By Dr. Karen Lawson
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Active training is a dynamic approach to learning that emphasizes the importance of collaboration and engagement among participants. At its core, active training involves the “instructional use of small groups so participants work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning.” This method is grounded in two key assumptions:
Learn why investing in creative and active employee training methods is essential for employee motivation and organizational engagement and growth.
One of the primary strategies of active training is the use of structured learning groups. These groups are designed to reflect learning, teaching, and motivation theories, ensuring that the training is both effective and engaging. By using a moderate level of content and encouraging a high level of participation, active training fosters an environment where participants are actively involved in their learning process. This approach also creates interdependence among group members, promoting teamwork and collaboration.
Minimal lecture is another hallmark of active training. Instead of relying on traditional lecture-based methods, active training encourages peer teaching and the use of a variety of methods to keep participants engaged. This can include discussions, hands-on activities, and real-life scenarios that build on and overlap with concepts and skills learned earlier. By incorporating real-life situations, active training makes the learning experience more relevant and applicable to participants’ everyday lives.
Here’s an easy-to-read list of some of the strategies that active training involves:
Another important element in active training is active knowledge sharing. The purpose is to teach facts (or figures) by asking participants to “guess” or speculate as to the correct information. It is key to prepare slides (or handouts) on which you have provided factual statements with the critical piece of information (number, percentage, name, etc.) to be filled in by participants. Then, you ask participants to work together in twos or threes, show a prepared slide (and/or handout), give participants a few minutes to discuss what they think is the answer, reconvene the group, and ask a representative from each pair (or trio) to share their responses, and finally, share correct answer.
Overall, active training is an effective way to engage participants, promote collaboration, and enhance learning outcomes. By leveraging the strengths of small group interactions and diverse teaching methods, active training helps participants maximize their learning potential and apply new knowledge in meaningful ways.
For more on active training techniques that could work for you and your organization, such as pairs matching, group inquiry, and information search, check out The Trainer’s Handbook: Creative and Active Training Techniques, presented by expert Karen Lawson, where you will also learn about visual aids, peer lessons, building interest, maximizing understanding and retention, and ways to create subgroups.
Dr. Karen Lawson is an international consultant, speaker, and author. As founder and president of Lawson Consulting Group, Inc., she has built a successful consulting firm specializing in organization and management development as well as executive coaching. She has extensive consulting and seminar experience in the areas of team development, communication, leadership, and quality service across a wide range of industries. Clients include a variety of prominent organizations from financial services, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, government, and education. In her consulting work with Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses, she uses her experience and knowledge of human interaction to help leaders at all levels make a difference in their organizations.
Karen holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in adult and organization development from Temple University, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Akron, and a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Union College. She has been actively involved in professional organizations such as the National Speakers Association and the American Society for Training and Development, holding leadership positions at both the local and national levels. Karen is also the author of 12 books on training and leadership.
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Learn why investing in creative and active employee training methods is essential for employee motivation and organizational engagement and growth.
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Active learning is the basis of effective training. Participants will have the opportunity to practice active training techniques through a role-play activity. This activity focuses on managing both dominating and reluctant participants.
