Written by: Marie Genevieve Pawlak, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
For several reasons beyond the 2020 Pandemic, virtual training programs have become essential to professional development in the modern workplace.
Firstly, with the rise of remote work and global teams, virtual training allows organizations to provide consistent employee training regardless of location. This means that employees in different time zones or countries can receive the same training without having to travel or disrupt their work schedule.
Secondly, virtual training is often more cost-effective than in-person training. Organizations can save money on travel, accommodations, and other expenses associated with in-person training events.
However, many virtual training sessions suffer from a common problem: they are too long. The problem with virtual programs that are longer than three hours is that they're usually nothing more than a lecture-fest. It's like being stuck in a classroom with a teacher who just drones on and on while your mind wanders to thoughts of pizza and Netflix.
Think of virtual training programs like an action movie – they're great in small doses, but too much of a good thing can be overwhelming. So while it's tempting to sit through a six-hour virtual training session in hopes of absorbing all the knowledge, there are more effective approaches. It's like trying to learn how to fly a plane by reading a manual – it might work for some people, but most of us need a little more hands-on practice.
Research has shown that people's attention spans tend to decline after about 90 minutes of continuous activity. This means that virtual training programs that are longer than this are likely to be less effective, as participants will start to tune out and lose focus. It's no secret that attention spans wane over extended periods of time, making lengthy virtual training programs about as productive as a coffee break on the moon. Additionally, absorbing and retaining new information is difficult when the brain is overloaded with too much content.
For this reason, virtual training sessions should ideally be limited to no more than three and a half hours. This allows participants to remain engaged and focused without overwhelming them with too much content. However, it's important to note that the length of the training session is not the only factor that affects learning outcomes.
Let's talk about presentation style.
The Lecturer – A training session with a Lecturer is like a bad first date – one person does all the talking, and the other person spends the whole time wondering when it will end. While lectures have their place in certain types of training, they are not the most effective way to engage participants in a virtual setting.
The Comedian – A training session with a comedian as the presenter would be like a night out at a comedy club. Not only would you learn something new, but you'd also be entertained along the way. But be careful; it might feel like a hangover the next day because when you get back to work, you don't always know how to apply what you learned.
The Facilitator – A facilitator is like a traffic cop, directing the flow of conversation and keeping everyone on track. In a virtual training setting, a facilitator can help ensure everyone is engaged and the session stays on topic.
The Storyteller – A presenter skilled at storytelling can make even the driest topic come alive. By weaving in personal anecdotes and real-world examples, a storyteller can help participants connect with the material in a meaningful way.
The Coach – A coach is like a personal trainer for your brain. In virtual training, a coach can provide one-on-one feedback and help participants apply what they've learned to their work environment.
By incorporating different presenter styles, virtual training sessions can be more engaging and effective, leading to better participant learning outcomes. Quick pro tip: Remember, don't rely solely on one style; virtual training sessions should include all styles and engaging activities that allow participants to practice their new skills.
Speaking of engaging activities, let's talk about activities.
We need to embrace a more interactive approach to make virtual training programs or sessions more engaging and effective. Think of it like a choose-your-own-adventure book – you get to decide how the story unfolds. By incorporating activities and practice time into virtual training, participants can actively engage with the material and see how it applies to their own work.
One practical approach is to break up the training session into smaller chunks, with frequent breaks and opportunities for participants to practice what they have learned. This could include group discussions, aka break-out rooms, case studies, interactive quizzes, role-playing exercises, games, or other types of active learning tools; by incorporating these elements into the training session, participants are more likely to retain what they have learned and be able to apply it in their work.
At the end of the day, virtual training sessions shouldn't feel like a chore – they should be a fun and rewarding way to learn new skills. So let's ditch the all-day marathons and boring lectures to cram in as much as possible in "a short amount of time" and embrace a more retention-driving approach. Virtual training sessions can be more engaging and effective, leading to better learning outcomes for participants if you make it more about the participants. Virtual training should be like a good action movie – exciting, fast-paced, and with just the right amount of explosions. So let's ditch the six-hour snoozefests and embrace a more dynamic approach.
Marie Genevieve Pawlak, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Marie Genevieve Pawlak is the founder of Prime Alchemy, a leading expert in game-based learning and organizational health, which provides people with the tools they need to find value and purpose in their work. The Prime Alchemy team works to develop programs that really engage people. Through play. Game-based programs use your own tasks and projects, so you never get behind schedule. Marie believes in organizational health as a way to build a better workplace. Healthy organizations outperform their competitors, are free of politics, have higher transparency, and encourage star performers to stay. Prime Alchemy is a division of Planning101 Group Corp.
