Book review: Training library patrons the ADDIE way
Title of Book - Training Library Patrons the ADDIE Way
Author - D.R. Wegener
ISBN - 1843341573
Publisher - Chandos
Publisher Website - www.chandospublishing.com
Reviewer Name - Edith MacKenzie
Email - edith.mackenzie@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk
Review
What to you do when you discover you're doing a training session wearing odd shoes? Or when you mistype a website address only to be taken to an adult website, instead of your library homepage? 'Training patrons the ADDIE way' covers lots of worst case scenarios and is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in training in the library and information sector. Debby R. Wegener uses her experience as a librarian in South Africa, Australia and Singapore to inform this comprehensive book that looks at 'preparing, developing, presenting and delivering an entire training session' (1).
Wegener uses the ADDIE model of training to structure her book, a model that breaks the training process down into 5 steps:
Analysis: thinking about the trainees
Design: considering the objectives
Development: creating the course
Implementation: delivering the goods
Evaluation: deciding if it really worked
She then goes on to consider each of these stages in subsequent chapters. In the analysis chapter, she encourages the trainer to carefully think about who they are training and how this will impact upon the kind of training that is given. Theories of different learning styles are investigated as well as the differences between training young and adult learners. However, the book does not get bogged down in learning theories; instead the author keeps it relevant to and at an appropriate level for people working within the library context.
When designing the training material to be delivered, the trainer is encouraged to identify objectives (which should be easy to measure), decide on an overall approach, create a lesson plan, and determine the methods of assessment. Once again, theories of learning and teaching are examined, in particular key instructional events and principles of learning. The author backs up each theory with a practical example of how it would relate to a training session, so she steers away from abstract theory and offers helpful guidance to the reader instead.
Advice given about development of the course is to review what others have done and reflect on how this could impact upon your own practice. This chapter is useful for anyone developing an online tutorial, as she uses this as an example, including screenshots of tutorials created by other institutions.
Implementation deals with what is perhaps the most challenging stage for the trainer: actually delivering the material that has been prepared. The author advises the reader on presentation methods, presentation skills and how to maintain interest. Tone of voice, stories and jokes, movement, and change of pace are considered as ways of keeping a presentation interesting. The importance of simple things like preparing the room (is it well signposted, is the presentation equipment set up properly) and preparing yourself (do you have a comfortable appropriate outfit on) are emphasised to the reader.
However, the process does not end with the delivery of training; the trainer must also evaluate their work. In the final chapter, different techniques and types of evaluation are discussed, as well as how to analyse results gathered. Useful material is also included in the appendices, such as examples of lesson plans, and a survey to find out which style of learning you use the most.
Overall, I felt this was a well written book, the author's enthusiasm carries the reader along, and I was surprised by how easy the book was to read and how much I enjoyed it. On the bare bones of learning theories and user-centred models for developing training, the author fleshes out her book with practical examples and amusing anecdotes from training sessions gone wrong. The book not only addresses the big issues, like setting proper learning objectives, it also looks at the little things that can so often have a big impact on training.
This book is geared towards 'the new and nervous trainer' (2) but even the most experienced of trainers could probably learn a thing or two from this book. So whether the thought of training fills you with dread and you have no idea where to start, or whether you're a pro but need some new ideas, 'Training patrons the ADDIE way' is an excellent book to look at.
1. Wegener, D.R. Training Library Patrons the ADDIE Way. Chandos Publishing: Oxford, 2006. Pxiii
2. Wegener, D.R. Training Library Patrons the ADDIE Way. Chandos Publishing: Oxford, 2006. Pxiii