Trainer Basics

Subject matter experts (SMEs) and occasional trainers are increasingly sharing the training burden in organizations. Yet these "instant trainers" often are not familiar with even the basic terminology or practices of the training profession. Trainer Basics is written specifically to answer three key questions these new trainers ask:

What does a trainer do and why?

How can I develop must-have skills quickly?

How do I apply training knowledge today?

New trainers will appreciate the informative quick learning "hits" throughout the book, including helpful reminders called Think About This, cut-to-the-chase rules called Basic Rules, and additional key concept points called Noted. Every chapter ends with quick learning exercises called Getting It Done to reinforce key chapter information.

Written in direct and understandable language by a veteran trainer, this book also offers professional trainers a much-needed tool to help train these new ranks of trainers. Just hand Training Basics to a new trainer and within a few hours the job of explaining the basics of instructional design, adult learning, needs analysis, evaluation, and presentation and facilitation skills is done. This book is part of ASTD Training Basics series which currently includes Presentation Basics, Training Design Basics, Facilitation Basics, Communication Basics and Performance Basics plus other key training basic topics.

About the Author

George Piskurich is an organizational learning and performance consultant based in Macon, Georgia. He provides consulting services and workshops in instructional design, management development, and performance improvement to clients throughout the country. He specializes in e-learning interventions, performance/training analysis, distance learning, design and development of self-directed and individualized learning programs for all levels of the organization, telecommuting interventions, and knowledge centers. His workshops on self-directed learning, structured mentoring, interactive distance learning, and telecommuting have been rated as outstanding by participants from many organizations.

He has written and edited many books including Self-Directed Learning (Jossey-Bass, 1995), An Organizational Guide to Telecommuting (ASTD, 1998), The ASTD Handbook of Training Design and Delivery (McGraw-Hill, 2000), Rapid Instructional Design (Jossey-Bass, 2000), The AMA Handbook of E-Learning (AMA, 2002), Preparing Learners for E-Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2003), and Getting the Most from E-Learning (Pfeiffer, 2003). In addition, he has written several journal articles and book chapters on various topics including customer service, structured mentoring, and corporate downsizing. He is currently writing and editing books on classroom instruction and the preparation of organizations and learners for e-learning.