Connections: Fast Pass Activities
What Is a Fast Pass?
A Fast Pass is a quick, one- or two-minute, topic-related activity that engages learners from the moment they walk into the room. It is an immediate way to create a sense of curiosity about the topic. Like a Quick Start in The Ten-Minute Trainer, a Fast Pass is also a time sponge, that is, it soaks up non-training time—minutes that learners would normally spend doing things that aren’t topic-related. For example, at the beginning of a traditional training, participants often spend time getting settled, chatting, making cell phone calls, or checking email. With a Fast Pass, learners can choose to participate in a quick activity instead—one that connects them to each other and to the topic in active, interesting ways.
What Does a Fast Pass Do?
A Fast Pass is a quick way to
• Engage learners from the moment they walk into the room.
• Encourage learners to become actively involved.
• Create interest in, and curiosity about, the topic.
• Involve learners immediately, in topic-related ways.
• Connect learners to what they already know or think they know about the topic, to what others know, or to what they will learn.
Getting Ready
• Materials: Before the training begins, print and post the Fast Pass instructions on a slide, entrance chart, wall chart, group table tent, or on worksheets placed at each participant’s chair. The Fast Pass must be visible to everyone. You may need standard training materials (colored markers, chart paper, blank printing paper, index cards, and pens/pencils, to name a few), as well as specific materials for certain activities.
• Setup: No special setup is necessary, other than posting the Fast Pass instructions. Depending on the activity requirements, participants may need enough space in the room to stand, move, or walk around.
• Group Size: Any size group is fine.
• Time: Most Fast Pass activities will last about a minute or two, unless you wish to allow more time.
Five Fast Pass Activities
1. Dot Voting
For this activity, you will need chart paper, colored markers, and tape to hang the charts. Learners will need large, colored sticky dots (available at office supply stores). Do the following:
• Before the training begins, print and post the learning outcomes on large wall charts that are accessible by all. Have sheets of colored dots available at each table.
• Post these instructions on a slide or other chart: “After reading this, please take two colored dots from the tables, read the learning outcomes on the wall charts, and put the dots beside the two outcomes that are the most important to you. Be ready to explain your choices.”
• If you don’t have enough wall space for the charts, print the learning outcomes on a worksheet, one per table, or include them on a page in the handout materials. Revise the posted instructions accordingly.
• Instead of using colored dots, learners can draw dots, circle, underline, or check off the important learning outcomes.
• If time allows, ask learners to tell their table groups what they dotted and why.
2. Think It Then Ink It
For this activity, learners will need index cards and pens. Do the following:
• The posted instructions read: “Think about what you already know about the topic. Write three of these facts on an index card, and be ready to state them when asked.”
• Give learners time to write and share their facts with partners, their table groups, or the whole class.
• Learners can also write one question they want answered, or one thing they want to be able to do as a result of the training.
3. Post It
For this activity, learners will need sticky notes to write on. You will need chart paper and colored markers. Do the following:
• Before the training, create a wall chart titled “What’s In It For Me?” and hang it on a wall that is accessible to all.
• The posted instructions read: “After reading this, take a sticky note and write what you want to learn from today’s training. Post your note on the WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me”) chart on the wall. You will revisit this chart at the end of the training to assess what you learned.”
• Learners write and post their WIIFMs.
• At the end of the training, have learners retrieve their WIIFMs from the wall chart, read them to partners or to their table group, and discuss what they learned.
4. Turn and Talk
The posted instructions read: “After reading this, introduce yourself to a person seated next to you. Tell this person why you are here and what you want to learn from this training.” If time allows, ask for a few volunteers to state what their partners said.
Turn and Talk variations:
• Introduce yourself to someone at another table.
• Introduce yourself to someone you don’t yet know well.
• Introduce yourself to someone from another department (job, agency, building).
• Introduce yourself to someone with more or less job experience than you.
5. Take a Guess
Do the following:
• Before the training, create a worksheet with a list of statements—some topic-related and others not topic-related.
• Put one worksheet on each participant chair. When participants enter the room, they have to pick up and read their worksheets before sitting down.
• The printed instructions on the worksheets read:“Skim the list of statements below. Circle the statements that are related to the topic and cross out those that are unrelated. Compare your answers to those of your neighbors.”
• Learners read and do what the worksheet states. If time allows, follow the activity with a quick group discussion about the worksheet items.
Examples of worksheet statements for a safety training:
• First aid kits are located at each workstation.
• Employee timesheets need to be filled out daily.
• Pull the canister pin before using a fire extinguisher.
• The HR department tracks employee bonuses.
• The Heimlich maneuver is used with choking victims.
Other Take-a-Guess variations:
• Read the list of statements on the worksheet in front of you. Mark T for True and F for False. Compare your answers with those of a person seated near you.
• Read the procedural steps that are listed out of order on the worksheet. Take one minute to put them in order by labeling them 1, 2, 3, and so on.
• Skim the worksheet at your desk. Fill in any of the missing words you think you know. Be ready to compare your answers with the instructor’s.
Your Turn
Now create a Concept Map of your own Fast Pass activities.
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