Making Online Training More Effective

TL;DR:

• Use interactive tools like Open eLearning to create engaging and flexible learning experiences.

• Establish clear learning objectives to give participants a strong sense of purpose.

• Incorporate multimedia such as videos and quizzes to engage different learning styles.

• Provide regular, actionable feedback to guide learners through the training process.

• Ensure accessibility for the people you are teaching.

Making Online Training More Effective

Training people effectively online can be challenging, but there are several proven strategies that can ensure a smooth and productive learning experience. Below, we explore each strategy in more detail, including examples and non-examples of what works and what doesn't.

1. Use Interactive Tools

Interactive tools are crucial for engaging learners and ensuring they don’t just passively consume information. Platforms like Open eLearning allow you to create step-by-step guides, quizzes, and collaborative activities that bring training material to life.

• Example: Using Open eLearning, you can set up a course that walks your learners through a new software tool. Along the way, they’ll answer quiz questions that reinforce key concepts. Learners can also complete activities where they interact with the software in real time, helping them apply what they’ve learned.

• Non-Example: Simply sending a PDF with instructions to learners and expecting them to follow it. This offers no interaction or opportunity to gauge whether they’ve understood the material.

Why It Works: Interactive tools keep learners engaged by requiring them to actively participate, ensuring better retention of information.

2. Set Clear Learning Objectives

Without a clear destination, your learners may feel lost. Establishing well-defined learning objectives provides structure and lets participants know exactly what they’re expected to achieve.

• Example: Before starting a course on data entry software, outline that learners will, by the end, be able to input and organize data, create reports, and troubleshoot common issues. This gives them clear goals to work toward.

• Non-Example: Beginning a training session without explaining what learners will accomplish. This leads to confusion, and participants may not know which parts of the material are the most important.

Why It Works: Clear objectives give learners a sense of purpose and direction, helping them focus on the essential elements of the training.

3. Incorporate Multimedia

Using multiple forms of media, such as videos, quizzes, and simulations, helps to engage learners with different learning styles. Multimedia content breaks up long stretches of text or speech, making it easier to digest information.

• Example: For a training session on customer service skills, use videos demonstrating good and bad examples of customer interactions. Then, follow up with a quiz to assess comprehension. This variety keeps learners engaged and reinforces the material.

• Non-Example: Delivering a long, text-heavy presentation with no visual aids, quizzes, or opportunities for interaction. Learners may quickly lose interest and miss critical information.

Why It Works: Multimedia appeals to different learning preferences and keeps the training dynamic, making it easier to absorb and remember the content.

4. Provide Regular Feedback

Timely feedback is essential for keeping learners on track and motivated. It helps participants know if they are meeting expectations and guides them in correcting mistakes along the way.

• Example: In a course teaching website management, provide feedback after learners complete each module, pointing out what they did well and where they can improve. This helps them refine their skills before moving on.

• Non-Example: Waiting until the end of a week-long course to give a final assessment with no interim feedback. By then, learners may have repeated the same mistakes and become disengaged due to lack of guidance.

Why It Works: Regular feedback helps learners stay motivated, as it reassures them they are on the right track and provides opportunities for growth throughout the training.

5. Accessibility Assessment and Implementation

Ensuring that your online training is accessible to people with disabilities is crucial for inclusivity and compliance with legal standards like the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Accessibility goes beyond basic functionality and includes making content usable for all learners, regardless of their abilities.

• Example: When designing your online training, ensure that videos have accurate captions and transcripts for those with hearing impairments. Use screen reader-friendly formats and avoid relying solely on images to convey important information. Test your course with tools like WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool to ensure accessibility features are correctly implemented.

• Non-Example: Failing to provide captions or using images without alt text. This excludes learners who rely on screen readers or have hearing impairments from fully participating in the training.

Why It Works: Implementing accessibility features ensures that all learners, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, can engage with and benefit from the training. It creates an inclusive learning environment that respects diverse needs while also complying with accessibility regulations.

Key Considerations for Your Setting

• Interactive Tools: Use platforms like Open eLearning or Zoom to make training more engaging and ensure participants actively participate in the learning process.

• Clear Objectives: Make sure to state what your learners should achieve by the end of the training. A clear roadmap increases focus and improves learning outcomes.

• Multimedia: Break up the material with videos, quizzes, and simulations to cater to different learning styles and keep the training lively.

• Feedback: Provide regular and actionable feedback so learners can correct mistakes and stay motivated throughout the course.

Call to Action:
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