Creating Effective Virtual Learning Journeys
Virtual training has become the norm due to the pandemic. Most organizations have moved their classroom training sessions to online virtual learning journeys, with instructors using virtual tools to conduct the sessions. Learning journeys are a key component in achieving the learning objectives and training outcomes for the workforce. It is especially important during this unprecedented pandemic. Virtual learning journeys can be customized to various lengths, from a one-day event to a learning experience spread out over an extended duration of a few days or even months.
In the ongoing pandemic situation, virtual learning or training has become one of the essential aspects of the learning and development (L&D) strategy of many organizations. L&D professionals can successfully achieve their organization's training goals by creating engaging and immersive virtual learning journeys by providing learning that helps their employees at the moment of need and bringing about behavioral change in their workforce.
This article will discuss 4 strategies that will help you create effective virtual learning journeys for your employees.
1. Use The Case Study Approach And Breakout Sessions In The Virtual Learning Journey
You can use case studies, breakout sessions, and other experiential activities to make the sessions effective and facilitate relevant discussions. By using such methodologies in virtual training, you will be more likely to engage the learners, build confidence and competence within employees, and prepare them for the company's growth.
Breakout rooms are an extremely useful methodology. They help formulate ideas and allow for creativity and application of what is learned in the session. Each breakout room has an interactive whiteboard, chat feature, and video conference connection. Learners can interact and exchange ideas to complete an activity. Breakout rooms encourage practice, discussion, and collaboration among the learners.
Case studies are another great way of teaching complex strategies and ideas. Case studies serve as information-providing tools, and they are good for comprehension activities. They help improve the learners' analytical and problem-solving skills by asking questions on the scenario presented in the case study. They enable facilitators to demonstrate real incidents/events that showcase crucial lessons and best practices.
2. Provide Performance Support Tools And Job Aids In Addition To Virtual Training
You can provide a wide variety of performance support tools to your employees to encourage just-in-time learning in their virtual learning journey. These help in knowledge retention, application, and assisting the learners at the moment of need. Facilitators can use these learning aids during the virtual session to make learning a memorable experience. They can also provide these tools and aids after the session to the learners. Some popular formats include infographics, short videos, how-to videos, quick reference guides, interactive PDFs, FAQ documents, checklists, etc.
These performance support tools ultimately help save the time wasted by employees searching for information to do their job effectively. Even experienced employees may need to refer to some process information at the moment of need. Therefore, it's better to have performance support tools in place and offer them to your employees as part of the virtual learning journey.
3. Reinforce Their Learning With Practice Sessions
After the virtual training, reinforce their learning so that learners remember the knowledge and learning. Provide practice sessions for the learners to refresh their learning and to hone the skills better. You can also have frequent collaborations with learners through curated learning solutions to continue their virtual learning journey.
Latest technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) can help you to provide curated content based on the learner’s needs, personal choices, and the nature of their job role. This helps reinforce their learning and helps to offer a more personalized learning experience to the learners as part of their virtual learning journey.
4. Include Social Learning In Your Virtual Learning Journey
Social learning helps employees with enhanced retention of knowledge, which is the main goal of any learning or training program. Social learning encourages learning in the working environment and allows learners to put their knowledge to work. They can learn from peers, senior employees, or experts within the organization.
Social learning is collaborative in its approach, happens in real-time, and directly relates to an employee’s work. Create a network of mentors and peers, where information can be easily shared among and distributed to employees. Peer learning is another great way in which learners learn from each other. Learners receive more time for individualized learning, and interactions between employees help promote active learning as part of their virtual learning journey.
Peer learning has become an important part of virtual learning. Peer-to-peer collaboration and online chats during a virtual session can help in providing a better learning experience to the learners. Learners learn by explaining their ideas to others. They develop skills by organizing and participating in learning activities and working collaboratively with others. They evaluate other's learning and give feedback, and they also receive feedback from others.
Conclusion
Since organizations are reaping the benefits of virtual learning or training, it will be the mainstay for training in the years to come. The strategies discussed in this article will help you enhance learner participation and help you conduct successful virtual learning journeys for your employees.
At Tesseract Learning, our learning and visual architects are constantly innovating and reinventing their approaches to design, develop, and deliver effective L&D programs. We are leveraging our powerful new microlearning platform, KREDO, to create and deliver optimal learning experiences. To learn more about creating effective virtual learning journeys or how we can help you, contact me or leave a comment below.
