Virtual classrooms present viable and lucrative training options for corporate houses. They can impart new skills to their employees at various locations at the same time, saving time and cost. On the other hand, employees feel satisfied because they learn new skills whereby they can increase their productivity, reduce stress and maintain a good work-life balance. But, how can one make it effective? What are the guidelines which can help you conduct a successful virtual classroom and give your learners a meaningful learning experience?

1. Tools and Techniques for a Successful Virtual Classroom
Virtual classrooms present viable and lucrative training options for corporate houses. They can impart new
skills to their employees at various locations at the same time, saving time and cost. Nonetheless, how
does one conduct a virtual classroom? Is it simple or complex? What are the challenges? These are a few
questions that intrigue corporate trainers.
Here are a few guidelines which can help you conduct a successful virtual classroom:
Know Your Learners Well
Training individuals is always challenging. It is more so if your trainees are in a remote locale. You need to
know a lot about your learners so that you can give them what they really want or need. Unless your
presentation has something that your learners want, they are not going to take an interest in it.
Therefore, analyze your learners and their learning requirements before you prepare your presentation.
Organize the Content to Be Delivered
The fact that you are giving an online presentation does not reduce the amount of preparation you need to
make. Once you know your learners’ needs, choose your content accordingly. It should present learners
with relevant information to help them build skills. Once you have the content, organize it well. Get your
plan ready for each phase of your presentation, with the amount of content and the activities to be
conducted. Include a variety of examples and activities to provide clarity on the concept and sustain your
learners’ interest.
However, avoid lengthy anecdotes and irrelevant examples. Rehearse your presentation as many times as
you need to get a strong hold on the content and tools.
Give a Brief Introduction to the Tools
The success of a virtual classroom depends on learners’ active participation. They cannot participate if
they do not know how and when to use a particular tool or a mode of communication to optimal effect. So,
introduce these tools to them and ensure that your learners know how to use the various audio and video
devices, message boards, emoticons, etc.
Engage Your Learners as Often as You Can
Building collaboration among learners is crucial for the success of a virtual training session. Engage your
learners in group tasks and post their responses on message boards. Encourage them to use emoticons to
express their feelings such as laughter and applause.
With simple and relevant real-life examples, you can gain the attention of your learners. And such
examples can give life to dry topics. Question your learners randomly as often as you can to keep them
mentally alert.
With these tips, you can make a lively virtual training session and provide your learners a satisfying
learning experience. As a corporate trainer, you need to have a definite plan to surmount the challenges
of time, space, technology and, most importantly, individual learning styles.
Do share your thoughts on the same.
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