Are We Really Ready to Go Back to In Person Training?

Have you ever been to a meeting and thought: “This could have been an email”?

Have you ever been to a training and thought: “This could have been done remotely”?

We all understand that for an in-person meeting to be worthwhile, it must contribute something that an email wouldn’t. Much like in-person meetings, learners are reporting that they have new expectations for in-person training too.  

What has changed? 

While some people are eager to return to in-person training, others have become accustomed to the convenience of eLearning. The truth is that there is value in both. 

This year so many organizations have stepped up their game online. There are training break out discussions, participants raising their hands on Zoom, and resources available online for learners. 

Because of this, there is a growing expectation that learners can engage and participate in their training— whether it occurs virtually or in person. 

When we consider in-person learning, most people recall the human connection, the interaction, and the high-level discussions that are known to take place in person. 

But what happens when you arrive at a training and there isn’t this interaction that we’ve missed? 

How many trainings have you been to where the speaker lectures beside a screen on stage; you sit, and then the training is over? 

An in-person training that isn’t worthwhile can set you back because the commitment for an in-person training is often more than it is for virtual learning. 

Did you take time off work for this training? Did you have to travel? Pay for a hotel room? How much time (personal or professional) did you give up to attend this training? 

This DOESN’T mean that in person training is over; instead, this means that the expectations for in person training has changed. 

We must consider this: What are you doing in person that couldn’t be replicated online?

There’s little value in sitting in a room listening to a speaker read from a PowerPoint. For in-person training to be valuable, it must respect the learner’s time by having elements that are interactive, relevant, and extend to real-world application. 

To add value, extend learning, and create a worthwhile experience, we suggest including an online component to your in-person training experience. 

How can we create a “hybrid” learning experience? 

Rather than read from a PowerPoint, an eLearning component can guide and prompt speakers to engage in active learning with the audience as well as provide resources, references, and opportunities to practice the skills learned long after the in person training has ended. 

Take a look at the table below to explore some examples of how Dignified Learning used eLearning to support and enhance in-person training.