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Make Distance Learning Engaging

Many training organizations are exploring ways to move their face-to-face training sessions to a distance format using a platform such as ZOOM or Google MEET. Here at the Registry, we support that effort and want to help organizations deliver meaningful, engaging, and interactive training no matter the delivery method.
The best way to make sure your attendees are engaged and getting the most out of your training is to make the training interactive. Here are some suggestions to encourage your attendees to get involved and take an active role in their own learning experience.

• Ask for Feedback: Good trainers do frequent check-ins with the attendees to make sure they are following the presentation and understanding the materials that is presented. Select a delivery platform that allows attendees to submit feedback in several ways such as raising their hand, submitting a chat question or comment, or speaking directly. Tell attendees you encourage feedback throughout the training. In addition, build opportunities to ask for feedback into your presentation. Asking for feedback is a great way to get attendees involved and make the content of your training more applicable to them.
• Make It Social: Many people prefer face-to-face training because it provides them a chance to gather with other adults and have some social time as well as a training experience. It’s important to build social interactions into your distance training as well. Make time for sharing and commenting on the content. Use a “game” to help people engage with each other while also reviewing the training content. Spend a few minutes letting people just chat, if that seems to be something they want to do before you start your training event.
• Invite Attendees to Contribute: People like sharing what they know and resources they have found helpful. Make this part of your training event by sending attendees a couple of questions related to the training content ahead of the event and asking them to bring one example of how they have addressed the question in their own work. This helps attendees start thinking about the training content ahead of time and connects it to their real-world experiences. That makes your training more relevant to them and their work, and they are likely to have a much more powerful learning experience as a result.