Setting up a room for training

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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.