It took me a while to adjust to the idea of virtual classrooms, what with unreliable connections and then endless online death by PowerPoint. I was eventually converted by my participation in a wonderfully interactive and engaging webinar delivered by someone who's name I have entirely forgotten (my apologies if by some extraordinary chance you are reading this). I realised how much fun you could have with this technology and now it is a regular ingredient in the blended online programmes that I am involved with.

One advantage of synchronous training is that it represents a comparatively familiar environment for classroom trainers (perhaps not in appearance but certainly in function) and that it requires only a relatively small step for them to engage with e-learning as an online facilitator. However, even this small step requires support, whether that's coaching from an experienced failitator, a formal training programme or a book, perhaps all three.

If you're looking for a book, you'd do well to try Learning in Real Time by the impressively monikered Jonathan Finkelstein (Jossey-Bass, 2006). I particularly like this book because it appears to be primarily aimed at the academic world, where there is a richer tradition of collaborative online learning. The author provides many examples of innovative group activities which would work equally well in a corporate setting and which counterbalance the inevitable steer towards formalised, tutor-centred instruction.

The author makes a good job of explaining why synchronous events complement asynchronous methods (self-study materials, forums, blogs) within a blended solution, rather than competing. This has been my experience too. Self-paced learning has great advantages, but live events provide an exciting counterpoint, encouraging social networking and punctuating a distance learning programme with milestones that help to keep everyone co-ordinated and on track.