outcome of each way described. This method is most effective with debriefing questions, such as:
- How does this story relate to training?
- How did the main character’s choices make you feel?
- What assumptions did you make throughout the story? Were they correct?
- What would you have done differently?
This technique makes communication easier since it is nonthreatening with no one right answer. It is cost-effective, especially if trainers have their own stories to tell. Stories can also make sessions more personal if they involve people trainees know. Maintain confidentiality as appropriate. You can also find many training stories online.
- Webinars. With advances in technology and software, it has become increasingly easy and affordable to lead a training session remotely. PowerPoint presentations can be broadcast to many different computers simultaneously while the instructor speaks on the content. Live interaction with the instructor is usually possible as well.
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There are some disadvantages to instructor-led training. For example:
- Sometimes it is not interactive.
- Too much of the success of the training depends on the effectiveness of the lecturer.
- Scheduling classroom sessions for large numbers of trainees can be difficult—especially when trainees are at multiple locations.
- Preparation time for classroom-based training can be as much as 40 hours for 1 hour of training time.
These potential problems can all be overcome. Train the trainer on public speaking skills, for example, or use remote technology to schedule training for workers at several locations. In fact, you’ll see as we move forward that the solution to many of the potential disadvantages of specific training methods is to blend your training techniques to use several different methods.
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Why It Matters
- Instructor-led classroom training can be an efficient method for presenting a large body of material to large or small groups of employees as part of a blended training program.
- It is a personal, face-to-face type of training as opposed to computer-based training and other methods.
- It ensures that everyone gets the same information at the same time.
- It is cost-effective, especially when not outsourced to guest speakers.
- Storytelling grabs people’s attention.