Page 233 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 06 11/20/02 12:21 PM Page 222
222 The Creative Training Idea Book
Miscellaneous Items
In addition to the items mentioned thus far, you can also use everyday materials to iden-
tify participant groups. Some of the more easily accessible are:
Colored paperclips attached to participants’ name tents. You can use either the jumbo
plastic type or the rubber-coated metal ones. Either works fine and can often be found
in a typical office supply cabinet.
Colored Post It® Notes stuck to name tents or simply placed at each participant’s
table area along with handout materials.
Poker chips of different colors placed at each participant location prior to their arrival.
Coins of different denominations (pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters). Plastic play
coins or play currency can also be used effectively to identify group members.
Color-coded handouts for easy participant grouping. When you produce handout
materials for your session, simply print the cover sheets in a variety of colors. You then
have automatically assigned groups based on where each person has chosen to sit.

Other Grouping Techniques
In addition to simply placing items or identifying people, you can also use some ran-
dom techniques that can tie directly into an activity. For example, you can put questions
or issues related to your topic inside small plastic colored eggs, the kind used at Easter.
Have an even number of each color and enough for all participants. Put the eggs in a
bag or bowl and pass it around. Each person takes one egg, thus identifying his or her
group assignment. He or she then opens the egg to determine what question or issue
he or she must present or offer within the group during the activity. This is also a great
interim review technique when the items inside the eggs are key issues presented up to
that point in the session.
A second technique for grouping people without the use of props is to write the
names of either flowers, sports, colors, cars, and so forth (ideally something related to
your session topic) on individual sheets of flip chart paper posted around the room.
There should be a sheet for each group needed for the activity. Next, starting with the
first person to your left, participants move in sequence to the various sheets of paper.
Once there, leaders and scribes are selected as indicated later in this chapter; then they
are given their assignments.
Another, more time consuming technique is to place numbered strips of paper in a
box, bag, or bowl prior to participant arrival. You will need a strip for each person. When
ready for an activity, have participants start counting at “1” and continue until each per-
son has a sequential number. You then randomly draw numbers one at a time to group
participants.
Another option is to place similarly colored toothpicks, marbles, pieces of wrapped
candy, pieces of ribbon, or other items (equal to the number of participants and groups
you need for an activity) into a container. Pass the container around the room and have
each person select one item. He or she is now assigned based on the color drawn.