Facilitation Skills for Trainers

NOTE: This training program is only for University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service (IPS) employees and associates. 

This program, directed to enhance teaching and facilitation skills for our IPS full and part time trainers, consists of six modules targeted toward the unique needs of our IPS instructors. Program faculty consists of Master Instructors in adult education using proven instructional design methodology as they model an interactive teaching process.

Modules may be taken individually or all six may be completed to become an “Institute for Public Service Certified Training Professional.” For certification, a short “teach back” session will be required of participants incorporating their new skills applied to courses they currently teach, evaluated by program faculty. The program is designed to be completed in one year, but in case of conflicts, participants will have two years to attain certification.

All courses will be held in both Nashville and Knoxville enabling participants to enroll in the program closest to their residence but have the flexibility to make up a session at the alternate location.

  • Program Length: 12 months
  • Frequency: Classes offered every other month
  • Course Length: 10am-3:00pm (4 hours instruction and lunch break)
  • Fee: $250 per class module
  • Target Audience: Full or part time trainers working for the six IPS agencies

Subject Matter Experts are sometimes worried that we would “mess with their stuff.” Our faculty offers suggestions, incorporates the expertise of the participants, and lets the participants make the final call on improvements in their material. 

Although all our courses require in-person participation, material will cover successful virtual teaching techniques

Course Information with Registration Links:

Course 1: Train the Trainer Introduction Course – Sept 9 in Nashville, Oct 21 in Knoxville

  • Objectives
    • Learn to create an engaging learning opportunity
    • Provide learning that is readily applicable to the job
    • Understand the need for a variety of learning styles and elements
    • Capture the audience’s attention with an engaging introduction
    • Provide information that allows connections with the audience and content
    • Introduce a way to take a break from the content, through the use of brain-teasers and other activities, both mental and physical
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M01_TtT_Introduction


Course 2: Learning Styles and Learning Exchanges – Nov 18 in Nashville, Dec 16 in Knoxville

  • Objectives
    • Describe and identify different types of learners and learning styles (active, passive and multiple intelligences)
    • Recognize types of Learning Exchanges (participant to participant, participant to trainer, trainer to participant)
    • Identify and demonstrate using participant activities
      • Activities, discussion, role play, case study, demo, peer teach, reflection, etc. Less talking
    • Demonstrate use of activities for a sample of content
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M02_LearningStyles


Course 3: Dynamic Delivery – Jan 13 in Nashville, Feb 3 in Knoxville

  • Objectives
    • Describe what every instructor needs to know about adult learners – adults aren’t empty vessels, what’s in it for them, relevance of learning to job tasks and business objectives
    • How to establish rapport with the audience
    • Asking great questions and responding to questions
    • Practice facilitating a discussion
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M03_DynamicDelivery


Course 4: The Art and Science of Great Visual Presentations – March 10 in Nashville, April 14 in Knoxville

  • Objectives
    • Capture information in a variety of ways (ppt, video, audio/podcast, job aid/manual) and demonstrate how to do so
    • Present information in a variety of ways and demonstrate how to do so (white boards, flipcharts, handouts, online research, case studies)
    • Think outside-the-box about what resources are most valuable to your audience
    • Observe multiple tools and examples used and reflect on what was effective for your learning
    • Teach Us What You Know opportunity
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M04_VisualPresentations


Course 5: Tricks and Tips with Tools of the Trade – May 5 in Nashville, June 23 in Knoxville

  • Objectives:
    • Master tips and tricks of using Powerpoint and Canva
      • Utilizing Templates
      • Background design and master slides
      • Turning slides into notes, and handouts, and resource pages
      • Utilizing Canva to design custom visuals and graphics
    • Demonstrate understanding of tools utilizing current presentation material
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M05_Tools_of_the_Trade


Course 6: Managing the Classroom/Difficult Participants – July 21 in Nashville, August 11 in Knoxville

  • Tools: parking lot – unrelated thoughts, clear expectations and group rules, learner input, 2 cent idea, sticky notes, and walkabouts
  • How to handle and manage different kinds of classroom participants
  • 4 Step Intervention
    • Decide if you really need to intervene
    • Describe what you see
    • Tell person the impact of their actions
    • Ask or tell participant how they/you would like to get the group back on task (Ingrid Bens, 2012).
  • Teach Us What You Know - opportunity
  • Registration: https://bit.ly/IPS_FST_M06_ManagingClassroom


Teach Us What You Know

  • Demonstrate culmination of skills
  • Integrate and apply best practices and knowledge into a relevant work product
  • Teach a 10-minute segment, at the end of course 6


Additional Registration and Billing Information:
Classes will be capped at 20 participants and filled on a first come, first served basis in the K@TE system.

For EMPLOYEES who login using the CAS system, click on the course; it will ask them to REQUEST access. Then choose the REGISTER option. The status will then immediately change to REGISTERED. 

For Non-UT employees: Create an account (or login if the registrant already has an existing account), then Add to Cart*, after accessing the cart, choose “Proceed to Checkout” Select “Invoice” as Payment Method and then complete the Checkout. That will trigger an invoice and CIS can create a transfer voucher from the responsible agency to cover that invoice.

If you have questions or need assistance with registration, contact Felicia Roberts (Felicia.roberts@tennessee.edu)