How Not To TrainHow Not To TrainCommon Training Mistakes and Common Training Mistakes and

How to Avoid ThemHow to Avoid Them

Potential Savings From TrainingPotential Savings From Training Fewer errors Fewer errors Less equipment downtime Less equipment downtime Faster equipment startup time Faster equipment startup time Reduced employee turnoverReduced employee turnover Proper implementation of new strategies Proper implementation of new strategies Higher workplace moraleHigher workplace morale Less time lost to grievance hearings and work Less time lost to grievance hearings and work

stoppages stoppages Reduced recruitment costs (because training can Reduced recruitment costs (because training can

create more job-ready candidates for promotions) create more job-ready candidates for promotions) Maximized productivity of new employeesMaximized productivity of new employees

What We’ll CoverWhat We’ll Cover

Adult learning stylesAdult learning styles Common training mistakesCommon training mistakes Consequences of poor trainingConsequences of poor training

Training AdultsTraining Adults

What is different?What is different? ExpectationsExpectations Learning stylesLearning styles

AuditoryAuditory VisualVisual Tactile/KinestheticTactile/Kinesthetic

Personal filtersPersonal filters CulturalCultural LanguageLanguage

Adult LearnersAdult Learners

Are Are autonomousautonomous and and self-directedself-directed Have accumulated a foundation of Have accumulated a foundation of life life

experiencesexperiences and and knowledgeknowledge Are Are goal-orientedgoal-oriented Are Are relevancy-orientedrelevancy-oriented Are Are practicalpractical, focusing on the aspects of a , focusing on the aspects of a

lesson most useful to them in their work lesson most useful to them in their work

MotivationMotivation

Problem centered goalsProblem centered goals Personal growth or gainPersonal growth or gain Stimulate curiosityStimulate curiosity Demonstrate usefulness of learningDemonstrate usefulness of learning

Barriers to LearningBarriers to Learning

Lack of timeLack of time Lack of moneyLack of money Lack of confidenceLack of confidence Lack of knowledge about opportunitiesLack of knowledge about opportunities Scheduling problemsScheduling problems Personal situationsPersonal situations

Auditory LearnersAuditory Learners

Learn through listeningLearn through listening By tone of voice, pitch, speed and Verbal By tone of voice, pitch, speed and Verbal

lectures, discussions, talking things lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to othersthrough and listening to others

Interpret the underlying meanings of Interpret the underlying meanings of speech other nuancesspeech other nuances

Written information may have little Written information may have little meaning until it is heardmeaning until it is heard

Visual LearnersVisual Learners

Learn through seeingLearn through seeing......                                        Need to see body language and facial Need to see body language and facial

expression to fully understand content expression to fully understand content Prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to Prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to

avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads). heads).

May think in pictures May think in pictures Learn best from visual displaysLearn best from visual displays Prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the Prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the

informationinformation

Tactile/Kinesthetic LearnersTactile/Kinesthetic Learners

LLearn through moving, doing and earn through moving, doing and touching... touching...

Learn best through a hands-on approachLearn best through a hands-on approach Find it hard to sit still for long periods of Find it hard to sit still for long periods of

timetime Become distracted by their need for Become distracted by their need for

activity and explorationactivity and exploration

A Word of CautionA Word of Caution

It is simplistic to say that someone is It is simplistic to say that someone is strictly one type or anotherstrictly one type or another

Personal FiltersPersonal Filters

ExperiencesExperiences Personal beliefsPersonal beliefs EmotionEmotion CultureCulture Situational contextSituational context

Cultural BarriersCultural Barriers

American StyleAmerican Style DoingDoing EgalitarianEgalitarian MonochronicMonochronic Low contextLow context

Other CulturesOther Cultures BeingBeing HierarchicalHierarchical PolychronicPolychronic High contextHigh context

Language BarriersLanguage Barriers

““Decoding” neededDecoding” needed Some things “lost in translation”Some things “lost in translation”

Slang, idiomsSlang, idioms American cultural referencesAmerican cultural references

Foreign language confusionForeign language confusion Vreemde taalverwarring Vreemde taalverwarring Confusione di lingua straniera Confusione di lingua straniera

Why This MattersWhy This Matters

Students learn more effectively when they Students learn more effectively when they already know something about a content already know something about a content area and when concepts in that area mean area and when concepts in that area mean something to them and to their particular something to them and to their particular background or culture. When new background or culture. When new information is linked to prior knowledge, information is linked to prior knowledge, they activate interest and curiosity, and they activate interest and curiosity, and infuse instruction with a sense of purpose.infuse instruction with a sense of purpose.

What Not to DoWhat Not to Do

Use Training as a Quick FixUse Training as a Quick Fix

CrisisCrisis

Training

Use Training to Solve Every Problem

Set Up a Training Program Set Up a Training Program Without an Understanding of Without an Understanding of

the Goalthe Goal

Don’t Tell Attendees Don’t Tell Attendees Why They Are ThereWhy They Are There

Teach Skills With No Direct Teach Skills With No Direct Relationship to the WorkRelationship to the Work

Specific training should only be given if Specific training should only be given if the person is going to utilize the task the person is going to utilize the task they are being trained on soon. they are being trained on soon.

Provide Irrelevant InformationProvide Irrelevant Information

Provide Learning in a Vacuum Provide Learning in a Vacuum or Without Contextor Without Context

Don't ask for input from the people Don't ask for input from the people receiving or sponsoring the trainingreceiving or sponsoring the training

TMI-Information OverloadTMI-Information Overload

Provide Non-specific Provide Non-specific InformationInformation

Ignore Physical LimitationsIgnore Physical Limitations

Make Participants Feel Make Participants Feel Uncomfortable or InsultedUncomfortable or Insulted

Drone On For Drone On For Hours Without a Hours Without a

BreakBreak

Provide an Uncomfortable Provide an Uncomfortable Learning EnvironmentLearning Environment

Learning EnvironmentLearning Environment

SeatsSeats LightingLighting Work spaceWork space TemperatureTemperature NoiseNoise

Allow Interruptions and Allow Interruptions and Distractions to OccurDistractions to Occur

Omit Follow-up and DocumentationOmit Follow-up and Documentation

Enhancing LearningEnhancing Learning

Put training in context Put training in context Do some homework and find out from your Do some homework and find out from your

staff what they know and what they need staff what they know and what they need to know to do their job well to know to do their job well

Present the material in a way that will Present the material in a way that will match the groups learning style(s)match the groups learning style(s)

Use visuals to overcome language or Use visuals to overcome language or learning difficultieslearning difficulties

SummarySummary

Target training to a specific project, skill or Target training to a specific project, skill or facility needfacility need

Refer to known skills to link new Refer to known skills to link new knowledgeknowledge

Be sure the knowledge will be applied Be sure the knowledge will be applied quicklyquickly

Engage the attendees to discover or share Engage the attendees to discover or share parts of the informationparts of the information

Appropriate Training Methods for Appropriate Training Methods for Mixed AudiencesMixed Audiences

Vary training to accommodate different Vary training to accommodate different learning types learning types Provide both hard facts and general conceptsProvide both hard facts and general concepts Incorporate both visual and verbal cuesIncorporate both visual and verbal cues Allow both experiential learning and time for Allow both experiential learning and time for

evaluation and analysisevaluation and analysis Provide detail in a structured way, as well as Provide detail in a structured way, as well as

the big picturethe big picture

In SummaryIn Summary

Training is importantTraining is important Training is requiredTraining is required

Training is not a substitute or fix-all for Training is not a substitute or fix-all for poor programs and facilities or unhappy poor programs and facilities or unhappy employeesemployees