Unit 5: Developing the Training Program ©SHRM 2009

Unit 5, Class 1: Developing a Training Program Learning Objectives By the end of this unit, students will: Develop training content following instructional system design. Develop training content to attain the learning objectives. Scope and sequence content according to the objectives. Describe various logical sequencing techniques. Develop a lesson plan. Create appropriate visuals for presentation. Objectives for this section of the course ©SHRM 2009

Program Design Program design is the organization and coordination of the training program. For learning to occur, training programs require: Meaningful material. Clear objectives. Opportunities for practice. Feedback. Successful training is based on understanding the needs of the learners. The needs assessment should have clearly identified who the learners are, what their objectives are for training, what skills they already have, and what skills they may be lacking. Ideally, some of the clients (learners) should be involved in the design process. No matter how good the training is, if it doesn’t fit the skill level and the needs of the learners, it will not be successful. For learning to occur, training programs must contain material that is meaningful to the learners and be based on clear, measurable, learner-centered objectives. The design of training must include opportunities for the learners to practice their new skills and to receive feedback on their progress. Noe, R.A. (2008). Employee Training & Development, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill Irwin, 155. ©SHRM 2009

Program Design Effective program design includes: Course parameters. Entry skills and behaviors. Course objectives. Program objective. Learning objectives. Assessment of learning objectives. Detailed lesson plan. Structure and sequence of training. Evaluation. The design of the training program begins with the decisions made in the needs analysis and ends with a model for the training program. Course parameters describe general information about the program, such as course title, audience, prerequisite skills, purpose of the course, location, time, name of trainer and any other details that trainees need to know. Course objectives were determined in the needs assessment process. A program objective is a broad statement of the purpose of the course. Learning objectives relate to the learning goals established earlier. It is also important to determine how the learning objectives will be assessed. What will the learner do to demonstrate that learning has been accomplished? The lesson plan will identify the content and sequence of activities that are to occur during training. It is used as a guide by the trainer during delivery of training. Lesson plans ensure that both the trainer and the learners are aware of the program objectives. It also ensures consistency of training even when the training program is repeated and facilitated by a different trainer. ©SHRM 2009

Content Derivation http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat3.html 7/27/2019 Content Derivation Objectives identified in the design phase are used to derive content. Objectives also drive the assessment and the evaluation of student learning. The learning objectives should be a direct reflection of the conditions, behaviors and standards of the performance needed in the real world. The evaluation at the end of the instruction should match the objective as well. The training methods and contents of the learning program should directly support the achievement of performance objectives. The instructional media must be designed to facilitate the learning process. For example, a learning objective may read: At the completion of the training cycle, the trainee will safely load a full pallet of merchandise into a trailer by use of a forklift. Learning activities: Cognitive domain: Read and study the forklift operator’s manual. Read and study safety procedure manual. Psychomotor domain: Practice driving the forklift. Practice loading pallets. Receive feedback on driving and loading. Affective domain: Practice skills until activities can be done with a level of confidence. Actions demonstrate safety consciousness. Evaluation: The learner will demonstrate forklift driving and loading of pallets with no safety errors. Source: Don Clark, www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat3.html. http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat3.html ©SHRM 2009

Evaluate Student Learning Develop tests for student evaluation: Link evaluation to learning objectives. Evaluation must simulate conditions of performance in the real world. Evaluation provides student feedback. Evaluation aids in learning. At this point, it’s time to determine how student learning will be evaluated. It may seem that tests and evaluation should be developed at the end of the process after all courseware and instructional material has been developed. But remember, the purpose of evaluation is to promote learning. The evaluation must test the learner’s ability to accomplish the learning objective. Testing will provide feedback to the learner, and it should measure whether the desired behavior changes have occurred following the training. Just as the learning objective must simulate the conditions of performance in the real world, the evaluation test should do the same. The instructional material is then designed to explain, demonstrate and provide the student with practice. When students learn, they can then perform the test, meet the established objective and perform in the real world. The learning objectives are the focal point of the whole process. ©SHRM 2009

Evaluate Learning Domains Criterion-referenced test: Cognitive domain. Performance test: Psychomotor domain. Attitude survey: Affective domain. There are several varieties of evaluation tests that could be used. Most commonly used in training programs are criterion-referenced written tests, performance-based tests and attitude surveys. Each of the three types of tests is used to assess learning in one of the three learning domains. Criterion-referenced tests evaluate the cognitive domain of learning. This includes recall of facts, procedures and concepts. This is most often done with a written test. A true-and-false test is an example of a criterion-referenced test usually used to evaluate cognitive learning. A performance test is given to evaluate the psychomotor domain, which involves physical movement and coordination. This is often a skill-based test. A timed keyboarding test would be a performance test. An attitude survey evaluates the affective domain, which addresses the manner in which learners deal with things emotionally. As attitudes are not observable, a representative behavior must be observed and measured instead. For example, it is impossible to measure if a person’s motivation has improved, but we can observe behavior changes that might indicate a change in motivation. Behavior changes such as being on time, working well with others and increased cooperation may indicate that motivation has improved. ©SHRM 2009

Developing Content: Scope and Sequence 7/27/2019 Developing Content: Scope and Sequence SEQUENCE S C O P E Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4 Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 4 Scope and sequence must be considered when developing content. Scope refers to the extent to which the content should be covered. How much content should be included in the training? What level of detail is necessary? The objectives identified in the design phase provide the means of determining the answers to the questions below: How deep? How broad? How much? How detailed? How long? Sequencing determines the most efficient order in which to present the curriculum to the learners. A proper sequence provides the learners with a pattern of relationship so that each activity relates to the overall framework and will have a definite purpose. The organization of the information will depend on the type of information presented. ©SHRM 2009

Sequence Job performance order. From simple to complex. Critical sequence. Known to unknown. Dependent relationship. Supportive relationship. Cause to effect. There are a number of logical ways content can be sequenced. Proper sequence makes the content more meaningful for the learner and, thus easier, to learn. Sequence will be determined by the material presented and the skill level of the learners. Job performance order: Sequence is in the same order as performed on the job. Simple to complex: Sequence is ordered in terms of increasing complexity starting with the simplest. Critical sequence: Objects are ordered in terms of their relative importance. Known to unknown: Familiar topics are presented first before the unknown. Dependent relationship: Learning builds on previous knowledge. Mastery of one objective requires prior mastery of another. Supportive relationship: There are common elements between the objectives so transfer of learning takes place from one objective to another. Cause to effect: Objectives are sequenced from cause to effect. Source : Don Clark, www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat3.html. ©SHRM 2009

Lesson Plan Lesson plan overview. Detailed lesson plan: Course title. Lesson title. Lesson length. Learning objectives. Target audience. Prerequisites. Room arrangement. Materials and equipment needed. Evaluation and assignments. Wrap-up. The lesson plan overview is a snapshot of the major activities of the training with time indicated for breaks and wrap-up. It helps the trainer determine the amount of time needed for each topic covered in the program. The detailed lesson plan is really a roadmap for the trainer. It ensures both the trainees and the trainer are aware of the course and program objectives. It identifies the target audience, the sequence of content, the learning activities, evaluation and wrap-up. ©SHRM 2009

Write a Lesson Plan for Your Project Work on student projects. ©SHRM 2009

Unit 5, Class 2: Visual Aids and Training Activities Visual aids should: Enhance the presentation. Summarize main points. Add variety. Be simple and clear. Have lasting effect. Illustrate and reinforce complex ideas or concepts. Used poorly, visual aids can be a distraction to an ineffective presentation. Done well, visual aids can enhance learning material. Done poorly, they are distracters and create obstacles to learning. Source: Silberman, M. (2006). Active Training, A handbook of Techniques, Designs, Case Examples, and Tips. Pfieffer, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 252-254. Additional information about how to create PowerPoint presentations can be found at: http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RC011298761033. www.actden.com/pp/. www.uwec.edu/help/PPoint03/basics.htm. www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line_powerpoint.htm. www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html  ©SHRM 2009

Visual Aids Examples PowerPoint slides. Overhead transparencies. Graphs and charts. Pictures. Films and video. Flip charts. Sketches. There are a number of visual aids that can be used to enhance a presentation. Your choice of visuals will depend on the nature of the material being presented, the audience and the available media. ©SHRM 2009

Handouts Handouts can be used for many purposes: Summary of material. To extend information beyond what is presented. To allow participation during the seminar. To involve participants. Follow-up material. Handouts are used when the learners desire a hard copy of material presented or when they need additional material beyond what is in the presentation. They are most commonly used when the trainer wants the students to have follow-up material to reinforce the learning after the training is over. Source: Microsoft, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA012111521033.aspx. ©SHRM 2009

PowerPoint Basics Use a template. Use a set font and color scheme. Different styles are disconcerting to the audience. Too much variety in a PowerPoint presentation is distracting to the audience. Use a template to keep the layout and style as consistent as possible. The audience should be able to focus on the presentation and not on the style of presentation. ©SHRM 2009

Appropriate Composition One major concept per slide. Heading for every slide. Simple and balanced slides. Slides need to be simple – one concept per slide. If there is too much material on the slide, learners will be so busy reading the slides that they won’t be listening to the presenter. Source: Silberman, M. (2006), 253. ©SHRM 2009

Maximizing Visibility Text must be large enough to be visible. (this is a 28 point Arial font). This is BOLD. For comparison, this is a 14 point Times New Roman font. Do not make transparencies directly from pages in books, reports or papers unless they can be enlarged. Use appropriate font sizes for visibility of presentations. Use appropriate colors. Many experts suggest that a dark blue or black background works best for presentations in large rooms. Dark letters against a light background are best for smaller rooms and for teaching. Avoid red-green combinations to accommodate red-green colorblind people. ©SHRM 2009

Use of Text (6x6 Rule) Outline of talk only. Use 6X6 rule: ≈ 6 lines per slide and 6 words to line. Full sentences not necessary. Remove articles (the, a, an). Illustrate concepts where possible. Use text appropriately on your slides. Follow the 6 X 6 rule: six lines per slide and six words per line. If you use more, the slide becomes cluttered and is detrimental to the presentation. Remember, your slides are an outline of your presentation, they should not include every word you plan to say. If you wish, you may include the whole talk in the speaker’s notes that are then provided to the participants as a handout. Use bullet points – full sentences are not necessary unless using a quotation. Delete articles (the, a, an). If concepts can be illustrated with images or visuals, use them in addition to the words, or if possible, instead of words. Use of some images adds interest to the presentation, but too many visuals look cluttered. Source: Silberman, M. (2006). ©SHRM 2009

Fonts Choose a font that is easy to read. 7/27/2019 Fonts Choose a font that is easy to read. Roman and gothic typefaces are easier to read than Script or Old English. Do not use more than one or two font types. Avoid getting carried away with fonts, colors, and text sizes. Ensure that your chosen font is readable. Fancy scripts, all capitals or strange colors are difficult to read and detract from the presentation. ©SHRM 2009

The Color Wheel Remember the color wheel--it will help you determine which colors work together or against each other. Source: www.wiu.edu/users/sew100/itt351Project/ColorWheel.html. For color information in PowerPoint, see: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA010120721033.aspx. www.indezine.com/articles/colorpalette.html. ©SHRM 2009

Colors Contrasting or complementary colors are those separated by another color. Adjacent colors (next to each other) harmonize. Colors that are directly opposite from one another are said to clash. Reds and oranges are high-energy but can be difficult to stay focused on in a presentation – use them sparingly. Greens, blues and browns are mellower but not as attention-grabbing. ©SHRM 2009

Light text on dark background is very effective for computer reading. 7/27/2019 Backgrounds White on dark background should not be used if the audience is more than 20 feet away. Having a dark background on a computer screen reduces glare. Be careful of dark backgrounds. If you are presenting in a large room with much of the audience more than 20 feet away, white letters on a dark background will not be readable. Light text on dark background is most effective for documents that will be read on a computer screen because the dark background helps cut down on screen glare. Light text on dark background is very effective for computer reading. ©SHRM 2009

Use of Images Use one image per slide. Use two images to provide contrast, but make them big. Draw arrows if needed for emphasis. Do not enlarge small images – they blur. Do not distort the image. Credit the source. Use images appropriately. Remember, their purpose is to enhance and illustrate the presentation. If that’s not accomplished, then do without the image. Use one image per slide enlarged enough that the audience can see it clearly from the back of the room. Draw arrows to point to places on the image when needed or to draw attention. Do not enlarge small images. They blur. Find a larger image. Do not distort the image. Use the corners to resize the image or hold down the shift key as you resize an image. This maintains the ratio of length to width, enlarging the image without distorting the picture. ©SHRM 2009

Citation of References Credit images on slide: Include the name of the author, date and title of article and journal. Include references on last slide. Appropriately cite all references. Credit all images below the image telling where you got them if they are not your own. Cite the author, date, title of the article and journal on the slide in small print at the bottom when reporting research results. Add references on last slide in either APA or AMA format. Include the author, date, title of book, journal, article or monograph, with date and then the URL. For further information on reference citations see: Indiana University, www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/apa_style.shtml. APA Online, www.apastyle.org/elecref.html. ©SHRM 2009

Use of Animation Should enhance, not distract. Should not kill time. Should be subtle. Avoid animation schemes. Use same transition between slides. Animation should enhance the presentation and should not be a distraction to the audience. Use subtle animation to show concepts, sequence or to focus the audience. Animation schemes should be avoided as they tend to include too may bells and whistles that are distracting. Use the same transition between all slides, not random transitions as this is distracting to the audience. ©SHRM 2009

Timing and the Number of Slides 1 slide = 2 – 3 minutes. Image slides may take less time. Time yourself. Leave time for questions. Plan for the appropriate number of slides for the time allotted for the training. Estimate one slide for every 2-3 minutes allotted. Don’t try to show too many slides; often less is better. Image slides do not take as long as slides with several bullet points. Time yourself so that the presentation does not go too long or that you don’t have to talk too fast. Leave time for questions. ©SHRM 2009

Illustrations Use only when appropriate. Relate to the message. Use simple diagrams. Use illustrations only when needed, otherwise they become distracters instead of communicators. Ask yourself if the illustration makes the message clearer. If not – don’t use it! ©SHRM 2009

Design Visual Aids for Your Team Project Student team project. ©SHRM 2009