Hofmann.ffirs 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page i About This Book Why Is This Topic Important? Live online learning is no longer just a “hot trend”—it is a training delivery method that is here to stay. The ability to interact with people all over the world in real time has become a critical success factor for training and education. While the technology has reached an early stage of maturation, best practices on how to utilize the technology have not been established. Trainers are faced with a new set of challenges: How do you actively engage participants who are in remote locations? How do you minimize their feeling of isolation? How do you effectively utilize the collaboration tools available in the virtual classroom? This book provides practical, real life tips and techniques to assist trainers in delivering successful synchronous events. What Can You Achieve with This Book? Let’s face it—almost ALL synchronous trainers are new to the medium. And after organizations spend tens of thousands of dollars on technology, they want synchronous events up and running in a short period of time. Using the tips, techniques, and resources discussed in this book, the length of time to mastery can be drastically reduced. The practical guid-ance will help trainers feel good about the medium because it provides information that they can use immediately to make synchronous events successful. How Is This Book Organized? The book is divided into seven chapters. After introducing the concepts, technol- ogies, and collaboration tools associated with the synchronous classroom, the author addresses such topics as synchronous facilitation, team-teaching, commu- nicating at a distance, technology management, instructional materials for the synchronous environment, working with synchronous participants, and the differences between training events and other types of synchronous interactions. Hofmann.ffirs 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page ii About Pfeiffer Pfeiffer serves the professional development and hands-on resource needs of training and human resource practitioners and gives them products to do their jobs better. We deliver proven ideas and solutions from experts in HR development and HR management, and we offer effective and customizable tools to improve workplace performance. From novice to seasoned profes- sional, Pfeiffer is the source you can trust to make yourself and your organi- zation more successful. Essential Knowledge Pfeiffer produces insightful, practical, and comprehensive materials on topics that matter the most to train- ing and HR professionals. Our Essential Knowledge resources translate the expertise of seasoned professionals into practical, how-to guidance on critical workplace issues and problems. These resources are supported by case studies, worksheets, and job aids and are frequently supplemented with CD-ROMs, websites, and other means of making the content easier to read, understand, and use. Essential Tools Pfeiffer’s Essential Tools resources save time and expense by offering proven, ready-to-use materials—including exercises, activities, games, instruments, and assessments—for use during a training or team-learning event. These resources are frequently offered in looseleaf or CD-ROM format to facilitate copying and customization of the material. Pfeiffer also recognizes the remarkable power of new technologies in expanding the reach and effectiveness of training. While e-hype has often created whizbang solutions in search of a problem, we are dedicated to bringing convenience and enhancements to proven training solutions. All our e-tools comply with rigorous functionality standards. The most appropriate technology wrapped around essential content yields the perfect solution for today’s on-the-go trainers and human resource professionals. Essential resources for training and HR professionals w w w. p f e i f f e r . c o m Hofmann.ffirs 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page iii The Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide Facilitating Successful Live and Online Courses, Meetings, and Events Jennifer Hofmann Hofmann.ffirs 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page iv Copyright © 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published by Pfeiffer An Imprint of Wiley 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741 www.pfeiffer.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-750-4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, e-mail: Hofmann.ftoc 7/8/03 11:06 AM Page v Contents Preface ix Introduction 1 1 An Introduction to the Synchronous Classroom 7 New Versus Older Delivery Methods • The Synchronous Classroom • Synchronous Software 2 Facilitating in the Synchronous Classroom 29 Profile of an Effective Synchronous Trainer • The Synchronous Trainer’s Workstation • The Producer • Leader Guides for Trainer/Producer Collaboration 3 Communicating in the Synchronous Classroom 49 Using Visuals • Using Your Voice • Language Tips • Gauging Participation • Using the Collaboration Tools • A Note on Class Size • Rules of Thumb 4 Synchronous Classroom Management 70 Managing Time and Scheduling Issues • Determining the Best Length for a Program • Communicating with Class Participants • Preparing to Facilitate the Class • Using Your Leader Guide Effectively 5 Managing the Technology 83 Creating a Seamless Production • Troubleshooting Technology V Hofmann.ftoc 7/8/03 11:06 AM Page vi VI CONTENTS 6 Working with Synchronous Participants 98 The Participant Experience • Learning How to Learn Online • Ground Rules • The Effective Learning Environment • Participant Guides 7 Synchronous Events 109 eMeetings • Expert Q&A • Webinars • Learning Events • A Final Thought Appendices 115 A. Synchronous Software Features Checklist 117 B. Synchronous Classroom Management Checklists 121 C. Recommended Resources for Synchronous and Blended e-Learning 125 D. A Glossary of Terms 127 About the Author 133 Index 135 Pfeiffer Publications Guide 141 Hofmann.fbetw 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page vii List of Figures and Tables Figure 1.1 Traditional, Asynchronous, and Synchronous Delivery Methods 8 Table 1.1 Common Synchronous Features and Their Uses 15 Figure 2.1 Sample Page Mockup 46 Figure 4.1 Timing Milestone in a Synchronous Leader Guide 79 Figure 4.2 Highlighted Script 80 Figure 4.3 Notes Separated from Action Steps 81 Figure 5.1 Windows Display Properties: Screen Resolution Settings 85 Figure 5.2 Virtual Classroom Window and Chat Area 86 Table 5.1 Keystrokes 87 Figure 6.1 Sample Participant Guide Table of Contents 104 Figure 7.1 Synchronous Event Continuum 110 VII Hofmann.fbetw 7/8/03 11:05 AM Page viii I tell you and you forget. I show you and you remember. I involve you and you understand. —Eric Butterworth Hofmann.fpref 7/8/03 11:06 AM Page ix Preface I have been working with Internet-based synchronous (live and on- line) learning technologies since 1996—truly an old hand for a field so new! During this time I’ve had the opportunity to utilize many different software platforms and watch this niche of the training market grow. The technology has been catching up to the potential of the delivery medium, and these “virtual classrooms” are becoming not only accepted but expected as part of an organization’s train- ing offerings. As a traditional instructional designer and trainer I was frus- trated by the lack of direction given to new online trainers. The fact that different skills and techniques were needed to succeed in this environment was often overlooked, and trainers had no learning opportunities besides “point-and-click” software training. Everyone was learning by experience—often hard-fought—and there did not seem to be any single place for capturing best practices and lessons learned. Another issue seemed to be that organizations were treat- ing synchronous implementations as technology initiatives and not as change initiatives. I often refer to The Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide as my “diary of things that went wrong and how I fixed them for the next time.” I captured my team’s real-life lessons learned and documented the techniques. As the training community learns and develops IX