Effective Training Methods: Does "One Size Fit All"?

Effective training programs are designed using a variety of teaching methods to address the different learning styles of the participants and to meet the learningobjectives and results expected from the training. Some teaching methods focus on increasing knowledge, others on skill development and practice, and others help modify or change attitudes. No method is right in all situations,and variety is always important to build into a training program to maintain interest and enthusiasm.

The choice of the training method to be adopted for a course or program is therefore a matter of experience, competence, and judgment of the trainer/designer.

Let me illustrate with an example. I am employed with an e-learning company, and my choice for pursuing a particular training methodology would depend on factors which assist the client in optimizing learning to obtain the best results for specific audiences, content, available technology and organizational structures.

To do this, I—an instructional designer—would consider specific learning method/s aimed at one or more of these benefits:

• Access: Making training more available to learners’ entry behaviour, learning styles, social and cultural environment, and learning levels.
• Costs: Reducing implementation, up gradation and other continuous training costs.
• Content: Increasing the scope of offerings.
• Reinvention: Reengineering how training happens, innovative methods.
• Relevance: Making training more meaningful to people’s work, with better transfer of learning.
• Speed: Responding to constant change and rapid product innovations, making the training content and method flexible to change.
• Efficiency: Avoiding the normal scheduling of classroom training.
• Empowerment: Putting the responsibility for learning in the hands of learners.
• Convenience: Letting time-pressured students learn at the best time and place.

The choice of teaching methods I choose may also depend on factors like:

1. Budget for training
2. Media and material available/suitable
3. Training focus area and the availability of subject matter experts (SMEs)
4. Enabling and terminal objectives of training
5. Length of course or program, and
6. Time available to develop and deliver the course
   

More on this later.... Ciao !