Maximize retention and recall of training material
How many times have you been sitting in the back of the room in a classroom training seminar, checking your Blackberry under the table, praying for it to be over before you fall asleep? Did you learn anything? Well, when you got the final quiz, you were able to find the materials in the manual they handed out, so maybe you got everything you needed, right?
Clearly, this is a horrible learning environment. The next time workers trained in this manner are faced with a safety decision to make or problem to solve, they will be at the mercy of their instincts. This needs to change. We need an environment that both draws the interest and attention of the attendees and maximizes their ability to retain and recall the material that is covered. This can be accomplished through the strategic use of competition. We all have experienced the visceral attraction of competition. But doing it in a way that facilitates learning is easier said than done.