Train the TrainerCOURSE MANUAL

Stephanie M Servi | CUR/532 | May 15, 2017

Table of ContentsTrain the Trainer Online Course.....................................................................2

Part I.............................................................................................................2Attendees......................................................................................................2

Course Goals................................................................................................3Course Objectives.........................................................................................4

Assessment of Learning................................................................................4Part II...........................................................................................................5

Facilitator Skills and Instructional Materials...............................................5Phases of Development................................................................................6

Theories of Distance Learning.....................................................................7Theories for Engaging Distance Learners....................................................7

Part III..........................................................................................................9Technology Tools..........................................................................................9

CMS and LMS...............................................................................................9Part IV........................................................................................................10

Issues and Classroom Management...........................................................11Culturally Different Learners.....................................................................11

Experiential Learners.................................................................................11Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning.................................................12

Technology Management Issues and Resolution........................................12Classroom Management Issues..................................................................13

Feedback....................................................................................................13Challenging Behaviors................................................................................13

Conclusion..................................................................................................14

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Train 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

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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 communication.

Committed to supporting the course and trainees.

Be organized with good time management skills.

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COURSE OBJECTIVESAt the conclusion of the course, the online trainers will be able to:

1. Identify the skills needed to effectively facilitate and online training course.2. Describe the role of the online trainer.3. Develop and facilitate an online training course.4. Describe methods used to engage the online trainees and how to incorporate those

methods into newly developed courses.5. Clearly identify pass/fail criteria for trainees and content that will be evaluated.6. Identify the LMS platform that support the online course.7. Upload three documents to the LMS platform.8. Write and upload a biography to the LMS platform.9. Instruct learners on how to navigate and submit assignments in the LMS platform.10. Present an introduction that includes class policies and course expectations.11. Describe how to utilize video, Adobe Captive Prime, or other LMS to support

online learning.12. Identify resources available to faculty and trainees to correct technological

problems.13. Identify ways of providing feedback when facilitating discussions in the online

forum.14. Identify possible behavioral issues that facilitators may encounter and how to deal

with them.15. 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.

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PART II

FACILITATOR 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

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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

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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 LEARNING

Three 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.

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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.

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PART III

TECHNOLOGY 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

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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 IV

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ISSUES AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Online 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

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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

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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 Behaviors Possible Solutions

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Cyber-bullying Facilitators 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 Posts Monitor 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 Engagement Participation 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.

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References

Joo, 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 http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1908/3135

Palloff, 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 https://elearningindustry.com/the-20-best-

learning-management-systems

Vanderbilt University (2017). Center for Teaching: Course Management Systems.

Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/course-management-

systems/

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