Technology has created countless new tools to facilitate teaching, make presentations more engaging, and increase learning retention. However, these tools can easily become more a liability than an asset. Used incorrectly, they can actually detract from the impact of training materials.
The trick to using these tools successfully is recognizing when it’s appropriate to use to high-tech versus low-tech teaching tools, and learning how to incorporate them effectively into a lesson plan. Here’s a guide to some perks and pitfalls of several common classroom tools.
Movie Clips
Perks: Clips can quickly illustrate a particular concept using emotion and sensory engagement to reinforce new information. Because trainers can project onto a large screen, movie clips are an effective tool for larger audiences.
Pitfalls: Watching a movie is a passive activity; using clips that are too long can cause participants to disengage and their minds to wander. Providing a viewing assignment can mitigate this problem and increase learner retention through immediate application.
To help you find the best training clips, this month the Bob Pike Group has partnered to launch Movies4Training.com, a categorized database of movie scenes that can be used to demonstrate concepts and spark discussions in training.
Handouts
Perks: Handouts help reinforce new material by enabling participants to add their own notes right next to the provided material. They also add welcome variety to a lengthy string of PowerPoint slides.
Pitfalls: A poorly composed handout with too much text and little white space will only distract participants. Wordy handouts force participants to choose between listening to trainers speak or reading along on the handout. Creating interactive handouts with fill-in-the-blank sections will keep participants involved in a presentation and help prevent learners from leaving with an incomplete resource.
Slideshows
Perks: Slideshows allow trainers to easily project to large audiences. They can help incorporate color, text, and visual variety into a presentation. Animated transitions make presentations lively and engaging.
Pitfalls: There’s risk of “death by PowerPoint” if slide decks are crammed with text and fail to distinguish important points with colors and/or special effects. Technology can also be unreliable and could fail at the last minute. To avoid disaster in a session, consider planning a low-tech backup such as a handout or flipchart.
Non-Projected Visuals (Posters, easels with chart pads)
Perks: Non-projected visuals are easy to create, inexpensive, and versatile. They can be created on the spot with input from participants, or prepared beforehand. Creating charts during a session is a great way to generate discussion and increase involvement, although they should only be used with small audiences of 50 people or less.
Pitfalls: The effectiveness of this tool depends on the trainer’s ability. Visuals with scrunched lettering, no illustrations, too much text, or little color variation will lack readability and are not useful teaching tools. Incorporating simple geometric shapes or magazine cutouts are two easy ways for trainers without much artistic talent to add visual interest to posters and charts.
All these teaching tools are most effective when in the hands of an experienced trainer. We equip trainers every day with the skills and techniques to make the most of any presentation. Learn how by attending one of our renowned Train-the-Trainer Boot Camps.
