Online trainings are gaining popularity, but often aren’t utilized to the fullest. You have so much tech in your hands, you simply have to make the most. And that’s not that difficult, but it can bring great results.
For many online trainings are simply video recordings of a normal training. But they can be so much more interactive and engaging than that. You can (and should) add much more additional features to make each training an experience.
Of course, there is always the risk of overdoing it. Overloading people with information is as worse as not giving them enough information. In some cases it can even be worse as you will create confusion in the trainees about what really matters.
Still, it’s not that difficult to get it right. Implementing a few extra features and possibilities to your online training can make a world of difference.
Make online trainings fun
One major trend is gamification. You can turn each lesson into a practical game. When people complete it, they can get points or other achievements. Some companies even go as far into creating virtual worlds with various scenarios that can play out and people learn as they play.
Gamification has one added benefit, that it lowers the stress and the pressure. People won’t feel like they simply have to learn these things. Instead, they can be having fun and learning at the same time. Plus, it increases the possibility of people redoing the lessons a few times in order to get that perfect score. This will in turn help them learn even more.
Games is not the only option, though. You can add interactive tasks and scenarios. You can split one lesson into several videos which are separated by questions at certain points. The learner can then choose one answer and get a separate video according to the answer. With this way you can construct various scenarios and give learners more options to explore and see.
Also, you can add additional content. For example photos of real-world scenarios, infographics with quick to absorb info, short tutorial and etc.
Another great possibility is to foster teamwork. There are many free online tools for collaboration, so you don’t even have to invest much into having people form teams and work together on some of the tasks. Some trainers are open to online discussions and receiving emails with additional questions from the trainees during the duration of the course. The possibilities are numerous.
Approach the opportunities with an open mind and you will see which of them will work best for you. If you’re not really sure, you can always ask for additional help for planning the next corporate training.
Image credit: Flickr (CC) / Stephan Ridgway