Page 399 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 10 11/20/02 1:11 PM Page 388
388 The Creative Training Idea Book
I’ve never sought success in order to get fame and money;
it’s the talent and the passion that count in success.
—Ingrid Bergman
Actress

BRINGING YOUR SESSIONS TO A CLOSE

If you introduce new information right up to the scheduled ending time for a session
you are doing a disservice to your learners. Bringing your program to a formal end is
important for two reasons. The first is that you appear more organized and professional
if you pull together the program’s activities and summarize learning points. Consider
it the difference between wrapping a present for someone in nice paper and giving it
to them like that, or wrapping it and then adding a pretty ribbon and a bow. The first
option looks nice and the thought is probably appreciated; however, something likely
seems to be missing. That is how a training session without a proper closing can appear.
The closing becomes your ribbon and bow and brings together a nice image.
Think of how you have felt as a participant in sessions in which the trainer did not
close effectively. Perhaps the person delivered information right up to the scheduled
ending time for the program, then asked quickly, Are there any questions? There usu-
ally are not because people are ready to leave. As an afterthought the trainer may have
said, “Oh, I almost forgot, please take a few minutes to complete the session evaluation
that is being passed around now.” You and others probably put little effort into giving
evaluation feedback and left feeling less than fulfilled.
A more important reason for bringing formal closure to your session is that you
provide a structured vehicle for reinforcement of learning. By scheduling in adequate
time to review concepts, you assist participants to assimilate what they experienced. In
doing so, you can aid memory, recall, and ultimately the likelihood of transfer of learn-
ing to the workplace or other environments.
Closures are so crucial to the learning process that you should consider allocating
an average of 5–10 percent of session time for a review and closing rituals. For example,
in a 1-hour program, give approximately 5–10 minutes; in an 8-hour workshop, allow
45–50 minutes for closure.

ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE CLOSE

Many things can enhance the effectiveness of your program closure. There have been
volumes written on the topic by trainers and presenters over the years. By building the
following elements into your closing, you increase the chance of successfully drawing
all the learning pieces together and having participants actually use what they learned
later.