Creative training design
43 ideas for a creative training design
If you want to lead a seminar in an interesting and successful way, you should think about a creative seminar design. A varied seminar keeps the motivation and attention of the participants.
Various techniques and methods for creative training design are briefly presented below.
Communicate learning content clearly & design the seminar room
Voting on partition wall
During a meeting or brainstorming, the collected ideas and suggestions should be attached to a partition or pin board so that everyone has an overview.
Memorable reference stories, speaking in and showing pictures (says more than a thousand words)
The participants remember learning content better through topic-related stories and pictures.
Me-Too
The trainer creates trust in the participants through so-called me-too stories. The sense of togetherness is strengthened when the trainer reinforces the learning content with incidents or experiences with which the participants can identify.
Networking (e.g. other areas of application)
It promotes learning success if the participants can also combine what they have learned with other areas. See also: Criteria for good learning.
"Haptic" material (touch, sniff... let)
Material brought by the trainer increases the learning effect. By touching an object related to the learning material, the participants have a better connection to the subject matter.
Let them experience (role-playing games, ...)
The learning content can be conveyed better through small role-playing games and the participants can actively participate at the same time.
Movie, Music
A small film or music related to the learning content also increases the learning effect and willingness to learn.
Mimic, Gesture
Through emphasized facial expressions and gestures, the trainer can underline and clarify what has been said. This strengthens the learning effect, as the participants associate the facial expressions and gestures with the topic.
Flipchart
You can prepare different learning content on a flipchart and, for example, present it better with graphics. Collected ideas can also be recorded on a flipchart.
Learning poster, learning progress illustrations
The various stages of learning progress can be recorded on a flipchart, for example. The participants then have a clear picture of what they have achieved so far. This strengthens the motivation and ambition to successfully complete the seminar.
Seating arrangement (U-shape, parliamentary, circle of chairs...)
The arrangement of the chairs during a seminar can significantly contribute to increased attention and encourage participation. The seating arrangement can certainly be changed during the seminar if it makes sense in the current context.
Theme-oriented room arrangement, e.g. standing tables for small talk
Standing tables can encourage topical conversations and discussions in smaller groups.
Make the learning process varied
Fun and Joy
Through a varied seminar, the trainer maintains the joy and fun of the participants. This keeps them interested and motivated.
Teaching talk/group discussion
Group discussions are important parts of a seminar. In this way, the trainer can get a good overview of the different participant characters and the participants can contribute their own opinions.
Discussion in small groups (standing tables)
Standing tables in the seminar room allow smaller groups to form around the tables in order to have discussions or conversations. This promotes the learning effect and communication among the participants.
Impulse lecture
A impulse lecture is a short but concise and motivating speech. It contains the most important facts that the participants need to know about the seminar.
Make a practical reference
If the participants can establish a practical connection to the topic, this increases the learning success. For example, visual objects can be used contextually to make the topic "experiential".
Games
Games promote learning, motivation and interaction between participants.
Stories, Pictures
Stories and pictures can be used to visually bring the topic closer to the participants. This promotes the reference to the learning content.
Rewards (if possible in connection with what has been learned)
With small rewards after a learning progress, the participants are encouraged to further active participation.
Exercises, Roleplay
Exercises and role plays not only promote the successful transmission of the various learning units, but also strengthen the willingness to learn and the joy of the participants in the seminar.
Self-study Units
Self-learning units challenge the individual participant. The participant deals independently with a topic. This promotes the independence and creativity of the participant. Furthermore, the trainer receives information about the level of knowledge of the participant and his possible context-related deficits.
Self Reflection
Various exercises for self-reflection strengthen the further development of the participant.
Participant activation
Eye contact (!!!!)
The seminar leader should always seek eye contact with the participants. Especially in lectures, it is important to take turns looking at each participant. As a result, each participant feels addressed more directly and they remain focused on the matter at hand.
Burn for your own topic (!!!)
The trainer should stand by the seminar he is holding. If you notice that he himself considers what he is saying to be right and important, this behavior also has an effect on the participants.
Note topic-centered interaction (TZI).
The trainer not only has to promote the learning success of the group, but also the learning success of each individual participant. The topic-centric interaction shows how this works.
Games, Exercises, Roleplay
Various small games, exercises and role-playing games motivate the participants to actively participate in the seminar. On the one hand, this strengthens the cohesion in the group. On the other hand, the learning success is increased through practical exercises.
Cover all Basics
When designing the seminar, the trainer must ensure that the participants remain motivated and that so-called trainer testing is prevented. The Cover all Basics explains how this works.
Sense and benefit (also beyond the seminar context, e.g. private areas of interest)
The trainer should show the participants the purpose and benefits of the seminar. If the participants notice that the seminar can help them not only professionally but also privately, they are more attentive and willing to learn.
Questions
Direct questions to the individual participants increase their attention and appreciation.
Direct approach
The trainer should have memorized the names of the individual participants by the second day at the latest (despite any name tags). This allows him to address the participants directly and integrate them into the seminar. This promotes the appreciation and commitment of the participants.
Open discussion
Open discussions enliven the seminar. This prevents monotony and boredom.
Provocative claims – using cognitive dissonance
The trainer should occasionally include provocative statements in his teaches. This motivates the participants to explain their own opinions and views and can initiate discussions.
Educational puzzle
So-called learning puzzles strengthen the cohesion of the group. If a topic can be divided into smaller sub-topics, groups are formed in which each participant in the group addresses a sub-topic. After the sub-topics have been worked out, the so-called experts of the respective sub-topic get together and discuss their elaborations. After that, each expert returns to their home group and shares their experiences. This prevents competition among each other, since the results of the individual groups are approximately the same at the end.
Create a positive effect and a sense of well-being
"we" feeling
A varied seminar design and involvement of the participants through various exercises creates a so-called “we” feeling among the participants. The group feels together. This increases the well-being of the individual participants. If the participant feels comfortable in the seminar, this strengthens his performance and willingness to learn.
Point out similarities (One of you.)
The feeling that the trainer is one of you also strengthens the motivation of the participants.
I'm okay - you're okay.
The trainer should always behave neutrally and without prejudice towards the participants.
Openness / affection
The trainer should always be open towards the participants. He should be able to respond to the individual participants. He should also be open to and accept any criticism.
Acknowledge, appreciate, respond to them, pick them up
"I want to achieve good things for you..." / "I want to help you..." With these example sentences, the trainer can respond well to the participants, pick them up and strengthen their motivation.
Friendly directive
The trainer should behave in a friendly but assertive manner towards the participants. There should be a balance between being authoritarian and feeling "we".
Clear communication
Clear and direct communication within the group and the trainer prevents unnecessary discussions and disturbances during the seminar.
Clear organization and rules
A success-oriented seminar depends on the trainer being well prepared. Clear organization and rules prevent major disruptions and promote learning success.
Fun and Joy
Fun and joy are part of a successful seminar. If the participants enjoy the seminar, this strengthens their well-being and sustainable learning success.
Exude commitment
The trainer should always clearly show that he is motivated and committed to leading the seminar. This makes participants feel valued.