We all know that there are different types of learners. One of our responsibilities as training developers is to design training that reaches many different learning styles. A course map is one way to meet that responsibility.

The course map is a visual representation of the training program. It can be drawn like a road map, with a path that leads from the beginning of the workshop to the end. Or you can approach it as a mind map, that reaches out in many different directions from the center. You can even draw the map as an analogy to something similar to your training (a machine can be represented by the different parts of the body, for example). Whatever your approach, the map should be more pictures than words. And those pictures should represent the key concepts you are addressing in training.

If you are really artistic, you can draw your map by hand. For those of us that are artistically challenged, use the same software you do for your slides (we use PowerPoint). You can create a map in less than a half hour. And the images you select can be incorporated into your workbook and slides.

Expand the map to 11x17, and print on a heavy stock paper. Put colored pens or crayons on the tables and encourage participants to color in their map as they go through the course. You can even expand the map to poster size, color it in, and post it in the room. Then use it as a reference as you move from one topic to another.

Here's an activity to get people to use critical thinking. It's based on the premise that you can't believe everything you hear, and gives a framework for analyzing the information we get in a more objective way.

Begin by defining Facts, Opinions, and Guesses. Facts are things that most reasonable people would agree are true (2+2=4, for example). Opinions are one's interpretation of a fact ("more is better"). Guesses are predictions of something to come ("In 10 years, there will be so many we won't have room to store them"). Sometimes we read or hear something that is positioned as a fact, but is in reality an opinion or a guess designed to lead us to a conclusion.

Once you have defined the terms, divide the class into small groups. Give each group a short article from a newspaper, journal, or other publication. Instruct them to read the article, determine their conclusion from the reading, and then break down the article into Facts, Opinions, and Guesses. They will actually determine which sentences (or parts of sentences) are Facts, Opinions, and Guesses.

Debrief by discussing how the way something is written can lead us to a conclusion that might be different if we had more information, or recognized that the information we had was provided to support a specific viewpoint. You can also discuss what types of information we typically accept without question, and what we tend to challenge.

This activity can be useful in training on critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, writing, management or supervisory development, and leadership. See how it works for you!

This activity allows people to give and recieve feedback. It works best with a group that has been together for at least one day or works together on a regular basis. We use it in our workshops on Communication and Leadership.

Begin by explaining that participants will have an opportunity to learn how they are perceived by others. You might explain the Johari Window here. The goal of the activity is twofold: to practice giving others feedback and to reduce our own blind spot by hearing feedback from others.

Each person will face the group to hear feedback. Every participant must give feedback to each other. They will first give positive feedback by completing this sentence: "What I like about your communication (or leadership) style is..." The person receiving the feedback may clarify anything that is unclear, but may not discount it. They should simply say, "Thank you" to the feedback giver.

Then the group will give suggestions for improvement by completing this sentence: "What would make you even more effective is..." Again, the feedback receiver can clarify the feedback, but may not disagree or explain. They can simply say, "Thank you."

After all have given feedback, ask the individual how they feel about it, what surprised them, and what didn't. Give them an opportunity to share their experience. Then move on to the next person. This is a very powerful activity, and is usually rated as one of the most valuable parts of a training program.

Do you ever feel like you're not growing professionally? You probably spend most of your time helping others develop, but your own continuous learning isn't much of a reality. Here's a way to change all that. I have a few people that I meet with periodically that just get my creativity going. We bounce ideas off one another, and always come away energized and excited about what new things we can do. All of us need that kind of experience on a regular basis. Why not create it?

We have organized Think Tanks for small groups of training professionals. We select creative people who can bring ideas to others. Each person is asked to come to the day with a project. They will have 1 hour to discuss their project with the group. During that time, they give an overview, and then ask for input.

We have had people come to the meeting with a problem to be solved, a training program to be designed, and even career planning needs. All of them are thankful for the time, ideas, and support of their colleagues.

How do you decide who to invite? Experience is important - the more experience, the more valuable the advice. Openness is also a key factor - people need to be willing to share ideas without worrying about ownership of those ideas. And diversity is good, too. Choose people from different industries, different size companies, profit and non-profit organizations. Different perspectives are wonderful.

Organize your own think tank. You only need 4-5 people, one day to meet, and a comfortable location (casual is best). See what you can do to get yourself and your colleagues energized.