Best-practices for Online Training

E-Learning Best Practices for Instructors and Webinar Hosts=

The JTC has developed this best-practices guidance for online training to help ensure that delivery for remote learning is effective and organized. Please see below for best-practice suggestions for instructors, training webinar organizers and training webinar producers. This guidance aims to help MJOs and instructors seamlessly deliver online trainings as we transition to online training platforms in light of COVID-19.

For Instructors

Online delivery tips

• Use a webcam to stream video of yourself delivering your slides. It helps to keep the viewers engaged and tuned into the content.
• If you are streaming live video of yourself, broadcast from room with a fairly uncluttered background. Avoid windows or moving objects in the background of your broadcast; use a green screen if you have one.
• Wear a solid color shirt, rather than a print or stripes
• A light bar or ring light is preferable to overhead lighting
• Do not use a speaker phone for your audio. The ideal audio setup will be to use a headset with a mic. Use your phone handset if you don’t have a headset.

2-3 days Before the Presentation

• Instructor should send their final presentation to host MJO at least 2 days before the webinar. Host MJO will us this copy as a backup.
• Schedule a dress-rehearsal with the webinar host to familiarize yourself with the webinar system, and to test your presentation slides
• If the instructor plans to use exercises, consider making submission of exercises mandatory to receive a certificate. Otherwise, students may not be inclined to submit completed exercises.
• If there are multiple instructors, discuss how to distribute presentation responsibilities prior to the training. For example, who will be advancing slides for a given section? Who will be answering student questions?
• If instructor needs to update slides following the webinar, please send a new version to host MJO within 24 hours. Make sure there is no copyrighted material in the set.

Day-of the Presentation

• Log-in to the webinar using the link in the webinar registration confirmation email. If applicable, enter your audio pin as well.
• Log-in to the webinar system with your presentation in slide show mode at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the training webinar.
• Close all other programs on your computer, especially anything that has pop-ups or reminders.
• Instructors should have a cell phone nearby and turned on with the ringer on silent. Leading MJO will use cell phone to contact an instructor in case there are connection issues.
• The instructor should be familiar with the computer and audio that they plan to use on the day of the webinar. Instructors should make sure that they have a second way to connect via audio on the day of the webinar in case of malfunction (such as a cell phone).

For Webinar Organizers

• Select a webinar system that has the following capabilities: screen sharing, live chat, live Q&A, virtual whiteboard, polling
• While GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar are the leading webinar software solutions, Zoom and Google Live also have the functionality needed for a successful webinar.
• Communicate to the instructor how they plan to handle questions from participants during the training. Attendees must be able to ask questions or provide comments (usually via a comment box) while the instructor is speaking. Keep note of these questions and comments and troubleshoot if need be.
• Webinars where interactive exercises are used should be limited to 20-30 attendees.
• Discuss with the instructor how many students they feel comfortable teaching on this platform. Some instructors will suggest limiting on-line classes to the same 30-35 used for classroom presentations. Large classes, both on-line and classroom, are intimidating to students, suppressing questions and discussions.
• Ask instructor if it important for students to be able to see each other and for the instructor to be able to see the students. If so, each student should have a camera.
• Pre- and post-testing could be done by either emailing editable documents or by using an online form such as Google Forms.

For Webinar Facilitators

• Get the instructor’s cell phone number prior to the training to be able to contact them if there is a problem during the webinar.
• Instructor will need to accept the “Show your Screen” box when prompted.
• Instructor will use their cursor as a pointer.
• Demonstrate to participants how to use the chat box and Q&A forum to communicate with instructor & webinar producer before the presentation.
• Continuously monitor the chat box for comments and questions from the audience.
• Monitor the audio and video connection of the instructor. Watch how effectively slides are advancing. How is the instructor’s connection? If the instructor is using a live video feed and there are connection problems with their audio and/or slides, eliminate the streaming webcam to free-up bandwidth and hopefully improve the connection.
• The presentation platform used for the class should have the capability to show slides, play videos and display PDFs using the same software used in classroom presentations.
• The producer and instructor should review slides together prior to the training to confirm that all presentation material is able to be shown.

Resources

LogMeIn Webinar: Move your in-person event to a webinar with our expert’s top tips

Cornerstone Webinar: Tips for converting ILT to virtual classroom delivery

Cornerstone Crash Course on Converting to the Virtual Classroom