In 2002, Velocity Knowledge delivered its first instructor-led virtual class to the employees of Lockheed Martin Corporation. In the early stage, we saw that virtual classroom training was slow to gain traction among U.S. corporations. However, in recent years, this style has become the most in-demand modality for clients seeking learning solutions for IT, project management, business analysis, and leadership/communications. The future looks bright for instructor-led virtual classroom training.
What Works
At Velocity Knowledge, we've found that collaborative platforms like Adobe Connect and WebEx deliver the most benefits during virtual instructor-led training. Participants do not miss any elements that they would receive in a traditional classroom through this format, and they enjoy different types of interaction with course instructors. Sometimes, interaction with an instructor resembles two-way video or audio communications. At other times, interaction resembles chatting in a virtual classroom where all participants view course videos, presentation materials, and supporting documents. Some training programs have instructors and participants collaborating on a lab within a virtual workspace. Remote training helps employers save on the cost of travel and classroom logistics (i.e. setting up workstations for learners and installing all of the necessary software).
Looking to the Future
We're glad that the demand for virtual instructor-led training has increased over time. We will continue to improve our training delivery models to meet the needs of contemporary organizations. Most employees are more mobile than ever, but the need to stay current with new concepts and ideas is vital. Here are some things we recommend that employers look for in instructor-led virtual training solutions:
- Subject matter experts. Whether you need employees to learn a new programming language or prepare for leading project teams, you want trainers who are experts in the appropriate field. While professional trainers can deliver any type of material with enough preparation, they won't be able to give your employees the right corrective feedback without adequate industry experience.
- Real-world scenarios. Our trainers go through each client's request for a new training program and look for ways that learners can apply knowledge to real situations. If we don't see them, we may suggest ideas or ask the employer for additional content e.g. specific processes, terminology or applications. If your learners only passively consume new concepts, they may forget much of it upon returning to the office.
- Learning assessments. Every course format must include ways for learners to demonstrate mastery of the material. We have creative ways to make this fun and interactive. Assessments help you hold employees accountable for the time they will spend in virtual classroom training.
- Self-paced options. Some courses are heavy in content, and they will require learners to sit at a workstation and learn new material for many days. For longer programs especially, we may recommend that a course design include some components that are self-paced. When learners must sit and wait for other students with the least background knowledge or ability to assimilate new concepts, they get bored. They will disconnect from the training material.
- Attention to individual learning styles. Employees learn in different ways: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. They need a variety of training delivery options to access new material. While a corporate trainer may deliver the same content to multiple audiences, some sections of a course may include individual or small group instruction. People who are capable of moving on to more advanced topics on their own will do so without stopping the pace of everyone else in the course.
When you need employees to obtain new learning without having to set-up a physical classroom environment, consider hiring us to deliver the material in a virtual format. We look forward to meeting your needs. Schedule a free training and development consultation now!
