Fax: 508-651-2674 
Category: FACILITATION TIPS
As facilitators of learning, teachers and trainers are constantly honing their own facilitation skills. They’re known to share their best and favorite learning tips with colleagues. Trainers Warehouse collates best practices from a broad range of resources, focusing on active learning, neuroscience, participation and engagement, gameplay, live and remote learning, and tons more.
Maslow’s Hierarchy and Meeting Learners’ Basic Needs
In his 1943 paper, A Theory of Human Motivation, psychologist Abraham Maslow , [2] proposed the idea that a person’s most basic needs must be satisfied before higher order needs can be addressed. The needs he identified are: Physiological – includes air, food, water, sex, sleep, other factors to... Read More
Starting Off Right
Because first impressions matter, a good start to your training session can make a world of difference in the overall effectiveness of the learning event. Several trainers have commented on the ways they prime participants for learning before they even begin. Before the Meeting Starts… Be in... Read More
Wait! Slow down.
Don’t be too quick to call on the first hand that goes up. By doing so, you signal to other students that they should stop thinking of an answer. Experts suggest that you extend your wait time to 5 to 10 seconds! This assertion is supported in several research reports, including: Journal of Re... Read More
Not Another Icebreaker!
This article appeared in eLearn Magazine in March, 2011. I was recently privy to a conversation about icebreakers—folks were exploring whether icebreakers are successful or not. I learned a lot about why some people love them and a lot of people hate them. On Thin Ice Lots of people hear the word ... Read More
Doodling approved by Doodle Research
First the Doodle Research Data! Doodling while listening can help with remembering details, rather than implying that the mind is wandering as is the common perception. According to doodle research in a study published in 2009 in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, subjects given a doodling ta... Read More
Facilitating Jeopardy-like games
Jeopardy-like games can be an excellent tool to introduce new learning points or reinforce what’s already been covered. These brief notes will help you easily facilitate an effective learning experience. Teams select game board questions with varying point values in each category (i.e. Sales... Read More
Fiddles
Fiddles may look like toys to the untrained eye, but they can be serious learning tools. Below are some of the benefits your group will experience if they pick up a toy or two during your session. Please know, the Trainers Warehouse collection of kinesthetic learning tools has been specially selecte... Read More
Balls Throwables
Balls are playful by nature. Since childhood, we have been taught to have fun with balls—playing catch, dodge ball, 4-square, SPUD, kickball, soccer, and more. They are also terrific teaching and learning tools. The best balls for training should be “S.A.F.E.”: 1) Soft: They shou... Read More
PowerPoint 10-20-30 & The TED Commandments
In a recent Trainers Warehouse customer poll, I found that 97% of the trainers and teachers surveyed use PowerPoint Wow! Here are some of my favorite tips relating to the use of PowerPoint: Tim Longhurst explains the TED commandments. TED Talks are some of the best speeches I watch. The speakers are... Read More
Dealing with cell phones
Cell phones can be a challenge for every teacher and trainer these days. Here are some suggestions and anecdotes to set expectations in mature, respectful, or funny ways. Many of these were drawn from a series of LinkedIN discussions. Have an adult conversation about it! For the sales people I tra... Read More
PRODUCTS YOU’LL LOVE!
Who's First?® v3 Wireless Game Buzzer System
Engage fidgety fingers with a Desktop Fiddle Set
Build team spirit and communication with Team Writer
Learn more about who's who with the Favorites Thumball
LEARNING FACILITATION TIPS
Browse through tons of tips and tools that cover all aspects for training. Sharpen facilitation skills by understanding, for instance, how to:
- Use card decks for metaphorical debriefs
- Deliver interactive training on a tight budget
- Integrate games into content delivery
- Draw on brain science to develop effective training techniques
- Put Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset approach into action
- Draw out quiet learners and manage difficult participants
INSIGHTS, TEACHING TOOLS, & MORE
Beyond learning facilitation tips to help teachers and trainers hone their facilitation skills, Trainers Warehouse shares insights and product selection tools drawn from serving the training industry for over 30 years. While Trainers Warehouse sells 100s of training tools and toys on their e-commerce website, they share 1000s of free tips within this blog. Special interest categories include exercises and activities or popular training topics, as well as communication and relationship-building tools to help learners engage in meaningful conversations.
"EDUTAINMENT" GURU
Susan Landay, the President of Trainers Warehouse, graduated from Yale College, Kellogg Business School and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. She’s the perfect resource to help trainers and teachers balance fun and professionalism, education and entertainment. Her insightful thinking and careful research make the WorkSMART blog interesting and informative.