If your organization hasn’t tried virtual learning, you’ve been missing out. Virtual learning can help
organizations develop their talent while saving time and the cost of travel and venues. It can also be more brain-friendly – allowing for digestion and application of concepts between modules.
The recent COVID-19 breakout is one more reason to consider virtual learning. Below are six important design elements for virtual learning.
Design for Virtual
To maximize effectiveness, courses must be designed for a virtual environment – leverage virtual tools to create a rich learning environment. Just reviewing classroom slides will not work. Seek out an expert to help design virtual exercises to keep your audience engaged and learning in the virtual environment.
High Participant Interaction
Use relevant polls, structured chats, breakouts, videos, white boards, etc., to keep participants frequently interacting to maximize engagement and content retention.
Digestion
Allow participants to digest the concepts with other participants and apply to real-life situations. Breakout rooms are one effective way to do this.
Spacing
When a lot of content is required, space over time (not all at once). When trying to transition an eight-hour course to virtual, it will need to be redesigned and likely chunked in to multiple modules. The maximum time participants can stay engaged is 90 minutes without a break.
Practice to Build Skills
To build skills or new habits, it is important for participants to have the opportunity to practice their new skills during the session or between modules, if multiple sessions are planned.
Attention Grabbing
It is important to keep the virtual environment high-energy and keep the attention of the participants through novel concepts or delivery methods – their email is one click away!
If you or your organization is considering virtual options, reach out so we can help you select the appropriate technology, design new courses or re-purpose old ones, facilitate sessions or host them so your team can facilitate. We are here to help you in your virtual journey. Contact Louise at Louise.Keefe@PerspeKtives.com.
