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Are icebreakers worth the time?
Many have argued that ice-breakers are not worth the time if not directly related to your content. Are they right? It depends!
Ask yourself:
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How stress-producing is my topic?
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Does my group need to network, build relationships and trust, or break down barriers?
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How much time do I have?
Research suggests that people learn better when they:
1. Feel part of a community
2. Are not inhibited by stress
If you think your group could benefit from an icebreaker, but you don't have much time or funding, consider the hugely popular Meet & Greet Thumballs. They might be just the ticket!
Thumballs
$13.99
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TIP OF THE MONTH
 Relate new information to something they already know
Whether you teach adults or children, learning is most effective when you relate new material to existing experiences.
David Kolb's learning model consists of four cyclical stages--concrete experience; observation and reflection; forming abstract concepts; and testing new situations.
In other words, when learners come to your session, they will likely bring a range of different experiences. To get everyone on the same page, start off with a group experience they can share, reflect upon, and use to continue their learning. Click here for some ready-to-go simulations.
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TOY OF THE MONTH
Get your learners to do the teaching with "Teachback" Tactics
In a recent Training & Development (T&D) LinkedIN discussion, trainers were sharing the myriad of ways they get participants to "teach back" recently learned material, as a way to reinforce learning and enhance memory.
Merging the ideas in several different posts, we offer this suggestion: Write one key concept on each Reminder Hand and place them all in a box. Ask each student to pick one out of the box and tell the group one thing about it. Pass the object from person to person until everyone in the group has made a contribution.
Alternatively, set it up as a group activity. Have a delegate from each table pick a hand. Request that each table come up with a synopsis (or even create a poem!) of the key points, which they will later present to the rest of the group.
Reminder Hands (25/set)
$62.50
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FEATURE:
6 Trumps: The Brain Science that Makes Training Work
by Sharon Bowman
This fresh article offers a summary of 6 brain science principles that trump traditional learning methods.
In a nutshell, the six principles that make learning stick are:
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Movement trumps sitting
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Talking trumps listening
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Images trump words
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Writing trumps reading
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Shorter trumps longer
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Different trumps same
This article is a pre-publication excerpt from Bowman's newest book, Using Brain Science to Make Training Stick (available December, 2010).
read article now
Sharon Bowman is the president of Bowperson Publishing & Training, Inc. She has been a frequent speaker at ASTD, author, teacher, and trainer for almost forty years.
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STOCK UP ON DOCU-POCKETS TODAY!
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