Blog - Katrina Kennedy Training

16Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

How To Create Powerful Producer Notes For Virtual Training

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You know the benefits of using a producer, but how do you manage your roles and relationship? Clear communication between a producer and trainer will make your life easier and your training more professional. My virtual training is successful because of my producer. Without her managing attendance, opening breakout rooms, monitoring time, and troubleshooting technical issues I would not be able to focus on learners and the content I'm sharing. The key to our success? Producer notes. Our notes are a living document we actively maintain as we work through class. My producer notes are: Created in Google SheetsCreated for every class offering Shared with my producer so she can edit as neededAre all kept in one spreadsheet with completed classes are hiddenNever printed Why A Spreadsheet? You might be…

09Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment

Do You Need A Producer For Virtual Learning?

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Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash Do you need a producer to assist you with virtual learning? Yes. There's my answer. Simply yes. In my mind, it's really nonnegotiable. Why? A good virtual producer makes it easier for you, the facilitator, to focus on two things: 1. The Learners 2. The Content By its vary nature training in the virtual environment means you are juggling multiple things -- the technology, your content, your camera, and learner engagement. While you do that learners have to connect to the classroom, find all of the features to maneuver through their experience, and find any supplemental materials like handouts and participant guides. It only takes one person who can't hear or see things to stop the momentum of an entire class. My producer, Michelle, is…

29Mar 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

How To Manage Cameras In Virtual Instructor Led Training

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash In the last year trainers have been challenged to learn new skills, use new technologies, and facilitate in an unfamiliar way. The camera is the most controversial component of virtual instructor led training (VILT). Off? On? How do we handle it? My perspective on camera usage is...be flexible. I love when I can see learners. I love when I can see the changes as they respond to what I say and do. But with the shift in our work world there are at least five reasons for being flexible with cameras. People are in their homesPeople have children and other people in their homes learning, working, and livingMany organizations haven't provided adequate computer equipmentMany people don't have adequate internet connectivity to support videoPeople are tired, really tired…

26Mar 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 2 Comments

How To Lead Successful Virtual Breakout Room Activities

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"You have fifteen minutes to network," the facilitator announced. The breakout rooms opened and I was transported into a new space with four strangers. A long, awkward silence was followed by the timid words, "what are we supposed to do?" We all wondered the same thing. Are you sending participants into breakout room blackholes? Are you sending them to their rooms hoping they'll make the most of it? There is a better way! I use FIVE RULES OF BREAKOUT ROOMS in all of my training. Yes, I said rules. Rules because if you follow these participants will know what to do and have a more productive time. My Five Breakout Room Rules Give clear, specific instructions Keep groups small Assign a facilitator Set a time limit Ask facilitators to report…

19Mar 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

How To Connect With Learners Moments Before Class Begins

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Imagine two situations. Which would you prefer? SITUATION ONE: You sign into the Zoom (or Teams or WebEx) session. There is a PowerPoint slide that says, "welcome to class." And silence. Nothing else. You just wait. Maybe you check email. Maybe you get up go get a cup of coffee. SITUATION TWO: You sign into the Zoom session. You are greeted by a person who says, "welcome Joe. Glad to have you here." The screen has a list of things to do before you get started. You read through it. It reminds you to turn off any distractions, so you do. It asks you to share a specific tidbit about yourself in chat. You do. You read the others. And then class begins. The moment someone arrives in training you…

24Feb 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment

How To Close Strong: Stop-Start-Continue Quick VILT Activity

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How are you wrapping up your classes lately? Asking learners to reflect back on their experience is vital to longterm behavioral change. Stop-Start-Continue is a classic exercise that can be easily added into your virtual training. Add one slide to your slide deck then ask learners to use the annotation function to add their thoughts to the slide. In my example below you'll see there are a lot of ideas for each. Learners benefit from thinking about their own as well as seeing what others add. As people finish I ask them to stamp anything they didn't think of that stood out for them. The exercise takes about 4 minutes. No annotation feature in your learning platform? Ask learners to respond to the same three questions in chatUse three google…

06Apr 2020 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment

What Happens When 50 People Gather To Learn From Each Other?

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Last Friday I opened a Zoom meeting and waited. My reliable producer/tech support showed up on time. And then we waited. While he's really good company, I began to worry it was just going to be the two of us. And then you started to arrive! And WOW, did you arrive! I'm blown away by the Learning and Development Community. I'm blown away by YOU. We discussed what's working, what resources you've discovered, and what you need during these unprecedented times. The chat was moving faster than I could keep up with. There were ideas, insights, and resources shared among everyone. I even saw a few email addresses exchanged between people. I've gathered a few of the most common questions. Can I Train In The Virtual Environment? Yes. Yes you…

01Apr 2020 by Katrina Kennedy 6 Comments

Learn Together And Lean On Each Other

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Monday I cried in front of fifty people simply because we were together. I pride myself on having a very balanced, full life. I have clear boundaries. I don't work in the evening because that is reserved for family. I take time for myself. And then the corona virus happened. I have a congenital heart defect. I have been through two open heart surgeries, one just three years ago. I've technically had congestive heart failure my entire life. I cannot get this virus. I love what I do. I'm fortunate to be able to have a job that does not feel like work, allowing me to have a positive impact on people's lives. And then the corona virus happened. Three weeks ago I was standing in front of the room…

10Mar 2020 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

Is Online Learning The Solution for Talent Development?

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I wrote this article before the Covid-19 outbreak. I hesitated to post it today, but decided it is important right now as organizations (and educational institutions) move things online in order to avoid human to human contact. In the short term, online learning will fill a gap; however, it is not a long term solution after the virus is effectively contained. Technology is sexy. It's appealing to design programs employees can access from anywhere. You save travel costs, time, and can verify learning has occurred through online testing. Information is immediately available, searchable, and learner driven. Technology isn't the only answer for learning. We need to be careful to not so quickly overlook classroom training. Yes, we've all been guilty of too many PowerPoint slides, lectures that drone on too…

04Mar 2020 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

Seven Ways To Create An Indistractable Classroom

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Their phones are perched on their tables, ready to connect them to their office, their homes, their game scores, and the latest tweets. The phones taunt them to pick them up and interact. My phone is similarly perched in the front of the room. "Just in case." My teenage son is home today (like he is every Friday). He might need something. The amount of tools and technology poised to distract us increases daily. More apps, more productivity hacks, more notifications. More. More. More. In a world of more it can be increasingly difficult to compete for attention when you have a group in a traditional classroom space. So how can you help make your classroom indistractable? I'm generously borrowing the term from Ner Eyal's book Indistractable: How To Control…

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