Library Training A to Z

Instructor: Paul Clothier An Infopeople Workshop 2004 1

This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the Project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org. 2

Outline How Adults Learn Communication The Character and Qualities of a Trainer Designing Effective Training Delivering Training and Presentation Skills Evaluating Training Effectiveness 3

Know Your Audience 1.

Name 2.

Position in library 3.

Your biggest challenge as a trainer 4

Getting the Most From Today Participate Get out of your comfort zone Try new approaches Write down your insights Take what works for you 5

How Adults Learn 6

How Memory Works Memory exists in neuron patterns New information alters existing patterns or creates new ones Associations facilitate retention 7

Short and Long-Term Memory STM - remembering a phone number.  limited capacity LTM - remembering where you live.

 unlimited capacity 8

Getting it Into LTM Attention Motivation Relevance Association Meaningful patterns Repetition Emotion Experience 9

Association

Retention Without Association Time With Association Retention Time

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Creating Contrast When you want something to be remembered you should make it

STAND OUT

in some way. We notice and remember

differences

We can use color, highlight, intonation, volume, emotion - anything to

“ CREATE a CONTRAST ”

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Meaningful Patterns The brain likes to make sense of data. The brain is pattern-seeking and structure-seeking.

The brain looks for a recognizable pattern.

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Exercise Attention Motivation Relevance Association Meaningful patterns Repetition Emotion Experience How could you incorporate these into your training?

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Character/Qualities of a Trainer 14

Exercise #1 Past Training Experiences 15

What Learners Don ’ t Want … Impatience Lack of involvement with learners Lack of knowledge Lecturing Disorganization Being unprepared Getting off track Blaming others Assuming that everyone is following Inflexibility Talking “ down ” learners to Lack of enthusiasm/energy Lacking a sense of humor 16

What Learners Do Want … Patience Involvement with learners Knowledge Organization Preparation Staying on track Adapting to their needs Flexibility Respect Enthusiasm/energy Sense of humor 17

Modes of Training What ’ s your style?

   Instructor?

Facilitator?

Coach?

How are these different?

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Communication 19

Communication Skills Listen intently Express ideas clearly and simply Use questioning Let them do most of the talking Adapt to their needs 20

Listening Skills “ Most people don ’ t communicate, they just take turns talking ” “ Most communication is competitive talking ” “ Hearing just happens. Listening is a conscious choice ” 21

More Listening Skills Wait for them to finish Avoid interrupting them Don ’ t make assumptions Maintain eye contact Stand in their shoes 22

Encouraging Independence Avoid telling them … ask them Avoid doing the work for them Let them evaluate their progress 23

Types of Questions Closed Open-ended Reflexive Leading 24

How to Ask Questions Encourage understanding over memorization Lead them to the right answer Wait for a response Don ’ t put anyone on the spot Ask the group “ Is that correct?

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Two Minute Presentation 26

Interacting With Learners Try to read learners Train by walking around Use names Interact with everyone Encourage learner/learner interactions 27

Adapting to Learner ’ s Needs Give examples from their world Adapt to personality styles Stay flexible Address learner ’ s fears and concerns Adapt to age and ability differences 28

Designing Effective Training 29

Why Training?

Why is training needed?

  New skills / information?

A problem?

 Improving job performance?

 … What ’ s the purpose of the training?

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Training Development Process Analysis - what are the needs?

Design - create the blueprint Development - develop the training and materials Implementation - deliver the training Evaluation - did you achieve your objectives?

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Analysis - Identifying Needs Interviews Questionnaires / surveys Observation / task analysis Informal conversations 32

Defining Objectives Creating instructional objectives  Specific     Measurable Action Realistic Timeframe 33

Exercises #2 Training Needs #3 Training Objectives 34

Design What ’ s the best delivery method?

What media would be best?

What are the resistances?

What job aids would be valuable?

What exercises could be developed?

What is the timeframe?

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Development Top down development:      Create outline Review outline and sequence Flesh out the content Review content Where would graphics add value?

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Exercise #4 Training Design 37

Evaluating Training Effectiveness 38

Evaluations Evaluate based on instructional objectives Did the participants:     Learn what you had planned?

Use/implement what they learned?

Improve their job performance?

Improve service to the public?

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Evaluation Levels 1:

Reaction

 a measure of learners ’ reactions to the course 2:

Learning

 a measure of what they learned 3:

Transfer

 a measure of changes in their behavior after training 4:

Results

 a measure of the business outcomes due to training 40

Creating Evaluations Who is it for?

What method will you use?

What can it tell you?

What will you do with the information?

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Check Boxes 42

Topic Oriented 43

Handling the Evaluations Wait till the end Explain the value to learners Consider anonymous evaluations Leave the room / have a drop box Read them!

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Delivering Training / Presentation Skills 45

Presentation Structure 1. Tell them what you are going to tell them  Outline, agenda, questions 2. Tell them  Main content, questions 3. Tell them what you told them  Summary, review, questions 46

Types of Training Skills Knowledge Attitude 47

Skills Training Overview of the concept (and value) Guided exercise (or demo) Unguided learner exercise* Review / Questions *Skills verbs: insert, load, open, create, replace, format, assemble, construct, adjust, manipulate … 48

Knowledge Training Overview of the concept (and value) Provide a simple example Discuss/ ask them to provide an example Have them complete an activity/exercise* Review / Questions *Knowledge verbs: write, state, define, list, predict, name, identify, recall, describe, contrast, classify, recognize, select, compare, discuss … 49

Attitude Training Overview of the concept (and value) Provide a simple example Discuss / ask them to provide an example Have them complete an activity/exercise* Review / Questions *Attitude verbs: accept, listen, receive, perceive, decide, value, influence, associate, be aware of, appreciate, judge … 50

The Importance of Concepts

Learning procedures

Carrying out mouse-clicks, keystrokes, procedural steps. Rote memorization.

Understanding concepts

Integration of information into a meaningful pattern or structure. Conceptual integration.

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Keep it Simple and Clear If you understand it - you should be able to explain it in simple terms.

It is not enough to know it - you have to explain it clearly.

More information  more learning 52

Managing Fear Be prepared  know your presentation  rehearse Chat with learners beforehand Turn your nervousness into energy Ask questions 53

Teach More Visually “ It ’ s a kind of glass with a long thin stem that gets slightly wider at the top, something like a wine glass but instead of the wine glass shape at the top of the stem it glass than ’ s sort of like an inverted cone and it …” ’ s made of slightly thicker 54

Exercise #5 Two Minute Training 55

Review Your Insights

…

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