How can you create interactive virtual training sessions?

There are 2 platform types: 1. Bi-directional Video & Audio Platforms: Zoom Meeting, Webex Teams, Google Meets: These engage people better with face-to-face interactions, energizing the environment. However, there are challenges with un/muting people. Most keep cameras off by default. Chatting isn't easy when using mobile, and these platforms require an app to download. 2. Uni-Directional Video & Audio Platforms like Webinarjam and Zoom Webinars. These are simple to use & facilitate engagement through features like polls, documents, offers on the same page. They're user-friendly, but they require hosts to plan and set up the event in advance by uploading content. Engaging participants on these platforms requires different techniques.

Identify Learning Goals: Determine what specific knowledge, skills, or behaviors you want participants to gain by the end of the session. Use SMART Criteria: Ensure your objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This helps make your objectives clear and actionable. Start with Action Verbs: Begin each objective with an action verb that describes what participants will be able to do. For example, "demonstrate," "solve," "analyze," "create," etc. Be Concrete: Avoid vague language and ensure that your objectives are specific and detailed. Clearly state what participants will achieve.

Things I have found helpful in this new and ever changing virtual learning arena is to have your training available in several methods of presentation. You may have several great videos planned in your lesson, but as soon as you start the first video the cell phones come out Well I may stop the video and ask the question " what do think happens next". This opens up discussion and helps the trainer understand the audience's thought process. The audience pay more attention so they may " win" the next round. Quick quizzes using QR codes and have have alternate means as some may not have a capable phone. I use " visual recaps"showing pictures of the lesson . This encourages good conversation and end training on a high note!

Nobody enjoys monotonous sessions. They disengage learners, causing them to lose focus & lose the importance of the topic becasue they hit a mental wall. Mix it up, similar to a road with varied scenery Videos with a touch of humor are effective tools to break the mental jam. "Addressing people by their names keeps them engaged. Asking them for their views will keep them in. Let people share their own experiences & ideas, this definitely keeps them engrossed. Remember to make your learners feel its all about them. The content & media should be made keeping their perspective in mind. Remember WIIFM principle. Also when using presentations make the ppt stark, less of animations and arts to prevent eye fatigue. Use bullets effectively

Remember the 3 K's by AK :-) -Keep talking to the people and not at the people. -Keep them engrossed by small tasks. -Keep asking people to key inputs in chat. instead of asking for full sentences ask them to respond by using acronyms for the expected answers. Also -Poke people by somethimes deliberately making silly mistake, this will get them to jump in to correct. it is a clever technique to get them involved. Remember Emotions play an important role, use proper storytelling skills and make the stories relatable. Always put yourself in the shoes of learner and customise your connect

Summarising it the key. End on a High Note. Have a followup action steps in place. Have people post their feedbacks in the chat at the point. Ask learners to summarise the most important take away for them. this will help you understand their mindset and your efficiancy. You can also ask the learners to record a video of theirs summarising thier learnerning and share in a group.

Based on my learning from over 500+ webinars on various platforms and 3500+ live sessions, I have found out that my learners are the best teachers for me. They help me understand my own approach and better it. The biggest lession I have learned is that for the learners it is always more about what they want to hear rather than what I have to say. Thus whatever I say has to be keeping their perspective in focus. The acceptance & output improves when they feel that their "WIIFM" is satisfied. Also always remember the "Why" , it is the key to start and build upon

A way of engaging the audience is assigning attendees with a task before the session. It helps to build the momentum and eagerness for the session. Also allowing attendees to raise questions or comments in the chat pane during the session can create active engagement.

Remember too that experiential or roleplay works just as well online, it is afterall all about the interaction. You lose a bit of body language but the essentials are there. This is why experiential training is so important - it works whatever the medium and concentrated on the fundamentals of communication.