How Can Companies Make Virtual Training Highly Effective and Keep Learners Engaged?

The last five years have inspired big changes in how organizations communicate and interact with their employees, partners, and customers.  Virtual and remote training is now a staple for 73% of all organizations.  While most organizations offer virtual instructor-led training (VILT), only 27% of learners consider virtual training highly effective.  Poor learner engagement is the industry’s largest challenge, which begs the question, what can be done to increase learner engagement and enhance the virtual training experience? 

Strategies for successful virtual training 

There are several key strategies that ensure engaging, impactful, and successful online learning experiences. 

1. Engaging and Interactive Content

Traditional lecture-style presentations can quickly become monotonous. Great virtual training incorporates interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, live discussions, breakout rooms, and hands-on activities. These strategies keep learners engaged and help them apply what they’ve learned in real time. 

2. The Right Technology and Tools

A seamless technical experience is crucial for virtual training success. Choosing the right platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc.) with stable connectivity, screen-sharing capabilities, chat functions, break-out rooms, and recording options enhances the training experience. Additionally, incorporating tools like digital whiteboards, collaboration apps, and virtual reality simulations can make sessions more dynamic. 

According to a recent study, the two most popular virtual platforms to facilitate virtual classes are Teams and Zoom.  Learners are looking for polls, tests, and assessments within the virtual environment to keep engagement levels high and to check on learner retention.   

3. Skilled and Enthusiastic Trainers

The trainer plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of virtual training. A great trainer is not only knowledgeable but also engaging, adaptable, and skilled at using digital tools. They should encourage participation, manage time effectively, and be ready to troubleshoot technical issues to keep the session on track. 

4. Active Learner Participation

Encouraging learners to actively engage with the material leads to better outcomes. Techniques such as role-playing, case studies, and group discussions help learners internalize concepts. Trainers should always foster a safe environment for asking questions and sharing insights.  Hands on exercises also play a key part in ensuring students stay engaged and help drive home critical concepts and content. 

5. Assessments and Feedback

Regular assessments via quizzes, exercises, or group activities help gauge understanding and reinforce learning. Immediate feedback from trainers or peers ensures that learners can correct misunderstandings and improve their skills before moving forward. 

6. Real-World Application

For training to be effective, learners must see its relevance to their daily work or life. Using real-world examples, simulations, and case studies helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, making learning more meaningful and memorable and keeping students engaged in the overall experience. 

4 Best Practices for Virtual Instructor Led Training 

According to Training Magazine and an associated study and white paper, they recommend 4 best practices for the facilitation of virtual training. 

1. Know your learners and audience, offer multiple modalities, and maintain a lasting connection with your clients.  Know how your audience likes to learn and offer training based on multiple experience levels and offer classes based on the role of the learner.  Students also enjoy a blend of training offerings, including virtual, leader led, as well as self-paced offerings.
2. Keep your virtual offerings lively with hands on exercises with real world examples, offer breakout rooms with smaller student sizes with instructor guidance.
3. Set goals for your training and measure your effectiveness on a regular basis.
4. Use a purpose-built virtual classroom that allows for student engagement that allows for break-out rooms, video capability, and document sharing and other collaborative tools. 

Conclusion 

Virtual training, when done right, can be as effective as, if not more so than, in-person training. By setting clear objectives, making sessions interactive, using the right technology and instructors, engaging learners, and offering ongoing support, organizations can create impactful training experiences that drive real results.  

Ready to take Avaya classes with TrainingPros? 

TrainingPros is an award-winning training provider that has been offering training on Avaya products and services for over 20 years.   We employ very skilled, versatile, expert trainers who are true professionals, as well as experts on Avaya products and solutions.  

We strive for excellence and feedback from our students and instructors is key to our growth and success.  Learner engagement and satisfaction are the most important measures of the effectiveness of virtual training.  TrainingPros surveys all our participants and evaluates feedback to drive continuous improvement in all of our training offerings.  Our results on client satisfaction speak for themselves, with a 4.6 out of 5 customer satisfaction score.  We employ many of the above virtual training best practices in order to bring our learners the best training experience possible.  Visit us to enroll in an Avaya training class  or contact us to schedule a custom class for your company today TrainingPros Avaya Classes.