Every company has some sort of technical training, whether computer software tutorials, new hire training, machinery training, or compliance training. Many believe that it must be boring because it is so technical, and learners might believe that it’s a waste of their time. Learners generally tune out until there is something in the training that they find relevant or useful. It’s like knowing that someone is making popcorn, but only becoming interested once you smell it cooking. Untrained or under-trained employees can cost your organization time and money. This session aims to inspire you to make your own technical training pop through tested principles, content creation, and shaking up current theories to apply them to your training content—just like making a bowl of popcorn. (Note: Our virtual popcorn is not made with peanut oil, out of respect for those with allergies.)

In this session, we’ll apply the principles of making popcorn in a pan with oil, heat, and kernels of corn to designing and delivering technical training. We’ll incorporate these principles into the session, so be prepared to participate in your learning. Our metaphor begins with the pan. This is our delivery vessel, e.g., virtual delivery, in-person learning, eLearning, or a combination. You will discover tested delivery principles that can be applied to technical training and used across all delivery methods. Next: The oil. This is content creation. We will explore design principles that help generate interactive avenues of learning, including active learning components like hands-on application, use-case scenarios, discovery, pair-share, heads-up, and many more. Using these methods enables us to create more relevant information and therefore greater retention of knowledge. Third: The heat. Using interactive design generates more relevant opportunities and turns up the heat for more attention from the learner. Shaking the pan at this point might be needed so that all the kernels pop. Finally, the kernel of corn: Evaluating the application of all the ingredients that helped keep the learner engaged, hands-on, and invested in their learning. No more wasting time. You will leave this session inspired to shake up your approach. By making your technical training relevant and engaging, you will enjoy seeing the retention of that knowledge and its application. Pop.

In this session, you will learn:

• How tested delivery components for technical training can be used across all delivery options: virtual, in-person, eLearning, or a combination
• Design principles that help generate active learning avenues by applying less design and more activity
• How and why to allow active learning design to seed the knowledge and drive the skills
• Methods to evaluate the application of these principles to your technical training and observe the pop

Technology discussed:

PowerPoint, Poll Everywhere, Rise, Google applications