Category: Virtual Instructor-Led Training

Modernizing Instructor-Led Training with Live Experiential Learning: Techniques and Strategies

by Kelly Lake

We’ve touched previously on the learner benefits of live experiential learning (LEL) and the opportunities it provides us to update and upgrade our traditional instructor-led training (ILT) experiences to active, immersive experiences that prioritize “learning by doing.”

In this article, we’ll discuss some techniques for engaging learners within LEL experiences; leveraging LEL to support learners’ emotional intelligence (EI) and adaptability; and some key elements L&D leaders should consider when creating an LEL strategy. 

To recap, LEL transcends traditional training paradigms, immersing learners in scenarios that demand critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and adaptive decision-making. This hands-on approach provides them with the practical tools and emotional intelligence they need to collaborate, innovate, and adapt to a constantly evolving workplace and world.

 

Engaging Techniques for Live Experiential Learning

Developing successful LEL initiatives demands a deep understanding of effective techniques that drive engagement, facilitate learning, and cultivate essential competencies. To ensure impactful LEL design, consider these proven techniques:

  • Simulations
    • These create realistic scenarios where learners can practice decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills in a safe environment.
  • Role-Playing
    • Learners take on distinct roles to gain perspective and develop empathy.
  • Action Learning Projects
    • Teams work on real challenges, applying their learning to find solutions.
  • Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR)
    • These technologies are used to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. (Discover more about the design, development, implementation, and effectiveness of VR, AR, and MR solutions.)
  • Gamification
    • Gamelike elements, such as leaderboards and competition, increase learner engagement and skill retention.
    • Gamified competition prepares learners to navigate complex and changing environments.

 

Fostering Emotional Intelligence and Adaptability through Live Experiential Learning

Live experiential learning provides a safe and engaging environment for learners to develop the crucial EI and adaptive skills they need to thrive in today’s complex world. Effective LEL includes the following:

  • Real-Time Emotional Responses
    • Experiential activities, especially simulations and role-playing, elicit genuine emotional responses. Learners can observe how they react under pressure, in conflict, or when faced with unexpected challenges. This self-awareness is fundamental to EI. 
  • Empathy Development
    • Role-playing and team-based exercises require learners to step into others’ shoes. These experiences cultivate empathy by forcing them to consider different perspectives and emotional states. 
  • Stress Management Practice
    • Simulations and action learning projects often create stressful situations that mimic real-world challenges. The urgency and immediacy of these experiences help learners practice regulating their emotions and making sound decisions under pressure. 
  • Adaptability in Action
    • Experiential learning is inherently dynamic. Unforeseen events and changing circumstances require learners to adapt their strategies and approaches, thus building their flexibility and resilience.
  • Feedback and Reflection
    • A critical component of experiential learning is structured reflection. As learners receive feedback on their behavior, they analyze their emotional responses and decision-making processes, thus promoting continuous learning and metacognition. 
  • Building Social Skills
    • Group activities and collaborative projects enhance communication, conflict resolution, and relationship-building skills, all of which are essential components of EI.

 

Live Experiential Learning Strategy

When designing an LEL strategy, it is crucial to focus on creating impactful and lasting learning experiences. Key elements to consider include:

    • A Learner-Centered Approach
      • Prioritize the learner’s active participation and engagement.
      • Cater to diverse engagement styles and learning preferences.
    • Authenticity and Relevance
      • Create experiences that closely resemble real-world scenarios.
      • Ensure the learning is directly applicable to the learner’s context.
    • Structured Reflection
      • Integrate dedicated time for learners to reflect on their experiences.
      • Facilitate discussions and analysis to extract key learnings.
    • Feedback and Iteration
      • Provide constructive feedback throughout the learning process.
      • Continuously evaluate and refine the strategy based on learner feedback and outcomes.

Through simulations, role-playing, and other hands-on techniques, live experiential learning (LEL) provides a powerful toolkit to cultivate essential skills and drive lasting business impact. 

 

Looking for more on how LEL can help you transform your approach to skills development, productivity, and future-readiness? Check out these related articles in our LEL series: 

Ready to leverage these insights about LEL into your L&D and talent strategy? Connect with us, it will make our day!

Best Practices When Converting Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Training

by Waylen Miki

Do you have in-person sessions approaching that you need to quickly convert to virtual instructor-led training? Our team of experts provides best practices, tips, and tricks to help you be successful.

Many organizations are facing the challenge of maintaining their learning programs during the COVID-19 crisis. Some require entirely new training to address the shifting needs of the business. For example, this auto manufacturer has converted one of its car plants to make ventilator masks. This means that training for new skills and processes may be required—and time is a huge factor. Learning and Development professionals are heeding the call.

With the need to cancel in-person training and gatherings, you may be looking to quickly shift to virtual instructor-led learning in a matter of weeks (or even days). This can be a massive change-management moment for an organization. But you’re not alone. Overnight, almost every person has had to transform his or her way of working, communicating, gathering socially, and learning. Like a technological Big Bang, digital transformation just happened on a global scale.

First and foremost: You can handle this challenge! Here are some tips to begin the conversion process.

Map learning objectives to virtual instructor-led training

You need to identify what you want/need people to know/be able to do. Next, you can chunk existing content related to your objectives, bucket it into modules, and determine the most effective way to sequence it in your virtual presentation. 

Answer these questions:

  • What makes sense to be taught first?
  • What topics can be combined?
  • How many sessions do you think you’ll require to teach each module?

You will likely already have many of the learning materials needed for virtual training. Identify existing instructor-led training (ILT) content that is related to those objectives, and begin the process of curating what to keep and what can go.

Prepare the virtual presentation

When it comes to building your presentation (slide deck), enhance existing content with additional slides to reinforce, explain, and support what you are trying to teach. Remember that attention can be lost if your presentation is overly complex, wordy, and long. Keep your sessions short and to the point, your language simple and straightforward, and avoid any extraneous information.

Remember—think visually. Too much text on a slide can overwhelm your audience. 

Consider your videoconferencing needs

Conferencing tools are all different, and you should consider which one will best serve your needs. Some are robust and complex, best for large groups, while others are simple and ideal for quick one-on-ones. Some videoconferencing services may require your team to download specific software. This can add to the learning curve and setup time. 

Do you see value in recording your virtual session for later consumption? Remember that while Webex, GoToMeeting, and Zoom have recording capabilities, some others don’t. And be aware: In many cases, only the moderator has recording privileges. So if you have asked a nonparticipant to set up the meeting (say, an office administrator), he or she is going to need to be present (at least at the beginning) to start recording. Take a deep dive into the functionality of your conferencing tools to determine what works best for your team, your facilitator, and your presentation.

Here are some tools that you will find helpful in establishing virtual learning for larger groups:

  • Polls are a great way to gather information in the moment and can build engagement for a live presentation. Polls can be used to level-set, gauge where your learners are, and assess understanding.
  • Whiteboards are a great tool to enable collaboration in real time. People can share thoughts and ideas while adding elements to a communal space, helping them feel more connected to the training.
  • Chat windows or the ability to “raise your hand” to talk ensure that everyone has the opportunity to provide feedback. Even those who might be introverted and normally reticent to add their voice at an in-person gathering.
  • Breakout rooms are an excellent way to do synchronous, deeper work together that can then be brought back to the larger group. You should consider providing additional instructions to ensure people know what they’re doing. Also, a moderator or facilitator can ensure that the virtual rooms are functioning as expected and address any questions or issues that learners may have.

Manage your expectations and your time

It may take some extra time and training to ensure that your people have access to the technology and are comfortable using it. You can support your team by helping them establish a home office or workspace from which they can access training. Provide additional sessions to enable your team to get familiar with the virtual instructor-led training platform or tools you are using. Remember that not every member of your team is tech-savvy, so be patient and helpful.

A virtual meeting can require more minutes off the top than an in-person meeting. Everyone needs to get settled in and comfortable, and ready to learn. People need time to adjust to the technology and the interface, ways to comment and provide feedback, etc. Also—don’t forget to build in breaks so learners can refresh themselves.

You will need to ensure that you have a strong facilitator with an understanding of the topics being taught, the technology being used, and the best practices for facilitating a virtual program. This might entail added time to train the trainer and onboard new facilitators by helping them practice before they teach.

On a positive note

While this might seem like a daunting task, it can be a great opportunity for you to review and refresh existing training materials. This can help make the transition to virtual instructor-led training easier in the future as well as addressing any issues in the content before you return to business as usual. If you haven’t developed a virtual training session before, you’ll get a first-hand view of the efficiencies and benefits of virtual learning.

Converting ILT to virtual instructor-led training takes planning, strategy, and an optimistic approach to make it a reality. We’re here to help and offer advice. Our team has decades of experience in virtual learning and people management, both in-person and remote, with countless success stories and lessons learned. We have been extremely successful operating as a virtual company for over 10 years. Let us know if we can help you in any way.

For more guidance, we recommend that you check out this guide for a more detailed list of best practices and tips for converting ILT to virtual instructor-led training from the SweetRush Instructional Design team!

CTA Converting Instructor Led Training to Virtual Training

Are you interested in more information about converting in-person training to virtual learning? Check this out: