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Let’s talk about feedback in the classroom. It lets learners know what they’ve done well, and where they can improve. Feedback is such an integral part of training. But there’s another aspect of it that often gets overlooked, and that is the debrief.
A debrief is different than feedback. Whether it occurs as a separate discussion or is interwoven with feedback, it allows learners to reflect on what has occurred and make links back to the job. It ties everything together and brings it full circle. The learner sees a clear connection between the application and the real world, and it’s the debrief that helps the learner make that connection.
A well-structured debrief should allow learners to do three things:
REFLECT
Learners reflect on the specific behaviors/skills used during the application.
COMPREHEND
Learners validate that their understanding of the content is correct.
SUMMARIZE
Learners identify key takeaways or lessons learned.
Our goal, as trainers, is to vary the format of the debrief from a simple Q&A. Here are my three favorite techniques.
1) Hashtag – ask learners to come up with a fun “hashtag” to summarize a key takeaway.
2) Take Away Tag – have learners raise their virtual hands. Then, ask one learner to share a key takeaway, lower their hand, and call on another learner to share. Continue until all learners have shared and all hands are lowered.
3) Start, Stop, Continue – ask learners to share one thing they will start doing back on the job, one thing they will stop doing as a result of what they’ve learned, and one thing they will continue doing.
With these techniques, your learners will be able to reflect on their learning, validate their understanding, and identify key takeaways. What other techniques are you using for the debrief? Please share in the comments below.
Additional Resource: How to Vary Your Debriefing Techniques in the Virtual Classroom [Video]
Don’t miss the top 20 instructional methods used in the virtual classroom and the 30+ creative variations. Both topics, and so much more, are covered in the Instructional Design for the Virtual Trainer workshop.
