No. 549, August 28, 2006

A tip on how to educate and inform

The structure of a course

Can I go through two chapters per day on the course? Then I can fit in all six chapters in three days.

I have heard this question in many variations while mentoring educators and trainers. This thinking sometimes results in courses with a very heavy first afternoon where some participants give up. How could one think differently?

I suggest a more inner driven approach. Which is the biggest difficulty on the course? I ask. Chapter two, answers the trainer. How long time is needed to understand chapter two? I ask. A full day, is the answer. OK, I suggest, then plan the course so chapter two gets a full day and teach the rest of the material on the time left. Not enough time? How do you know? I challenge my mentee. You have not tried it yet. The only way to find out is to try it and then go from there.

It can seem easy to structure a course on the basis of course litterature, earlier courses or other templates. But on the ideal course the participants are in flow during the whole course. This means that difficult parts have to be given time, practice and feedback and that easier parts can be taught more quickly.

Here are some questions to help get a better structure for your course:

• Which is the biggest difficulty on the course? With good training methods, how much time is needed to grasp it?
  
  
• Which exercises can be created to make it possible for everyone, with different learning styles, to master the difficult part in this time frame? Sometimes exercises need to be spread out during the entire course.
  
  
• Positive personal feedback can do miracles in getting the participants to believe in themselves and to acknowledge their successes. Feedback is especially needed during the difficult parts of the course.
  
  
• Distribute the easier parts of the course material on the time left over and/or leave it as a home assignment.

Every course has its process. Understand the process and give room for it and you will succeed more often.

Creative regards! Jonas Himmelstrand

© 2006 Strategies to Learn & Grow Newsletter • Printable version