Virtual Training: The Art of Conducting Powerful Virtual Training that Engages Learners and Makes Knowledge Stick

Virtual learning has been around since the 18th century, but the global pandemic has accelerated its adoption. Virtual training combines the structure, accountability, and social learning benefits of classroom training with speed, agility, and significant cost savings. It is also green, consuming nearly 90% less energy and producing 85% fewer CO2 emissions than classroom training. The biggest challenge with virtual training is the learning experience, which has been excruciating. This book is the definitive guide to delivering virtual training that engages learners and makes new skills and behavioral changes stick.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2021
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Since the 18th century, remote learning has been a prevalent educational approach. Caleb Phillips, in 1728, initiated the advertising of correspondence courses in the Boston Gazette, enabling individuals to acquire new skills regardless of their geographical location. This marked a significant milestone in the history of virtual training.

Over the past three centuries, virtual training has gradually evolved, adopting various formats and gradually gaining traction. However, the landscape of education underwent a seismic shift with the onset of the global pandemic. Social distancing measures, work-from-home arrangements, and the need for remote learning became paramount. Suddenly, the tide of virtual training transformed into a tidal wave, sweeping away traditional classroom-based training methods.

The global pandemic expedited the widespread adoption of virtual instructor-led training, highlighting the limitations and inefficiencies of traditional classroom-based training. Classroom-based training often proves to be expensive, wasteful, and fails to provide a satisfactory return on investment. While replicating the collaborative environment of a physical classroom in a virtual setting presents challenges, virtual training offers a compelling blend of structure, accountability, and social learning advantages traditionally found in classroom training. Moreover, it boasts remarkable speed, agility, and substantial cost savings.

In essence, virtual training empowers organizations to rapidly upskill a larger workforce, resulting in a significantly higher return on their training investments. Furthermore, virtual training is environmentally friendly, as studies indicate that it consumes nearly 90% less energy and produces 85% fewer CO2 emissions compared to classroom training.

However, the most significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of virtual training has been its historically subpar learning experience. The quality of the curriculum or content, the expertise of the trainers, and other factors have not been the primary concerns. Rather, the pain points have revolved around the monotony, disengagement, and lack of interactivity associated with traditional virtual training sessions. Death by voice over PowerPoint, delivered by an unengaged instructor, has become a bitter reality for many learners.

Despite these challenges, virtual training continues to evolve and improve. Technological advancements, innovative teaching methods, and a greater emphasis on learner engagement are driving the transformation of virtual training into a more immersive, interactive, and effective learning experience. With ongoing efforts to enhance the virtual training landscape, the future of education looks promising, as virtual training emerges as a powerful tool for lifelong learning, skill development, and professional growth.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 149 x 222 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781119755838