I'm delivering a 4-hour web-based training on time management for a group of sales professionals (hosted on Webex). Although the Zone has a lot of queries and answers on Time Management courses, most of the suggested activities are for F2F/classroom-based training. Would anyone have suggested activities to make a web based training come alive and more participatory?
6 Responses
4hrs!
Hi Belay
My first thoughts are that 4 hrs on Webex is about 3 1/2 hrs too long.
The longest Webex I did was for 1hr and it seemed like 10.
Maybe start with a blank piece of paper again and see how you could deliver this Training in another way? As Time Management is your theme this should be quite easy!
Regards
Steve
Thanks!
Thanks Steve! However, I don’t have a choice in the matter regarding the time because this was given by a client. The training will be synchronous which means I get to facilitate online with participants coming from different countries in Asia. (yes, language is another challenge for this training)
Hmmmm
Hi Belay
My first question to the client would be “why 4 hrs?”
I agree, it sounds wonderful to get people from all around the world, all working at the same time and with you to facillitate.
However, the reality is… most will be confused, bored, stressed out and after 4hrs ready for a long stiff drink!
What you (the client) is suggesting goes against every learning principle know to man/woman…
Be brave and show them your blank piece of paper full of better ways of doing it!
said it before so I don’t know whether you have tried this….
Hi Belay
Send out a time bandits list (you can find a free one on the "downloadable resources" page of http://www.coach-and-courses.com) and get them to select the ones that are big issues for them, then you can tailor the time you have on Webex.
This might even allow you to run a four hour session of four one hour or eight half hour modules depending on how many areas you decide to cover
I hope this helps
Rus
Webex training
Hi Belay,
I agree with Steve about the four hours, although from experience you might get away with 1.5 hours if you can find some ways to make the session really interactive.
Do you have access to training centre rather than just meeting centre? If so, try to make use of the interactivity tools, e.g. poll questions, annotation tools, break out sessions etc. If you use these you will need some practice beforehand and you might benefit from a facilitator too.
I have found that mixing f2f and online is really hard work. You may find it easier to have everyone on a level playing field, all attending from their desks. This might also help with engagement if people haven’t done this sort of thing before.
Good luck – I hope you can make it work.
Sophie
Community
Hi Belay
Forgive me if I’m wrong but it sounds like this company said *We want xyz to happen so if you do a Webex for 4hrs xyz will happen”…It probably won’t!
I think a Community of Practice is the best way forward with this one…(see below if COP’s are not familliar to you)
Do you have the facility to set up a virtual community for these delegates?
If Time Management is important then why not use the 4hrs to set up a Time Management Community where ideas are shared
and new thoughts and techniques are added regularly by you and the delegates. This could be by weekly podcast, daily tips, small projects, time manager of the month etc etc
The results would be 100000 times better than 4hrs on Webex.
Good luck
Steve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice