Principle 2 – Excite

To stimulate interest in the topic and provide opportunities for active learning that encourage application and reinforcement of content.

• Spark motivation to learn about the topic
• Explain reasons for the importance of the learning at hand
• Relate topic to real-life experiences through stories or past personal experiences
• Provide positive reinforcement and encourage internal motivation
• Demonstrate respect for learners by valuing all ideas and divergent learning styles

To teach responsively will require recognizing that the learner brings not only their cognitive but also their affective self to learning.  Interest in a topic increases when learners can apply what is being taught to real-life problems or issues. Motivation to learn increases as learners recognize that the learning environment is supportive of their efforts to explore a topic to find a solution to a presented issue.  When all ideas are valued learners engage more frequently in critical thinking that leads to a higher level of retention and future use of the information.

Situation Trainer Topic: Hand washing

Review the following two training scenarios and pay close attention to the contrast of teaching styles and format. Notice the difference between each in terms of the level of excitement.

Situation 1
The trainer states that for the past 20 minutes I have told you how you are to properly wash your hands. You will then be expected to know how to do it correctly.

Situation 2
The trainer introduces the topic of hand washing by explaining the importance for both the resident and personal care home staff persons’ well-being.  The trainer asks the group to make a list of five situations in which it is critical for the staff to wash their hands.  The trainer then demonstrates correct hand washing techniques using Glow-Germ material and a reflective light.

Situation Summary:  Notice that in the first vignette, the presenter seems very uninterested in the topic she is about to present. Contrast this with the second vignette, where the presenter shares some statistics to help convey the importance of hand washing. She also uses props to emphasize the results of poor hand washing techniques and to add an interesting aspect to the presentation. The goal of most trainers is to increase the understanding of the training participants about specific topics. Sparking interest and motivation to learn a topic as Situation 2 does increases learner retention and application. Connecting to learners’ interest, learners’ need to know and drawing upon prior knowledge and experience engages trainees in the learning experience.

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