Best Practices for Virtual Training Sessions

Regardless of how great your ideas are in your virtual sales pitch, webinar, or team meeting… People are most likely checking their email, browsing social media, or working on other things while you present. How can you prevent that and actually get your audience to pay attention? Here are 4 of the most powerful techniques we use for our own virtual training courses: 1. Win the first five seconds According to research from the University of Toronto, people need only five seconds to gauge your charisma and leadership as a speaker. In virtual environments, this first impression is even more critical. To establish instant rapport: - Keep your posture open and inviting (avoid fidgeting, crossed arms, and closed-off postures) - Use open gestures that welcome the audience into your space - Gesture with your palms showing at a 45-degree angle - Speak with clear articulation and energy from the very first word The quickest way to lose your audience? Starting with tentative body language that signals you’re unsure or unprepared. 2. Design your presentation for virtual viewing When designing slides, assume varied viewing conditions. Design for the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Make your slides accessible by: - Using larger fonts (24-32pt) - Applying higher contrast colors - Limiting each slide to ONE clear idea - Adding more space between lines when using smaller text - Stripping excess content (you can provide additional information in a separate document) 3. Vary your delivery Our research shows the optimal length for linear presentations is just 16-30 minutes, while interactive ones can maintain engagement for 30-45 minutes. People’s attention will go through peaks and valleys during that time, so try these techniques to keep their attention: - Vary your speaking pace (faster to convey urgency, slower to express gravity) - Use intentional pauses to let key points land - Adjust your vocal tone (lower pitch for authority, higher for approachability) - Shift between slides, stories, and data at regular intervals Each change helps reset your audience’s attention and signals importance. 4. Build in structured interaction Don’t make your audience wait until the end of your presentation to interact. According to our research, presentations that incorporate audience engagement through polls, chat responses, or breakout discussions maintain attention longer. For the highest engagement: - Use a variety of interaction types throughout your presentation - Incorporate breakout rooms for small-group discussions - Switch modalities regularly to keep it interesting Remember: In virtual environments, you need to recreate the natural engagement that happens in person. Your virtual presentation success isn’t measured by perfection…it’s measured by action. Master these techniques and your audience won’t just pay attention, they’ll respond. #VirtualPresentations #CorporateTraining #WorkplaceLearning

Workplace Gamification: Enhancing Employee Engagement and Motivation What if work felt more like a game than a chore? Imagine tracking your achievements, earning rewards, and levelling up, not in a video game, but in your everyday work tasks. Gamification does just that—it transforms routine responsibilities into exciting challenges, making work more engaging and rewarding. Employee disengagement is a persistent issue, with nearly three-fourths of employees reporting feeling disconnected from their work in recent years. Gamification addresses this by injecting fun and a sense of accomplishment into the workplace. By incorporating elements like points, badges, and leaderboards, it taps into the psychological drivers that make games irresistible: the joy of progress, the thrill of competition, and the satisfaction of mastery. The results speak for themselves. Microsoft’s call centers implemented a gamified system where agents earned badges and points for performance milestones. This simple shift resulted in a 12% drop in absenteeism and a 10% increase in productivity, showing how recognition and real-time feedback can energize teams. At Deloitte’s Leadership Academy, gamification turned training into an adventure. Participants completed missions, unlocked badges, and climbed leaderboards, which led to a 47% boost in engagement as users returned week after week to improve their skills. Similarly, IBM saw course completions skyrocket by 226% when they introduced digital badges as a reward for learning achievements. Gamification isn’t just about personal achievement—it promotes teamwork too. Cisco’s social media training program allowed employees to earn badges and levels while mastering new skills. This collaborative, game-like approach not only helped employees upskill but also aligned them with the company’s broader objectives in a fun and engaging way. Even inclusivity gets a boost from gamification. Traditional reward systems often focus on top performers, but gamified strategies create opportunities for everyone to feel recognized. For example, Southwest Airlines’ “Kick Tails” program enabled employees to reward their peers for outstanding contributions, building a culture of appreciation that motivates everyone. However, gamification isn’t without challenges. Poor design can spark unhealthy competition, discourage lower performers, or reduce enthusiasm with overly complex elements. Success lies in tailoring gamification to organizational goals while maintaining fairness and balance. By aligning work with the psychological need for autonomy, progress, and connection, gamification turns ordinary tasks into meaningful experiences. Employees don’t just work—they engage, learn, and thrive. In a world where work often feels routine, could gamification be the key to unlocking your team's potential? #nyraleadershipconsulting

Don’t blow your AI adoption plans with poor online training or boring one way videos. If you’re rolling out AI training virtually, your facilitators need more than subject expertise. They need to actually know how to train well online. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: - Being great in a room doesn’t mean you’re great on Zoom or Teams. - Virtual delivery is a different skillset, a different rhythm, a different way of skill building. - And nothing kills AI confidence faster than a dull, passive virtual session. Strong virtual AI training needs: - Clear structure and tight pacing - High energy facilitation (without being cheesy) - Real interaction, not just breakout rooms or ‘any questions?’ - Smart use of tools, polls and getting tye group to share - A mindset shift from ‘I’m presenting’ to ‘I’m orchestrating’ If you want people to take AI seriously, make sure your trainers can deliver in the environment you’re asking people to learn in. Don’t teach the future with yesterday’s methods. Want to learn more? Click on the link in the comments to access our virtual trainer upskill programmes.

GAMIFICATION UNLEASHED: When most people think of gamification in eLearning, they picture points, badges, and leaderboards. But the true power of gamification lies in meaningful choices and real consequences? Instead of just adding a game-like layer to an eLearning course, we should think about how we can use gamification to create immersive, decision-driven experiences. Branching scenarios are a prime example. They allow learners to make choices that affect the actual outcome of the scenario—providing a more engaging and personalized learning journey. It’s not just about making learning fun—it’s about creating a realistic simulation where every choice matters. This approach helps learners experience the impact of their decisions in a safe environment, which translates to better understanding and retention. In a recent project, I designed a branching scenario where learners navigated complex decision paths in a simulated environment. Each decision led to different consequences, mirroring real-life outcomes. This not only made the learning process more engaging but also deepened learners' understanding of the material. By focusing on the real-world application of decisions, gamification became a powerful tool for meaningful learning rather than just a decorative element. #Gamification #eLearning #BranchingScenarios

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗩𝗥) 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 🎓 Feeling like your traditional e-learning modules are falling flat? We’ve all been there—staring at static slides or reading endless text that fails to capture our attention. This lack of engagement can seriously undermine the effectiveness of your training programs, leaving employees underprepared and your organization lagging behind. Here’s a game-changing solution: Integrate Virtual Reality (VR) into your Learning and Development (L&D) programs. Trust me, it’s not just about high-tech gimmicks—it’s about creating immersive, hands-on learning environments that make skills and knowledge stick. Here’s how you can transform your training with VR: 🎓 Create Realistic Scenarios: Use VR to simulate real-world situations that employees may face in their roles. This hands-on practice is invaluable for deep learning and skill retention. Imagine training a pilot or a surgeon—VR provides a risk-free environment to hone critical skills. 🎓 Boost Engagement and Retention: VR’s immersive nature captures learners’ attention like nothing else. Studies show that immersive learning significantly enhances information retention, ensuring that employees are not just learning but mastering the content. 🎓 Personalized Learning Paths: VR can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, offering a customized experience for each employee. This tailored approach helps address specific weaknesses and reinforces strengths, maximizing the impact of your training programs. 🎓 Safe and Controlled Environment: VR offers a safe space for employees to make mistakes and learn from them without real-world consequences. This is particularly beneficial for high-stakes industries like healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing. 🎓 Cost-Effective in the Long Run: While initial setup costs for VR may be high, the long-term benefits far outweigh the investment. With VR, you can provide consistent training experiences across different locations, reducing travel and operational costs. 🎓 Gamification Elements: Integrate gamified elements like points, badges, and leaderboards to make learning fun and competitive. This not only boosts engagement but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement. By leveraging VR in your L&D programs, you can ensure that your employees are not only engaged but truly absorbing and retaining critical skills and knowledge. This investment in immersive learning will pay off in a more competent, confident, and competitive workforce. Got any innovative ideas for integrating VR into training? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️ #VirtualReality #ImmersiveLearning #TrainingInnovation #L&D #EdTech #FutureOfWork #SkillDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement

Are the interactions in your e-learning course about clicking, not learning? Try this 3-step method to fix it. You spend hours trying to design interactive e-learning—adding clicks, drag-and-drops, and hotspots. But learners rush through, and leadership barely notices. 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳? Many instructional designers feel stuck; they don’t know how to create meaningful interactions instead of interactions that let people click. The key? 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Here’s a simple 3-step method to design interactions that truly enhance your e-learning courses: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Before designing an interaction, ask yourself: *What should learners be able to do after this?* ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Add interactions to make a course "look engaging." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: If you aim to teach customer service skills, don’t just add a drag-and-drop activity where employees match cybersecurity terms to definitions. Create a simulated phishing attack in which learners must identify suspicious emails, decide whether to open links, and take appropriate action to protect company data. 2️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✅ 𝗗𝗼: Use interactions that make learners think, not just click. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Overuse simple interactions (like clicking hotspots) without real engagement. 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Instead of a basic hotspot where learners click on different parts of a customer service desk to "learn more," create a decision-based hotspot interaction. For example, learners see a busy retail counter with different customer scenarios. Based on urgency and priority, they must click on the right customer to assist first. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 ✅ 𝗗𝗢: Gather feedback and track learner performance. ❌ 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧: Assume that an interaction is effective because it "looks fun." 📌 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Check if learners are engaged or just rushing through. If they struggle with assessments, go back and refine the interaction—maybe it needs more explicit instructions, better feedback, or a stronger real-world connection. By following these steps, you’ll move beyond generic interactions and create learning experiences that help learners retain knowledge—while making your work stand out. Which of these 3 steps do you already use? Follow me - Mark Spermon - to learn more about creating e-learning courses that engage and deliver results with Articulate Storyline #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #CareerGrowth #L&D #ArticulateStoryline

Hey L&D Peeps! So, what about scavenger hunts? 🤔 I love me an adventure game that involves learners synchronously & asynchronously 👩🏻💻🎮 ⏬ I mean, why stick with passive learning when you could throw your learners into a collect & conquer mission? Seriously, who wouldn’t want to transform a classroom, a corporate building, or even an LMS (or the whole city, if you’re feeling extra adventurous😎) into a playground of hidden learning gems? It sure beats another mind-numbing, text-heavy course. 🎯 🧰 Utility: We can reinvent our learning solutions by sending learners on a quest. Need to boost product knowledge? Send your sales force on a scavenger hunt to find QR codes scattered around town. Each code leads to a new scenario where they have to pitch products or solve client problems. It's like Pokémon Go, but for corporate training. And no Pikachu nor Poké Balls are needed…I promise😜. One time on 2019, we made 120 people scavenge through an entire building for 2 hours. 😌 Ahh nothing like watching your design satisfy that masochistic side, watching people going around in circles 🔃 ⚙️ Pro Tip for Learning Design: Mix in some digital elements and engagement strategies to transform tedious tasks into epic adventures. Whether it’s sending new hires on a Slack-based treasure hunt for onboarding or racing through your company’s milestones using augmented reality, the creative potential is limitless. And for those of you who need a little nudge to get started, here are some ideas: 1️⃣ Zappar - Go wild with augmented reality. From simple AR widgets to immersive 360-degree experiences, this tool has got you covered. 2️⃣ Goosechase - Build your own scavenger hunts, one step at a time. Perfect for when you want to take your learners on a thrilling ride without them leaving their desks. 3️⃣ 7taps Microlearning with Geotag QR codes- Create your own virtual world. I once built a whole asynchronous scavenger hunt around cognitive load strategies in instructional design—talk about learning on the go baby!😉 4️⃣ Geocaching - Turn your entire office into a playground. Hide those learning gems in every nook and cranny around! Believe it worked wonders in an experience about code of conduct and compliance. Or, if you’re feeling minimalist, just sprinkle a few QR codes around and use any of your favorite authoring or visual communication tools. (Shoutout to Genially my go to tool) Voilà! Instant engagement. You’re welcome ☺️ #scavengerhunt #learninganddevelopment #learningexperiencedesign #gamebasedlearning #gamificationoflearning

You've welcomed everyone, blah-ed your way through the upcoming content on slide 23, and now you're watching participants politely glaze over. Or maybe you handed out a print out of the slides. Half the room is flicking through them whilst you're talking. The other half has already decided they can mentally check out. You're active, they're passive. And passive brains don't learn much. So let's look at one way to fix this … It's called Blackout Bingo, and it turns agenda reviews from something participants endure into something they actually engage with. Here's how it works: - Give everyone a piece of paper and ask them to fold it three times. When they open it back up, they'll have a sheet divided into 8 boxes. - Show them a list of 10-15 key concepts you'll cover in the session. Ask them to pick the 8 that sound most interesting to them and write one in each box. - Then explain the game – as you move through the session, each time you mention one of their concepts, they cross it out. First person to cross out all 8 shouts "Bingo!" (yes, actually shout it, no matter what's happening). Everyone applauses. If you've got small prizes to give, even better. What's actually happening here? Participants are reviewing the content before you deliver it. They're making choices about what matters to them. They're paying active attention throughout because they're listening for their concepts, not just yours. And there's a playful energy to it that keeps people present. I learned this from Sharon Bowman's Training from the BACK of the Room! approach. It's in both The Ten-Minute Trainer and Using Brain Science To Make Training Stick if you want the full breakdown. It's fun, but not edutainment – it's congruent with learning because the fun comes from engagement with the content, not you performing. Try it next time you're about to drone through an agenda. Your participants will know what's coming and they'll care. (Alan Jennings and I are running a Training from the BACK of the Room! class in London on 23-24 March – if you're curious about more ways to shift from trainer-active to learner-active, drop me a message or register here: https://lnkd.in/eyCUfcUQ.)

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗗 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝘆 What if I told you virtual PD could feel more like a party? I know, I know. You're thinking about that last 3-hour Zoom where someone read slides in monotone while you organized your desk drawers. But here's the thing: Virtual PD has been trapped in "emergency remote teaching" mode for years. We took in-person sessions, threw them on Zoom, and wondered why everyone was tuning out. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀: • Treating virtual spaces like glorified conference calls • Forgetting that engagement requires intention, not just technology • Assuming people will stay focused staring at screens for hours • Throwing people into breakout rooms without tools for connection 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: • Opening with music and movement (yes, virtual dance parties work!) • Using polls, reactions, and chat to create buzz • Breakout rooms with clear purposes and tight timing • Interactive tools that make people co-creators, not passive consumers • Acknowledging the weirdness: "I know talking to black boxes feels strange..." Think about it: At a good party, you're not sitting in rows listening to someone talk. You're mingling, laughing, sharing stories, maybe even learning something new from interesting people. Virtual PD can capture that same energy. I've seen educators:  ✨ Create virtual scavenger hunts in their own homes  ✨ Use collaborative boards to build collective wisdom  ✨ Share screens to co-create in real time  ✨ Play virtual games that connect to serious learning The secret? Stop thinking "virtual delivery" and start thinking "virtual experience." 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗗 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀—𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀! 👇 P.S. If you want to grow as a PD facilitator, here’s my free Three Mistakes You’re Making with Your PD… and What to Do Instead tool: h͟t͟t͟p͟s͟:͟/͟/͟b͟r͟i͟g͟h͟t͟m͟o͟r͟n͟i͟n͟g͟t͟e͟a͟m͟.͟a͟c͟t͟i͟v͟e͟h͟o͟s͟t͟e͟d͟.͟c͟o͟m͟/͟f͟/͟2͟3͟6͟ #VirtualPD #ProfessionalDevelopment #OnlineLearning #Engagement

“I’ve learned a lot from playing video games.” Not something you’d expect in a conversation about #education and #workforce development, right? But hear me out— video games have mastered the art of engagement, and their principles are now reshaping how we learn. Here are 3 game-inspired lessons backed by research on how VR is transforming education and training:  1️⃣ Problem-Solving and Creativity (Minecraft) In Minecraft, players build entire worlds from scratch, fostering critical thinking and innovation. Similarly, VR-based training creates scenarios where learners actively solve problems, making learning more engaging and effective.  Fact: VR training boosts learning retention by up to 80% a year after training compared to 20% for traditional methods. 2️⃣  Mastery Through Challenge (The Legend of Zelda) Zelda’s puzzles teach persistence— failure isn’t final; it’s feedback. VR replicates this principle, allowing learners to practice tasks repeatedly without real-world consequences, helping them master new skills.  Fact: VR-trained employees complete training 1.5x faster than e-learning and 4x faster than in-person training. 3️⃣  Learning Through Immersion (Iconic Gaming Moments) Think of how Super Mario 64’s first 3D world is etched in memory decades later. Immersive experiences are unforgettable, and VR training leverages this by creating vivid, real-world scenarios that leave lasting impressions.  Fact: Immersive VR environments improve knowledge application and recall, helping employees perform better in high-stakes situations. Now, here’s the twist: What if these principles extended beyond the screen and into real-world learning? Enter Virtual Reality— a medium that doesn’t just help teach; it immerses. From mastering safety protocols to learning technical skills, VR transforms education into an interactive, memorable experience. It’s not just gamified learning—it’s revolutionary. What are your thoughts— how could immersive learning impact your field? Let’s connect in the comments. #VirtualReality #GamifiedLearning #EducationInnovation