Pass out postcards or playing cards that are cut in half.
Instruct participants to find the person who has the other half of their card. (This gets people up and moving around.)
When all pairs have matched up, ask them to take turns interviewing each other. Each person will have four minutes to learn the following things about his or her partner:
- Name
- How they spend their day (e.g., job or other responsibility like caretaking for a sick spouse)
- Their interest in or connection to the training topic
- One hope for the training
- One interesting thing about them (e.g., hobbies)
Tell participants that they will be introducing their partner to the entire group when it reconvenes, so they may want to take notes.
After 4 minutes, give participants a signal to change partners.
At end of 8 minutes (or after each person has had a chance to be an interviewer and be interviewed), call large group back together.

Go-Rounds

Purpose

To give participants a chance to learn something about their fellow participants and to encourage everyone to speak out

Time

One minute per person

Group Size

No more than 20 for one large group; can divide into small groups but then everyone would not hear all the introductions

Materials

None

Directions

State the purpose of the exercise and ask each person to say his or her name followed by the answer to one of the following questions:
- What is one thing you'd do if you were given $100,000 with no strings attached?
- What is one thing you'd like to change about the world (or about cancer care, education, or screening)?
- Describe a strong feeling you've had in the past week and a reason for that feeling.
- What is one thing you'd like to get from the training?
Post the questions on a flipchart paper or overhead so participants can focus on the discussion and not on remembering the question.

Energizers

Beach Ball Toss

Purpose

To review material learned from a previous session or determine what participants would like during the current session

Time

5-10 minutes

Group Size

No more than 20-25 participants

Materials

Choice of using either a beach ball, Nerf ball, or Koosh ball

Directions

Instruct participants to form a circle.
Explain that you will throw the ball to someone within the circle. When that person catches the ball, he or she should mention a key message or concept heard during a previous session.* Once he or she has made a statement, he or she should toss the ball to another person within the circle.
Ask participants not to toss the ball to the person on their immediate left or right.
Suggest that participants should step out of the circle once they have participated.
Continue tossing the ball until all participants have had an opportunity to participate.

*Note: If this is the first session for the training program, ask person to tell you what he or she expects to learn.

That's Me

Purpose

To get participants moving, i.e., standing up and down; it also allows participants to get acquainted with each other

Time

5-10 minutes

Group Size

Unlimited

Materials

None

Directions

Give the following directions:
- You will ask a question, such as "Who has grandchildren?"
- If that characteristic "fits," participants will stand up, raise both arms outstretched over their head, and shout, "That's Me!"
Ask the group to practice standing up and shouting "That's Me!" when you count to three.
Ask the group as many of the following questions (or questions of your choice) as time allows. Mix in questions that are more personal with those that pertain to the topic of the training.
- Who lives in (this state)?
- Who traveled more than 4 hours to get here?
- Who has grandchildren?
- Who exercised this morning?
- Who took a vacation last summer?
- Who ate at least one serving of fruit this morning?
- Who had a clinical breast exam within the last year?
- Who watched at least one movie or videotape in the last month?
- Who plans to shop while in (this city)?
- Who knows someone who has been on a cancer clinical trial?
- Who has a pet?
- Who has read a nonfiction book in the last 3 months?
- Who is eager to learn more about (the topic)?

Closing Activities

Closing Statements and Handout

Some activities serve to close out both the emotional aspect and content of the training. This exercise is an example of one that serves both purposes.

Purpose

To give every participant a chance to summarize their experience of the training in a way that the group can share

Time

10-15 minutes

Group Size

Up to 20 participants

Materials

Closing statement handout for each participant

Directions

Ask participants to:

Take a Closing Statements Handout (see below).
Take a minute to complete any of the sentences on the handout that they choose (give participants 5-10 minutes to complete handout).
Form a circle in (the back of the room).
Ask participants to go around the circle and share one of the closing statements out loud.

Notes to Facilitator

You can place this before or after the evaluation, but don't hurry it. Give people a sense of how much longer you plan to keep them (i.e., "We'll do this exercise for 10 minutes, spend 5 minutes finishing evaluation forms, and then we'll adjourn").
Be sure participants will be able to see and hear each other.
Don't respond to what is shared; model respectful, quiet acceptance of what's offered.
End by thanking everyone for sharing the training with you.

Closing Statements Handout

Please complete any of these sentences to summarize your experience of this training event. You will be asked to share one with the group.

I learned_____.
I feel_____.
I was surprised_____.
I'm wondering_____.
I've re-discovered_____.
I figured out_____.
I appreciated_____.
I felt challenged_____.
I'm clearer about_____.

Training Evaluations

Form (Version A)

Goal 1: The overall goal/purpose of the training is to provide health education coordinators with the knowledge and skills to plan, implement, and evaluate effective outreach strategies for increasing the number of adults aged 50 years and older who get colorectal screening at appropriate intervals.

Goal 2: A second goal is to provide health education coordinators with the knowledge and skills to provide tips for training peers to conduct effective outreach for colorectal screening.

Name (Optional)

Were the overall program goals met?

If no, please explain and give suggestions for improvement.

What are the top three things you learned from this training?
If you could give the trainers one piece of advice on how to improve the training, what would it be?
What were some of the training's highlights or parts that you valued most?
What did you like least about the training?
What other types of training would you like?
What problems or dissatisfaction did you have with the way the program was scheduled?

Form (Version B)

Circle the appropriate response.

Trainer organized the material effectively.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
Trainer managed discussions effectively.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
Trainer used effective teaching methods.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
Trainer used handouts and audiovisuals that were appropriate and contributed to the presentation.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
Discussion materials were clear.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
The training can be applied to my current job.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
The material presented is useful on a personal level.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
The material presented is useful on a professional level.
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral/No
Opinion
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Comments:
Would you be interested in attending a followup session on this topic?
If yes, specify the areas that you would like to see included in the agenda.

Feedback Cards Exercise

Purpose

To provide a mechanism for participants to give feedback regarding the training/learning experience

Time

5-10 minutes

Group Size

Any size

Materials

Two colors of 3" x 5" index cards, enough for each participant to receive one card of each color

Directions

Pass around two stacks of 3" x 5" index cards. Each stack should be a different color (best to use colors that are easily distinguishable from each other, e.g., blue and yellow)
Ask each participant to take one card of each color.
Ask each participant to write, "One thing you really liked or appreciated about this training (or this day of training) on the ____ color card."
Ask participants to write, "One thing you wished had been different about this training (or this day of training) on the ___ (other than in step #3) color card."
When all participants have completed the cards, ask that they pass both cards to the front.
Thank participants for their input and assure participants that the trainers will carefully consider their feedback.

Head, Heart, and Feet Exercise

Purpose

To evaluate the session at its conclusion, especially useful for audiences with limited literacy skills

Time

15 minutes

Group Size

Any size

Materials

Evaluation sheet for each participant, flipchart, markers, and tape

Directions

Hand out the evaluation sheet that follows. Explain its objective and how the information will be used.
Invite participants to use the markers to draw their head, heart, and feet on the paper.
Ask participants to fill in the form (individually or with someone else).
If there is time, ask them to share something they learned or to give final comments.

Variation

Draw a large head, heart, and feet on flipchart paper and post it. Distribute small slips of paper and ask participants to write down the major things they learned or got out of the event. Post these points in the appropriate position on the flipchart and discuss them.

Head: What did you learn today?