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23. Setting up a room for training

Deciding how to organise the room

• What sort of atmosphere do you want to create?
• What activities will participants be doing – reading, talking, presenting, using computers, role plays, and small group work?
• What equipment and visual aids will be needed?
• Will there be much freedom of movement needed?
• Will the layout need to change during the day?
• Will it be important to have a surface for writing notes or using a computer?
• Where will the facilitator mostly need to be?
• Will you want to sit or stand for most of the time?
• Can you maintain eye contact with participants?
• Will everyone be able to hear and see the facilitator?
• Can everyone easily leave the room in case of a telephone call or other reason?

Different classroom configurations

Boardroom

Long, heavy rectangular or oval table with seats all around.

Positives

• Working desk space
• Participants can get up easily and present at front or leave room if necessary
• Good access for facilitator to stand behind and see computer screens or other work

Negatives

• Tables often impossible to move or change
• Doesn’t allow for flexible use of room
• Gives a formal aspect to the room and participants associate it with meetings

Theatre style

Rows of chairs with or without tables with participants all facing the front.

Positives

• Efficient use of space because you can usually fit more people into a room.
• Allows for some flexible use of the room if the tables are not too difficult to move or if there are not too many people in the room.
• Everyone is facing the front.
• Trainer can see people reasonably easily and can see who is asking questions.

Negatives

• People can’t see each other
• Participants cannot get up easily and present at front or leave room if necessary
• Gives a formal aspect to the room and participants associate it with lectures or presentation. Makes for a passive atmosphere.
• Poor access for facilitator to stand behind and see computer screens or other work
• Facilitator can’t move around easily

Cabaret or café style

A number of tables around the room with participants seated around the tables in small even-sized groupings.

Positives

• Gives an informal, group work feel to the room
• People are automatically in groups.
• Excellent for setting a tone for participatory approach and discussion
• Easy for facilitator to move around and interact with groups.
• The focus is less on the ‘trainer’ and more on the learners.
• Flexible in terms of regrouping participants.
• Tables for participants to work on.

Negatives

• Not easy to determine the ‘front’ or presentation area
• Some people may not face the trainer all the time, others will have to move their chairs a little
• Sometimes makes whole class discussion difficult because not everyone is facing the right way all the time.
• Takes up a lot of room.
• Allows for side conversations which can be distracting.
• Difficult to get everyone’s attention at the same time so may need a special bell etc

U-shape (with tables)

Tables arranged in a U shape around a central presentation area. This U can be narrow (for a long thin room) or wide for a larger room.

Positives

• Allows for good full group discussion
• People have tables to rest on.
• Good for setting a tone for participatory approach and discussion
• Facilitator is easily seen.
• People can usually see each other well.
• People can bring their chairs into the central area for group work if necessary.

Negatives

• Some people sitting sideways on to facilitator and the screen.
• Can be reasonably formal.
• Can be very awkward if the room is long and see you properly or participants can’t move around
• Takes up a lot of room.
• Facilitator can get stuck up the front.

U-shape (without tables)

Chairs only arranged in a U shape around a central presentation area. This U can be narrow (for a long thin room) or wide for a larger room.

Positives

• Allows for good full group discussion
• Good for setting a tone for participatory approach and discussion
• Facilitator is easily seen.
• People can usually see each other well without tables as barriers
• People can move easily and flexibly.
• Action area in the middle which can be used easily and quickly by anyone wanting to present or explain or demonstrate.
• Can usually be organised quickly in any available space.

Negatives

• Some people sitting sideways on to facilitator and the screen.
• Very informal.
• Can be very awkward if the room is long and see you properly or participants can’t move around
• Takes up a lot of room.
• People don’t have tables to rest or write on.
• People can get tired sitting upright, particularly if there is not much room on either side or the chairs are uncomfortable.
• Facilitator can get stuck up the front.
• The room can get very messy if people need to put things on the floor.
• Some people think that the training can’t be serious because it is more like a therapy group or story telling in school.