How do you teach new skills to large groups?

1 Assess the needs

Before you design your training session, you need to assess the needs of your group. What are their goals, expectations, and motivations? What are their current skill levels and knowledge gaps? How do they prefer to learn and interact? You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods to gather this information. This will help you tailor your content, methods, and activities to suit your audience.

2 Choose the format

Depending on the size, location, and availability of your group, you may have different options for the format of your training session. You can choose between face-to-face, online, or hybrid modes. Each mode has its advantages and disadvantages, and you need to consider the technical, logistical, and pedagogical aspects. For example, face-to-face sessions can foster more interaction and feedback, but online sessions can reach more people and save costs. Hybrid sessions can combine the best of both worlds, but require more coordination and planning.

3 Design the content

The content of your training session should be relevant, clear, and concise. You want to focus on the key skills and concepts that your group needs to learn, and avoid unnecessary or confusing information. You can use the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) or other instructional design frameworks to guide your process. You should also consider the adult learning principles, such as self-directedness, relevance, experience, and feedback.

4 Use interactive methods

One of the main challenges of teaching new skills to large groups is to keep them engaged and motivated. You don't want to rely on lectures or presentations alone, as they can be boring and passive. You want to use interactive methods that involve your participants in the learning process. You can use techniques such as brainstorming, case studies, role plays, simulations, games, quizzes, polls, or discussions. These methods can stimulate interest, curiosity, and participation, as well as reinforce learning and retention.

5 Facilitate effectively

As a facilitator, you have a crucial role in creating a positive learning environment and managing the dynamics of your group. You need to communicate clearly, confidently, and respectfully. You need to set the objectives, agenda, and ground rules of your session. You need to guide the activities, monitor the progress, and provide feedback and support. You also need to handle any challenges or issues that may arise, such as conflicts, questions, or technical glitches.

6 Evaluate the outcomes

The last step of teaching new skills to large groups is to evaluate the outcomes of your session. You want to measure the effectiveness of your training and the impact on your participants. You can use different methods and tools to collect data, such as surveys, tests, observations, or interviews. You can use the Kirkpatrick model (Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results) or other evaluation frameworks to analyze your data. You should also use the feedback and results to improve your future sessions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?