TRAINING
Learn the ROPES of creating compelling training
A
dult learners have unique characteristics you should consider when constructing training courses. Most are eager to learn but need to see how they will benefit from the training. They prefer active, rather than passive, learning and do well with hands-on activities rather than sitting through 40 slides on how to do something. Our job as trainers is not to know everything, but to lead the class in learning. Part of that learning can come from other students, so tap the experience adult learners bring to your class. One way to draw out experiences from your students is to use a formula called “ROPES” for laying out learning objectives. 34 INCLEAN March / April 2020
RELATE Have you ever attended a class that covered a subject you knew nothing about? Chances are you felt a little lost and unsure of yourself. If you flip that scenario, you also have probably attended a class where you were familiar with the subject matter and the new information you learned was easy to grasp and understand. Learning is much easier when your brain knows where to file the information. The first step in ROPES – Relate – is to show learners how the new information they are going to learn expands on something they already know and where they should file this new information. This is an important step
because it establishes relevance for the material and allows adult learners to see that this is important information.
OVERVIEW The next step, Overview, sometimes blends in with Relate. In overview we want to give learners a summary of the activities for this learning objective. Showing learners how you will cover a topic lets them know what to expect. This will help to keep them focused and ready to learn in class.
PRESENTATION The Presentation step is generally where instructors invest the bulk of their time. Keep in mind that when you see the word “presentation” it does not automatically