Trainer- And Trainee-centered Strategies

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

Key Areas Of Use

Lectures

A presentation given to an audience with little (if any) interaction or feed back

Suitable for use with large groups of learners, where participant is limited because of numbers. The lecture can be planned precisely and used to convey a large amount of information in a short period of time.

Potentially a very passive learning experience. Lack of learner participation, requires learners to fully understand and assimilate the information as it is presented.

- conveying large amounts of information in a limited time - encouraging and directing further private study

Formal teaching

A presentation incorporating a variety of techniques and allowing for participation by the learners in the form of questions and discussion.

Suitable for conveying information to groups of learners. Participation by the learners may keep their interest and lead to a degree of involvement.

The learners have the opportunity to participate but may not wish to do so. The communication will then be all one way and the session will be little different from a lecture.

Demonstrations

A session where a skill is learned following a formal procedure such as: -description of skill; illustration of end-product; ‘slow motion’ demonstration may be followed by one or more at normal speed -summary of main points of demonstration; re-emphasis of any health and safety procedures -performance of skill under supervision -feedback on performance

Particularly suitable for teaching skills. A skill may be broken down into small stages which can be practiced, enabling expertise to be developed in small stages.

Does not guarantee that learning will take place. Must be consolidated by practice in order to be effective as soon as possible after the demonstration. Works well only if fully visible to all learners and well performed. It may be too ‘slick’ and , as a result, the learners may not fully appreciate the complexity of the task; conversely it may be bungled and/ or poorly prepared and , as a result, the tutor may lose face and the learners’ confidence. The demonstration must be clearly visible to the whole group.

Team teaching

The work of several classes taking the same course is closely co-ordinated. Teachers taking those classes work as a team, taking different roles with groups of varying size.

-economise on specialist staff -enables staff to concentrate on their particular special interests -frees staff for supporting activities ; preparing material,

-organisation may become too rigid -lectures to several groups gathered together may be un-stimulating for learners and strain for lecturers and may provide

Any programme of learning involving group teaching.

Craft courses, laboratory work, office skills, musical skills.

Coursers which: -require elaborate demonstration, films, outside speakers -have larger numbers of learners and few specialist lecturers -have well motivated learners.

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

marking , etc. -gives learners contact with several tutors rather than one -enables new lecturers to be inducted and the work of absent lecturers to be absorbed -several groups may be taught at the same time by one tutor.

problem of note making and participation -rooms of the right size may not be available

Key Areas Of Use

Search or discovery

Learners are placed in situations requiring selfdirected learning under the tutor’s general guidance. Exercise, tasks or games are used – enabling learners to make their own discoveries.

-allows learners to demonstrate and develop a wide range of skills and persona; qualities. These include the ability to show initiative, to take responsibility and plan , to solve problems, make decisions and communicate effectively. -is a highly active and participative form of learning. -opportunity for involvement may encourage poorly motivated learners

Poorly motivated learners may regard the freedom of learner – centred strategies as an opportunity to do very little.

Particularly successful with more highly motivated learners. Underpins the move towards competence – based education and training with its highly individualized approach and emphasis on selfdirected learning.

Discussion

Knowledge, ideas and opinions on particular subjects are freely exchanged among the tutor and learners.

Particularly suitable where: -the content involves matters of opinion -tutors aim to change attitudes. Useful for obtaining feedback about the learners’ level of understanding and ability to apply knowledge.

-learners may stray from the subjectmatters or fail to discuss it usefully -whole session may be unfocused and woolly -learners may become entrenched in their attitudes rather than be prepared to change them -group leader may talk too much, intervene too readily to fill silences.

To follow up a visit or a talk by a visiting speaker or the showing of a film or video. Of course many of the best discussions are spontaneous and unplanned.

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

Key Areas Of Use

Role play

Learners practice being in particular roles by acting out a face-to-face situation that represents real life-work situation for instance. Each participant should have sufficient background information to allow a proper understanding of the part to be played.

-learners can practice and receive advice and criticism in the safety of a learning situation -practice in role play provides guidelines for future behavior - learners gain insight into the motives and attitude of other people - a highly active learning experience that enables learners to draw their own conclusions and formulate their own needs

Learners may: -be embarrassed -suffer loss of confidence -not take the role play seriously

The training of social workers, managers and others involved in personal relationships; the training of tutors, through microteaching.

Case Studies

A history of an event or set of circumstances where the relevant details are examined by the learners. Case studies fall into two broad categories:

-particular suitable where a cool look at a problem or set of circumstances free from the pressures of the actual event is beneficial -useful opportunity to exchange ideas about solutions to common work problems

Learners may not realize that decisions taken in the training situation are different from those which have to be made ‘on the spot’ in a life situation

-courses focusing on human behaviour -training in decisionmaking (management) -diagnostic work in any subject area

-a highly active form of learning -particularly suitable for any situation where learners need to practise making choices and following through the implications of their choices -frequently used instead of formal

-must be realistic and the expected result reasonably attainable by all learners -may be expensive and time onsuming to prepare

-teaching practice personnel selection -courses for armed forces and ‘emergency’ services- police, first aid, fire -in-service training industry and commercial / public sector organisations

-Those in which the learners diagnose the causes of a particular problem or draw conclusions about a certain situation -Those in which the learners set out to solve a particular problem

Simulation

Learners may be asked to undertake a particular task, such as solving a problem using the same procedures as those which operate in real life situation. Simulation often involves a practice session or a test of knowledge acquired prior to the exercise

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

Key Areas Of Use

Badly handled they can fall flat, embarrassing or even alienating and antagonizing learners

-can be used to good

tests to find out how much learners have assimilated and how well they can apply new skills.

Games/ ice breakers

Games take all kinds of forms but often involve competition (and cooperation), teams, points, scoring etc. They are often used to simulate real-life situations and allow learners to experience roles where they are required to make decisions and present to case. Ice breakers can be used when a group first meets to establish a good rapport quickly, enable learners to get to know each other and help diffuse possible tensions or they may be used at the beginning of regular sessions to establish an appropriate group atmosphere

-similar to those of

Individual /group projects and assignments

These may be longer than class work exercises – giving the learner much greater opportunity for the display of initiative and creative ideas. The particular task may be negotiated with the tutor, but the strategy to follow to meet the objectives is left to the learner to decide.

-both stimulate and assess initiative and creativity -provide feedback on learners’ personal qualities as well as their range of knowledge and attitudes.

Project must have learners’ full interest and co-operation. Assignments may be copied or taken from a limited range of sources.

-as part of a process of formal continuous assessment -in practical courses, workbased courses, and integrated work

- can be challenging and stimulating experience -help develop skills involved in stating and arguing a case, making a presentation

-help may be needed with stuffy, presentation skills

-optional parts of a course -to assess learners abilities

Seminars

Projects or assignments are often integrated activities – involving more than one subject. Assignments for individuals or groups who report on a topic and lead discussion

role plays -allow participation by learners of varying ability -add variety / assist in problem-solving and in understanding inter-personal relationships -can be used to introduce competition (or promote cooperation) and provide motivation

effect in most subject areas – but must be used tactfully and skillfully in appropriate situations -management education

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

Key Areas Of Use

Small Groups/ Syndicates

Groups of learners are split into smaller sub groups to work ( sometimes in competition with the other groups) on related problems/ issues

-provide an opportunity for learners to show initiative -can be highly motivating

-provision of sufficient basic information is essential -group work activity must be well planned and prepared and seen to be relevant

-management training -in service training; often used in conjunction with simulation exercises where groups work concurrently on the same ( or different) life-like problems

Brain –storming

A group is given a topic or question and for five or ten minutes members say anything that occurs to them in connection with it. A recorder writes up anything that is said however irrelevant silly or challengeable – on a board or flip chart. At the end of the brainstorming members elaborate on their comments and can discuss and evaluate all the ideas produced. The following ground rules are important: -call out suggestions in any order -don’t explain or justify your suggestions -don’t comment initially on other people’s suggestions

-a good method for introducing a topic -makes everyone feel involved and valued as a contributor -often helps to throw new or unexpected light on a topic -stimulates creative thinking

-requires good group management and timing

Buzz groups are a way of splitting learners into subgroups. The term describes the common practice of briefly dividing up a group of learners into sub-groups to discuss an issue or topic focused on by, for instance a video –before full group discussion. One of the members of each buzz group can act as a recorder of information and spokes person at the stage when the large group has reconvened – the plenary stage. -particularly useful for problem-solving

Individual/ small/group tutorials

A more personal exchange or opinion and feedback, often on a one to one basis

-useful for reviewing progress and discussion, specific assignments and projects. -an opportunity to provide individual counselling and guidance

-insufficient time may be available for tutorials.

The development of competence based education and training, with its highly individualized approach, will require tutors to spend more time coaching individual learners, helping with study problems, negotiating and renegotiating targets and generally providing guidance and support on an individual basis.

Learning-group

May take the form of informal or occasional meetings between two or more learners or selfhelp groups meeting on a regular basis

May be extremely motivating – especially where contact with a tutor is limited

-learners may have insufficient experience or knowledge of topic -personality clashes may occur

Useful in most learning programmes. Particularly valuable in open/flexible learning

Trainer–centred Methods & Trainee-centred Methods Method

Description

Benefits

Limitations

Key Areas Of Use

Open learning

Open learning is the term used to describe any form of learning where the provider enables individuals choice over any one or more of a number of aspects of learning. It frequently involves the use of materials developed specially to allow independent learning. The tutor’s role is usually a combination of ‘resource manager’ guide and advisor.

Particularly useful where access to conventional courses is restricted (e.g. for domestic, work or geographical reasons). Learners can work through open learning materials at their own pace- often at home or during quiet times at work – although the materials may be used in a college – based workshop. An individualized approach is being embodied in the move towards competence based education and training and the introduction of National Vocational Qualifications. This is likely to lead to increasing use of open learning in the education mainstream

Open learning requires investment in high quality materials and in training tutorial and administrative staff to adopt a more flexible, learnercentred role. Where such investment is lacking learners can rapidly become demotivated especially where there are repeated problems

Where learners are well motivated and willing to work independently for significant periods of time.