BRIDGING THE GAP
We have designed, developed and implemented a new course for
our company. It is an Instructor Training course in which new trainers will
begin teaching their units how to conduct casualty care. The new trainers have
successfully completed the Provider course and will begin teaching this topic
at other locations. The topic came up to develop a Train the Trainer course
that will supply the new instructors with a connection to Subject Matter
Experts to assist them with any additional information needed for them to be
successful when teaching.
What stakeholders
would I want to make sure to get buy-in from? Our company’s CEO, Learning
Standards Officer, Upper level Management, Program managers, and the targeted
audience (instructors who teach this same topic at all of the locations).
What questions would
I ask during the organizational, person and task analysis phases?
·
What do we need from managers and peers for this
training to succeed?
·
As an instructor, would you be interested in
attending a training like this? What type of information would be necessary for
you to stay as an active participant in a course of this type?
·
What would keep you from attending this type of
training?
·
How would you perceive this type of training? An
opportunity or a waste of time?
·
What topics would need to be included in this
training?
·
Who is funding the project?
What documents or
records would I ask to see?
How many instructors will need the training and their
locations? What is their experience as an instructor, minimum or expert? How
much longer will they be performing this task? Information on best practices/
lesson learned.
What techniques would
I employ?
Observation: Have
a qualified Instructor observe new instructors and identify areas that could be
improved up on. How often do they teach? What is the minimum/ maximum amount of
students taught in a sitting?
Questionnaires: Ask
a variety of questions to determine if training is the solution or not. What
other solution could solve the problem?
Interviews: Most
will go into a little more detail. Ask open ended questions to get a more in-depth
feel for what is lacking.
Focus Groups and
Collaboration Tools: Observe the group together. Get a feel for the culture
of the organization. Hope they provide some useful information.
Technology: What
type of technology is needed to complete the task? Video conferencing, Skype,
the Web.
In closing, some companies tell you what the need is before
conducting a needs assessment. In some cases the need/ problem may not be
solved through training. I have to ask myself, are they prepared to hear the
solution if it is not training? How would you approach the CEO with a solution that
is something other than training?
Reference
Noe, R. A. (2013). Employee
training and development (6th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Rickita,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your needs assessment! The Train the Trainer course sounds like a good way to assure there is consistency in training materials and delivery. Your choice of including subject matter experts will add quality and relevance to the course context. Most likely this group will play a big role in training the instructors. I agree with your decision of including them in the stakeholder group.
Your choice of questions that will be asked during the organizational, person, and task analysis phase seem appropriate for the needs assessment. I particularly like the question “What would keep you from attending this type of training? The answers to this question could provide useful information. There is one important question you might want to add: “How will the Train to Trainer course meet the company’s outcome and overall business strategy?” This question would be asked by upper-level managers to gauge if the type of training is necessary for the company. (Noe, 2013).
When reviewing documents is it necessary to look at the instructor’s education? Are there any certifications required to qualify instructors for the Train to Trainer Course?
Your choice of techniques seems appropriate for conducting your needs assessment. You may also want to assign a faculty mentor to each instructor. This will provide excellent support for new instructors.
Natalie
Reference
Noe, R. A. (2013). Employee training and development (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill
Rickita, I enjoyed reading your article about Needs Assessment. I thought you asked a couple of particularly good questions. One was "What would keep you from attending?" Sometimes it might be as simple as a time issue, which could easily be handled. Other reasons might be more complex, if people are honest about their reasons, such as resentment over time spent or dislike of the trainer. I also think asking about the participants' perceptions of whether it is an opportunity or a waste of time is an excellent way to get feedback on the stakeholders' perceived need for the training. You could also get some skewed responses from those who don't want to spend the money. For those who say it is a waste of time, you might ask them to expand on why they feel that way.
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