Overcoming attendees’ technological restrictions in virtual training
Virtual trainers have to deal with several technological challenges that would not be an issue in an in-person environment. One of the most difficult to get around is that there is no way to ensure that all learners are working with technology of the same standard. Some students have brand new laptops and super-fast WiFi connections. Others are working with older devices, and slower internet connections. At the same time, some students might be digital natives who have no trouble using their technology, while others are less comfortable. Facilitating everyone’s technical capabilities is an important part of virtual training.
Communicate minimum requirements ahead of time
The best way to ensure that an online class can go relatively smoothly is to ensure that everybody has at least the minimum requirements to connect to the session and stay connected. Send communications to attendees in advance explaining what they will need, from the average speed of the internet connection, to the right version of the software and even which operating systems (and which versions of them) will work best for the class. Will your class be affected if attendees are using VPNs? Explain this beforehand. If attendees’ internet connection may not be up to scratch (you might have people attending from anywhere in the world), ask them to find an alternative – or, even better, suggest one for them. Perhaps they can go to a public place and use the WiFi rather than their home connection. Most technical issues can thus be ironed out before the session even starts. Trainers and facilitators do not necessarily need to handle these aspects of online training. A virtual producer can iron these issues out before and during the session, and can also provide troubleshooting advice for users if anything goes wrong while the class is in progress.
Learngistics assists companies in managing their online and in-person training programs. Talk to us about how our virtual producers can work with you to make your virtual training a success.
