This blog talks about how to integrate technology with classroom training in corporate organizations.
In a rapidly changing business environment, Instructor-led Training (ILT) and e-learning should go hand-in-hand, to achieve the set business goals. Having either of it may not be enough to meet the intricate training needs of your employees. To improve business performance by increasing revenues, reducing costs, and maximize learning it would be sensible to integrate ILT training with e-learning programs.
Here are six ways to blend technology with classroom training.
1. Online Prerequisite Learning Before Classroom
In an effort to integrate technology with classroom training at work places, you can move some basic portions of training to online. This lessens the load of the instructor/trainer in the classroom. Giving some preparatory material before training also brings all learners to the same level of knowledge and understanding. When learners are on the same page, the instructor’s job will be easier in explaining the subject and concepts.
Multi-National Companies (MNCs) are adopting this trend of prerequisite online learning for new joiners and interns, before they come for Instructor-led Training (ILT).
One of our clients, who is a giant in precision equipment manufacturing, has also adopted this approach. It’s difficult to share all the details in classroom training, as our client has a huge product line. We prepared a prerequisite online learning for the newly hired service technicians of our client, which was a precursor for induction training. Learners must login into the Learning Management System (LMS) to take the assigned online courses, before they attend instructor-led training.
In this way, you can blend technology enabled learning with classroom training. This is the pre-classroom, blended approach.
2. Online Pre-Tests to Show the Necessity of Training
Bringing employees to the classroom for training is a challenging task for training managers. Workforce assumes that they don’t need any sort of training after they get into jobs. You can break this notion with pre online tests.
Our client challenge their employees’ knowledge and expertise with online tests. If they get good grades, no need to attend classroom training and who didn’t pass, they have to come for instructor-led training.
In this way, you can show the necessity of training based on the scores their employees achieved in pre online tests.
This is how online learning and ILT are mutually cooperative and work together for better results.
Are you struggling to start blended learning in your organization? Check the blog for five important tips.
3. Online Pre-Tests for Knowing Training Needs
If you don’t know about what topics you should train your employees, you can take the help of online tests. Give questions on important training areas in your online test and analyze the results. Areas where employees not performed well can be the training needs of your organization.
4. Technology Enabled Learning in Classroom
You can expand your trainer reach to various Geo locations with virtual Instructor-led training. It’s the direct way of using technology in classroom training. Using instructional videos for product demonstrations is another way of using technology in the classroom. Another example is showing scenario-based learning videos for sales training sessions. One more instance is doing practical exercises of ‘Watch-Try-Do’ simulations to assist software end-user training in the classroom.
5. Online Learning After Classroom Training
You can’t make your employees sit in the classroom training for hours together and hamper their productivity. Providing additional resources for further reading about the subject you taught in the classroom helps to continue their learning.
Collaborative learning through social media groups, exchange of ideas through blogs, online discussion forums, and chat facilities continue the learning after classroom training. You will get all these features in your LMS.
Creating an eLearning course to reinforce the classroom training improves the learning retention and refreshes the training over the period of time. You upload the courses in the LMS so that your learners can access courses time to time. Sharing microlearning modules on mobile devices is also one way of extending classroom training to the next level.
Don’t know how to implement blended learning at your workplace? Here are five best practices.
6. Online Assessments After Classroom Training
Moving your assessments online also saves much of your time and effort. You integrate this after classroom training. Uploading quiz questions on the LMS will help you to track the progress of your employees.
Hope these six ways help you effectively blend technology with classroom training. So, with the help of technology, continue to facilitate learning ‘before’, ‘after’, and ‘in’ the classroom training. All the best to your efforts!
