Photo by: Juan Pablo Serrano via Canva
One of the challenges trainers face in the classroom is keeping learners focused and engaged. With the constant pull of smartphones, laptops, and other distractions, it’s easy for participants to drift away from the content. However, by setting clear expectations, reading the room, and adjusting as needed, trainers can create a more engaging and effective learning environment.
We’ll share a few practical strategies to help minimize distractions, enhance participation, and ensure your learners get the most out of their training experience.
Review Housekeeping
Most trainers spend a few minutes at the beginning of a workshop to go over logistics with the group. For example, the location of the restrooms, schedule for breaks throughout the day, and expected completion time for the day. If your expectations about smartphone and laptop use are included in your housekeeping items, you will eliminate some of the distracted behavior before it arises.
Read the Group
As instructors, we are trained to read the—sometimes subtle—clues about the classroom dynamics. How is the group responding to the instruction? Do they need a break? Where are the energy centers in the room? How responsive is the group?
When the learners are focused on their devices, rather than the instruction, this is a huge—not so subtle—indicator the delivery of the content is not engaging for everyone. How can you make it more engaging? Should you change the pace? Modify an exercise to better suit the group? Take a break? Restate the benefits? Distracted learners can be a sign that it’s time to adjust the flow of the training.
Assess the Situation
Sometimes the course content is so critical that the learners must “get it.” For example, when it’s safety–related or when it addresses a regulatory issue with dire consequences for violations. Under those circumstances, and assuming you have a large degree of latitude, you might have to step back from taking more of a facilitation role to be more directive in demanding focused attention. What does an extreme example of being directive look like? You might require learners to leave their devices in a basket by the door.
Consider the Design of the Training
Are the objectives and benefits of the training clearly stated? Is the training designed to be interactive? Is there group work planned? Is individual or group activity, through discussion or some type of action, included in the training? Are there built–in skills and knowledge checks? If not, the training is passive by design, and you can expect your learners to be more distracted.
Move Around the Room
Instructors are taught to circulate the room. That is, rather than remaining “locked” to a podium, move to different areas throughout the room. When you change your location, it helps provide a closer link to the participants through physical proximity. This movement also creates a degree of accountably for the learners—no one wants to be embarrassed when they’re caught surfing the internet.
Share Responsibility for Learning
Remember that learning is a shared responsibility. As instructors, we can invite people to learn, but we can’t force them. We work with adults, and adults make decisions about what’s most important to them. If a learner has a personal or business issue that they deem to be more important than their training, they will likely be on their devices. There’s also a good chance they’ll be distracted in other ways and not absorb the content. If their behavior is not distracting to the other participants, it might be best to accept the reality and continue with the instruction with the other learners in mind.
When you set clear expectations, adapt to your group’s needs, and design engaging training sessions, distractions can be minimized. Create an environment for your participants where meaningful learning takes place!
For more ways to manage distractions in the classroom and keep your learners engaged, check out these workshops: How Adults Learn, Instructional Techniques for New Instructors, and Advanced Instructional Techniques!
