Learning under lockdown
AFTER many years of presenting and organising conventional training courses and conferences in energy management, stopping face-to-face events has been a major challenge but in some ways remote versions have actually proved superior. For one thing more people can attend, and at less cost in time and travel expenses. Not having to hire venues means that smaller groups are viable, and in fact I now sometimes limit technical courses to eight people to make sure that people can interact and not just feel they are listening to a broadcast. Courses can also be mounted at short notice, and in-company training for really small teams can be viable if the client is willing to have a couple of outside participants join the group.
Multi-topic events no longer need to be marshalled into a whole day. Trial (and yes, error) has led to a model where we offer, typically, a weekly series of two-hour sessions, which many participants find a lot easier than trying to maintain concentration for six or seven hours. Based on feedback, I now favour a 3 p.m. start time, in other words rounding off the day in the UK but not too early on the west coast of the United States and not too late for continental Europe either.
Remote meeting technology helps a lot as well. Virtual breakout rooms give people in bigger events a chance to chat informally (as well as a change of pace) while engaged in small group exercises. Session recordings give them a chance to go back later over anything they didn’t quite get, and the text chat channel gives me the perfect way to invite anonymous answers to questions that I pose in the course of training. It has even given trainees the ability to let me know discreetly that they aren’t keeping up. As a trainer, this is all gold dust. Oh, and everybody can see the screen clearly. No straining to see over somebody's shoulder.
The view from the podium (not)
As a presenter you naturally have to adjust. You have to bear in mind that even for a participant in a big conference it’s like you talking to them across the table. So I try to cut down on Powerpoint. That's a "stage-and-audience" tool. Ideally I use just pictures where I can, and from time to time I’ll stop the screen-share to maintain more of a face-to-face feel. If detailed material can be circulated in advance instead of being crammed onto a slide, it is a whole lot easier for the audience and gives exactly the opportunity you need to stop screen-sharing. And don't forget breaks: I generally pause after an hour. If it is a half-day event or longer I allow 20 to 30 minutes for each break but stay on-line for anyone who wants a one-to-one chat.
For anyone not used to training remotely, apart from the need for careful planning, I’d stress the need to stay relaxed. Things go wrong, but everyone is used to that now. Even if the worst happens and you need to abandon the session (it’s happened to me) reschedule it. Nobody will be out of pocket for their train fare.
For information about forthcoming energy training courses, please visit the author's web site