Instructor-Led Training Sessions (ILTs) are on the decline, and have been for a few years now. As people are moving to digital learning, we are seeing that less and less instructors are getting work and putting their skills to use. This idea of digital learning can be broadly categorised into three types:
- Self-service videos or animations (Learning Experience Platforms)
- Computer-Based Training (Point and Click)
- Virtual Instructor Lead Training (or VILT)
Given the title of this blog, it’s not going to come as a surprise that I am not going to look to discuss the first two, but instead focus on the last one; VILTs.
What is virtual instructor led training?
Virtual instructor led training is training that takes place in a virtual or simulated environment. It takes the principles of instructor-led training (ILT) and applies them to the virtual environment. While the fundamentals are similar, VILT and ILT are hugely different experiences both for the trainees and the trainer.
Of course, overall, virtual training has so many benefits and is a great training method. However, when getting used to it, there are some online-specific challenges to work around and some differences to learn.
VILT often utilises a range of features such as live polls and quizzes to increase engagement and involvement with the sessions. An effective virtual trainer utilises the affordances of this training method to create an environment which encourages active participation and learning.
Classroom training vs online training
Classroom training and online training do have a lot of similarities to draw from one another, but they also have different strengths and weaknesses:
- Cost - Classroom training often costs a lot more than online training. If this was for added quality then you could probably justify the extra spending, but it’s actually just for things like travel, renting a physical location, providing food and more. Online training basically only has one cost: the training itself. You know what you’re paying upfront, and you know exactly what you get for that.
- Online exclusive features - Some features, such as live polls and interactive games, are just so much easier online. Sure, you can use apps or software in a classroom to facilitate these things, but then you have to assume everybody has a phone, internet connection and storage space. It’s just so much more convenient to use these extra features online, with integrated and purpose-built software which you can modify to match your needs.
- Flexibility - Many aspects of online training can be completed at their own pace, making for more effective training patterns with higher retention. Whilst of course live training exercises such as webinars and lectures are held at specific times, many other features such as quizzes and videos can be done at the leisure of the trainee.
Types of virtual instructor led training
Virtual instructor led training comes in basically all the same forms as standard instructor led training, with a few extra! So, naturally, you can provide VILT in a one-on-one setting, a personalised training session between instructor and student. Or, you can vary group size all the way up to large-scale events such as webinars or lectures.
Some online-specific options include virtual classrooms; where entire classrooms can be virtually built, or through simulations which recreate roleplay-based exercises.
Software you’ll need for virtual instructor led training
For virtual instructor led training, you’ll need software to facilitate all the various features and techniques you want. At Mentor Group, we use our Kairos virtual learning platform to deliver most training methods. It’s an effective system which contains everything you need, and is personalisable to your business.
Tips for effective virtual training
I developed my first VILT about 4 years ago, and as it was done in a little bit of a hurry, the practice then was to take an existing successful VILT and then break it down into a series of shorter 90-minute sessions, broadly based around when I would normally give breaks as an instructor… simple, right?
To be fair, it worked out ok. But I also learnt a huge amount. The problem is that the experience of a VILT is hugely different to a face to face session; not just for the people being trained, but also for the trainer. This realisation came with a host of important lessons:
- Keep them short – Effective VILTs get the best results when they are 45 to 50 minutes long. You can go to 90 minutes, but from personal experience, you notice the energy drop very clearly after 45 minutes.
- Reduce the reading – This should be best practice for ILTs too, but slides need to be highly visual with no more than 3 bullet points on each. Another thing: don’t just read the slides. We have all been there where the facilitator is simply reading the slides that you can also read. This is not training… you need to engage with them through what you have to SAY and not what they can read.
- Change it up, change it often – The energy in a virtual session is very different and the audience can’t pull energy from one another or the facilitator. You need to ensure we are engaging them by changing the content, delivery style or activity frequently. When I say frequently, I mean every 4 to 5 minutes – frequently indeed.
- Know the tools – Whether you are using Zoom, Adobe, WebEx or another platform, you need to be an expert in its use. There is nothing worse than being involved in a session where the facilitator is faffing about trying to get something to work and the audience is just staring at you. Learn and then practice… your content is not going to be good enough to carry off poor execution.
- Manage the audience – Probably the trickiest skill is learning to manage the audience seamlessly whilst delivering content. It takes time and there are some tricks to this, but…
- Get a co-host – If you are running a session with more than 20 people, don’t try to manage them yourself. Get a co-host whose job is to manage the audience. I’ve been doing this a while and consider myself pretty good at managing a virtual audience, but beyond 20 it’s like herding cats and you spend more time muting noisy people than delivering value.
- Stand the heck up! – This is my last one but so hugely important. You would never consider delivering a face to face sitting down, so how is it acceptable to do it in an environment where engagement is even more essential to success? The change in energy and quality is tangible between those that stand and those that sit. Please, for the sake of the audience, STAND UP!
Mentor Group have been building VILTS for some of the most successful sales teams around the globe and they are, when executed well, a hugely valuable part of any enablement strategy. With a library of over 50 programs, the results have been tangible and continue to be highly effective with all of our clients… even those who were initially sceptical.