8 Tips To Create an Effective Synchronous eLearning Strategy

Effective Synchronous eLearning Strategy
Summary: In this article, I'll offer you a step-by-step look at how to create a synchronous learning strategy that is informative, engaging, and interactive. Regardless of whether you are developing a private or corporate eLearning plan and whether you are planning an event, lesson, or course there are certain synchronous learning tips you will need to follow.

How to create a Synchronous eLearning Strategy

Synchronous learning offers many of the benefits of traditional instruction, such as immediate feedback and direct group collaboration, minus all of the drawbacks such as the cost of on-site instructors. However, to get the most out of the synchronous learning experiences, you'll have to develop an effective synchronous learning strategy that will allow you to capitalize on the many tools, techniques, and technologies that are available today. Check the following 8 Tips To Create an Effective Synchronous eLearning Strategy.

  1. Consider your primary objective when creating the synchronous event/lesson/course plan.
    Having a clear idea of what you hope to achieve through the synchronous learning event/lesson/course is key, especially when you are creating the synchronous learning plan and syllabus. What skill sets are you trying to develop? What information must be provided during the synchronous event/lesson/course? Is there a particular behavior or approach that you are striving to instill within your learners? Keeping this primary objective in mind while you are developing your strategy can help you to design live events and modules that hit their mark every time. When you have clearly defined goals, you know which key pieces of data to include, which learning methods will work best, and how you can deliver the content to achieve the best results.
  2. Integrate group collaboration activities.
    One of the most significant advantages of synchronous learning environments is that you gain the ability to utilize group collaboration exercises. These group collaboration activities enable learners to benefit from the experience of their peers, even if they are across the world from one another, and to become an active participant in their own learning process. Create scenarios that the group must work through together, encourage them to discuss the solution to a problem via live chat or online forums, or ask them to post their opinions about a particular lesson on social media sites.
  3. Develop a guide that learners can utilize to stay on track.
    It's important to offer a guide or an in depth outline that learners can use to stay on track while they are taking the synchronous lesson/course or participating in a live event. To do so, you may want to develop a companion guide that learners can either download or view directly online, so that they know exactly what the synchronous event/lesson/course will entail. This also enables them to stay motivated about learning, because they will have an idea of what skills or knowledge they will be taking away from the experience. Be sure to include the expectations and the goals to be achieved in this guide. For example, you may want to mention any upcoming deadlines or how learners can get in touch with you if they have any questions or concerns.
  4. Include a visual presentation that accompanies the synchronous learning experience.
    Create a visual presentation, such as a slide show or a website, that accompanies any live chats or lectures that you're developing. Doing so, will enable more visual learners to follow along and get more from the synchronous event/lesson/course, and will also allow all of your learners to benefit from a more interactive and immersive experience. Be sure to integrate relevant graphics and images that can enhance learner engagement, as well as text recaps that summarize key information included in the synchronous learning event/lesson/course.
  5. Provide links to valuable resources and reference sites.
    Include plenty of links to important reference sites or valuable resources that can be of benefit to the learners. Are there articles that may help them to tie the content to real world examples? Are there sites that learners may want to check out if they want to learn more about the topic itself? Include the links in their companion guide or post them in live chats so that they can access them quickly and conveniently, rather than wasting time on searching the web by themselves.
  6. Create tutorials or online scenarios to enhance interactivity.
    If there are real life examples of problems that you can tie into your synchronous event/lesson/course strategy, then you may want to consider integrating online scenarios or walkthroughs that the learners can utilize during the session. If there is a concept or process that may be more difficult to be understood, then create a tutorial that learners can view during the event/lesson/course. For example, if you are teaching how to utilize point of sale (POS) system, then you can develop a tutorial of how to use the system that you demonstrate virtually. Then, learners will have the opportunity to ask any questions and clear up any confusion that they may have right away.
  7. Encourage learners to offer feedback.
    The most valuable tool you have, in terms of synchronous learning strategy improvement, is feedback from your learners. So, why not encourage them to voice their opinions and offer their input through a learner survey or questionnaire at the end of the synchronous learning experience. Ask them about their overall experience and if they feel that they benefited from it. Let them know that their feedback is invaluable, and that their opinion can help you to fine tune your synchronous learning strategy moving forward.
  8. Make a presentation available online after the synchronous event/lesson/course takes place.
    Chances are that some learners will be unable to attend the synchronous event/lesson/course. As such, you may want to record the presentation and make it available online after the fact. This is also ideal for learners who were able to attend, but may want to use the knowledge gained as a reference in the future. You can even make it available as a Podcast or digital download that your learners can access on any device.

If you'd like to learn more about how to develop a successful synchronous learning strategy, the 46 eLearning Tips for Synchronous Learning article features 25 eLearning Tips for Online Course Facilitation, 16 eLearning Tips for Planning a Virtual Classroom Event, and 5 eLearning Tips to Avoid Sucky Virtual Classrooms.