What is Power Training For Today’s Adult Educator?

Tony White speaking at a corporate training classSimply put, Power Training For Today’s Adult Educator is a program that is designed to provide the techniques necessary to make adult learning both active and productive in a self-study format. This program, in its original format, has been used by over 300,000 educators and trainers in the private and public sectors, as well as university and community college environments.

With Power Training For Today’s Adult Educator we have moved the program from the past into the present by offering it as a digital workbook coupled with audio files that give you access to the information in a more functional way for today’s technology driven world. Short video clips also augment some of the core audio components.

This program was originally named “How to Teach Grown-Ups” for the sole reason of trying to differentiate its focus within the adult learning marketplace - specifically this program was not originally intended for those who must teach traditional academic courses often seen in undergraduate and graduate university environments. The program was designed for anyone who must teach adults practical, real-world skills and knowledge that needs to be applied immediately.

Power Training for Today’s Adult Educator deals only with practical, down-to-earth techniques for making adult learning active and productive. Thus, the course has several unique characteristics:

Aimed at RESULTS, not “entertainment”: Emphasizes how to keep adults involved, coming back for more and RETAINING what was covered…not just awake or laughing.

Research & Experience Based: Every approach and technique is backed by research or proven experience since 1965 with Business and Government Training Departments, Volunteer Group educational programs, Community College Evening Adult classes and University Extension courses.

Non-Theoretical: Not filled with academic theories of learning, nor “sophisticated” or “advanced” teaching technologies. Just simple, direct ways of keeping interest high and making sure that LEARNING is happening.

Brief, To-the-Point: Each of the workbooks is intentionally short, getting right to the point without a lot of unnecessary background or philosophy. You can get what you want without wading through lengthy chapters and endless variations of the same theme.

Coincidently, those who bought the program and teach in those aforementioned academic environments consistently comment that this program helped them become more effective, engaging teachers!

So the question still remains…

How do you Teach Grown-Ups?

Tony White conducting a corporate training class in KuwaitWhether you are a professional trainer, instructor, faculty member, technical expert, manager, supervisor or any teacher of adult groups, Power Training For Today’s Adult Educator has something for you. Great emphasis has been placed on those teaching techniques which will keep your learners involved and interested in the learning process.

You will learn down-to-earth, practical approaches for making adult classes stimulating and productive. Each module offers an interactive learn-by-doing approach which asks you to apply concepts and techniques to simulated real world teaching situations.

This program is ideal for trainers who are preparing for trainer certification by such organizations as the Canadian Association of Training & Development (CSTD) and the American Association of Training & Development (ASTD). It also follows the guidelines set out by the International Board of Standards For Training, Performance & Instruction  (ibstpi).

The first five modules provide the foundation for effective instruction:

  1. Learning vs. Schooling
    • Adults are different
    • Learner-focused vs. teacher-focused instruction
    • Key concepts for adult instruction
  2. Participative Lecture Method
    • Learning barriers created by poorly handled lectures
    • Making the lecture a PARTICIPATIVE learning experience
  3. Discussional Methods
    • Creating LEARNING THROUGH DISCUSSION
    • Where discussional methods apply
    • Assuring that learning occurs
  4. Using the Common Instructional Aids Effectively
    • Visual aids
    • Textbooks/workbooks/handouts
    • Demonstrations
    • "Gimmicks" (Instant attention focusers)
  5. Lesson Planning and Objectives
    • A simple technology for defining learning objectives
    • Three stages of lesson planning
    • Checklist for lesson planning
    • Participant evaluations

The last three modules focus on specialized instructor needs:

  1. Experiential Methods
    • Role playing
    • Games and simulations
    • Demonstrations and workshops
    • Closing the gap between classroom and real life
  2. One-on-One Instruction
    • Organizing proper learning sequence
    • Preparing learning exercises and examples
    • Student trial performances: testing both skill and understanding
  3. To Test or Not to Test
    • The PRIME purpose of testing in adult situations
    • Impacts of testing upon adult learning
    • Creative approaches to testing in adult classes
    • Performance vs. paper-and-pencil testing
    • Tips for easy test construction

The audio portions of this entire program have been left virtually untouched from their original state as the approaches and philosophies that Frank Hoffman speaks of are truly universal in nature and built on timeless principles of effective, practical, RELEVANT adult learning.

This entire program is designed for those who take the role of teaching adults seriously with close to 10 hours of audio guidance (supplemented with short video clips) and a series of interactive workbooks totaling 250 pages. If you choose to complete the entire eight workbook program, you can expect spend approximately twenty-five to thirty hours learning and applying the practical tools and concepts presented.