What Are Effective Strategies for Converting in-Person Training to Online Formats?
EdTechBrief.com
What Are Effective Strategies for Converting in-Person Training to Online Formats?
Effectively translating in-person training into an engaging online format is a common challenge for organizations. Instructional designers and learning & development managers have shared their best tips, from leveraging technology for engagement to incorporating case studies and role-playing. Here are the top seven strategies these experts recommend.
- Leverage Technology for Engagement
- Adapt Class Duration and Materials
- Design Differently for Online Learning
- Consult Instructional Designers
- Create Interactive Virtual Breakout Rooms
- Incorporate Interactive Elements
- Use Case Studies and Role-Playing
Leverage Technology for Engagement
It depends on whether your training is synchronous or asynchronous, but in both cases, leveraging technology is key. For synchronous training, a simple Zoom session won’t suffice. Enhance engagement by incorporating interactive polls, breakout rooms, and opportunities for thought-provoking discussions. In the case of e-learning, the sky is the limit, truly. I strongly recommend following the 'Art Imitates Life' approach, where you provide learners with content they would naturally seek out in their everyday lives. Nowadays, videos dominate the content we consume, but even video lessons might not be enough to captivate your audience. Apply instructional design principles to embed interactive elements that prompt learners to make choices and actively engage with the material. For both types of training, a strong communication strategy is crucial. Don’t rely on a single calendar invite. Instead, implement a series of notifications highlighting the benefits of the training. Use compelling visuals and emotive language to boost participation. A common pitfall in L&D is neglecting the marketing aspect of your training initiatives.
Adapt Class Duration and Materials
I've been teaching online since 2012 when SMU asked me to teach in their continuing ed department. Initially, I doubted my ability to translate in-person teaching to an online format. However, over the past 12 years teaching online for two universities, I've learned valuable lessons:
1. Adapt Class Duration: Online learning requires shorter sessions. Students can effectively engage online for about half the duration of an in-person class. A three-hour in-person class should be condensed to about one-and-a-half hours online.
2. Engage Students Actively: Engagement is crucial. Use multiple communication methods. Ensure eye contact through video, and create opportunities for students to ask questions.
3. Recognize Individual Learning Patterns: Online students often lean into their unique learning styles. Unlike a physical classroom's structured environment, online learners have more freedom to be themselves. Engage with them and encourage introductions in the first class and respond personally to each student.
4. Diverse Teaching Materials: I provide diverse content and methods. Live lectures are supplemented with recorded videos, written materials, and PDFs of presentations to cater to different learning preferences.
5. Flexible Project Work: Design projects with diversity in mind. Allow group work but do not mandate it. Most students choose to collaborate, enhancing their learning experience.
6. Customized LMS Pages: I custom-code LMS pages to create a user-friendly and visually appealing experience, avoiding cookie-cutter designs.
7. Bonus Content: Offer optional bonus content for deeper dives into the subject matter. Many students will engage, providing additional opportunities to cater to diverse learning patterns.
8. Diverse Content Sources: Use varied sources for course content, including external materials that prepare students for future endeavors.
9. Balance Theory and Practice: Ensure a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Incorporate real-world practicum components that allow students to apply what they've learned.
10. Provide Structure: Establish a clear and consistent structure to help students integrate learning into their lives.
Reflecting on my journey over the past 12 years, surprisingly, teaching online has made me a better educator. I am more invested in student-centric teaching and find it easier to connect with individuals than I did in a traditional classroom.
Design Differently for Online Learning
Online learning shouldn't be an attempt to replicate face-to-face learning. It needs to be designed differently. Using active reading strategies is a great way to make online learning engaging and a worthwhile learning experience. Think about adding practice questions or close-reading questions throughout a reading to encourage the learner to slow down and process information. Incorporate discussion questions in a chat-style forum for learners to collaborate and reflection activities like quick writes, one-sentence summaries, or sketch notes to consolidate learning. Ensure that you also consider cognitive load by chunking information and using multimedia. These are just some ways to create meaningful and engaging online learning experiences.
Consult Instructional Designers
Don't just plug and chug. Online learning has unique nuances and needs for the learner that differ from in-person training. Connect with an instructional designer or e-learning developer to find ways to translate your in-person content into the most effective online delivery.
Create Interactive Virtual Breakout Rooms
One tip for taking in-person training and creating an engaging online format is sometimes referred to as creating interactive "virtual breakout rooms," where participants can role-play scenarios or discuss things in small groups. Or, if you will, it's almost like a workshop done digitally—using the features of the online platform to mirror activities of real-world group interactions. It works like this: You break up your content into small, bite-sized chunks, and then have breakout rooms further discuss each segment. For instance, if you're doing training on customer service skills, once you present the key ideas of customer service, put attendees into different virtual rooms where they can engage in role-playing activities about real-life customer interactions. Each room could have a particular scenario and a facilitator to guide the discussion. This will help keep the training engaging, and participants will apply it in a practical way. Besides, if done online, it gives a sense of community and collaboration. In making the training into an engaging and participative experience, you will ensure that the content really stays with your people, just as it does in a face-to-face workshop.
Incorporate Interactive Elements
Incorporating interactive elements is a simple way to make online training more engaging. Short quizzes and polls throughout the training keep people focused and encourage participation. It can be easy to zone out when information gets boring, but integrating short videos and animations can keep people present. Creating live Q&A sessions also ensures trainees understand information and allows them to interact with instructors. Making online training interesting and engaging is essential if you want trainees to learn and retain the information.
Use Case Studies and Role-Playing
One effective tip for translating in-person training into an engaging online format is to incorporate interactive elements that mimic real-time participation.
For example, when I transitioned our employee onboarding program to an online format, I included live Q&A sessions, breakout rooms for group discussions, and interactive polls to keep participants engaged.
One specific technique was using case studies and role-playing scenarios in breakout rooms, where participants could collaborate in small groups and then reconvene to share their insights with the larger group. This not only fostered interaction but also reinforced learning through practical application.
To implement this, use video-conferencing tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams that offer these interactive features. Combine them with multimedia content, such as videos and quizzes, to create a dynamic and immersive learning experience that mirrors the interactivity of in-person training.
