Games Trainers Play

Newstrom, John W., & Scannell, Edward E. (1980).  Games Trainers Play:  Experiential Learning Exercises.  New York:  McGraw-Hill.

Here are some sample techniques from the book.

1) Roles:  solicit a list of roles they expect you to play or services they expect you to provide (e.g., facilitator, security for evaluations, handouts). Then show a list you’ve constructed.  Ask:

1)       What did you expect that I do not intend to provide?

2)       What is the source of your expectations?

3)       What do I intend to provide that you did not expect?

4)       Do anticipate any problems reconciling your expectations with my intentions?  If so, what?  What do you think can be done to prevent such problems?

2) Playing Detective: given the opportunity to ask questions about the instructor, usually only a few students will participate.  Divide the class into groups and have them list all the things they “know” about you (the teacher). Then read the passage from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sign of the Four” where Sherlock Holmes deduces an extraordinary amount of information from a pocket watch.  Now let them add all the things they can deduce from observing you to their list.  Lastly, let them ask you questions.  You’ll get many more questions from them!

3) Idea Exchange:  distribute three-five pieces play money of different denominations to each person.  Have each person write their name and their best topic-related idea on the highest denomination bill, their second best on the second highest, and so on.  Collect the bills and shuffle.  Each person draws five bills (putting back any of their own) and judges the best one.  You read these “double nominees” and using a scale of 1-10, the class votes on each anonymously.  The top few win prizes.

4) Roles of a Good Trainee:  put norms for productive student behaviors on the back of tent note cards with people’s names on the front.  They’ll read them a hundred times during the first class period!

5) Competing for Dollars:  list true facts and false facts on two flip charts.  Select two teams to work on each chart placing an “X” next to the TRUE statements. Reward  each person with a silver dollar (or other small prize. Turn the charts around and award a prize to anyone who spots a mistake.

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