As the #COVID19 crisis continues, many of the L&D folks may be facilitating virtual learning for the first time. Here is a short thread (my first!) with a few things to keep in mind. 1/11
Keep the class-size small. Just because the tech allows you to have hundreds of participants, don't go beyond the class size that you would have for a traditional classroom. My experience suggests that larger the group, lesser the interaction and less effective the learning. 2/11
Find a quiet place with good internet speed & uninterrupted power supply. Use a good quality headset while facilitating the session so that you don’t have to hold it with your hand. Make sure you and your background both look presentable and professional. 3/11
Use the camera. It's important that the learners "see" the facilitators. Don't let your discomfort get in the way. With time, it gets easier. Look directly at the lens while streaming your video. I use a post-it to remind me that I should look at the camera, not at myself! 4/11
Log in at least 15 minutes before the session, so that you have time to troubleshoot in case there is any last-minute problem. Remember Murphy's law - whatever can go wrong, will go wrong! Anticipate the risks and think through your prevention and mitigation plans. 5/11
Make the slides as visually appealing and as light on text as possible. What's one slide in a physical classroom session is typically 3-4 slides in a virtual classroom. The more time you spend on a single slide, the more likely that you will lose your learners' attention. 6/11
Start with a 'housekeeping' slide. Ask participants to close whatever other programs may be running on their computers. Where required, educate the learners about how different tools (chat, whiteboard, status icons etc.) work. 7/11
Make it personal. When I can't see the learners, I try to print their pics and keep those with me. It helps me remember that I am speaking to real people with real needs. It's also a good practice to use names, specially when someone asks a question or makes a comment. 8/11
I have found that learners are more engaged if I use a fun / conversational tone, instead of being overly formal. Feel free to chat with your co-facilitator or ask a question of the participants. Just because it is virtual does not mean that it can't be interactive/engaging. 9/11
Avoid long one-way monologues. Have an interaction such as chat, poll, annotation, whiteboard etc. built in every 5-8 mins. There is a difference between a webinar (where you can talk for long, with a short Q&A at the end) and a virtual learning session. Don't mix the two! 10/11
While #VirtualLearning / #VirtualFacilitation may not completely replace in-person learning, it will certainly be a big part of our jobs. DM me if you have any questions. Will be happy to chat one-on-one. Let's keep the learning going. All the best! 11/11
