The Best of Active Training: 25 One-Day Workshops Guaranteed to Promote Involvement, Learning and Change (w/CD-ROM). (2004). Mel Silberman, (Ed.). Pfeiffer. 576 pp., $160.00. ISBN 0-7879-7102-2.

Review by: Wendie Phillips

MBA Program

University of Washington

Academic advisors are often called upon to educate students, faculty and staff members, and fellow advisors on a myriad of topics such as degree requirements, time management, and basic career counseling. Because training is not necessarily in their areas of expertise, advisors often look for resources that may help in their planning. Depending on the specific training needs, The Best of Active Training may be a resource worth considering.

Silberman has compiled a collection of previously published 1-day workshops on common training topics. Each session provides a quick synopsis of the overall goals and objectives for the workshop, program outline, detailed program directions, exercises, and handouts. The exercises and examples are primarily focused on a corporate setting, so some adaptation might be necessary for use in an educational environment. However, in general, the workshop topics are broad and cover issues relevant to the campus setting, such as effective communication, teamwork, and stress management. Approximate times for the workshop modules vary between 5 to 9 hours.

While the structure of each workshop is well outlined and thoroughly explained, lacking are definitions or explanations on the theories and concepts on which the workshops are based. If the user does not have a background in the training topic, additional research may be required before he or she feels completely prepared to present the workshop. Appropriately, the first workshop is on active training techniques, so even if the user is not trained on this topic, the information provided will help her or him to understand the approach and techniques of active training that are be described throughout the notebook.

These highly interactive workshops would be ideal for use in building or enhancing a team environment or in an orientation setting. The workshops on learning styles, career exploration, time management, and dealing with stress (among others) would all be suitable topics. Some of the workshops encompass a broad range of material, giving a big picture overview, and may not cover the topics in detail. For example, the workshop on career exploration and planning covers self-exploration, career exploration, career decision making, the job search process, and career planning. Any one of these topics could easily be addressed in-depth as a full-day workshop. Finally, while advisors may not want to utilize a whole workshop, some individual exercises and icebreakers could be adapted for use in other settings-even in a one-on-one advising scenario.

A CD-ROM is included with the loose-leaf notebook. These electronic copies of all the workshop materials make adapting the materials relatively easy. Advisors who do a lot of teaching or training may find this book a helpful resource to add to their collection.