Why Can't Virtual Be Better?

The primary role of an educator is to organize and impart knowledge in a way which can be best consumed by the students.  It is pretty safe to say:

• Students have varied levels of knowledge
• Students have different reasons to engage in learning
• Students live in different geographical locations
• Student have their own work related challenges
• Students can only learn so much information before they are “overloaded”

It seems everyone just accepts the idea the best training happens in a physical location.  The main thing a physical environment gives you is the ability to view body language.  The opportunity to visually know if the person you are working with is actually “getting it”.      

As a trainer, should I not be able to have the virtual tool chest to not only make virtual learning equal to physical learning, but actually provide significantly better long-term experience.

Virtual Tool Kit

What are some of the things we have at our disposal in our virtual arsenal (not in any particular order of importance):

• Labs, labs and more labs
• 24x7
• Collaboration between instructor and student (both asynchronously and synchronously)
• Publish custom labs to a particular student just to meet their requirements
• Assessment testing
• Written assessments with automatic grading
• Performance based testing with labs
• Gauge student progress
• Office Hours
• Have students visit you during set times
• Video and Voice (yes, you need to make sure you get dressed -- at least wear a clean shirt)
• Bring up a lab if you need to
• Synchronous ILT sessions
• 2-3 hours max per synchronous session
• Prevents information overload
• Easier to fit into their schedule
• Yes, the student needs to make sure they put themselves in a room/place where they can’t be disturbed
• Keep in mind that in order to qualify for SATV vouchers we still need to deliver the equivalent of 6 hours per day of instructor time, which the Office Hour concept could be part of. 
• Private forums
• Support from not only the instructor but your peers
• Private messaging
• Virtual Curriculum
• Combine labs/assessment testing/forums/whitepapers/video/ html resources, etc.... into a single step-by-step guide
• Similar to an LMS type of system
• What else do we need??

Sample Program

Course is delivered via a Virtual Curriculum, which is broken out into each module.  It would include the lab links, and “extra” information for them to read through, and an assessment test to make sure they are getting it.  It is the foundation to keep the student and instructor on track and organized.

• A five day course would take five weeks to complete. 
• We try to break a course down into two hour chunks and ideally would allow modules to run independently
• Modules for that session are “recorded” so if a student misses it, then they can “catch up”.  These recordings are only for students that are enrolled in the program.  They show up in their Virtual Curriculum area for that module.  They won’t be used for self-paced. 
• We have two two-hour “office hour” sessions which students can connect into in order to ask questions.  If you were running three or four courses at the same time, any of your registered students could access the office hours session.
• This gives the students the opportunity of 8 hours per week of interaction with the instructor.
• Each course has their own private forum
• It gives the students five weeks of access for the labs, which could be extended if we want to.

Virtual/Physical Hybrid Learning

Does it have to be “OR”, maybe it can be “AND”? A corporate customer may like the idea of one or two days of “intense” on-site delivery supplemented by a virtual learning track.  I always find it easier to work virtually with someone after you have met them in person. 

If you are using hosted labs, then the customer just needs to provide good Internet connectivity in their training room

Discussion

I know there are people that detest virtual learning; they will always want to go to a physical delivery.

In your experience what do you think students want?

Ideas for other virtual scheduling/structures?

Does this need to be condensed more? 

What are some other virtual tools we need?

General comments.......