In a typical training course, learners spend significant amounts of time completing skill-based activities and exercises. During those exercises, or upon completion of them, each learner should receive feedback on their performance. In a traditional instructor-led course, the feedback process is fairly straight-forward. In virtual training, however, the process of giving and receiving quality feedback might pose a few challenges.
Having delivered virtual training for a few years, I’ve identified three challenges to providing feedback in the virtual classroom. Keep reading for some effective workarounds.
Challenge: Delivering personalized feedback
One-on-one or small group communication can be a bit more challenging in the virtual classroom. In most cases, the communication is openly broadcast to the entire group of learners. This could pose a challenge when attempting to deliver personalized feedback to an individual or small group.
Fortunately, most platforms have tools like private chat and breakout rooms. To keep the feedback personalized, have a private chat conversation with individual learners. Or, if you must give feedback to multiple groups, try using the breakout room function where only the members of each group are present.
As another option, divide the whiteboard into sections for each small group, or give multiple chat pods a try. I find these techniques also work well when you want your learners to deliver constructive feedback to each other.
Challenge: Encouraging trainees to provide constructive feedback
In both the traditional and virtual classroom setting, the most logical person to deliver feedback is the instructor. While this feedback approach does indeed work, it’s also a good idea to have variety. One option involves the learners giving feedback to each other—peer-to-peer feedback.
As with any training activity, this peer feedback approach must be set up and positioned the right way to be effective. In the virtual environment, the learners may be a bit shy because they’ve never seen or met their peers on the other end of the audio line. Or, some learners may feel they don’t have the appropriate skillset to give quality feedback.
Thankfully, there are workarounds to these issues. As virtual trainers, we should always be building rapport with our learners, both early on and continuously. The incorporation of icebreakers within your virtual course is a good way to do this. An icebreaker allows learners to get more comfortable with each other, increasing their comfort level delivering peer-to-peer feedback.
To remedy the perception of not having the appropriate skillset, always provide your learners with a performance checklist before they are tasked with offering feedback to their peers. This checklist can be part of their electronic manual or downloaded via the file share tool which is typically available on most virtual platforms. A well-designed checklist should provide a specific list of things to do, as well as a list of things to avoid, when delivering effective feedback.
Lastly, you should encourage peer feedback in a group setting within the virtual classroom. Facilitating the peer-to-peer feedback in this manner allows the trainer to oversee the process and provide additional feedback if necessary.
Challenge: Delivering carefully planned feedback
The way in which feedback is delivered in the virtual classroom requires more planning compared to the traditional classroom. The approach depends largely on both your timing constraints and the tools that will be used.
To address this particular challenge, you need to be proactive about how the feedback will be delivered, consider what tools will be required, and prepare effective supplemental materials well ahead of time (if they will be used).
Let’s say you are using a whiteboard for feedback purposes, and that whiteboard will be divided into sections. It’s a good best practice to prepare a slide beforehand so it can be displayed on the whiteboard. Or, if you plan to use multiple chat pods for peer feedback, it’s helpful to create a separate layout ahead of time that contains the number of chat pods required. Likewise, if a performance checklist is required for feedback purposes, it needs to be prepared in advance and included in the participant materials or loaded into a file share pod so it can be distributed to the learners when needed.
Time constraints in the virtual classroom often limit the spontaneous feedback that occurs more easily in the traditional classroom. To help with this, always provide a list of specific questions or criteria so the people providing feedback know exactly what they should be assessing. This list should be prepared in advance, complete with clear instructions and time limits given for each feedback opportunity.
Despite these few challenges, it is indeed possible to give and receive quality feedback in the virtual classroom. Just be sure to account for a few considerations like careful planning and maximizing the use of the tools within your virtual platform. When these things are considered, the feedback approach will be successful.
What challenges have you faced when providing feedback in the virtual classroom? What have you done to overcome those challenges?
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224 Responses to “Overcoming 3 Challenges to Providing Feedback in the Virtual Classroom”
This blog had great points and taking the Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom course has a opened up my eyes to the possibility of having a successful virtual classroom.
I think providing personalized feedback is of the utmost importance in a skills-based training, however, I really like the idea of using peer to peer feedback with a checklist. This is very helpful and something I will incorporate in my upcoming virtual training.
Thank you for the insights!
Feedback is a tricky thing to provide in a virtual environment. It does lose some of the personal touch when you aren’t able to assess body language as part of the delivery. That being said, arranging for peer-to-peer feedback is just as important if there is a performance-based application that is the outcome. They should hear the strengths and areas of improvement from those working in the same field. They should also get written or verbal feedback from the facilitator to drive home the takeaway.
Great blog on ways to keep it interesting in the virtual landscape we have all grown accustomed to. I can see us using some of these take-aways in our coaching training.
Great article!
As we move more and more into virtual delivery in our workplace, it’s great to have these guidelines to help us ensure the transition still offers an engaging, rewarding experience. I’m enjoying learning about the various ways I can work ahead (the layouts, the interactivity, etc.) to set the virtual classroom up for success.
Excellent – love all the tips and tricks to existing challenges.
The value of feedback cannot be underestimated. One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced is always remembering to provide feedback in a positive and constructive manner, so that the outcome is actionable.
Thought provoking article! The information in regard to having a performance checklist for peers to give effective feedback is a great idea for virtual and instructor led classroom settings.
I love this class! Understanding how quality feedback can be delivered in a virtual classroom is so valuable!
I love the idea of providing at checklist of items for the participants to use for feedback guidelines. It could be used in both the VC and the ILT.
Inviting learners in my classrooms to give peer feedback feels like an extremely risky prospect because I can’t control the content for accuracy or appropriateness. As a result, I usually just ignore it as a possible method. It’s really good hearing that with preparation and structure, the risks can be mitigated. That’s important because it allows us to impact learners in a novel way that’s not typically employed in online classrooms.
Nice ideas for transitioning to a more virtual world
What I learned from this blog is that careful preparation and how feedback is delivered are just as important as the message itself.
Great read!
Great read on the ways to improve feedback in the virtual classroom.
Very interesting. I’ve noticed in my last several online classes that my peers are very open to share positive feedback with each other, but haven’t seen any constructive criticism. Ensuring camadrie develops through icebreakers and activities could definitely raise the comfort level of the class to provide more constructive feedback. Having a standard resource or checklist is also a great idea. It may raise the confidence of the person providing the feedback, as they have a justification to point to. It can also help the receiver, as they can clearly see the feedback justified in the materials, causing them to trust it more and feeling less instinctively attacked.
Thanks for the tips.
I like the idea of providing a structured checklist for peer to peer feedback. This provides very targeted thing for peers to look for and they can easily say to their fellow peer if they did or did not hit all the marks. It provides a safer environment for the feedback, all parties know what to expect.
These are all great workarounds to use in the virtual classroom! Two items that I take away from this blog is to prepare as soon as possible and providing that checklist to your learners so that everyone has that opportunity to provide feedback.
Great article! The key take-away for me is planning and allowing more time to thoughtfully plan out feedback opportunities. Thank you!
Great information! Planning ahead and knowing your platform, and it’s limitations, are key.
I really like the idea of a feedback checklist.
This blog taught me the importance of providing feedback in the virtual classroom. By maximizing the tools at my disposal within my platform I will be able to give and receive quality feedback. Preparation and providing a checklist will be at the top of my mind. Great tips!
I had not considered the challenges of feedback in an online learning environment. I will be sure to plan ahead using the tools available in our platform. Thanks for the tips.
Great ideas on how to incorporate feedback within the virtual sessions instead of afterwards via email.
It is important to build that rapport with your attendees early on in the training to make them feel comfortable when you are asking them to give feedback or leave feedback. It seems like there are many challenges we as trainers face dealing with feedback that I have never really thought about before. Good read and thank you for the helpful insight.
Excellent tools! I’m planning ways to implement the tools when I begin virtual training.
I appreciate the tips Jeff provides. Very useful in the virtual environment. I wonder his perspective on mindset and tips on how to set learners up for success by offering tips on how to maintain an open, curious, and coach-able mindset when reacting to feedback in a virtual learning environment?
Providing feedback can often encourage participants to continue being fully engaged in the training.
I want to learn more tips on how to leverage the tools in our virtual platform (which is WebEx or Microsoft Teams) especially since each platform is different with their respective pluses and minuses.
Paul, WebEx Training Center has a number of tools you can utilize to get your participants interacting. My favorite is the Name Arrow Tool which is part of the annotation tools. Participants can claim some space on the slide or whiteboard and share their ideas using the text tool. WebEx also has a powerful polling option. You can even ask 2-part questions and access the data on the back end. In addition to using the chat feature, you can utilize the feedback icons to get quick input from all learners. I haven’t used Teams for training, but once you get to know the platform, you can get creative with the tools you have available.
There are 2 keys to effectively using the tools in whatever platform you’re using. First, show the participants how to use them and let them get a bit of practice. Then, during the session, always let them know how you want them to respond…chat, feedback icons, annotation tools, etc. This will set them up for success and they will be more likely to respond and interact. I hope these tips will get you started!
Introducing icebreakers to the training and workshop sessions seems to be one of the best ways to keep the group engaged from the beginning. Thanks for the ideas!
This blog helped me to consider even giving the audience an opportunity to provide feedback during the session. Great information.
I like the idea of providing a checklist to participants to guide constructive feedback. Good tip.
This blog gave me a lot to think about. Up to now, the feedback in my virtual training session was limited and not personalized at all. So, now I’ll have to plan these feedback opportunities into my training and make sure I leave enough time to incorporate them in the session. Thanks for the info!
This was an interesting article. I think it’s important to build rapport from the beginning so everyone feels more comfortable with each other. I think stressing the importance of positive feedback is also valuable or attendees could get defensive or discouraged. There’s always a way to offer feedback without putting someone down. Offering an alternative way to do something can be helpful. Having a checklist is a good way to stay on topic.
Providing a performance checklist resonates with me because sometimes those newer or experienced in the role are afraid to look silly or make a mistake. The checklist provides a guide to help them not only use it to provide constructive feedback, but as a resource to ask questions about the expected performance. It helps facilitate conversation which develops into a deeper connection to the content.
We are struggling incorporating feedback into our programs and have been brainstorming ideas. The peer-to-peer feedback is a great idea that I will be bringing back. Thank you.
great points in this article. Definitely gives me a lot to think about. Traditionally speaking we have done so many virtual lectures the ONLY feedback we even get is if they have questions. This will be changing now.
This was a great article with some outstanding points as to how to work training in even with the challenges technology can pose. Feedback is an important part of the learning process and we cannot simply set it aside when teaching virtually.
This was great, full of information I can use during our virtual trainings. Generating a performance checklist in advance can really help peer-to-peer feedback, which is something I would love to incorporate going forward.
These are great ideas and techniques for eliciting feedback in the virtual classroom. I particularly like the performance checklists.
Providing meaningful feedback in virtual training has been a concern for me coming from an ILT background. Such as giving feedback to every learner, as required, when time is limited. Peer-to-peer feedback not only delivers individual feedback, it permits all learners to be actively involved and engaged in the process, and also helps with time efficiency. By selecting the feedback approaches to use in the design phase, and preparing required materials (checklists, slides, instructions, etc.) in advance to pair with selected platform tools; providing effective feedback is now less of a concern for me.
I’ve seen mixed effects when it comes to peer feedback in virtual environments. In some cases, the factor of anonymity has helped people be more honest. In others, I feel like the less personable feel of the virtual environment makes some people less likely to interact in this way. This article provides some very helpful and actionable ideas, especially the performance checklist! I believe learners would be more comfortable sharing feedback with their peers if they had an objective list of standards or performance expectations they could base their judgments on.
Very insightful look at how to get the learners more involved in the Feedback Process. Until now, I have monopolized this part of my sessions but will make the effort to get the learners more involved, especially in sessions where we are dealing with experienced team members
For a novice virtual trainer, the article is a great source of suggestions and tips. Looking forward to implementing these ideas as I move along with virtual training.
My client will be pleasantly surprised to see the multiple options that can be use to facilitate feedback. We are use to the traditional classroom and using the different tools available in virtual training will be a fresh experience for our audience.
I appreciate the advice to focus on planning to ensure effective participation and feedback. I think the performance checklist is the ideal tool to encourage both. The Tips for Success drills down to practical applications. Thank you.
Great article providing insightful ideas and various approaches when facilitating a virtual classroom
This article provides some good techniques for providing feedback from an instructor to a participant during a live/synchronous event. I’d assume that we could also provide this via email or on an online asynchronous platform, which could be more private.
For facilitating peer feedback, I’ve had success structuring it with 4 questions to provide feedback safely and constructively:
1.To the participant: What did you like about your work / presentation /project / etc.? Time to brag about what worked well.
2. To the peers: What did you like about her/his work / presentation /project / etc.? Time to lavish praise. To stay positive, phrase your comment as “I liked…”
3. To the participant: What would you do differently another time if you could? They should phrase their answers in the positive / future, not as a defense of what they did.
4. To the peers: What might they do differently next time to improve? Frame your responses as suggestions (“How about….”) and focus on constructive ideas to improve, not on the problem.
Not everyone needs to provide peer comments each time, but they are encouraged to use the specific language of “I liked….” and “How about…” to keep things on track.
Interesting read! The performance checklist is an interesting idea and I would be keen to see some more examples of what that could look like. I’d also love to see more about how people prefer to give/receive peer-to-peer feedback. In in-person classrooms, I’ve seen a mix of methods that can allow for anonymous or direct feedback, which I imagine could be done fairly easily in an online setting too!
Great suggestions around providing guidance and coaching to the participants on how to provide quality peer-to-peer feedback. Also an important reminder that providing feedback requires more planning and structure in a virtual environment vs. a traditional classroom.
Very insightful blog. It is important to cater to all individuals especially when it comes to learning in the virtual environment. Although it may seem impersonal, instructors also have to adapt to their learners and provide the appropriate channel of feedback. The checklists are a great idea to keep the organization’s culture on target, which will produce centralized results.
Great article, I will definitely be referring back to it when I start designing my virtual classes!
Liked the workarounds. I’m actually curious if we see ppl being braver with critical feedback in the virtual environment when they are allowed to provide it anonymously.
I really liked this article. Feedback in any training whether virtual or in person is vital. Like most things with training, timing and execution of that feedback is of the utmost importance.
Great article. The tip for the list of questions to solicit peer to peer feedback is a great idea. I also liked learning that peer to peer feedback can be more effective then instructor to peer feedback. I will need to add more of that in my training.
This blog article was very helpful by providing suggestions to help make feedback more personal, private, and structured for online learners. Many times feedback is skipped when running short of time, but if you plan it into the overall course structure and make room for it throughout the course, the learner receives a more valuable training experience. Great ideas, will definitely take these back to my organization.
Great tips for using the virtual classroom tools to create a safe environment that provides learners timely and constructive feedback.
I really enjoyed reading about how to deliver personalized feedback in the virtual environment. This will help to make sure individual questions are addressed and any misunderstanding are recognized quickly and effectively. This will prevent individuals from “checking out” when they feel their concerns or voices are not heard.
I do a lot of training and this article has really validated some of the adjustments I have made transitioning in-person training material to virtual training material. It’s nice to know I am on the right path for providing an optimal virtual training environment.
As with all else in virtual trainings and elearnings, a feedback interaction has to be carefully planned ahead of time. The bonus is that by creating a checklist or job aid for this activity, it can also be used later for self-assessments of the target skill on-the-job.
Presently, I do not deliver virtual Training Sessions, but I have found the “Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom” to be a very eye-opening course. Regarding the Blog, “Overcoming the 3 Challenges of Providing Feedback”, the Personal Chats and Breakout seemed to be the most logical means of delivering personal feedback (Facilitator to Participant). The Peer-to-Peer Feedback option, personally, struck me as a ‘Wow Moment’, particularly because the chances of the participants knowing each other is slim and that could make delivering feedback to a “stranger” a bit uncomfortable. But the explanation and example on how to provide this peer-to-peer feedback was a seemingly very strong suggestion and very doable.
The groups I train are generally employees from the same group, so the peer feedback tool will be a great asset in those instances when I have a group with pre-existing relationships. As far as delivering one on one (trainer-trainee) feedback, especially in groups that are not already familiar with eachother, I think opening a line through private chat will be helpful to both the trainee and myself, in that it would offer me insight into things I should focus on more. It’s easy to gloss over things when you are familiar with them (aka when you give the same class twice a week), and generally in an IRL classroom, you can read the room to see who is or isn’t following along, but in the virtual classroom, it becomes more difficult. Providing that direct channel may encourage people who are not inclined to speak up in the broader classroom to raise issues directly to me. The tools outlined in this class (and this article) will be a great asset to ensure I’m making the feedback as accessible as possible to everyone, while respecting their comfort level.
Fundamentally virtual classrooms present new challenges however our in-class lessons have also taught us to adapt and execute for better outcomes.
Quality feedback no matter the platform and I agree slightly more challenging in the virtual world or reality we currently live in, still requires us to be in continuous rapport.
If you think about the very definition of Rapport (Merriam-Webster)
: a friendly, harmonious relationship
especially : a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding or empathy that makes communication possible or easy
A good understanding of someone and the ability to communicate well with them.
What we do know is that Rapport is by being; sincere, honest, genuine, curious, and interested a good rapport through all the tools required for the following;
1. Delivering personalized Feedback in one-on-one environments can be challenging however private chats (private chat tool) and for groups (breakouts) is a way to help deliver personalized feedback.
2. Encouraging trainees constructive Feedback works and is most logical for both Virtual & In-Class to deliver back to the facilitator. However in the Virtual environment it can be challenging to have inclusivity mostly because they don’t know or possibly have not built rapport within their new environment. Performance checklist is a great suggestion prior to offering feedback however this is great in a group setting.
3. The way in which we deliver Feedback is important and I agree; does require more planning than a traditional environment. Challenges with time and possibly tools (maximize effectiveness) can be the difference in quality feedback in the virtual classroom.
Great article on breaking down the challenges and then let’s not assume we have simply built rapport from the start but keep it continuous using engagement methodologies. If we produce and encourage simultaneous interaction utilizing a combination of active and passive tools to encourage engagement through physical and cognitive engagement we can provide a virtual platform to establish and build on rapport for the learners and facilitators to overcome challenges and to deliver maximized engagement in the Virtual Classroom.
This Article is very interesting and it brought out some important facts that will help me prepare for my future trainings. In addition, the techniques discussed are ones to consider for future trainings.
Definitely agree that feedback needs to be intentional, constructive, and personal. It is true that as we are more reliant on virtual learning that hitting these three points can be challenging. I appreciate the suggestions in this article to use your tools to your advantage especially using private chat to keep things personal. This is something I will be leaning into more.
This a fantastic blog. My main takeaway from this is the importance of planning feedback and deciding what tools will help deliver the feedback. In the past, my challenge has been time constraints and encouraging other learners to provide peer-to-peer feedback. To overcome those challenges, I’m going to intentionally plan how feedback, particularly peer-to-peer feedback, should look in the virtual classroom within the time constraints of the exercise. Developing a checklist will be key. What will also be key is playing around in the platform before hand to determine if multiple chat pods can be used simultaneously and privately as a tool for feedback.
Great point about needing extra time to prepare virtual feedback materials so that they are ready to go during the class. I think providing learners with a checklist of things to look for when delivering feedback helps learners feel confident giving feedback as well as focus the discussion.
Something I plan to incorporate in my upcoming virtual trainings is using the peer to peer feedback with a checklist. I had never thought of this idea, but feel as if it could really be an asset to my training sessions.
Good blog and I particularly liked the suggestions offered by Dwayne Hodgson to provide feedback safely and constructively.
Feedback is so important for successful learning and this article gives great ideas to capture the feedback as well as provide feedback. This is a great course that I am learning a lot in and look forward to building my first virtual training with the tools I have learned. Steve and Kandace have been great to learn from.
Interesting blog – I’m looking forward to using some of these suggestions in upcoming classes!
Great read. I enjoyed the last section about the “carefully planned feedback.” As an instructor I think it is always good for the classes to be planned out, especially in a VC setting.
Peer review is something we have been working to implement in our trainings. Definitely has to be well planned out with a document (checklist) indicating what needs to be verified. One of the biggest challenges I have been faced with is lack of knowledge (as they are all new to the process being taught) to be able to provide valid feedback (skillset). In my experience it still requires review by the facilitator or subject matter expert (SME) to ensure proper feedback was provided. This poses large time restraints.
Giving and receiving feedback, are such important topics. I appreciate the suggestion regarding structuring the peer/peer feedback using a questionnaire. Constructive feedback can be hard to deliver and perceived as a negative by some. When engaging peers in the feedback process a structured approach sets defined parameters/creates a safety buffer. In addition, some adult learners can lack confidence, or have genuine concerns regarding returning to class virtually or in person. Therefore, it is so important to give feedback, immediately informally and frequently and provide positive reinforcement. Regardless of the feedback method the aim is to build confidence in the learner and inspire them to be successful, as well as embrace the changes/challenges of continuing education and development.
Great summary for providing constructive feedback. It can be very difficult to do this and it is truly an art. Constructive feedback requires practice and self reflection on the part of the person providing the feedback as well. Thanks for the article.
very interactive training session
Thanks for great tips. Another potential option could be to link the virtual, synchronous with asynchronous activities where further options are available for personalized feedback. Thanks!
Interesting article. Good ideas on providing and receiving constructive feedback within a virtual classroom.
As is with all activities used in a virtual classroom, this article underscores the necessity for planning every detail to facilitate feedback given to participants whether it be from the facilitator or from peers. This planning includes extra attention to build in activities fostering trust and rapport given the absence of the physical classroom setting.
As it is the case often with training… Preparation is the key! Set up the layouts/whiteboards ahead of time, and the timing of when to do it is especially important.
Good read – it highlighted the need for preparation, knowing your tools, and obtaining the desired results from your participants by answering questions and providing feedback. Good ideas on how to proceed.
Giving and receiving feedback is definitely important. When the course is built around behavioural and attitudinal outcomes, I find it even more important, but I don’t think using checklists or Q&As works well. Having the conversation is in my opinion more relevant. In the virtual setting, what other tools could be used that would allow for personalized feedback, how about with large audiences.
Good blog with great ideas. As mentioned by many, the key to success is preparation. I also like the idea of peer-to-peer feedback, which I will try during my next sessions.
Good article and underscores an important point. Providing personalised feedback can be time consuming, so the peer-to-peer idea, when carefully planned and appropriate, is interesting.
I like the idea of using a whiteboard divided into sections (and prepared beforehand) so other learners can give feedback to each group. I’m definitely going to incorporate that!
Great points in this article. I teach one-on-one or with small group. When I provide feedback, I have mental notes that I want to provide pointed feedback on. When I have the learner’s provide feedback, I provide a guide for them to give constructive feedback and not subjective feedback. I now want to apply this into the virtual classroon the way I apply it in the “live” classroom.
Very informative blog with some great tips. I’ve not had the opportunity to provide much virtual feedback but feel that this article will assist me with how to overcome challenges of providing feedback in a virtual classroom. I like the idea of incorporating an ice breaker to create a comfort level for peer-to-peer feedback. The checklist is a great idea to ensure consistency and ensure that the learner knows what the expectations are regarding the training. I think the private chat when delivering personalized feedback would be my preferred method of delivery.
Excellent ideas on the use of feedback. Finding creative ways of delivering positive reinforcement is often an issue, especially in larger group settings. These are some great ideas for personalizing and mixing up the methods to deliver valuable feedback.
Great tips. Relatively new to preparing/delivering virtual sessions but think this will be useful in the design and preparation.
I’ve enjoyed the use of a whiteboard with different sections in the course we are currently taking. I plan to use the whiteboard in WebEx more often. Some of our producers prepare a template that they can cut and paste onto the whiteboard during virtual retirement sessions and this has worked out well for them. They can also save the whiteboard and provide farewell comments to retirees. I frequently partner participants so they can give peer feedback in breakout sessions. I teach leadership development classes and the participants are already comfortable with one another so they are quick to provide feedback to each other.
Lots of practical information! Creating checklists, learning support tools and better planning are essential to creating an effective engagement and feedback strategy. I am going to take a few and adapt them for some online workshops I am planning.
Great Article with uses for feedback. I will work on incorporating these for my next delivery. Thank you.
This is a good article. The author raises some very good points and provides helpful, concise workarounds. My takeaway is on point 2: incorporating peer-to-peer feedback. I think it’s one of the most under-addressed areas in online learning. The suggestion to equip participants with job aids to support them in doing this constructively is well thought out. I like how it ties into the importance of ice breakers to build community and a nous esprit from the outset.
This article was interesting because I always use feedback during virtual training sessions but had never thought of using Peer to Peer feedback. I do most of my training with learners around the world, so I would have to really think about how to approach it, to make sure they all participate and that it is a good experience, taking into consideration the different cultures.
Overcoming 3 Challenges to Providing Feedback in the Virtual Classroom;
This article is very interesting and it made me aware that I should work on peer feedback during the next training session. I would like to create a formal feedback checklist as we usually go for the informal one.
What a valuable consideration and suggestions. Learning so much through this training!
I like the idea of a checklist for feedback
Great content about facilitating feedback in the virtual classroom. The blog highlights some challenges when compared to in person learning, but there are possibilities for more dynamic in virtual space as well.
I like the suggestion for providing a checklist for participants when doing a peer-to-peer feedback exercise. I plan to incorporate this into a course I offer. Thanks!
I love this. I enjoy reading how others respond and learn in the virtual classroom. It works for me and in-person is rich, too. I appreciate both!
Big fan of checklists. We’ve done these when having role plays in some trainings
This was a very useful article! I really enjoyed the different options given for giving feedback.
Feedback is a necessity to improve and keep training programs in a state of evolution. Unfortunately, in a virtual classroom, it can be easy to forget or omit this very essential component of the training cycle.
Great tips for feedback in the virtual classroom! Thanks!
I love that this article identifies 3 common challenges to providing feedback and provides creative solutions that incorporate active tools (chat, breakout rooms) and interaction among participants. It highlights that with careful planning, providing a checklist and simple activities such as an icebreaker to build rapport, peer-to-peer feedback can be successful. I will definitely include the suggested options in my training moving forward.
This article definitely has good points about feedback. I like the idea of peer-to-peer as that interaction is necessary in the virtual classroom.
Excellent blog! I found it very helpful, especially being new to the world of design. Having more options to effectively deliver feedback is extremely valuable.
Great suggestions. I was part of a Toastmasters International group for a while and evaluation by peers was an important part. We had checklists to help us evaluate other participants’ speeches and then we had to present that information.
Feedback is absolutely essential in closing the learning loop. It can be challenging to ensure you have meaningful encounter from all parties. When delivering in a virtual classroom you will have to design your feedback or facilitate the interaction using various techniques. Those listed in the blog are a great start and I feel that I will build upon these foundations to meet the needs of attendees in future sessions. Thank you.
Great read!! Feedback is so important for continuous improvement. Loved the creative solutions that help to adapt to the new virtual training world. These guidelines with definitely aid in the transition from in-person to online. Thanks.
Given that I mostly do skill-based training, receiving proper feedback from the learners is crucial. As an instructor I need reassurance that the learners are understanding the material and are able to perform on the job once training is complete.
Love the suggestions and examples in this post. Underlines for me the importance of feedback in virtual classrooms, the same as in traditional ones. I will be adding time in my planning, designing and developing VT to include methods for personalized feedback. Thank you for the amazing tips!
We used to incorporate peer-to-peer feedback in our classroom training, but I thought it more difficult to do it in a virtual environment. This article gave me an important tip: to provide a checklist for peer-to-peer feedback to learners. I will definitely include that tool in my next trainings! Thanks!
I loved the idea of providing a performance checklist to help learners offer feedback to their peers.
I also liked the suggestions for using the whiteboard effectively.
Enjoyed the article. I will use the tip on using the private chat for personalized feed back.
I agree that peer-to-peer feedback works best with a guided worksheet to keep attendees on track with consistent feedback! Great read. Thanks!
This is a great example of the techniques that Langevin teaches you about virtual training. The Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom workshop helps you take your training objectives to the next level. It gave me the hands-on experience that I needed to create and deliver better training. I have many new ideas now and am looking forward to engaging with my learners.
Great tips for giving feedback in the virtual classroom, thank you!
I am grateful for this post, specifically the techniques to help refocus attention. I have certainly struggled with this, as I’ve just started my training journey.
I do find feedback a little difficult to provide in a virtual setting, but also in a group of sometimes up to 40 people. I love the reminder that with preparation and carefully thought out strategies, it can work in different ways. I try the peer-to-peer feedback in small groups (no more than 5) and this seems to work. I will definitely adopt the use of a preparation checklist, great idea!
Feedback is essential in training deliveries both ILT and Virtual. I certainly will instruct my trainers to begin using Partner Chat Rooms as well as Breakout Chat rooms. I like how the instructor can make smaller groups out of a large group and then jump between to assess. Dawn and Kandace do a great job of that.
This article contains some great actionable items that I currently use and also can integrate into our sessions today. I do question the size of these groups to make a real valuable impact and the difference between the two. I’m still trying to make virtual sessions impactful.
This article had some great pointers and tips. The peer-to-peer feedback could be implemented in smaller groups settings with the preparation checklist and using the chat pod to give personalized feedback is a good idea.
I thought this was a very informative article to help guide facilitators with peer to peer feedback. Some of the tips I like are: provide a checklist with things to do and avoid, have specific questions outlined for assessing, and set time limits. All great ideas.
I feel the delivery of feedback is more natural in an ILT session, where you’re able to better assess and interpret the body language and non-verbal signals that aid a constructive conversation. With these tips and this article it will be a lot easier to bridge that gap and provide great constructive feedback once again.
Feedback is tricky and this article gives good ideas of how to be productive. Peer to peer, a checklist, and small group chats are all great tools.
I think that peer-to-peer constructive feedback is a great idea. It really solidifies the new information and puts it into practice. It also allows trainees to learn from one another and grow their skills.
This is a great article for things to consider in the virtual environment. Our team is used to providing feedback in the classroom in person but this gives a great perspective and option for a new primary way of working.
Feedback is a bit more challenging virtually. With the time constraints that many of us have virtually, feedback sessions have to be thoughtfully pre-planned and meaningful. I look forward to the day we get back to ILT to facilitate more natural conversations and feedback sessions.
This is a great article. I find encouraging trainees to provide constructive feedback most interesting. Providing trainees with a checklist when giving peer to peer feedback is a great way to make sure feedback stays constructive and the individual receiving feedback receives helpful information to learn and grow from.
My team is always looking for ways to provide feedback and engage our learners. I plan on using the whiteboard more often in my classroom. Thanks for the tips.
Loved the article. I teach a course where participants role play different employee scenarios. Someone plays the role of the manager, employee, and the observer provides feedback. After reading this I realize I need to create more structure for the feedback. Thanks!!!
There are many challenges in giving feedback within a virtual learning environment. The article provides useful information and ways in which to do so. Incorporating some of these methods into how our team provides training will take some additional consideration as they are large group trainings. The large classroom size can be quite challenging.
This article was definitely very informative and provides ideas to think outside the box to overcome any potential blockers which may permit you from providing the feedback to participants to drive the desired metrics!
I found this article very informative. As a presenter who does a number of role plays, I need make sure that feedback is active part of that discussion.
A very useful article which raised important points for consideration for me when I’m creating my next training session.
Great information. I really like the idea of peer to peer feedback. I think it will be an effective way for participants to interact with the training material while supporting one another’s learning.
This article gives me thoughts about how to incorporate breakouts and peer to peer feedback not only for content/knowledge retention but also a focus on how to develop the interpersonal relationships between virtual participants.
I do functional training as an instructor and receiving proper feedback from the learners is needed to assess concept retention and skill set. As an instructor I need reassurance that the learners are understanding the material and are able to perform on the job once training is complete.
Great discussion on how to provide personalized feedback within virtual classrooms. Meaningful discussions and feedback are so important to the learning process, but it is challenging to develop the rapport with learners without face-to-face contact. Using private chats is a great option.
I really enjoyed looking through the comments. Great insights and the blog content gives me much to think about when designing future feedback. Thank you all.
Loved this article, great at highlighting what to focus on to make providing feedback much smoother. I’ll be taking away that it really does need to be carefully planned, and that I should be taking advantage of the peer to peer feedback option to add variety to a class. Will incorporate more partner activities to facilitate that happening.
Good ideas and a great reminder to collect feedback throughout the sessions, when improvements can be made and practiced, rather than a follow-up email survey after completion.
I really like the idea of peer-to-peer feedback! It optimizes the use of time in the virtual classroom, and encourages both the person delivering and receiving feedback to think critically about the content.
Thank you for the useful and practical suggestions 🙂
I agree that virtual feedback requires more than in person. I believe instant polling if available will be a great tool.
Article contains interesting points to improve in-session feedback capabilities. Definitely something we should consider in our virtual learning training development.
Article provides good suggestions for providing feedback in a virtual environment. I liked the idea of using private chats or even break out rooms for one-on-one sessions.
Thank you for the great read! Will definitely give your tips a try.
Excellent article on the incorporation of quality feedback in the virtual environment. During live courses, I have often provided feedback directly to the learner through one-on-one sessions and also critiquing submitted work. The feedback was always well received and made a difference for both the instructor and learner in order to see progression throughout the class. I really appreciate the tips provided and definitely feel the most important aspect for executing virtual feedback is comprehensive planning on the instructor to ensure the correct forum is used along with the approach. Great article!
Very interesting. I have not used peer to peer feedback in the past. I am eager to see how this works this afternoon.
I never realized how many options there were for tools for virtual platforms and the best way to keep learners engaged. I also look forward to having more structure in my programs with the plans that will help guide me. This course has been super helpful as a facilitator.
At first I was a little skeptical about group work in the virtual realm. After going through day 2 of this course I can now see the benefits of group work and how it can be done. Structure and organization are two key factors. Peer-to-peer feedback could be a useful tool if used properly. Using the “hamburger method” can be possible here. Top bun, you start with something positive, meat patty are things that could be done differently or may need clarification, and the bottom bun is meant to be positive. Always leave on a positive note. Feedback, both positive and encouraging, can be done but you have to be aware of the group dynamics and time constraints.
I think using a whiteboard to provide feedback is a great idea. It allows learners to document and capture the feedback. Incorporating icebreakers to allow learners to become comfortable with each other definitely increases the comfort level in the class and is a good bridge that allows for peer-to-peer feedback. I appreciated the many demonstrations of the tools available in a virtual classroom to help keep learners engaged. I am confident this will assist me in the future to keep leaners engaged.
While reading this blog, I started to think about developing my first virtual training and how receiving feedback would be very important. It made me realize that if there was not a structured feedback list, that there may not be any peer feedback or the feedback may not be focused on the other peers.
This blog has really has really opened my eyes as to how virtual feedback is different from feedback in a real classroom. Great ideas!
Great article. Indeed, effective feedback is still possible [ in virtual sessions] when planned for appropriately.
The article and the course gave me tools to use in my future online training sessions. Great information!
Thanks Langevin!!! I have come to realize that the maximum engagement for a student starts well before the class even begins 🙂 I will utilize the tips provided to make a more engaging training session.
A very informative article addressing the challenges of providing feedback in the virtual classroom.
I particularly liked combining peer-to-peer feedback with a Performance Checklist to help frame the dialogue and overcome the inherent challenges.
Thanks for sharing!
I think performance checklists should be used more in my trainings, so there are clear objectives to meet the WIIFM!
Happy to be a part of the training. New tools to use to add to my training.
I really like the idea of using peer to peer feedback. It engages not only the student who is receiving the feedback, but also the other members of the class as they look to build ways to strengthen their presentation skills. I will certainly use that in my future classes.
Effective feedback is key in any learning environment. These are some good tips for accomplishing that in the virtual world.
Feedback is essential for learners in any environment. Learners want to know how they are progressing with their learning, and it is difficult for them to improve performance without an objective person there to guide them towards correcting actions to arrive at a higher level of performance. It’s been interesting to learn of some strategies to move traditional feedback delivery methods into the virtual classroom.
I like the concept of p2p feedback with the help of a well crafted checklist. An added bonus to the ones mentioned would be varying perspectives between students, which may aid learning.
Great suggestions! I will definitely keep this information in mind when developing/delivering virtual classroom training in the future. Thanks for sharing.
Using the Microsoft Teams platform has really been a struggle to engage participants and get any type of feedback. I believe my co-workers are also struggling and so usually just check-out. I’m learning the virtual world requires a lot more forethought and pre-planning than a traditional in-person training would. I will try the checklist suggestion and start playing with the Whiteboard.
Lots of good tips for getting quality feedback. I’ll have to try some if I start conducting virtual classroom training. Thanks.
I appreciate the private chat suggestion since some feedback might not best fit in a larger group setting or students might be hesitant to speak up in the larger group. I see how highlighting the private chat can be a great option for those who may be quieter or hesitant to share.
I’ve always found icebreakers valuable – its interesting to see them applied to virtual training effectively.
I am a new trainer and it’s actually surprising how many barriers there are to effectively deliver information and keep students engaged. I am very appreciative for all of the workarounds and tips, especially around the feedback process with peer to peer interactions.
I appreciate learning about different ways to provide feedback virtually. This has been somewhat of a struggle for me in the past. I will definitely make use of private chats in the future.
Interesting subject. Never really thought about the difficulties in providing feedback in a virtual setting.
Great blog entry! We utilize peer feedback checklists in our virtual trainings, and we’ve seen how helpful they can be in directing the conversation and ensuring comments are productive.
Very helpful! This really highlights the importance of creating room for discussion and feedback; by making the learning/training experience a two way street, we can all get so much more out of the interactions.
Feedback is important so that people are able to know if they are learning the correct information and if they need to improve anything.
Lots of value in the icebreakers. Well done.
I appreciate the attention you’ve given to respect the dignity of the attendee who may not be participating due to unknown circumstances.
On my way to becoming a Master Trainer. Thanks Langevin!
Thank you! The work-arounds will help us make our trainings more interactive.
I think the issue of time constraints is always a challenge with feedback in the virtual setting. I love the suggestions above as to how preparing ahead of time can really help overcome some of those challenges as well as keeping some time reserved for the feedback.
Great article! Peer-to-peer feedback is something I’ve fallen short of requiring, both in the virtual and in-person classroom. I’m definitely going to take some time to review my classes and see where I can incorporate this. Thank you!
This topic is something that I’ve struggled with in my virtual classrooms because I typically have 15-20 learners engaging in the content. I like the idea of clear feedback templates for peers to use and leveraging breakout rooms. This is something I will implement immediately.
Love the checklist idea and the importance of icebreakers to make the VC more personalized and welcoming.
Strategy #2 resonated most with me. I use peer-to-peer feedback occasionally and find it works nicely because sometimes your peers can explain things in more relatable ways.
My organization does a few pieces of training both in-person and in the virtual classroom. We’ve had many conversations about how different they are, but one big piece I think we forget about in our discussions is the feedback. In the classroom, it’s easy to role play and provide feedback. Online, it’s so much harder. We must get creative with how we can give feedback to individuals in a respectful manner that also doesn’t jeopardize the whole class’s learning.
Very interesting and useful article for me in my new position. I appreciate the variety of solutions offered to overcome these challenges. This article will help me as I am preparing for my first virtual classroom training.
I really like this idea of creating a space where learners can engage with one another and give each other feedback. It sets the tone and strengthens the skill of communication with each other to reach consensus or to deliberate results.
Great tips to reengage learners!
Very interesting and useful article!
I like the idea of participants providing feedback in chat. I think that could speed up the feedback process. Wondering though if it’s more meaningful when said verbally.
This blog post is very insightful. I often find myself having to set up 1:1 sessions with my participants to go over personalized feedback which takes up too much time. But this post offers some alternatives like peer-to-peer feedback and private chats during the session. I will definitely try these techniques.
I used to give feedback in front of everyone so they all learned but can see it’s better to use the private chat and tailor the feedback to each participant’s need. I like the idea of using the feedback form so peers can provide feedback to peers.
I agree that providing personalized feedback is so important. As all my trainings are done in group settings I could give overall feedback with the group and then privately message each trainee with more personalized feedback. I think what may be harder is introducing the peer-to-peer feedback with the type of training that I currently do but I’d be interested in learning more techniques to incorporate that.
Great read on the ways to improve feedback in the virtual classroom. I really enjoyed the ideas on uses of a whiteboard and group chats. Very helpful.
I feel that if you do a good job allowing the trainees to build rapport and respect with each other, it helps them provide peer feedback and accept peer feedback a lot easier. Take the time to let them get to know one another and build relationships from the start and they will feel more comfortable with each other in what might normally be an uncomfortable situation.
Great tips on overcoming feedback challenges. Found the idea of providing a checklist for peer-to-peer feedback especially useful and intend to use this going forward.
As many of us were in 2020, I was introduced to virtual training using the trial by fire method – lol!
The company I work for has been embracing change and utilizing our digital tools, and I have been fortunate to have company support to allow me to attend Langevin trainings. Attending the Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom workshop has given me hands-on experience of how to make virtual training really come alive!
Until I read this article, I had not considered a way to give and receive feedback in the virtual classroom. These suggestions are extremely valuable and I am excited to start using them in an upcoming virtual training.
After plenty of preparation, of course!
I really liked the feedback ideas. It’s easy in the classroom but not as easy in the VC. I think having a plan is a great idea. I like the idea of a matrix if the group is going to provide each other feedback.
In my experience, the provision of meaningful learner feedback is far too often overlooked. So many in-person and virtual classroom courses measure learner success just by having completed the course or by having taken the quiz. I like the suggestions in the post, that the work must be planned and done ahead of time towards learners receive the personalized feedback they need at the right times. Though challenging in the virtual classroom, we must continue to try to find ways to be effective in our design.
Great suggestions. I appreciate that peer-to-peer feedback was included. I like the idea of a checklist to help overcome barriers and support learners in giving constructive feedback
Providing personalized feedback is very important in any training. Thanks for your insights.
This was a very interesting article that has really got me thinking about feedback, as well as assessment in the classroom. At the start of the course on maximizing engagement in the virtual classroom, I was feeling a little frustrated with MS Teams, which is my organization’s virtual platform. However, thinking about things differently and discussing workarounds for various challenges has me feeling more optimistic.
I have several ideas now about how to maximize MS Teams’ potential as a virtual platform for learning.
To help learners develop confidence in providing peer-to-peer feedback, start in a breakout room with a case study or simulation exercise with small groups. I can also see that the private chat activities we made was a type of peer-to-peer feedback as you discuss, criticize and debate ideas.
Thanks so much for the information. I agree that constructive feedback is very important but sometimes overlooked in regards to it’s importance. It isn’t always just about whether the learner was in the seat, but what are the takeaways and how was the experience for them. Peer-to-Peer feedback in a breakout room is a great opportunity for learners to listen, respond and contribute in a welcoming environment. All feedback is valuable to the facilitators and designers, even the critical to always improve.
This is pretty interesting and will be a great resource for any trainer looking to give meaningful feedback.
I like the peer to peer feedback idea. We sometimes have a range of new and experienced learners within a group and I see how valuable peer-to-peer feedback activities would be.
This article really has me rethinking our approach to our new hire onboarding (as well as other technology learning sessions we conduct). The majority of our sessions are hybrid (in-person and virtual), so we have a mixed audience. I like the idea of providing a checklist to learners, in both environments. As per Terry Sacrey’s comments (see Dec. 7 at 10:00am), we have a similar environment (Teams) with many of its add-ins not activated, which is frustrating for our facilitators. Thinking outside the box will help us leverage the ideas presented in this article. Thank you!
Training feedback for the client / student is one of the most important parts of learning. It creates the benefits for the student to come back – making himself become the trainer and mentor for future students. This is an awesome course and thank you for your ideas. The follow up with a student individually by calling him or by spending 1-on-1 time is vitally important.
One challenge I’ve faced while providing individualized feedback in the virtual classroom is time constraints. When they complete a worksheet, I either have them independently check their work with the answer key or we go over answers as a class. However, when we move to practice scenarios that mimic the real working environment, it’s almost impossible for 1 instructor to provide feedback to 15 (sometimes more) students.
This was a great article and has me thinking of things to experiment with and try different in the virtual classroom!
One tool my organization uses, in addition to breakout sessions and private chats to provide feedback, is completing a post training survey to go over the person’s overall performance during the training. This way their manager can see how well their employee did, and what areas specifically should be reviewed post training with a mentor or in one-on-one sessions.
I love the idea of peer to peer feedback, however, we do not use that on a wide scale. If anything, it is coaching someone through a process. I think we could utilize a performance checklist so the trainees know what is expected and what they should be focusing on during training.
I really love the idea of helping our learners to provide feedback to each other. I think it’s a missed opportunity when the instructor is the only person providing feedback, as it is generally more beneficial to receive feedback from multiple parties rather than just one individual. I think having a feedback checklist available to learners would really help give them the confidence to provide feedback to their peers, since it provides some guidance on what items to look for rather than leaving that up to the learners, which could result in them being overwhelmed by the feedback process.
Great article! Getting feedback in a virtual classroom is so beneficial. It gives you a good benchmark to see where you are and if the students are engaged.
I will use private chat functions to provide feedback from now on. This is a great tip!
Great read! I agree, re-engaging is much more difficult than keeping learners engaged from the very beginning. I also like the suggestion of icebreakers to help learners build rapport. This would make learners more comfortable working with each other in breakout sessions.
Great class, and I would recommend taking the “Maximizing Engagement in the Virtual Classroom” workshop. The peer-to-peer feedback and comment method is effective when proper guidelines are provided. I found that adult students learn most effectively from personal experiences (their own or their peers) as well as a combination of active and passive learning tools.
Great article!
Having a proper collaborative learning environment for students to submit their assignments allows for private feedback that other students will not see. In the synchronous environment, you really are at the mercy of your platform’s capabilities.
These are wonderful tips! Great suggestions to create a better learning environment.
I really enjoyed this article. It has really made me think of how I can get more creative when giving feedback in my virtual sessions. I usually give verbal feedback during my sessions and I do have some peer to peer depending on the class being taught, but most of my feedback is given afterwards in an email to each individual participant. The challenge is that giving feedback via email is very time consuming. In addition, depending on the number of participants in my class I cannot always give individual feedback to everyone during the call. I love the idea of giving a feedback checklist to the group. It is always great to hear from your peers as well as bring another voice from people that are doing the job day in and day out.
Interesting article, looking forward to using some of these ideas in upcoming classes.
Such an insightful article! I will definitely try to incorporate more of what I learned about peer-to-peer feedback more in my trainings 🙂