Can I use The 7 Principles for all types of training?” is a question we sometimes hear. Maybe you wonder the same thing. The answer is simple: “Yes.” However, each training type has need for a specific type of reinforcement program. In this chapter, we will discuss ten different training types and their specific reinforcement approaches. Before you know how to reinforce your training, you have to know what type of training you’re providing your learners. Here is a quick overview of common training programs: Compare yours training types with this list. Are any training types you use missing? Look at Table 17.1 to understand each training type. Table 17.2 shows where you should focus your attention in the reinforcement program for each type of training. Table 17.1. Types of Training Some of the reinforcement principles are better suited to some training programs than others. Table 17.2 offers suggestions for which principles to focus on as you design a reinforcement program for the training you’ve presented to learners. Where gamification and scenarios are mentioned, refer to the corresponding sections later in this chapter for an explanation of how to incorporate these into your reinforcement program. Table 17.2. Reinforcements for Training Types The 7 Principles are the framework on which to build your reinforcement program. They influence your goals, and you can help your learners to achieve your goals by engaging them through Principles 4, 5, and 6. In addition to the design of your reinforcement program, gamification and scenarios influence engagement. Here are some ways to improve learners’ engagement through gaming elements and suggestions for how to use the scenarios for maximum effect. Gamification is the process of adding game-like elements to your reinforcement program to encourage learners’ participation. Gamification is different from playing a full-fledged game. Rather, learners engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome and behavior change. As Kees says, “With jumping frogs or Tetris, you don’t change behavior.” Gamification, on the other hand, uses elements of games such as points and leader boards, high-score tables that indicate an individual or team’s performance. Your learners can earn points that can be used to indicate status. If you decide to use gamification for your reinforcement program, use elements that support the desired behavior change. As a reinforcement specialist, you know that reinforcement messages drive behavior change. Your gamification can focus on those messages. If your learners follow the series of messages you designed, they can collect points. If they don’t earn points, they lose, not only the game, but also when applying they concepts in the training. Each type of reinforcement message has a certain impact on behavior change. A welcome message has less impact then a self-evaluation; a general knowledge question probably will have less effect than a specific question on a key element. The process is simple: Give each of your reinforcement messages a score between 1 and 100. A score of 1 means less impact on the behavior change and 100 means maximum impact on behavior change. Keep the scoring structure the same across the messages. Use Table 17.3 as a guideline. Feel free to create your own measurement schedule. Table 17.3. Message Scoring Examples Once you assign a weight to every reinforcement message, your “game” can start. If a learner completes an assignment within an acceptable time frame, let’s say 48 hours, he or she collects the assigned points. For example, let’s say you scheduled a quiz question with the weight of 80 points in the second week on a Wednesday. If a learner answers this question within 48 hours after receiving the message, he or she earns the maximum number of points, in this case 80. If he or she completes this question after two weeks, fewer points are awarded, in this case 20. The points that a learner receives are based on Principle 6, “Follow the Reinforcement Flow.” The better a learner follows the design, the higher the score. For the “game,” all scores are added up and you can reward the learner with the highest score, who followed your design best. You can also add bonus points if a quiz question is answered correctly or if a learner completed the assignment within 24 hours. All is driven by that series of messages you create based on The 7 Principles of Reinforcement. If you have multiple learners who follow your reinforcement program and all of them collect points, you can set up a leader board. This allows you to rank the learners or to combine scores and rank teams or departments. Based on this ranking, you can appoint winners and give prizes or incentives. This type of leader board can drive participation. Reinforcement programs with a gamification strategy motivate learners and drive more engagement. We see that three out of four learners in a gamified environment are motivated to invest more effort in learning and applying what they learn. However, make sure that the gamification you select fits the organization culture. Not every culture or function is suitable for gamification. On the contrary, it can be counterproductive. Scenarios are used in many reinforcement programs and can be very effective, especially in Culture, Awareness, or Compliance reinforcement programs. Simply telling your learners what to do does not always work. Learning from real-life examples maximizes learner engagement and knowledge retention. Learners often retain information better through a story or a scenario that they can relate to than from lectures and speeches. Stories inspire and motivate learners, who then try to emulate the characters in the stories. Scenarios or role plays place your learners in realistic situations and urge them to use skills and information they have acquired to respond to what is happening. If you consider using scenarios, your will need to do two things: Use the following guidelines to create believable and effective scenarios: Now that you have created believable scenarios, write questions you can use to challenge your learners. Remember to use questions they cannot find answers to online. “What-if” questions are effective, such as: Follow the Focus element of the S.A.F.E. method from Chapter 16 to draft strong scenario questions. In Table 17.2, I emphasized knowledge in the reinforcement programs for Technical, Certification, and Refresher trainings. I used knowledge—not knowing—in the table intentionally because there is a difference between knowing and knowledge. Knowledge is being able to talk about a topic for an extended period of time using complete and logical sentences. Knowing falls more into the memory category. For example, I know what the weather is like outside, but I can’t have an in-depth conversation about weather. You want to measure knowledge, not memory, in your reinforcement program. For that reason, don’t use the same questions that were used in training to prove knowledge retention. Use different questions to measure learners’ level of knowledge. Measure knowledge, not memory.TRAINING TYPES
Training Type
Description
Soft Skills
Soft skills are a cluster of productive personality traits that characterize one’s relationships in a milieu. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, personal habits, cognitive or emotional empathy, time management, teamwork, and leadership traits.
Technical/Knowledge
Technical training teaches the skills and knowledge needed to design, develop, implement, maintain, support, or operate a particular technology or related application, product, or service.
Cultural Programs
Culture training is mostly focused on awareness, accountability, and culture change. Implementing and adopting positive culture change often aligns with high-level business goals.
Awareness Training
Awareness training increases learners’ understanding of the importance of a certain topic and the adverse consequences of not implementing it.
Certification
Training and a formal procedure by which you assess and verify the attributes, characteristics, quality, qualification, or “status” of your learners. Attests to knowledge in writing by issuing a certificate.
On-Boarding
On-boarding is introducing a new learner to the organization and its procedures, rules and regulations, and the new job. It is often short and informative.
Coaching
Coaching is focused on the relationship between a coach and the person being coached. The coach is there to help someone meet a specific goal. Once the goal is met, the relationship is usually terminated.
Refresher Training (Retraining)
The purpose of refresher training is to acquaint learners with the latest methods of performing their jobs and improve their efficiency. Often used to avoid obsolescence or when newly created jobs are given to existing learners.
Educational
Education is all about learning theory. Traditionally, education may reinforce knowledge in which you already have a foundation. Training gives your learners the skills to do something, rather than just know about something. In educational programs the learners develop a foundation upon which to build skills
Compliance Training
Compliance training refers to the process of educating your learners on laws, regulations, and company policies that apply to their day-to-day job responsibilities.
Training Type
Attention Points for Reinforcement
Soft Skills
Technical/Knowledge
Cultural Programs
Awareness Training
Certification
On-Boarding
Coaching
Refresher Training (Retraining)
Educational
Compliance Training
MOVING BEYOND THE PRINCIPLES
Gamification
Message Type
Weight
Welcome, finish, or structure messages
1 to 20
Quiz questions
50 to 100
Survey questions
40 to 70
Behavior change questions
60 to 100
Reflection questions
50 to 100
Explanation
30 to 60
Assignments
40 to 70
Pitfalls
50 to 80
DO-DID-GO
40–70–90
Scenarios
Knowledge vs. knowing
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