We often encounter some version of the following story when working with corporate teams and individual learners: “Well, my organization has made the leap to the virtual classroom. I’m now supporting live online sessions, but I don’t know how to use my existing skills while managing the technology.”

This kind of quandary results in the accidental virtual classroom producer. Trainers or learning professionals used to working face-to-face now have to support subject matter experts or experienced virtual facilitators in a completely different, though very dynamic, environment. So. what can you do if you find yourself, whether by circumstance or choice, working as a producer in the virtual classroom?

What do platforms like Webex Training, Zoom, Adobe Connect, and Microsoft Teams have in common? They all include a variety of virtual classroom tools!

When instructional designers incorporate their use into training programs and facilitators leverage them during delivery, tools can increase learner engagement. Learners feel more connected to their fellow participants, to the instructional team, and to the training content. Plus, when the virtual classroom supports active participation and collaboration, concerns about learning in a new environment fade away.

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.

February’s installment of the InSync 20th Anniversary Team Insight series pulls the curtain back on virtual classroom stagehands: The Producer. Read the other blogs in the series to learn about modern learning instructional design, facilitation, and implementation from the best in the business! 

In 2020, we are sharing the lessons we’ve learned about the virtual classroom over the last twenty years, and we’ll link back to our more detailed content around these topics, in case you want to learn more!  Take a peek at the entire Lessons Learned series by clicking here.

In 1998, I envisioned that the role of the producer in the virtual classroom would be to “make the talent look good.” My reasoning was, the virtual classroom facilitator lost the ability to take the pulse of the class using body language and eye contact, so the producer added a second set of hands that help manage learner engagement and increase the quality of virtual lessons. 

With the Thanksgiving dinner trimmings put away in the states, the busiest time of year begins to take on a life of its own.

With inboxes and fireplaces equally a-blaze, personal professional development and corporate training can wind up on the back burner. What can learners and learning leaders alike do to keep missed training opportunities from piling up like snowdrifts? How can you make your next blend more magical than the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies?

Happy Virtual Classroom Producer Day! Our annual celebration honors those working behind the scenes to ensure effective, efficient, and engaging live online learning events.

We’ve long sung the praises of producers – they offer technical support to learners, launch breakout rooms and other collaborative activities, keep training on track and on time, and act as back-up facilitators when necessary. And while technologies continue to change and requirements evolve, the role of a producer remains fundamentally the same.

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?

Do have experience producing virtual training sessions? If your technical skill set includes experience with popular virtual classroom platforms like Webex Training Center and Adobe Connect, we want to learn more about you!