Page 174 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 05 11/20/02 12:13 PM Page 163
Creating a Stimulating Learning Environment 163

Appealing
to the
Senses

find quotes specific to your topic is that they should change each time you use the
room. This keeps participants interested whenever they come to training and also cre-
ates a stimulating environment for you. This is especially important if some participants
return on multiple days. You will want each day to be fresh and stimulating and to spark
a positive emotional reaction. Likewise, if you have a standard training room in your
organization, you may want to rotate the location of pictures or images hanging there.
Perhaps you can even keep a few extra pictures around for rotating or exchanging
images between rooms. These simple changes can generate thought in learners. Relate
this to rearranging the furniture in a room of your home to make it look different, or to
wearing different clothes each day of the week to project a variety of images. In doing
such things, your brain has to go through a conscious effort of cognition and reflection.
Since attention to detail says a lot about you and your ability, use a table setting in
a fine restaurant or at a formal dinner as a model for room setup. In such places, every-
thing is exactly placed and each setting is like the one next to it. Taking care of even small
details, such as checking for fingerprints on silver and glasses, ensures that a positive