It’s no secret that every person who takes a training course comes from a unique background and may have a different approach to learning than others. That’s why it’s important to focus on developing training for diversity when creating and collecting course content. But what exactly does training for diverse learners look like and why does it matter?
The modern workplace consists of a multigenerational and multicultural workforce, and creating an inclusive training environment is key to helping learners achieve their learning goals. There are many methods that trainers can use in order to help their learners feel included and involved in the training process. Some of these methods include:
Encourage Learners to Share Their Stories
While some people may envision training programs to involve methods of the trainer teaching directly to the learner, it’s imperative to include other training strategies that encourage learners to share their stories or experiences. This allows the adult learner to feel empowered and important in the training environment, and also gives other learners insight into the experiences of others.
Include Materials from Various Creators
In addition to asking learners to share their stories, trainers may also include materials from a diverse group of authors or creators as part of their course content. Whether it’s written material or visual aids such as videos or infographics, having course content from diverse authors and creators allows learners to see representation within their industry.
Invite Guest Speakers
Whether training is online or in-person, it’s always worth inviting guest speakers from different backgrounds to engage learners. These speakers may visit during a training session or even be a guest as a subject matter expert during a related webinar that’s included as course content. Giving learners the opportunity to interact with industry professionals is beneficial for creating an inclusive environment while allowing learners to hear about real life experience in the workplace.
Rethink Your Examples
When writing up fictional examples, problem-solving questions, or prompts for training materials, it’s easy to choose names that are common in the United States - such as Bob or Mary. And, while there’s nothing innately wrong with choosing common names such as those, it’s important to consider using names found in various parts of the world within these examples, too. Using names from other cultures and countries is a simple way to promote inclusivity within the training environment. Believe it or not, something as easy as this can make a huge impact on multicultural learners.
Improving learning transfer among learners takes a lot of dedication. Including training for diversity in your strategy is just one step to improving your course content and helping your learners grow. Contact the safety training pros at Safety Mentor to learn how we can help you take your training to the next level.
