Training Programs

Question 1

needs analysis

Answer 1

identifying what participants need for their job; obviously, you need to start out by knowing what you’re measuring; matching session learning objectives with job requirements; who will teach course/training (need to determine)

Question 2

theories of learning

Answer 2

each theory about how people learn relates to different aspects of a learning process; many of the theories also relate to trainees’ motivation to learn

Question 3

reinforcement theory

Answer 3

aka behavior modification theory; people are motivated to perform or avoid certain behaviors b/c of past outcomes that have resulted from those behaviors; positive reinforcement (pleasurable outcome from behavior); negative reinforcement (removal of an unpleasant outcome), extinction - process of withdrawing positive or negative reinforcement to eliminate a behavior, punishment - presents an unpleasant outcome after a behavior, leading to a decrease in that behavior)

Question 4

training perspective

Answer 4

this theory suggests that for learners to acquire knowledge, change behavior, modify skills - the trainer needs to identify what outcomes the learner finds most positive and negative and then link those outcomes to them acquiring knowledge/skills and changing behaviors

Question 5

social learning theory

Answer 5

people learn by observing others who they believe are more credible/knowledgeable; the 4 processes of this theory include: 1. attention - model stimuli, trainee and characteristics 2. retention - coding, organization, rehearsal 3. motor reproduction - physical capability, accuracy and feedback 4. motivational processes (reinforcement) - recognizes that behavior that is reinforced or rewarded tends to be repeated, learning new skills comes from (1) directly experiencing consequences of using that behavior or skill or (2) the process of observing others and seeing the consequences of their behavior, learning is also impacted by self-efficacy about whether he or she can successfully learn knowledge and skills (it determines readiness to learn), high self-efficacy = most likely to persist in learning even if the environment is not conducive for it, low self-efficacy will have doubts of their learning abilities and likely to withdraw from training program

Question 6

ways to increase self-efficacy

Answer 6

(1) verbal persuasion - words of encouragement, (2) verbal persuasion - perceiving a relationship between a new task vs. an already learned task positively, (3) modeling - having them watch employees who have already mastered the desired learning outcomes and model them for the trainees, (4) past accomplishments - allowing managers to place employees in situations where they are likely to succeed and provide training so that employees know what to do and how to do it

Question 7

goal theories (how does it relate to I/O psych)

Answer 7

various learning methods are heavily impactful towards understanding and developing an effective training method/program for a particular organization; the right learning method could result in learning an easier way to perform their job (job-related), meeting other employees who can serve as a resource (personal, or increasing opportunities to consider new positions - reinforcement theory)

Question 8

delivery medium (what is it and how is it applied)

Answer 8

what is it - a design document can be used to guide the development of training and to explain the training to managers, SMEs (subject matter experts - employees, academics, managers, technical experts, trainers, etc.); the design document will contain info from the needs assessment including scope of project (goals, outcomes, or achievement expectations for trainees: a description of trainees, how long it will take to develop the course and checkpoints/tasks that need to be completed), delivery and objectives (course or program objectives)

how is it applied - the delivery section of the DD includes: what the course will cover, how it will be delivered (face to face or online), an estimate of the training time and identification of any special conditions or issues that may affect the course; it includes content, method, training time, and problems and opportunities

Question 9

internal vs. external training

Answer 9

all training can either be taught by a team internally (SMEs, Learning & Development leaders) or outsourced from a consulting group that specializes in a particular training (for ex., with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion trainings in demand right now, more than ever, a company may choose to buy a course/training “off the shelf - ready made” so that way they do not have to take a chance that people they ask internally to deliver a training course, may not have the expertise on these subjects)

Question 10

instructor led training

Answer 10

good old fashioned in-person training; usually at a conference center, out of town from place of business and can act as a larger internal/external networking event (if a larger training like a New Hire Conference) or in a conference room in place of business if a quicker training; similar to web based training, in that records attendance either automatically (for ex. - you can download Microsoft Teams attendance through Excel), a person on the training team will be tasked with taking attendance, making sure everyone is checked-in to the conference/training event, there will be introductions to the team, ice-breakers, activities planned, usually a lunch/happy hour to network and debrief on the content

Question 11

virtual instructor led training (VILT)

Answer 11

facilitator teaches through program such as Teams, Zoom, etc. adhering to a program schedule with breaks implemented, breakout rooms with ice-breakers & networking opportunities such as in person; usually a few facilitators/assisters, one to keep the time, one to observe the audience is engaged/paying attention, take attendance, one to make sure there are no technical glitches/have a backup ready, and a few SMEs (subject matter experts) who will be asked to teach/give examples to teach the class

Question 12

web-based learning (WBL or e-learning)

Answer 12

self-paced

Question 13

why is it important to know your learner audience

Answer 13

know what languages may be spoken in that audience, know what type of work they do (for ex. - in a room full of architects, may be helpful to explain your content with more visual material); it’s always a safe bet to incorporate all modes of learning for an audience - auditory (verbal/web-based), visual (pictures/graphs/video clips), written (if web-based, a little explanation but mainly give attendees a written summary to walk away from the training with so they can refer to the material later and after completing the training session itself)

Question 14

testing/assessment/evaluation (smile sheet)

Answer 14

seeks opinions of trainees, questionnaire at the end of a training, easy to collect, subjective, does not evaluate learning or learning transfer

Question 15

evaluations during training

Answer 15

formative and summative evaluation (for ex. - Microsoft forms, ask likert scale type questions to gauge interest and level of content assessment); satisfaction (for ex. - did this meet your needs? did you learn what you expected to? was the length of this training appropriate? would you recommend this training to a friend?)

Question 16

return on investment (ROI)

Answer 16

net benefits/costs x 100; productivity, sales, new accounts, applications processed, sales expenses, time, errors; stakeholders want to know - where are the benefits? what results are they getting? why they need to invest? what is the probable ROI?

Question 17

adult learning principles

Answer 17

adults have a high sense of self direction and motivation; adults use their life experience to facilitate learning; adults are focused on achieving goals; adults need to know how the info is relevant; adults are practical; adults are looking for help and mentorship/networking opportunities; adults want to choose how to learn; giving adults the option to learn in several mediums can be helpful, not always cost effective but if an organization can afford it, it is good; also generally, people are more motivated/involved to learn when they are asked to give an example in the session (it makes it tangible for them)

Question 18

skills gaps

Answer 18

the people you are training may come with various gaps in experience and learning, you have to be able to accommodate all learning levels in your training program, you can give them assessments based on the subject matter to see where they are at; adults have different levels of expertise, and so any classroom will have some learners who are struggling to keep up, and some who are bored b/c they already know the material; KEY THING TO REMEMBER - sometimes training is NOT the answer to the skills gap that may be present (for ex., if an employee is not doing their job due to the fact that they do not like their supervisor, you may need to behaviorally coach them, not train them on another set of skills that requires taking a course)

Question 19

lecturing vs. experiential learning

Answer 19

lecturing vs. learning hands on has a huge difference; we know from our own experience with learning, when we learn on a job project vs. reading a textbook, different things “click”, therefore, same applies here; as a trainer, it is your job to know the content in and out OR know the best person (SME) who does, to teach the event/session; for ex. - we learned most material in our program in lecture form, but then we are now doing fieldwork which is ideally the application of one sort of concentration we learned in lecture; learning that is considered “experiential” contain all of the following elements - 1. reflection, critical analysis, and synthesis 2. opportunities for students to take initiative, make decisions, and be accountable for the results 3. opportunities for students to engage intellectually, creatively, emotionally, socially, or physically 4. a designed learning experience that includes the possibility to learn from natural consequences, mistakes, and successes; during experiential learning, the facilitator’s role is to: 1. select suitable experiences that meet the criteria above 2. pose problems, set boundaries, support learners, provide suitable resources, ensure physical and emotional safety, and facilitate the learning process 3. recognize and encourage spontaneous opportunities for learning, engagement with challenging situations, experimentation (that does not jeopardize the wellbeing of others) and discovery of solutions 4. help the learner notice the connections between one context and another, between theory and the experience and encouraging this examination repeatedly; examples of experiential learning include internships, clinical rotations, jobs, study abroad, undergrad research experience, etc.

Question 20

on-site vs. off-site

Answer 20

what is it: weighing the advantages/disadvantages to holding your training program on-site at the organization vs. off-site at a banquet hall, or incentivizing attendance through perhaps a golfing session afterwards, etc.

how is it applied: what you decide will include many considerations like cost, participant location(s), time, customization, and availability of trainers; off-site training is often used when you have participants coming from multiple locations that are not geographically close to each other, this model can also provide a more relaxing setting in a venue that is away from the office, allowing for a better focus on the training itself, the training can be brought in to provide a content/technical expert and to facilitate the training, or in-house people can be utilized to conduct some of the sessions in conjunction with a third party trainer, the advantage of reducing the daily work distractions can make off-site training very attractive, however travel costs can make it prohibitive when dealing with a small budget or funding, additionally, scheduling the travel and training sessions can be an additional disadvantage, the actual travel time and time spent away from the office can be an additional issue to deal with in off-site training; on-site training can be a lower cost alternative to traveling to an off-site location, having employees who are located closer to each other geographically suit this type of model best, the employees can work in their own environment, allowing them to have less time away from their desks

Question 21

soft skills needed for success

Answer 21

adaptability, communication and clarity, emotional intelligence, patience, public speaking skills, ability to step outside your comfort zone/way of thinking into the lens of the learner (cultural perspective), and empathy

Question 22

engagement and motivation

Answer 22

make attendees become hands-on involved with an activity; make exercises applicable specifically to their day job; motivate with time off, compensation, accreditation, and food

Question 23

incentives to participate

Answer 23

“what’s in it for me?” - putting yourself in the shoes of the employee/participant taking the training, what are they getting out of sitting at your event for an amount of time; people are motivated to participate and perform if they are either being compensated/rewarded with food, money, accreditation/status all of which is tied back to the purpose of application of where/how they can use the skills you are teaching them; a good general rule to follow - teach participants something that they are going to apply within the next 30 days, otherwise they usually forget the material if they have no way to apply it

Question 24

automization

Answer 24

the idea that we cannot simply replace human value-added of soft skills; it has to do with the fact that it is important to not rely on technology/systems to do the work for you - reaching out to participants/employees, making sure they are enjoying the training goes a long way, also keeping a good relationship with the client you provided the training for if you were hired as an outside training development consultant

Question 25

overall goal of training programs (and evaluating them)

Answer 25

1. evaluate learners’ reaction to training, 2. measure what was learned during training, 3. assess whether or not behavior has changed as a result of training, 4. evaluate the impact of your program on business results

Question 26

logistics and practical considerations

Answer 26

logistics and practical considerations are always important to keep in mind when designing and implementing a training program as it can affect trainee motivation, engagement, participation, etc. (and being fiscally responsible/being conscious of training program budget)

Question 27

use/value of simulations, role plays, case studies, exercises, testing

Answer 27

simulation-based training is a highly effective way of transferring key skills to trainees in a cost-effective manner, it provides an optimum way for employers to assess how well their trainees are putting skills into practice, and the decisions they are making in front of stimulated real life situations; role play allows a learner to assume the role or tasks of a job by practicing or simulating real working conditions, the objective is to learn, improve, or develop upon the skills or competencies necessary for a specific position; the case study is a method which provides descriptive situations which stimulate trainees to make decisions, the purpose of the case method is to make trainees apply what they know, develop new ideas to manage a situation, or solve a problem