AMA's Virtual Training Certificate Program

The demand for live, online e-learning is rapidly increasing—but many trainers aren’t well equipped to meet its unique challenges. It’s no small task to juggle course content, speak and listen well, show visuals, respond to chat messages, avoid silences, poll participants and manage interruptions and technical problems. The unprepared can lose audience members in the first few minutes of a live online course, helpless to get them back. This course explores best practices in developing and delivering successful and engaging live online learning. Learn how to identify performance standards and course objectives, and plan learning experiences that help ensure participant success. Know how to prepare yourself and your participants for the online experience, maintain energy and engagement, and manage the complexities of facilitation and technology. You’ll discover what steps to take between sessions, what to do for post-course follow-up and much more. In addition, you’ll get hands-on experience delivering in a live online environment and receive expert and peer feedback.

• Apply best practices for creating and delivering highly effective, live online learning experiences
• Plan and coordinate the crucial “before, during and after” action steps
• Employ techniques to create and maintain learner engagement and retention
• Use proven voice, energy and questioning techniques as powerful training resources
• Capitalize on the best online learning opportunities and help ensure trouble-free sessions
• Know what resources to provide learners to manage their learning environment
• Choose delivery methods designed to close performance gaps
• Practice presenting to a group
• Analyze the components of successful course evaluations

• Apply Best Practices for Creating and Delivering Highly Effective, Live (Synchronous) Online Learning Experiences
• Plan and Coordinate the Crucial Before, During, After Action Steps That Lead to a Positive Live Online Learning Experience
• Employ Techniques to Create and Maintain Learner Engagement and Retention
• Use Your Voice, Energy, and Questioning Techniques as the Most Powerful Instructional Resources
• Manage the Opportunities and Challenges of Online Learning Technology to Ensure Smooth, Trouble-Free Sessions
• Provide Resources Learners Can Use to Manage Your Learning Environment to Minimize Distractions and Maximize Their Learning and Performance

LESSON 1

Introduction to the Challenges/Opportunities of Online Learning

• Navigating the complexities of time, distance, technology and culture
• Identifying key differences in training design, development, and delivery of face-to-face vs. live, online training
• Learning vocal techniques that can increase participant engagement

Designing for Learner Engagement

• Clarifying the performance gaps the training is expected to fill
• Matching technology to performance objectives and teaching methods
• Highlighting best practices for designing live online learning
• Identifying key roles and functions of the designer, developer, facilitator and producer

LESSON 2

Developing for Learner Engagement

• Recording your voice as facilitator and exploring the impact of pitch, pacing and volume
• Connecting the training evaluation to course objectives and participant evaluation methods
• Applying brain-based learning techniques to develop course materials
• Evaluating engagement tools (polling, chats, online breakout groups and more)

Preparing the Participants

• Customizing pre-delivery checklists that address supervisor involvement, managing technology and the learning environment

LESSON 3

Delivering for Learner Engagement

• Clarifying facilitator and producer roles
• Navigating in the live facilitator environment
• Using your voice, listening, asking questions, giving feedback, dealing with silence, building rapport, providing instructions and more

Delivery/Facilitation of Online Learning

• Pacing and managing your own energy
• When/how to use breaks to re-energize yourself and the participants
• Addressing background noise; dealing with cultural differences; managing disruptive participants and more

LESSON 4

Delivery/Facilitation of Online Learning (continued)

• Identifying the types of situations that can go wrong during a live online delivery
• Creating backup plans for when things go wrong (and they will)
• Selecting the appropriate recovery/backup tips for some common situations ( e.g., participants didn’t receive materials, can’t access or provide audio, can’t view videos, get disconnected)

After the Learning Experience

• Providing post-training learning materials to participants and/or their managers (print, social media, mobile learning)
• Highlighting best practices for constructing and distributing the course evaluation, receiving and analyzing data

Download Extended Seminar Outline PDF 

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