How to Conduct Virtual Training - Lessons from a Learner

I have over the years conducted many virtual training sessions and been part of a few as a learner. I also preferred virtual sessions – long before they became a necessity due to COVID-19. The comfort of home, no traffic woes and global learners – are some of my favorite aspects of virtual training. Since many people and organizations are being forced to adapt to this new “normal” I thought of sharing my thoughts on what makes virtual training effective. But today I’m going to wear the hat of a learner and share what I would like online training to be like as a learner.  

So, here are some ideas for making virtual learning effective: 

1. Make it Short – Attention span these days is low and reducing- with the “tip of finger” or “tap of button” technology we no longer have patience. And sitting for 6- or 8-hour sessions in front of a computer is just beyond me! Ideally virtual training sessions should be 2-4 hours at a time with regular breaks.  
2. Make it Interactive – Listening to a trainer drone on for hours together is a great lullaby but doesn't do much for learning. For me, virtual sessions need to be interactive – I should be able to share my views, ideas and experiences! After all learning from peers is said to be quite effective. Interactive sessions also keep learners engaged.  
3. Make it Tech Savvy – Getting to experience new technology is also an exciting aspect of virtual training. Use features like polling, breakout groups and others to make the experience engaging and life-like. Mentimeter, Survey Monkey, Socrative, Poll Everywhere are some tools that can be used as well to engage the learners. 
4. Make it Relevant – This is true for any training but since it is more difficult to hold the attention in a virtual session it must be relevant for the learner. The topic and agenda must be in sync and address a key need of the learner.  

So, what makes virtual learning tick for you?   

Join our Learning Shots webinar: Creating Content for Live Virtual Trainings. Register Now Here: https://bit.ly/3boK7N4