We’re in strange times, but they’re not feeling new anymore. We can expect the current lockdowns, or at least restrictions, to continue for six weeks or more. It’s no longer a case of waiting to get back to normal — this is our normal now. A big part of the new reality is moving classroom-based learning to online platforms.

Depending on how much online training an organization does already, this transition may be relatively smooth, or terribly painful. Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there (more every day) to help ease the transition.

Recorded webinars

Becoming a Virtual Trainer Is a Hero’s Journey
The path to becoming a virtual trainer is a hero’s journey, one filled with adventure, challenges, disappointments, excitement, determination, and great success and achievement. Those who have forged ahead know the journey’s often fraught with fears, foes and failing audio connections. With challenges like confusing links and logins, participants unable to connect and unexpected technical issues, it’s no easy feat to become a respected virtual trainer. Join Kassy LaBorie, Principal Consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting LLC, to learn how to confidently step up to this call to adventure, armed with the tools, techniques and ideas you need to defeat your worries and fears. Gain the knowledge to begin to build the virtual training skills needed for success and pick up a dose of courage and bravery along the way.

From In-Person to Virtual Learning — The Time Is Now!
Organizations have grappled with the digital transformation of learning for years, slowly adopting new technologies in fits and starts. Instructor-led classroom training remains the top learning-delivery method, but as the COVID-19 crisis overruns the workplace, the digital transformation of learning must occur immediately. This urgency can help learning leaders drive change that eluded them for years, but engineering and managing the transition will remain challenging. Join David Wentworth, Principal Learning Analyst, and Claude Werder, VP and Principle HCM Analyst, both with Brandon Hall Group, as they look at the current state of L&D in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and reveals best practices for jump-starting your digital learning transformation.

Five Keys for Effective Virtual Classroom Training (Free for ATD members)
Whatever name we have given it — online training, virtual instructor-led training, or synchronous training, to list just a few — it’s still people conducting live training with real people using computers, headsets, microphones, Internet and an online meeting platform like Zoom, WebEx or Adobe Connect. It’s not as easy as we would all like it to be, even during the best of times. With tasks such as sorting out login credentials and passwords, getting the materials and slides ready for online viewing, and helping participants connect, it’s no wonder there’s a struggle to make live online training effective and engaging. Kassy LaBorie, Principal Consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting, will focus on five key areas and the specific tasks and strategies to help make you, your team and your organization successful with online training.

Moving Presentations Online: Coronavirus, Training Sessions and Events (Free for IPL members)
Coronavirus is causing businesses to cut or make drastic reductions in business travel, and to cancel or move conferences and events online. But conference organizers, training teams and trainers still have jobs to do, so the question immediately becomes, “How do you do your job when people can’t travel or meet face-to-face?” It’s not a case of just taking your in-person content and presenting it virtually. If you’re to be effective, you need to understand how online presentations are different for the presenter, their slides and their audience. Once you’ve got a handle on that, it’s a case of figuring out how you can eliminate distraction for your audience and engage them with compelling content. Join Richard Goring, Director at BrightCarbon, and Hannah Harper, Senior Managing Consultant at BrightCarbon, to find out how.

Four Strategies for Building a Culture of Learning Remotely
Adopting remote-work opportunities delivers positive changes to critical business metrics, such as reduced expenses, increased productivity and engagement, and decreased turnover and attrition. Join Michael Moore, Senior Advisory Consultant at D2L, while he explores the four steps every organization can take to build a culture of learning that maximizes each employee’s potential and gives remote workers access to the same professional development and skills-mapping support as those on site.

Make MAGIC in the Virtual Classroom
Have you noticed that some online presenters facilitate their sessions with such passion and skill that it’s a pleasure to participate? They masterfully manage the web platform, create a powerful learning experience, keep it “up close and personal” and make it seem as if you are in a collaborative classroom. If you want to make MAGIC happen in the virtual classroom, then join Cynthia Clay, author of Great Webinars: Create Interactive Learning that is Captivating, Informative, and Fun in this complimentary webinar. Learn the five secrets of masterful online training that can help you create stellar experiences for your audience.

Articles and blog posts

Convert Your Classroom Training to Virtual Training — This ATD article shares three simple steps to make classroom content virtual-ready, and warns of three mistakes to avoid.

COVID-19 and L&D Response: Moving to the Virtual Classroom — This is the first of three articles by Learning Solutions on how to plan and execute change; to be followed by an ebook.

Going Virtual: Tips for Moving Instructor-Led Training Online — This Learning Solutions article from 2017 looks at how to ensure a smooth transition.

Making the Transition to Virtual Classrooms — This article shares online learning strategies used by the Education Development Center (EDC).

Making the Transition to Virtual Classrooms — Part II — This follow-up post shares additional recommendations to make the transition less daunting.

My Convoluted Transition from Classroom Teaching to Virtual Instruction — Written pre-pandemic, this article discusses the ways that virtual instruction can be more fulfilling and effective than classroom instruction if done right.

Virtual Training Tips: Efficiently Managing the Transition to Online Learning — Written just before COVID-19 became the new normal, this eLearning Industry article looks at how to implement virtual learning innovations in business.

Working Together Through the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak — This post from Brightspace Community offers detailed resources to help classroom-based instructors develop a contingency plan so learning can continue.

The Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Learning — Maintaining an Engaging Experience — Another Brightspace Community article offering detailed recommendations for making the switch smoothly while keeping engagement up.

10 Ways to Help Your Students Cope with Transition to Virtual Learning: It’s About Much More Than Just the Technology — Educators and students alike are struggling to adjust to the new normal. This article suggests ways to make it easier.

Teaching in the Virtual Classroom — Ways Instructors Can Build a Remarkable Experience Online — Posted last summer, this article contains some best practices for instructors looking to hone their virtual approach.

Best Practices for Delivering Virtual Classroom Training — This white paper from Adobe is organized by challenge and potential solution, and provides suggestions for avoiding potential pitfalls.

Transition from Tradition: 9 Tips for Successfully Moving Your Face-to-Face Course Online — Despite having been written in 2013, this eLearn Magazine article holds up, offering good tips for maintaining engagement and controlling chaos.

Moving the Classroom Online: 5 Tips for Effective Virtual Instructor-led Training — Another article written before the pandemic had gathered steam, this post focuses on IT upskilling for virtual times.

The Lockdown Is a Wake-up Call: 7 Tips for Better Virtual Training — We’re in a time of opportunity to try new things and make training better; this article provides some tips to get the best out of virtual training.

It’s a comfort that there’s no shortage of advice out there on how to move from the classroom to a virtual platform. With so many great sources of information, it’s almost simpler to make this transition than it is to buy toilet paper in these stressful times.

Have you found any great resources for going virtual? Be sure to share in the Comments section below!

Need help transitioning your classroom training to online learning? Contact us here!