Because you can't see your learners during a webinar, you need to utilize other methods of gauging learner energy and motivation. While polling is a great and speedy way for the presenter to "see" what is going on with participants, it can also be overused if you don't switch up the ways in which you poll your participants. Below are a few guidelines for how best to create and use polling for quiz questions, multiple-choice questions, matching items and post-testing.

Below is a sample of the great information and training tips you would have seen if you were following us on Twitter: When prepping for presentation, type and do word count. We speak an average of 125-150 words per minute multiplied by the number of minutes for the talk = number of words MAX (Originally posted by @GinaSchreck) If you were getting our news and notes in your Facebook stream, you would have seen: The world's most AMAZING PowerPoint slide ever! Very colorful and, while it has a lot of info, conveys little! Enemy Lurks in Briefings on Afghan War - PowerPoint - NYTimes.com

In today's extroverted business world, introverts can feel ignored, overlooked, and misunderstood. In fact, according to my research-a two-and-a-half-year national study of introverted professionals-four out of five introverts say extroverts are more likely to get ahead in their workplace. What's more, over 40 percent say they would like to change their introverted tendencies, but don't know where or how to begin. The good news? Introversion can be managed. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy, but with time and practice, introverted pros can learn to build on their quiet strength and succeed. What is introversion and how can you manage it?

As a company, The Bob Pike Group uses brain-based research to create our training principles and promote our participant-centered methods with research. Here is part three of a four-part series that gives you the why behind our instructor-led, participant-centered how.

What do researchers actually know about how the brain works? And should this information have any impact on the learning environment? Brain-research has experienced a knowledge explosion in the last two decades; what we know now shows every element of your environment will affect your learning outcomes. What elements should you consider while designing training to maximize retention based on this research?

As a company, The Bob Pike Group uses brain-based research to create our training principles and promote our participant-centered methods with research. Here is part two of a four-part series that gives you the why behind our instructor-led, participant-centered how.

Organizations, including libraries, across the country are being impacted by the economy. Staff is being laid off. Doors are being locked as businesses close or non-profits reduce hours. As we face this new reality, how does this impact our roles as trainers, teachers, and learners? What can we do to not only support our organizations but secure training's place within our organizations? Here are 10 ideas for you to consider.

What would you like to accomplish in your role this year if money is no object, and there are no limitations? Just dream a little. Would you hire additional training staff to help with the backlog of tasks? Would you update your presentation technologies to really grab your audience and help the trainer stay interested in the same ol' material by using new gadgets? Would you revamp some of the new-hire onboarding sessions so they aren't so dreaded, dry and intense? Why not dream big? Think "What if…?" and then think "Why not?" Why couldn't it happen?

Need to brush up on basic skills or just want more information from Bob Pike and his team of experts? We will be offering the live interactive 59-minute webinars Thursdays in June and July for as low as $59. Morning start times are 9:59AM central time and afternoon start times are 2:59PM central time.

Research-based Creative Teaching Strategies had its first international presentation in December 2009 in Seoul, Korea.