Week 26: Conducting a Refresher Course

Trainer has to know the difference between a refresher course and forty hours’ training in mediation. Refresher course is not a 40 hours’ training program cut short into 20 hours or less. Refresher course is designed to make the mediators apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in earlier training programs and knowledge acquired from practical mediation to resolve real problems which they may face at actual mediation. Positive and negative reinforcement are essential features of refresher course. It is a course wherein the trainees are made to identify and understand where they are going wrong, and are encouraged to fix the problem. Their retention capacity is refueled through refresher course.

Refresher course will have a group of many mediators. Each mediator may be different from the other and the problem faced by one may not be the same as that faced by the other. The course should cater to the needs of each and every participant. Trainer should also know that overloading a course with contents does not deliver the expected result. Notwithstanding understanding a concept at a theoretical level some may not be able to apply said knowledge to resolve problem/s during real mediation. It is in this context Designing the Course is the first crucial step in any refresher course. As learning through training has to get transferred   even after the training , precaution has to be taken to design the course in such a way as to provide  comprehensive experience  to the mediators.

Following steps may be considered  for better results:-

GET THE BACKGROUND OF THE TRAINEES

It is necessary to get information in advance about the background of the trainees attending refresher course.

Name , age and years of practice as mediator .	Number of cases mediated More than 50 Less than 50 More than 100	Number of refresher courses attended	Number of advanced courses in mediation  attended

NEED ANALYSIS AND NEED ASSESSMENT

It is better to get information from the trainees in advance about:

1. Trainees’ expectation from the refresher course
2. On what skills they need additional training
3. Gaps in Knowledge if any in any area  

The above information may have to be considered along with  the background of the trainees while doing need analysis and need assessment.  

 FOCUS ON ‘WHAT IS IN IT FOR  ME?’ FACTOR

Trainer has to design the refresher course in such a way that the trainees should feel happy to enroll for the refresher course. The designed curriculum should make each of them feel that by the time they complete the course there is some assured ‘take home benefit/s’ for each of them.

Trainees should know in advance all about the refresher course and learning outcomes that can be expected from the refresher course.

Example

If the topic is mentioned as “Opening statement” – it may not catch the attention of a mediator who has already undergone 40 hours’ training program and 2-3 refresher courses. On the other hand “Impact of opening statement in creating impasse after lengthy mediation “may be something which would attract the attention of such mediator. But such choice of topic would also be beneficial to the mediator who is attending the refresher course for the first time. The idea is to see to it that all the participants are moved towards the common goal.

However giving a catching caption is not just enough. Thorough preparation is to be made on the lines of the topic/sub topic chosen.   

CONTENT AND DELIVERY

Content for the course is to be identified keeping the background of the participants in mind

The method of delivery is also dependent on the background of the target group.

DESIGN AND COMPARE THE COURSE MODULE

Trainer has to study the course manual, and methodology adopted in 40 hours’ training program, earlier refresher course/s if any and design the curriculum.Then he/she has to compare the course curriculum with the earlier ones and should feel satisfied that the curriculum is designed in such a way that the trainees feel fascinated about the course, and understand its worth.

TIPS

1. Avoid : Elaborate repetition of contents given during 40 hours’ training program is to be strictly avoided.
2. Deliver : Only such  content which comes strictly within the category of “MUST KNOW” must be delivered.
3. Remember: As a Trainer you cannot  pour out on the trainees “what ALL you know” about the topic.
4. Construction over the  Foundation : Include trainees’ previous knowledge and experience as base and from there take them forward step by step.
5. Exercises: Use exercises which involve performance tasks that are almost similar to the ones  to be performed in actual mediation.
6. Break the task : Use portions of role plays using the technique of breaking the task  and demonstrate  them how they can go wrong  and how to fix  it.
7. Work within the frame : Do not use any icebreaker, role play, simulation exercise, slide or image or handout which is outside the purview of  learning objective of refresher course.
8. Key learning points: Refresher course should  enable the participants to recollect what they have already learnt . Hence key learning points  have to be reiterated.
9. Problem solving:  The course should help the participants in solving the procedural problems faced by them  and   problems faced by them in assisting the disputing parties in the resolution of their disputes.

FOLLOW-UP LIST

After each session trainer has to request the participants to make a list of:

1. What they were doing in their earlier mediation sessions and what will they be doing after the refresher course?
   This will enable them to identify their  mistakes and errors and focus on the remedy to avoid mistakes and errors.
2. Why are they expected to follow a given process and the benefits  of following said process?
   This will help them understand  “why they are doing what they are doing?”

“We don’t raise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training”

James Clear

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(All copyrights reserved by the author S.Susheela)