Virtual training is a highly-interactive training that is conducted online, led by an instructor, and has defined learning objectives. The web-based platforms are used to carry out virtual trainings. Most of the people consider virtual training and E-learning as the same things; however, it’s not true at all, the virtual training is far better and highly-interactive training while the E-learning doesn’t entertain any kind of interactions. The instructor who leads the virtual training is known as the “Virtual Trainer”. People are shifting from the conventional classroom learnings to the web-based platforms because they are cost-effective and time-saving. In the following article, the qualities of a good virtual trainer will be discussed, so that you can judge if the virtual trainer is suitable for you or not.
Qualities of a Good Virtual Trainer
There are certain qualities of a good virtual trainer that should be kept in mind. Understanding the qualities of a good virtual trainer can help you judge whether the virtual trainer, you are deciding to choose as your trainer, is suitable for you or not. The most important qualities that should not be ignored while judging a virtual trainer are Communication skills, keeping everything simple, focusing more on the audience. Among the aforementioned qualities, communication skill is one of the most essential qualities and should be judged before any other quality. Lack of better communication skills makes it difficult for the trainees to understand the essence of the topic. A good virtual trainer doesn’t over sophisticate the topic, by avoiding to use complicated words and ensures that every individual, who attends the virtual training, understands him. Moreover, a good virtual trainer tends to focus more on the audience rather than himself only. To know if your virtual trainer is focusing more on the audience or himself, observe whether he is engaging the audience in his topics. The engagement can be through various ways such as asking questions, evaluating through tests, and conducting surveys. The following article is going to give you a detailed understanding of whether the virtual trainer, you are going to choose, is suitable for you or not.
- Communication skills:
Communication is a crucial part of a trainer’s job, with the exceptional communication skills, the virtual trainers are able to break down the concepts that are hard to understand and explain them in such a way that is easily understood by the trainees. A friendly and comfortable environment is maintained by the virtual trainer in order to engage the trainees to ask questions without any sort of hesitation. A virtual trainer, who lacks the proper communication skills required to convey the virtual training in an effective manner, should not be chosen as your virtual trainer.
- Trainees’ evaluation:
A good trainer continuously evaluates the trainees to make sure that the defined learning objectives are achieved. The evaluation process is assessed through various kinds of tests, surveys or question-answer sessions to ensure that the trainees are taking the benefits out of the training. If your virtual trainer doesn’t evaluate the performance of the trainees, it means that he is least interested in achieving the learning objects of the virtual training session and is more oriented to complete the training session.
- Keeps everything simple:
Good virtual trainers don’t over complicate the topic for the trainees, they keep everything easy enough so that everyone attending the virtual training understand them. Good trainers avoid using Jargon and industry words and focus on choosing to use more simple words to keep everything clear and easy, making sure that the trainees’ learning objectives are achieved. They understand the adverse effects of too much information on the trainees and try to refrain from giving out too much unnecessary information in order to avoid cognitive overload.
- A good listener:
One of the essential qualities of a good virtual trainer is the practice of active listening. A good virtual trainer always listens to what the learner has to say and understands that the needs and requirements of the trainees are of the top priority. The virtual trainer ensures that a pleasant and comfortable environment is provided to the trainees so that they feel at ease while learning new concepts during the training session and ask questions without feeling any sort of reluctance.
- Lifelong learner:
Good virtual trainers understand the value of self- development. They constantly look for new ways to increase their sphere of knowledge and personal growth. Their dedication to exploring new knowledge can be reflected through the quality of virtual trainings that they provide. The continuous quest for gaining more knowledge provides the virtual trainers with the competitive edge to be more effective and precise while conveying the knowledge to the trainees. If you ever feel like the virtual trainer is not engaging the audience and is least interested in learning from the audience then it would mean that he is lacking the lifelong learner quality of a virtual trainer.
- Interactive Trainer:
Trainees do not learn enough by only listening to the trainer talk about the material; however, the trainees learn better through an interactive session that makes sure that all the trainees are engaged in the training. A good virtual trainer is always interactive, carrying out certain engaging programs such as surveys, brain-storming, or conducting question-answer sessions to make sure that the participants don’t feel that they are ignored in the virtual training session.
- Focused on the audience:
The difference between virtual training and online learning is that virtual training is more interactive while online learning is less interactive. Observe your virtual trainer, one of the qualities of a good virtual trainer is that he is more focused on the trainees rather than the delivery of the information only. He makes sure that the trainees are engaged, by interacting with them every few moments. Interaction with the trainees is important because of the fact that human beings don’t learn effectively when tons of information is bombarded at them at a single and continuous flow. Giving out a lot of information at a single flow causes cognitive overload, reducing the learning capabilities of the trainees. A good virtual trainer is aware of the information overload’s consequences and he ensures that trainees are engaged as much as possible. If your virtual trainer is more focused on himself and not the audience then you need to judge whether the virtual trainer is suitable for you or not.
- Participants’ preparation:
Before proceeding to the virtual training, a good trainer will always recommend the trainees to take some necessary measures to ensure that maximum benefit is obtained from the training. The necessary measures may include suggesting the trainees to choose an appropriate space where there is a minimal distraction that might disturb the focus of the learner, using of appropriate equipment to participate such as headphones or hands-free so that the trainees don’t have to hold the phones near their ears throughout the training session. Moreover, the trainer makes sure that the trainees are in comfortable states so that the learning objectives can be achieved effectively.
- Have a good understanding of the industry:
A good virtual trainer will keep himself updated regarding the latest trends and practices of a certain industry. The better industry knowledge can help virtual trainers enhance the effectiveness and delivery of useful information to the trainees with confidence and promote more engagement with them.
Conclusion:
The aforementioned are a list of qualities that an individual can use to determine whether the virtual trainer whose trainings the individual intends to attend is suitable for him or not.