Written by The Case for Interactive, Drama Based Training
Whether you’re introducing new policies and procedures or addressing a recurring issue within your workforce, as a business or organisation stakeholder you will likely have to conduct training sessions at some point in your career. Here at Nelson Training we assist businesses with training for all kinds of issues, from equality and diversity to dealing with customer complaints correctly. We have experienced all kinds of training methods over the past 17 years, and have unsurprisingly found that some methods are far more effective than others.
Here at Nelson Training we specialise in the use of actors and drama, to produce interactive and memorable training session that will deliver your message while inspiring your staff. In this article we’ve looked at exactly why interactive and drama-based training is so effective, especially when compared to the regular written presentations of yesteryear.
Learning Styles
We will firstly need to consider the different ways in which each of us learns new information. It is generally accepted that there are seven different styles of learning, as follows:
Visual – prefer using pictures and video.
Aural – prefer using music and sounds.
Verbal – prefer talking or writing.
Physical – prefer using touch and physical sensations.
Logical – prefer using logical systems and reasoning.
Social – prefer learning with others.
Solitary – prefer learning alone.
Each of us prefers to learn in a different way, but one of the reasons that interactive and drama training courses are so popular and effective is because they are likely to cover many, if not all of the learning styles mentioned above. Conversely, a written presentation will cover only a few.
Better Uptake
A drama-based training session is a multi-sensory experience which requires participants to interact and engage with the topic at hand. Not only does this cover more styles of learning than a regular presentation, but the increased stimuli will also lead to a greater retention of information by everybody.
First and foremost, interactive training holds the attention for longer, as there will be fewer distractions and attendees will be required to participate at times. Staff are unlikely to miss something because they were chatting to a friend or had dozed off for a minute. Training presentations can often leave the audience less than enthused, but drama-based training with professional actors and interactive activities will provide the multiple stimuli that will hold the attention and improve the learning process itself.
Interactive training also gives your staff the opportunity to put the theory into practice. With the use of actors and role-playing, you can simulate everyday workplace occurrences and evaluate each member of staff’s retention of their new knowledge.
More Motivated
Interactive training sessions are scientifically proven to improve memory retention, but they will also enthuse and inspire your staff like no PowerPoint presentation can. Any number of slide transitions and Word Art effects will pale in comparison to an exciting and enjoyable workshop where staff can talk, role-play and have fun while learning.
By inspiring your staff and having some fun in the process, interactive training sessions will encourage your staff to take on and implement their new skills and knowledge in a way that written presentations simply cannot. Staff will have already put the theory into practice with professional actors and role-playing, and coupled with the enjoyment of the day, they’ll be ready to act upon their knowledge from day one.
Has your business used interactive drama-based training workshops in the past? Did you notice an improvement over traditional training resources like PowerPoint presentations?