“How can learning designers provide support to trainers during live sessions?”
“What are best practices for offering technical support?”
“Who can help trainers with content expertise?”
“How can designers help manage participant engagement?”
“How should designers monitor live sessions to gather insights that drive improvement?”
With their expertise in instructional design and facilitation techniques, learning designers can help facilitators create a positive and interactive learning environment. By leveraging their knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional methods, and effective communication, learning designers can support trainers in effectively facilitating live instructor-led or virtual instructor-led training sessions, empowering learners to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Through this lesson, you should be able to support trainers as they facilitate instructor-led and virtual instructor-led training sessions.
How can learning designers provide support to trainers during live sessions?
During live instructor-led or virtual sessions, designers can support trainers through:
Open communication: Offer a communication channel such as a chat platform or direct messaging. Answer questions, provide clarifications, and offer suggestions as needed. Be proactive in addressing any challenges or issues that arise during the session.
Troubleshooting: In addition to troubleshooting technology errors, designers can help alleviate disruptions to the program by addressing any unexpected issues that pop up (e.g. finding missing materials, helping participants who are falling behind).
Feedback and coaching: Provide constructive feedback and coaching to trainers throughout (and after) each live session. Highlight their strengths and areas for improvement, focusing on their facilitation skills, interaction with participants, and adherence to the session plan. Offer practical tips and strategies for enhancing their delivery and engagement with learners.
Continuous improvement: Encourage trainers to share their experiences and challenges with you. Gather their feedback on the effectiveness of the ILT program, any areas that need improvement, and suggestions for enhancing the overall training experience. Use this feedback to make iterative improvements to the program and materials.
By providing comprehensive support to trainers, learning designers can ensure that live sessions are executed smoothly, trainers feel confident and prepared, and learners receive a high-quality and engaging learning experience.
What are best practices for offering technical support?
Play the video to learn best practices for offering technical support during live sessions:
By implementing these best practices, learning designers can offer robust technical support during live training sessions, allowing participants to focus on the training content without distractions or frustrations caused by technical issues.
Who can help trainers with content expertise?
Trainers may require support from subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure accurate and in-depth content delivery. SMEs possess specialized knowledge and expertise in the subject matter being taught and can provide valuable insights to trainers. They can help trainers in various ways, including:
Content development: SMEs can collaborate with trainers and instructional designers to develop training materials, including slide decks, handouts, and assessments. They can contribute their subject matter expertise to ensure the content is accurate, up to date, and aligned with the learning objectives.
Training design: SMEs can assist in designing the overall training structure and curriculum. Their expertise can help identify key topics, determine the appropriate sequencing of content, and suggest activities or examples that enhance the learning experience.
Content review: SMEs play a vital role in reviewing and validating the training content created by trainers or instructional designers. They can ensure the accuracy, relevancy, and completeness of the information being presented. SMEs can provide feedback, suggest revisions, and address any content gaps or misconceptions.
Q&A sessions: During live training sessions, trainers may encounter questions or inquiries beyond their immediate knowledge. In such cases, SMEs can be available to provide real-time support and respond to specific queries or complex topics that require their subject matter expertise.
Continuous learning: SMEs can contribute to ongoing professional development for trainers by sharing their latest industry insights, research findings, and emerging trends. They can provide updates and supplemental materials to ensure trainers stay abreast of the most current information in the field.
It is important to establish a collaborative relationship between trainers and SMEs, fostering effective communication and mutual respect. Regular meetings and clear expectations can help trainers leverage the content expertise of SMEs, ensuring the delivery of accurate, comprehensive, and impactful ILT sessions.
How can designers help manage participant engagement?
Designers play a crucial role in managing participant engagement during live training sessions. Here are some strategies designers can employ to enhance participant engagement:
Clear communication and expectations: Designers should ensure clear and concise communication throughout the ILT program. Set clear expectations for participant engagement, participation guidelines, and interactive opportunities. Provide participants with a clear understanding of the learning objectives, session structure, and their role in the learning process.
Facilitator support: Designers can provide trainers with comprehensive facilitator guides that include guidance on managing participant engagement. These guides can offer suggestions for encouraging participation, managing group dynamics, and addressing common challenges. Trainers can benefit from having ready-to-use strategies to stimulate engagement.
Collaboration and discussion: Promote collaboration and discussion among participants. Design activities that require participants to work in pairs or small groups to solve problems or discuss concepts. Foster a supportive learning environment where participants feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and engaging in meaningful discussions.
Technology and interactive tools: Leverage technology tools such as polling platforms, virtual breakout rooms, collaborative whiteboards, and chat features to encourage active participation and interaction. Utilize these tools strategically to facilitate real-time engagement and collaboration among participants.
By implementing these strategies, designers can effectively manage participant engagement during ILT sessions, creating an interactive and dynamic learning environment that maximizes participant involvement and learning outcomes.
How should designers monitor live sessions to gather insights that drive improvement?
Designers can monitor live sessions to gather valuable insights that drive improvement in the following ways:
Observation: Designers can attend or observe live sessions to gain firsthand experience of the training delivery. By actively observing the session, designers can assess the effectiveness of instructional strategies, participant engagement, and facilitator performance. They can note areas of strength and areas that need improvement.
Feedback forms/surveys: Distribute feedback forms or surveys to participants after the live sessions. Gather their feedback on various aspects such as content relevance, delivery style, engagement techniques, and overall satisfaction. These forms can include both qualitative and quantitative questions to gather detailed insights and ratings.
Post-session interviews: Conduct interviews with participants or trainers after the live sessions. Schedule one-on-one or group interviews to gain in-depth feedback and insights. Encourage open and honest discussions about their experiences, challenges faced, and suggestions for improvement.
Facilitator self-assessment: Encourage trainers to conduct self-assessments of their facilitation performance. Provide them with evaluation criteria or rubrics to assess their strengths, areas for improvement, and their perception of participant engagement and learning outcomes. This self-reflection process can offer valuable insights for both trainers and designers.
Data analytics: Utilize data analytics from virtual training platforms, learning management systems, or engagement tools used during the session. Analyze metrics such as participant attendance, engagement levels, completion rates, quiz scores, or interaction patterns. These data points can provide quantitative insights into the effectiveness of the session.
Video recordings: Record the live sessions (with participant consent) and review them later. This allows designers to critically analyze the session, assess facilitation techniques, identify moments of engagement, and pinpoint areas for improvement. Video recordings offer an opportunity for detailed review and reflection.
Collaboration with trainers: Engage in ongoing communication and collaboration with trainers. Seek their input and insights regarding participant engagement, challenges faced, and areas that need improvement. Trainers can provide valuable on-the-ground perspectives that can guide enhancements in future sessions.
Continuous improvement process: Collect and analyze the gathered insights systematically. Identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Use this information to refine training materials, instructional strategies, engagement techniques, and overall session design. Engage in an iterative process of continuous improvement based on the insights gathered.
By actively monitoring live sessions and gathering insights, designers can make data-driven decisions to enhance training effectiveness, optimize participant engagement, and improve overall learning outcomes. Regular assessment and feedback loops help designers refine their instructional approach and continually enhance the quality of their instructor-led training programs.
Summary and next steps
Facilitating effective live training sessions requires careful planning and skillful execution. To facilitate ILT sessions successfully, trainers should employ a variety of strategies. These include creating an engaging and interactive learning environment, utilizing effective instructional techniques such as storytelling and visual aids, encouraging participant engagement and collaboration through discussions and activities, and adapting their delivery style and pace to the needs of the learners. Trainers should also be prepared to provide clear explanations, address participant questions, and manage group dynamics. By implementing these strategies, trainers can create a positive and impactful ILT experience that maximizes participant learning and engagement.
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