10 Tips to Elevate Virtual Training
Mark Samowitz
Finance for Non-Finance Managers Training | 33,257+ Managers in 36 Countries Trained | Learn More at accountingmadeeasy.co
As a training company that's moved from a 100% face to face training model to 100% virtual training, we've learned a thing or two about what makes a successful virtual training session over the years.
Over the years, we have kept refining, changing and experimenting to take our training to the next level. Today, we deliver virtual training in over 36 countries, with global teams joining sessions from different parts of the world.
I remember that moment when I knew for sure we had made it. Unsolicited, a delegate on one of our virtual sessions shared that she forgot she wasn't in a physical classroom with everyone. She said she felt so connected to everyone in the class and to the trainer that she felt we were all together and that the virtual learning environment felt exactly like the physical learning environment. She shared that she never believed a virtual session could replace a physical, in-person session - until now. Since then, we have had countless delegates share that same feeling.
Below, I share my top 10 tips to help you elevate your virtual training sessions and ensure maximum participation to help give people that feeling:
Open with energy
Kick-off with a charismatic trainer, introduce topics, review etiquette, and guide users through the software. The opening is key - this is where you either lose people or take them with you on this journey. Participants need to be made to feel immediately at ease, supported and heard.
Cameras on
Get each participant to share their expectations and to share something personal. Get them to open up and build the connection. We make cameras on compulsory. Our trainers learn a lot from facial expressions. We can see if people are distracted and not participating if there cameras are on. When cameras are off, we have no way knowing whether participants are even there!
Visual focus
Use engaging visual materials like live video, images, and interactive elements to capture attention. Text-heavy slides overwhelm and intimidate participants. If you have to use a slide, make sure its clean, minimalist and well-designed.
Embrace gamification
This has made all the difference for our training. Creating a game that allows participants to learn finance as they play on a virtual financial playground has been the backbone of our training success. If you can take a complex topic and gamify it, you engage the learner in the process of discovery learning.
Schedule short breakouts
Allow participants to interact and discuss with each other by creating challenging tasks they can work on and solve together. This creates a sense of achievement and ownership over the learning. Facilitators should visit breakout rooms to listen and collect information that can be used when summing up concepts for the entire group.
Constant interaction
The participant should be called on to perform an action every 5-10 minutes. Participants can be called on to give their answer to a question and everyone can put their answer in the chat. They can be required to answer a poll and to give a thumbs up if they've understood a concept. If you're requiring participants to perform a physical action every few minutes, you reduce your chances of participants getting distracted or drifting off as they know that something is going to be required of them very soon and this will keep them on their toes and concentrating. 2.5 hours with a small break in the middle is the optimal time for one virtual session. Any longer, and you'll begin to notice drop-off and a lapse in concentration.
Track engagement
Live polls are a great way to track engagement and to test knowledge retention. Most platforms offer the ability to use live polls. You'll have to prepare these before to have them ready for the session but this is a great way to check if a concept has been understood or if you need to revisit it. You're also able to see how many delegates are answering the polls and what results they are getting. This is something that wasn't attainable in a physical classroom. Homework emailed through to the facilitator at the end of each session is another great way to track engagement and understanding.
Q&A
Give participants the safe space and time to ask questions and leave enough time to answer these questions. If someone has an issue that the rest of the group is not struggling with, you can always make time to engage with that participants during a break or before the next session.
Course Notes
Give these at the end of each session not at the beginning. Encourage participants to take their own notes during a session. Course notes should be a mere summary of the learnings from that session and should compliment the notes that the participants made themselves.
Post course evaluations
If you structure your post course assessments and feedback well, you'll be able to see what participants mastered and where they are still struggling. You'll be able to send follow-up content to help them in areas where they need additional help and you'll learn what other topics they'd like to cover in the future and how they'd like to deepen and enhance their learning.
Please reach out if you have any questions or comments about virtual learning or if you'd like to share some tips and tricks that work for you.
Have a great day.
Best,
Mark
Whenever you're ready, I have 3 live, virtual courses that can help you:
I teach Storytelling to Finance Teams | Course Facilitator | Keynote Speaker
5 个月Gamification is one of the most important tools for a virtual trainer. It's very difficult to maintain people awake so making them enjoy the moment is the most efficient tool. But some small things like asking to write answers in the chat also work