Virtual training enables companies to generate an efficient, adaptable learning setting that can re-skill and upskill employees.
Virtual instructor-led training is training that is provided through a virtual setting, or when the learner and tutor are in different areas.
Virtual instruction settings are intended to imitate traditional learning experiences or classroom settings.
This learning method has begun to grow in popularity. Recent studies have shown that in 2020, 80% of training was delivered fully or partly online in various industries.
If it’s done right, virtual training gives a lot of advantages for businesses and users, helping you develop a learning environment that gives your employees the tools to succeed.
So the question is What Is Virtual Instructor Led Training? and why is it beneficial for the tutors and students? Let’s read about it.
You’ll learn more about virtual instructor-led training in this article, including what it is, the difference between instructor-led training and virtual instructor-led training, and its advantages.
Virtual Instructor Led-Training: The Basics
VLT, known as virtual instructor-led training, happens in a simulated or virtual setting, when the learner and tutor are in different locations.
These virtual learning settings resemble typical classrooms, though users can enter them whenever the need arises.
There are three main kinds of virtual classes:
Synchronous: The learner and tutor interact digitally at the same time. Virtual classrooms involve the teachers giving their students instructions in real-time.
The students can also communicate with their classmates and teachers through video chat, audio chat, or text.
Asynchronous: These do not happen in real-time. Courses are self-managed, so students can finish assignments and work in a specific amount of time.
Teachers and students communicate through email, messaging apps, or discussion boards.
Blended or hybrid learning: Promotes online and in-person learning resolutions. Classes can occur in person within a certain time frame, along with the option for remote interaction between each session.
The Difference Between Instructor-Led Training and Virtual Instructor-Led Training
ILT, or instructor-led training, is most likely the type of training you’re accustomed to. This is formal and occurs in a classroom setting.
Instructor-led training benefits:
- Teachers can deliver off or on-site training in a classroom environment
- Learners can network and meet other learners, may even encounter mentorship possibilities
- Attendees can use the skills in their line of work, helping them to retain the knowledge gained
Instructors-led training drawbacks:
- Costs more and takes more time to carry out
- Disparity between different teaching styles
- Takes time off from work
- Interrupts workers’ everyday tasks
Virtual instructor-led training is also known as eLearning. It occurs digitally online and can happen anywhere over the globe, provided that learners are using an internet-connected appliance.
Virtual instructor-led training benefits:
- Good for remote groups
- Technology-aware groups that understand the software
- Content can be translated into various languages for international users
- Saves on travel time and costs
- Participants can maintain customized education plans
- Learners can have additional self-study time
Virtual instructor-led training drawbacks:
- Some team associates may not have a suitable learning environment
- Someone will need to handle the logistics of online programs, like passwords, links, handing out course material, and going over IT issues
- Not much time spent with other learners and peers
Advantages of Virtual Instructor-Led Training
Virtual instructor-led training has several advantages for learners and trainers.
Trainers
Reach Wider Audience
Virtual training lets businesses deliver their courses to other people at a greater distance away. This helps the business reach a wider audience.
Grow Capacity
Virtual learning lets the business deliver training to more people without the constraints of classrooms. This also reaches people who may have not been able to attend prior.
Lower Costs
Virtual training reduces the lodging and travel costs for students and instructors. The training itself isn’t free, but other costs, like development and materials, may reduce the overall amount of money spent.
Time Saver
Virtual instructor-led training is generally provided in shorter blocks. Participants will spend less time away from work, resulting in more productivity.
Employees finishing learning tasks at their desks will get more work done compared to when physically attending a classroom.
Enhance Course Profitability
Lowering the cost of travel budgets and staffing, along with training more workers with relevant skills, will generate better ROI for learning and development programs.
Learners
Adaptability
Asynchronous courses let participants appreciate a flexible schedule that suits their location and time. Additionally, they can look through current course materials and decide on what they want to learn.
Improved Knowledge Retention
Active learning, which involves students interacting and being engaged with the process, helps improve information retention. Online learning is a lot more enjoyable as it is interactive.
If students are engaging with the class, they are more likely to remember the skills and knowledge later on.
Inclusivity
Online learning settings are accessible and inclusive for all types of students. For instance, course materials can be accessed by physically impaired learners with hearing, reading, or visibility challenges.
Additionally, people with learning disabilities can use extra time to go through materials or take more quiz time.
How To Succeed With Virtual Training
Here are some tips that can help you succeed when delivering virtual learning.
Foster An Engaging Setting
It doesn’t matter whether you’re running a one-off course or creating a client education program. Learning needs to be an interactive, enjoyable experience.
Here are some tips to transform inactive learning experiences into engaging ones.
- Capture the participants’ attention at the beginning of the class. Explain what they will get from the session, provide expectations, and emphasize possible outcomes.
- Deliver material in different forms. Try various ways of providing course content. Examples include role plays, gamification, group brainstorming, case study exercises, and call recordings. These methods promote higher levels of engagement which keeps the learner’s attention.
- Try knowledge checks to promote retention. Go further than your typical quiz. Generate new possibilities for learners to apply their knowledge, such as applied learning tactics, to make sure the content sticks.
- Generate P2P (peer-to-peer) learning networks. P2P learning networks involve the employees presenting to one another. For instance, you could host an event where workers teach everyone something they are well versed in. Enterprises like Youtube and Google have used this so their employees become curious about different subjects.
Using Shorter, Progressive Modules
Research has found that our general attention span lasts from 10 to 15 seconds. This means that it is very important to produce modules that are stress-free and easy to understand, as this will improve the engagement rate.
The material needs to be structured in a way that satisfies various learning styles, as this will improve the enjoyment factor and ensure more people complete the module.
Here are some tips to follow when creating your course:
- Have lessons last from three to five minutes
- Have any longer lessons over 10 minutes broken up into portions
- Restrict courses to no more than 20 minutes
- Favor videos over slides
- Use interactive components to make learning material engaging
- Teach classes with a high-energy, informal tone and voice
Encourage Collaboration
Team members that learn new knowledge and abilities together tend to be more successful than those that don’t.
It’s a good idea to form a specific channel in your business’s communication software where members can talk about different courses. People can share what they know and assist anyone else when required.
Most types of web meeting software have chat features built in. Ask students to comment on the material, discuss their experiences, and brainstorm ideas with others.
This can be done while you train or at a particular time. This easygoing nature can make learning and development much more fun.
Collect Feedback
Feedback and criticism are essential to understanding the average classroom experience and the administrative elements of training.
Two useful ways of measuring these elements are:
- Worker engagement review marks
- Qualitative criticism from workers using digital classes
Digital training software lets you easily collect feedback using integral surveys, understanding what areas of your course help reach your targets and which need to be improved.
Useful Technology For Virtual Instructor-Led Courses
Learning technology can make learning easier, and that includes those who are learning online.
These tools can streamline training, optimize time, and help learners reach their targets. This technology can help you smoothly deliver seamless learning experiences.
Here are some examples of technology tools that can help:
Smartboards
Smartboards, also known as interactive whiteboards, are display panels that respond to people’s actions through an appliance.
These smart boards are a good alternative to dated chalkboards as they are interactive, letting teachers display presentations, videos, and graphics to a whole class all at once.
LMS – Learning Management System
Learning platforms aid by providing digital training. They help businesses present, arrange, and circulate content material to participants.
Learning platforms can help you form captivating mixed learning sessions, as well as the following:
- Provide complex report options to display training Return On Investment
- Simplify the learning process and decrease exhaustion
- Deliver events with several sessions
- Assist education paths
- Permit easy, simple teamwork between participants
Video Conferencing Apps
It’s important to talk to others face to face, even when meeting in person isn’t possible. It’s also important to train remote workers well while they are working outside of an office environment.
Try to find video conferencing tools that are compatible with the learning platform you use.
For instance, Zoom is a popular video conferencing app that can be incorporated into several platforms to aid in real-time learning classes.
Participants may be able to look at the material with the learning platform, then attend a Zoom meeting to be present for class.
How Businesses Can Use Virtual Instructor-Led Training
Organizations that are prepared to start moving towards virtual instructor-led training courses should follow the three steps below:
- Install a well-made training platform with lots of material, ensuring that it fits the requirements of business goals and your staff’s individual development.
- Change current company standards to encourage Learning and Development training from top to bottom.
- Encourage and listen to feedback from your employees, then adapt the company’s training to compensate. This will make sure that every employee finds the training valuable and effective.
The Bottom Line
People are going to continue to work remotely for a long time, so virtual instructor-led training has become even more important in terms of Learning and Development.
VILT has many benefits, like lowering travel costs, reaching a wider audience, and improving knowledge retention for those learning.
However, if you want your VILT course to succeed, you need to ensure that the learning environment avoid lengthy modules, and respond to feedback accordingly.
This will help the learning experience remain easy, fun, and engaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is meant by instructor-led training?
ILT, known as instructor-led training, is training that is carried out by an instructor.
This can be done in a traditional classroom environment using lectures, or digitally online with interactive sessions or video-conferencing applications.
ILT lets organizations train participants on intricate subjects through face-to-face communication and applied learning methods.
What is the meaning of virtual training?
Virtual training involves courses and lessons in which the participants are based remotely away from the training environment.
Virtual training takes the elements of in-person education and reproduces them through a virtual platform. Learners and tutors all sign into the selected program from different locations to take part in a lesson that occurs in real time on live video.
Why is virtual training important?
Virtual training lets businesses efficiently train workers in different locations around the world.
If there is a scenario where all the employees cannot meet up in person, virtual training lets staff members preserve their skills and persist with their work tasks.
Virtual training is very important for remote organizations. Even if the company’s employees are all based in the same location, virtual training can still benefit learning and development.
Is virtual learning the same as online learning?
Online learning, or eLearning, is different from virtual learning as there is less interaction involved. Virtual learning settings promote collaboration and communication between instructors and learners.
Teachers send the participants instructions through several methods, like email, virtual classrooms, and webinars. eLearning is more independent, which is ideal for students who prefer a self-paced type of study.
