Training is a process where one presents new skills, new procedures, or new information with the objective and purpose of transferring knowledge. A training that is efficient and effective will provide a practical program that reflects improvement in the performance of the job. The trainer usually has desired training outcomes for a given training. However, the outcome of the training largely depends on the delivery methods and how successful the leader was in transferring knowledge. There are several methods that can be used to train which include lectures, simulations, discussions, and on-the-job training. There are various elements of the training which should be included in the training curriculum which include learning objectives, instructional strategies, evaluation of performance, feedback, and the application of knowledge and skills. As a teacher, I have undertaken several teacher training programs that incorporate the different training elements. This paper analyzes my best and worst training experiences that I have come across throughout my teaching career. The experiences are analyzed based on the training objectives, the training methods, transfer of learning, and the application of the training skills learned.
Best training experience
Target Audience
The target audience of the training were employees that were new to teaching and were working or training to be teachers in different institutions in the region. However, some of the trainees were not entirely new to the field of teaching, the training was universal. This ensured an inclusion for different teachers to ensure that different teachers received similar information on how to improve their teaching experience. The teachers included in the training session were children teachers, adult teachers, special teachers, career officers, educational guides and counselors. Headteachers, principals, and managers of schools were also encouraged to participate in the program.
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Objectives
My best training experience was through a teaching campaign developed by several different organizations. The objective of the training was to modernize and improve the teaching profession. The objectives of the entire course were written in an instructional format, were easy to follow and were measurable (Rossett, 2012). The training sought to bring out the best of the teaching profession by making the in-classroom experience and support as part of the teacher training. The course was created for teachers that wanted to foster a classroom environment that was more dynamic and environment. The training would improve teacher effectiveness and stimulate the interest of students throughout the learning process.
Training site
The training was carried out in a lecture hall in one of the institutions. This allowed for the presentation of several e-learning modules. Various computers and laptops were provided in the training site to allow for learning through e-modules.
Training methods
The program consisted of different training methods such as video and tutorials, lecture and classroom sessions, and on-the-job training which included observing the teachers at work and trying to emulate their teaching methods. Throughout the ten-day training, the teachers were involved in several activities and experiences aimed at improving cohesion among students, their families, and the teachers. The experience targeted improving student self-esteem and improving student involvement within the classroom.
Training Design
The entire training session was designed to meet the current needs of the teachers and students. The program was well-designed with a clear vision of transforming teachers that would create a better classroom environment. The training session included extra-curricular activities. There were guided city tours and a 1-day cultural excursion that was carried out in the afternoons.
An e-learning took place through the use of self-guided and computer-based training module that taught on various aspects of improving teacher-student relations. I found the e-learning training efficient because teachers were able to learn at their own pace and this reduced boredom and anxiety that could occur in a normal classroom. There were also various instructional videos where trainees were introduced to other teachers in effective classroom and teaching environments. The instructional videos were followed by questions where trainees would review the classroom environment. Such a method provided a practical approach to observe and evaluate an ideal teaching environment. The trainees could thus easily emulate the training methods shown in the videos.
Assessment of factors that contribute to the overall effectiveness
Achievement of objectives
The entire training met all its objectives. At the introduction of the training, we were taught different ways to modernize and improve the teaching profession. The teachers were taught on different ways to cope up with the changing classroom environment. Teachers were able to apply the skills learned in their classrooms.
Conduciveness of the training site
The training site and the overall training environment was conducive to provide for an effective transfer of knowledge and information. The training was set in a lecture hall that. The lectures provided throughout the program were able to create a general understanding of the topic. The basic requirements in the teaching profession were delivered through a lecture method. This method of presentation was a one-way format from the trainer to the trainee.
Appropriates of the chosen methods
What I especially liked about the entire training session was the appropriateness of the chosen training methods. The methods were relevant to the topic under study as it was designed to help participants to identify and deal with early school-leaving, understand and combat the negative school-family relations. The training also included various strategies to identify early signs of teacher burnout and various ways to fight it. All trainees were able to spend 10 days throughout the teacher training session. This was enough time for the audience to grab critical concepts.
Opportunities for practice and feedback
The training also involved a series of experimentation through handling of various case studies and situations that could occur within the classroom. The on-job-training was also a practical approach to improve the transfer of learning.
Learning theories applied in the training
The training was also one of the best training experiences because it met all the learning outcomes through the use of various training strategies and methods. According to Dr. Malcolm Knowles (2002), the theory of andragogy makes several assumptions that can be used to accurately design the training. The first assumption is that adults should know why they are learning something. The second is that adults learn best experimentally. The third is that adults can best approach learning by viewing it as a problem-solving scheme. The fourth is that adults learn best when the topic at hand is of immediate value (Culatta, 2015). The entire training met all these objectives. At the introduction of the training, we were taught on the importance of frequent training in the teaching field. The reason the training was carried out was to enable teachers to cope with the changing classroom environment.
Learning and effectiveness of the training
By the end of the course, several teachers had acquired greater knowledge about how to deal with various challenges in the teaching profession. I felt that I had improved in my communication and relation skills. Additionally, we were taught on different strategies to combat and discourage school-leaving and create a school experience that was meaningful and memorable.
Learning and evaluation of the training
At the end of the training, the trainees participated in a model classroom environment under the supervision of the trainer. The trainer observed whether the trainee learned about different ways to improve the classroom environment. The trainer would then award marks on the trainee based on their performance. I found the evaluation process effective in analyzing whether the trainees fully understood and could apply the training materials.
Competencies of the trainers
The trainers were professors that had several years of experience in the field of teaching. They drew their own examples about their time in the classroom and did not appear removed from the current issues and challenges in education. The training followed the ATD competency model because it made use of e-learning modules and capture digital learning techniques.
Opportunities to practice and receive feedback
I was able to use the training experience to engage with my students and to positively impact their learning while facing minimal behavioral issues. After the training, I found it easier to work as a teaching assistant and a new teacher. I attribute most of the effective teaching skills I use today to the 10-day teaching campaign. The training enabled me to become more responsible in handling my own class. I was successful in transferring the knowledge gained throughout the 10-day course applying to real-world scenarios encountered in my day job. Having taught a few classes before, it was a matter of learning how to integrate the lessons into the training. The training was also accompanied by targeted mentorship and coaching which would go a long way into improving my skills as a teacher and ensuring that the kids would get the education they need.
Recommendations for improvement
While the training was effective and one of the best, I have one recommendation on the methods that can be used to improve it. I found the 10-day period somewhat short as we had to go through different learning materials. The extension of the training by five to ten days would provide adequate time to learn and internalize the concepts in the entire training. Apart from that adjustment, everything else in the training program was effective. The professionals involved in the entire training and development course excelled in creating a training program for new individuals in the teaching industry. It provided a basic start program to ensure that new teachers would get everything required to be successful in their work.
Worst training experience
Target Audience
Throughout my training to become a professional teacher, there is a mandatory training geared towards the improvement of human resource skills. The target audience for the training involved hundreds of human resource learners in different industries and working environments throughout the institution. A large number of the target audience were teachers.
Objectives
The focus of the training is to improve the relations of teachers with the students, their parents, and other members of the community. The human resource program thus focused on pertinent issues that a teacher may face. I enrolled for the training because it was compulsory and thought that it would improve my skills in human resource management. The learning objectives were made clear in the slides presented by the trainer and the slides emailed to the trainees. The main objective of the training session was to improve human relations between teachers, students, and their families.
Training Site
The training was carried out in a large conference hall that involved a large number of trainees. A section of the content of the training of the email was emailed through a link for the necessary trainees.
Training Methods used
The training was one of my worst because it mainly focused on lectures and had very few discussions. The training involved a guest speaker from the state office that would come and give a lecture on the importance, purposes, and various policies in human resource management. A section of the content of the training of the email was emailed through a link for the necessary trainees. The content in the email link was delivered through slides ranging from 20 to 30 slides. At the conclusion of the slideshow, the student was given an email where they would enter their information and given another link to a quiz.
Factors that contributed to the ineffectiveness of the training
Achievement of Objectives
I found the entire training extremely theoretical and that it did not achieve its primary objectives. The main focus of the training was to educate on the theory and history of human resource management. It did not provide an abundant and valuable field experience that could enable management of various human resource needs.
Conduciveness of the training site
The training involved dealing with a large number of trainees and lectures were one of the most effective methods to transfer knowledge. However, the huge number of trainees did not provide adequate opportunities for discussion, feedback, or adequate assessment to gauge whether the transfer of knowledge had occurred to make the training successful. The online material was also not sent in a timely manner leading to various delays in carrying out the tests.
Appropriateness of the methods chosen for the training
The material presented was done through the use of slides in the lectures that were highly ineffective. The slides included a definition of key terms and definitions in human relations. The lecture halls were large and highly ineffective. It provided only a theoretical knowledge of the topic without providing a deeper understanding of human relation skills.
Opportunities for practice and feedback
Throughout the lecture, the speaker would ask questions and the trainees would recall the presented information. This was in an attempt to stimulate feedback. The speaker was not very interactive and did not make any attempts to grab the attention of the trainees.
Learning theories that guided the training
The training was carried out through the use of lectures because lectures are beneficial in a situation where a large number of people should be given limited amounts of information in a short time. However, huge lectures can have a huge ROI and can be difficult to measure their effectiveness (Bennington, K. and Laffoley, T, 2012).
The effectiveness of training evaluation
After the training session, the trainees would go back to their work and later complete the computer-based quiz. The quiz was a means to assess the transfer of information. Once the trainee was completed with an accuracy of more than 70%, the trainee was mailed with a certification of completion. I was thus highly disappointed with the presentation of the training materials and the quiz which was not directly related to the materials that had been studied.
Competencies of trainers
Most of the trainers were conversant with the topic of human relations. However, I did not find them especially interactive and conversant in the best training strategies. The incompetence in the training model made the entire training experience ineffective.
Transfer of what was taught to the job
Poor human resource management has been associated with most teachers leaving their jobs. I did not find the training effective in handling the issue practically and it was difficult to transfer what was learned to the job. The training provided only a theoretical knowledge about how to handle various situations without providing practical and real-world applications about how to deal with various situations.
Recommendations for improvement
One recommendation to improve the training was to incorporate an effective e-learning course that includes a combination of video, audio, and text. An assessment could be provided to ensure that the content was retained and applicable in real life situations. E-learning materials that are aesthetically pleasing can also be included through the use of creative modules. This will ensure that the entire training is interesting and can be easily adapted by new learners. The trainers can incorporate the use of graphic elements, colorful fonts, and images that make the entire training effective (Ghirardini, 2011).
In conclusion, training is a process of transferring new information, procedures, or skills to others. An effective and efficient training program will have a set of objectives, meet its objectives, allow for the transfer of knowledge, and provide an improvement in job performance. My best training experience was interactive and met its desired outcomes. The outcome of the training method was also depended on the trainers that designed an effective program. My worst training experience was because it was mandatory and involved a large class that was not interactive enough. The training program can be adjusted to use an e-learning module that can handle a large number of students.
References
Bennington, K., & Laffoley, T. (2012). Beyond smiley sheets: Measuring the ROI of learning and development. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Retrieved from http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/executive-development/custom-programs/~/media/Files/documents/executive-development/beyond-smiley-sheets.pdf
Culatta, R. (2015). Andragogy (Malcolm Knowles). Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/andragogy.html
Ghirardini, B. (2011). E-learning methodologies: A guide for designing and developing e-learning courses . Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2516e/i2516e.pdf?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2F4-best-practices-delivery-digital-learning-resources&utm_medium=link
Rossett, A. (2012, July 12). Why I love instructional objectives. Learning Solutions Magazine . Retrieved from http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/968/why-i-love-instructional-objectives
Smith, M. K. (2002). Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction, and andragogy. The encyclopedia of informal education . Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/malcolm-knowles-informal-adult-education-self-direction-and-andragogy/
