Compendium of Icebreakers Volume 2 Connections: 125 Activities for Faultless Training

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Clarifying Expectations

and Objectives

These activities will help the participants in several ways: some will help them clarify the

expectations they have about the upcoming learning experience; some will help them

identify their feelings about being in the workshop; and some will help them identify their

specific needs. In some cases, participants are asked to identify what resources they

can bring to this group experience.

In many of the activities, you, as the trainer, will clarify your own expectations, your

workshop’s goals and objectives, and the ground rules you will use during the

workshop.

Group Size Time (in minutes)

Activity

5–10 10–20 20–30 30+ Any 5 10 20 30+

2.5 Goals, Objectives, and

Guidelines

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2.6 Around the Circle

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2.7 Why Are You Here?

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2.8 The Magic Box

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2.9 Where Would You

Rather Be?

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2.10 Folding Arms

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2.11 Issues and Obstacles

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Goals, Objectives, and Guidelines

2.5

Objectives

• To clarify the goals, objectives, and guidelines you have established for the workshop

• To give participants the opportunity to respond to your goals, objectives, and guidelines

Uses

Use this activity at the beginning of every workshop to provide participants with the

workshop objectives and guidelines that will be used.

Group Size

Any

Time

20 minutes

Supplies and Equipment

None

Handouts and Materials

• Develop a handout listing your goals, objectives, and guidelines, or use the sample

provided

• Workshop Goals, Objectives, and Guidelines handout

Procedure for Conducting the Activity

1. Prepare a handout or use the sample handout.

a) Add your goals and objectives.

b) Determine the guidelines you will be following in the workshop.

2. At the beginning of your workshop, distribute the handout and go over your goals and

objectives. Give the participants time to respond and then to complete the section

listing their personal objectives.

3. Review your workshop guidelines and your rationale for each one. Give the

participants a chance to respond and to negotiate changes as needed. Examples of

ground rules that often need discussion are the prohibiting of smoking in the meeting

room and frequency of breaks.

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Compendium of Icebreakers Volume 2

4. At the end of the workshop (or periodically if your program runs more than one day),

allow time to review the handout, noting the objectives that have been met. Help the

participants determine now unmet objectives could be met through other workshops,

courses, books, or people.

Variation

Create a reusable poster listing your workshop ground rules.

Cross-Reference

• Many activities in the Connecting Point 3: Making Transitions section depend on the

fact that expectations and objectives were shared at the beginning of the workshop.

• See the Connecting Point 4: Saying Goodbye activities as well. When you close

your workshop, use the information gathered at this early point to help participants

review what they have learned relative to their originally stated expectations. In

particular, see Activity 4.2: My Personal Learning Goal.

Reproduced from Compendium of Icebreakers Volume 2

by Lois B. Hart, HRD Press, Inc., Amherst, MA

Handout for Activity 2.5

Workshop Goals and Objectives

Workshop Goals and Objectives

Workshop objectives include… My objectives include…

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

(continued)