Page 38 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 01 11/20/02 11:27 AM Page 27
BRIGHT I DEA Brain-Based Learning 27
Enriching the Environment
hen planning training programs, you need to take into consideration how
Wyour environment will be set up. Ensure comfortable conditions by setting
the temperature at around 72° F; arranging chairs and tables in configurations that
allow interaction (e.g., U-shape, round, or rectangular patterns; having adequate
lighting throughout the room; providing a variety of color on walls, handouts, and
visual aids; having appropriate music available; and providing nutritional options
(e.g., water, cookies, fresh fruit, soft drinks, decaffeinated and regular coffee and
tea) (see Chapter 5).

ATTENTIVENESS

There are a number of key points during your sessions in which it is crucial for you
to gain attention. Some of these include the opening, and when introducing an ac-
tivity or providing directions, presenting key concepts, eliciting participant input or
feedback, and closing your presentation. Various research studies have examined
how learners focus on stimuli and subsequently process what was obtained. Based
on this research, you must not only quickly gain, but also hold attention, if you hope
to be successful in transferring information and having learning occur. In addition,
researchers have determined that the average person typically remembers the first
and last thing he or she experiences in a session. For that reason, your opening needs
to be dynamic, interactive, and have impact. You should also end on a high note
(e.g., interactive review using games, competition, or group activities that focus on
program concepts). Other options for gaining and holding attention include quotes
by famous people that relate to program content, humorous video clips (e.g., Mup-
pets; see Resources for Trainers in appendices), and post-tests following your session,
in the form of crossword or word search puzzles that contain key program terms and
concepts.
The average learner attention span is 15–20 minutes, depending on age, gender,
and background. This is demonstrated in everyday life through the way that marketers
place advertisements on television approximately every 15 minutes during a pro-
gram. Because learners, especially those in the United States and Canada, have been
conditioned by television through years of watching such cycles, they often have diffi-
culty staying on task for longer periods of time in other situations (e.g., classroom train-
ing). The speed and pace of life activities and technology have also influenced learner
behavior.