We all know that organizations have had to quickly move face-to-face training to the virtual classroom. This seismic shift extends beyond instructional design, learner logistics, and technical considerations. It impacts facilitators, too.

Chances are you didn’t dream of being a virtual facilitator, but here you are quite by accident. You might’ve recently graduated and landed a sales position that is now training. Or you’re a traditional trainer and now you’re working online. You probably didn’t think “Wow! I can’t wait to work on the computer and not have learners in front of me.”

But here you are in this position and you find yourself in this unexpected training situation and you’re like, “What’s next?”

Picture this: your boss comes to you and says, “Hey! You know that training program you facilitate in the classroom next week? Guess what?! I need you to teach it live online.” You likely react with panic and surprise. Thoughts run through your head, like:

• You’re kidding, right?
• Will people be bored?
• What platform will we use?
• How do I get organized?

Lately, the virtual classroom has become the most popular kid in school. From team meetings to global training programs, platforms like Zoom, Webex Training Center, Adobe Connect, and Microsoft Teams, have enabled businesses to adapt to the unexpected and unfortunate current circumstances.  

But switching learning environments involves technical, instructional design, and delivery considerations. When asked by clients what a new virtual blend involves, we liken it to a stage production. Behind the scenes, experts coordinate and orchestrate acts to wow an audience, all while making the featured talent look good.  

Not only do current global circumstances demand training go digital, but, over the last few years, industry experts have promoted the value of virtual blended learning. This virtual model offers a number of critical advantages, like:

• Adaptability of programs (designers can update individual content pieces as information changes)
• Personalization of learning experiences (based on the needs of specific learner groups, they can engage in certain blends – or segments of programs)
• Application of knowledge (learners can apply new information within the context of work between live sessions)
• Practicality of design (designers can match each learning objective to an authentic treatment, and order the components in a logical progression)

How can you hit the ground running with your digital blend so it effectively achieves its goals, supports learners’ needs, and instills confidence in its efficacy? Start with solid design and purposeful communication.

More virtual classroom events than ever have happened in 2020. In fact, the CEO of Cisco announced that Webex hosted 5.5 BILLION minutes of virtual meetings in the first eleven days of March. Combined with the spike in usage of other platforms like Zoom, virtual events have become a staple in today’s businesses and educational institutions.

And whether you elected to make the transition to live online learning or took the leap to adapt to corporate circumstance, the steps you take before a virtual training event begins can determine if the final outcome is successful.

Virtually There Session Recap

For the last 20 years, and especially over the past two months, our team has repeated a singular mantra: “one does not simply move a course online.”

But given the state of the world today, it feels imperative that we quickly adapt learning to the virtual learning environment. And while digital learning requires nuance, planning, and an awareness of both technology and instructional options, the transition can happen under pressure.

Happy Earth Day!

Today marks the 50th Earth Day, providing an opportunity to consider environmental issues and ways in which individuals can contribute to a cleaner world.

In recent years, organizations have begun to seriously consider the impact their production processes have on the environment and on natural resource reserves. Traditionally, operations and sustainability teams focus on earth-friendly corporate initiatives. But, learning & development can contribute meaningfully, too!

Zoom has taken the whole world by storm. Thanks to its easy-to-use functionality, and an effort by company leadership to make it more accessible, people of all ages have started to use Zoom for work, learning, and socialization.

Zoom-hosted game nights bring friends together across distance. K-12 and college students have learned how to Zoom to stay on academic track. Corporate teams check in for virtual happy hours, critical business meetings, and essential trainings on Zoom. This virtual platform, like Webex, Adobe Connect, and others, bridges the distance felt by stay-at-home orders and closed offices and classrooms.

The InSync Training team includes over 80 practitioners, working and supporting effective virtual learning events all over the world. Our experts often share stories about unexpected outcomes, surprising interruptions, and quick-thinking resolutions. As part of our 20th anniversary celebration, we enthusiastically share their anecdotes. Whether you have worked in the virtual classroom for years or just began transitioning to this learning environment, you can learn something new!

Right now, the state of the world demands a transition to virtual classrooms and remote work. Whether or not your organization started 2020 prepared for the rapid modernization of teams and training, the time has come to make the change.

Facilitators, instructional designers, managers, and learners all have to adapt to a new normal – a stressful process under standard change management conditions and a seemingly insurmountable task given today’s pressures.