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Did They Get it? 12 Interactive Activities to Assess
and Reinforce Learning
Copyright, 1998 Susan Boyd, Susan Boyd Associates
(215-886-2669), website: http://www.susan-boyd.com.
All rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced in electronic form or copied
without written permission of author.
The following review activities offer a varied approach to reinforcing and practicing the skills learned:
1. Independent Practice Exercises
These are hands-on practice exercises that are job focused and designed
to allow the learner to use the skills and concepts presented in the preceding
lesson. These exercises should be designed on two levels, with Part 1 covering
the essential commands and features, and an optional Part 2 for additional
concepts and practice. There should be a 15 minute timeframe for the exercise,
and Part 1 should be able to be completed by all learners within this time
limit. Faster learners will be able to also complete the optional Part
2 within the same amount of time. Exercises can be combined with break
and lunch times to allow learners additional time if needed. Learners should
be encouraged to use all available resources such as the training manual,
quick reference cards, on-line help, and user manual. During the exercise,
the trainer should make notes of problem areas, observe how learners solved
these and provide some guidance if needed. If necessary, the trainer can
extend the timeframe if the majority of the class requires it for Part
1, and provide clarification to the class if the exercise seems to be misleading
or ambiguous. After the exercise is completed, the trainer can involve
the learners in a brief discussion regarding the major learning points.
2. Walk-thru Procedures:
Another review technique is to ask volunteers to do a step by step
walk-thru on how to complete a specific procedure or job task using the
software. The volunteer can review this for the whole class, or you can
set up partners and ask one partner to guide another through all the steps.
Typically this takes less than 5 minutes per procedure or job task.
3. Stump the Class:
Assign teams of 3-4 people per team and give each team 3 index cards.
They are to write a review question and answer on each card that would
test the class's knowledge of the topics covered so far. They have 10 minutes
to review all their training materials and come up with the questions.
The trainer collects the cards and tosses a ball randomly to ask a question.
The person who catches the ball may answer the question, confer with the
team, or toss to ball to someone else. Once the question has been answered
correctly, the person who has the ball tosses it to someone else and the
process continues until all the questions have been answered.
4. Baseball Review:
This is a variation on the above Stump the Class activity. Divide the
group into two teams, choose team names and give each team 20 index cards.
The team members work together to write a question and answer on each card
to test the other team's knowledge of the material covered so far. Set
up the bases in different corners of the room. There is a "pitching team"
and an "answering and running" team. The pitching team asks questions.
If the running team member correctly answer within the specified time limit,
that runner advances one base, and continues to advance if the next person
answers the next question correctly. If a team member misses a question,
that's an out. Once there are three outs, the teams switch. At the end
of game, the team with most "runs" wins. If you feel this activity puts
an individual on the spot, allow conferring with partners or the rest of
team to help answer question.
5 Help Scavenger Hunt:
This review activity is designed to have the learners work in teams
to answer a list of written questions that involve using the Help resources
available. This would include the on-line help facility, user manual and
reference cards. This activity helps the learners become more independent
by becoming familiar with the help resources. Assign a timeframe of 10-15
minutes for this activity.
6. What Have You Learned So Far:
This activity is designed for teams to list all the skills, concepts
and topics they have learned so far in the course. The team with the most
items will win a small prize. The learners are encouraged to go back to
their notes, training manual, user guide, reference cards, on-line help
and also look at the software screens and menus to come up with their list.
Give a 5-10 minute timeframe so they have to work quickly. Reward the team
with the most items and then have everyone stand. Do a ball toss and ask
each person 1 thing they now know how to do. As each person answers, have
he/she throw the ball, then sit down. The only rule is that you cannot
repeat what someone else has already stated.
7. How Can You Apply This to Your Job:
Periodically during a course, have each team list on an index card,
3 ways they can apply a particular software feature or command to their
job. Allow 5 minutes for this activity. Collect these and send an Email
list after the course summarizing the important topics covered and how
they can be used on the job.
8. Pictionary
Make a list of key software concepts or functions covered so far and
print these on separate index cards. Ask for volunteers to illustrate these
on a flipchart using pictures only, and the rest of the team guesses. Allow
15 minutes for this activity. This functions as a good review activity
after a lunch break or as the morning review for a class scheduled over
1 day timeframe.
9. Homemade Reference Cards:
If reference cards are not available for a particular topic or procedure,
have the learners make their own. Provide a worksheet that lists the topics
or commands, and have space for them to fill in the rest of the information.
Periodically after teaching a topic, ask the learners to go back and fill
the steps in on their reference card. If reference cards are already made
up, use the time to have learners highlight the commands or procedures
they will use most often in their job.
10. But, what I really want to know:
Before teaching a new topic or concept, ask teams to write 3 questions
they have about the topic. Then after the trainer has presented the topic,
ask the teams to review their cards and see what questions are still unanswered.
The trainer can decide if the questions can be addressed now or at a later
time.
11. Game Show Review:
Using a format like Jeopardy or Concentration, create a game made up
of questions that review a section of the course and have individuals or
teams compete to answer the questions. There are several game show software
programs that can be used to create the game electronically or they can
be created using poster board.
12. Relay Race
List a word or phrase vertically on flipchart paper. The word could
be a key concepts from the class or the software program name. (For example,
Formulas for a spreadsheet class, Merge Letters for a word processing class).
Post copies in the 4 corners of the room and divide the class into 4 teams.
Each team lines up in a single file and the first person given a marker
to fill in a command, benefit or concept learned for any letter in the
word. As soon as the first person is finished, he/she must run back and
hand over the marker to the next person in line, and go to the end of the
line. If a person is stumped, they can just pass on the marker and go to
the back of the line. Repeat until all letters are completed. The team
who finishes first wins a small prize. This is a fun way to energize an
afternoon session as it gets everyone up moving and thinking.
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