Date

Training Technology to Engage Learners

In our last article, we discussed how trainers positively impact employee retention and what that employee needs to be the best trainer they can be. The key to learning is engagement. Not only does a trainer need to focus on engaging their audience, but they need to leverage the technology they use to create the most effective learning environment possible.

Most corporate training moved to a virtual environment before the pandemic.  The switch was based on a number of things including cost effectiveness, ease of scheduling and the ability to measure outcomes.

Virtual training provides benefits to a company that in-person training cannot.  These include being able to build programs focused on engagement which include things like easy roleplaying with the ability to record and replay the role play.   Putting people t=into small group rooms for project-based activities is another.  Using virtual training technology that was designed specifically for learning provides many types of engagement and activity tools that get and keep your participants working.   Another component that is critical is the ability to quickly and easily assess learning.  Using virtual learning technology can provide all types of assessments and evaluations with the trainer getting the results immediately.  These results help assess knowledge and understanding so the trainer knows what areas they need to re-cover to ensure learning is occurring. 

Being able to use multiple types of content to create dynamic and engaging sessions and being able to deploy these simultaneously helps gain and retain attention.  For instance, being able to watch a video while the instructor is showing the details through annotating on a supporting document or presentation captures multiple learning styles and keeps the attention of the group.  The trainer really produces a learning show, coaches the group through information and then gets key feedback via assessement that lets them know if they have been successful. 

It is true that people have short attention spans when learning. It is difficult for people to focus on one thing for long without their minds wandering involuntarily. Technology in corporate training helps to keep the attention of your audience by constantly changing the incoming stimulation. When you think of a presentation, the first thing that probably enters your mind is a PowerPoint. While this is a decent way to highlight information, they are generally static for long periods as a trainer explains the slide’s details.

With training platforms that were designed for learning, the instructor is offered multiple tools that work together to not only show information but get the learner involved.  Letting your audience review information independently so they can draw conclusions gets engagement going at a very high level.  Each tool provides a new piece of information for the trainees to review and keeps the training moving and offers inclusion in the program for everyone.

Small group rooms where the content and tools can be customized brings a new level of engagement and learning to a program.  For instance, if you’re doing sales training, being able to put different case studies and push back arguments in different rooms for your sales team to “sell” against helps them quickly think on their feet and confirms they have a solid grasp on the product and it’s value. 

To learn more about how a true virtual learning environment can enhance your training programs visit Jigsaw Interactive at www.JigsawInteractive.com

In the next article, we will explore how to keep an audience engaged through storytelling and relevant content.

LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Email