Train the Trainer Online Course



Train the TrainerCourse ManualStephanie M Servi | CUR/532 | May 15, 2017Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Train the Trainer Online Course PAGEREF _Toc482635727 \h 2Part I PAGEREF _Toc482635728 \h 2Attendees PAGEREF _Toc482635729 \h 2Course Goals PAGEREF _Toc482635730 \h 3Course Objectives PAGEREF _Toc482635731 \h 4Assessment of Learning PAGEREF _Toc482635732 \h 4Part II PAGEREF _Toc482635733 \h 5Facilitator Skills and Instructional Materials PAGEREF _Toc482635734 \h 5Phases of Development PAGEREF _Toc482635735 \h 6Theories of Distance Learning PAGEREF _Toc482635736 \h 7Theories for Engaging Distance Learners PAGEREF _Toc482635737 \h 7Part III PAGEREF _Toc482635738 \h 9Technology Tools PAGEREF _Toc482635739 \h 9CMS and LMS PAGEREF _Toc482635740 \h 9Part IV PAGEREF _Toc482635741 \h 10Issues and Classroom Management PAGEREF _Toc482635742 \h 11Culturally Different Learners PAGEREF _Toc482635743 \h 11Experiential Learners PAGEREF _Toc482635744 \h 11Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning PAGEREF _Toc482635745 \h 12Technology Management Issues and Resolution PAGEREF _Toc482635746 \h 12Classroom Management Issues PAGEREF _Toc482635747 \h 13Feedback PAGEREF _Toc482635748 \h 13Challenging Behaviors PAGEREF _Toc482635749 \h 13Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc482635750 \h 14Train the Trainer Online CourseThis online training program is intended to teach the corporate trainers at the AECOM corporation how to develop and facilitate online training courses. The training program provides a means of accommodating training to all AECOM offices in 7 continents and over 150 countries. Part I AttendeesThe trainers scheduled for this course have an average of 5+ years’ experience as facilitators in traditional teaching environment and developing training; these trainers are not experienced in facilitating courses in the online platform. The attendees are knowledgeable and experienced in course development, facilitating, simulated teaching scenarios, and on the job assessments. Course GoalsThe goal of the program is to utilize the trainers to provide online training courses to the multinational branches of the organization. The online training program provides a cost-effective approach to make training available to all locations of the organization. Personnel will have access to the training programs at any time while connected to the corporate network. The key components for presenting an online training course is for the facilitator to be technologically knowledgeable, organized, and effective communicator. The course must have clear objectives with the goal clearly defined. A trainer who facilitates courses must be available for the learners to communicate with via phone, email, or other technology.Expectations of an online trainer:Be a presence and available for those attending class.Unbiased, open, and provide clear instruction.Open mitted to supporting the course and trainees.Be organized with good time management skills.Course ObjectivesAt the conclusion of the course, the online trainers will be able to:Identify the skills needed to effectively facilitate and online training course.Describe the role of the online trainer.Develop and facilitate an online training course.Describe methods used to engage the online trainees and how to incorporate those methods into newly developed courses.Clearly identify pass/fail criteria for trainees and content that will be evaluated.Identify the LMS platform that support the online course.Upload three documents to the LMS platform.Write and upload a biography to the LMS platform.Instruct learners on how to navigate and submit assignments in the LMS platform.Present an introduction that includes class policies and course expectations.Describe how to utilize video, Adobe Captive Prime, or other LMS to support online learning.Identify resources available to faculty and trainees to correct technological problems.Identify ways of providing feedback when facilitating discussions in the online forum.Identify possible behavioral issues that facilitators may encounter and how to deal with them.Identify technology available for disabled individuals to access online courses.Assessment of LearningUpon completion of this course the trainers will be assessed on modifying an existing training course to the online platform and develop a training class for presentation online. The trainer will be graded on their presentation of a training course that they had modified to the online platform in a pass/fail assessment. Trainers will be assessed on their technological skills and communication of course content. Trainers are re-evaluated annually.Part IIFacilitator Skills and Instructional MaterialsTo be effective, an online learning facilitator must have clear communication skills and be available. Some strategies that can be used to aid trainers in presenting these skills are:Communication skills development- Present the trainee with a scenario and ask them to present a short informational presentation. The instructor as well as the other trainees can critique and guide the presenter in developing effective communication skills.Open communicator- Have the trainee pick a subject with which they are intimately familiar and have them present a short training class on the subject. The instructor and trainees will be presented with a quiz afterwards to see how well they retained the information to evaluate how well the information was relayed.Be available- Emphasis time management and how important it is to be available for the learners.Phases of DevelopmentThe phases of development for distance learning facilitators include visitor, novice, apprentice, insider, and master (Palloff & Pratt, 2011). The visitor phase is when the facilitator is new to technology and evolve into a novice when the facilitator becomes comfortable utilizing technology to present their traditional classes. The novice has never taught or taken an online course, but consistently posts their syllabus online and uses technology to supplement their traditional classroom. An apprentice has taught online for one or two terms and may have facilitated multiple course each term, developing an understanding of the skills required to teach online. The insider has facilitated more than two semesters in an online environment, conducted multiple courses per term, is not intimidated in online environments, and is proficient using course management technology. Master phase is when faculty has taught online for multiple terms, designed online curriculum, masters technology, and is comfortable with the skills required to teach online.Those attending this training course are considered to be in the Visitor or Novice phase. Transition between the phases may occur at different times and at different pace for each instructor. Focusing on the requirements of the next level will guide the instructors to the subsequent stage of development. For example, an instructor currently considered to be an insider may begin to design online courses to build experience and continue to do so until they graduate to the master level.Theories of Distance LearningThree fundamental theories associated with distance learning are: transformation, framing, and emergence. Transformation is the hallmark of learning and is characterized as changes in understanding within social, personal, and political dimensions. Transformation occurs when the individuals outlook is changed through the acquisition and understanding of new knowledge. Framing is when the experiences and rules constructed act as interpretive frames for action. Frames are used to comprehend behavior and modify understanding based on available information, which may be used for future reference (Haythorthwaite & Andrews, 2011). Framing occurs when an individual is actively engaged in the experience through expected behaviors. Emergence occurs through active engagement and observation of elements and is a process in which simpler object encourage the emergence of larger complex thought processes and concepts (Haythornthwaite & Andrews, 2011). Emergence occurs when new knowledge and interpretation of information is shared and expanded upon.Theories for Engaging Distance LearnersThe theories for engaging distance learners is based on motivation and the idea that when learners find the lesson meaningful and have a high interest in the task, they learn more effectively, tend to retain the information, and can transfer it to other contexts.Cognitive Engagement – Learners are self-regulated and self-motivated.Transactional Distance Theory – “A concept describing the universe of teacher-learner relationships that exist when learners and instructors are separated by space and/or by time” (Joo, Andres, & Shearer, 2014).Examples of these theories are:Theory of engagement – Collaborative teams work on a task that is meaningful to the collective. Individuals communicate and interact in a productive manner to achieve a common goal. Learners then apply lessons learned to other projects.Cognitive Engagement – Online learners have high cognitive engagement due to being self-regulated and self-motivated. Cognitive engagement of students can be influenced by certain teaching strategies and interactions in the educational context (Joo, Andres, & Shearer, 2014).Transactional Distance Theory – An effective facilitator will provide a means for communication that will reduce miscommunications that can occur by distance education that relies on written communication. Online courses are designed to facilitate learning objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and interaction between learners in a manner that is not affected by the distance.Part IIITechnology ToolsFacilitators of online courses are responsible for setting up the online community in which the learners communicate in a safe and respectful environment. This is done through encouraging interaction between learners; the learners build a support system within their learning environment this way. The more that learners share of themselves, the more comfortable they feel about collaborating with each other. Technology is vital to support online courses. CMS and LMSLearning platforms that are utilized by distance learning facilitators consist of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Course Management Systems (CMS). An LMS is a platform that enables the storage and delivery of learning content for training and educating employees; seen as a management system for the delivery of online learning. The An example of this type of platform to be utilized for the online training course is Adobe Captive Prime. Adobe Captive Prime supports any file type as well as providing a fluid player for video and audio files; online, offline, and mobile supported system; support for both learner and facilitator (Pappas, 2017). CMS is a collection of software tools associated with the development and delivery of courses which are placed onto the Internet. “A CMS is typically integrated with other databases in the university so that students enrolled in a particular course are automatically registered in the CMS as participants in that course” (Vanderbilt University, 2017). Blackboard is an example of a CMS. Blackboard supports the presentation of a virtual classroom through web conferencing, synchronized learning, facilitators can grade learner’s submissions, personalize learning, and many more features. Skype is used for face-to-face communication between learner and facilitator in real time and recorded messages.Part IVIssues and Classroom ManagementOnline learners learn best in an environment where they know they are safe to provide input and receive constructive, respectful feedback. Facilitators of online courses need to accommodate and support diverse learners.Culturally Different LearnersAECOM is a culturally diverse global corporation with with offices in 7 continents and over 150 countries. Learners in such a far-reaching organization learn better from their peers than from a facilitator who does not speak the same language as the learner. Cultural differences and diction play a role in how receptive a learner is to the information as the informational content itself. It is not always possible to provide such a learning environment in the online platform; therefore, facilitators need to be aware of the demographics of their learners. Experiential LearnersLearners retain information that is presented in a way they learn. For example, an experiential learner retains lessons that are provided in a hands on “action” environment. Lessons instructions delivered in a “do this activity” manner asks the learner to describe the actions taken and the result of the action. This activity should mirror the actions introduced in the lesson and enforce what is being learned.Online lessons are expected to be diverse and engaging for the learners. A facilitator recognizes that the diversity of the learners requires a course that meets their learning needs. The trainees for this course are professionals and want to know how the course will benefit them; this is the “what’s in it for me” attitude. When learners know that they gain from learning, they put more effort into their classes. Synchronous and Asynchronous LearningThe online training courses are asynchronized training; the courses can be attended at anytime, anyplace. Facilitators need to still be a presence in the course though. For some facilitators, it is difficult to adapt from the synchronized environment of the traditional courses to the asynchronized environment of online courses. Online facilitators can still maintain a synchronized learning environment through setting up online hours or requiring that learners check in at a certain time each day of the week. This is not a practical expectation in the training environment of the AECOM organization due to the time zone differences. Technology Management Issues and ResolutionTechnology issues usually occur at the least opportune time. The issues may arise from severe weather events. Although inconvenient, a backup plan should be developed in advance. It may require checking into a hotel, staying at a family or friends home, or going to a business that has free Wi-Fi services. It is advisable to keep an external hard drive available for such emergencies.Some learners may have difficulty navigating the online course environment. It is a sound business decision to use LMS platforms that provide tutorials and technical support for individuals who need the extra help. Another issue may be that the user is not that familiar with technology or software programs that are being utilized for the course. Googling questions or turning to YouTube for answers can sometimes be effective. Facilitators should familiarize themselves with the software that is used to support their course so that they are able to help learners who are struggling.Classroom Management IssuesProblems may arise due to personality conflicts, misunderstanding, or inappropriate comments. The issues need to be addressed quickly and directly. Remind learners that all interaction should be respectful and supportive. The disadvantage of the learning environment is that some people attempt to hide behind anonymity to say anything they want to. The facilitator must pay close attention the interactions of the learners.FeedbackProviding feedback from the facilitator to learners enforces that the facilitator is paying attention and supporting the learner. Without feedback from the facilitator, the learner feels as if there is not anyone paying attention to the course. Feedback should be based on the course goals. Actionable feedback that guides the learner to specific steps as well as measurable actions are effective in improving a learners’ comprehension of a lesson.Challenging BehaviorsChallenging behaviors may arise because people feel safe while knowing that they will not have to interact with others face-to-face. In the table below three behavior issues are addressed as well as possible solutions.Challenging BehaviorsPossible SolutionsCyber-bullyingFacilitators interact with learners and monitor discussions that occur between learners.Encourage learners to communicate via the classroom forum to ensure the posts are within the course guidelines.Address any issues directly and promptly.Inappropriate PostsMonitor posts within the course forum and do not hesitate to remove inappropriate posts. Course expectations for discussion posts are to be included in the syllabus.Any inappropriate posts are to be addressed directly and promptly.Lack of Participation or EngagementParticipation and interaction expectations are addressed in the syllabus. Learners who are not meeting the participation expectations are contacted to ensure that the requirements are understood.Encourage learners to interact with the facilitator and each other.ConclusionThis online course is intended to enhance the training program. The more that trainers are exposed to the tools and technologies available, the more they will recognize the potential for the courses to evolve and get better. Do not hesitate to reach out to your fellow trainers and understand that there is no one way to present material in the online environment, experiment, play, try new technology, but most of all, have fun.ReferencesJoo, K.P., Andres, C., & Shearer, R. (December 2014). The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) – Promoting Distance Learners’ Cognitive Engagement and Learning Outcomes: Design-Based Research in the Costa Rican National University of Distance Education. Retrieved from , R. M., & Pratt, K. (2011). The excellent online instructor: Strategies for professional development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Pappas, C. (2017). eLearning Industry: The 20 Best Learning Management Systems (2017 Update). Retrieved from University (2017). Center for Teaching: Course Management Systems. 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