Boost your virtual training effectiveness
id your organization quickly pivot from in-person training to virtual delivery during the lockdowns of 2020? If so, then you know the struggle of using a virtual platform to deliver an effective learning experience. In-person instruction does not easily translate into a virtual modality. When making the conversion, there are several important design considerations that should not be overlooked. We share three strategies to improve your virtual training today and ensure that you are optimizing the learning experience, and ultimately the transfer of knowledge or skills.
Design Strategy #1
Maintain Continuous Learner Engagement
The average adult attention span is typically less than 15 minutes. When a learner is in a classroom, they are captive to what is going on in their immediate surroundings and there is ongoing engagement between the instructor and his or her learners. Two-way communication is the advantage that in-person learners have over a virtual experience.
When a learner is virtual, they need a high amount of engagement to maintain their focus and attention. Engagement should be frequent and varied, including some of the examples below:
- Asking open or closed ended questions in chat
- Using break-out rooms for small group discussions
- Virtual whiteboarding
- Polls or survey questions
You don’t need a virtual meeting platform with “bells and whistles” to keep learners engaged. Find out what your current platform offers and make sure to take full advantage of these additional features.
Design Strategy #2
Develop a Hybrid Learning Experience
If you are converting a complex instructor-led program into virtual, then you may want to think about developing a hybrid learning experience. A hybrid learning experience is when you combine a variety of delivery modalities into a more comprehensive set of learning tasks.
For example, if you are training learners on how to provide effective feedback, why not give them a pre-reading task to learn about the concepts of feedback. You can develop a short eLearning module, have them watch a video, or read a brief pre-work assignment. Then, use the virtual session specifically for the “application” component of the learning. This hybrid approach allows learners to grasp the concepts ahead of time and then be more engaged through skills practice during the virtual session.
If you really want to develop a fully hybrid experience, consider using an online discussion board post-virtual training to engage learners in continuous discussion or sharing of on-the-job best practices.
Design Strategy #3
Keep Virtual Learning Brief
Because the adult attention span is less than 15 minutes, virtual learning is most effective when it is sixty minutes or less. Anything more than one hour follows the law of diminishing returns. You may think that a lengthy virtual session is worthwhile because you are covering all of your content, but there will be minimal impact if learners are not focused or experiencing “virtual fatigue.”
Remember, if you develop your virtual training as a hybrid, then you can shorten the virtual time to skills practice or group discussion.
The best way to address a complex topic is through shorter virtual sessions and using things like action learning in between training meetings. Action learning holds the learners accountable for applying their new skills and gives them the opportunity to share their individual progress.
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