The sudden switch to remote work forced learning professionals to move their systems training programs into virtual mode. This transition created a mixed bag of results depending on what the training content looked like before going remote:

• How useful was the training before the shift?
• How engaging and versatile was the training material?
• Could it be easily adapted to remote learning?

Given the short time frame, many companies’ first instinct was to copy and paste their current training content and deploy it virtually.

Traditional classrooms were converted into virtual classrooms. This approach was quick and seemingly efficient. However, many learning professionals still had this unshakeable feeling that this would only be a temporary stopgap.

They were right.

Virtual-instructor-led training is a different universe than traditional instructor-led classrooms. It brings along with it a host of new challenges while exacerbating old ones.

Main Challenges

Longer set-up time

Trainees have to get on a conference line. Some might be late. Once everybody’s ready and on the same page about the sessions’ learning objective – 15 minutes could have already passed.

Dependent on a quick and stable internet connection

It’s almost expected to experience internet connection issues during a video call. People get disconnected, the audio gets choppy, and people have to repeat themselves. That’s especially true for large organizations distributed across regions and countries. Someone based in a smaller town won’t have the same connection as someone living in a metropolis.

Harder to gauge active participation

Remote employee training through video conferencing removes instant feedback for both the trainer and the trainee. In a typical training environment, it is much easier to identify which participants are distracted or not fully engaged. Not only are there more distractions, but the trainer is unable to properly assess and correct these distractions.

More challenging to assess retention

With thousands of users working from home, it’s harder to make sure that users are retaining the right information and applying it correctly every day.

What do these challenges point to in terms of the ideal remote training format?

• Keeping trainees engaged in-person wasn’t exactly straightforward. Remote training has the additional challenge of lacking immediate feedback. Lessons have to be intrinsically immersive and interactive to maximize engagement and retention. Passive formats, including Powerpoint slides, and PDFs, are out of contention.
• Remote training creates friction. Ideally, you would keep video conferencing to a minimum. A blended learning approach combining virtual sessions with self-paced training and microlearning is the best way to rectify this problem.

In short, not all training formats are suited for remote working. If systems training weren’t immersive, interactive, or practical from the get-go, converting it for virtual distribution won’t be enough – you’ll have to transform it.

This is the first part of the post originally published at Assima web site.