No time for training? Microteaching is a rewarding solution

The learners apply the practice presented in the toolkit, and see the results.

Are you challenged by having to balance learning and getting work done? Consultants have begun to address that challenge by practicing "action learning", "applied learning", and "after-action review" — all ways of "learning by doing". Learning by doing provides a number of benefits, including decreased classroom learning time, focused transfer of learning to current business issues, and a way to evaluate the impact of new knowledge and skills on work as it occurs.

However, each of the above-mentioned methods requires significant planning and application to specific projects to achieve the best results. Microteaching is a way of delivering just-in-time learning, "one concept at a time," that avoids these requirements.

A practical way to learn

Microteaching delivers "bite size" learning to a group at a time when it can be applied immediately to a specific business issue. Microteaching can be used to change attitudes, improve behaviors, and increase skills at the moment they are most relevant to the learner.

Each microteaching activity is based on a conceptual model or skill presented on a single sheet of paper called a toolkit. Toolkits are completely portable and easy to access when needed. Each toolkit includes guidelines for its use, may be delivered via hard copy or online, and may be referred to long after the learning activity has been completed.

How does microteaching work?

The consultant introduces learners to an appropriate toolkit during a common work breakdown. The learners apply the practice presented in the toolkit, and see the results. For example, if a team cannot agree, the consultant calls a "stop action" and introduces the Reaching Agreement toolkit. Team members practice the behaviors outlined in the toolkit (e.g. "listening as an ally", "uncovering underlying issues", and so on), for immediate results. They quickly assimilate the learning with practice, and are able to re-apply the same concept (absent a consultant) when faced with the next team breakdown. It's a simple and practical way to help teams advance both the work and the members' skills.

Conducting microteaching takes place in a group. It starts with setting up the room in a way that is conducive to learning. Microteaching itself involves a string of activities such as:

• agreement on desired outcomes of the session
  
• agreement on roles
  
• input to the group and teaching using toolkits by consultant
  
• leader and participants working together
  
• consultant observation of how the group or team is collaborating
  
• identification of an opportunity to apply the learning and "stop action" (intervention) by the consultant
  
• team reflection on and analysis of the problem or opportunity, facilitated by the consultant
  
• coaching on the part of the consultant on how to apply the toolkit
  
• re-enactment of the interaction and application of the toolkit
  
• consultant feedback to the group and return of consultant to the background
  

These activities are cyclical and can be repeated as necessary throughout a work session. The single toolkit focus minimizes over-teaching and distractions from the work at hand.

One of the most rewarding aspects of micro-teaching is the opportunity for the practitioner to observe learners in their own business environment acquire a new tool or concept, apply it to their work, and self-assess the outcome and the impact of the learning on their work in the moment. Microteaching affords not only time-efficient, immediately applicable skill building for participants, but a special experience for the consultant.

Best practices in microteaching

The use and application of microteaching is a work in progress at Interaction Associates. However, we have gathered a number of lessons learned from our clients and our consultants:

• Collaborate with the HR/OD department to gather data, and build a partnership to engage leaders in this process. This gets them involved in a more consultative way, and provides a third-party "quality control" check for the leader and consultant as the work is being implemented.
• Agree with stakeholders on what success will look like.
• Remain flexible
• Avoid being prescriptive.
• Watch for opportunities that surface to engage learners.
• Use status reports.
• Keep stakeholders (HR, leader, and team) informed of progress against milestones identified in the charter.
• Create a paper trail that documents the progress of the team and helps HR/OD validate the investment in that team.
• Help team members to decide on what skillswhat skills they wish to learn; don't dictate.
• Have a clear structure — with a sponsor, a mandate, and a charter.
• Agree on a beginning and end date of the work with the consultant.
• Maintain consistency in language, models.
• Have conversations within the same frame.
• Build cross-functional/organizational language by working with more than one team.
• Avoid one team learning "in a vacuum"
• Equip participants with functional toolkits.
• Keep it portable and user-friendly.
• Optimize timing and momentum.
• Be deliberate about scheduling learning.
• Don't replace more deliberate, robust training initiatives with micro-teaching, use it as a tool to:
• Enhance dissemination of key concepts across an organization.
• Reach populations that are difficult to engage in training.
• Support teams or groups working on business-critical projects in the moment or on fast cycle-times — when the budget and time are not available for a more deliberate learning and development effort