From my experience as an instructional designer for a medical program, it is important to provide training to faculty. In my case, regarding the use of systems (such as the Learning Management System or LMS) or good classroom practices. We even provided training on how to design effective presentations. But it consumes a lot of time to train faculty, especially if these are unscheduled events. This is why we made sure to provide eLearning training to faculty in a asynchronous mode, this way they could take the course at whatever time it was convenient to them.
This got me thinking that others might benefit from my experience designing these courses and that need to build one to train other trainers (in a sense, faculty are like trainers). So, I made this post to share my ideas on it. By the way, I am in the process of developing a new program to train trainers of a complex web system, which we developed. But the demand for training in the use of the tool is taking away time for development so we would like to train others to help us in this regard. I hope you find this post helpful, if you would like to make a comment, please use the form below.
In a sense, designing any eLearning course is challenging, but an eLearning course for training trainers can be even more so, but there are some best practices you can follow to ensure that the course is effective and engaging. Here are some steps you can start with:
1. Determine the learning objectives: The first step in designing an eLearning course for training trainers is to determine the learning objectives. This involves identifying the specific skills and knowledge the trainers need to acquire and the outcomes that the training should achieve. For example, if the course is designed to teach trainers how to create effective eLearning courses, the learning objectives may include skills such as creating engaging content, developing effective assessments, and selecting appropriate delivery methods.
2. Identify the target audience: The next step is to identify the target audience. This involves understanding the trainers’ backgrounds, experience levels, and learning styles. This information will help you tailor the course content and delivery method to suit the trainers’ needs. For example, if the trainers are experienced educators, they may need less introductory material than trainers who are new to the field.
3. Choose the right eLearning platform: The choice of eLearning platform is crucial to the success of the course. There are many different eLearning platforms available, each with its own features and benefits. Some of the key factors to consider when selecting a platform include the platform’s ease of use, the availability of multimedia tools, and the ability to integrate with other systems.
4. Create engaging content: One of the most important aspects of an effective eLearning course is engaging content. The content should be clear, concise, and visually appealing. This can be achieved through the use of multimedia elements like videos, animations, and infographics. The content should also be broken down into manageable chunks, with each section building on the previous one.
5. Provide interactive assessments: Interactive assessments are an effective way to reinforce the course’s key concepts and evaluate the trainers’ understanding. Assessments can take the form of quizzes, tests, and scenarios. The assessments should be designed to provide immediate feedback to the trainers and allow them to track their progress.
6. Provide feedback: Providing timely feedback is essential to the success of the course. Trainers should be encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts, and they should receive feedback on their performance throughout the course. This feedback can help them identify areas where they need to improve and reinforce the concepts they have already learned.
7. Evaluate the course: After the course is complete, it is important to evaluate its effectiveness. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, or other feedback mechanisms. The evaluation should focus on the course’s learning objectives, the trainers’ satisfaction with the course, and the course’s impact on the trainers’ performance. The results of the evaluation should be used to improve the course for future iterations.
There you have it, I hope that with these starting points you can start your own Train the Trainer eLearning project, I want to warn you though, that there is still a lot of work ahead of you but with some planning and a little of elbow grease, you would complete it in a reasonable amount of time. Don´t be afraid of using elements such as gamification, immersive technologies, and multimedia in your project. Another thing, don´t try to do this on your own, you will need a team for this.
As always, please leave a comment below, like this post, or share with others. and good luck there.