Tip #352: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: It’s All in the Preparation

“It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.” Donald Rumsfeld

Being prepared should be part of the trainer’s code when it comes to audiovisuals. If you don’t avoid these four mistakes, you are likely to have a lot of trouble and frustration when you try to use your audiovisuals.

Mistake #1: Not checking and preparing equipment

All trainers have stories about audiovisual equipment that didn’t work. Get to the training room early enough to make sure that everything works properly and has the correct connectors, wires and remotes. To be safe, bring your own remote with extra batteries and, when possible, your own extension cord with the number of plug-ins you will need. Practice using the remote. Check any extension cords to make sure that they are flat on the floor and not a tripping hazard for you or the participants. Bring wide masking tape so that you can tape the cords to the floor if the training facility does not provide plastic mats that cover the cords.

Mistake #2: Not checking sight lines

There is no point in using audiovisual aids if all of the participants cannot see them. Once the training room is set up with tables, chairs, flip charts, screen, LCD stand, or whatever furnishings and equipment you use, make sure to check sight lines from each chair. In larger rooms, you may need to project higher on a wall so that participants in the back of the room can see the entire slide. You may need to write only on the top half of flip charts for the very same reason, because participants in the back may not be able to see the bottom half of the chart.

Mistake #3: Not preparing markers

It is an unhappy reality that flip chart markers easily dry out. If the participants or you forget to securely close the cap on the markers, they dry out even faster. As a result, it is wise to check your markers to see if the ink still flows freely before each training session. It is also wise to have a backup set of markers. This way, you will be prepared if a marker dries out during the session.

Mistake #4: Not having the right adhesives

Every trainer who travels should have a kit with painter’s masking tape, poster putty, stick pins and straight pins. Many hotel and conference rooms use dividing walls with nubby fabric on them. Even if the flip chart pages are self-sticking, certain smooth wall surfaces will still require that you use masking tape to make sure the pages stay up on the walls. Your kit will ensure that you will be prepared for any wall surface.

It just takes a little pre-planning to avoid these four mistakes so that you are able to use your audiovisuals easily and effectively. In next week’s Tip, we will look at four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #351: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: It’s All in the Presentation

“When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.” Paul “Bear” Bryant

The misuse of audiovisuals can seriously detract from an effective training. Avoid these four mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not removing or turning off AV

We consciously use audiovisuals to focus the participants on a key point or picture. However, we forget that, unless we remove the flip chart or turn off the PowerPoint, that is where their focus will remain. When the audiovisual has served its purpose, remove it or turn it off. Flip the page on the flip chart easel or use a computer key or remote to blacken the screen until you need the next slide.

Mistake #2: Staying anchored to the projected AV

In this day and age, there is absolutely no reason why a trainer needs to continually stand close to the projector or computer. There are lots of inexpensive remote controls on the market. A trainer who is tied to the audiovisual equipment is just as static and uninteresting to watch as a trainer who is tied to a lectern. Besides, it is pretty difficult to physically engage with participants when you can’t move.

Mistake #3: Placing all content on the AV

If all of the training content is really on the PowerPoint, then there are two basic conclusions to make. First, either there are a lot of slides or the font size is too small to read and the slide is too filled with text. Second, there is no real need for a trip to a training room. Save travel costs, cancel the training and simply mail the PowerPoint out to the participants.

Mistake #4: Keeping the room lights dim

Yes, we want the participants to be able to see any projected audiovisuals. Yes, dimming the lights can make those projections easier to see on the screen. But there are three problems if you keep the room dim. First, if the participants are only expected to sit and watch the screen without taking notes, they will easily fall into a relaxed mode and possibly nod off. Second, the energy in the room will dissipate quickly. Third, if the participants are expected to take notes, they won’t be able to see. So find a happy medium. If possible, just dim the row of lights directly in front of the screen. If that is not possible, make sure that the projected audiovisual can be clearly seen in full light.

Avoiding these four mistakes and improving how the audiovisuals are presented should improve the participant’s learning experience. In next week’s Tip, we will look at four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #350: Avoid Mistakes When Using Audiovisuals in Training: Don't Misuse Them

“Experience is the name we give to our mistakes.” Oscar Wilde

Trainers have a plethora of audiovisual options from which to choose. Some trainers don’t realize that there is more to life than PowerPoint. They also overuse or misuse audiovisuals. Here are four mistakes that trainers should avoid.

Mistake #1: Consistently using AV to entertain rather than educate

Trainers who flash through a large number of funny but irrelevant slides are wasting precious training time in the same manner that a trainer who begins a session by telling lots of jokes that have nothing to do with the training itself.

If you are a trainer, your mission is to educate. It is just fine to make your training program entertaining, but make sure that the audiovisuals you use relate to and do not detract from the training content. For example, if you use accelerated learning techniques, you might have a slide or cartoon that relates to the metaphor for the training, such as a photo of people white water rafting for a stress management class. You may use entertaining photos, animations or cartoons that reinforce a key point.

But please don’t use so many bells and whistles with your PowerPoint slides that the participants are focused more on the movement of the text than the content of the text.

Mistake #2: Reading the AV with your back to group

There are four things wrong with this picture. First, it is never a good idea to have your back to the participants. It is typically not our most appealing side. Second, when you face away from the group, it breaks contact with the participants. Third, it makes it hard to hear your voice. Fourth, there should only be a few key points up on the screen. So if you have to read the slide, there is probably too much content on it.

Mistake #3: Not using audiovisuals to supplement a lecture

If you are giving a lecture (or better yet, a lecturette), then the reason should be that you have information none of the participants possess. That being the case, you will be providing new learning that needs to accommodate different learning styles. The aural learners will be very happy with the lecture. However, without text, color and/or pictures to view, the visual learners will be left wanting. So make sure to use audiovisuals to supplement your lectures.

Mistake #4: Not using flip charts effectively

Flip charts are wonderful audiovisual aids when they are used properly. Write large, using colors easy to see, such as blue, purple, black, or dark green. Make sure that each page has a title, because we typically use flip charts when we want to retain and post key information.

Use a page for only one topic. Do not save paper by writing different topic points on the same page, even if there is plenty of extra room on the page. It will confuse the participants. Consider jazzing up the flip chart by using colorful markers to create a frame. Try holding two different colored markers in one hand as you frame the page.

Avoiding these four mistakes and using audiovisuals properly should improve your training delivery and presentation. In next week’s Tip, we will add four more mistakes to avoid when using audiovisuals.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #349: Avoid Mistakes When Timing Learning Activities, Part Two

"Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied." Pearl Buck

There are ten mistakes that trainers frequently make when they plan and schedule time for learning activities. We considered the first five mistakes in last week’s Tip. This Tip discusses the remaining five mistakes.

Mistake #6: Not Building In Extra Time

Learning activities will rarely take the same amount of time with every group. It is important to build in some extra time so that you will be able to handle unanticipated questions or issues and still accomplish the scheduled activity. It is wise to budget for an extra 15-30 minutes for each activity. It is better to have the time available than to come up short. If the extra time is not needed for the activity, you can always fill it with additional discussion or (the ever popular) end early.

Mistake #7: Not Adapting an Activity to the Time Available

What do you do if you need 50 minutes for an activity, but something [an extended group discussion or a classroom management issue] ends up reducing the time available to 15 minutes? Clearly, the lesson design process determined that this activity was necessary and appropriate. It is better to adapt the planned activity to the shorter timeframe than to throw out the activity. For example, instead of having small groups discuss and report out their conclusions, you can conduct a large group discussion. Instead of small groups discussing a questionnaire, you can read the questions and have the participants signal whether they agree or disagree with the statements. You can then ask representative participants to explain the reason behind their signaled answers.

Mistake #8: Not Building in Time for Breaks

Brain studies have shown that people need breaks approximately every 50 minutes. Otherwise, their brains get saturated and the individuals get exhausted. It is very convenient if the content and learning activities fit neatly into 50- minute modules. But if they don’t, figure out how to split the content and activities in a reasonable place so the participants can take their breaks. For example, explain an activity, assign it and have the participants complete it. Then give a break. After the break, the participants can discuss or debrief the activity.

Mistake #9: Thinking That Participatory Activities Take Too Much Time

First of all, participatory activities are necessary to achieve any learning level higher than knowledge. It is true that some activities require more time than others. However, there are many different brief activities that can accomplish the same learning level. For example, if you want to check participant comprehension, you can use one-minute pop ups or shout outs, five-minute competitive brainstorming or signaled answers to a questionnaire, or ten-minute relay races.

Mistake #10: Not Leaving Enough Time for Closing Activities

There are at least three closing activities that should occur before the end of a workshop. First, there should be some activity that checks for participant comprehension of key content [such as a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet or a quiz game].

Second, there should be sufficient time for the participants to complete a [hopefully simple] workshop evaluation. Third, there should be some general summary [such as individual report-outs of their key take-aways or concluding comments from the instructor].

Avoiding these five mistakes should reduce stress for both the trainer and the participants!

Special Announcement: Our four-day Train the Trainer: Designing and Delivering Dynamic Learning is now scheduled for January 11-14, 2011 in Madison, Wisconsin. There are discounted rates for early bird registration and ASTD members. The brochure with registration form is posted on our website: http://www.laurelandassociates.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (608) 255-2010.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #348: Avoid Mistakes When Timing Learning Activities, Part One

"If you have made a mistake, cut your losses as quickly as possible." Bernard Baruch

There are ten mistakes that trainers frequently make when they plan and schedule time for learning activities. We will consider the first five mistakes in this Tip and cover the remaining five mistakes in next week’s Tip.

Mistake #1: Not Telling Participants How Much Time They Have

The best way to keep an activity on schedule is to tell the participants how much time they will have to complete it. Then project a countdown clock on the screen, so they can track their own progress. [Basic countdown clocks are available for free on the Internet]. Since the time you give them is simply an educated guess on your part, you can always increase or decrease the amount of time if necessary and tell the participants the adjusted time frame.

Mistake #2: Allowing Too Much Time for Simple Small Group Discussion

Experience has shown that small groups who have more than eight minutes to complete simple discussion activities, such as a brief questionnaire or a brainstorming activity, will do one of two things. Either they will take an extra break or they will start personal conversations that have nothing to do with the training content. A basic rule of thumb is 8 minutes. If you unobtrusively monitor their activity and listen to their discussions, you will know if they really need more time.

Mistake #3: Allowing Too Little Time for Active Application Activities

The timeframe for active application activities, such as case studies, role-plays or simulation activities, typically needs to incorporate enough time for at least five different elements. First, time to introduce the activity and prepare the participants, such as moving them into different or smaller groups, providing special handouts, or briefing participants who will play certain roles during the activity. Second, time for the participants to read the relevant materials and gather their thoughts. Third, time for the actual activity. Four, time for group report-outs. Five, time to discuss the groups’ general conclusions and summarize their key learning. [Keep in mind that elements four and five may be reversed if the members of the small groups debrief among themselves before they report out to the larger group.]

Mistake #4: Not Giving Time to Reflect Before Brainstorming Activities

Some learners will jump right into a brainstorming activity. Others need time to reflect before they are ready to participate. Make sure to give some time for the participants to collect their thoughts before beginning the brainstorming. If you don’t, some individuals will always participate verbally and others will be silent.

Mistake #5: Omitting Debriefing Time After Activities

After participants work through an activity, they need time to reflect and create their own theories and then articulate them. It is not enough to assign an activity, such as a role-play, and assume the participants learned what they needed to learn through the practice. Debriefing not only gives the participants an opportunity to hear their own thoughts about the practice, but also to learn from others’ experiences.

When planning how much time to allot to a learning activity, it helps to keep David Kolb’s learning cycle in mind: Experiencing, Reflecting, Theorizing, Experimenting. It also helps to remember that different learners are more comfortable at one stage than at another.

Special Announcement: Our four-day Train the Trainer: Designing and Delivering Dynamic Learning is now scheduled for January 11-14, 2011 in Madison, Wisconsin. There are discounted rates for early bird registration and ASTD members. The brochure with registration form is posted on our website: http://www.laurelandassociates.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (608) 255-2010.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #347: Avoid Seven Mistakes When Organizing Participant Materials

“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.” Douglas Adams

How the participants’ materials are organized will have a direct impact on the ease in which they are able to locate desired documents both during and after the training program.

Mistake #1: Omitting a Table of Contents.

Trainers hope that their training content is relevant and useful to the participants. Facilitating the participants’ ability to locate specific pages or information would be in everyone’s best interests. The easiest way to do this is with a Table of Contents that identifies the page number for each titled page.

Mistake #2: Not Binding the Materials.

There is nothing so frustrating and time consuming (for both trainer and participants) as participants having to shuffle through paper trying to locate a specific page. It really doesn’t matter if it is stapled, paper clipped, or three-hole punched and in a binder. Just make sure the pages are in order (and all of the pages are there).

Mistake #3: Overlooking Space for Note Taking.

Some participants prefer to take notes. That is how they learn. So meet their need by providing space. There are many ways to accomplish this: leave space intended for note taking and answers on worksheets; leave the back of the previous page blank; use extra large margins or double spacing so there is room for notes; or simply provide blank pages that the participants can insert into their materials.

Mistake #4: Not Separating Key Chapters.

The best way to help participants navigate their training materials when the training is more than one day is to separate the key chapters or content. This can be done with tabs in a binder and/or different colored pages.

Mistake #5: Using Binders Without Pockets.

In lieu of the need to keep a three-hole punch available at all times, it is wise to plan ahead and make sure that, when using a binder, it has pockets in the front and/or in the back. These pockets are easy catch-alls for additional handouts and note pages.

Mistake #6: Not Placing the Title on the Spine of the Binder.

A binder is of little use if it is not easily found in a bookcase. The best way to accomplish this is to make sure that the binder has a slipcase on the front (to slip in a copy of the title page for the training) and on the spine (to slip in basic information, such as the training title and date).

Mistake #7: Not Printing Extra Copies.

It doesn’t matter what quality control for printing is in place, make sure to print extra copies of participant materials. Invariably, someone will be missing a page or a section. If you have extras, you can easily remedy that situation.

Avoiding these seven mistakes will help to ensure that the participants have a ready reference to guide them as they apply their new skills both inside and outside of the classroom.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah

Tip #346: Avoid Eight Mistakes When Creating Participant Materials

“I don't want to make the wrong mistake.” Yogi Berra

When you really think about it, what is most useful for a participant to take from a training program? A good job aid certainly comes to mind. What about a recipe for success? In other words, how about a workbook or handbook that provides examples and worksheets that walk the participant through the process or procedure under discussion?

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This might be true, but I doubt it pertains to Power Point slides unless those pictures are labeled for future reference.

Let me be clear. My bias is that participants need to be actively engaged in learning and applying new skills. Therefore, it follows that their materials should be organized and formatted to support their current involvement and future review.

There are eight common and easily avoidable mistakes that training designers make when developing participant materials.

Mistake #1: Copying PowerPoint Slides

PowerPoint slides can be very helpful when used to emphasize a key point through a bullet, picture or comic strip. However, training that is predicated on having the participants take notes on copies of the PowerPoint slides is doomed to be ineffective.

First, if the real meat of the training is actually written on the slides, then the slides are too information-heavy to read and to follow. The participants need written reference pages to which they can refer in the future.

Second, relying on participants to take notes is a catch as catch can proposition. Unless they have their own shorthand, they are likely to miss key information. Again, this problem is eliminated if the participants have reference materials to follow or informational worksheets to fill in the blanks.

Third, information that is printed on PowerPoint slides can, at most, provide knowledge and pose questions to check for participant comprehension. If the object of the training program is to develop observable skills, the participants need to be able to apply what they have learned in a practice session during the training. For this, they need written instructions, guidelines and job aids, and then time to reflect on what they have learned, ideally by writing down and discussing their conclusions.

Mistake #2: Not Numbering Pages.

It may seem obvious, but numbering the pages in a participant manual or handout is the only way to ensure that everyone can quickly and easily locate the desired page.

Mistake #3: Not Titling Pages

Placing titles on pages helps direct the participants’ attention to the topic at hand. The title should serve as a label for the content included on the page.

Mistake #4: Placing Too Much Information on a Page.

There are four problems with this. First, if participants are reading, they are not listening to the trainer. Second, if there is too much information, it is difficult for participants to isolate the key information. Third, the eye can get easily tired after reading a lot of text. Fourth, if it is too much work to read all of the information, participants may tune out in frustration.

Mistake #5: Not Enough White Space.

Each page in the participant manual should be easy to scan. A wider margin (at least 1 inch on either side of the page) assists with this. So does space between paragraphs or items in a list.

Mistake #6: Not Emphasizing Key Information.

Participants need something to focus their attention. It is very helpful when key words or phrases are bold or italicized or underlined. Just don’t get carried away and emphasize everything.

Mistake #7: Using Small Type Sizes.

The only reason to use a small type size is to fit more information on a page, which we already know if not wise. Our mantra should be less rather than more when it comes to information. But in deference to tired, aging, and poorly sighted eyes, make sure to use a type size that is easy to read. That means at least 12 point, although 14 point is a personal preference.

Mistake #8: Using a Serif Font.

It may be a personal preference, but it seems that sans serif fonts (such as Ariel or Calibri) are much easier to read than the serif fonts (Courier or New York). This is primarily due to the fact that the letters in sans serif fonts seem more distinct and clear.

Quite simply, the pages in participant materials need to be written and formatted in such as way as to make key information easy to access and easy to read.

May your learning be sweet.

Deborah