Training & Development For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 19

Ten Virtual Warm-Ups

IN THIS CHAPTER

Identifying practical ways to engage virtual participants early

Using the time prior to your virtual session effectively

I often ask participants to sign on for virtual training ten minutes early to ensure that they can get a connection. Your participants sign on, their equipment checks out as “all systems go,” they say hi to you, and then what? Most likely, learners say to themselves, “Gosh! Ten minutes to get something done! Wow! Let’s see what I can do.” They look around their desks to find something they can check off their to-do lists. Perhaps they open email (even though you’ve asked them to close it) and begin to respond to new correspondence. Of course, 30 seconds before the class starts they’ve started a response, are on a roll, and just want to finish it. You start the session with less than everyone’s full attention.

What to do? How can you encourage them to continue to sign in early and keep them interested in what’s on their screens instead of what’s on their desks? And wouldn’t it be nice if there was a bonus? How about getting learners involved and participating early? Yes. That’ll do it.

The ideas presented in this chapter include ten quick ways to effectively use the ten minutes between sign-in and the actual beginning ...