What are the challenges of hands-on training in a remote environment?

Lab set-up was a challenge, and it was complicated further when we could not provide USB stick options for the software. It seemed like many classes at the beginning needed much time built-in, just to make sure the environment on all remote computers were ready to go for each student. Then, it was further challenged if it was at sales level, requiring only internals and business partners could legally access the servers.

There are 3 top ways to help get ahead of possible technical issues. 1. Rehearse your training with an IT support member running through your visuals, audio and activities. This also brings lots of confidence for the real deal. 2. Provide your audience with detailed instructions at least a week ahead of time to be able to answer any questions before the training. 2. Have an IT support member handy during the training if possible. This SME can assist you on the backend while you can focus on interacting with your audience.

In my experience training SME owners on how to use Wix and build their own websites, technical issues such as poor connectivity/slow internet connection, lack of a second screen, use of iPads or phones to access the training sessions, made the effectiveness of my delivery rather patchy.

If working remote, you must have a dedicated space. Your home office should have a door to close so calls/meetings can be taken privately. Shared spaces invite interruption which is not conducive to training or online collaboration. This, of course, is second to your technology being up to date.

One of the main challenges is getting feedback from trainees, as tracking how training tasks are being understood and applied remotely is much more difficult than in face-to-face mode. In addition, remote training greatly limits the interaction between students, which can hinder the learning process, as the exchange of experiences and opinions greatly enriches any type of training.

One of the obstacles to building rapport and trust when delivering hands - on /soft skills training over a hard tech is engagement across the cohort. One way to do this is to get as many participants to speak. The chat button has its uses for more reticent participants but there are often people who really appreciate actually speaking. This eases the sense of being simply talked at by the trainer, and helps build an understanding of progress and collaboration.

One of the primary challenges is the physical disconnect between instructor and learner. The normally essence of hands on learning hinges on immediate feedback and guidance. Adapting to a remote setting requires a paradigm shift in training methodologies. Virtual simulations and interactive platforms become the conduits through which the hands on experience is replicated. This shift requires a comprehensive understanding of technology potential to bridge the gap and ensuring remote learning environments mirror the real world scenarios they will encounter

The only key to remove communication barrier is to communicate till all are on same page. It is important to have a dialogue instead of monologue. When the dialogue happens, listen keenly to what they are saying, how they are saying and what are the subtle cues which are evident but not verbally communicated. This will ensure that the flow is two way and very effective.

Maintaining regular follow-ups, providing timely updates, and setting clear expectations are key to bridging the gap for remote workers. Creating spaces of trust, open dialogue, and support is crucial for fostering a collaborative and connected remote work environment.

In my experience, facilitating hands-on training in a remote environment presents challenges such as limited physical supervision, difficulty in providing real-time feedback, and potential technical issues hindering practical exercises. Maintaining engagement and the difficulties that arise in replicating hands-on experiences compared to in-person settings.

One of the challenges in virtual training is ensuring participants turn on their video vs. using avatars, it becomes difficult to gauge their level of engagement and whether they are actively involved in the training session. With that said two ways to address this challenge are to: 1. Leadership Buy-In: Encourage leadership to participate in virtual training sessions with their videos turned on. This sets a positive example for other participants and reinforces the importance of being present and visible during training. 2. Incentivize Engagement: Incorporate small incentives for participants who consistently turn on their videos during training sessions. This could include giveaways, raffle entries, or recognition for their engagement.

My sense is that culture, loyalty, and character are harder to measure and build. I am speaking from a perspective of a somewhat small close knit team where speed and accuracy is heavily replacing upon multiple team members bending able to jump in and count on each other as we juggle the wide range of business development and execution activities with seamless handoffs.

I agree, without a well planned lesson which includes dialog and activities geared towards an adult leaner, a one hour training session can turn into a session of the gong show. Trainers without a plan are forced to put their best “acts” into play to try and override the many distractions that can be calling from our learners environment. One thing I do when teams are remote is to get their buy in that this investment of their time is in their best interest, either for skill enhancement, compliance requirements, whatever the case may be. I also ask for everyone to be on camera so I can see if they are drifting and throw out a direct question or two to bring everyone back to the table.

Verbally greet everyone as you would in an in-person event ??? Camera on ?? Use breakout rooms as you would with small group exercises ?? Stop sharing your screen when you’re having a working group discussion so you can interact rather than talk at ? Disconnections are okay, just dial back in ?? Ten minute break every hour ? As a facilitator still aim to bring the energy you would in person ?? Body Language is still very readable, FACS is a very useful tool here ???? Enjoy it ??

Smaller groups make evaluation easier. You can personally follow up with participants to determine how they are applying what they learned. You can hold focus groups with participants post training to discuss what’s been implemented based on the training. You can survey managers to determine if behaviors have changed and how. When it comes to evaluation I believe there really isn’t much difference between virtual and in person… anything you can do to evaluate in person training you can do for virtual.

When training remotely you don't have the benefit of picking up on body language as much, or staying behind to work with someone to be able to adapt to their needs. Because of this it's important when training remotely to schedule in time blocks that allow for extra one on one time to be able to work through these things. In a remote world we are so reliant on our calendars and they can fill up fast. But anticipating that things won't go perfectly and that people will need extra help- we can simply schedule these time blocks. From there it's important to spend adequate time addressing adaptation challenges, but also setting up a system for them to follow, and an accountability check for afterward.

Without the luxury of physical proximity, building trust and teamwork can be akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle with pieces scattered across various time zones. Break out rooms, in this context, aren't just digital spaces; they're virtual bridges connecting isolated islands of creativity and expertise. Here, amidst shared screens and slightly delayed audio, new team members engage, not just as faces on a screen, but as integral parts of a collective mission. These digital rooms transform into hubs of innovation and camaraderie, gradually dissolving the barriers of distance. Remember, it's about turning remote into closeness, one click at a time.

Given remote training challenges, I recommend using #AGES, a neuroscience approach to make the sessions brain-friendly. ? Attention. Keep the sessions short as focus for receiving learning is around 20 minutes. ? Generalising. #Pause for reflection and to connect new learning to current knowledge. #Relevance of subject is key. ? Emotion. Keep the session positive in terms of #SCARF - Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness - the domains of brain when experiencing reward or threat. ? Spacing. Build in a 12 hours break including sleep for brain processing and recall. ??Rules ? All videos Must be switched on ? Build in hourly breaks ? Build in reflection time with 3 to 5 questions ? Build in small group discussions

I’d challenge the assumption hands-on training is more difficult in a remote environment. It assumes hands-on training is being done well in a non-remote environment. In reality, the vast majority of training is built on a passive consumption model, so there’s tremendous opportunity to make it more hands on regardless of your setup. Regardless of your setup, you need to focus on getting really good at deconstructing what people need to get good at “doing” not just “knowing.” From there, you can design what simulated situations should look like where people can practice the “doing.” After that, you just figure out what tools are good at doing that. In my experience, the best tools for scalable hands-on training are usable in both setups.