ToT is often used in international media development in order to develop the teaching abilities of senior journalists so that they, in turn, can train their own staff and ensure they are up-to-speed with current media best practice.

Components:

The main components of a typical ToT course include:

• Adult learning principles: Understanding how adults learn, including their need for relevance, experience-based learning, and self-direction.
• Instructional design: Creating effective training courses, including setting objectives, developing content, choosing appropriate methods, and evaluating outcomes.
  • Tools used include:
    • Setting SMART objectives in order to set targets and goals.
    • Carrying out Gap Analysis to define training needs.
    • Using Learning Management Systems (LMS) to design, develop, and deliver training.
• Facilitation skills: Leading engaging and interactive training sessions, managing group dynamics, and fostering a positive learning environment.
• Presentation and communication skills: Delivering clear, concise, and compelling presentations, and using various communication tools effectively.
• Evaluation and feedback: Assessing the effectiveness of training courses and providing constructive feedback to participants.
• Curriculum Development: Creating training materials that are accurate, relevant, and engaging.

Applying ToT to journalism and media management:

The rapidly evolving media landscape demands that journalists and media managers continuously adapt and acquire new skills. ToT can play a crucial role in facilitating this process. Here’s how:

1. Digital skills training:
   • Challenge: The digital revolution requires journalists to master new tools and techniques, including data journalism, social media analytics, video production, and online security.
   • ToT solution: Train experienced journalists and media professionals to become digital skills trainers. These trainers can then disseminate knowledge throughout their organisations or to wider networks. This creates an internal resource for continuous learning.
   • Example: A ToT course could focus on teaching participants how to train others in using specific data visualisation software or how to create engaging social media content.
2. Ethical journalism and media literacy:
   • Challenge: Combating misinformation, promoting ethical reporting, and enhancing media literacy are critical challenges.
   • ToT solution: Train journalists and media educators to become trainers in ethical reporting and media literacy. They can then conduct workshops and training sessions for fellow journalists, students, and the general public.
   • Example: A ToT course could cover topics such as fact-checking techniques, identifying bias, and understanding media ownership structures.
3. Media management and leadership:
   • Challenge: Media managers need to develop strong leadership, strategic planning, and financial management skills to navigate the changing media landscape.
   • ToT solution: Train experienced media managers to become trainers in leadership, management, and innovation. They can then share their expertise with aspiring managers and leaders.
   • Example: A ToT course could focus on teaching participants how to develop strategic plans for digital transformation or how to introduce and manage a converged newsroom.
4. Safety and security training:
   • Challenge: Journalists, especially those working in conflict zones or covering sensitive topics, face increasing safety and security risks.
   • ToT solution: Train experienced journalists and security experts to become trainers in safety and security protocols. They can then conduct workshops and training sessions for journalists and media workers.
   • Example: A ToT course could cover topics like digital security, physical safety, and psychological resilience.

Benefits of applying ToT:

• Increased capacity: ToT multiplies the impact of training by creating a pool of skilled trainers.
• Cost-effectiveness: It reduces the need to hire external trainers for every training session.
• Sustainability: It fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing within media organisations.
• Contextual relevance: Trainers who are themselves journalists and media professionals can tailor training to the specific needs and challenges of their industry.
• Empowerment: It empowers individuals to take ownership of their professional development and contribute to the growth of their colleagues.

In conclusion, Training of Trainers offers a robust and adaptable framework for enhancing the skills and knowledge of journalists and media managers. By investing in ToT, media organisations can build a more resilient, ethical, and innovative industry.

The post Training of Trainers (ToT) first appeared on Media Helping Media.

It’s based on the article Gap analysis for media training, which we recommend trainers read before adapting this lesson plan for your own purposes.

Learning objective

Students will evaluate the importance of gap analysis in designing a training of trainers (ToT) course for journalism. They will identify specific gaps between current and desired competencies of potential trainers to enhance training effectiveness.

• Student-facing objective: By the end of this lesson participants will understand why gap analysis is crucial for creating effective journalism training courses and how to spot the skills trainers need to improve.
• Standards: A trainer will learn the importance of carrying out gap analysis when designing a training of trainers (ToT) course.

Learning activities

Warm-up

Display a simple scenario: “A media company wants to improve its training programme for new journalists. They currently focus on print media but want to expand to digital platforms.” Ask students: “What skills might be missing in their current training?” Ask participants to think about the issue and jot down ideas. Then, have them share with a partner. Finally, ask a few students to share their thoughts with the class. Record key skills mentioned, such as digital literacy or social media proficiency, to set the stage for discussing gap analysis.

Direct instruction

• Introduce gap analysis: Begin with a brief explanation of gap analysis. Define it as a method to identify the difference between current and desired competencies. Use the media company scenario from the warm-up to illustrate how gap analysis can pinpoint missing skills, such as digital literacy.
• Identify current competencies: Explain how to assess current skills. Discuss methods such as surveys, interviews, and skills assessments. Use a real-world example: A media company evaluates its trainers’ proficiency in digital journalism tools. Describe how to conduct a skills assessment and what to look for.
• Define desired competencies and analyse gaps: Discuss how to determine the skills needed for effective training. Highlight industry best practices and audience needs. Use the media company example to show how to identify gaps, such as the need for social media verification skills. Explain how to prioritise these gaps and develop targeted training interventions.

Guided practice

Think, Pair, Share: Guide students through a structured discussion to deepen understanding of gap analysis.

• Think: Ask students to individually consider a scenario where a journalism ToT course lacks proficiency in data journalism. Have them think about how gap analysis could identify this need and suggest potential training interventions.
• Pair: Instruct students to pair up and discuss their thoughts. Encourage them to compare their ideas on identifying gaps and proposing solutions.
• Share: Facilitate a class discussion where pairs share their insights. Record key points on the board, focusing on how gap analysis can lead to targeted training improvements. Use this as an opportunity to clarify any misconceptions.
• Connect: Highlight connections between students’ ideas and the broader importance of gap analysis in journalism training. Emphasise how addressing specific gaps enhances training effectiveness.
• Reflect: Conclude with a brief reflection. Ask students to write down one new understanding they gained about gap analysis and its application in media training. Collect these reflections to assess comprehension.

Independent practice

• Exercise: Provide students with a case study of a journalism ToT course. Ask them to conduct a gap analysis by identifying current and desired competencies. Have them list the gaps and propose targeted training interventions.
• Observation: Circulate the room to observe students’ progress. Offer guidance and feedback as needed to ensure understanding and correct application of gap analysis principles.

Assignment

Ask students these questions:

• What is one key benefit of using gap analysis in journalism training?
• How can identifying gaps between current and desired competencies improve a ToT course?
• What’s one question you still have from today’s lesson?

Suggested answers:

• Suggested answer to Question 1: Gap analysis ensures training is relevant and impactful by focusing on specific needs.
• Suggested answer to Question 2: It allows for targeted training interventions that address specific skill deficiencies.

Teacher resources

Differentiation guide

• Advanced learners: Encourage them to explore additional case studies or real-world examples of gap analysis in media training. Challenge them to identify potential gaps and propose innovative solutions. Allow them to present their findings to the class for peer feedback.
• Striving learners: Provide additional scaffolding by breaking down the gap analysis process into smaller, manageable steps. Use visual aids, such as flowcharts to illustrate the process. Pair them with peers for collaborative exercises to build confidence and understanding.
• Recommended reading: This lesson plan is based on the article Gap analysis for media training, which we recommend trainers read before adapting this lesson plan for your own purposes.

Notable definitions

• Gap analysis: A method to identify the difference between current and desired competencies, particularly in training contexts, to pinpoint areas needing improvement.
• Competencies: The skills and knowledge required to perform a specific task effectively, often used to assess training needs.
• Training of trainers (ToT): A programme designed to equip trainers with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver training to others, often involving a focus on adult learning principles and modern training techniques.

Required materials

• Computers: For accessing the case study and conducting research.
• Projector: To display scenarios and important points during discussions.
• Whiteboard and markers: For recording student insights and the main concepts.
• Printed case studies: For students to analyse during independent practice.
• Notebooks and pens: For students to jot down ideas and reflections.

Lesson summary

• Warm-up
• Direct instruction
• Guided practice
• Independent practice
• Assignment

The free teaching tools at the Khan Academy were used in the production of this lesson plan.

Related article

Gap analysis in media training

The post Lesson: Gap Analysis first appeared on Media Helping Media.

The six questions are What? Why? When? How? Where? and Who?

And it’s worth asking yourself these questions to ensure you have not missed out anything which ought to be included in your story.

You don’t have to answer all six questions.

There might be times when you choose leave out one or more of them. That’s fine, as long as you have made a conscious decision to do so.

But use the six as a checklist. Run through them as a matter of routine to assure yourself that you have not omitted anything by mistake.

What – happened?
Why – did the event to take place (the cause)?
When – did it happen?
How – did it happen?
Where – did it take place? and
Who – are the people involved?

Usually, the two most important questions are who? and what?.

News is often about people doing things (or sometimes not doing things) so the who and the what are frequently the most crucial parts of your story.

How much other detail you include is down to your news judgement and the time and space available to you.

But never try to answer all six questions in your opening sentence or paragraph.

It will result in a cluttered report and leave you with little else to write about.

Try this example.
“A climate change protester, John Smith, today drove the wrong way down the M6 motorway in Birmingham in a protest against the building of a new runway at Heathrow airport.”
All six questions have been mentioned, but the sentence isn’t elegant or interesting.

Ration your information. Use it sparingly and to good effect. Try to keep your audience interested.

In this case, the what is more interesting than the identity of the who, so something like this would have more impact:
“A climate change protester caused mayhem today by deliberately driving the wrong way down a motorway.”
There are lots of other ways of writing this story, but however you choose to start, the other details can be incorporated into the next two or three sentences.

By John Allen

Analysis

Let’s delve deeper into the six questions – What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who – and explore their significance in crafting compelling narratives.

While presented as a simple checklist, mastering these questions involves nuanced judgment and strategic deployment.

The foundation: A structured approach to inquiry

The six questions provide a framework for thorough reporting. They encourage journalists to move beyond surface-level observations and seek a comprehensive understanding of the event or issue at hand.

This systematic approach helps ensure that no crucial element is overlooked, leading to more informative and impactful stories.

Think of it as a mental scaffolding that supports the construction of a robust narrative.

Beyond the checklist: Strategic omission and prioritisation

The text rightly points out that answering all six questions isn’t always necessary, and sometimes, strategically omitting one or more can enhance the narrative.

This isn’t about laziness; it’s about journalistic discretion. Perhaps the “when” is less relevant than the “why,” or maybe the “where” is already widely understood.

The important factor is conscious omission, a deliberate choice to prioritise certain aspects of the story over others.

This decision should be guided by news judgment, considering what information is most crucial for the audience’s understanding and engagement.

The interplay of questions: Unveiling the narrative

The suggestion that “who” and “what” are often the most important is a good starting point, but the relative importance of each question can shift depending on the story.

Sometimes, the “how” is the most compelling element, particularly in investigative journalism or stories involving complex processes.

The “why” is almost always crucial, as it provides context and helps the audience understand the motivations and underlying forces at play.

A story without a “why” risks being superficial and lacking depth.

The art of revelation: Structuring for impact

The example of the climate change protest highlights the importance of pacing and strategic information release.

Trying to cram all six questions into the opening sentence creates a cluttered lead.

Instead, journalists should employ a “pyramid” structure, starting with the most compelling lead and gradually revealing more details.

This approach allows for a more natural flow of information and keeps the audience engaged.

The lead: Capturing the reader

The example demonstrates how prioritising the “what” – the act of driving the wrong way down the motorway – creates a more immediate and dramatic lead than focusing on the “who” – John Smith.

The lead’s primary function is to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to continue reading.

This often involves highlighting the most unusual, surprising, or impactful aspect of the story.

Beyond the opening: Developing the narrative

After the initial lead, the journalist can then weave in the other details – the “who,” “why,” “when,” “where,” and “how” – in a way that builds upon the initial intrigue.

This might involve providing background information, exploring the motivations of the individuals involved, or explaining the broader context of the event.

The importance of context: Adding depth and meaning

Consider the climate change protest example. Simply reporting that someone drove the wrong way down the motorway is sensationalist but lacks context.

By explaining that the act was a protest against a new runway at Heathrow, the story gains depth and becomes more meaningful.

The “why” provides a crucial layer of understanding, transforming a seemingly random act into a deliberate expression of a particular viewpoint.

The evolving nature of news: Adapting to the medium

While the six questions remain a cornerstone of journalistic practice, their application can vary depending on the medium.

In a short news bulletin, brevity might be paramount, requiring the journalist to prioritise the most essential information.

In a longer feature article, there’s more space to explore the nuances of each question and provide a more comprehensive account.

Online journalism allows for the incorporation of multimedia elements, such as videos and interactive maps, which can enhance the storytelling and provide additional context.

In conclusion

The six questions are more than just a checklist; they are a tool for critical thinking and effective communication.

Mastering these questions requires not only understanding their individual meanings but also recognising their interconnectedness and strategically deploying them to create compelling and informative narratives.

It’s about understanding the audience, prioritising information, and crafting a story that resonates and leaves a lasting impact.

Questions

1. What are the six questions a journalist should consider when crafting a story?
2. Why is it important for journalists to use the six questions as a checklist?
3. Which two questions are often considered the most crucial in news stories, and why?
4. How can a journalist decide which details to include in a news story?
5. What is the potential downside of trying to answer all six questions in the opening sentence of a news report?
6. In the example provided, why is the “what” considered more interesting than the “who”?
7. How does the example illustrate the importance of rationing information in a news story?
8. What role does news judgment play in determining the amount of detail included in a story?
9. How can a journalist maintain audience interest while providing necessary information?
10. In what ways can the details of a story be incorporated after the opening sentence to enhance the narrative?

Answers

1. The six questions are What? Why? When? How? Where? and Who?
2. Using the six questions as a checklist ensures that no important information is omitted from the story.
3. The two most crucial questions are “who?” and “what?” because news is often about people doing things, making these elements central to the story.
4. A journalist can decide which details to include based on their news judgment and the time and space available.
5. Trying to answer all six questions in the opening sentence can lead to a cluttered report and leave little else to write about.
6. The “what” is considered more interesting because it involves an unusual action that captures attention, whereas the “who” is less significant in this context.
7. The example shows that by focusing on the most compelling aspects first, a journalist can create a more engaging and effective story.
8. News judgment helps determine which details are most relevant and how much information should be included to convey the story effectively.
9. A journalist can maintain audience interest by using information sparingly and strategically, ensuring the story remains engaging.
10. Details can be incorporated in subsequent sentences to build the narrative and provide a fuller picture without overwhelming the reader initially.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free lesson plan: ‘The questions every journalist should ask‘ which you are welcome to download and adapt for your own purposes.

In the next lesson we look at story construction.

The image at the top is licensed through Can Stock Photo Inc / PixelsAway in accordance with the End User License Agreement (c) – License # 1397576 and released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

The post The questions every journalist should ask first appeared on Media Helping Media.

The job of the journalist is to uncover the stories that shape our understanding of the world.

It’s not merely about reacting to events, but about proactively seeking the narratives that illuminate the human experience.

While traditional categories such as conflict and disaster remain relevant, the modern news landscape demands a more nuanced and interconnected approach.

Expanding the traditional categories:

• Conflicts: Beyond the battlefield:
  • While armed conflicts remain significant, the concept of conflict has broadened. We must consider:
    • Information warfare: The spread of misinformation and disinformation as a tool of conflict.
    • Cyber conflicts: Attacks on critical infrastructure and data breaches.
    • Social and cultural conflicts: Debates surrounding identity, representation, and social justice.
    • Economic conflicts: Trade wars, financial instability, and resource scarcity.
  • Example: A story could explore the impact of social media algorithms on political polarisation, highlighting the subtle but powerful conflicts shaping society.
• Disaster and tragedy: Resilience and response:
  • Beyond reporting the immediate devastation, journalists must focus on:
    • Climate change-induced disasters: Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
    • Systemic failures: Investigating the root causes of disasters, such as inadequate infrastructure or regulatory oversight.
    • Community resilience: Highlighting stories of recovery and adaptation.
    • Psychological impact: reporting on the mental health toll of disasters.
  • Example: An in-depth report on the long-term effects of rising sea levels on coastal communities, focusing on adaptation strategies and the displacement of populations.
• Progress and development: Sustainable and inclusive growth:
  • Development is no longer solely about economic growth. It encompasses:
    • Sustainable development: Balancing economic progress with environmental protection.
    • Social equity: Addressing inequalities in access to education, healthcare, and opportunity.
    • Technological ethics: Examining the societal implications of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies.
    • Cultural preservation: Documenting the impact of globalisation on local traditions and languages.
  • Example: A story on a community-led initiative that combines renewable energy with traditional farming practices, promoting both economic and environmental sustainability.
• Crime: Justice, accountability, and prevention:
  • Crime reporting should go beyond sensationalism to explore:
    • Systemic issues: Investigating the root causes of crime, such as poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity.
    • Cybercrime: The increasing prevalence of online scams, identity theft, and data breaches.
    • White-collar crime: Holding corporations and individuals accountable for financial misconduct.
    • Restorative justice: Exploring alternative approaches to crime that focus on rehabilitation and community healing.
  • Example: An investigative report on the rise of online scams targeting vulnerable populations, examining the role of social media platforms and law enforcement.
• Money: The economics of everyday life:
  • Beyond financial markets, focus on:
    • The gig economy: The impact of precarious employment on workers’ lives.
    • Financial literacy: Empowering individuals to make informed financial decisions.
    • Economic inequality: Examining the growing gap between the rich and the poor.
    • Inflation: The impact of inflation and interest rates on the average person.
  • Example: a series of stories that follow the financial lives of several families in a community, highlighting the challenges they face in managing their budgets.
• The underdog: Amplifying marginalised voices:
  • This remains crucial, but we must also consider:
    • Intersectionality: Recognising the complex interplay of social identities and experiences of marginalisation.
    • Citizen journalism: Empowering individuals to tell their own stories.
    • Holding power to account: Investigating abuses of power in all sectors of society.
    • Accessibility: ensuring that information is accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.
  • Example: A collaborative project that partners with community organisations to document the experiences of undocumented immigrants.
• Religion: Faith, culture, and society:
  • Focus on:
    • Interfaith dialogue: Promoting understanding and cooperation between different religious communities.
    • The role: How religion is active in social and political movements.
    • The impact: The affect secularisation has on religious institutions.
    • Extremism: The rise of religious extremism.
  • Example: a report on how different religious communities are working together to address climate change.
• Famous people: Influence and accountability:
  • Beyond celebrity gossip, explore:
    • Influencers: The influence of social media influencers.
    • Public figures: The responsibility of public figures to use their platforms for good.
    • Youth: The impact of celebrity culture on young people.
    • Executive: Holding powerful people accountable for their actions.
  • Example: An investigation into the environmental impact of a celebrity’s private jet usage.
• Health: Wellbeing in a changing world:
  • Include:
    • Mental health awareness: Removing the stigma from mental illness and promoting access to care.
    • Public health crises: Reporting on pandemics, epidemics, and other health threats.
    • The environment: The impact of environmental factors on health.
    • Isolation: The effect of social isolation on health.
  • Example: A story on the mental health challenges faced by young people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Sex: Beyond taboos:
  • Cover:
    • Diversity: Gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
    • Harm: Sexual violence and harassment.
    • Well-being: Reproductive health.
    • Understanding: Changing social norms around sexuality.
  • Example: A report on the challenges faced by transgender individuals in accessing healthcare.
• Weather: Climate and its impact:
  • Focus on:
    • Effect: The long-term effects of climate change.
    • Populations: The impact of extreme weather events on vulnerable populations.
    • Science: The science of climate change.
    • Economy: The economic cost of climate change.
  • Example: A series of stories that document the impact of drought on farmers in a particular region.
• Food and drink: Sustainability and security:
  • Include:
    • Security: Food security and hunger.
    • Sustainability: Sustainable agriculture.
    • Environment: The impact of food production on the environment.
    • Alternatives: The rise of plant based diets.
  • Example: An investigation into the effects of industrial agriculture on water resources.
• Entertainment: Culture and reflection:
  • Focus on:
    • b The role of art and culture in social change.
    • Technology: The impact of technology on the arts.
    • World variety: The globalisation of culture.
    • Culture: The importance of preserving cultural heritage.
  • Example: A report on the rise of independent filmmakers in a particular country.
• Sport: Beyond the game:
  • Cover:
    • Society: The impact of sports on society.
    • Ethics: The ethics of sports.
    • Diversity: The role of sports in promoting social inclusion.
    • Economy: The business of sports.
  • Example: An investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports.
• Human interest: The power of personal stories:
  • Cover:
    • Inspiration: Stories that inspire hope and resilience.
    • Stereotypes: Stories that challenge stereotypes.
    • Humanity: Stories that connect us to our shared humanity.
    • Experience: Stories that are told by the people who lived them.
  • Example: A story about a refugee who starts a successful business in a new country.

The purpose of news in the digital age:

The purpose of news remains to inform and educate, but in the digital age, we must also consider:

• Combating misinformation: Providing accurate and reliable information to counter the spread of fake news.
• Promoting media literacy: Empowering individuals to critically evaluate information sources.
• Fostering civic engagement: Encouraging informed participation in democracy.
• Building community: Connecting people through shared stories and experiences.

Conclusion:

Finding news stories is an ongoing process of observation, investigation, and critical thinking. By embracing a broader perspective and exploring the interconnectedness of our world, journalists can uncover the stories that truly matter.

Questions

1. What is the primary role of a journalist?
2. How has the concept of conflict expanded beyond traditional warfare?
3. Describe the modern approach to reporting on disasters and tragedies.
4. What are some main elements of sustainable and inclusive growth in journalism?
5. How should crime reporting evolve beyond sensationalism?
6. Explain the significance of amplifying marginalised voices in journalism.
7. Discuss the role of religion in social and political movements as mentioned in the text.
8. How should journalists approach the topic of health?
9. What are the challenges faced by journalists in the digital age?
10. How can journalists uncover stories that truly matter?

Answers

1. The primary role of a journalist is to uncover stories that shape our understanding of the world.
2. The concept of conflict has expanded to include information warfare, cyber conflicts, social and cultural conflicts, and economic conflicts.
3. The modern approach to reporting on disasters and tragedies involves focusing on climate change-induced disasters, systemic failures, community resilience, and the psychological impact of disasters.
4. Main elements of sustainable and inclusive growth include sustainable development, social equity, technological ethics, and cultural preservation.
5. Crime reporting should explore systemic issues, cybercrime, white-collar crime, and restorative justice.
6. Amplifying marginalised voices involves recognising intersectionality, empowering citizen journalism, holding power to account, and ensuring accessibility.
7. Religion plays a role in promoting interfaith dialogue, influencing social and political movements, and addressing the impact of secularisation and extremism.
8. Journalists should approach health by raising mental health awareness, reporting on public health crises, examining environmental impacts on health, and addressing social isolation.
9. Challenges in the digital age include combating misinformation, promoting media literacy, fostering civic engagement, and building community.
10. Journalists can uncover stories that truly matter by embracing a broader perspective and exploring the interconnectedness of our world.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free lesson plan: Where does news come from?which you can download and adapt for your own purposes.

The source of this training module is Media Helping Media and The News Manual. The image of journalists reading a news bulletin is by David Brewer .

The post Where does news come from? first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Have you got any journalism expertise that you are willing to share with others? If so, please get in touch.

If you are a journalist, media manager, or media trainer, and have some tips to share, please consider submitting a training module to Media Helping Media so that journalists worldwide can benefit from your experience.

We have a growing collection of free tips and tutorials on the site which are regularly copied, translated, and shared worldwide.

For example, our basic journalism training section is particularly well used. And in February 2020 we were told that our editorial scenarios are forming the basis for journalism training courses in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Rwanda.

Transferring skills and building capacity

In many countries, journalists and media managers are using the modules from Media Helping Media to train their staff and set up media training centres. And you can be part of it.

It’s all about sharing ideas, giving away tips, transferring skills, and building the capacity of journalists in countries where the media is still developing.

Anyone can pitch in, and it’s not a one-way street. Training modules written by those who’ve traditionally been on the receiving end of media development are welcome too.

Available for all to use

All the material on this site is available under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence, which means it can be shared, adapted, improved and reproduced for non-commercial purposes as long as the author and source is credited.

If you think you have something you would like to contribute, please do the following.

• First check whether the module you intend to write has been covered before. You can do this by using the site’s search box.
• If the topic has not been covered, or if it has and you feel you have more to add, please send us an outline of the idea using the Contact Us form.
• Please add a short biography and include a picture of yourself with any links you would like to your website, blog, or social network site so we can create an information box about you to place at the foot of the article.

And that’s it. We will consider the idea and respond. The more people who are willing to share ideas the richer this site’s resources will become and the more benefit it will be to the media and journalists in need.

Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

As stated earlier, all the content on Media Helping Media is shared in the spirit of Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

This means that anyone is free to reproduce and improve the material on the site on the condition that:

a) what is created is used for non-commercial purposes (you can’t make money out of it),
b) whatever is produced is published under the same Creative Commons licence,
c) that attribution to the original source material is given.

Media Helping Media is unable to pay for contributions, all material published on the site is donated free-of-charge.

The post Wanted, your media know-how first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Those invited to help the media overseas need to ensure that the training they offer is continually refreshed in order to stay relevant and useful.

It takes more time and costs more to produce, but media training must be continually reworked and customised so that it is sensitive to local issues and better addresses local needs.

And trainers working in transition and post-conflict countries and areas where freedom of expression is under threat need to understand that they may have as much to learn as they have to give. If we get it wrong we could do more damage than good.

Address the real need

• Assessments of training needs carried out by media development organisations sometimes examine only superficial technical flaws in media production and delivery.
• Such an approach deals only with the cosmetic and may miss the point.
• Training offered to address perceived shortcomings in what appears on screen, on air or in print may simply make bad journalism look prettier.

Always insist on including your own ‘discovery’ time so that you are able to assess the training needs yourself rather than simply accepting the assessment of someone else.

The lazy option

• Off-the-peg training modules, dusted down and delivered like a mass market product, won’t work.
• Only bespoke, tailor-made training is fit for purpose.
• To fashion appropriate training, those offering it need to listen, observe and learn; it is a two-way process.
• Trainers need to understand the pressures under which the journalists in the host country live.

Every element of training needs to be adapted for the culture in which you are working. It’s insulting to those receiving training to offer them tired and worn material.

Continual updating

• Reassess your training modules after every trip.
• Don’t serve up the same material for each client.
• The arrogant option is to feel that you can land in any country and offer a set of tired and worn training modules that may well have been tried and tested in other territories, but have absolutely no local relevance.
• There will alway be different needs and subtle changes in emphasis required. Learn from each visit and be prepared to ditch everything and start again.
• Solutions that worked well 10 years ago in New York, Paris or London may not work today in Jakarta. Training offered in Jakarta last month will not be appropriate for Hanoi next week.

I have rarely come across a case where training that worked well in one country works well in another. In every case the presentations and exercises need to be revised.

Respect those you are trying to help

• Those sitting in front of you will probably be working in journalism 10 hours a day and seven days a week. They will be experiencing pressures you may never have come across.
• Spend time in the newsroom with local journalists in order to understand the pressures under which they work.
• Realise that those sitting in front of you may well be ahead of you in terms of experience and might be too polite to tell you.
• Take time to understand and, if necessary, return to your hotel, rip up your script and start again.

Don’t embarrass your audience or yourself by looking down on those attending your training and failing to acknowledge their achievements. Find out about those you are training before you start.
Keep an open mind

• Don’t rubbish or trivialise what those you are trying to help do before you understand why they do it.
• If a newspaper in South East Asia decides to update its Facebook page before a story has been published in print and online it may be because the journalists know that their Facebook following is 10 times that of its print run and online following combined.

It is essential to understand local culture, audience behaviour and expectations, and local business competition if you are to deliver training that is relevant and helpful.

Be prepared to be totally humbled

• Realise you don’t know best, you may have just been dealt a better hand.
• In the West, many journalists are taken out by the rich and powerful and wined and dined. In some of the countries in which you’ll be working, the journalists are taken out by the rich and powerful with bullets and bombs.
• Accept that at first you may have little in common with those you are trying to help. Your daily rate may be five times what those you are working with earn in a month.
• If they turn up late and leave early it may not be because they are lazy, it may be that they are doing three jobs to make ends meet.
• Don’t talk down to people before you know the facts. Respect that those sitting in front of you have probably paid a much greater price for media freedom than you will ever pay – or would be prepared to pay if it came to the push.
• Don’t underestimate the sacrifice people make for the vocation of being a journalist. It is rarely for self advancement or material gain, and it is almost always at personal cost and continuing personal risk.

You will have to earn respect, and to do that you need to respect those you are training. Unless you view them as colleagues you run the risk of alienating them and creating an uncomfortable atmosphere that is not conducive to successful teaching.

Be sure you know who sent you and why?

• Training programmes supported by foreign funders responding to politically-focused calls for proposals may do the receiving media organisation no good at all.
• They may even set them back rather than move them forward, and they will rarely address their needs.
• I know of a case in which the editor of a media organisation in a transition country told his staff to turn up for the first session because the training brought with it funding for equipment. As a result, the bewildered trainer was left staring at empty chairs after the first coffee break. But the box was ticked.
• Soon after, the donor departed to the next area where those pulling the strings felt that their influence was needed.

You will have been hired to do a job. You need to understand the real reasons behind why you are being asked to deliver training. On the face of it the purpose is to build local capacity. But always ask why before you accept.

Always ask what happens next

• Media development is a business. The organisations offering assistance have to cover core costs and pay the bills out of the funds raised.
• They are in competition with one another. They are pitching for tenders, writing proposals and constantly striving to drum up work.
• Be sure to ask whether there are sufficient funds to finish the job. Beware of media training that appears to lack any provision for follow-up. One-off intervention serves little purpose.
• In one case I was told by a media development organisation that what happens next was “not my concern” because the project (as set out in the project proposal) was complete. I had been paid and therefore, presumably, I should no longer care.
• That experience was part of the inspiration for the setting up of this site, Media Helping Media, but that’s another story.

The training you are being asked to deliver will probably have been planned in an office in a city in the West. It will be part of a strategy for media development which is then put to a funder. The funders that respond will want a return on their investment. What are their expectations? What are the politics of the situation? Make sure you are comfortable with who is paying your fees and why.

Achieve buy-in from the top

• Ensure that there is full buy-in from the media organisation concerned before you get on the plane.
• Insist on communication with senior managers in the host media company before any training takes place.
• Talk through what is needed. Find out about their target audience. Try to understand the market conditions and the political pressures.
• See what they want to achieve and how far they are prepared to go.

There is nothing worse than offering training that may inspire the journalists on the newsroom floor and out in the field only to find that they are not allowed to implement what they learnt after you leave. That leads only to disillusionment and resentment.

Ensure that you do no harm

• Make sure that whatever you do will not endanger those with whom you are working.
• Operate on the basis that in some countries there will be those in the audience who are reporting back to their political masters.
• They may also be on the lookout for those who respond to your training in a way that they may consider to be a threat.
• This is particularly important when training people about editorial ethics.
• Objectivity and impartiality sound good in the West, but seeking to achieve both could result in a journalist being reprimanded.

You need to have a long-term strategy. Do not push them too far at first. Let them decide what is possible and what is appropriate, and be there to support them in what they feel will work for their country and their people.

Get the basics right

• Don’t push investigative journalism
• programmes in an immature and still developing media market – especially in a transition country – until they have got the basics right.
• Share your experience in uncovering sourced, verified and attributed facts and presenting those in a way that informs the public debate.
• Investigative journalism for some will mean getting revenge on those they see as the bad guys prior to transition.

That will inflame the situation. Start with the journalism basics and offer investigative journalism training only when the media landscape has matured.

Be discerning in choosing who to work with

• Get involved only in projects focused on building local capacity and which aim to transfer skills and empower local journalists.
• Give priority to projects that aim establish sustainable media training delivered by locals who have become trainers of trainers.
• Have a clear exit strategy before you apply for your visa.
• Make sure that it is about making those you work with great and able to develop without an ongoing dependency on you or those who sent you.

Always try to identify the media leaders of today and the media leaders of the future and work with both. And always say thanks for those who let you work in their country.

The post International media training first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Thorough research is the essential if you are to deliver high-impact media training. Never accept a brief from media managers without question – they could be wrong and often are.

Superficial media training, carried out following inadequate training needs assessment, could damage the business and will waste your time and the time of those you are expected to help.

1: Understand the needs of the business

Establish what senior media managers want to achieve and then question it. A good trainer will never accept a training brief without scrutinising it first. Your first job is to check whether the company bosses are on the right track.

You will need to spend at least one day talking through the expected ROI (return on investment) of the training and ensure that all management expectations are fully tested and grounded in realistic and relevant business deliverables.

Ask the following:

• What is the current situation?
• What problems exist?
• What are the opportunities?
• What is the required, ideal situation?
• What new knowledge, skills or attitudes are desired?

2: Clarify the importance of your intervention

Don’t accept a training brief based on a superficial training needs assessment that bears no relation to the overall needs of the business.

You MUST carry out point 1 (above) first. If the company doesn’t agree to that, don’t accept the brief.

To do so is a recipe for disaster. It’ll waste your time and the time of those you are training.

It will also lead to resentment and disillusionment if staff members are trained in skills they may never be encouraged to put into practice. See point 4 below.

3: Clarify the business objectives

What objectives have been set for staff? Are they being met? If not, why not? Where is the blockage? Are objectives focused on the same expected ROI as expressed in point 1 (above)? Are the objectives flexible and can they be changed if needed?

Be aware that the main blockage may be at the top; you may find staff further down the food chain have a much greater vision for the business need than those in the board room.

Are the objectives being set the right objectives? Do they include corporate, unit and personal objectives? Do all three make sense?

Are they SMART? Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and when do they need to be met (time)?

Ensure you understand:

• Corporate objectives.
• Unit objectives.
• Individual objectives.

4: Watch, listen and absorb

Ensure you are given enough time to talk to all levels of staff before you design your training plan (Step 2).

You will need to watch them in action to get an understanding of the issues you face and the needs they have.

You will need to talk to them to find out firsthand what it is like to work in the company.

Ask if you are allowed to take pictures of the newsroom and the workflows (they will come in useful in the design phase).

Then you need to talk to those they report to and those who report to them.

You need to immerse yourself totally in the day-to-day running of the business, particularly in the area in which you are being asked to offer training.

The usual journalistic questions of who, why, when, where, what and how are useful here.

5: Challenge all assumptions

It is important that everything is challenged and questioned at this stage. Do not accept any statements about why things are the way they are, or what the perceived needs are without thorough scrutiny.

If you don’t question, you may end up introducing training that compounds the problem rather than moves the company forward.

The training consultant should be one of the key players in a media business. You are dealing with one of the media organisation’s most precious resources – its staff – and you are working for the key stakeholders (who are not always right).

You need to understand their motives, both business and personal. You need to be aware of any internal pressures.

You also need to ensure that those commissioning the training understand the needs of the audience.

Don’t presume they have kept up to speed with changing audience behaviour.

6: Review and assess what already exists

Before you start to introduce new thinking, examine what already exists.

What training plans have been tried in the past? Did they work? If not, why not? How could they have been better? How were they received? What did the staff think? What did their managers think?

There is absolutely no point in serving up the same again if the previous training failed.

You will have been hired to move the company and its staff forward, not help them stand still, or worse take then a step back.

7: Skills audit and questionnaire

A neat way of finding out a lot of information quickly is to prepare a skills audit for all staff to complete.

Be sure to get permission from the line managers first, and make it clear that confidentiality and privacy will be respected.

The skills audit will assess what people already know and what they need to know.

It is helpful if their line manager is involved in this process. Download our sample skills audit here free of charge and change it to your needs.

You might also want to send them a learning questionnaire to try to establish what type of person they are.

Once completed you will know whether they are activists (doers), reflectors (who review), theorists (who conclude) or pragmatists (who plan).

The Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) developed by Honey and Mumford (1986) is one of several measures of individual learning style.

You can try the LSQ via this link to MINT human resources.

8: Talk to competitors and the audience

Don’t just take what you are told inside the company at face value. Go out and test it.

Of course, you will need to be discreet, but you will need to find out what the audience feels about the media organisation and how it is viewed by competitors.

Advertising agencies are also a good source of information here. They will know if the media business you have been asked to help is focused on audience need.

You can’t really have too much information at this stage. You can always discard material, but you will need to justify every element in the design of your training plan, if you are to convince management (and the staff you are training) that your approach makes sense for the company and for them.

9: Be prepared to stand your ground

There are many reasons why a company may want to introduce training.

It could be a box ticking exercise aimed at trying to keep the HR (human resources) department or the unions happy, or it could be tokenism because ‘it’s the done thing’.

You will soon find out. If management are not really serious it will become obvious fairly soon. That is why it is important to challenge all assumptions and question all reasoning.

If, at the end of this research period you feel there is no real desire for change be bold enough to pull out.

To continue and to deliver training that is irrelevant and which the management have no intention of implementing in the day-to-day working of the media business will damage your reputation.

It’s also totally pointless, boring and counter-production. Just don’t do it.

10: Remain professional and on good terms with stakeholders

If all goes well, you will be designing, delivering and then evaluating the training you have just been researching.

So let’s presume you research well, you will then need to design the training. At that point you will be going back to the stakeholders for sign-off. Better you are on speaking terms at that point.

After sign-off you will deliver and then, perhaps one of the most crucial points of the process, you will evaluate.

Once you have done that you will report back. This is also where you will need to have excellent relationships with the stakeholders because you are bound to have some valuable information to share – and some of it may be hard for some of them to stomach.

The post Training needs assessment first appeared on Media Helping Media.

For international media training to be successful, tried, tested and proven case studies from a similar region are needed.

Theory has limited value, as do examples of what works in the West, unless the examples directly relate to local issues and concerns.

You also need a great local co-trainer, management buy-in, enough time working one-to-one with participants, and a way of creating a solid network for future learning and development.

The following five tips are for those who want to ensure that what’s delivered is relevant, lasting and can be built on in the future.

1: Achieve buy-in from management

Training delivered following an external training needs assessment that focuses on superficial issues, such as poor TV packaging/presenting skills or sloppy writing, could be failing to identify the real issues that need attention.

Poor quality journalism and output are usually a reflection of an ailing media business.

The real issue may be at the heart of the organisation – the management. Helping them understand that certain changes could benefit their business is the best starting point.

If that process helps management understand the business reasons for the training, and they then buy into the process, then a proper training programme, focused on the business objectives, can be designed and delivered.

If that essential first step doesn’t take place the result could be disillusioned staff who finds there is no appetite from their line managers for them to apply the lessons taught to them on the course.

2: Deliver regionally-relevant case studies

Theory is never welcome on its own. People want case studies. Tried, tested, and proven examples of where the media business has improved through proper training implemented following the management buy-in (mentioned above), and which deliver results in terms of workflow efficiencies, audience satisfaction and increased revenue-generation.

They want examples which they can measure themselves against, practical steps that can yield results, and someone they can contact if they encounter problems.

Most of all, media organisations in the developing world appreciate examples from those who have delivered while dealing with similar issues to those they are facing.

Details of how things work at the BBC, CNN or Al Jazeera are all useful, but a media house in Africa may find tips and tricks from a media house in Asia more appropriate to their needs; in my experience they have certainly paid more attention to those examples.

3: Build local networks and associations

Media intervention is all about capacity building and transferring skills. It should also be about building local networks of like-minded individuals who can take that knowledge to the next level in a way that is culturally and regionally relevant.

Usually, training course participants come from a selection of media organisations. Participants may already know each other, but may not have spent a work together working in interactive sessions and producing group presentations.

Finding how to build on those new relationships, in a way that enables further growth and development, is important. It could also lead to locally-organised training in the future run by those who benefited from the first training.

This capacity building should be a by-product of all interventions. The setting up of a local journalist association could help ensure that the fellowships created during the training are available for future generations.

4: Engage a local co-trainer

Flying in a Western ‘expert’ to deliver training is often welcome. Participants usually seem eager to learn from what is happening outside of their own regions. However, ensuring that training is relevant and sensitive to the local situation is crucial. Every intervention should be double-headed with the invited trainer working alongside a local co-trainer.

This is increasingly happening and, when it does, the training is enhanced.

The outside trainer and the local co-trainer need to spend enough time going through the proposed agenda, carrying out local research, ensuring all the presentations and group work is appropriate, and then sharing the task of delivering.

By the end of the week the international trainer needs to be working as the co-trainer to the local trainer. Ideally, the local co-trainer should run at least one session each day.

5: Offer one-to-one clinics

Feedback forms are important. It enables those organising the training to learn what participants thought about the benefits and flaws. However the feedback forms are often filled out in a rush at the end of a week of training when people are keen to get away and are probably not in the best frame of mind to offer a considered response.

Ideally, the invited trainer and the local trainer should schedule 20-minute clinics with each participants where they can talk through any issues that concern them and which they did not feel comfortable about raising in the group sessions.

These clinics are rather like going to see the doctor. The participant turns up with a question/issue, and the trainer and the co-trainer prescribe a course of action to deal with the problem. The trainers, both local and international, then make themselves available, via email, Skype, Facebook or Twitter to follow up with the participant, if needed (at no cost to the participant).

If there is a local association, the co-trainer could suggest the setting up of a self-help members-only forum where participants offer on-going support to their peer group and continue to learn together from locally-relevant experience.

The point is to ensure that all the effort that goes into organising training has a lasting benefit for those it was intended to help and that it was not just a box-ticking exercise.

The post Media training requirements first appeared on Media Helping Media.

The evaluation process for media training is set in motion the moment you are engaged by the media organisation you are being asked to help.

The first questions you ask in your research, or discovery phase, will form the framework for your evaluation of the intervention. Keeping accurate notes is essential if you are to do the job well.

You will have been invited to help a media organisation because senior managers have a desired outcome and see training as the way to achieve it.

They will have their objectives and, usually, a clear ROI (return on investment).

You need to understand those because they will form some of the measurements you will use to evaluate the project. But there will be more.

As set out in the module ‘Researching a media training project’ your job is to design training that will deliver what the business wants, but also to question presumptions and assumptions and, where appropriate, introduce new perspectives.

These, too, if accepted by the key stakeholders, will form an important part of your evaluation process.

With evaluation you are trying to establish:

• Validation: was it the right choice.
• Impact: was it effective?
• Benefits: what was the result for the business? ROI: was it time, effort and money well spent in terms of return on investment?

To help you evaluate, it is useful to have three measurements:

1. the beginning of the project.
2. the middle of the project.
3. the end of the project.

For a training course you may have two of these only, the beginning and the end, although the feedback forms in point 3 (below) will give you some mid-way measurements.

1: Evaluation starts when you are researching the event

As mentioned above, your research phase will produce valuable information about what is expected and what needs to change.

You will have the initial management brief, with, hopefully, clear deliverables, and you will have any added value you bring to the project.

The main points, listed in the research, include:

• Understanding the needs of the business.
• Clarifying the importance of your intervention.
• Ensuring all key stakeholders agree the business objectives.
• Watching, listening and absorbing the business from management to newsroom and in the field.
• Challenging all assumptions at all levels.
• Reviewing and assessing what already exists.
• Agreeing and organising a skills audit and questionnaire.
• Audience – talking to business competitors and the media organisation’s audience.

2: Evaluation elements are contained in course design

All these steps listed above will have produced a framework that you will have taken to the design phase, see the module ‘Designing a successful media training plan’.

This proposed course design will then have been signed off by key stakeholders. This is where you set out how the agreed deliverables will be approached and how you plan to prepare staff to be able to deliver.

Each training module will have an objective such as ‘by the end of this session you will be able to ….’. This is another important piece of information for your course evaluation.

3: Feedback forms offer some level of evaluation

The course feedback forms, which you handed out at the end of the event, provide valuable evaluation of how the training was received – but not about how it will be implemented.

It’s important to analyse these forms and offer the main findings to the stakeholders. They will need to ensure that there are the opportunities available for course attendees to put into practice the training you have given them.

If they don’t enable this to happen it will be hard to evaluate the success. That is why the agreement reached in point 1 (above) is so important. This feedback can help you with some mid-way evaluation because you can see how trainees had progressed after they were introduced to the concepts and before they implemented them.

4: Changes in the workplace

You then need to see what changes your training has brought to the workplace. This will involve careful monitoring, talking to staff, unit managers, senior managers, and those promoting new business for the organisation.

You will be looking for the positive and negative impact on the following:

• Changes in staff behaviour.
• The impact on workflows and output.
• What this means for unit and organisational results.

You need to spend enough time examining how changes have impacted the business – it might take several years.

The post Evaluating the impact of training first appeared on Media Helping Media.

One of the first steps in delivering training is to articulate the ground rules. Participants need to know what to expect, what is expected of them and how you intend to schedule course elements.

They also need to know what is expected of them in terms of their participation and behaviour. The following tips set out some of the basics for delivering a training event.

Establish the ground rules

Soon after welcoming participants and making the introductions you will need to set out how the event will be run. This is where you make sure participants understand the course objectives, what you see as the deliverables, and their part in in the process.

You need inject a sense of urgency and set deadlines. Participants need to know that you mean business and that the course is not a break from work, or a couple of days off, but that it is a key part of their development and that of the organisation they work for. It is important to make this clear at the start in a friendly but firm way.

Go through the basic housekeeping points – arrival times, break times, venue layout including washrooms and emergency exits, rules on the use of mobile phones, smoking, talking etc. It all sounds basic and obvious, but getting such questions out of the way early is important to the smooth running of the event.

If you are intending to write about the event in a report, in a blog or via any social networking platforms you need to let people know. If you are planning to take pictures or video of the event you will need their agreement first.

Your material

You need to rehearse what you are going to deliver at least once and make sure your script matches your slides.

Check that nothing has changed overnight in terms of industry developments. Go online to read industry media coverage. Look out for new developments, statistics, changing audience behaviour.

Take time to inject and information that is relevant. If you don’t have time to update your slides consider projecting a web page with any new information and discuss the implications with the group.

They will appreciate the fact that you are keeping your material up-to-date and that you are continually on the look out for new developments.

Keep your slides brief, preferably rich in images and thin on words. Never just read from slides. If you have to repeat some bullet points ensure you have added value material in your head. There is nothing worse than being read to.

The technology

If you are using a projector, make sure there is a spare light bulb as backup just in case one blows. Check there is an extension lead with two outlets, one for the projector and one for the laptop.

Make sure there is a table for the projector and a screen for the presentations. Check the distance. Can it be viewed from the back of the room?

If you have audio, make sure there are speakers and that they work. If you have translation and group discussions check the microphones and any translation equipment has been set up and is in working order.

Always deliver a checklist of what you require to the organisers of the event well in advance and never presume everything will be in place – often it won’t.

And always be ready to run a session without a projector in the event of a power cut. Your training must not be dependent on technology and you need to be able to continue when all around you is falling apart.

Room layout

You will notice a massive cultural difference in terms of room layout from country to country. Some like rows of chairs facing the front, others like desks set out in rows, some like a horseshoe layout with the presenter in the middle and towards the front.

Make sure the layout is conducive to your style. A horseshoe layout can prove helpful for group participation and discussion.

The room needs to be set up before participants arrive – you should not be moving chairs as they gather for the event.

Check which way the room faces and whether there are blinds on the windows. You should make sure the sun doesn’t shine across your screen or in the eyes of the participants.

Welcoming participants

It is always nice to arrange for tea and coffee to be available as participants arrive for the first day of the event. If your training is due to start at 10am, invite people for refreshments at 9:30am.

As they turn up be friendly but don’t engage in conversations. Tell them politely that you will talk to them at the next break but that you must prepare.

Allow them to mingle. A neat trick is to have an envelope for each participant with details of the first icebreaker. Ask them to interview another participant over the first tea or coffee and jot down some notes.

Then, when the session starts, each participant introduces the person they interviewed. This is a great way of breaking barriers and developing friendships within the group.

Facilities

It’s always a good idea to have pens and notepads for participants. You will need a flip chart with plenty of pages for use in the group and individual presentations. Some adhesive for attaching paper to walls is useful. A whiteboard can come in handy. Make sure you have enough marker pens for both the flip chart and the white board. Sticky notes are useful for presentations.

Check whether there are any breakout rooms for the interactive exercises when participants break up into groups.

Arrange for name plates to be set up in front of each participant with their first name in large bold letters and their title and media organisation. You will want to be on first name terms as soon as possible. If you can arrange to have name badges, too, that may help – especially if you have a large group and a poor memory.

Refreshments

Always have drinking water available for participants. A tea/coffee break in the morning and the afternoon is a good idea – perhaps two in each session.

It is sometimes nice to have a refreshment table in the room where people can recharge their energy levels (even during the event). This sends out the message that participants are not trapped and that your sessions are working events.

Smokers may become restless if they are away from nicotine too long, so make sure you accommodate them, too. Check if there is a smoking area.

If refreshments are available at all times you can integrate breaks into the group interactive sessions so that participants continue to work as they drink.

Also remember that some participants will need to make personal calls and send texts and emails for business reasons. If you have sufficient breaks they can plan to do their personal and business communications between sessions.

Be available to chat during the refreshment breaks – you may pick up important information that you may be able to use in the sessions

Be well organised

Have a course outline available for participants at all times. It shows participants that you mean business and it helps them plan their lives around the event.If you change the course running order be sure to tell participants why.

Arrive early and set up immediately. Say hello when people arrive but only chat when you have set up.

When you start, tell people what they are going to be told and how the training will work. Tell them what you expect from the event and explain what will be expected from the participants. A slide setting out the course objectives is useful – you can use it again at the half-way point and at the end of the event to assess whether any progress has been made.

If you are planning any assignments, both during and between sessions, you will need to make this clear so that participants can set aside enough time.

Overnight assignments should not be time-consuming but should be something participants can think about on the train, bus or in the car.

Inviting them to think through three examples of an issue is an ideal form of overnight assignment which they can all report back on during the first session of the following day. The reason for using this technique is to ensure they continue to think about the event as they travel home and on their return journey the next day. It also gives you a flying start the following morning.

Activities

Keep participants active. The session should not be about you talking at them. It’s about engaging the audience, allowing them to participate and ensuring that they take ownership of the event.

Icebreakers (games to help people participate), energises (more games for the times when energy levels are dropping – usually after lunch), individual presentation and group presentations and group discussions and debates, are all important tools that can help lift a training event.

For example, if people are looking tired it is always good to call a short break and ask them to write down three does and three don’t from the session you have just delivered and ask them to present their six points in 30 seconds after the break. This will give you a great piece of feedback on whether the information was understood.

Understand your audience

Generally, when the training begins, you will have three types in the audience.

• Enthusiasts:
  • You will have those who are genuinely interested in the topic being covered and will have made a special effort to attend.
  • They will be the enthusiasts who could be great assets and contribute to the success of the event.
• Vacationers:
  • You may have a couple of vacationers – those who are there because it is a chance to have a day off work.
  • Their attitude will be one of contributing the least amount of effort possible.
  • They will be polite, usually quiet although appearing attentive, contribute little and ask few questions.
• Prisoners:
  • Then there are the prisoners who have been sent by their line manager to make up the numbers.
  • They have no desire to attend your session and will be determined not to contribute.
  • They will typically be texting friends, the first to stand up when a break is called, the last to arrive in the morning and the first to leave in the evening.

Your job will be to win over the vacationers and the prisoners and to involve the enthusiasts fully. It’s a delicate balancing act. Your aim, by lunchtime on day one, is to have everyone fully engaged and enthusiastic about the training.

You will also need to acknowledge the following participant types:

• The activists – those who like to do
• The reflectors – those who like to review
• The theorists – those who like to think things through and reach a conclusion
• The pragmatists – those who like to plan

All have a part to play in the sessions if managed well.

These characteristics will have been identified by your course questionnaire (embedded in the module Maximising the impact of media training) which you will have sent out prior to the course or which you will have introduced during the first session.

Disruptive behaviour

You will need a strategy for dealing with disruptive behaviour. Shouting does not work, neither does ignoring it.

If someone is repeatedly interrupting the event you could acknowledge their question but make it clear that there will be a chance for discussion before the next break.

If someone is continuing to cause problems you can take them aside and talk to them over the next tea break. At that point you will need to find out what is concerning them.

You may decide that they have some good points to make and consider involving them in helping with the event. You may deduce that they have no interest in the event and don’t want to be there. If you feel there is no value in them remaining in the group you may need to consider asking them to leave.

Ignoring disruptive behaviour will annoy those participants who mean business. They will see it as a sign of weakness and you may lose their attention, too

Plagiarism

Never steal another trainer’s presentation. Not only is it unethical, but it is also dangerous. If you have not written the training and thought through every point you may fall flat on your face when challenged – or worse, end up in court.

Your material must be all your own work. It must be original, unique, stimulating, mind-stretching, relevant, every-changing and fresh.

If you use quotes from other trainers be sure to reference them, acknowledge them for their value and, if possible, provide links to the original work.

Material

You should consider having the following course material available for all participants.

• Outline – why it is taking place and what it is designed to achieve.
• Timetable – refreshed each day and detailed down to the comfort breaks.
• Handouts – printed versions of the main points of each presentation.
• Slides – some participants will want to download your slides.
• Business cards – your contact details should participants want to follow up.

Feedback

Allow enough time for participants to fill out the course feedback form.

They are the people who will deliver the results of the work you have researched, designed and delivered. And you will be evaluating the success of your intervention by analysing how their behaviour changes and what those changes mean to the media business.

With some participants you will be establishing an ongoing working relationship. Ensure you acknowledge those who participated positively and enthusiastically.

Thanking the group

Always say thank you to participants at the end of the event. Without them it wouldn’t have happened.

They are the people who will deliver the results of the work you have researched, designed and delivered. And you will be evaluating the success of your intervention by analysing how their behaviour changes and what those changes mean to the media business.

With some participants you will be establishing an ongoing working relationship. Ensure you acknowledge those who participated positively and enthusiastically.

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