Summary of the key points I got from Training from the Back of the Room by Sharon L. Bowman:
Connections (opening activities)
Warm-up (pre-training)
Goal: Expose and create interest in the topic to be learned
Potential activities:
- Interview an Expert
- People and Personal Surveys
- Pop Quiz
- Scavenger Hunt
- Web Hunt
Fast Pass
Goal: Engage learners the moment they “enter the room”
Potential activities:
- Dot Voting
- Post It
- Take a Guess
- Think It Then Ink It
- Turn and Talk
Start-Up (longer version of Fast Pass)
Goal: Engage learners the moment they “enter the room”
Potential activities:
- Card Carousel
- Standing Survey
- Table Talk
- Wall Writing
- Where Do You Stand?
Concepts (instruction activities)
Concept Maps
Goal: Give learners a visual outline of the information
Potential activities:
- Basic Map
- Burger Map
- Flow Chart Map
- Free Flow Map
- Timeline Map
Interactive Lecture Strategies
Goal: Active participation by the learners
Potential activities:
- Beat the Clock
- Bend, Breathe, and Write
- Pass That Card
- Rapid Response
- Stand, Stretch, and Speak
Jigsaw Activities (teaching to learn)
Goal: Give learners responsibility for their own learning
Potential activities:
- Concept Card Experts
- Concept Clinic
- Jigsaw Choices
- One-Person Experts
- Table Group Experts
Concept Centers
Goal: Enable learners to learn, review, or practice a specific topic
Potential activities:
- Computer Centers
- Discussion Centers
- Learning-Created Centers
- Table Centers
- Wall Centers
Concrete Practice (practice activities)
Teach-Back
Goal: Have learners teach each other what they learned. Helps with memory and validates understanding.
Potential activities:
- Circle Teach-Back
- Improv Teach-Back
- One-Legged Teach-Back
- Paired Teach-Back
- Table Teach-Back
Skills-Based
Goal: Practice the skills being learned
Potential activities:
- Each Teach
- In-Room Mentoring
- Rounds and Repetition
- Skills-Based Game Shows
- Table Demonstrations
Learner-Created Games
Goal: Give learners responsibility for their own practice AND fun.
Potential activities:
- Ball Toss
- Card Games
- Cooperative Jeopardy
- Grab and Gab
- Group Scavenger Hunts
Conclusions (closing activities)
Learner-Led Summaries
Goal: Learners summarize what they learned
Potential activities:
- Card Exchange
- Learning Logs
- Round Robin
- Stand and Deliver
- Table Talk
Evaluation Strategies
Goal: Provide a way for learners to assess what they learned and how they might apply it
Potential activities:
- Email Blast
- Four-Square Feedback
- Four-Square Levels of Learning
- May We Quote You?
- Where Do You Stand?
Celebrations
Goal: End training on a positive note
Potential activities:
- Certificate Car Wash
- Circle Celebration
- I Like My Neighbour
- Make and Take
- Walk and Talk
