The official slogan of this site is what I call the First Law of Training: "It always works when the instructor is watching."
After the first dozen or so training classes that I had facilitated, I started to notice an interesting phenomenon. Learners would call me over to their station saying, "This isn't working." At first I assumed that there was a problem with the system itself, but I quickly figured out that it was often user error.
Now, I always ask the learner to repeat the process that they were trying to complete. It so often happens that the learner was is able to be successful with me watching (and by slowing down to go step by step) that I developed my completed unscientific, anecdotal First Law of Training.
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I think your tactic of taking the time to review the task clearly, slowly and step by step will eliminate many of the one on one needs. But, there are always those that will need one on one no matter what. The more you teach the same skills the better you get at it.
ReplyDeleteUser error, is usually the #1 error when it comes to something like this...in computers, this is the same. We are actually taught this in our computer courses.
ReplyDelete---Everyone learns differently. I do not teach, though I have done adult teaching in the past, and still do working in computers.
Julie,
ReplyDeleteSome students can get very frustrated when you are training them on a new application and they cannot do what they want to do. When training clients, you have to walk a fine line between pointing out user error and upsetting the client. After all, it's not easy being hearing that you're doing something wrong. I use this "First Law of Training" concept to inject some humor into the situation and take some of the sting out of it for the student.
As much as I hate to admit it, it usually is user error. This past week I was at a training seminar for a database system we use at work. In each session there was someone who would point out a glitch they were experiencing. A couple times the instructor had them come up front and demonstrate the problem on the projected screen. Wouldn't you know, every time they took this approach there was no glitch to be found despite the person swearing there was before!
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how much time and money is saved by pointing out that user error is usually the problem!
Rob, I totally agree with you that it is usually user error. I am a online support specialist for education software. I get so many phone calls from teachers saying that the program is not working properly or it is broken. Most of the times it is user error and I need to show them what they are doing wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do when your students ask you for step-by-step written instructions? For example, if I am teaching how to create a web page, my methodology is to have the students watch me do it, then I walk them through it, (1 or 2 times), and then I ask them to do it without my help. Some students will then ask for step-by-step written instructions, which I am reluctant to give. Why? Because I believe that we are more successful in learning and retaining something if we create (and correct) our own steps.
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