In this world of PowerPoint, it is easy to underestimate the power and value of flip charts. I love using them! I think that they are the key audiovisual for any interactive training. The minute you have them in the room, people KNOW that they are going to have to get involved !!
They are amazingly flexible. The facilitator can lead a large group brainstorming session and post their responses on the flip chart. The group can be divided into two groups to brainstorm, post their responses, and then report out what they have written.
You can post several around the room for a gallery walk, having small groups brainstorm answers or ideas and post them before they have to move to the next one.
When small groups work on case studies, problem solving exercises or other activities, they can post their answers or conclusions on the flip chart. When they report out to the larger group, there is a visual support to what they are saying.
Training rooms may not have LCD projectors or screens, but they usually have flip charts. And now that there are charts with self-sticking pages, as long as the room has walls to stick the pages on, you're set!
Flip charts have staying power. Put a title on top of the page, write in large print, and you have a great audiovisual for reference through the training session. Throw in fragrant colorful marking pens and you have a party when groups gather around the flip chart to brainstorm!
They are terrific for icebreakers and community building. Mixing up participants into different groups through the day to work on different issues that they post on the page spreads the expertise and builds new insight and relationships. That's where the real learning happens!
Want your participants to feel that they are actively involved in creating the training content? Ask them what they want to learn, and post that. Is the training a mandatory refresher session? Ask the participants what types of issues or challenges they are facing, and post those on the chart. Then either address those items immediately or refer to them through the session as the training content addresses the items.
Flip charts can also be wonderfully decorative. There are books about how to decorate them, but I learned the most from other trainers. One trainer showed me that adding colorful borders and decorations really jazz up a page. Another trainer showed me how to create a border very quickly by using two different colored marks in the same hand! So, no more plain white pages when it is so easy to add color and character to them!
Photos of the flip charts create a living montage of the group work. I take digital photos, post them on the Internet and send a link to the participants. I like to believe that the photos give the information greater immediacy and intelligence than a typewritten page. The email with the link also reinforces the learning that occurred in the classroom.
Flip charts give participants freedom to be creative, not only in what they write but also in how they structure what they create. I've seen folks transform a page into games and game boards. They are great and lasting surfaces for mind maps, collages, pictures of organizational visions, job aids- the list is endless!
And is not that the point? Flip charts are fantastic teaching and learning tools!
PowerPoint is extremely overrated and overused. With all the bells and whistles, animation, colors and fonts, the media becomes the message- and no real learning takes place. Learning is noisy and active and messy and busy, especially the learning that lasts. And flip charts are perfect for that. Beside, they do not need electrical outlets, cables, batteries, or bulbs. Talk about plug and play- you do not even need a plug!
So, grab a few self-sticking flip charts and fragrant marks- and launch your learners on a voyage of self-discovery! You and they will never look back!
source http://bitcoinswiz.com/a-tribute-to-flip-charts/
No comments:
Post a Comment