Designing a training program isn’t something you just throw together in an afternoon. Kornelis Mulder, Senior Learning & Development Specialist at TTA—an expert in creating training programs—makes no bones about it: developing a training course for colleagues is a specialized skill. Eighty participants of our online MasterClass “Develop a Training” discovered just how much it entails!
How do you master training development?
Among the participants were quality professionals involved in training and testing employees, as well as those who want to learn how.
It quickly became clear that this is anything but a simple task. Kornelis outlined the main fundamentals you need to get the hang of when setting up a course or test for your colleagues:
- Acquiring insight into different learning styles
- Analyzing various learning levels
- Formulating strong learning objectives
- Being able to evaluate those learning objectives
- Applying the right learning styles
Formulate good learning objectives
Kornelis explains: “When setting up a training program, the key is answering the question: What do I want to achieve with this training? If you formulate solid learning objectives, you’ve already laid a strong foundation. We always formulate these objectives in consultation with our clients, ensuring the correct information is conveyed to participants. For example, this is how we develop e-learning programs that use video and PowerPoint.”
He emphasizes that anyone developing a training should be aware that a good training session isn’t created at the snap of a finger in a single afternoon.
What makes a good learning experience?
To understand how people experience trainings, Kornelis asked participants in our MasterClass for their views on a good learning experience. Plenty of feedback poured in, but one response stood out in particular.
A participant shared his experience from a course on home improvement tasks: “It was a balanced mix of 40% theory and 60% practice, with each task explained step by step and then performed hands-on in a workshop,” he noted. “On top of that, the instructor kept the atmosphere light.”
According to Kornelis, this example illustrates that learning is a process that can occur at specific moments and through various channels—YouTube, TV, e-learning programs, or even live on the job. “The important thing is to choose the right form for your target audience, taking into account the different skill levels among participants.”
Consider different learning levels
MasterClass participants were asked to think about which learning methods they would use if they were teaching someone to prepare a dish in the kitchen. The variety of answers was huge, ranging from TikTok and YouTube to ChatGPT, a simple cookbook, or even asking one’s mother for advice. Kornelis remarks, “All methods can be used, but remember that each has its pros and cons.”
Handy tools
QR codes and an educational platform like Kahoot are useful tools for testing which learning styles people prefer. Kornelis explains, “You can use these tools to identify a group’s preferred learning style. Using established models, you can distinguish between learning by *Feeling*, *Thinking*, *Watching*, and *Doing*, or any combination of those.”
Naturally, the ideal learning style aligns with the different learning levels of your participants. Where do they stand in terms of understanding, remembering, and then applying the lesson material?
Kornelis adds, “Analyzing the group’s different learning levels involves how you formulate and pose questions within a training course or test.”
Creating your own learning objectives
As is customary in our MasterClasses, participants were put to work. In breakout sessions, they were tasked with creating learning objectives for baking a cake, using Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide. They found this to be quite challenging—a task requiring serious thought.
Learning Styles and the Role of the Instructor
In our MasterClass, Kornelis also addressed topics such as:
- The role of the instructor in a training setting
- Various methods of delivery (live training, e-learning, virtual training, and video)
- How to make a course engaging, accessible, and practical
All of these points can make or break a successful training. And what about maintaining participants’ attention as a trainer? How do you connect with participants in the right way? As a training designer, you must keep in mind that while some learners arrive at answers and solutions via cognitive or reflective methods, others learn best by doing. As an instructor or course leader, it’s a good idea to think beforehand about:
- How to connect with your participants
- How to conduct yourself
- Which qualities you need as a course leader
“An interesting and instructive training”
The participants’ feedback on Kornelis’s sessions was straightforward: “An interesting and instructive training” and “I learned a lot of new things,” they said afterward.
Did you miss our MasterClass and would like to dive deeper into the topic of training development with Kornelis? The MasterClass video is ready for you in the Trevally Academy environment.
Training and testing colleagues with Q-Learning
As a quality expert, HR manager, or training coordinator looking to train and test your colleagues, ManualMaster Trevally offers the Q-Learning module. We also regularly host events where quality professionals share their insights and experiences using our software.
