This stage encompasses both pedagogical, logistical and organization steps, with a primary focus on didactics. These tasks are divided into arrangements and planning required before, during, and after training delivery. Revisit the plan, design and develop outcomes and take into account decisions made during the previous stages when initiating delivery.
From a pedagogical perspective, communicating with participants by providing and gathering necessary information, and sharing pre-course materials is essential for a smooth start. Trainers must align didactic strategies, and ensure training and training material and course accessibility for everyone (colorblind, dyslexic, physical disabilities, etc). The training should be adaptable and interactive. Breaks and informal interactions contribute to engagement and learning. Gathering feedback is important to plan future improvements. Each step is crucial to ensure an effective and inclusive learning experience.
Logistical tasks include selecting a venue or technical platform, ensuring accessibility and technical setup, announcements and registering participants, arranging catering for in-person events, creating and organizing documents such as surveys and prints, in addition to the digital resources storage and sharing strategies.
What are the pedagogical aspects?
Before the training event:
- Participant selection assessment: Define criteria for prioritization and assessment of trainees application in order to select participants that can benefit the most from the training and training format.
- Didactics: Align strategy based on the pre-course survey and needed resources to enable and facilitate learning
- Accessibility: Check with participants and trainers if they have special needs (dyslexia, color blindness, etc …)
- Trainer-the-trainer: When needed trainers must take the course in advance to update, improve or learn the theory of teaching and some strategies.
- Trainer setup: It is preferable to teach in partnership, that allows for more support to trainees. However you must consider the delivery format and learning experiences to define an ideal number of trainers and trainees. Conduct a pre-course meeting with collaborators to align expectations and address any questions, define roles, align time, didactic strategies, …
During the training event:
- Ice breaker: Introduce trainers and start with an ice breaker activity to enhance engagement.
- Interactive: Deliver course content in an interactive and variable manner to increase learning opportunities..
- Adapt: Monitor the participant engagement and address questions promptly and adapt instructions and content to meet learner needs.
- Practical Exercises: Provide clear written instructions for hands-on exercises and offer guidance and support to participants as needed.
- Assessments: Conduct formative or summative assessments, such as quizzes, learner reflections or assignments, to evaluate learning.
After the training event:
- Update material: Based on feedback, reflections and evaluations. Plan for how to update the material and plan for delivery for the next iteration.
What are the logistical aspects?
This is not an exhaustive listing of items to consider.
Before the training event:
Venue and Catering:
- Venue: Secure a suitable venue with appropriate facilities. Visit the venue to try out the technical set-up, arrange access cards and signs to find the room etc.
- Accessibility: Check with participants and trainers if they have special needs.
- Catering: Arrange catering services, considering dietary requirements and preferences.
Registrations
- Registration: Set up a registration process that collects information needed to select participants or define clearly that this is a “first come - first serve” setup. Consider collecting demographic data for future analysis. Make sure to protect sensitive data and participant information.
- Course Announcement: Publish a course announcement on relevant platforms (e.g., TeSS, newsletters, social media, email) including the following information:
- Short description
- Learning Objectives
- Target audience
- Fee
- Delivery mode
- Dates and location
- Prerequisites and eligibility
- Related courses in learning path or curriculum
- Funding/sponsors
- Participant selection and assessment: When applicable, review the registration form and select participants based on their prior knowledge and skills and the criteria.
Course technical resources: Technical considerations for online or hybrid events: Selecting the platform: For example, Zoom, WebEx, Teams Online helper: Breakout rooms, technical checks for online resources Compute resources: Prepare access to compute resources, learning management systems, collaborative notes documents, notebooks, … Prepare any non-digital resource
- Feedback: Prepare the event-specific feedback survey to be shared afterwards with participants as well as a trainer’s reflection document for the trainers (and observers, if any).
Communication with participants:
- Participant Preparation: Send pre-course information including:
- Installation guidelines for required software. Consider offering a help-session the week before the event.
- Pre-reading materials.
- Instructions for accessing online resources and virtual meeting platforms.
- Information on how to reach the venue.
- The Code of Conduct for the event.
- Pre-course survey (if applicable): getting information about expectations and previous knowledge
During the training event:
Onboarding and Welcome: Welcome participants and introduce the course objectives, structure and practicalities (see below). Allow time to address any questions or concerns.
- Course schedule
- Code of Conduct
- Attendance list
- Safety/fire alarms
- Restrooms and refreshments
- Wifi Breaks: Always announce when a break is over and if there are any refreshments etc available. Possibly write somewhere visible so everyone knows when it is expected.
After the training event:
- Certificates: Send certificates to eligible participants in individual emails or make it available in the registration system when applicable. Make sure you abide by the GDPR regulations.
Evaluation and Feedback:
- Distribute evaluation forms to gather feedback on the course content, delivery, and overall experience, Also ask trainers to make use of the trainer’s reflections document.
- Continuous improvement: Invite trainers to a follow-up meeting to reflect on the delivery, discuss improvements and updates.
Communication with trainees:
- Include related trainings for communication
- Inform if support/consultancy is available after training
Related resources:
References
- Course design: Considerations for trainers – a Professional Guide
- Train-the-Trainer Concept on Research Data Management
- Learning objective matrix for research data management