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May 27, 2020

5 common vILT mistakes (and

how to avoid them)
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Instructor-led training (ILT) is a direct mode of training conducted

by the instructor for learners.  It is similar to a traditional
classroom, often involving a group of learners but sometimes one- Subscribe to Our Blog

on-one. An instructor is an expert on the topic of training. This

medium of instruction allows learners the opportunity to engage
and interact with the instructor and peers and is therefore Email
advantageous.

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However, this gold standard of training has become difficult to
continue in these current circumstances, in light of the COVID-19
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pandemic. A transition to Virtual classrooms has become
necessary. This blog covers 5 common mistakes and how to avoid
them while moving from ILT to vILT.

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Table of Contents
 1. Not establishing training goals
2. Training content is neither engaging nor interactive
3. How to keep virtual training engaging and interactive
4. Tips for Virtual Classroom Instructors
5. How to avoid cognitive overload

Not establishing training goals

Establishing training goals is an important facet of any training
program, whether ILT or vILT, or blended. Training goals ensure that
content and delivery do not lose sight of the purpose of instruction.
Break down training goals to fit short learning sessions or small
learning activities. The brevity of content in this way is a form of
microlearning, which has been showing to lead to better learning
outcomes (Boring, C., 2020. Microlearning: An Andragogical Case
Study on Knowledge Retention, Learner Satisfaction, and Behavior
Change). More on this in Tip #4, below. It is also important to note
that training goals should not only focus on the needs of the
enterprise but how the learners can benefit from engaging with
the training. Clear training goals also allows the learner to
understand what the performance expectations are, post-training. Subscribe to Our Blog

ALSO READ :   Key eLearning Trends for 2019

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Training content is neither engaging nor Name

interactive
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In a traditional classroom setting, even a bland session with a
progression of visually unappealing slides still forces participants
to remain seated and present. This is because they are a captive
audience and have little choice. However, in a virtual environment, The eLearning Show with Origin
it is easier and more tempting to “zone-out” or disengage with the Learning
session and check emails or avail a million other distractions. This
makes it all the more important for the highest attention to be paid
to audience engagement.

How to keep virtual training engaging and

interactive
Do not let the learners fatigue. As you would in a traditional
classroom setting, build in a break every 45–60 minutes. Keep
 every session no longer than 90 minutes
Add multimedia elements: attractive video and audio clips,
infographics, animations, mini-games, and objective polling
questions.
Utilize online platforms to foster a collaborative environment —
facilitators have various options for breaking a large group into
several smaller ones to work on activities, brainstorm, etc.
Encourage participants to communicate and collaborate within
these smaller groups. Brainstorming sessions to solve problems
can also help to foster a creative and collaborative environment
Use a community space on social media — Pre-class activities
such as reading, questionnaires, and expectation-setting. Post-
class exercises and quizzes to keep participants thinking about
the training.

Pro-tip: To keep learners engaged and satisfied with the

training, they should be allowed to use their newly learned
skills as soon as possible in a rewarding environment.

Not managing the training session effectively: the instructor-

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moderator paradigm

The Instructor: Virtual Instructor-Led training is the closest

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equivalent of traditional classrooms in the digital world. Despite
this, the primary challenge arises when instructors cannot see
learners’ faces, pay attention to non-verbal cues, and understand Name
levels of engagement from participants. Instructors can work
better if trained to adapt to a virtual environment. Subscribe Now

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Tips for Virtual Classroom Instructors

At the beginning of the event, request that participants turn off
their phones
Familiarize yourself with the content as well as tools of
engagement including the web conferencing software
Speak clearly and at a medium pace
Keep an eye on the session chat, video feed for questions and
comments. If you see some learners aren’t keeping up, this will
 ensure you don’t move on too quickly
Camera awareness: Check ahead and tune how you appear on
the video feed. Lighting may be inadequate, or if you are too
close to the camera, your hand gestures may not be visible to
the audience.

Pro-Tip: When handling a large group of participants, a

moderator may prove beneficial to conduct an effective
session. A sole instructor, while primarily focuses on delivering
the content, can get overwhelmed with a large audience when
he/she has to scan the chat, keeping track of questions, while
dealing with the tools and technology of the virtual training
event.

Cognitive Overload

Effective instructional design must adhere to the principles of

cognitive psychology — the scientific study of mental processes
such as “attention, language use, memory, perception, problem-
solving, creativity, and thinking”. The fundamental tenet here is
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that the quality of instructional design will be greater if
consideration is given to the role, and limitations, of working
memory. Cramming too much content and aiming to achieve too
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many training goals in a short period can lead to poor uptake.

How to avoid cognitive overload Name

Distribute content and learning goals between sessions Subscribe Now

Adopt a blended learning approach, where reading material is
provided to participants before and after a training session and
discussed during a session
Make microlearning modules available to learners so they can The eLearning Show with Origin
engage with supplementary content outside the virtual Learning
classroom sessions.

Failing to implement assessments/gather feedback from

participants

ALSO READ :   Integrating Game Thinking in eLearning Design

Gathering information from participants is critical to sound Virtual
Instructor-Led training. It allows the instructor to understand the
needs and level of training required for participants and model
their content and delivery accordingly. There are three types of
assessing the audience that can be beneficial:

Pre-training Assessment: This ensures the participants have

the prerequisite knowledge for a training session. It may be
necessary to prescribe a foundation course to some
participants.
Post-training Assessment: This ensures the learning objectives
are achieved and learners have understood key concepts and
skills.
Participant Surveys: This allows facilitators to find out what
challenges the participants face during the session. It may be
related to content, delivery or tools, and technology.

These are the 5 common vILT mistakes and the ways to avoid
them. If you are looking for an effective transition from traditional
classroom-based training to virtual learning, following these tips
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will help you make a smooth transition. Let us know what you
think in the comments section below. You can also write to us at
info@originlearning.com
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