vilt - Katrina Kennedy Training

24Aug 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

Five Things You Need To STOP Doing In Virtual Training

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You've probably facilitated more virtual classes in the last year than you can count. You've unmuted, muted, and shared your screen numerous times. And, like me, you've made some mistakes. Whatever your experience level there are five things you need to stop doing in virtual training. These five things distract learners from your content and make you look unprofessional. Stop leaving computer notification on. Stop saying this isn't like "real" classroom training. Stop using the wrong method to get learner responses. Stop using multiple bullet pointed lists. Stop missing opportunities for learners to do the work. Are you doing any of the five? Now's a great time to stop. Let me explain each. STOP Leaving Computer Notifications On I don't want to hear your computer ping with notifications. Hearing someone…

27Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy 1 Comment

How To Use Questions To Reveal Possibilities & Deepen Learning

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Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash Have you observed learners sitting quietly in the virtual classroom waiting for someone else to answer your question? Yes, you could have people respond in the chat. But what about that rich, verbal exchange you loved so much from the traditional classroom space? "People don't participate in virtual discussions." Thirty people in the Zoom meeting considered the problem for a moment. "Don't respond yet," I said. "We are going to try an experiment." I was willing to try anything. "For the next four minutes, please raise your hand and ask a question related to our problem. Two rules though, no justification and no excusing. Just ask your question. I'll record it. Our goal is twenty questions in four minutes." "For the next four minutes,…

23Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

How Do Learners Respond When You Ask A Question?

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What happens after you ask a question in training? Do you have multiple people eager to answer, scrambling over each other? Or do you hear...nothing. Just uncomfortable silence. Our natural tendency is to fill that nothing with something. Usually our own words. Do you do any of the following? Restate your question in another way?Answer the question yourself.Call on someone.Pause until there is a response. In adult learning there is really only one correct answer. That answer is silence. The Pause. It's difficult. It's uncomfortable. And it's completely necessary. The pause signals to the group that you intend for them to think. You want them to ponder the question. It also honors the system that we each go through prior to raising our hand (real or virtual) before we answer.…

20Apr 2021 by Katrina Kennedy No Comments

How To Keep People From Leaving Early

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Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash The clock ticked closer to the hour and the exodus began. Messages began to drop into chat, "I've got a meeting at 11:00." "I need to be on a call at the hour." Have you been victim of the On The Hour Exodus? Frustrated that people don't stay until the end of the class or meeting you've so carefully orchestrated? Have you heard the lament of people who don't want to go but they've been scheduled for something else by someone else? The virtual meeting space has created a scheduling nightmare. It's so easy to think, "I can fit that in." Suddenly we are overbooked without a five minute breather or bathroom break between our virtual sessions. It seems one important way to overcome zoom…

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 1 Comment

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 instructionsKeep groups smallAssign a facilitatorSet a time limitAsk facilitators to report back Let me elaborate…

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…

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