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Appendices

Training definitions

assessment
The trainer’s — and sometimes the participants’ judgement of individual existing knowledge and progress of those participating in the course.
brainstorming
Group exercise where participants call out ideas to solve a specific problem or plan a particular project and the ideas are listed on a flip chart or whiteboard. Suggestions can be called out in any order; no explanations, justifications or comments are needed.
break-out groups
Small groups which work on the same problem or different aspects of the same problem at the same time. On completion of the task each group reports back to the class so they can compare other groups’ ideas with their own and the trainer can give feedback.
break-out rooms
Rooms where smaller groups of the class can work without disturbing or being disturbed by others.
buzz groups
Informal short sessions where the students talk to the people next to them about a given topic. Usually used to break up a lecture or presentation.
case study
Description of a real-life experience related to the field of study or training, used to make points, raise issues or otherwise enhance the participants’ understanding and learning experience. These are particularly useful when no practical experience is possible within the course.
certificate
A piece of paper or light card which documents that a student has attended a training course and/or records achievements in a course.
class activities
Activities where the students actively participate to solve a problem, plan a project, etc. Serves to establish the students’ level of knowledge or reinforce learning.
course
A series of lectures, training sessions or days that comprise a discrete learning package.
coursework
A piece of work set for participants to be completed during the time the training takes place.
delivery
The act of transferring the whole of the training to the participants — this covers the time in the classroom, not the design and preparation of the course.
distance learning
Learning where the trainer and the students are separated by distance and interact primarily by post, computer (e-mail, bulletin boards, Websites, Usenet groups, etc.), phone or a combination of these and other communication methods.
education
A systematic kind of instruction or intellectual and moral training designed to give participants a broad and/or deep understanding of the topics covered. Usually associated with children and young people.
evaluation
The participants’ — and sometimes trainers’ — assessment of the training course covering all aspects from catering and accommodation to course content and performance of the trainers.
experience
Knowledge or skill resulting from actual observation or practice of event or technique.
expertise
Expert opinion, skill or knowledge in the field.
facilitated learning
Training characterized by students having a high degree of involvement in all aspects of their learning. The teacher’s role is facilitator and organiser providing resources and support. Participants learn with and from each other and set their own objectives.
facilitator
Person who facilitates or eases and enables discussions, groupwork, projects etc. May chair or choreograph entire training course or programme.
handout
A hard copy text which supports, expands on, organises or otherwise provides follow up to a presentation or course.
individual learning
Where learners plan and organise their own learning path, may be a mixture of attending classes and studying alone.
knowledge
Theoretical or practical understanding of a subject or profession: an individual’s range of information on a topic
learners
People who place themselves in a position to learn from any form of training or education.
learning outcomes
Set of stated objectives that should be achieved as an outcome of the training.
lectures
Presentation delivered to a large number of learners by a teacher, usually 50–55 minutes of uninterrupted discourse from the teacher with no discussion, the only learner activity being listening and note-taking.
on-the-job training
Very practical training designed to give working participants either the necessary skills to carry out their job or to enhance their skills and knowledge to enable them to advance in their careers.
participant
Student, learner or other attendee of a training course.
practitioner
Person who is actively practising their profession.
presentation
A focused talk, using visual aids, on a given subject to inform, instruct or persuade the audience.
profiling participants/learners
The act of researching and assessing the constituency of possible learners for training or education.
sessions
Discrete portion of a training programme dedicated to a delineated topic: can be a lecture, exercise or any other type of delivery.
skills
Practiced ability or facility in doing something.
small group work
Tasks set by the trainer to be undertaken by the class divided into small groups. They may all be given the same or different tasks to do.
speakers
People who train or teach by delivering lectures or presentations.
students
Learners, but more often associated with those attending university or a longer course of study.
study
To investigate or acquire knowledge of a subject in depth.
SWOT analysis
Exercise to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats offered by a situation or object.
syndicates
See break-out groups
teach
To transfer knowledge in a theoretical way, usually in a formal environment such as school or university.
teaching aids
Items used in the classroom to aid teaching and training. May be visual aids or interactive tools.
teaching resources
Anything used by teachers and trainers to develop into their own materials to use when delivering training, such as books, journals, Websites, bibliographies, databases, equipment, etc.
techniques
Technical skills and methods to achieve a practical task.
theory
System of ideas and principles used to explain a practical occurrence or methodology.
train
To transfer knowledge and skills that enable participants to carry out their work; tends to focus on job skills and awareness-raising.
training aids
See teaching aids
training materials
Lecture notes, exercises, lesson plans, etc. used by the trainer interacting with the learner.
visual aids
Visual representations which support presentations in the form of words, cartoons, graphs, illustrations, photographs. These can be OHP transparencies, computer-generated projected images, handouts, flipcharts, posters, objects, etc.
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Last updated: 20 December 2005