Being Creative

PROPS

An interesting and inventive idea which is sure to capture the attention of your participants is making use of props. It is a cost effective way which will assist in communicating your message and burn it into your participants’ memories. Props can be in the form of hats, magic tricks, any item that will reinforce the message by relating the visual pictures to the spoken word.

GIVEAWAYS

To make the use of props even more unforgettable is if you make use of “giveaways” like handing out stickers or buttons which relay a message in tune with your theme. For example, give out whistles in a coaching session; cube puzzles to represent problem solving; a kaleidoscope to help people look at things differently, the list is endless.

GAMES

Games are great when used for instructional purposes. It is of utmost importance that a trainer evaluates the game and its application to the lesson and that control is maintained during its course of play. Instruction and group development are two activities which can be used in games.

          Instruction

          As an instructional technique, games can be used:

• To asses the participants knowledge or skill prior to the learning
• To teach new content: new information, concepts and skills
• To review or reinforce our learning points for a particular segment or as a summary of the entire program
• To asses how much the participants have learnt

          Group Development

The instructional purpose is of primary concern but the games can also be use for:

• To help break the ice and help people become acquainted with one another
• To build rapport and create a comfortable learning climate
• To build group cohesiveness by having people work in teams, resulting in collaboration as well as competition

USING GAMES

When a trainer is looking at games to incorporate into their lesson plan they must also take into account each individuals needs. Research has shown that those under 40 years of age are more responsive and enjoy games. Those in sales and marketing for example are more likely to respond favourably than say technicians or operation workers. The following points should be taken note of when deciding if using games would be appropriate:

Factors to Consider:

• TIME:

• COST:

• AUDIENCE:

• ENJOYMENT:

• ADAPTABILITY:

• USER-FRIENDLINESS

• SAFETY

• LEARNING OBJECTIVES