Introducing a Program or Session


In July, 2000 I sent a questionnaire to Community College instructors who were attending an Instructor Development Program at the University of New Brunswick.  As a result of the data received I have collected activities that could be used to introduce a program/workshop/session.  I see these activities as being useful for "setting a climate" in the first few meetings of the group.  Of course you will need to consider elements like:  group size, time available, the tone you wish to set and so on.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 

TRAINER/PARTICIPANT JOIN-UP/ICEBREAKER


Background:

Early stages of group development are often characterized by pronounced participant attention paid to the “authority” present in the group.  In training programs, that authority is often represented (or brought) by the trainer/facilitator.  The following activity works with this dynamic as it helps participants learn as much as possible about the trainer(s) in as short a time as possible.  In addition, this activity helps participants come to know one another better through introductions and attention paid to one another’s questions.

Goal:

Objectives:

By the time the participants complete this icebreaker, they will be able to describe:

Audience:

This icebreaker is most useful for medium to large sized groups (10 to 30) participants during multi-day (three or more) programs.

Time:

Allocate at least 45 minutes for this icebreaker.

Design:

1. Display the following newsprint for participants:
Trainer “News Conference”
Purpose: To help us get to know one another better and answer any questions you may have about your trainer(s).
Setting: A briefing room near you!
2. Break participants into several groups of from 4 to 6 people each.

3. Display your own versions of the following newsprint after folks have “settled down”:

Task one: Introduce yourselves to others in your group including names, affiliations, and one thing people wouldn’t know about you if you didn’t tell them.  Take ten minutes for these introductions.

Task two: Work within your group to think of 2-4 questions (depending upon the number of sub-groups) you would like to ask your trainer(s) to help you know them better and better understand their hopes for this training (any questions about the training itself should be moved to another sheet of newsprint to be addressed after this opening activity).  You will have ten minutes to come up with your questions.

Trainers Note: essentially what you’re doing here is working to keep the questions focused on the person of the trainer(s) rather than on the training itself.

4. After the second ten minutes, set up the chairs in the front of the room (one chair per trainer) facing the back of the room.  Ask participants to arrange their chairs to face the trainers chairs (to look like a news conference!).

5. Ask each group to alternate the asking of questions.  Trainer(s) answer as honestly as possible and appropriate.

6. Process the activity minimally with brief discussion of participants and trainer reactions to the news conference format.

7. If time permits, have people introduce themselves to the other groups.  Or use a name game.


SOURCE:
Cornell University.
Internet.  Accessed on June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.cornell.edu/OHR/TNET/Icebreakers/Icebreakers.html


 
 
 

WORKING TOGETHER


The process of working together on common goals requires clarification and concensus.  Divide the participants into groups of three.  Instruct each team to brainstorm criteria for effectively working together.  After three minutes, ask the teams to exchange their lists with another team.  That team must then determine the three most important criteria for effectively working together based on the list prepared by the other group.  After two minutes, have each team report it’s results.

SOURCE:
Thirty Dynamic Warmups for Groups
Internet.  Accessed August 5/00
Available URL: http://www.smartbiz.com/sbs/arts/act7.htm


 
 
 

JOB SATISFACTION AND MORALE


The goal of this warmup is to identify several factors that influence morale and job satisfaction.  Read the following:

“Webster’s Definition of Morale: Mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand).”
Divide group into subgroups of four.  Ask groups to:
1. Define MORALE (in their own words)
2. Brainstorm and make a list of all the job factors that can affect job morale.


Write responses on flip chart paper.

SOURCE:
Thirty Dynamic Warmups for Groups
Internet.  Accessed August 5/00
Available URL: http://www.smartbiz.com/sbs/arts/act7.htm


 
 
 

QUESTIONS


Have each person write a question they want answered in the training on a Post-it note.  Have them introduce themselves and their question.  Then post all questions on a wall chart.  During or at the end of training, ask the group to answer the questions.

SOURCE:
Results Through Training, www.RTTWorks.com
Internet.  Accessed June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.ResultsThroughTraining.com/downloads/Icebreakers.HTML


 
 
 

THE WORST TEAM


Have persons share a description of the worst team they have ever been on and why.  Post characteristics on a flip chart.  Debrief this exercise by having the team identify ways to avoid the “worst team” characteristics.

SOURCE:
Results Through Training, www.RTTWorks.com
Internet.  Accessed June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.ResultsThroughTraining.com/downloads/Icebreakers.HTML


 
 
 

FEARS


Ask each person to share his or her greatest concern about participating in the team building or training.  Post fears on a flip chart.  At the end  of the session, revisit the list and ask the group whether their fears were realized.

SOURCE:
Results Through Training, www.RTTWorks.com
Internet.  Accessed June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.ResultsThroughTraining.com/downloads/Icebreakers.HTML


 
 
 

CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT

 


Quotes:


SOURCE:
Results Through Training, www.RTTWorks.com
Internet.  Accessed date: June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.ResultsThroughTraining.com/downloads/TipsFacil.HTML


 
 
 

INVOLVEMENT TIPS

 


SOURCE:
Results Through Training, www.RTTWorks.com
Internet.  Accessed date: June 19/00
Available URL: http://www.ResultsThroughTraining.com/downloads/TipsFacil.HTML


 
 
 

CARD GAMES


Suggested Time Frame:
10 - 15 minutes

Suggested Group Size:
Pairs, Trios or groups (maximum size of 4/group)

Preparation:
Select a card game such as rummy, crazy eights, or concentration as the overlay for your game.  Prepare "playing cards" with information that is directly relevant to course content.

Instructions:

When the course is scheduled to begin, play some upbeat instrumental music.  Form groups of 2 - 4.  Give each group a "deck" of cards and a brightly coloured sheet of paper with instructions.  Allow the game to continue until most of the
participants have arrived.  Review the answers.  Award prizes to the winners of each game (or the table with the highest score).  If that doesn't encourage participants to show up on time for the next session, nothing will!!
Examples:
For a computer course, prepare cards related to function keys or the various menus of the software package that participants will be learning.  For a technical course you can use the parts and components of the first system you will be covering as a basis for the game.

SOURCE:
Sizzling Session Starters. Internet. Accessed July 18 2000
Available URL: http://www3.sympatico.ca/thetrainingoasis/mayspice.htm


 
 
 

ROLES OF A TRAINER


Objective:

Procedure:
At the beginning of a session, invite the trainees to express to the group the various roles, attitudes, and behaviours they expect (or wish) the trainer to play or portray for them.  List these on a flipchart or chalkboard.  Then share with them a previously-prepared set of your intended roles for that session (an example of some of the characteristics of a faciliative mode is shown below).  Then proceed to reconcile the two lists.
Discussion Questions: Materials Required:

Handout or transparency with list of intended roles.

Approximate Time Required:

5 – 15 minutes.

Example Roles of a Trainer/Facilitator

SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.5


 
 
 

THE ART OF SEEKING GOOD QUESTIONS


Objective:

Procedure: Materials Required:

None, except changes in your agenda.

Approximate Time Required:

Virtually none.

SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.17


 
 
 

PRECONCEIVED IDEAS AND FEARS


Objective:

Procedure:
In some seminars and workshops, participants may be drawn from a large geographical area, may know very little about the prospective program, may not know each other, or may not know what compromises expected trainee behaviour.  Consequently, a forum for exchanging some preconceptions may be appropriate

Form the members into small groups of 4-6 persons.  Have each group select a recorder (a flipchart or notepaper should be provided).  Ask them to quickly respond to the question “What fears, concerns, or preconceived notions did you have prior to coming here today (tonight)?”  After a brief response-gathering period, ask the reporters to present their lists to the entire group.  This will present excellent opportunities for the trainer to empathize with trainee needs, as well as provide reassurance and support by using the items to indicate how the seminar does/does not relate those concerns.

Discussion Questions:

What were some of the fears/concerns/notions expressed in each group?  (Prior examples include the following)


What can we (as trainers) do to diminish those concerns? (e.g., explain dress code, define all acronyms used, solicit questions, etc.)

Material Required:

Flipcharts or notepaper

Approximate Time Required:

20 to 30 minutes

SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.61


 
 
 

ROLES OF A  GOOD TRAINEE


Objective:

Procedure:
In many groups of entry-level trainees, the participants have previously attended no (or very few) formal training programs.  Therefore, it is often helpful to establish clear norms for what constitutes acceptable (productive) trainee behaviour.

One approach to accomplish this quickly and with a certainty of hitting the “right” rules is to present (orally, by handout, or by overhead transparency) a set of pre-developed guidelines for behaviours that trainees would ideally engage in or avoid.  This has the advantage of clarity, but has the potential danger of creating a limiting, rule-filled environment.  Presented in a positive manner, however, the authors have had considerable success with the use of a handout (such an example appears  below), especially when it is “spiced up” with some humourous illustrations.

Alternative Procedures:

Engage the group (early in the session) in a discussion of the productive and nonproductive behaviours they have seen (or can think of) on the part of seminar participants.  This has the value of involving them in the creation of their own norms for their behaviour.

One organization has prepared printed tent cards for participant’s names, with five rules of appropriate seminar behaviour on the back side.  While the name faces outward to the trainer and other trainees, the rules are visually present to the trainee at all times as a constant reminder.

Materials Required:

Possible handout, transparency or tent cards.

Approximate Time Required:

5 – 10 minutes

Suggestions for Effective Seminar Participation:

DO


DON’T


SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.61


 
 
 

THE PIKE (HOT STOVE) SYNDROME


Objective:

Procedure:
Relate the story of the northern pike, placed in one-half of a large aquarium, with numerous minnows unavailable to it in the other half of the glass-divided tank.  The hungry pike makes numerous efforts to obtain the minnows, but only succeeds in battering itself against the glass, finally learning that reaching the minnows is an impossible task.  The glass plate partition is then removed, but the pike does not attack the minnows.  The same pattern of behaviour can be viewed in a cat that jumps onto a hot stove (once!).  The subsequent behaviour of the pike and cat demonstrates the Pike Syndrome, characterized by:
Discussion Questions: Materials Required:

None

Approximate Time Required:

5 – 10 minutes

SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.71


 
 
 

THE ZEN KOAN (A CUP OF TEA)


Objective:

Procedure:
At the beginning of a training program, relate the following tale to the participants.  It is a Zen Buddhist Koan – a centuries-old meaningful tale about life.

A Cup of Tea

Nan-in, a Japanese master, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.  They chatted a while.  Nan-in then served tea.  He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept pouring.  The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself.  “It is overfull.  No more will go in,” he exclaimed.

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own judgments, opinions, and speculations.  How can I show you Zen until you empty your first cup?”

Alternatives:

Wait to tell the story until a participant emerges as a “know-it-all” who has heard it all before, and then use it as a parable for the entire group.  (This requires greater skill, and may risk offending at least one person.)

Instead of telling the story by narration, arrange the props as listed below and have an accomplice (a fellow team trainer or by prearrangement with a trainee) help you in role-playing the vignette.  If presented properly, the additional realism can have great impact on the participants.

Discussion Questions:

Materials (Optional):

Cup, saucer, coffee (or tea, or water), and a tray to catch the overflow.

Time Required:

5 minutes

SOURCE:
Newstrom, John W. and Scannell, Edward E.  (1980)  Games Trainers Play
New York: McGraw Hill Book Company  pp.75


 
 
 

STRUCTURAL INTERVENTIONS


One of the most powerful interventions a facilitator can make is in the physical setting of a group and in the grouping or seating arrangement of the participants.  “A change in seating arrangement, for instance, can change the stimulus value of persons, which in turn will modify the inner life of the participants.” (Luft, 1996, p. 1)  Asking group members to work for a short time in trios can produce a broader pattern of verbal participation and reduce the tendency of some individuals to dominate the interaction.  “In one stroke (structural interventions) may change many process elements such as atmosphere, persons confronted, and the group’s focus of attention.”

A facilitator should use structural interventions regularly with a group but  with care based on a prediction of appropriateness and outcome with readiness to face the consequences if the group does not follow such a suggestion.  If one’s timing and reading of the group are correct, the restructuring will be readily accepted and acted on and the work of the group will have been truly “facilitated.”

EXAMPLES OF STRUCTURAL INTERVENTIONS


SOURCE:
Mill, Cyril R. (1980).  Activities for Trainers 50 Useful Designs.  San Diego, California: University Associates Inc.  pp.33


 
 
 

EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT


People generally come to a corporate training program because someone told them to. They may not be happy to be there as they fret about all the work that is piling up on their desks. As you might expect, no one has answered that age-old question for them: What’s in this for me?

Paradoxically, it’s the act of deciding for yourself what you want to get out of a program that makes it worthwhile. There is a lot of truth in the old saw: Any road will get you there if you don’t know where you are going. This exercise can help people decide where they want to go and remove some of the self-imposed road blocks that keep them from getting there.

Set-Up:

After the teams talk to each other have them present their findings. Respond to any concerns that come up. If this is done at the beginning of the training, people are likely to participate more fully during the rest of the program.

SOURCE:
McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


 
 
 

FACT OR FANCY


Objectives:

Time Required:

20 minutes.

Background:

This activity asks team members to describe an article and then determine which characteristics are fact and which are assumption. The leader helps participants to apply this fact vs. assumption lesson to relationships and decision making.

Materials Required:

A pen (or other object)

Steps:

1. Hold up a pen and ask participants to describe it. Encourage them to come up with as many characteristics as possible. Responses will likely include the color, size, who it belongs to, whether it is cheap or expensive, and the color of the ink.

2. Record the characteristics on a flipchart.

3. On a second chart or board write the headings "Fact" and "Assumption".

4. Ask participants which characteristics belong to the fact category and which to assumption.

E.g., Fact - It is black.  Assumption - It belongs to the facilitator.
Discussion Questions:

1) What has this illustrated?

Common responses:
2) Can you think of any examples from work in which fact and assumption became blurred?

3) What were the outcomes when this happened?

4) What can you do to prevent assumptions from being made?

Common responses:
 

Outcome:
 


SOURCE:
McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


 
 
 

TEAM NORMS


Learning Goals:

Preparation:

Create two flip chart displays with the headings, Counterproductive Behaviors and Group Norms.

Learning Activity:

1. Begin by asking the group to identify those counterproductive behaviors, impediments, and roadblocks to team effectiveness that team members unwittingly instigate. Record responses on the first flip chart display. Allow approximately 15 to 20 minutes for generating a list of counterproductive behaviors.

2. Ask team members to generate group norms that will respond to these barriers and improve team functioning. Team-generated norms might address interruptions at meetings, missed meetings, missed deadlines, gossip, passing the buck or insensitive remarks that diminish trust. Record ideas generated on the second flip chart display. Examples of norms might include starting and stopping meetings on time and providing constructive feedback to each other. Allow approximately 15 minutes for identifying group norms.

3. Ask the group to respond to the list of group norms it generated. Is there a consensus among the group that these norms will help to improve the spirit of the team? Are there norms that still need to be added?

4. Ask if any team members would like to select one of the norms to safeguard. Identify a specific norm that might be challenging for the team and ask for a commitment to try it out in the team for a specified period of time (e.g., two weeks) and then evaluate its usefulness.

 What to Expect:

This is a great activity to use with teams that have not developed group norms or that are experiencing dissonance in their meetings or work together. Successful facilitation involves getting the team to disclose all of its dissonant factors and to identify and reach consensus on team norms that would respond to those dissonant factors. A critical team evaluation at the end of each meeting that addresses whether the norms were observed can be very helpful. This activity is also useful to start-up teams working through Initiating issues.

Approximate Time

 45-60 minutes.

SOURCE:
McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


 
 
 

DEFINE AND SHINE


Form:

Mark Twain commented about the weather, "Everyone talks about it but no one does anything about it." If paraphrased, that thought could easily apply to certain words that are bandied about the work environment.  Often, no one has ever stopped to define those words. As a result, there are multiple interpretations under which employees operate.

This opener has small groups define certain words to ensure everyone is reading from the same sheet of music. Although it takes about 10 minutes, this exercise will help establish the common ground in which knowledge seeds can sprout. The only equipment needed is a flip chart and marking pens.

Function:

1. Divide the group into teams of three or four.

2. For about 2 minutes, ask the teams to come up with a list of five of the most important words related to the subject being presented. For example, if the class is focused on teambuilding, relevant words might be synergy, facilitator, agenda, improvement, and brainstorming.

3. Ask each team to tell you their words as you write them on the flip chart, eliminating duplicates.

4. Now select one word (the one you feel is most important) and place a star in front of it.

5. Have the teams define that word.

6. Call on each team to share its definition, supplementing each definition with course-relevant information of your own.

Follow-Up:

Suggest that participants take some of the terms defined in the workshop back to the work site and post them in a prominent place to invite further discussion and awareness among coworkers. For example, Dr. Deming often declared that "Quality is what the customer says it is." This is a reminder for those in the customer service business to learn as much as they can about customer preferences and how customers themselves would define the word satisfaction.

Transition:

For the sake of having a common understanding, let's use this as our operating definition of the word '____________.' [Supply the word you have starred on the flip chart and provide a definition using the input from the group] As further discussions are held and as ideas and issues are presented, keep this definition in mind. As need dictates, we will continue to define other critical terms throughout the day.

SOURCE:
McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


 
 
 

THE DAVE CLARK FIVE IS TAKING OVER


Form:

Participants will enjoy hearing predictions that never materialized. They will then be asked to think of some from their own lives (personal or professional) and to share those with others in groups of four or five.
Allow about 10 minutes for this opener.

Function:

1. Share the following information with the class: More than 30 years ago, a music critic for a Baltimore newspaper predicted the Beatles would lose their popularity and that the Dave Clark Five would replace them in the hearts of music lovers.

Other predictions that have proven unreliable over the years include:

  • Lord Kelvin: "X-rays are a hoax."
  • Richard van der Riet Wooley (royal astronomer): "Space travel is utter bilge."
  • Physicist Lee DeForest: "I have not the smallest molecule of faith in aerial navigation other than ballooning."
  • Clark Woodward: "As far as sinking a ship with a bomb is concerned, it just can't be done."
  • Octave Chanute: "The [flying] machines will eventually be fast; they will be used in sport but they should not be thought of as commercial carriers."
    • 2. Share with the group a prediction that was made about you or your abilities. An example follows:
    When I was in fourth grade, Mrs. Hogeboom called on me to write something on the blackboard. When I finished, she stood there for a moment staring at my handwriting, and then pronounced, 'You, my dear, have schoolteacher's handwriting.' Bam! My fate was sealed. One simple utterance from Mrs. Hogeboom and my future was decided. I stand  before you today as living proof of her prediction of what I was to become.
    3. Now ask participants to think about predictions that were made about them early in their lives or careers and how accurate those predictions turned out to be. (If participants prefer, they can recall predictions that were made about their organization, their managers, their product or service, their industry, or about technology or changes that would affect the business community, such as the paperless office.)

    4. Form small groups of four or five and have participants share their insights with one another.

     Follow-Up:

    Encourage participants upon their return to work to discuss with industry experts, acknowledged authorities, or their own managers the trends in their field. They should then use the knowledge they have gleaned to think about changes that will probably occur and what they can do to prepare for them.

    Transition:

    Samuel Goldwyn may have been correct when he advised others to "never make predictions—especially about the future." Notwithstanding his advice, I'm going to make a prediction today: I predict you will learn more than you now know about [Mention name of training program]. In fact, let me share with you the curricular outline of what's in store [Review course outline now].

    SOURCE:
    McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
    Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
    Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


     
     
     

    WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?


    Form:

    This simple activity accomplishes a number of goals:

    Groups work together to determine their learning goals during a 10-minute period. Then, each group appoints a spokesperson to report on their collective responses. They need no materials other than paper and pencils. However, if the lists are put on chart paper, you can allude to them several times during the course of the training session.

    Function:

    1. This activity requires little by way of introduction. Essentially, you will divide the class into table groups of five or six and ask them to discuss their expectations for the course. If possible, have them write their lists on chart paper.

    2. Call on a spokesperson from each team to share their ideas. Comment on each briefly, either affirming its place in your curricular plans or else explaining why a particular expectation cannot be met within the scope of the course content. For those that are repeated by later groups, you need not restate your comments.

    3. If the expectations are posted, you can use them at various points during the training to energize the group. You might say, for example, Let’s take a mental break now and review what we have accomplished so far this morning. Would each of you get up, walk around the room, and check off on these lists all the expectations that have been partially or fully met so far?
    Of course, you can do the same thing as a closing activity to demonstrate the extent to which customer satisfaction has been attained.

    Follow-Up:

    By the end of the session, ask each participant to decide which of all the expectations that have been met was most valuable to him or her. Ask each person to share that selection (and an explanation of its importance) with his or her supervisor when he or she returns to work. Or, participants can share their selections with one other employee who may sign up for the same training in the future.

    Transition:

    Now that I have a sense of your expectations for me and for this program, let me share with you my expectations, not only for accomplishing the course objectives but also my expectations for you as absorbers of knowledge.

    SOURCE:
    McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
    Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
    Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


     
     
     

    WHEN YOU ASK A DUMB QUESTION


    Form:

    As a tone-setter, this activity encourages participants to ask questions. Working in small groups of four or five, they will list at least five questions (on 3 x 5-inch cards) for you to answer. This opener takes about 15 minutes to conduct (or longer, if you choose to answer the questions in depth). Not only can participants  tune in to the training that will follow because the questions hanging over their heads will have been answered, but you will also be able to get a feel for what concerns they may have, and to address those concerns, from the very start.

    Function:

    1. Present this mini-lecture at the very beginning of the session.
    You've no doubt heard it said that the only stupid question is the one you did not ask. It's a slant on training with which I agree. In fact, a mind much greater than my own expressed the same sentiment thousands of year ago. Aristotle pointed out, 'When you ask a dumb question, you get a smart answer.'

    Today, I'd like you and your team members to ask at least five questions you feel should be answered by me before we officially get under way with our training. Discuss those questions among you and then select five to write on these 3 x 5-inch cards.

    2. Distribute the cards.

    3. After about 10 minutes, collect the cards, shuffle them, and begin addressing them.


    Follow-Up:

    No doubt, there are questions employees have about particular elements of their jobs--what work is done, why it is done in the way it is done, why other things are not being done, et cetera. Encourage the formation of a group that will collect employee questions on a monthly basis for submission to management. If possible, serve as the liaison between the question askers and the question answerers.

    Transition:

    You must realize by now that I welcome questions. To me, they indicate you are actively contemplating this material rather than passively ingesting it. For the remainder of the session, please ask me relevant questions about the concepts I am presenting and the skills you are developing. I only ask that you wait for the appropriate time the question you are just about to ask may be the one I am just about to answer. As you listen to the lecture or as you watch the video, for example, jot down whatever questions you may have.  Then, if they are not answered by the end of the lecture or video, ask away!

    SOURCE:
    McGraw-Hill Trainer’s Toolchest.  Date online not available
    Internet.  Accessed date: July 17, 2000
    Available URL: http://www.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/training/toolchest/games.html


     
     
     

    WORD TREE


    Generate a list of words related to the topic.  For example, in a health and safety Workshop, ask participants to give you words related to the phrase, "hazardous Materials."  Participants may suggest: 'dangerous,' 'corrosive,' 'flammable,' 'warning,' 'skull and  crossbones,' etc.  Write all suggestions on the board, clustering by theme where possible.  You can use this opportunity to introduce a essential terms, too.

    SOURCE:
    Adult/Continuing Ed
    Internet.  Date accessed: July 15/00
    Available URL: http://adulted.about.com/education/adulted/library/blicebreaker2.htm


     
     
     

    INDIVIDUAL LEAD-IN QUESTIONS


    Individual lead-in questions are designed to identify individual learning needs and goals, encourage the sharing of information and resources, and/or surface resistance to learning.  Participants can respond to questions in a predetermined order (eg., left to right around the room), or popcorn-style, by volunteering responses in random order.  If you let participants speak in random order, remember that one of the purposes of this activity is to get people talking, so try to ensure that everyone in the group makes a contribution.

    Here are some topic lead-in suggestions:


    SOURCE:
    Adult/Continuing Ed
    Internet.  Date accessed: July 15/00
    Available URL: http://adulted.about.com/education/adulted/library/blicebreaker2.htm


     
     
     

    101 THINGS YOU CAN DO THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF CLASS

    By Joyce T. Povlacs
    Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
     

    Introduction

    Beginnings are important. Whether the class is a large introductory course for freshmen or an advanced course in the major field, it makes good sense to start the semester off well. Students will decide very early - some say the first day of class - whether they will like the course, its contents, the teacher, and their fellow students.

    The following list of "101 Things You Can Do..." is offered in the spirit of starting off right. It is a catalog of suggestions for college teachers who are looking for a fresh way of creating the best possible environment for learning. Not just the first day, but the first three weeks of a course are especially important, studies say, in retaining capable students. Even if the syllabus is printed and lecture notes are ready to go in August, most college teachers can usually make adjustments in teaching methods as the course unfolds and the characteristics of their students become known.

    These suggestions have been gathered from UNL professors and from college teachers elsewhere. The rationale for these methods is based on the following needs:

    1) to help students make the transition from high school and summer or holiday activities to learning in college;
    2) to direct students' attention to the immediate situation for learning - the hour in the classroom:
    3) to spark intellectual curiosity - to challenge students;
    4) to support beginners and neophytes in the process of learning in the discipline;
    5) to encourage the students' active involvement in learning; and
    6) to build a sense of community in the classroom.
    Ideas For the First Three Weeks

    Here, then, are some ideas for college teachers for use in their courses as they begin a new semester.

                                     Helping Students Make Transitions

    1.Hit the ground running on the first day of class with substantial content.

    2.Take attendance: roll call, clipboard, sign in, seating chart.

    3.Introduce teaching assistants by slide, short presentation, or self-introduction.

    4.Hand out an informative, artistic, and user-friendly syllabus.

    5.Give an assignment on the first day to be collected at the next meeting.

    6.Start laboratory experiments and other exercises the first time lab meets.

    7.Call attention (written and oral) to what makes good lab practice: completing work to be done, procedures, equipment, clean up, maintenance, safety, conservation of supplies, full use of lab time.

    8.Administer a learning style inventory to help students find out about themselves.

    9.Direct students to the Learning Skills Center for help on basic skills.

    10.Tell students how much time they will need to study for this course.

    11.Hand out supplemental study aids: library use, study tips, supplemental readings and exercises.

    12.Explain how to study for kind of tests you give.

    13.Put in writing a limited number of ground rules regarding absence, late work, testing procedures, grading, and general decorum, and maintain these.

    14.Announce office hours frequently and hold them without fail.

    15.Show students how to handle learning in large classes and impersonal situations.

    16.Give sample test questions.

    17.Give sample test question answers.

    18.Explain the difference between legitimate collaboration and academic dishonesty; be clear when collaboration is wanted and when it is forbidden.

    19.Seek out a different student each day and get to know something about him or her.

    20.Ask students to write about what important things are currently going on in their lives.

    21.Find out about students' jobs; if they are working, how many hours a week, and what kinds of jobs they hold.

    Directing Students' Attention

    22.Greet students at the door when they enter the classroom.

    23.Start the class on time.

    24.Make a grand stage entrance to hush a large class and gain attention.

    25.Give a pre-test on the day's topic.

    26.Start the lecture with a puzzle, question, paradox, picture, or cartoon on slide or transparency to focus on the day's topic.

    27.Elicit student questions and concerns at the beginning of the class and list these on the chalkboard to be answered during the hour.

    28.Have students write down what they think the important issues or key points of the day's lecture will be.

    29.Ask the person who is reading the student newspaper what is in the news today.

    Challenging Students

    30.Have students write out their expectations for the course and their own goals for learning.

    31.Use variety in methods of presentation every class meeting.

    32.Stage a figurative "coffee break" about twenty minutes into the hour; tell an anecdote, invite students to put down pens and pencils, refer to a current event, shift media.

    33.Incorporate community resources: plays, concerts, the State Fair. government agencies. businesses, the outdoors.

    34.Show a film in a novel way: stop it for discussion, show a few frames only, anticipate ending, hand out a viewing or critique sheet, play and replay parts.

    35.Share your philosophy of teaching with your students.

    36.Form a student panel to present alternative views of the same concept.

    37.Stage a change-your-mind debate. with students moving to different parts of the classroom to signal change in opinion during the discussion.

    38.Conduct a "living" demographic survey by having students move to different parts of the classroom: size of high school. rural vs. urban. consumer preferences...

    39.Tell about your current research interests and how you got there from your own beginnings in the discipline.

    40.Conduct a role-play to make a point or to lay out issues.

    41.Let your students assume the role of a professional in the discipline: philosopher, literary critic, biologist. agronomist. political scientist. engineer.

    42.Conduct idea-generating or brainstorming sessions to expand horizons.

    43.Give students two passages of material containing alternative views to compare and contrast.

    44.Distribute a list of the unsolved problems. dilemmas. or great questions in your discipline and invite students to claim one as their own to investigate.

    45.Ask students what books they've read recently.

    46.Ask what is going on in the state legislature on this subject which may affect their future.

    47.Let your students see the enthusiasm you have for your subject and your love of learning.

    48.Take students with you to hear guest speakers or special programs on campus.

    49.Plan "scholar-gypsy" lesson or unit which shows students the excitement of discovery in your discipline.

    Providing Support

    50.Collect students' current telephone numbers and addresses and let them know that you may need to reach them.

    51.Check out absentees. Call or write a personal note.

    52.Diagnose the students' prerequisites learning by questionnaire or pre-test and give them the feedback as soon as possible.

    53.Hand out study questions or study guides.

    54.Be redundant. Students should hear, read. or see key material at least three times.

    55.Allow students to demonstrate progress in learning: summary quiz over the day's work. a written reaction to the day's material.

    56.Use non-graded feedback to let students know how they are doing: post answers to ungraded quizzes and problem sets, exercises in class, oral feedback.

    57.Reward behavior you want: praise, stars, honor roll, personal note.

    58.Use a light touch: smile, tell a good joke, break test anxiety with a sympathetic comment.

    59.Organize. Give visible structure by posting the day's "menu" on chalk- board or overhead.

    60.Use multiple media: overhead, slides, film, videotape, audio tape, models, sample material.

    61.Use multiple examples, in multiple media. to illustrate key points and . important concepts.

    62.Make appointments with all students (individually or in small groups).

    63.Hand out wallet-sized telephone cards with all important telephone numbers listed: office department, resource centers, teaching assistant, lab.

    64.Print all important course dates on a card that can be handed out and taped to a mirror.

    65.Eavesdrop on students before or after class and join their conversation about course topics.

    66.Maintain an open lab gradebook. with grades kept current. during lab time so that students can check their progress.

    67.Check to see if any students are having problems with any academic or campus matters and direct those who are to appropriate offices or resources.

    68.Tell students what they need to do to receive an "A" in your course.

    69.Stop the work to find out what your students are thinking feeling and doing in their everyday lives.

    Encouraging Active Learning

    70.Have students write something.

    71.Have students keep three-week-three-times-a-week journals in which they comment, ask questions, and answer questions about course topics.

     72.Invite students to critique each other's essays or short answer on tests for readability or content.

     73.Invite students to ask questions and wait for the response.

     74.Probe student responses to questions ant wait for the response.

     75.Put students into pairs or "learning cells" to quiz each other over material for the day.

     76.Give students an opportunity to voice opinions about the subject matter.

     77.Have students apply subject matter to solve real problems.

     78.Give students red, yellow, and green cards (made of posterboard) and periodically call for a vote on an issue by asking for a simultaneous show of cards.

    79.Roam the aisles of a large classroom and carry on running conversations with students as they work on course problems (a portable microphone helps).

    80.Ask a question directed to one student and wait for an answer.

    81.Place a suggestion box in the rear of the room and encourage students to make written comments every time the class meets.

    82.Do oral show of-hands multiple choice tests for summary review and instant feedback.

    83.Use task groups to accomplish specific objectives.

    84.Grade quizzes and exercises in class as a learning tool.

    85.Give students plenty of opportunity for practice before a major test.

    86.Give a test early in the semester and return it graded in the next class meeting.

    87.Have students write questions on index cards to be collected and answered the next class period.

    88.Make collaborate assignments for several students to work on together.

    89.Assign written paraphrases and summaries of difficult reading.

    90.Give students a take-home problem relating to the days lecture.

    91.Encourage students to bring current news items to class which relate to the subject matter and post these on a bulletin board nearby.

    Building Community

    92.Learn names. Everyone makes an effort to learn at least a few names.

    93.Set up a buddy system so students can contact each other about assignments and coursework.

    94.Find out about your students via questions on an index card.

    95.Take pictures of students (snapshots in small groups, mug shots) and post in classroom, office, or lab.

    96.Arrange helping trios of students to assist each other in learning and growing.

    97.Form small groups for getting acquainted; mix and form new groups several times.

    98.Assign a team project early in the semester and provide time to assemble the team.

    99.Help students form study groups to operate outside the classroom.

    100.Solicit suggestions from students for outside resources and guest speakers on course topics.

    Feedback on Teaching

    101.Gather student feedback in the first three weeks of the semester to improve teaching and learning.
     

    SOURCE:
    103 Things You Can Do The First Three Weeks Of Class
    Internet.  Date accessed: August 7/00
    Available URL: http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/101thing.htm


     
     
     

    BREAK THE ICE AND FOCUS YOUR GROUP -- IN 8 MINUTES


    When you need to get your group talking and bring the purpose of the meeting into focus, try this ice breaker:

    Step 1: Have each person select one other person to talk to (perhaps the person they know least well, or match two people who often disagree).

    Step 2: Have each of them answer, to each other, a series of questions or statements. Start with a simple, fun, and safe one, like:

    Allow each person one minute to speak. Keep time like a drill sergeant.
    "Describe the best moment you've ever had as a manager (or supervisor)."
    "Describe the worst moment . . ."
    For a planning session: "Describe to the other person what you would like this company to be, if all went well, in five years."

    In a training session on sexual harassment: "Tell the other person about a time when you were uncomfortable because someone made an off-color joke or demeaning statement about your gender ."

    In a meeting with new people who need to quickly begin working closely together: "Describe your greatest hope and worst fear about working with this group."

    The point is, tailor the questions to your situation. Not too bland, not too risky. Progress from lighter, simple questions to challenging ones. Try switching the pairs after the second question, so each person gets to talk to a new partner.

    Step 3: If you think people would be willing, ask them to report to the whole group one or two of the things they said (not what the other person said). Use your judgment. Don't ask them to do this if you think they'll feel put on the spot, but having everyone hear something about each person helps build close teams.

    Ice breakers bring people together and get them talking more freely with one another. This one also focuses them on the subject of the meeting.

    SOURCE:
    The Results Group.  Date online: 1997
    Internet.  Date accessed: August 9/00
    Available URL: http://www.resultgp.com/icebrk.htm

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