Techniques for Professional Trainers Part I

Training become very fashion today, it becomes very hot filed for different people from different background, in this blog I will provide some techniques of how training and trainers should perform today using both science and art of interpersonal skills since we have passed the basic of train the train regarding the voice and tune used, the colors and dressing, to more focus on how actually human learn and train and benefit form what they learn and how the mind work with the emotion so we can really make the training experience beneficiary.  

The first techniques is "The adult Learning Theory":

Malcolm Shepherd Knowles (1913 – 1997) was an American educator well known for the use of the term Andragogy as synonymous to adult education. According to Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is the art and science of adult learning, thus andragogy refers to any form of adult learning.

Knowles’ 5 Assumptions Of Adult Learners:

The 5 assumptions is describing how the adult learning is different from child learning and by using these assumptions by trainer in his training he can trigger the experience of training and make it beneficiary. 

1. Self-Concept.
   
   
2. Adult Learner Experience.
   
   
3. Readiness to Learn.
   
   
4. Orientation to Learning.
   
   
5. Motivation to Learn.

Trainer should think and incorporate their training with these assumptions so the training experience for the participants can cater for their need to gain knowledge, skills, behavior and attitude so they can reflect it on their life.

To apply the adult learning Knowles has suggested 4 principles:

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction.
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities.
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life.
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.

The point here is that trainers are dealing with adult either employees, entrepreneurs, CEOs, leaders all those are adults and the way adult learn is more or less as Knowles suggested, but if the trainer is using the old concept of training where he is the star of the stage, Mr. know it all talking all the day and other they just listen or they just follow his thoughts this will be sad bad experience for those adults that will end with disaster or worse they will hate training and see it as waste of time and money.

Trainers must also today focus on specialization, today world are developing in all fields so fast than we can follow, and by the time we learn new knowledge, skills, or transmitting to new behavior a new and developed one come out faster than before, also trainer need to build up his experience and application to come out with his results and lessons learned so he can share it with others while he is training them since who is does not have it he cannot give it.