e-BOOK

Virtual Trainers are heroes. So are the instructional designers and producers who support them. Never was this more apparent than when a global pandemic changed the world, bringing learning and development to the foreground. Everyone needed to learn how to work in new ways, and they needed to do it remotely. Virtual training, meetings, and webinars became the norm not only at work, but in our personal lives as well.

And just as American professor of mythology Joseph Campbell describes in his Hero’s Journey—a common narrative that involves a hero who embarks on an adventure, is victorious in facing challenges, and emerges transformed—becoming a virtual trainer is a hero’s journey, one many found themselves on whether they wanted it or not!

The following pages contain the first edition of techniques, ideas, and most importantly, encouragement for those tasked with creating effective and engaging learning experiences in a digital world where what connects us are an internet connection, a webcam, and the features of an online conferencing platform. The posts were originally shared on LinkedIn and as such, select comments have been included.

So, enjoy learning, exploring options, making connections, and having a bit of fun along the way. Heroes overcome their fear of training online, manage technical issues, and help everyone believe online training— which is here to stay—can be not only necessary, but also engaging and effective at the same time.