Photo by: theeraphon via Canva
Virtual training is more effective and fun if it’s interactive. Many of us might wish our platform had more bells and whistles. But, as I’ve often heard others say, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit!”
With that in mind, do a quick audit of the platform used in your organization. Find out what tools you have and how the engagement features align with what you’re looking for. For example, does the platform have breakout rooms, file distribution, application sharing, or feedback/status icons to name just a few?
If you find your platform’s tools are limited, it’s still possible to adapt an interaction to create optimal engagement. For example, if you don’t have access to polls, use status icons to vote, or design a slide that allows your participants to vote right on the screen by adding a symbol. There are also several interactive polling web applications that can be integrated into your training sessions in real-time. Poll Everywhere, Mentimeter, and Aha Slides are a few of my favorites!
What if you don’t have a backstage area to communicate with your co-facilitator or producer, or a way to prepare the next interaction? You can use private chat or another communication tool as a back channel. For intricate interactions, design your training to allow time to make changes during a break or other built-in pause.
Don’t let your platform’s lack of tools keep you from rolling out an interactive training session. Use your creativity to leverage the tools you DO have, and you’ll maximize your participants’ engagement!
What tricks have you used to leverage the tools in your virtual platform to increase learner engagement?
If you’re looking to take your virtual classroom courses to the next level, join us for the Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom workshop!
