Making Synchronous Training a Success
By Jennifer Hofmann

How do you prepare to conduct a live training session over the Internet? A consultant specializing in synchronous delivery offers some dos and don'ts for organizations interested in applying the technology.

For many organizations, synchronous Web-based training (WBT) is the killer app that balances their self-paced online learning with the benefits of classroom instruction. But before jumping headlong into using a synchronous application, it's worth doing some homework to ensure that it's the right fit for your needs.

First, how do you distinguish synchronous delivery from other forms of WBT? Here are some basic working definitions.

• Self-paced WBT is learner-directed and not conducted in real time.
• Asynchronous WBT is facilitator-directed, but not conducted in real time.
• Synchronous WBT is facilitator-directed and is conducted in real time.

• real-time interaction with instructors or subject-matter experts is critical
• face-to-face interaction is not critical
• your audience is geographically dispersed
• you must ensure that participants complete the training and grasp key learning concepts
• you need to update your workforce quickly or frequently (for instance, for new product releases).

• supplement self-paced training (WBT or otherwise)
• implement a cyber-mentoring program
• boost your help-desk efficiency and reach
• implement a cyber-consulting initiative.

Who needs to be involved?

Indeed, a synchronous class should be treated as a live broadcast event. We need to coordinate remote participants, various media (video, audio, graphics), technology, facilitators, sponsors, and, of course, content. Ask any television producer if this model seems familiar.

The following diagram illustrates the roles involved in getting a live learning event on-air.

 

The project manager, often an instructional designer, is responsible for the content, participant materials, rollout schedule, trainer selection, and working with SMEs, project sponsors, and content developers to ensure that learning and business objectives are met. The project manager also manages the project budget and timeline. In short, the project manager is responsible for making sure the project goals are identified and met.

The producer, often someone skilled in IT implementations, is responsible for making sure the trainers and technical support team are trained from a software perspective. The producer assists participants in setting up, testing, and troubleshooting the synchronous software prior to the live event and manages the technical-support process during the event. The producer also manages registration. In sum, the producer is responsible for making the live event work.

In most instances, members of the project team will juggle multiple roles. The producer might be the registrar and technical-support manager, and the project manager might also be the SME and trainer. The critical point is that a team member be assigned to play each role represented by the model.

The success of this model hinges on the relationship between the producer and the project manager. The project manager needs to communicate any special needs (required plug-ins, connectivity limitations, and so forth), and the producer is responsible for the technical implementation of these requirements. Working together, the producer and project manager can ensure a successful learning event.

Things to consider

How will you design your program?

• Use instructional design. Always review your goals and performance objectives. Ask, "Can these objectives be met in an online format?"
• Plan your program. Create a detailed instructor plan that includes instructional strategies, helpful anecdotes, and other pertinent information. Remember that there is a lot to manage in a synchronous session, and you need to be prepared.
• Maximize your use of the technology. Use asynchronous methods for "content dumps," and use valuable synchronous time for collaboration, problem solving, case studies, and role-playing.
• Extend the classroom experience. Maximize your online time by scheduling chunks of learning before and after the real-time event. Stress to your participants that pre-work is essential.
• Maximize interactivity. Design interactive exercises based on the desired performance outcome. If the objective calls for the ability to interact with a customer, then a customer situation should be modeled and practiced.
• Design with available tools in mind. There are many tools available via the Internet that aren't available in the traditional classroom. Learn what they are, and use a variety of them.
• Vary your instructional strategies. Try different approaches to maximize engagement. A one-hour lecture is not a good use of synchronous applications.
• Select your first training course carefully. The first course should be information that's of interest to a large group, but not mission-critical. New users will likely be fascinated by the technology and distracted from the content.
• Design breaks in the program. We recommend a 10-minute break for a 90-minute program.
• Keep it human. Make sure the design doesn't imply that you are taking people out of the process. Learning is a social activity, and participants benefit from a personal touch. What type of media should you use?
• Build for the content, not the technology. It's tempting to use all the bells and whistles available, but if the media does not support the goal and objectives, it may be superfluous and distracting.
• Know and design for your technical environment. Conduct a technical audit ahead of time. Who is your audience? What's the connection speed? Are plug-ins allowable? Are there firewall issues? The best program can be a flop if your audience cannot easily use the content.
• Create a storyboard. Use a detailed storyboard to communicate with your graphic designer. Don't miss deadlines because of insufficient planning.
• Get collateral material ahead of time. If logos, corporate colors, video clips, or other materials are required, provide them to the graphic artist with the storyboard.
• Make it visual. Too much text can be tedious, and your participants will tune out. Take advantage of color, graphics, sound, animation, and other media when you can.
• Don't let the graphic artist manage the program. Remember that this is a learning initiative--not a commercial Website. The instructional designer needs to stay in control of the content and interface design.
• Keep up with changes. In the world of online training, the media used to deliver or enhance the online class changes frequently. It's up to the designer to stay in touch with those changes and incorporate them when they would enhance the learning experience. And it's up to the online instructor to utilize the changing media to enrich the instruction.

• Participate before you facilitate. Anyone expected to facilitate or train in a synchronous WBT environment should first experience a synchronous event as a participant. Doing so provides needed perspective for the facilitator that will aid in his or her turn at the controls.
• Be an advocate. Virtual classroom instructors must support the initiative and be advocates within the organization. If the instructors don't like their new roles, the participants will know it, and the success of the initiative will suffer.
• Practice, practice, practice. Don't try a synchronous session without a rehearsal or two.
• Learn the technology. Provide ample time and resources for the instructors to learn how to manage the technology in a low-risk situation.
• Keep tuned in to the participants. In order for learning to stay active, listen and "feel" for the atmosphere of the participants. Just because eye contact and body language aren't available doesn't mean the participants are not sending signals. Avoid letting the session become a passive experience for learners.
• Prompt some form of interaction every 3 to 5 minutes. From raising hands, to talking, to chatting, to asynchronous exercises--connect with your audience as often as possible.
• Record questions that are asked in the session's chat function. To make sure you get back to everyone with complete answers, have participants log questions in the chat room and save the chat file for later reference. Remember that spelling doesn't count in a chat!
• Use a teaching assistant. An assistant can help participants with technical issues, monitor chat rooms, and assist subject matter experts. How can you take advantage of collaboration tools?
• Collaborate. Online learning is a collaborative event. In a live environment, participants should be encouraged to interact with each other and view each other as resources.
• Encourage coaching. Set up classrooms where employees can coach each other, practice important presentations, and discuss work issues.
• Expand the virtual classroom model. Use synchronous tools for sales meetings, workgroups, company announcements, and whatever else you can dream up.

• Apply pedagogical theories to synchronous class design; it's a must. Recognize your audience and specific learning styles and set goals and objectives to meet those learning styles and ensure the successful design of an online class.
• Be judicious with live time; it's at a premium. Decide in the design phase which exercises can be asynchronous, or self-paced, in nature.
• Keep it active. Synchronous delivery lends itself to a constructivist mode. While instructive methods are sometimes appropriate, remember to keep the learning active.
• Apply the tenants of adult learning theory and accelerated learning. What technology issues do you need to consider?
• Watch out for firewalls. Firewall issues can bring the best program to a dead stop. Application sharing and other features often cannot be managed through a firewall without working with the technical support staff ahead of time.
• Do a tech check prior to each session. If you can ensure that the participant's technology works prior to the program, it will make the experience better for everyone.
• Check audio at the beginning of each program. Even if you implemented a tech check, you should perform an audio check prior to each class.

Published: January 2000