Those of you who have attended the Gray Training Instructional Design workshops (Plan and design the learning; Develop OB learning material) will know that we place a high value on themes. Building a course or workshop around a theme gives you a focal point for visuals, topic names, activities etc.

The cookery theme

This theme works for teaching just about any topic. Here is a collection of words and ideas that you could use if you based a workshop around this theme:

Useful phrases:

• Cooking up a storm
• If you can’t take the heat stay out of the kitchen
• Recipe for disaster
• The proof of the pudding is in the eating
• Food for thought
• Eat drink and be merry...
• It goes together like peas and carrots

Useful words:

• Measure (the effectiveness of this idea)
• Weigh (up the differences between this process and that)
• Taste (the difference)
• Whisk (these ideas together and what do you get?)
• Shopping list (of ideas)

Useful activities:

• In how many ways is (your topic) like a food processor / chopping board / wooden spoon
• If you were to create a recipe for ... (eg good customer service), what ingredients would it contain?
• We started this exercise by listing all the items (ie the ingredients) that you need to successfully complete this process. Now write the method that you should follow to finalise your recipe for success.

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