Synchronous training: designing engaging learning environments

This learning event takes the form of a workshop during which participants work in teams on a project from their workplace. Working in teams of three, their mandate is to analyze the project, formulate the learning objective, select the knowledge and plan the course, all without "direct teaching".

That's the challenge: to design a learning environment that leaves the trainer with only about 20% of the speaking time! But it's easy: you just need to know how!

Training needs and target clientele
Defining the problem, characterizing the target clientele and identifying the constraints are three essential elements if the training activity is really to alleviate the problem observed in the environment.

By the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to specify training needs and characterize target clienteles: 
 

• Clarification of the problem

• Description of target clientele

• Identification of constraints

• Training content

The learning objective: the cornerstone of your project
The learning objective is the answer to the problem observed in the company, and it becomes the guide that enables us to design a course without going astray. It helps us to select the knowledge, organize it to make the architecture, select the pedagogical techniques and design the scenarios. His role is crucial.

At the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to formulate the learning objective according to Bloom:

• Taxonomy of the cognitive domain (Bloom)

• Taxonomy of the affective domain (Krathwohl)

• Writing learning objectives

• Distinction between knowledge, skill and competence

Essential knowledge
Most training activities contain far too much knowledge. If you want to avoid cognitive overload, it's important to stick to the essentials. The fine red line between the essential and the superfluous is drawn by the learning objective.

By the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to select all the knowledge essential to achieving the objective:

• Types of knowledge

• Relationship between: objectives, learning, types of knowledge, teaching strategies and teaching techniques.

Course architecture (macrodesign)
How do you organize all this knowledge into a coherent whole? The answer is again provided by the learning objective.

By the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to formulate the learning objective :

• Course outline

• Learning unit (LU)

• LU objectives

Building your toolbox
To choose the most relevant learning techniques from among the hundred or so available, we continue to be guided by the learning objective and the type of knowledge selected.

At the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to select the most appropriate techniques for their learning objective:

• Bank of andragogical techniques

• Andragogical techniques selection criteria

• Participant cognitive engagement model

Pedagogical scenarios (microdesign)
The next step in this learning unit is to describe the training process. First, we describe the work of the participants, then that of the trainer, who must adopt a support role. This requires the design team to put learners at the heart of the action.

At the end of this learning unit, participants will be able to create pedagogical scenarios:

• Pedagogical scenario

• Learning scenario VS coaching scenario