Written by: Lynne We all take risks every day. We drive our cars on the highway, invest in the stock market, and ski down mountains. Do you take risks in the classroom to facilitate learning? For example: Do you use icebreakers when they haven’t been used before? Do you let participants lead discussions instead of you? Do you sit down at student tables instead of standing up in front of them? Do you let students choose the activities? These are just a few of the many examples I could give you. Risk means giving up control and putting it in the hands of your class, not knowing what may happen, but being prepared and confident to handle whatever develops. Now that you know what I mean by risk, do you know why it’s important for learning? When you stop being the star and begin to focus the attention on your learners, they become empowered, motivated, and excited to learn and keep on learning! Learners take more ownership in not only what they learn but how they are learning it. This creates buy-in and reduces or eliminates problem learners and/or situations. Are you ready to take some risks? Here are some tried-and-true instructional techniques to adopt in your classrooms. We share these, and many other tips like them, in our Advanced Instructional Techniques Workshop. Have your students sit in a circle, with just their chairs, when you want to promote a close-knit, cohesive, and open class discussion. Let learners review and summarize course material with each other. Poll the group often for opinions and adjust your course content accordingly to match the needs of the group. Let learners ask and answer their own questions during class. Use small-group activities to allow everyone to stay engaged. Now that you have some instructional techniques and tips on how to take risks, I hope you will take the plunge! Don’t be afraid to have fun either. If risks don’t work out as planned, you can just brush them off and keep teaching! Your learners will roll with you as long as you stay composed and lighthearted about the learning process. How do you take risks in the classroom?

Written by: Paul Return-on-investment (ROI) is one of the most common buzz words in the training industry today. Given limited training budgets and minimal availability of employees for classroom training, how do you, as an organization, get the best performance improvement for the money spent on training? Here are eight simple suggestions to increase the ROI for your instructor-led trainings. Success - ensure the content and activities brought into the classroom are relevant to the learners’ success back in the workplace. If you have done this, you have given the learners, and the organization, a real gift. Benefit - make a strong benefit statement for each task brought into the classroom. The intent of the "What’s In It For Me" (WIIFM) statement is to ensure the learners see the link between what is covered in the classroom and success in the workplace. Realism - structure activities in the classroom to be as realistic as possible so the participants can easily see the connection to the workplace and therefore, the relevance of the activity. Action Plan - give the participants some reflective time during the training to consider the content, and specifically how they can use the content back on the job. This "action plan" time may be just a few minutes in the morning and afternoon, but it is a proven transfer-of-training technique. Action Plan Prioritization - at the end of the training, invest a few moments and have the learners consider their action plans and identify which activities should be undertaken first when they get back to their jobs. Relapse Prevention Strategy - relapse means doing things the old way. Have your learners consider possible obstacles to the implementation of the newly learned procedures or action plan items. Learners can then identify possible strategies to overcome the obstacles. Support group - have the learners exchange contact information so that when obstacles arise in the workplace there is a way of gaining peer support for implementation of the strategies learned in training. Reminder - make a copy of the participants’ action plans. Have them fill out their address on an envelope. Two weeks after the training, mail the participants a copy of their action plan as a reminder of the actions they intended to take. One of our jobs as trainers is to help the individuals and the organization realize that potential value. To learn how to build and communicate a compelling case for the effectiveness of your training programs, check out Langevin’s Evaluation of Training workshop!

Written by: Marsha So a panda walks into a café, orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. The waiter asks, "Why did you do that?" The panda tosses him a wildlife manual and says, "I’m a panda. Look it up." The waiter opens the manual and finds, "Panda. Large black and white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves." This joke is the premise for a book called Eats, Shoots & Leaves, written by Lynne Truss, a former editor, about the poor state of punctuation and grammar in North America. Now, this topic is near and dear to me, and I will admit, I’m a bit of a writing snob, myself. I judge when I see people using there/their/they’re or your/you’re incorrectly. And don’t get me started on "irregardless." There is no such word! Luckily, in our Writing Skills for Trainers workshop, we review punctuation, active vs. passive sentences, noun-pronoun disagreement, incorrect parallel structure, subject-verb disagreement, and dangling participles. Let’s be honest, when was the last time you even thought about a dangling participle! And that’s not all. We discuss commonly misused words like, affect/effect, e.g./i.e., that/which, and who/whom, to name a few. We also take your writing to a whole new level, in just one day. We show you how to translate job-related knowledge and skill into clear, concise, and complete terms for your target audience. We also examine the priorities of an instructional designer: to design instructionally effective and graphically appealing materials. Here are five quick tips to consider for more effective writing: 1. Sentences need to be short - use 15-20 words. 2. The best way to highlight sentences or words on a page is to bold them. 3. A simple, single-column format is the easiest to read, create, and edit. 4. Two-column formats are best for job aids. 5. Margins should occupy 40% of the page. Let’s face it. In today’s world, most of our communication is done via writing. With emails, texts, and instant messaging, who even has face-to-face meetings anymore? Although we don’t like to admit it, people form impressions when they see a punctuation or grammatical error. Come on, do tell! What writing tips can you share with your fellow instructional designers? What’s your biggest challenge in writing? And don’t worry, I promise not to judge!

Written by: Langevin Team We certainly live in a time where technology has created an environment of incredible change. Techniques, methods of operation, and even ideals become outdated almost as fast as they get introduced. However, there are certain products that are still as relevant, and of the same high quality now as they were decades ago, when they were first invented. Some things do not need to change; we often refer to these as "oldies, but goodies." The adult learning principles, which should be incorporated into the instructional design and delivery of your courses, fall into this category. So, here are five adult learning principles that are relevant for you today, and will be for years to come. Adults want to know what there is to gain, and to see progress being made. Adults want to focus on real-life problems. Adults want to be active by participating in their learning. Adults wish to speak, participate, and contribute. Adults need to have their self-esteem maintained. The great thing about these principles is they are not overloaded with complicated theory and explanations. Instead, they are the common-sense basics. In our hectic worlds isn’t that what we all are looking for anyway? As a classroom trainer and/or instructional designer, always incorporate these five principles and you are guaranteed to be successful! This is a very powerful statement, "guaranteed to be successful." Many of the problems and challenges we’ve heard over the years, from instructors, instructional designers, and managers, have been solved by these "oldies, but goodies."

Written by: Alan Wrapping up a course seems like a no-brainer: you revisit the objectives, ask if there are any final questions, and hand out (or link to) the course evaluation form. What else could you possibly need to do? Here are four other activities that can increase the impact your training has on the job. 1.  Help your learners prioritize the changes they intend to make It can be daunting to implement several days’ worth of new skills back on the job. Trying to change too much too fast can lead to frustration and disappointment. Get learners to decide which ideas they will try first. Ask them to consider which ideas will produce the best results with the least effort or change. 2.  Get them to write down the things they will implement Give your learners a document with a significant name related to their goals. At Langevin we call ours an "Action Plan." Other names I’ve seen include "Implementation Plan," "Performance Contract," Change Worksheet," and "Job Improvement Sheet." Ask them to write down the actions they will implement on the job as a result of the training. Get them to add specific details, name projects, write names of others who will be involved, list dates, etc. People are more likely to take action if they write their plan down. 3.  Ask your learners to consider barriers that will prevent them from implementing their new skills Change is rarely easily implemented. If your learners will be affected by other people, ask them to consider that issue. Instruct them to brainstorm all the barriers that could hamper the implementation of their new skills. This is best done as a group activity. The second part of the brainstorm, the organizing and prioritizing of ideas, can be done individually. Get them to write their conclusions in the document described in the previous paragraph. 4.  Ask your learners to prepare a list of ideas for overcoming the barriers to skills transfer If your learners have considered the barriers that may prevent them from using their skills, they can also explore ways to overcome those barriers. This is also suited to group work. Get learners to consider what actions might be needed to prevent those barriers from occurring in the first place. You can also ask them to think about what to do if the barriers materialize anyway. Ask learners to consider what they need to say or do, and whom they need to involve. If the goal of training is to actually improve the way employees do their jobs, let’s make sure it wraps up with that end in mind. The course summary shouldn’t be so brief and unmemorable that it doesn’t contribute to the training’s success. These ideas can make those final minutes more practical and realistic. Showing that you’re concerned about what happens to learners outside your training can be the extra nudge that gets them to implement more of what they’ve learned.

Written by: Langevin Team This review is from our Instructional Design for New Designers workshop: "This workshop came highly recommended to me by my cousin, and I couldn’t have asked for better. Alan Magnan, our instructor, kept things upbeat, interesting, engaging and fun! He had an excellent grasp of the material, and the course design made it easy to understand and follow, all the while leaving the participants feeling empowered. The hands-on activities were pivotal to grasping key concepts, and learning how to apply them in an instructional design setting. Thanks Langevin. Thanks Alan!" - Emilie Bedard, Royal Canadian Mounted Police The instructional design process requires many steps, from determining needs right through to evaluating the training. We have compiled five of our most popular blogs, written by our very own course leaders, to provide you with tips and best practices relating to the instructional design process. Learn the fundamentals of instructional design and how to put them into practice, the Langevin way! 1) How to Incorporate Principles of Adult Learning into Training 2) The Why, What, Who, What, and How of Instructional System Design 3) 5 Ways Learner Analysis Will Impact Instructional Design 4) 4 Tips for Working with Subject-Matter Experts 5) Instructional Design Time Ratios As an added BONUS, check out this list of 12 Tips for Instructional Designers! We’ve provided you with some useful tips and best practices, but for the full step-by-step design process, and to learn how to incorporate time-saving shortcuts to simplify your job and produce better courses, have a look at our Instructional Design for New Designers workshop. If you have any instructional design tips you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them!

Written by: Jeff  "A smile is happiness you find right under your nose." ~ Tom Wilson Smiling is the body’s natural, physiological response to things we find funny, cute, or endearing. How many of you find your laughs accompanied by a big smile when you hear a joke told by your favorite comedian? Or, who can resist casting a warm smile at the sight of a newborn baby? Smiling may seem like an involuntary response that happens when we’re happy. However, there’s more to it than that. Many scientific studies have concluded that smiling can actually benefit your health. In addition to the health benefits, I believe that smiling can benefit our classroom performance as a trainer. 1.  Smiling makes you appear more trustworthy As trainers, we’re tasked with leading our learners and taking them on a journey of discovery and learning. Trust and credibility must be established before our learners will follow. In addition to sharing your accolade-filled introduction with your audience, you might consider flashing your warm and genuine smile as a way to gain trust and build leadership credibility. Two university studies suggest that smiling makes you appear more trustworthy and increase your credibility as a leader. Participants in a University of Pittsburgh study rated people who smiled more trustworthy than people with non-smiling facial expressions. Also, a group of researchers from the University of Montpellier in France concluded that smiling is just as effective when demonstrating leadership as other characteristics such as confidence and compassion. 2.  Smiling releases endorphins Smiling can help you manage stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins. Endorphins are natural chemicals in the human body that make us feel upbeat. They are the same chemicals released while working out or running, resulting in what is sometimes known as a "runner’s high." While I know it’s not always easy to smile during stressful situations, studies suggest that doing so just might help you calm down. Based on research conducted by the psychology department at the University of Kansas-Lawrence, research participants who smiled during highly stressful events had lower heart rates than those with neutral facial expressions. So the next time your multimedia projector doesn’t work properly, or you have to compete with "Chatty Cathy’s" sidebar conversation, literally grin and bear it. That grin (also known as a smile!) might help you handle the situation with a bit less stress. 3.  Smiling is contagious It doesn’t take a research scientist to know that smiling makes you appear more friendly and approachable. I’ve even found that if you smile at someone, they will often smile back. As a matter of fact, the results of a recent study conducted by a German university suggest that smiling is contagious. Researchers at the University of Tubingen found that complex brain activity occurs when you see someone smile. Simply seeing another person smile activates the area of your brain that controls your facial movement, which ultimately leads to a smile on your face. While instructing in the training room, or delivering a presentation, your very own smile might just be the best tool to help you connect with your audience or encourage your learners to embrace a new policy or procedure. If you smile, it’s likely they’ll smile back! So the next time you take to the platform or the podium, consider flashing the pearly whites; it just might have more benefits than you expect!

Written by: Melissa It’s early 2014 and my husband is in our living room, pacing to and fro, anxious about his presentation skills and about giving a presentation for "the powers that be" at his office. As many organizations do in the first few months of a new year, they ask department heads to share their goals and plans for the upcoming year. When I asked him what was making him so nervous, he said, "Unlike you, I don’t speak in front of people on a regular basis - it’s nerve wracking!" I assured him that even experienced speakers (and trainers, like us) get nervous. The trick is to harness the nervous energy; make it work for you! Incorporate that energy into your presentation - it’ll make you appear passionate about your topic. In honor of my anxiety-ridden husband, and anyone else who fears speaking in public, I’ve put together a few tips to help with your presentation skills and to combat speaker’s anxiety. 1.  Get the Blood Flowing If you are a fan of exercise, then go for a run or walk the day of your presentation. Studies have proven that the benefits of exercise have a positive effect on the nerves, lasting up to 12 hours. If you know you enjoy the endorphin rush that comes with exercise, make sure you perform your activity within 12 hours before your presentation. 2.  Rehearse, Don’t Memorize Practice will build your confidence and reduce your anxiety. However, please note that there’s a significant difference between being well-rehearsed and coming across as memorized. Rehearsed implies you are prepared, confident, and can speak on the fly if needed. Memorized implies you are dependent, lack confidence, and are controlled by your talk, rather than you controlling it. Plus, memorizing your presentation word for word can actually lead to more anxiety. If something out of the ordinary happens, or you lose your place, you’ll put an extreme amount of pressure on yourself to get back to where you were. A better approach is to commit concepts (not words) to memory. Never, never, never write out your presentation word for word unless absolute accuracy must be maintained (e.g. legal situations). Simply make brief notes. A little spontaneity adds a tremendous amount of character to your presentation. 3.  Drop your hands Your hands and your gestures can add great impact to your delivery. When you are not using your hands, just drop them to your side (the "neutral" position). It will feel awkward at first, but dropping your hands to your side is the most natural gesture you can use. For instance, when you walk down the hallway at your office, do you cup your hands in front as you walk? Probably not. In most situations, it is natural to just let your hands drop to your side. When you do this, it will allow you to make more purposeful gestures when you need to. Realize anxiety exists. Know what your fears are, and make a list of those fears. Then, look at what’s realistic and what’s not. Do you really believe your audience would begin pointing, laughing, and mocking you? Probably not. So, plan how to respond to realistic fears. Even better, consider attending our one-day workshop, Polish Your Presentation Skills, to get hands-on practice speaking in front of an audience.

Written by: Langevin Team This review is from our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors workshop: "Great course for those who are new to being an instructor. This course gives you the tools needed to be a good instructor from the start. This course is quality! Going into it I had my doubts, knowing how I was when speaking to a group, but after the class I’m undoubtedly better at speaking in front of my learners, dealing with issues that arise, and executing the courseware I’m presenting." - Casey Lee, Allfax Specialties As an instructor, there is a wide variety of instructional techniques you can incorporate into your training. We have compiled five of our most popular blogs, written by our very own course leaders, to provide you with tips and best practices for delivering successful training. Learn how to use a variety of instructional techniques, set up your classroom to maximize learning, and be the most effective, engaging trainer!    1)  10 Instructional Techniques to Start a Course Successfully    2)  7 Tips for Building Climate and Rapport in the Classroom    3)  Make Your Training Room Learner-Friendly: How to Set Up a Classroom    4)   How to Get Learners to RAVE about Your Training    5)  7 Tips for Giving Effective Feedback As an added BONUS, check out this list of 20 Practical Tips for Instructors! We’ve provided you with some valuable tips and best practices, but to become a polished and confident instructor, enroll in our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors workshop where you will gain the key "survival" skills you need as a new instructor. Expect the most highly participative and interactive course you’ve ever attended! If you have any tips for instructors, or a favorite instructional technique you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you!

Written by: Linda I recently had a lengthy discussion with a client regarding the purpose of an agenda and what should be included. The client did not understand its purpose or value and consequently had not been using an agenda in her training programs. This blog will highlight some of the key points discussed with the client and why I think they are important. When introducing a session, there should always be an overview or "big picture" of what will take place during the training program. The agenda is simply the roadmap broken down into detail indicating what will take place during the session each day. Adult learners want to know what’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, and how it’s going to happen! The agenda not only supports the learner but it also aids the trainer. It helps keep the session on task and on target. I am often asked about how much information should be included in the agenda. The agenda should not include too much information with long run-on sentences. The recommended format is to KISS…Keep It Short and Simple. Use bullet points to serve as a checklist of what will be covered in the session. The instructor can verbally expand on each topic when covering the key points of the agenda. Another issue that is often raised concerns the inclusion of time on the agenda. This is a matter of style, the company culture, and the type of session that is being facilitated. Based on the types of trainings I conduct, my personal preference is to stay away from listing times. However, as trainers, it is important for us to know our time frames and where we should be hour by hour. I believe it’s okay to give time frames to the participants that indicate what will occur in the morning and afternoon session. This allows for flexibility and minimizes being held to rigid timelines by the participants. In summary, a prepared agenda should be referred to at the beginning of each day and periodically throughout the day. It should be visible to both the instructor and the learner via flipchart, PowerPoint slide, handout, or workbook. Susan B. Wilson offers a quote, "Meetings without an agenda are like a restaurant without a menu." And, fortunately my client had many light bulb moments and now includes agendas in all her training programs! Do you use an agenda in your training? How has using an agenda helped in your training sessions?

Written by: Lynne If I were a SME, what kind of SME would I be? You’ve probably read about difficult types of learners and seen techniques on how to deal with them but did you know there are different types of subject-matter experts as well? If you are an instructional designer you know how important these people are to you. So, it is critical to be aware of these SMEs and to have some survival tips on how to deal with them. First I will introduce you to several types of SMEs and then I will offer some tips on how to deal with them! The Hostage SME. This SME does not want to spend any time with you and tries to rush you through the meeting so he or she can get back to work. Tip: Use a specific agenda with the SME so they know you are being efficient with their limited time. (Tweet this tip!) You can also show them a sample task analysis so both of you can stay on task and complete the document together. The Hidden Agenda SME. This SME doesn’t really want to work with you either but they are bidding on a job upgrade and think that working with you will just be another feather in their cap. Tip: Fine with you! As long as they give you what you need so you can do your job, you can then contribute towards their hopeful promotion by giving them an autographed copy of your learners’ guide as a parting gift! You can even give them public recognition for their contribution as part of a "Credits" or "Acknowledgments" page in the learners’ guide. The Wannabee SME. This person is an up-and-coming SME. They are not the real expert you need to work with but their manager assigned them to you because they were available and the real SME was not. Tip: This one is challenging. You really want to work with the true SME to get the most reliable and accurate information to help you build your course content. Meet with the SME wannabee and get the most out of them that you can. Let them know you may be seeking additional opinions (from the true SME) to help you fill in any gaps. Be sure to emphasize that their contribution is no less valuable than anyone else’s. So there you have it! Hopefully these tips will help you work with these three specific SMEs on your next instructional design project. I know there are other types of challenging SMEs out there. How do YOU handle them?

Written by: Paul The most common complaint I hear in our instructional design workshops, from people working for technical companies, is "We have to design training before the software is finished!" It’s always a challenge with unstable (changing) content, and a major frustration for those who have to design or deliver training around a product that doesn’t exist yet. Having been a technical trainer as well as an instructional designer, here are some thoughts on how to handle that really uncomfortable situation: 1.      Look at version 1.0. Is there a previous version of the software? If there is, and you’ve designed training around it, most of your work is done. Sure, you’ve got some updating to do, but your training is probably designed around the most common tasks performed on the software. Have those tasks changed that much from the previous version? If so, you can keep the skeleton of the previous version and concentrate on the changes. You will probably have to modify the presentation section, but the scheme for the application and feedback portions will remain pretty much unchanged. 2.      Don’t worry about the 6th sub-menu. Software menus often have sub-menus to sub-menus, to sub-menus, to …well, you get the idea. When software is updated, the changes often happen in those sub-menus. If those areas are not visited often, don’t address them in your initial training. If the sub-menu item is something the target audience needs to know, but is not yet fully developed, distribute a job aid later, or refer to the sub-menu in an appendix to the participants’ manual which can be labeled "to be published." 3.      You are not the fountain of all knowledge. Even though you are a trainer, you really don’t need to have all the answers. There are some areas where you will not have the final, definitive answer, especially if the programmers don’t either. It’s okay to say that a particular area is out of the scope of this training, as it is still being developed, or is not a part of this training module. 4.      FAQ. Do you have a Frequently Asked Questions page on your learning portal? Is it drilled down to course level? If the answer to those questions is yes, then you have a platform to introduce minor changes or additions to your hurriedly produced training product. 5.      e-Learning. Is your course an e-learning tutorial? If yes, you have a single point of update when the software comes out in the final version. Proceed with the tips above and update when the course is finalized. I’ll leave you with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Not a bad motto for any instructional designer or instructor of training!

Written by: Marsha Many training departments are expanding their role to include performance consulting. Some trainers are even referring to themselves as performance consultants. Now, right off the top, let’s address the negative connotation associated with the term "consultant." I’m sure you’ve heard it before—a consultant will borrow your watch, tell you what time it is, AND charge by the hour! Of course, true performance consultants are agents of change, have excellent interpersonal skills, and are able to solve problems. (Tweet this!). Here’s a typical scenario for a performance consultant: a client approaches with a training request. The consultant determines WHAT is needed to improve performance. He/she will give training, if it’s needed, and help the client select and implement non-training solutions, if also needed. If any of you were bold enough to approach a potential internal client, I can’t think of a better scenario to offer, than this: "Hi Client, I can work with you and your department, find out what’s not working well, identify the causes, offer the right solutions, AND measure the results of what I’ve done." Sounds too good to be true, right? Well it’s not. Luckily, in our Consulting Skills for Trainers workshop, we provide a five-step model that sets you up for success. The Collaborative Performance Improvement Model, as it is called, covers the following areas: Engage Client, Identify Needs, Determine Causes, Implement Solutions, and Measure Results. We also review how to manage your interactions with clients to prepare yourself, interact with others, reflect on the interaction, and adjust your approach. Now, keep in mind, you may face some obstacles when making this transition. Some clients may not be open to this new position and may not support it. Let’s not forget that you were a training department and that’s how everyone identifies you. But there’s good news! In Consulting Skills for Trainers we also discuss how to overcome these obstacles. Here are five tips to build support and minimize the politics around the transition: Build awareness in the department and throughout the organization. Hold "brown-bag" lunches to explain performance consulting, show the benefits, and give examples. Start slowly. Commit one half-day per week to performance consulting tasks. Use performance language at all times. For example, ask, "What is the performance need?" instead of "What training do they need?" Don’t underestimate the amount of time required to build strong client relationships. Plan extra time to meet with clients in order to learn more about the jobs and processes in their departments. Develop or amend the department’s mission statement to emphasize its commitment to improving performance through training and non-training solutions. Making the transition to performance consulting is just one way to increase your credibility and add value to your organization. Some of you may already be doing this work, without the title. So, have you made the formal transition? How did it go? Let’s hear your success stories and don’t worry, there’s no need to share your hourly rate! For tips on researching your organizations needs through performance consulting, have a look at this blog from my good friend and colleague, Melissa!

Written by: Alan There’s nothing worse than reading materials you wrote months before and finding a bunch of writing errors in them. You were sure they were fine at the time. Now you see them the way your learners do: flawed and awkward. Here are six things to keep in your writing skills toolkit to reduce the chances of it happening again. 1.     Use imperative sentences There are four kinds of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. The point of training materials is to help people perform their jobs. Use imperative sentences (make a command or request) as the body of your learner materials. Write declarative sentences (form a statement) for introductions and summaries. Put interrogative sentences (form a question) in lesson plans as a useful tool for instructors during the training. 2.     Write simple sentences There are three basic types of sentence structure: simple, compound, and complex. Simple sentences contain one main clause that stands alone. Compound sentences contain multiple clauses that each stand alone. Complex sentences contain multiple clauses that depend upon other clauses. Stick to simple sentences as much as possible. They reduce your chances of writing errors by a huge margin. Use one verb per sentence for best results. 3.     Keep sentences short Short sentences are easy to achieve if you follow the tip above. But even simple sentences can get long and convoluted. Short sentences highlight an idea, while long sentences hide it. Aim for a sentence length of no more than 15 words. The average sentence length should be around 12 words. 4.     Use simple words Training materials involve technical writing. Unlike literary writing, its main goal is to convey instructions. You don’t need to be fancy. You just need to be accurate and direct. Use the simplest words possible in your writing. Rather than "utilize," write "use." Instead of "facilitate," use "help." Strive for words that fit the bill and have fewer than three syllables. 5.     Use bullet points At times, you will see many imperative sentences in a row. Format them as a list of bullet points. They’ll be easier to read. They’ll be more memorable. They’ll be easier to use as a reference after the training. Make sure you use parallel construction. All items in a bullet list must have the same structure. 6.     Use a consistent style Not all writing rules are clear-cut. For example, should you place a comma before the last item in a list near the end of a sentence? Should you use one space or two after the end of a sentence? There is no general consensus on these and many other writing rules. The trick is to be consistent. Ensure you use the same approach to a disputed rule throughout your materials. This also applies to margins, spacing, and heading styles. You might dread having someone proofread your materials for fear of the red wave of edits. If you apply these six writing tips, you can greatly reduce that problem. The big bonus is that it will save you, your editor, and all your learners a lot of time as well. Happy writing!

Written by: Steve Preparing for the virtual classroom (synchronous training) is critical for a virtual trainer. Failing to consider all that could happen could mean an unsuccessful session. Sure, there are the obvious things that need to be done, such as checking that your computer is plugged in, the internet connection is wired and reliable, and you have thorough knowledge of your virtual platform and content. Here are five additional tasks you can complete so you are not caught off guard when facilitating a virtual classroom session: 1)     Make sure any scheduled updates, automatic syncing, and virus scans are delayed for the duration of the virtual session, including the hour before and after training. Auto-scheduled tasks can slow down your computer and may interfere with your virtual session. 2)     Turn off any pop-up blockers and firewalls as they can affect your ability to share files, screens, and applications in your synchronous training session. (Tweet this tip!) 3)     Verify there are no heavy bandwidth devices or users sharing the same connection. For example, if you are leading a virtual classroom session from home, make sure no one is downloading a movie on another computer. 4)     Make sure your cell phone and other electronic devices are far enough away from your computer to avoid causing interference. A cell phone too close to your computer can produce a "buzzing" sound in the virtual classroom audio. 5)     Use a second "side-kick" computer to log on as a guest. This allows you to see what the participants see, and aids in troubleshooting. (Tweet this tip!) Well, these are five practical tips for success in the virtual classroom. These tips might not be as obvious, but they are simple. Keep these tips in mind when you prepare for your next synchronous training session.

Written by: Jeff I recently read a book called 136 Effective Presentation Tips by Tony Jeary and David Cottrell. The book is filled with 136 practical tips to improve your public speaking and presentation skills. I received the book as a gift and have found it to be quite helpful. In addition to the tips, the book also includes a page titled, "Top Ten Ways to Kill a Presentation." As a trainer, I’ve delivered numerous presentations throughout my career and I couldn’t agree more with the items on the list. I’ll share my perspective on five of the top ten presentation killers and what you can do to improve your presentation skills. Killer 5: Apologize for not being prepared Practice and preparation go a long way to increase your confidence and credibility as a presenter. If you can devote some quality practice time before taking to the platform or podium, I’d highly recommend it. However, I realize there are times when you’re notified about delivering a training session or presentation at the last minute and you simply can’t practice. Trust me, I’ve been there. If you’re forced to speak at the last minute and you’re short on practice time, the last thing you want to do is make excuses and apologize for being ill-prepared. Your audience members didn’t come to hear an apology; they came to hear a presentation. Although it may be tempting to humanize yourself by sharing how you were asked at the last minute to replace the original speaker or how you forgot to include some additional information, I wouldn’t suggest it. Simply do what you were tasked to do (which is to deliver a presentation) and never let the audience in on your secret. Killer 4: Read every word As a speaker, it’s good protocol to have a safety net such as an instructor guide, presentation outline, or note cards. However, don’t bury your head in your notes and read every single word. It’s a big audience turn-off. Again, it goes back to practice. I find the more I practice my presentation, the less note-dependent I am. My recommendation is to practice your delivery and speak compassionately from your heart. When I so this I find I only have to glance at my notes periodically. Killer 3: Tell a long story that has nothing to do with the presentation Incorporating a story into your presentation can be a very effective way to grab the audience’s attention, prove a point, or connect with auditory learners. However, the stories you tell must be relevant. If the story isn’t relevant to both your topic and your audience, it simply becomes a time waster and an air filler. An irrelevant story also leaves your audience wondering how the dots were supposed to connect. Killer 2:  Forget the opening sentence The opening is perhaps one of the most critical components of a presentation. It sets the stage for everything else to follow. If you botch the opening sentence it doesn’t leave much room for recovery. Forgetting the introduction not only has a negative impact on your professionalism and credibility, it can also make you more nervous. If there’s one part of a speech that I’d recommend knowing forward and backward, it’s the opening. A strong, solid opening allows you to make a significant impact from the very start. Killer 1: Show the wrong slides The use of multimedia during a presentation is commonplace and often expected. Not only are we expected to use multimedia, but we are expected to use it properly. Try to practice using your multimedia projector and remote long before your actual presentation. Familiarize yourself with issues like proper slide sequencing and screen muting. Make sure your PowerPoint slides are relevant, in the correct order, and support your presentation’s overall message. As a trainer or professional speaker, our job is to breathe life into a presentation, not to kill it with these or other common mistakes. Make sure you avoid these presentation killers and master your presentation skills! What are some of the worst presentation killers you’ve observed?

Written by: Marsha I hear it all the time… "The session went horribly." "It was the worst class of my life." "They didn’t pay attention and weren’t engaged." Yes, it’s true. Sometimes we have unmotivated learners and that can be very challenging. It’s interesting though, how we like to blame the learners when a class goes badly and rarely question ourselves. Could we have prevented the failure? Did we do everything we could to make it a successful session? So, how do we motivate our learners? Of course, we all know the course has to be relevant, beneficial, and enjoyable. In addition, we want to give our learners opportunities to express themselves, work together, and be active. But have you also tried to address their individual needs in the classroom? Let’s face it, when it comes to training, one size doesn’t always fit all! We need to think about every person in class and tailor the session for them as much as possible. In our Advanced Instructional Techniques workshop, we suggest many tips to address individual needs. Here are just five to consider: Administer a brief survey to find out what needs exist and which objectives learners are most interested in. Schedule after-hours sessions (e.g. 5:00-5:30) to discuss individual concerns and answer questions. Encourage phone calls/visits from learners after the course to provide extra assistance. Rather than having all learners do the same exercises, have a few exercises they can choose from, based on their needs. Give each learner two colored cards (one red and one green). Periodically pause in the course and say, "If everything is fine and you wish to continue, hold up green. If you are not ready to proceed, hold up red." If red, slow down, review, take a break, etc. So my fellow trainers, are you doing everything you can to individualize your training? Are you going that extra mile before, during, and after the session? Personally, I have used these instructional techniques and have benefited greatly. Now trust me, I realize that Langevin learners are the BEST and always come motivated to class! Yet, I still know these techniques have made me a better instructor. At the beginning of every Langevin class, we circulate a survey asking learners to select their top three objectives of the session. We also ask them to identify other subjects of interest that are not listed in the objectives. Finally, we ask them to share their biggest challenge or obstacle back in their job. I read every survey and do my best to address their concerns either during class, at break, or after the session. During housekeeping, I let the class know that I am available before class, at lunch, and after class, to privately discuss any questions, issues, or concerns. Of course, we also offer follow-up service at Langevin, free of charge. By the way, I love to get follow-up questions from learners because it tells me they are using what they learned back on the job. It doesn’t get any better than that! So, what have you done to address your learners’ needs in the classroom? I’m looking forward to hearing from you and remember, one size doesn’t fit all. Let’s tailor and deliver the highest caliber training!

Written by: Lynne Well, we’ve recently finished tax time and this is the time of year I think about money! I think about budgets, what I spend on things, and how I can save money over the next year. I think about what I pay for health and dental insurance but then I realize that it buys me tremendous peace of mind for an entire year which means a lot. I think about how much I pay for gasoline and the mileage I get out of a full tank — which varies, of course. Have you ever thought about what you get for money that you invest in training courses and how long the benefits last? I have the answer for you. The money you spend on training and education is worth every penny. Why? Because the benefits you receive for the additional knowledge and skill last a lifetime! What else can you spend money on that lasts a lifetime? Clothing does not last a lifetime, food does not last a lifetime, cars don’t last a lifetime, and money certainly does not last a lifetime. The knowledge and skills you receive through training classes can bring you many things. Here are some lifetime benefits: You will be eligible for more work opportunities and possible promotions. You may earn a greater salary with your increased skill set and job performance. You will be more knowledgeable at business meetings with training professionals. You will be able to mentor and teach less experienced co-workers. You will never be bored at work because of all the new skills you will be busy implementing! So, how about that! It is difficult to find things and even relationships that last a lifetime but training and education are definitely worth the investment! The time and money I spent on Langevin Learning Services workshops early in my training career helped me gain all of the benefits I listed above, and so many more! How about checking out the Langevin Learning Passport to see how you can get a lifetime of training benefits! I hope to see you at a workshop soon!

Written by: Paul Every year, major league baseball players, people who may be paid millions of dollars for their skills, go to spring training. At spring training the team reviews the fundamentals of batting, throwing, catching, and running. As trainers, it might be useful to review the fundamentals of our profession in relation to the instructional design and delivery of training, whether in a virtual classroom or brick-and-mortar environment. Let’s start by reviewing the three fundamentals of successful training: Content should focus on the "need-to-know" details of the learners’ job. The training session should focus primarily on practice of the job. There should be mechanisms in place to reinforce application of what has been practiced in the classroom. Now let’s examine each of these fundamentals in more detail: Focus on "need-to-know." While many things such as benefit statements, overviews, and examples are covered during the presentation of content, the focus should be on the step-by-step process required to complete a task. While knowledge about a task is necessary, the knowledge-based pieces can often be incorporated in performance of the task. For example, if the task is to connect with a wireless access point, the knowledge of how networks function is nice-to-know, but the way to use a WiFi network utility on a wireless device is need-to-know. Identifying the need-to-know versus nice-to-know not only saves time but also maintains learner attention by covering content that is relevant to their success in the workplace. Focus on job-related practice. Ideally, the most effective training involves a majority of the time focused on learner practice. Knowledge checks are a good way to make sure they "get" what we’re saying. However, successful job-related practice of skills in the classroom is more relevant and, for the trainer, is a better indicator of the learners’ ability to perform back in the workplace. This type of practice shows that the learners can do it. Ensure reinforcement mechanisms exist. This will increase the likelihood that the learner will do it back in the workplace. While there are many low-cost, high-impact reinforcement activities (such as action plans or post-course activities), the strongest reinforcement is line-level management support of the training effort (more on that in a later blog). If the line manager says "Do it like they showed you in the classroom," that’s the way it most likely will be done. If your training reflects these three fundamentals, I guarantee you will receive a return on your training dollar investment.

Written by: Melissa Since the launch of our newest workshop, The Virtual Trainer, I’ve received quite a few questions about how to make the transition from traditional classroom training to the virtual classroom. People tend to focus on the technological and content changes that are required; however, one of the most common challenges during this transition is preparing yourself to train in this new platform. To help address these questions, below I’ve included an excerpt from our virtual trainer course where we cover this very topic. Moving to a new training delivery approach and platform is a big change, not only for you, the trainer, but for your organization as well. This change can bring up feelings of unease or uncertainty.  As the trainer, you’ll play an important role in making this transition successful. So, as part of your preparation to become a virtual trainer, complete the following three key steps: 1.     Adjust your Attitude. Believe in the effectiveness of online learning (i.e., that it is as effective as a traditional classroom environment). Be prepared to adapt/develop your instructional skills required for the virtual classroom environment. 2.     Do your Homework. Participate in a virtual classroom course to understand how the online learner’s experience differs from a traditional classroom experience. Talk to an instructional designer to find out how the course design differs for a virtual classroom course. Master the virtual classroom technology and tools so your delivery appears seamless and you are able to provide adequate support to learners. 3.     Obtain Organizational Buy-in and Support. Confirm that you’ll be given time to acquire the skills needed for the virtual classroom environment. Secure support for adequate rehearsal time (i.e., you should be given time to practice for every virtual classroom course). Secure management’s support to use the human resources required for successful virtual classroom courses (e.g., a producer and IT support). Inform your manager that you will need time to decompress after each virtual classroom session (e.g., no meetings after class, no back-to-back classes). Inform your manager of the extra time you will need to devote to the asynchronous aspects of the course and administrative duties. (Note: for every hour of synchronous facilitation, there will be at least one hour required for asynchronous tasks and administrative duties.) Your first homework assignment is to take a tour of the virtual classroom, get a feel for using the synchronous collaboration tools and features, and enroll in our sixty-minute introductory session, Learning in the Virtual Classroom. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, "It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself. But he can put himself in such shape that when or if the opportunities come he is ready." Are you ready for the virtual classroom? For more great tips and techniques to ensure success in your virtual classroom sessions, check out these blog posts!

Written by: Jim That is the question. The answer may surprise you. There seems to be a popular perception that training is the corporate band-aid. No matter what’s wrong, training can fix it. However, the reality is that more often than not, it’s not a training issue. I’d like to ask three questions to provide some perspective on whether it is necessary to conduct a training needs analysis (TNA). Is something new? Whenever any component is new (people, processes, equipment, products, etc.), training is required. Why?  Because if it is new, it is unknown. This change will require new knowledge and skills. As a result, if something or someone is new, there is no need for a formal training needs analysis. Instead, we can begin some high level work on a task list so we know where training is needed. The issue becomes part of the instructional design process not the training needs analysis. Is the performance issue isolated to one person? Typically, if only one employee is performing below expectations, training the entire group of employees will not solve the problem. This will require some exploration on the part of that employee’s manager in order to determine the cause of the performance gap (e.g. lack of motivation, knowledge and skill, knowledge of standards, proper equipment, etc.) and to develop a solution to address the issue. In this situation, a training needs analysis is not necessary because the performance gap is limited to one person. Is there a baseline? If there is no baseline measurement, one of two things is probably going on. Either something is new or the current level of performance isn’t being measured. If performance measures aren’t in place, there is no way to prove that a performance gap exists. If no gap exists, we have no basis for a training needs analysis. Determining what to measure, and how to measure it, will help establish a baseline. Once the measurement tools are in place, collecting three to six months of data will help form the baseline and at that point you can then proceed with a TNA. By examining each situation before diving in, you will actually increase your credibility. You are simply asking for more information so you can improve performance in the most effective and powerful way possible. These three questions will help you avoid designing a training program when training may not be the solution. When you are approached with a request, you aren’t saying "No," you are simply saying "Not yet."

Written by: Jeff A learning style is defined as an individual’s natural pattern of acquiring and processing information in a learning situation. As individuals, we all learn differently. Thus, a learning style is an individual’s preferred way in which to learn. The idea of individual learning styles has been around for decades and has had an influence on both training and education. From Howard Gardner’s "Theory of Multiple Intelligences," to David Kolb’s "Experiential Learning Theory," there are many learning style models in existence. However, due to its practicality and simplicity, the VAK Theory is widely used in both the corporate and educational classroom alike. Dr. Neil Fleming, a New Zealand educator, has been credited with the research and design of the VAK learning style model. The VAK Theory includes the sensory modalities of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning. Sensory modalities are the basis of Fleming’s learning style model, as he suggests that individuals have a dominant or preferred way to learn based on either their sense of sight, hearing, or touch. However, research has shown that some people have a mixed or evenly balanced blend of all three styles. So how does this apply to training? Visual Learning Style Visual learners learn through seeing. They tend to think in pictures by visualizing mental images, and they may prefer viewing graphs, charts, and other visual aids. The visual learning style has two sub-categories: linguistic and spatial. Visual-linguistic learners tend to learn through written language, such as reading and writing actual words. Visual-spatial learners learn better with visual images such as pictures and diagrams. As trainers, we can best connect with our visual learners by: Using icons and graphics to reinforce learning Using color to emphasize important points in text Providing written instructions to activities and exercises Auditory Learning Style Auditory learners learn through listening. They tend to think in words rather than pictures, and they may prefer to listen to lectures, participate in discussions, and talk aloud. As trainers, we can best connect with our auditory learners by: Using mnemonic devices to assist with memory and retention Using metaphors, analogies, and stories to demonstrate key concepts Carefully explaining instructions to activities and exercises Kinesthetic Learning Style Kinesthetic learners learn through hands-on touch. They express themselves through movement and body language, and they may prefer to use their hands to create, build, or complete an activity. As trainers, we can best connect with our kinesthetic learners by: Facilitating hands-on activities and exercises Encouraging them to take notes during classroom instruction Providing them with table toys such as koosh balls, Play-Doh®, or pipe cleaners to keep them engaged Despite its widespread acceptance and application, the VAK Theory is not without its critics. Opponents of Fleming’s model suggest there is little evidence that adapting classroom methods to suit a learner’s preferred learning style actually improves the learning process. One such critic is Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist and professor of pharmacology at England’s Oxford University. Greenfield argues that adopting such approaches is "nonsense" from a neuroscientific point of view. She insists that human beings have the ability to make sense of information because our senses work in unison. She states, "It is connectivity within the brain that enables us to make sense of the world, and therefore any attempt to separate the senses would be detrimental (if indeed it were even possible)." I encourage you to be the judge on the validity of the VAK Theory. As a trainer who uses the model, I feel it does work. I can honestly say that I connect better with my audience when I incorporate various instructional techniques geared toward all three learning styles. As a self-professed kinesthetic learner, I know for a fact that I learn better when I have an opportunity to do something. One can demonstrate and explain to me how to do a task until they are blue in the face. However, it’s not until I roll up my sleeves and actually do the task myself, that it makes complete sense to me. What are your thoughts on the VAK Learning Styles Model?

Written by: Lynne I saw a television commercial the other day advertising an energy drink. The commercial claimed the drink will help you focus so you can achieve your goals in life. How funny! All this time I thought ambition, drive, dedication, and hard work helps you achieve your goals in life. Now I can forget all of those things and just drink more caffeine! The TV commercial is right about one thing though. It shows how important mental concentration and focus are to achieving anything. Mental focus is important in the classroom too, whether it is instructor-led or in the virtual classroom. If you are an instructor you know how challenging it can be to control your learners’ focus and attention. There are so many potential distractions that can interfere with learning. Work conflicts, family issues, childcare emergencies, and smartphone problems are just a few examples. How are we trainers supposed to compete with all of these things and still ensure our employees leave our classrooms with the knowledge and skill they need to succeed on the job? We apply instructional techniques to control their focus and attention, that’s how! In our Instructional Techniques for New Instructors workshop we talk about these tips. They really work and I want to share some of them with you: When you want to focus the class on you, rather than on your slides or audio visual aids, blacken the screen or cover your flipchart items. When you want to help learners focus on your flipchart or white board information, stand to the left of the chart or white board. This way, after they focus on you, they can then easily scan your data from left to right. When you want to stop sidebar conversations, move near the offending participants and continue delivering your content. The other participants will then focus not only on you but on the chatting learners as well, making the chatters self-conscious and hopefully stopping their conversation. When you want the learners to have the limelight, sit down and have them stand up to strut their stuff! When you teach in the virtual classroom, call on people by name to keep them engaged and focused on your session. (Want to learn more about virtual training? Visit the Langevin website and consider attending our new course, The Virtual Trainer.) You can control the focus and attention of your participants just by employing these simple, yet effective instructional techniques! How do you keep your learners focused?

Written by: Paul In the world of training, what do you have without management support? Most of us would answer quite correctly, "Nothing." This is especially true if the management you’re talking about is first-line supervisory management, the person your learners report to. You can be as persuasive as possible in the classroom, but if the words we have all heard ("Yeah, that’s what they said in training, but let me show you how we do it here.") are spoken by the person who manages your learners, I know which way they’ll go. So how do you increase the likelihood of support for training? Here are a few tips: Ensure the training objectives are in line with the performance objectives of the supervisor. For example, if your training deals with handling customer complaints in a call center and the supervisor is expecting a de-escalation of customer complaints, you will most likely have that supervisor’s support. Seek top-down support for your training. If the supervisor’s manager sends out an email stating how important your training is and how it relates to the success of the manager, you have a persuasive argument from the supervisor’s manager. Identify the link between training and performance objectives. Even though you are a trainer, it’s not enough to design and deliver training well. You also need to market your training to your "true" customers; namely, those who pay for the training. It is the supervisors who will lose the productivity of their employees while they are in your classroom. Internal marketing material aimed toward the line supervisors should be part of your marketing plan. Involve line supervisors in the design team. Using subject-matter experts (SMEs) as part of your validation group brings valuable expertise to a project. Additionally, having them as part of the design team contributes to their personal buy-in to the training product. It also may contribute to buy-in from their colleagues. In your training materials, a personal "thanks" to those team members is a valuable pat on the back. Involve supervisors in the delivery of training. Using the supervisor as a SME, presenter, or coach during the training has the same effect as using them in the design team. Make sure supervisors are aware of the content of the training. "If an employee knows what it is they are supposed to do and how well they are supposed to do it, they will," is a saying often used in the world of performance improvement. This saying applies to supervisors as well. Inviting supervisors to the training or giving them a brief session or job aid covering the content of the training are ways of letting them know what their employees are supposed to be doing on the job. In essence you are giving the line supervisor a tool to help them do their jobs. Encourage supervisors to brief and debrief their employees. If a supervisor has a meeting with his or her employees before and after training, you will have a motivated learner. The meetings can cover things like the key take-aways from training and implementation challenges. Involve management in training evaluations. Let supervisors know that they may be contacted to find out how well the training worked for their employees. This will provide a degree of accountability for the supervisor as well as a sense of being part of the "process." "I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care." Using some of the tips listed above will show how much you care about the supervisors’ opinions and about their ability to influence what happens in the workplace. I will personally guarantee that if you implement any of these tips, you will get more return on investment for your training dollar.