Generating Ideas for Education & Training Programs

The way that I generated ideas for the technology session that I presented was thinking on previous trainings I had attended and benefited from. I took a personal inventory on presentations that I had found extremely useful and worked from that. I personally love and use the four technology applications that I presented on during my training program. Because I use and enjoy using the four applications I presented on, it was very easy for me to put myself in the shoes of the learner. My handouts were incredibly thorough because I love very thorough handouts with pictures.
I have never been a part of an organization that has been required to generate ideas for specific education or training programs. However, I feel a brainstorming session is always a useful way to get the ball rolling with things.
Contextual factors will definitely influence why certain techniques might be chosen. The setting plays a huge role on how a person will present and how the participants will be involved. It is hard to conduct a session on using technology if you cannot present in a computer lab where each participant has the opportunity to use and play with the technology being covered. The audience plays a big role in planning too. I present very differently in front of my high school department of teachers than I do when all the teachers for my area are present at a meeting. When it’s just the high school teachers, the meeting is very focused and specific to the high school setting. When all members of the content area are present, the focus of the meeting is on the big picture and how everyone fits into the grand scheme of things in the district.