Tip #222: Debunking Myths About Table Group Size

For some reason, many trainers and conference planners think that it doesn't matter how many people are seated at a table.

If the seating decision is based on the number that can fit around a table, the group can end up with 8 or 10 individuals. The law of diminishing returns applies when there are too many people at a table trying to discuss a topic. It is very difficult for people to hear each other or to have an opportunity to speak, both of which are very frustrating for the participants. Involving too many people defeats the entire purpose of a table discussion group.

There is another reason why limiting the number of people involved in a table discussion group is wise. Many years ago, Virginia Satir pointed out in her book People Making that just adding one more person to a conversation will increase the number of interpersonal connections geometrically.

For example, when there are two people talking to each other, there are two interactions: Person A interacts with Person B (1 connection) and Person B interacts with Person A (1 connection).

However, if we add another person to the mix so that we have three people communicating with each other, the number of interactions jumps to six: Persons A and B interact (2 connections). Persons A and C interact (2 connections). Persons B and C interact (2 connections).

Now, if we add a fourth person to the mix, the number of interactions jumps to twelve! Persons A and B interact (2 connections). Persons B and C interact (2 connections) Persons C and D interact (2 connections). Persons D and A interact (2 connections.) Persons A and and C interact (2 connections), and Persons B and D interact (2 connections).

The equation is [n squared minus n] , where n = the number of people.

With eight people, the number of potential interactions jumps to 56. [8 x 8 = 64 ø 8 = 56] With ten people, the number of potential interactions shoots up to 90!!!

So, what is the ideal size for a table discussion group? There should be an odd number, to ensure there is someone to break a tie. That odd number, as far as I'm concerned, should be five. Twenty potential interactions is plenty, don't you think?

Tip #221: Debunking Myths About PowerPoint as a Handout

A good participant handout or training manual includes everything the participant may need to refer to later: to refresh his or her memory, provide examples, give useful documentation, offer templates and job aids, and serve as a lasting written testament to the participant's earlier success in applying new concepts or skills on completed worksheets.

A copy of PowerPoint slides is NOT an adequate or effective participant handout.

There are five reasons why.

1. PowerPoint is an audiovisual aid. As such, it is intended to supplement or complement training. It can be very effectively used to emphasize key points and provide visuals or cartoons that reinforce those points. The actual training information belongs in a participant packet or manual. Nothing should be on a PowerPoint slide that isn't already in the participant manual.

2. If all the training information is on the PowerPoint slides, either there is too much writing on the slides or there are too many slides. If there is too much writing on the slides, that makes the slides very difficult to read. There should only be five or six key points. If there are too many slides with writing on them, the participants will be overwhelmed and fatigued.

3. Real participant materials include activity worksheets as well as supporting documentation. When participants can read, write, answer questions, test their knowledge and understanding, apply new concepts or techniques to case situations, jot down their answers and notes, interact, discuss, and review materials in a workbook, they have a terrific resource for future reference. A copy of PowerPoint slides, even one with a few slides to a page with a space for notes, is a very poor substitute because the information on the slides is rarely interactive and engaging.

4. Writing notes on a copy of a PowerPoint slide does not contribute to long-lasting learning and does not meet the needs of a variety of learning styles. Training designed around PowerPoint is generally lecture-based rather than participant-centered and interactive. The notes that participants write typically refer to what the lecturer says either in the presentation or in answer to questions.

5. There is no table of contents on a copy of PowerPoint slides to help participants find what they need easily and quickly. A well designed participant manual has a table of contents and all pages in the manual are numbered. Participants will refer again and again to a well organized participant manual that has useful information, examples, and worksheets.

Tip #220: Debunking Myths About Lecture #2

When there is a lot of information to cover, not even a fast-talking lecturer will be effective.

There are three reasons for this:

1. There is only so much information that learners can absorb at one time. Brain studies have found that participants can learn only 2-3 new and entirely unfamiliar items in a training segment. If the learning involves items that are familiar and meaningful to the learners, the number that participants can learn increases to 4-5 in a training segment. (Please bear in mind that a training segment is the amount of time necessary to teach the specific content to the desired level of learning. This period of time may be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or even an hour or more.)

2. Although there are many models of learning styles, they all indicate that aural learners (those who learn by listening) comprise only a portion of total learners. The remaining learning styles (visual, interactive, print, haptic, and kinesthetic, if we use the Perceptual Learning Styles Model) do not learn in this fashion.

3. Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience and Learning indicates that learners retain only 20% of what they hear two weeks after a lecture. It is not a particularly cost-effective training approach.

If the intent is merely to share information, then why not save everyone time and energy and simply mail (email or snail mail) them the information to read at their leisure?

If the intent is to ensure real learning, then reduce the amount of information. Focus on the key content and simply reference the additional nice-to-know but not essential information. Then break the lecture every five minutes or so to give the participants an interactive exercise (questionnaire, pop up, case study, discussion, simulation, demonstration, or question and answer) that engages them with the key content.

Tip #219: Debunking Myths About Lecture #1

There is a prevalent and very persistent proposition that lecture is the only practical training method to use with large groups.

There are two reasons why this belief is inaccurate.

1. The first and primary determinant of a training or learning method should be the desired level of learning. The size of the audience has absolutely no bearing on this decision. Unless the desired level of learning is knowledge, lecture is an inappropriate and ineffective method.

2. It is possible to use a variety of interactive learning methods, regardless of the audience size.

For example, a questionnaire can be used in a variety of ways. Participants can be asked to discuss the answers with someone seated next to them (for a paired discussion) or with participants seated in front and behind them (for a small group discussion). Volunteers from the pairs or the small groups can then provide their answers.

Or the trainer can ask the participants to indicate their answers to each statement with a thumbs up (if they agree) or a thumbs down (if they disagree). The trainer can then ask for volunteers to explain the rationale for their responses.

Worksheets, case studies, games and even hands on activities can be handled in this fashion.

It is not possible to have all pairs or groups report out their answers when there is a very large group. However, all participants can be engaged in discovering the answers and can evaluate their own effectiveness as they listen to volunteer report outs.

Tip #218: Training vs.

A participant in a recent training session objected to the term "training."He felt that training is something we do to others, while learning is something that learners do for themselves.

Since I am an English major, I went directly to the dictionary to check out the definitions. "Train"is defined as "to instruct so as to make proficient.""Instruct"is defined as "to teach or educate.""Teach"is defined as "to provide with knowledge or insight.""Educate"is defined as "to develop the knowledge, skill, or character of, especially by formal schooling."Training can, therefore, be further defined as providing a learner with knowledge or insight.

"Learning,"on the other hand, is defined as "the acquisition of knowledge or skill.""Acquire"is defined as "to gain by one's own effort."Learning, in essence, means gaining knowledge or skill by one's own effort.

Based on these definitions, a lecture would be a good example of a training method. We use a lecture to provide knowledge or insight that the learners do not already possess.

Any activity that requires the learner to expend effort to gain knowledge or skill would, based on these definitions, be a learning method. This would include art projects, discussions, case studies, questionnaires, role plays, games, and hands on exercises.

Some might say that this is merely a semantic difference. Who cares whether we call them training methods or learning methods?

But I think the difference is more substantive than semantic. Many people continue to hold on to the paradigm that lecture is the only method to use. Yet we know that learners have different learning styles that require methods other than lecture. Perhaps if we start to refer to these methods as learning methods instead of training methods, we will place the emphasis in the classroom where it properly belongs: on the learner rather than on the trainer.

I now refer to all methods as learning methods.

I would love to hear your take on this!

Tip #217: Training Best Practices #2

We are concluding our look at the application of five key categories of training best practices, ending with the last three categories:

Application of Training Best Practices: Learner Activities

3. Learner Centered

1. An in class mini needs assessment is conducted.

2. The focus is on the learner rather than the presenter.

3. It builds on the learners' prior learning or experience.

4. The training activities meets the needs of different learning styles.

4. Participatory Activities

1. There is a participant workbook for hands on activities to check learning and comprehension.

2. The learners are actively engaged in discovering answers.

3. There is a check for comprehension before leaving a key topic area.

4. There is an opportunity for the learners to practice what they've learned as they learn it.

Application of Training Best Practices: Learning Facilitation

5. Facilitation

1. The instructor validates the learners' involvement and responses.

2. The instructor makes transitional statements between sections.

3. The instructor ensures that all learners can see and hear.

4. The instructor provides breaks approximately every 50 minutes.