Remote class: focus on best training practices

Distance learning courses, or virtual classes, have become a must. Saving time (no need to travel) and the possibility of teleworking are the two major advantages. But it is said that commitment is more difficult for participants... True and false at the same time. In fact, everything depends on the training practices used by the trainers to make the distance learning class dynamic and stimulating. So how do trainers keep learners' attention? And how do they ensure that they develop their skills? Exploring best practice with trainer Marine Gandouet.

Distance learning: appropriate teaching methods

Research by John Medina, a professor at Washington State University, shows that an adult's attention span drops by 80 % after 10 minutes. In training, it is therefore essential to implement appropriate teaching methods to capture the attention of learners and encourage memorisation.

Towards more active and collaborative methods

The more the participants create the knowledge themselves, the more they will experiment, understand, memorise and transpose the information. The lecturing/descending method should therefore be used sparingly, especially in distance learning.

It is necessary to create a stimulating and effective learning environment. The trainer also becomes a facilitator.

Trainers can use 3 levers:

1/ Encouraging learner involvement
For example: gathering their expectations, giving meaning to the training, helping them to situate themselves in terms of their knowledge and learning, transposing the new skills to future professional activities, verbally valuing their contributions/participations, encouraging them to ask questions, etc.

2/ Promote learner collaboration
Example: encourage collaboration by using collaborative working tools such as virtual whiteboards or online chat rooms with an exercise where everyone has a role (time management, script, spokesperson, etc.).

Promoting an effective learning strategy with Triple A

It's the perfect ally for structuring and energising training courses: Triple A. It breaks down into 3 phases: "Appeal", "Contribution" and "Anchoring".

Call

This is the activation phase, designed to arouse learners' interest and/or measure their level of knowledge about the subject to come.

Examples of how to make a "call":

• Show a powerful image
• Start a brainstorm
• Take a survey
• Show a video
• Use photos and have one chosen (photolanguage)
• Tell an anecdote

Bring

This is the acquisition phase. The key concepts, information or skills that learners need to acquire are presented. With the active method, the trainer can prepare the course so that it is the learners who create the knowledge.

Examples of how to make a "contribution":

• Explain key concepts with a support
• Exploring a case study together
• Give a demonstration
• Explore a personalised deck of cards
• Do a search on the Internet
• Show a video

Anchoring

This is the application phase. It is designed to help learners integrate the new learning and to check the learning progress.

Examples of "anchoring":

• Scenario
• Role-playing game
• Case studies
• Quiz
• Exercise
• A range of digital games for revising concepts (gap-fill text, spinning wheel, crosswords, revision sheets, cards to sort into groups, etc.) See the site https://wordwall.njet

Funny Learning®

Funny Learning® offers a learner-centred approach to teaching that enables the needs of each individual to be met, even in very large groups.

This teaching method is based in particular on the 4 learning preferences in training situations: Observation, Action, Sharing, Reflection.

Everyone has unconscious preferences for learning. Preferences that differ from one person to another. By default, a trainer may therefore tend to lead according to his own preferences. However, they must also take into account other preferences and adjust to those of the participants.

4 learning preferences

Good practice? Use digital tools to alternate learning preferences throughout the day. In this way, each participant will benefit from training sequences adapted to their learning preferences.

Assessing learners and achieving objectives: in the distance learning classroom too!

While capturing learners' attention and facilitating memorisation are important, so is ensuring that each learner's skills are enhanced, particularly in a virtual classroom.

3 key moments for assessment

In addition to the 3 evaluation sessions, participants' expectations are a crucial element of the training.

The common thread of the individual expectations of the participants

This involves making the link at various key moments as to "why" the participants are doing the training. On the one hand, this enables the trainer to give sense, and therefore motivate participants to get involved. On the other hand, it allows them to better guide and personalise the training as they go along. These two aspects help participants to achieve their objectives more effectively.

here are key moments to collect expectations:

• At the start of the course : digital post-its, in chat, taking notes on the whiteboard or in a mind map.
• Throughout the training "Making the link: "Where do you stand in terms of your expectations? Where do you stand? What do you need? During distance learning, the trainer can ask questions orally, use chat, or even use images or characters to help participants find their bearings.
• At the end of the course : verbally, by going back over the notes of each participant and asking: "What are you leaving with?", "Where do you stand in relation to your initial expectations, after 2 days of training?

Distance learning: making the most of interactive tools

How do trainers choose the right digital tools for virtual classes?

The trick with digital tools is not to lose the connection and the attention of the participants. Either because the tools used are too numerous. Or because they don't know how to use the tool. Using too many tools or the wrong tool can also make learning more complex. That's why the trainer doesn't choose them at random, but to achieve a specific objective.

Which tool for which educational purpose?

Educational aims	Examples of digital tools
Preparing for training in advance	Google Forms Forms DragnSurvey
Structuring training and encouraging follow-up	Padlet to display the complete lesson plan
Energising the group	Genially to create a serious game Wordwall with the random wheel: visual and sound effects guaranteed!
Introduce a subject (arouse curiosity, take the temperature of participants' knowledge)	YouTube to watch a video Edpuzzle for designing a video quiz Wooclap to create a survey
Provide content for participants with dynamic or punchy presentations	Genially for an interactive presentation or image Prezi for an innovative presentation
Anchoring learning	Wooclap or Kahoot! for a quiz Hummingbird post-it notes: participants write on digital post-it notes what they remember from the sequence.

In distance learning, even more than in face-to-face training, the best training practices for participants focus on engagement, collaboration and maintaining attention. The Triple A concept (Call, Contribute, Anchor) provides a guide for effectively structuring training courses. The Funny Learning® method offers a learner-centred approach adapted to different learning preferences. Assessment is crucial at every stage of the training. Finally, it is important to choose the right digital tools for specific learning purposes.