Five Step Training Model (Stolovitch, Rosenberg, and Keeps)

The Five Step Training Model allows a facilitator to address one of the central ideas that I believe to be critically important: answering a learner’s question of (how) can you really help me? This model was suggested by Stolovitch, Rosenberg, and Keeps (2011) in their Telling Ain't Training book for the Association for Talent Development. 

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Step 1 involves establishing a rationale, wherein we provide our learners with information on why they should care about what we want them to know. Included in the rationale should be the overall goal of the course or training that is being designed. I have colleagues that refer to this step as "the WIIFM," or What's In It For Me?

In step 2, a list of objectives will build from the rationale. A learner will be able to meet the course goal by meeting the objectives that are created as part of this step.  One important note to establishing performance objectives as detailed by Stolovitch and Rosenberg: the objectives should be stated in terms of the learner rather than the facilitator, as this provides a direct answer to their 'how can you help me' or 'what's in it for me' question(s).

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Activities, in step 3, should be created with the rationale and objectives in mind, meaning that any task that we ask the learner to perform should directly relate to the overall course goal. It helps, too, if the activities are interesting and fun, to help engage and keep the learner's interest. In a task-based learning environment such as the one I'm currently in, activities could include tasks that mimic what the learner would perform once they return to their normal duties.

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Step 4, evaluation, allows the learner to test themselves and allows the facilitator to ensure that learning has occurred. Assessment might be a more appropriate title for this step, since it's really about being able to gauge a learner's performance, but it's still a very important piece to consider. Without assessment, we have no way to confirm that training was effective.

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Finally, step 5 discusses feedback, which is an essential part of the process. Stolovich and Keeps talk about two specific types, confirming feedback and correcting feedback. Confirming feedback will validate the learner's experience and let them know that they're on the right track. Corrective feedback allows the facilitator to provide guidance on how to improve if the learner has gone astray, and "always must be stated positively and encouragingly" (p. 84).

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There are many different ways to develop training, and many different instructional design models to use. I've included this model because it distills many of what I consider to be the most salient points of developing training into a single model. It might not fit every scenario, but it should fit quite a few!

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Reference:

Stolovitch, H.D., Rosenberg, M.J., & Keeps, E.J. (2011). Telling ain’t training. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press