This is the third installment in a series that explores actionable approaches virtual classroom facilitators can use to improve learner engagement through purposeful facilitation.

We often frame corporate training as a compulsory process: complete these requirements and move on to the next task. It's a reinforcement of a "Push" learning culture that is content-centric, and not a personal experience.

Effective learning involves an emotional component. Employees want to do well on the job. They hope to have the skills required to meet their goals. They stress about balancing their professional responsibilities while upskilling. The training function has an obligation to recognize these emotions, and facilitators can improve virtual training experiences by addressing them in their delivery approach.

This is the second installment in a three-part series that explores actionable approaches facilitators can use to improve learner engagement through purposeful facilitation.

Can the virtual classroom actually achieve the same learning results as a face-to-face approach? Or is it a ‘second best’ solution?

I believe that, if our approach is authentic and well-designed, facilitators can ensure that virtual learning is REAL learning. And help learners recognize this as well.

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!)

But how does a facilitator go from good to great?

Jim Collins, author of Good To Great and Built To Last, reminds us that it is not possible for EVERYONE to be above average. Exceptional virtual facilitators need to learn and exhibit advanced facilitation skills.

But what are advanced facilitation skills?

We talk a lot about learning journeys. The modern learning landscape has evolved, and standalone programs no longer exist.

Learners reasonably expect personalized, relevant training experiences. Designers understand that their role has changed to accommodate complex perpetual learning programs that resemble winding pathways.

But what about facilitators? How has their responsibility shifted in the age of learning journeys?

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?

This post is part of an occasional series “Advice from the Virtual Trenches” where we share real lessons learned when virtual and blended learning didn’t go as planned.

If you’ve ever attended a virtual learning event or webinar, you know that hiccups can and will happen. Access links may not work, audio may disconnect, video may freeze, background noise may disrupt instruction. Add in the element of human error, and the possibilities for technical difficulties become seemingly endless.

Thoughtful instructional design helps ensure that content presented in this learning environment aligns with platform capabilities. But instructional teams offer “on the ground” support and expertise to preemptively avoid and successfully troubleshoot these common modern learning challenges.

We asked our facilitators for their stories about how they handled it when things went wrong in the most unexpected ways. These stories serve as advice from the virtual trenches that you can take back to the job for insight into the possibilities of instructional adaptability!

Bringing balance to the blend isn’t an uncommon topic for our blog and the idea that we need to match learning objectives to the most appropriate instructional strategies and technologies is the foundation to our campaign approach to designing blended learning.

But there is more to the balancing act than just design. Once the development is complete, it’s the job of the facilitator to guide learners though their journeys.

When the InSync Training team reflects on the most successful modern learning experiences, one L&D professional holds a special place in our hearts: the virtual facilitator.

With nothing but their voices, access to technology, and their ingenuity, they literally bring learning to life.

Today, we celebrate their contributions to learning and performance in the first ever Virtual Facilitator Day! Every year, on the third Wednesday of June, we will take an entire day to honor their skills, commitment, and engagement.

Join the party by sharing your stories about extraordinary facilitators on Twitter with #VirtualFacilitatorDay. We know the impact of successful facilitation reaches far and wide, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences.

Whether presenting an informational webinar or facilitating a multi-part virtual learning series that’s part of a larger blend, teaching live online requires pizzazz and purpose.

As more corporate L&D programs move online, a tried-and-true facilitation process can set you up for success (in fact, we offer a comprehensive train-the-trainer program to help practitioners create a comprehensive toolkit).