I started training on Kronos products back in 1999. At that time, it was common to see companies moving from paper timecards to Kronos Workforce Central, or its single system cousin, Timekeeper Central. I remember those times well because of the type or learner I was training. A lot of these learners were petrified of technology. You have heard the stories before, the lady that thinks the mouse goes on the floor like the foot pedal to her sewing machine; the frustrated participant that asks the question "So where is the ANY key?" There are other great stories we can all tell, so feel free to share with me at dlambrigger@improvizations.com if you have any really good ones! I love to hear them.
The reason I bring this up is how often these learners just don't respond in class. Usually it is just anxiety that is brought on by the intimidation of this new technology. There are other reasons, but this seems to be the most prevalent. Even though more of us are computer literate today than we were even 11 years ago, there are still a lot of non responsive (quiet) learners in our classes. Are we confident they are learning? How do we know? What should be done if we aren't sure?
There are a lot of reasons why a learner is quiet in class. Maybe they are just shy, maybe they are intimidated, who knows? What matters here is that they are in class so we want to do whatever we can to make sure they learn. As trainers, our primary responsibility is to provide an environment in which learning can take place. Sometimes that requires bringing a learner out of his/her shell so they can learn best.
During a class, one good practice is to ask questions out loud. Sometimes they can be rhetorical, you can answer them yourself, but sometimes you should ask questions of the class, expecting (and some times requiring) answers. The quiet learner will often respond quickly with an "I don't know." Keep moving to different learners; don't...I repeat DON'T continue to push the quiet learner in front of the class. More frequently than not, you are simply ensuring their lack of participation for the rest of the day. Often the quiet learner won't want to talk about themselves. When introducing themselves, they are extremely short, and to the point. Finally, this participant will be unlikely to make eye contact with you or other learners during class.
In the past, when confronted with this type of learner, I asked open ended questions that I was confident they could answer;
"So what is your pay period length?"
"What day does your pay period close?"
"What is frustrating you with your payroll close process in its current state?"
Get them talking about their own situation at work, and you can start asking them other questions. The key is to keep on it without making it seem you are focusing on them. A question here, a question there, and you will soon have them comfortable in class.
It is easy just let this participant go. Assume they will pick this stuff up, that if they don't have questions, they must understand everything! That is hardly the case. No one understands everything. Heck, there may be some things we train that we don't totally understand. Therefore, some additional work is in order to ensure understanding.
Just because the quiet learner has started to speak doesn't mean he or she understands the material, and I would be willing to bet
they won't let you know if they are lost!
As trainers, we should all be roaming around the room, especially when participants are completing an independent practice exercise. Give the quiet learner a little more of your time. Watch them work, and ask them question quietly, paying attention to the answers you are getting.
The key here is to do what you can to make the quiet learner communicate with you, to ask questions, and to provide responses. Verify they are doing the work, and don't be afraid to ask questions to them individually to ensure they understand the information you are delivering.
A little extra effort? Yes. But it is worth it to ensure your learners all have the chance to better understand Kronos Workforce Central, and how they will use it.
Good luck with your training implementation.
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