The basics of Virtual Instructor Led Training
At its core, VILT is a live, instructor-led training experience that takes place in a virtual environment. Unlike traditional classroom training, VILT utilizes technology to connect trainers and learners across geographical locations.
Video conferencing, interactive software, and other online tools enable learners to engage with the trainer and participate in collaborative activities.
One of the benefits of VILT is its accessibility. With VILT, learners can participate from any location with an internet connection, making it a flexible and cost-effective training solution. Additionally, VILT allows organizations to reach a global audience and to scale their training programs to meet the needs of a growing workforce.
To ensure that VILT is effective, trainers must be skilled in engaging learners in a virtual environment. Some best practices for delivering effective VILT include using interactive tools, fostering discussion and collaboration, and monitoring learner engagement.
Ensure proper lighting and sound quality
Trainers should also be mindful of the virtual classroom environment, such as ensuring proper lighting and sound quality.
This may seem silly but bad lightning or A/V set up can be a big barrier to virtual learning.
It'd be like being in a real classroom - but you couldn't really see the instructor or hear them.
Be sure to test your video and audio quality before the call - we recommend joining at least 5 minutes before.
Here's a
microphone ($39.00) and
lighting kit ($21.98) from Amazon that Driveway recommends for all virtual instructors.
Minimize learner distractions
Learners can also take steps to maximize their VILT experience. Some tips include minimizing distractions, participating actively in discussions, and utilizing interactive features to stay engaged.
Feel free to request that your audience isn't typing or doing anything else while participating in your training.
Acknowledge that can be hard when everyone has so much going on - but be sure to frame that THEY (your learners) will reap the benefits of being full participants.
If someone needs to address something urgently - that's okay - they can quietly leave the session and return to training at a better time for them.
Ask for active participation
People may not be ready to jump in and participate at the start of your training session. Let's be honest - you're probably thinking about this meeting more than your trainer is.
You'd be surprised but your learners are looking to you to tell them what to do - it's much better to be clear what you expect from your participants than for them to be unsure.
Don't shy from asking your learners to participate - be confident that participation improves your training session for all attendees.
If somebody asks a great question or brings up a good point - ask the attendees to share their thoughts in the chat.
These moments can not only create serendipitous connections between attendees, but also help your learners synthesize points that maybe you wouldn't have been able to provide alone.
Use breakout sessions, and pollsThese features can be scary for Virtual Instructors, especially in a live setting.
Play around with the features before trying them out - but know that this level of interactive engagement will be a game-changer for your learning outcomes.
Interactive learning is proven to improve information retention by over 2x. Use breakout sessions to foster more personal participation than you can just get from having everyone in a chat room.
Polls are great ways to not only get your learner's attention by having them voice an opinion, but also a way to establish credibility through data.
Consider starting your virtual training with a poll that aligns on the problem you are trying to solve for your learners to demonstrate how prevalent this problem is.
Similarly, consider ending your virtual training with a poll on how the meeting went. It may be scary to poll this live in front of your trainees, but they will appreciate the transparency and acknowledge the credibility of seeing their peers learned something from this session.
Plus - these polls may help you learn more about how you can become a better Virtual Instructor.
Virtual Instructor Led Training is a flexible and engaging training solution that offers numerous benefits for organizations and learners alike. By utilizing technology to connect trainers and learners across locations, VILT can provide targeted, customized training that meets the needs of a growing workforce.
To deliver effective VILT, trainers should employ best practices for engaging learners in a virtual environment, while learners can take steps to maximize their experience. With the right strategy in place, VILT can be a valuable addition to any organization’s training program.
