Virtual Training | Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide, Tips & Examples

What is virtual training?

Virtual training involves delivering training or learning materials in an online setting, as opposed to providing instruction in a classroom or in-person teaching environment. 

In some cases, virtual training might occur synchronously, meaning that all participants complete training together at the same time. This is often facilitated by online meeting rooms and video conferencing tools. 

In other instances, virtual training can be asynchronous. This is where training is self-paced, and each activity or section can be completed at each participant’s own discretion, even if a time limit applies. 

From online workshops to tutorials and demonstrations to online skills assessments, virtual training can take a range of approaches to teaching users something they didn’t know before. This means you can tailor education to various uses and niches. 

Why should you use virtual training?

Adopting a virtual training strategy can have many advantages that help both you and the people you’re teaching. 

Benefits of virtual training

Virtual training offers so many benefits! Here are just a few. 

Comprehensive training

Virtual training styles allow you to take control of the way you deliver learning materials and development programs. By setting up a virtual teaching environment, you can curate the content you include and create a clearer, more comprehensive experience that helps students learn the skills they need. 

Increased accessibility

Using virtual training can also help you make education more accessible. Instead of requiring students to attend an in-person workshop or seminar, you can provide users with learning access within their own homes. When people can join training sessions remotely, you can worry less about geographical limitations and encourage more people to attend.

In their own time

Similarly, when training materials are delivered in a virtual capacity, students are free to study in their own time. This can make a big difference to the volume of students you can reach. When people have flexibility and freedom, they can make your training materials work within their schedules.

Extra engagement

You may even be able to use virtual training tools to promote more engagement with educational content! Some online learning tools and systems include features for polls, quizzes, or question and answer sessions. This means you can check how well students are understanding the messages you need to convey. 

Better efficiency

Virtual training sessions can also increase efficiency and productivity. By capturing materials effectively, you can record just once and reuse the same materials for future training materials. This helps you get more out of the work you do, saving time while pursuing great results.

Limitations of virtual training

Despite its many benefits, virtual training can also have some limitations, which it’s important to be aware of. Here are some of these considerations. ‍

Difficult to engage

When you’re delivering teaching content in person, it can sometimes be more difficult to engage your students. You might need to work harder to encourage active participation when people have access to distraction within their own homes while they learn. 

Technological issues

Virtual training also requires some basic technology skills. While you can work to improve your own understanding of relevant technologies, you may have trouble getting your students to do the same. This means you may run into glitches or troubleshooting issues during learning sessions. 

Harder to cater to all students

It may also be difficult to connect in a way that suits everyone, especially if you’re working with a large group of participants. In a remote team based across multiple time zones, choosing a good meeting time may be a challenge. And without in-person interaction, it may be more difficult for people to build strong interpersonal relationships with one another. 

How to implement virtual training: step-by-step

Knowing the right approach to take is the key to implementing effective virtual training that responds well to your goals and needs. Begin by following these simple steps!

Step 1: Choosing the right software

First, you need to decide where to host your virtual training event or lessons. This is critical, as the virtual software tools you choose could influence your entire training setup and style. Making the right selection will prepare you for virtual training success. 

Think carefully about the needs of your participants and the features your software solutions will require. Are you teaching an individual or small group, or are you delivering a mass workshop event? Will you need a recording of your training session you can refer back to later?

If you’re working with a small group, we recommend getting started with Riverside. The platform offers studio-quality recording tools alongside automatic transcriptions, seamless editing, and excellent live chat features. We even have a purpose-built presentation recording, plus an intuitive media board and live call capacity!

Step 2: Selecting your equipment 

Next, it’s time to think about your virtual video equipment needs. This includes everything from a high-quality video and microphone to the device you’re using to stream or upload training materials for participants to see. 

Before you start producing training content, identify the most important elements of your session. If you’re demonstrating meticulous processes, you might need a better camera for enhanced clarity. If you’re creating a tutorial, you may even need props to help you. 

It’s generally best to strike a balance between high-quality and budget-friendly equipment options. This way, you can invest wisely in the effectiveness of your training materials while still staying within what you can afford. 

Step 3: Planning and creating content

When you have everything you need, you’re ready to start planning and creating your virtual training content! This is your opportunity to think about how best to serve your students and the materials you need to teach. 

Consider the structure of your training content. Is it simple yet comprehensive? Are your materials easy to follow? Do they promote participant engagement or offer a chance for users to test their understanding while they learn? All of these elements can enhance training results!

For the best outcomes, plan your training content well ahead of time, regardless of whether you’re training live or pre-recording materials. Keep your content simple and easy to follow. Try to make it entertaining. Making learning fun is a great way to keep people’s interest.

Step 4: Hosting and sharing sessions

Now it’s time to share your virtual training content with the world! You can use several different methods to host live sessions or share pre-filmed materials with an online audience. 

Do you want to get people together for a live virtual event? Try an online meeting tool like Riverside, where you can all connect and communicate in real-time. Would you prefer to share self-paced learning content? Capture a high-quality video recording, and share it with participants via email, Google, or social media.

The way you host and share training sessions can make a big difference in the way that content is received. That’s why this decision is so important! Evaluate the specific needs of the people you want to benefit from training, and decide your sharing style based on this information. 

Step 5: Reviewing your approach

Finally, the work doesn’t stop after you have delivered a virtual training session or package. Now you need to revisit your teaching materials and review their effectiveness, identifying any opportunities for improvement in the future. 

What do participants have to say about the training content you deliver? Do they offer any suggestions that would improve the learning experience? While you can’t go back in time and undo an old training session, you can continue learning and enhancing your approach. 

By treating each training session as an opportunity to grow, you can commit to better virtual training approaches. The more you learn, the more effectively you can communicate educational materials and help others learn valuable skills and insights. 

5 tips for effective virtual training with examples

Want to ensure that your virtual training sessions are as effective as possible? You’ve come to the right place! Here are 5 quick and easy tips and examples to help you take the next step. 

Plan your content well ahead of time

No matter what skills you’re trying to teach or how you want to deliver learning content, planning ahead is always a good idea. 

Don’t wait until the last minute to decide what to say or how to say it. Take your time before hosting a training session to think about your message. Know how to articulate key points clearly and succinctly in a way that participants can understand. 

A robust planning process can help you feel more confident in your ability to deliver training sessions. It can also help you avoid confusion or wasted time on the day of your workshop or virtual training session. 

Use visual learning materials to help

When you’re offering virtual training, you’ll be working with a wide range of people, each with their own unique learning styles. Visual materials can help you improve clarity. 

Simplify your ideas to focus on the key points, and consider how visual materials can help support your instruction. Where possible, use slides to showcase diagrams, or share your screen to provide examples and tutorials. 

By combining visual content with your spoken materials, you can engage a wider range of people. This can help you ensure that more participants benefit directly from your training approach. 

Incorporate engagement opportunities

Engagement is an essential component of a successful training session! It encourages active participation that keeps people interested in learning more. 

Try to incorporate a range of engaging activities and opportunities throughout your training sessions. Add polls or quizzes that invite participants to get involved. If you’re hosting live, you can even open up the forum to questions about learning content. 

The more you do to help people engage well with your virtual training, the more likely it is that training will make an impact. An interactive learning environment can help people find more value in what you’re communicating. 

Be ready to face challenges that may occur

Sometimes, virtual training sessions don’t go according to plan! When this happens, it’s important that you have the skills you need to address challenges. 

Think ahead about what to do if your slides don’t work or connectivity is disrupted. Have a back-up technology plan in place if users struggle to log into a specific site or system. You might even offer alternative learning pathways for participants who can’t attend! 

When you’re ready for common challenges, they don’t have to knock you off course. This means you can avoid stress while still delivering a training session that serves your audience well and supports your goals. 

FAQs on virtual training

Still unsure about how best to approach virtual training? Here are our answers to a few frequently asked questions! 

What is the difference between online training and virtual training?

Online training and virtual training are very similar, both involving educational instruction in a digital environment. However, online training is more likely to allow for self-paced learning with a lower level of content. Typically, virtual training is more complex and comprehensive, requiring more time. It is also more likely to include a live or time-limited component. 

What is live virtual training?

Live virtual training is what happens when you meet with training participants virtually at a set time. You can then communicate in real time using video and audio chat tools. This is a great way of having a real conversation, even when you have to deliver training content remotely. 

What are examples of virtual learning?

There are many great examples of effective virtual learning! Virtual training includes many different learning structures and setups. From live video conferencing to video recordings, self-paced learning, interactive online learning simulations, massive open online courses, and more, the options are endless. 

Final thoughts

If you need to craft effective and engaging online learning materials, you need a high-quality software tool on your side. 

Get started with Riverside, and take control of your virtual training sessions. You deliver professional results for yourself, your organization, and your students.