Page 205 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

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194 The Creative Training Idea Book
Learners are subconsciously encouraged to participate.
Allows eye contact among group members.
Disadvantages
Potentially limits the number of participants.
Visual aid usage is eliminated. This could be a challenge and loss for visual learners and
people with hearing impairments.

Variations
Rounds Style Seating (with Tables) (Figure 5-12)
This alternative to circular style seating provides an opportunity to add learners and to
have them participate in small groups. If you will be doing a large amount of facilitation
from the front of the room, reduce the number of chairs and place them in a crescent
configuration on the sides of tables that face the front of the room. This precludes any-
one from having to turn around to view you or audiovisual aids, and thus losing their
writing surface.

Hollow Square and Solid Square Style Seating (with Tables) (Figure 5-13)
This configuration uses rectangular tables in two different variations and offers the same
advantages and disadvantages as the circular style seating configuration.

FIGURE 5-13. Hollow square and solid square
FIGURE 5-12. Rounds style seating (with tables) style seating (with tables)