The Virtual Trainer: Success Strategies for Facilitating Live Online Training (Live Online)

The Virtual Trainer: Success Strategies for Facilitating Live Online Training (Live Online)
March 18th, 2024

Overview

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The demand for live, online e-learning is rapidly increasing—but many trainers aren’t well equipped to meet its unique challenges. It’s no small task to juggle course content, speak and listen well, show visuals, respond to chat messages, avoid silences, poll participants and manage interruptions and technical problems. The unprepared can lose audience members in the first few minutes of a live online course, helpless to get them back. This course explores best practices in developing and delivering successful and engaging live online learning. Learn how to identify performance standards and course objectives, and plan learning experiences that help ensure participant success. Know how to prepare yourself and your participants for the online experience, maintain energy and engagement, and manage the complexities of facilitation and technology. You’ll discover what steps to take between sessions, what to do for post-course follow-up and much more. In addition, you’ll get hands-on experience delivering in a live online environment and receive expert and peer feedback.

The Right Programme for you

Trainers with 3-5 years of experience who are looking to expand their facilitation techniques to an online environment
 

Learn, Practice and Use

After taking this programme, you will be able to:

    • Apply best practices for creating and delivering highly effective, live online learning experiences
    • Plan and coordinate the crucial “before, during and after” action steps
    • Employ techniques to create and maintain learner engagement and retention
    • Use proven voice, energy and questioning techniques as powerful training resources
    • Capitalize on the best online learning opportunities and help ensure trouble-free sessions
    • Know what resources to provide learners to manage their learning environment
    • Choose delivery methods designed to close performance gaps
    • Practice presenting to a group
    • Analyze the components of successful course evaluations

During the programme you will:

  • Network and learn from a diverse group of peers with similar challenges like you from different functions, industries and countries
  • Develop a personal action plan to implement back at work
  • Learn and practice using real-world examples and role plays over 4 lessons.

Programme Modules

What will you learn and practice?

LESSON 1

Introduction to the Challenges/Opportunities of Online Learning

  • Navigating the complexities of time, distance, technology and culture
  • Identifying key differences in training design, development, and delivery of face-to-face vs. live, online training
  • Learning vocal techniques that can increase participant engagement

Designing for Learner Engagement

  • Clarifying the performance gaps the training is expected to fill
  • Matching technology to performance objectives and teaching methods
  • Highlighting best practices for designing live online learning
  • Identifying key roles and functions of the designer, developer, facilitator and producer

LESSON 2

Developing for Learner Engagement

  • Recording your voice as facilitator and exploring the impact of pitch, pacing and volume
  • Connecting the training evaluation to course objectives and participant evaluation methods
  • Applying brain-based learning techniques to develop course materials
  • Evaluating engagement tools (polling, chats, online breakout groups and more)

Preparing the Participants

  • Customizing pre-delivery checklists that address supervisor involvement, managing technology and the learning environment

LESSON 3

Delivering for Learner Engagement

  • Clarifying facilitator and producer roles
  • Navigating in the live facilitator environment
  • Using your voice, listening, asking questions, giving feedback, dealing with silence, building rapport, providing instructions and more

Delivery/Facilitation of Online Learning

  • Pacing and managing your own energy
  • When/how to use breaks to re-energize yourself and the participants
  • Addressing background noise; dealing with cultural differences; managing disruptive participants and more

LESSON 4

Delivery/Facilitation of Online Learning (continued)

  • Identifying the types of situations that can go wrong during a live online delivery
  • Creating backup plans for when things go wrong (and they will)
  • Selecting the appropriate recovery/backup tips for some common situations ( e.g., participants didn’t receive materials, can’t access or provide audio, can’t view videos, get disconnected)

After the Learning Experience

  • Providing post-training learning materials to participants and/or their managers (print, social media, mobile learning)
  • Highlighting best practices for constructing and distributing the course evaluation, receiving and analyzing data

Testimonials

“ It is a perfect possibility to connect with people from different industries, who are dealing with the same issues.”

Agata Kulik, Product Manager Special Salts, Jungbunzlauer Ladenburg GmbH, Germany

 

“ Facilitator, content, tools, methods, room were very good and fitted to the participants and their needs.”

Andreas Armenat, Head of Production, GO Generics & Standard Solutions, Fresenius Kabi AG, Germany

 

“Very interesting topics, international and multicultural environment. Very professional coach.”

Alessandro Foresio, Vice President, Logic S.p.A., Italy

 

“The subjects covered were extremely relevant and gave input to my personal development.”

Rosa Karen Schmidt, Senior VP-Assistant, Novo Nordisk, Denmark

FAQ

ABOUT MCE’S LIVE ONLINE PROGRAMMES

What are MCE’s Live Online programmes?

MCE’s “Live Online” programmes, powered by AMA, are live, interactive, trainer-led courses that are completely user-friendly and accessible from your office or home PC. They’re the perfect time-saving alternative when you want training but can’t get away from the office. Live online sessions use Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology and Adobe® Flash® Player which means facilitator and participants communicate over the internet using a USB Headset with microphone to speak and listen to each other during the sessions.

 

Who facilitates MCE’s Live Online programmes?

A member of our expert faculty of business professionals will lead your programme. Beyond our course leaders’ experience in business training, they are specially trained to present our high-quality content in an engaging, live online format.

 

What will I do during the Live Online sessions?

During the Live Online sessions, you will interact with the facilitator and with other participants using voice (VoIP) and text-based chat, as well as a range of sophisticated, yet easy to use, audience participation tools such as polls, whiteboard, etc.

Throughout the programme, you will engage in discussions and experiential activities based on realistic workplace scenarios, including practical exercises and role play in breakouts, as well as individual and group debriefs.

During the breakout exercises, you will have a unique opportunity to discuss challenges and apply skills in concrete practical situations, while receiving significant feedback from others.

 

What are the technical requirements for my computer?

The sessions are delivered via an Internet Explorer browser session using Adobe Acrobat Connect. Internet Browser and other technical requirements are available by clicking here.

 

Why can’t I join on a tablet or mobile phone?

Using a desktop or laptop computer is required in order to experience all the features and interactions during the programme. We strongly recommend against using tablets or mobile phones. Click here to check the technical requirements for your computer.

 

Can I join on Wi-Fi?

We strongly recommend joining the sessions through a wired internet connection. Please note that Wi-Fi, Blue tooth and mobile wi-fi are all unstable and cause a deteriorated experience not only for the affected participant, but for the entire group as well, including audio drop, disconnection from the rooms and delays in the interaction.

 

Why do I need a headset?

An appropriate computer headset with built-in microphone is required in order to attend Live Online sessions. A headset with a microphone will allow you to hear and be heard comfortably. Connecting with the computer’s built-in audio may create echoes affecting the whole group experience, therefore we strongly recommend against it.

Your headset should have the following characteristics:

  • USB connection, with plug-and-play capability (i.e., with the software driver included)
  • A built-in microphone with noise-cancelling capabilities
  • Clear digital stereo headphone audio

A good indication that a headset will perform well for our Live Online sessions is a “designed for videoconferencing” or “designed for Skype” label. An example of a headset which has been found to work well with our Live Online programmes is the Logitech h340.

Several colleagues are attending this programme at the same time, can we all join together from the same room/computer?

Because of the various interactions taking place during the session, it is important that each individual participant joins the session on a separate computer, and from a separate room. In order to provide the best possible experience for all participants, we also strongly recommend that you sit in a quiet environment with no background noise (please try to avoid open space work areas).

 

What do I need to do in order to connect to the sessions?

We want you to feel completely comfortable and ready to go, so we’ll email you before your scheduled course and give you all the information you need about the simple set-up process.

 

What are the interactive features used during Live Online programmes?

You’ll be able to speak to and/or electronically communicate with the facilitator and other attendees. You can also share files, view the facilitator’s desktop, ask questions, tell the facilitator to speak louder, softer, slow down, etc. (through simple icons). You’ll see what your facilitator is writing, view and hear questions and comments from other attendees, and be able to work in subgroups.  A headset is required for optimal communication throughout the Live Online programme.

 

How far in advance do I need to register for a Live Online programme?

The earlier the better.  That way, you’ll have time to acquire your headset before the first lesson and have plenty of time to do any pre-work, downloading, pre-assessments, etc., that your programme might require. In order to experience the Live Online programme to its fullest, we recommend you register no later than one week before Lesson One.

 

I registered for a Live Online programme; why haven’t I heard from you?

After you register, we will always email you to confirm your registration and provide you with additional information before your first lesson. Occasionally, however, customers may not receive the emails because of their company’s email security settings, a spam blocker, or an incorrect email address. If you registered but didn’t get your confirmation email the day after registration, or an email with your access to the AMA Learning Portal, or your system readiness check email, please notify MCE Client Services at +32 2 543 21 20 immediately. We will make sure you have everything you need before your programme.

 

Will I get a certificate at the end of the programme?

After successful completion of the programme, participants will be awarded a Certificate. In order to qualify for this certificate, participants must register for and attend the programme using their individual log-in ID for the entire duration of the sessions. Speaking in the sessions via individual VoIP connection and participating in all of the chat, polling, and breakout exercises is required. Archived recordings or groups attending through one computer/connection do not qualify for the certificate.

 

What level of English do I need to take part in an MCE Live Online programme?

MCE’s participants come from over 90 different countries but all of our open enrolment programmes are run in English. You need to have a good working knowledge of English to be able to fully participate in the programme and engage in various interactions with other participants. If you have difficulty understanding these questions, the programme might be difficult for you too.

 

Security and Data Privacy

  • Each participant uses a unique, system-generated Login ID via Internet email.
  • Customer data privacy is a key priority for MCE. Maintaining your trust and confidence by handling your personal data securely is of the highest importance to us. For more information about what information MCE collects and how it is used, please read our Data Privacy Policy.

The MCE Team is ready to answer any questions you have. Please contact us by phone, email, contact form or even website chat. We would be happy to talk to you!

Leading SelfPMI Certified Programme

Dates & Locations

06 May – 07 May 24 (Live Online)
Live Online

18 Nov – 19 Nov 24 (Live Online)
Live Online

Duration

06 May - 07 May 24

4 sessions of 3 hours on:
06 May, 09:00 – 12:00CET
06 May, 14:00 – 17:00CET
07 May, 09:00 – 12:00CET
07 May, 14:00 – 17:00CET

18 Nov - 19 Nov 24

4 sessions of 3 hours on:
18 Nov, 09:00 – 12:00CET
18 Nov, 14:00 – 17:00CET
19 Nov, 09:00 – 12:00CET
19 Nov, 14:00 – 17:00CET

Price

€2295
excl. VAT*

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