How Effective Are Your Trainers in Classroom Settings?

Classroom training is a workplace learning strategy that removes employees from the work area and brings them together in a safe and appropriate environment, free from distractions, to teach skills, transfer information and knowledge, shape attitudes and behavior, and build competencies.

Training in the classroom, of course, is only one of many workplace training options. Among other training strategies you can use effectively are on-the-job training, self-directed learning (which today often involves e-learning or computer-based training), coaching and mentoring, cross-training, job rotation, apprenticeship, conferences and seminars, and training courses offered at local universities and technical schools.

The choice of the classroom really depends on the nature of the subject matter of your training. The classroom is a good place to transfer information and knowledge, for example. Classroom training is often an effective way to shape attitudes and behavior. However, it is not always the best way or the only way to teach specific job skills and build competencies. At least some of that has to be done on the job.

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In most cases, you will use classroom training in conjunction with one or more other training strategies to provide a balanced, comprehensive training program that helps employees learn all they need to know to perform their jobs well.

There are basically four goals for any classroom training session:

1. To encourage the active participation of trainees
2. To promote clear and complete understanding of the subject matter
3. To make sure employees retain what they have learned during the training session
4. To ensure that employees are able to apply what they have learned to their jobs

The information in today’s Advisor is adapted from BLR’s presentation “Training Strategies II: State-of-the-Art Classroom Training.”

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In tomorrow’s Advisor, we’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of classroom training—plus explore a training resource that empowers you to conduct important training in 10 minutes flat.