How to Set Up “Follow-Ons”
For Extended Classroom Impact
By Robb Murray
In my last article (November,
2002), I cited nonverbal reinforcement as one way to boost the impact of
classroom learning. Let me take this
matter of impact further. Consider the
benefits of “spontaneous” after-class follow-ons
(real-life review and applications).
The goals: learning
retention, and “deschooling”
We all know that there is
a decay effect after training. Unless 
material or a concept is reviewed or revisited
within a day or so after exposure, it begins to vanish from a learner’s
mind. So if we can do something to
elicit a self-generated “follow-on” by a student, we forge a link between the
insulated space of the classroom and the wide arena outside where the impact is
actually wanted.
We also know that only a
small fraction of what is taught will ever really be used. Though we may expend significant resources on
structuring a training experience, our actual goal is that the students 
later de-construct this learning and
incorporate it into use. The influential
book Deschooling
Society, by Ivan Illich, argued that learning should always enhance practical
problem-solving, not remain a closed world unto itself.
How can we stimulate “follow ons”?
So how can we set up
students to revisit our content and to fragment the food of our
teaching later so that it is digested where and when it applies?
Here are 13 methods I
have used in both management development and software classes that set the
stage for unconscious follow-ons by learners:
1 Mark, fold and tear
apart manuals. If I’m teaching, say,
spreadsheet software, I might say, while modeling the action:
“See these 5 commands on page 20? Let’s put a big, black circle around
all of these. You’re going to need these. . . “
“Look at the shortcuts on
page 35. Let’s fold down this corner
in a great big fold all the way to halfway down the page. You’ll want to get back to this page for sure!”
“Appendix C is a
one-pager that is a must for your cubicle wall.
Let’s grab the book like so and tear this page out. Tack this chart up! Make copies for your office mates, too, or
they’ll steal yours!”
Not all students are
comfortable marking or taking apart class materials, but doing so helps them to
take proactive ownership of their learning.
2 Print off on the fly
pages that excite 
class
attention when displayed. Whenever projecting and
learning together from web sites or Power Point slides, immediately print off
items that are getting reactions, enough copies for each student. Since these pages are known high points, they
will likely be reviewed later. Plus,
they are loose sheets, which tend to get attention by their very nature.
3 Have students apply
their learning to sample projects and
real-life situations, in class. Examples:
·
spreadsheets
·
newsletters
·
templates
·
project plans
·
web pages
Be sure they print off or e-mail their work home so they can
continue the projects later on their own.
4 Challenge students
to try a new skill right away, and ask to be e-mailed with the results. One school where I trained always sent home
a written “software challenge” exercise.
Students would fax back their solutions and the school would send small
prizes to everyone who got it right.
5 Terminate your class
discussion “in medias res”. Go out with your people at the end of the
day to a field trip that puts them into the 
middle of a learning environment. Take them to a
·
bookstore
·
shop floor
·
museum exhibit
·
computer store, etc.
and discuss what is all around you. You will likely depart for the day with
students discussing and bonding, setting up possible further conversations.
6 Play a provocative
audio or video segment from a cassette, CD audio book or web radio or TV site. Discuss it and tell students where 
they can get their own copy of the
material. Mention how students might use
the segment as a way to bring home some of the class content to others who
could not attend the event.
7 Get discussions
going that continue into breaks and over lunch.
These break down classroom wall boundaries and literally take learning
out the door. Synergy is available in a
group setting that may later be absent.
Help students get to useful conclusions and planned actions while the
catalyst of group process is there.
8 Type up student comments in class,
projected onscreen. Print out the compilation
for everyone, or post it to a web space for later review.
9 Show several dynamic
and relevant web sites in class. Stress that
their addresses are NOT listed in handouts or manuals. Later, e-mail clickable links to all the sites
to interested students.
10 Recommend a terrific
upcoming TV, radio or webcast program on your
subject and 
stress repeatedly throughout the day that you
are definitely going to be watching
it (if true)! Invite students to e-mail
you their opinions about the program, or have them post to a class bulletin
board space. Experiencing the show
becomes an extension of class, and will likely feel so.
11 Ask
students to think of people they know who would want to be informed about
important points they have learned.
List these inside, say, the back covers of their manuals. Everybody likes to share the wealth.
12 Hold up a good book
on your subject and pass it around with high points marked. Urge students to reference it later or give
it away as a prize for winning a learning game.
13 Play a game that uses
new
skills in a way that involves the students individually. Vivid experiences like this tend to be
talked about later. Send students home
with printouts of their take-aways.
Examples:
(Teaching nominal group
technique) “Imagine that management has
granted $2,000 for the improvement of this classroom, in any manner. List all the ways you can think of to use
that amount. Now let’s cycle through the
group and get one response from each that we list on a flip sheet. We’ll recycle until all the ideas have been
logged. Now let’s put a cost by each
idea, 
then rank-order the items by vote. Last, let’s discuss to confirm or adjust the
fit, and maximize what we can get from this $2,000. Copy down the resulting winnowed budget
items.”
(Teaching MS Excel) “Let’s pretend Bill Gates has entered the
room and will be making cash gifts to everyone.
Let’s record everyone’s first name in a list. Now let’s list the amount each is to receive.
Now we’ll total the grants. Then let’s
sort by grant, from greatest to smallest.
Now let’s make a bar chart of the data for the next board meeting. Last, we’ll print off the spreadsheet and
chart.”
Blast out of the classroom container!
We hear a lot about
bringing the world into the classroom.
It is equally powerful to extend learning behavior outward into
after-class experiences. The more
multidimensional and multi-sensory these follow-on experiences are, the more
compelling. We can be assured that it’s
not what students learn, but what
they use that’s going to count.
P.S. -- I have a question
for you. Remember the web link above to
the book, Deschooling Society? Did you click it? I thought so. Thanks for the “follow-on”!
- - -
Robb Murray is lead instructor
for Chicago's Computer Training On-Call, www.explain.com
and he loves to network. Your call is
always welcome at 773.975.8020 and your emails at ctoncall@aol.com. If responding to this article, he would
consider your communication a form of learning follow-on and, hence,
particularly lovely.
