Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xv


Introduction: Getting the Most from This Resource 1


THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF ACTIVE TRAINING


Two Hundred Tips 7


Ten Layouts for Setting Up a Training Classroom 8


Ten Techniques for Learning Names 15


Ten Questions for Obtaining Participant Expectations 18


Ten Methods for Obtaining Participation 19


Ten Assignments to Give Learning Partners 21


Ten Occasions to Use Response Cards 23


Ten Ways to Make Learning Visual 25


Ten Suggestions for Activating a Lecture 27


Ten Common Games Trainers Play 29


Ten Energizers to Wake Up or Relax a Group 31


Ten Strategies for Forming Groups 33


Ten Alternatives for Selecting Group Leaders and Filling Other Jobs 35


Ten Tips When Facilitating Discussion 37


Ten Options for Role Playing 39


Ten Steps to Use When Facilitating Experiential Activities 40


Ten Timesavers When Active Training Takes Time 42


Ten Tricks for Calling Participants to Order 44


Ten Props That Dramatize Learning 46


Ten Interventions for Regaining Control of the Group 48


Ten Tips for Online Active Learning 50


HOW TO GET ACTIVE PARTICIPATION FROM THE START


Team-Building Strategies 55


1. Stand Up and Be Counted 56


2. Human Scavenger Hunt 58


3. Group Résumé 60


4. Predictions 62


5. Television Commercial 64


6. Me Too 65


7. Really Getting Acquainted 67


8. Team Getaway 69


9. Reconnecting 71


10. Setting Ground Rules 73


On-the-Spot Assessment Strategies 75


11. First-Class Survey 76


12. Introductory Go-Arounds 79


13. Assessment Search 81


14. Instant Assessment 83


15. A Representative Sample 85


16. Class Concerns 87


Immediate Learning Involvement Strategies 89


17. Active Knowledge Sharing 90


18. Rotating Trio Exchange 92


19. Go to Your Post 94


20. Lightening the Learning Climate 96


21. Exchanging Viewpoints 98


22. True or False? 100


23. Hangman 102


24. Buying into the Course 105


HOW TO TEACH INFORMATION, SKILLS, AND ATTITUDES ACTIVELY


Active Lecturing 109


25. Gaining Attention 110


26. Inquiring Minds Want to Know 112


27. Teaching by Analogy 114


28. Listening Teams 116


29. Guided Note Taking 119


30. Lecture Bingo 122


31. Guided Teaching 125


32. Acting It Out 127


33. Team Quiz 130


Stimulating Discussion 133


34. Active Debate 134


35. Town Meeting 137


36. Three-Stage Fishbowl Discussion 139


37. Expanding Panel 142


38. Point-Counterpoint 144


39. Reading Aloud 146


40. Card Exchange 148


Prompting Questions 151


41. Learning Starts with a Question 152


42. Question Cards 154


43. Planted Questions 156


44. Role Reversal Questions 158


Team Learning 161


45. Information Search 162


46. The Study Group 164


47. Card Sort 167


48. Learning Tournament 169


49. The Power of Two 171


50. Team Investigation 173


Peer Teaching 175


51. Group-to-Group Exchange 176


52. Jigsaw Learning 178


53. Everyone Is a Teacher Here 181


54. Peer Lessons 183


55. Participant-Created Case Studies 185


56. Poster Session 188


Active e-Learning 191


57. E-Mail Exchanges192


58. Dear Addie Letters 194


59. Application Questions 196


60. Web-Based Scavenger Hunt 198


61. Real-time Feedback 200


62. e-Learning Journals 202


Emotional Intelligence 205


63. Jolts 206


64. Seeing How It Is 208


65. Billboard Ranking 210


66. What? So What? Now What? 212


67. Active Self-Assessment 214


68. Stop, Start, Continue 216


69. Storytelling 218


Skill Development 221


70. Show, But NOT Tell 222


71. The Firing Line 224


72. Active Observation and Feedback 227


73. Non-Threatening Role Playing 229


74. Triple Role Playing 231


75. Rotating Roles 233


76. You Write the Script 235


77. Practice-Rehearsal Pairs 237


78. I Am the 239


79. Curveballs 241


HOW TO MAKE TRAINING UNFORGETTABLE


Reviewing Strategies 245


80. Index Card Match 246


81. Flip Chart/Slide Review 248


82. Review Scrabble 250


83. Crossword Puzzle 252


84. Jeopardy Review 254


85. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? 257


86. Participant Recap 261


Self-Assessment 263


87. Reconsidering 264


88. Return on Your Investment 266


89. What We Are Taking Away 268


90. Physical Self-Assessment 270


Application Planning 273


91. Self-Monitoring 274


92. Peer Consultation 276


93. Obstacle Assessment 278


94. Job Reminders 280


95. I Hereby Resolve 282


96. Follow-Up Questionnaire 284


97. Sticking to It 287


Closing Sentiments 291


98. High Fives 292


99. Connections 294


100. Group Photo 296


101. The Final Exam 298


References 301


About the Author 303


Pfeiffer Publications Guide 305

About the Author

THE AUTHOR

MEL SILBERMAN was professor emeritus of adult and organizational development at Temple University, where he received its Great Teacher Award. He was also president of Active Training, Princeton, New Jersey, a consulting firm that provided courses on active training techniques, interpersonal intelligence, and team facilitation. He was the author and editor of over 30 books, including Active Training, and The 60-Minute Active Training Series.

Reviews

"If you want to shift from lecture-based learning (or lack of it) to participant-centered (with plenty of transfer), then 101 Ways to Make Training Active belongs in your library. Mel never fails to provide practical tools and strategies for making training come alive." --Bob Pike, chairman and CEO, The Bob Pike Group and author, The Creative Training Techniques Handbook "I can now retire my beat-up copy of Mel?s original 101 Ways to Make Training Active that I have been using the last ten years. The second edition is even more practical. It retains the original brilliance and adds new and powerful activities. I am planning to buy two copies and keep one of them under lock and key." --Sivasailam ?Thiagi? Thiagarajan, resident mad scientist, The Thiagi Group and author, Design Your Own Games and Activities "Wow! 101 Ways to Make Training Active has just gotten better! What a great new collection of creative and useful ways to make training active and improve learner retention. I can?t wait to try them out." --Jean Barbazette, president, The Training Clinic and author, Instant Case Studies "Mel Silberman has done it again! With this second edition, he has polished to perfection his fabulous 101 Ways to Make Training Active. Sparkling with easy-to-read and easy-to-use ideas, this gem of a resource is a must-read for anyone in the training profession. You will use the wealth of material found in this book until its pages are flagged, dog-eared, and worn out." --Sharon Bowman, author, The Ten-Minute Trainer: 150 Ways to Teach It Quick and Make It Stick "We all know that learning by doing beats every other instructional method hands down. That?s why this book is so important. It?s packed with ideas for greatly improving learning effectiveness. A must resource for all trainers." --Dave Meier, director, The Center for Accelerated Learning and author, The Accelerated Learning Handbook