TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING TRAINING PROGRAM

Guest and Kenney present the criteria influencing the design of training programme and list these influences as resources available, skills of trainer(s), types of trainees, principles of learning, learning objective and methods and media for learning.

The design and implementation of training is done by the trainer, but it will also involve others such as direct trainers, training institutions, departments and most importantly trainees. The design of training is a vital part of the Systematic Approach to Training.

Trainer will need to develop own approach to do the following :

Training is suitable to meet identified training needs

Collaborate with a variety of client organization to meet their requirements.

Use available resources effectively and efficiently.

Plan action for yourself and others.

Ensure a satisfactory outcome from the training.

BUILDING TRAINING DESIGN:Planning Training Session Involves:

Establishing learning Objectives.

Identifying the components to be covered in session.

Assemble specific methods and activities in designing.Learning objectives are statements of what we want learner to know, feel, or be able to do at the end of training. For example, the learning objectives for a training session on the principles of adult learning might be.

Learners will understand the basic principles of adult learning and be able to apply them by developing training strategies appropriate to different learners in a structured exercise.

Learners will be able to describe their own individual learning styles and the general styles of other learners; they will be able to vary their training methods so that they appeal to a variety of learners, not just with similar styles.Learning Components are statements of what will be covered in the training session. For the same session, components might be: Basic principles of Adult Learning: Relationship of principles to learners experience.

Discovery of Individual Styles.

Select training strategies to match learning styles

Experience in working with peers.A training design arranges specific methods and activities in order to accomplish the learning objectives. The training design for our example might look like this: Census: Learners are asked to remember times in their adult lives when they started to learn some new skill, and then abandoned it. They are asked to think about the factors that led to ceased learning, writing the factors individually on sheets of paper. The trainer takes a census of the factors and records them on newsprint. Trainer then asks learners to comment on the data about adult learner.

Flip Charts: Presentation of basic adult learner characteristics, differences between adults and children as learners and between teachers and trainers. Dunn and Dunn model of factors influencing adult learning. Flip Chart: Adult learning stage is explained.

Instrument: Participants are given McBer Learning Styles inventory. Flip Charts: Models of LSI are explained. Discussion: Participants discuss personal LSI with partners; trainer encourages community discussion after Partner discussions. Exercise: Participants are divided into small groups. Using LSI grid, this each draws on a flip chart, the group lists training strategies that would be appropriate with each of the learning styles represented .Trainer uses Gallery Technique to enable each group to present its ideas briefly to the community. Review: Trainer briefly reviews major points that have come up in the session.

TRAINING DESIGN PROCESSStep by Step process for developing a Training Program:

STEP 1: AWARENESS OF NEED:The trainer is made aware of the potential need for some form of training in variety of ways.

STEP 2: CONSULT WITH CLIENT: Whenever the training function is informed of stated training need, other than when it is obtained by the training manager who should have all details available. The first step is to go back to the client for a diagnostic probing interview to obtain as many details as possible. Trainer can then interpret a general statement of need and questions as exactly what, who, over what period is and is asked until the trainer is satisfied that sufficient information is held to provide the training intended.

STEP 3: SPECIFY SYMPTOMS. New requirement training the symptoms are that function X is required and therefore, the people concerned do not have skills X. Training for existing functions, which are not performed effectively, requires a diagnosis of the symptoms, which show what is going wrong.STEP 4: ANALYZE TRAINING NEEDS Armed with the knowledge that there is training need for which the symptoms new or existing have been determined, a final analysis of the training needs is undertaken.

Required skill- Existing Skill = Training Need

STEP 5: DEFINE EXISTING CAPABILITIES OF PROPOSED AUDIENCE AND DEFINE SELECTION CRITERIA:The course content should meet the needs of a median participant and include material, which would hopefully be of use to those participants above and below the median. Selection Criteria keeps participants close to median to make material relevant to each participant.

Example: At this stage, the Department of Public Enterprise establishes selection criteria for the participants in its course. A participant is expected to have had at least two years, experience in project appraisal or development. The trainee should have high level of skill in at least one area of project appraisal.

STEP 6: SELECT PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DEFINE SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES Classify different types and levels of learning are:

Knowledge: Simple access to information.

Skill : The ability to use the learning

Attitude: What we believe, our disposition towards knowledge and skills.

Types and levels of learning in mind when selecting program objectives. The specific learning objectives are more detailed statements of what a participant should know or should believe at the end of the course.

Consider following factors for selecting Program Objectives:

Determine needs of organization whether it is an operating, planning or financing organization.

Needs of participants, given their qualifications and degree of homogeneity or heterogeneity of the group as defined.

Consider constraints to accomplish program objectives like course length, lecturing staff, facilities and fund, types of courses which can be taught

Need for flexibility to change if participants changes.STEP 7: BUILD CURRICULUM (CONTENT AND SEQUENCE) The curriculum is the course calendar and it specifies the content and sequence of the subject matter. Initially, a calendar is developed, noting the topics of discussion for each session. A final curriculum is prepared at the end of the course, topics are grouped by seminar and complete reference information is included on the material covered.

Factors to be considered for calendar development:

Internationalization: Participants should be given opportunity for subconscious thought over time to relate the new material to past experience. Thus instructor should allow sometime between sessions on a certain topic but not so much that the participants lose their train of thought. Boredom Potential: Instructors favor splitting a subject up (rather than giving several consecutive sessions on the topic) in order to relieve boredom while providing time for internationalization.

Participants Culture Shock: As part of socialization process participants need to know one another in perspective. To accomplish this, it would be desirable to have several smaller group meetings to led the participants become acquainted in small primary groups. Another aspect of this process is to form relationship across regional or cultural lines.STEP 8: SELECT METHODS AND MATERIALS: There are various methodologies available to group leaders like lectures, discussions, cases, exercises, field trips, programmed teaching , packaging , role playing, workshops, games and post work or project workshop.

Methods and materials should be chosen to maximize learning for the participant subject matter and type of learning described

Retention is a critical factor of learning process. The greater the number of exposure the greater, the greater is the retention. For instance, on the first day, subject would be introduced in the seminar room with a short lecture, example, and discussion. On the second day, the participant has a reading and an exercise to be done at home. The following day, the exercise is reviewed in the seminar room, points already mentioned are amplified and new ideas are brought out. STEP 9: OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES (PHYSICAL, PERSONNEL, BUDGET, TIME)For a new program before physical and personnel can be obtained, budget must be secured. Then it is necessary to find adequate facilities and qualified staff.STEP 10: CONDUCT TRAINING:This is implementation phase. The first seven steps have been involved with defining and preparing the program. New materials should be tested before they are used in the class.

STEP 11: DECIDE THE EVALUATION METHODS:The minimum requirements for evaluation process:

Statement for Learning Requirement.

Level of skill of learners before training.

Methods to assess process during training.

Methods of validating training at the end of the event.

Long term approach to ensure learning is transferred to the job

STEP 12: PRODUCE THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS:Full considerations must be given to the most effective formats for the processes to be assessed. For example - For soft or subjective training it is necessary to design and use more subjective form of assessment.

STEP 13: INVOLVE LINE MANAGERS:At a late stage involve the line manager, who selects the learners- is responsible for their costs, and is the most important.

STEP 14: MAKE ENVIRONMENTAL PREPARATIONS:A training room and arrangements for the learners to study the learning package at work, keeping order and checking all the equipments making all the physical arrangements necessary to ensure the successful operation of the training.

STEP 15: LINE MANAGERS BRIEFING: The learners line manager should give pre-course briefing session with their learners. This will be followed by a discussion on personal and training objectives, attitudes and intentions.

STEP 16: PRETEST LEARNERS:This is the initial stage of the validation and evaluation process, determining the starting point for the training at what level of skill is the learners at this point.

STEP 17: END OF COURSE VALIDATION AND ACTION PLANNING. The end of course validation must be linked to the objectives and related to the test etc, made at the start of the event. In this way the extent and level of change can be assessed . The assessment can be in the form of tests, observed actions, testing activities or realistic questionnaires.

STEP 18: LINE MANAGERS DE-BRIEFING:The interview session between the line manager and the learner immediately following the training is even more essential than the pre-course briefing.

STEP 19: REVIEW OF VALIDATED TRAINING:Training validation must be analyzed to assess whether training has fulfilled its objectives or what is necessary to make it effective.

STEP 20: MEDIUM AND LONGER-TERM EVALUATION:The three-six-twelve month follow up with learners and line managers, looking at whether the learning is still being applied, give a measure of evaluation of the learning activity as whole.

CONSIDERATIONS IN DESIGNING EFFECTIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS: Selecting and Preparing the Training Site

The training site refers to the room where training will be conducted. A good training site offers following features:

It is comfortable and accessible.

It is quiet, private, free from interruptions.

It has sufficient space for trainers to move easily around in and has visibility for trainees to see each other, trainees, and any visual displays or examples that will be used in the training.

Seating Arrangements:

Seating arrangements at the training site should be based on an understanding of desired type of trainee interaction and trainee-trainer interaction.

Fan Type: Fan type seating is very conducive to allowing trainees to see from any point in the room. Trainees can easily switch from listening to a presentation to practicing in groups and trainees can communicate easily with everyone in the room. Fan type seating is effective for trainees working in group and teams to analyze problems and synthesize information. Traditional Class room: If training involves knowledge acquisition, with lecture and audio-visual presentation being primary training method used, traditional classroom type seating is appropriate. This method allows trainee interaction with the trainer but makes it difficult for trainees to work in teams. Conference type arrangements: It training emphasizes total- group discussion with limited presentation and no small group interaction a conference type arrangement is most effective. Horseshoe Arrangement: If training requires both presentation and total group instruction the horseshoe arrangement is used.

Selecting Trainers: Trainers are selected from inside and outside the company, should have expertise in the topic and experience in the training. Train the trainer programs are necessary for managers, employees and experts who may have content knowledge but need to improve presentation and communication skills, gain an understanding of the key components of the learning process or learn to develop lesson plan. When companies use in-house experts for training, it is important to emphasize that these experts convey training content in as concrete a manner as possible, especially if the audience is unfamiliar with the content.

HOW TRAINERS MAKE THE TRAINING SITE AND INSTRUCTION CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING: Creating a Learning Setting: Type of room, audio visual aids and large number makes it impersonal and leaves people feeling insignificant. Preparation: The content of the training program is to .Use mental and physical rehearsals to help build confidence and to evaluate the pace and timing of the material.

Classroom Management: The room for extra chairs, overflowing trash cans, and piles of materials left over previous training sessions.

Engaging Trainees: Communicate the topics that will be covered, the learning approach that will be used and expectations for trainees. One best way to gain traineess attention is to facilitate discussion from different places in the room.

Managing Group Dynamics: Arrange group so that they contain a mix of novices, experienced and expert trainees. Group should be arranged in a way that everyone in the group has a opportunity to contribute.

PROGRAM DESIGN:

Program design refers to the organization and coordination of the training program. A training program may include one or several courses. Each course may contain one or more lessons .Program design includes considering the purpose of the program as well as designing specific lessons within the program. Effective program design includes course parameters, objectives, lesson plan.

Course Parameters: The course parameters refer to general information about training program including the course title, description of the audience, statement of purpose, goals of the course, location, time, prerequisites and name of the trainer. The course parameters are based on the information obtained from the needs assessment.

The table below presents the course parameters for the performance appraisal feedback course. The course was designed for managers. The purpose of the course was to prepare managers to conduct effective performance appraisal feedback sessions with their subordinates.

Course TitleConducting an effective Performance Feedback Session.

Target AudienceManagers

PurposeTo prepare managers to conduct effective performance feedback sessions with their direct reports

GoalsManagers will be able to conduct a performance feedback session using the problem solving approach

Total Time1 day

No. of Participants Per session20-25

LocationsVarious

PrerequisitesNone

InstructorCaroline O Connel

Objectives: Program Objectives are broad summary statements of the purpose of the program. Course objectives or lesson objectives, relate to goals of the course or lesson. These objectives are more specific than the program objectives in terms of the expected behaviors, the content, the condition and the standards. The Detailed Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan is designed for program lasting a day, a week and several hours. If training takes place over several days, separate plan is made for each day. Detailed Lesson Plan translates the content and sequence of training activities into guide which helps trainer. Lesson Plan includes the sequence of activities that will be conducted in training session and identifies administrative details.Sample of Lesson Plan

Course Title: Conducting a Effective Performance feedback SessionLesson Title: Using Problem Solving style in feedback interview.

Lesson Length: Full Day.Learning Objective: Demonstrate the Eight key behaviors in an appraisal feedback role play without error.Target Audience: Managers.

Room Arrangement: Fan Type.

Material and Equipment: VCR, Projector, Role Play Exercise

Evaluation and Assignments: Role Play, Read Article Conducting Effective Appraisal

InterviewsLesson OutlineInstructor ActivityTrainee ActivityTime

IntroductionPresentationListening 8-8.50 AM

View videos of three styles Watching8.50-10 AM

Break10-10.20AM

Discussion of strength and

weaknesses of each styleFacilitatorParticipation10.20-11.30

Lunch11.30-1 pm

Presentation of 8 key

behaviors of problem solving PresentationListening1-2 PM

Role PlaysWatch ExercisePractice using key behaviors2-3PM

Wrap- upAnswer QuestionsQuestions3-3.15 PM

FEATURE OF EFFECTIVE LESSON PLAN:Learning Objective What is the lesson designed to accomplish?

What is the standard for successful learning?

Target Audience: Who is in the lesson? What are the characteristics of the audience?

Prerequisite What will trainees need to be able to do before they can benefit from the course?

Who is qualified to be an instructor?Time: How much time is devoted to each part of the lesson?

Lesson Outline What topics will be covered? In what sequence?Activity What will trainees and instructors role be during each topic covered?

Support Materials What materials equipment is needed for delivery of instruction or to facilitate instruction

Physical Environment Is a certain size or arrangement of room necessary?

Preparation: Do the trainees have homework that needs gto be completed before the lesson?

What the instructor need to do?

Lesson Topic: What topic is the lesson going to cover?

Evaluation How will learning be evaluated?

Transfer and Retention What will be done to ensure that training content is used on the job?

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