One of the most common questions my team and I receive about virtual learning events boils down to technology: how do you make sure glitches don’t cause learners to disconnect?

I love this question! It means that stakeholders, designers, and facilitators care about the experience learners have in a session. Plus, it also speaks to program success – people who want to prevent technology from derailing training from achieving the bigger goal of improving performance and developing participants’ skills.

The InSync Training team has designed, delivered, produced, and managed live online training events for over 20 years. It’s hard to believe that organizations have had the virtual classroom as a learning environment option for over two decades.

Change underlies this now-commonplace technology. Virtual classrooms from the past look very little like the reality of today, which indicates a radically different future.

So what can we learn from the evolution of the virtual classroom?

When should we record live virtual classroom sessions, and how can we design quality, engaging recordings for on-demand audiences? 

I’ve never been fond of recording all virtual classes and making them available on demand. I’ve always felt that devalues live virtual instruction. After all, if there is no difference in the learner experience for someone to attend a live program versus a recording, then why deliver any live content?

Nevertheless, whether it’s an information-dense webinar or a hands-on, collaborative virtual lesson, most organizations have thousands of hours of recorded sessions in their training libraries.

More organizations than ever have transitioned from traditional face-to-face training to virtual classrooms. And since no training element stands alone, most blends include live online components of some kind.

But, even as technology becomes more ubiquitous in corporate learning, decision makers and practitioners have questions about its efficacy.

My team compiled the questions they most commonly hear in their day-to-day work. When I reviewed them, I recognized that the answers speak to core best practices and the value platforms like Zoom, WebEx, and Adobe Connect contribute to enterprise training.

We know virtual classrooms include technology bells and whistles designed to promote learner engagement. But how do instructors manage so many moving parts? We highly recommend bringing in a second set of hands to help juggle everything. The best option? A technical or instructional producer. 

Whether you provide production support in your organization’s live online learning events, or you would simply like to create smoother virtual sessions, try applying a few simple approaches for seamless programs.

Our team of multitasking, multi-talented producers outlined their tried-and-true recommendations to help you reach modern learning MVP status.

Global training depends on digital platforms like eLearning, microlearning, and virtual classrooms. When dealing with multiple time zones and diverse learner groups, creating equivalent training experiences requires planning and professionals.

And while we acknowledge that facilitators act as the face of live learning events, producers power the sessions. They do much more than “open the room.” They act as learner advocates, a second voice delivering content, and an extra pair of hands juggling the many balls involved in effective modern learning.

Our production team includes the best in the business. So, what tips and tricks do they use to make sure every virtual learning session comes together into a seemingly seamless event?

Competent virtual facilitators have quite a few enviable skills.

They’ve been trained on the nuances of how to teach virtually and have mastered their virtual classroom platform. (Zoom, WebEx, Adobe Connect, etc.) They consider the principles of adult learning throughout every delivery. They manage the entire experience. And so much more!

The infographic associated with this post provides a pretty detailed list of the qualifications and responsibilities of a good virtual facilitator, in a “job posting” format. (Download here and feel free to adapt for your own use!)

Even though virtual classroom platforms have existed for over 20 years, many learners and learning professionals struggle to thrive in this environment.

One of the reasons is that the same technology "bells and whistles" that designers and facilitators use for engagement activities can distract and overwhelm our audiences.

Think back to the last webinar or virtual training session you attended. I’m willing to bet that you divided your attention between the event and other things like email, lunch, or a pressing project.

We don’t judge! Even the most committed learners and seasoned virtual classroom experts have a tendency to multitask in this learning environment. And for good reason – we all juggle an increasing number of competing priorities, and our organizations keep decreasing the amount of time available for learning.

The virtual classroom offers a flexible, dynamic learning environment for modern learning blends. We often think about questions such as:

• When can we most appropriately incorporate virtual classrooms into our instructional designs?
• How do we best leverage virtual classroom tools like chat, breakout rooms, and synchronized web browsing?
• What techniques can facilitators use to engage learners when we can’t see them face-to-face?

But one question often gets overlooked: How can the instructional team advocate for virtual learners?