Tag: Engagement

  • Get ‘Em Moving!

    Depositphotos_59572037_s-2015Anyone who jogs regularly will tell you that they feel sharper both emotionally and mentally after a run. But did you know that exercise also “pumps up” learning?

    The science is clear. Not only can exercise work at least as well as antidepressants to improve moods, it improves people’s learning ability.

    One recent study showed that participants learned vocabulary words 20% faster following exercise than they did before exercise. Another experiment revealed that adults’ cognitive flexibility improved after one 35- minute treadmill session at a moderate pace.

    What Does This Mean for Trainers?

    The best trainers acknowledge that adults learn better when they connect their heads to their bodies. So get your students moving! Use these three strategies:

    1. Bring content alive by using relevant, engaging activities.

    2. Periodically lead the class in some quick, stand-up stretching.

    3. Take frequent breaks. (My preference is to take one 10-minute break every 60 to 75 minutes.)

    Remember-we learn with our entire bodies. Don’t treat your students as if they are just “heads” alone!

    Guila Muir is the premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters on the West Coast of the United States. Since 1994, she has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great trainer: www.guilamuir.com

    © Guila Muir.

  • Transform Your Training with This Easy Tool

    Magic Hat and WandDoes your training environment sometimes feel dull (or even dead) as you deliver content? Does the environment itself feel uninspired? Wouldn’t it be great to have a magic wand you could use to inject your training with energy!

    Such a “magic wand” exists. Called Pair and Share, it is arguably the easiest and most effective training tool you can use. It always increases interaction, whether your class consists of four participants or four hundred. Importantly, Pair and Share also deepens every single participants’ interest and retention.

    So…Is Pair and Share Magic?

    Once you try it, you may think so. Pair and Share is simply a structured opportunity for your participants to process information in groups of two.

    Why Does Pair and Share Work?

    This super-easy technique does three important things. It:

    • Helps store information in long-term memory
    • Allows participants to reflect on content and make it their own
    • Increases individual accountability

    You can sprinkle Pair and Share several times throughout any training session to increase participation while reinforcing your message.

    How to Use Pair and Share

    Before or after providing content, guide the participants to form pairs with the person sitting next to them. Instruct them to process a specific, relevant point in the material. Your instructions should force them to work through the topic’s application to their own lives or work. Provide a total amount of time for the exercise—perhaps 30 seconds to one minute.

    Select from the following verbs, or use others, when you give instructions.

    “Turn to your partner and …

    • List
    • Discuss
    • Fix
    • Do
    • Figure out
    • Fill in
    • Share
    • Explain (etc.)

    Examples:

    Please turn to your neighbor and …

    • Name five types of safety gloves and what each are used for.
    • Define “saturation level”.
    • Tell them the most important fact you have learned in the last ten minutes and why.

    Believe it or not, this simple technique can determine if your participants remember or forget essential pieces of content. Sprinkle Pair and Shares liberally throughout your training sessions, and watch the classroom come alive!

    Want more tips to improve your trainings? Learn how Guila Muir’s Instructional Design Workshop can help you to create powerful, effective training sessions.

    Guila Muir , a premiere trainer of trainers, facilitators, and presenters, has helped thousands of professionals improve their training, facilitation, and presentation skills. Find out how she can help transform you from a boring expert to a great trainer!