In today’s Advisor we get expert advice on how to use audience response systems to enhance your safety training program.
Audience response systems engage learners in training and provide trainers with instant feedback that they can use to enhance the learning experience, says Ron Smrek, vice president of Sales/Corporate Government with Turning Technologies (www.TurningTechnologies.com).
When using an audience response system, trainers can poll learners, for example, about demographic information, their knowledge of a particular topic, and content presented in training. Learners use a “clicker” (or, in some cases, a smartphone or laptop) to provide their answers, he says. “If they are participating, they are paying attention; and that is going to enhance learning.”
Audience response systems, which are used in companies of all sizes, give every learner “a voice” during training. Even introverted learners or those unsure of an answer are likely to reply to questions, since there is no need to speak in front of the group, and the other learners will not know how they respond, Smrek says.
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Having instant feedback from the entire class and instant reports helps trainers gauge learners’ knowledge and retention of information and identify areas that need to be reviewed, he explains.
With the possible exception of asking a series of demographic questions at the beginning of a training session (e.g., questions about learners’ title, tenure with the company), Smrek says trainers should ask five to six polling questions per hour on average—given that “the average attention span for adult learners is about 7 minutes.”
Mistakes that some trainers make when using audience response systems include not leveraging the technology (e.g., using it only to take attendance), asking silly questions, and not adjusting their presentation in response to polling results, Smrek says.
When selecting an audience response system, he recommends considering ease of use from both the trainer and learners’ perspectives, product diversification (i.e., whether it can be used in the classroom and remotely), ability to use the system with many applications (e.g., PowerPoint®, PDFs, Excel®, and streaming video), vendor support, and the vendor’s experience.
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Why It Matters
- As technology advances so does its ability to enhance and improve training.
- Since “know your audience” is a foundational principle of effective training, any tool that allows you to know your audience better is a boon to your training sessions.
- You can improve your skills as a professional trainer by keeping up with technologies that make training more targeted and meaningful to your audience.