07May 2025 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
How To Let People Do More of Their Own Learning

How To Let People Do More of Their Own Learning

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They each had a list of steps to follow. Read the instructions Decide roles Lead the group through the instructions Debrief the activity Twenty-five people joined breakout rooms to decipher my instructions. Their task? Lead class for the rest of the day. The next six hours would be guided by their choices. They would start the activities. They would field questions. They would decided when things were done. They would have guidelines and timelines and suggestions. I would be there. But what would they do? They went to their break rooms and I held my breath waiting to see what would happen. How many requests for help would I have? Would they even know what to ask? Was this a really bad idea? Telling Ain't Training It's easy, especially in…
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30Apr 2025 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
How to Use Quizzes As An Alternative To Lectures

How to Use Quizzes As An Alternative To Lectures

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Let's face it. Lectures can be boring. We're often stuck feeling like we're required to lecture during in person and virtual training. But what if there was an alternative that was more engaging and more effective? Let's give it a try. Answer the following question. We learn new information best when: We listen to a lecture Watch a video Complete a pretest What's your answer? If you answered 3. Complete a test, you are on to something. How often do you find yourself lecturing during training? Are you looking for an alternative method to get information to learners? Are you uncertain what will work? Lecture is an easy solution when we don't know what else to do. We talk through a concept or process, hoping learners will retain ideas and…
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11Oct 2022 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
Things I’ve Learned In The Last Two Years (or so)

Things I’ve Learned In The Last Two Years (or so)

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Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash Wasted. Lost. Paused. I stumbled upon an article with those three words describing the space between today and March 13, 2020. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of disagreement. The years were challenging, difficult, monotonous, tedious, trying, tragic, and long, but not wasted. We can carry many powerful lessons and accomplishments from our pandemic experience. Here is my non-exhaustive list of things that stand out for me. Our work is portable Working from home or from a coffee shop is not new, but we shifted and showed that we can work outside of a traditional office space in a large scale way. It wasn't perfect with dogs barking, kids needing distance learning help, the neighbor's seemingly constant leaf blower, but we did it. I…
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24Aug 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
Five Things You Need To STOP Doing In Virtual Training

Five Things You Need To STOP Doing In Virtual Training

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You've probably facilitated more virtual classes in the last year than you can count. You've unmuted, muted, and shared your screen numerous times. And, like me, you've made some mistakes. Whatever your experience level there are five things you need to stop doing in virtual training. These five things distract learners from your content and make you look unprofessional. Stop leaving computer notification on. Stop saying this isn't like "real" classroom training. Stop using the wrong method to get learner responses. Stop using multiple bullet pointed lists. Stop missing opportunities for learners to do the work. Are you doing any of the five? Now's a great time to stop. Let me explain each. STOP Leaving Computer Notifications On I don't want to hear your computer ping with notifications. Hearing someone…
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17Aug 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 4 Comments
How To Use Four Creative Methods To Prompt Learner Responses

How To Use Four Creative Methods To Prompt Learner Responses

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We need connection. We need feedback. We need interaction in class. Asking questions of learners is one way we obtain connection, feedback, and interaction. BUT... You ask a question. And nothing happens. Nothing. What can you do to change this situation? How can you get responses from learners? Zoom fatigue is real. Screen time and Covid and social distancing and working from home have exhausted all of us. Everything feels like it takes a little more effort. Answering your question is hard. Learners will play the wait for someone else game until you change your approach. Here are four creative methods to prompt learner responses Give Me 4 "I'm looking for four responses. Who's got number one." This phrase prompts everyone to attention. We've got a goal. I hold my…
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27Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment
How To Use Questions To Reveal Possibilities & Deepen Learning

How To Use Questions To Reveal Possibilities & Deepen Learning

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Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash Have you observed learners sitting quietly in the virtual classroom waiting for someone else to answer your question? Yes, you could have people respond in the chat. But what about that rich, verbal exchange you loved so much from the traditional classroom space? "People don't participate in virtual discussions." Thirty people in the Zoom meeting considered the problem for a moment. "Don't respond yet," I said. "We are going to try an experiment." I was willing to try anything. "For the next four minutes, please raise your hand and ask a question related to our problem. Two rules though, no justification and no excusing. Just ask your question. I'll record it. Our goal is twenty questions in four minutes." "For the next four minutes,…
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23Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
How Do Learners Respond When You Ask A Question?

How Do Learners Respond When You Ask A Question?

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What happens after you ask a question in training? Do you have multiple people eager to answer, scrambling over each other? Or do you hear...nothing. Just uncomfortable silence. Our natural tendency is to fill that nothing with something. Usually our own words. Do you do any of the following? Restate your question in another way? Answer the question yourself. Call on someone. Pause until there is a response. In adult learning there is really only one correct answer. That answer is silence. The Pause. It's difficult. It's uncomfortable. And it's completely necessary. The pause signals to the group that you intend for them to think. You want them to ponder the question. It also honors the system that we each go through prior to raising our hand (real or virtual)…
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20Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
How To Keep People From Leaving Early

How To Keep People From Leaving Early

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Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash The clock ticked closer to the hour and the exodus began. Messages began to drop into chat, "I've got a meeting at 11:00." "I need to be on a call at the hour." Have you been victim of the On The Hour Exodus? Frustrated that people don't stay until the end of the class or meeting you've so carefully orchestrated? Have you heard the lament of people who don't want to go but they've been scheduled for something else by someone else? The virtual meeting space has created a scheduling nightmare. It's so easy to think, "I can fit that in." Suddenly we are overbooked without a five minute breather or bathroom break between our virtual sessions. It seems one important way to overcome zoom…
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16Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments
How To Create Powerful Producer Notes For Virtual Training

How To Create Powerful Producer Notes For Virtual Training

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You know the benefits of using a producer, but how do you manage your roles and relationship? Clear communication between a producer and trainer will make your life easier and your training more professional. My virtual training is successful because of my producer. Without her managing attendance, opening breakout rooms, monitoring time, and troubleshooting technical issues I would not be able to focus on learners and the content I'm sharing. The key to our success? Producer notes. Our notes are a living document we actively maintain as we work through class. My producer notes are: Created in Google SheetsCreated for every class offering Shared with my producer so she can edit as neededAre all kept in one spreadsheet with completed classes are hiddenNever printed Why A Spreadsheet? You might be…
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09Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment
Do You Need A Producer For Virtual Learning?

Do You Need A Producer For Virtual Learning?

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Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash Do you need a producer to assist you with virtual learning? Yes. There's my answer. Simply yes. In my mind, it's really nonnegotiable. Why? A good virtual producer makes it easier for you, the facilitator, to focus on two things: 1. The Learners 2. The Content By its vary nature training in the virtual environment means you are juggling multiple things -- the technology, your content, your camera, and learner engagement. While you do that learners have to connect to the classroom, find all of the features to maneuver through their experience, and find any supplemental materials like handouts and participant guides. It only takes one person who can't hear or see things to stop the momentum of an entire class. My producer, Michelle, is…
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