Training employee skills online is a new world compared to traditional, in-person, corporate training. Many strategies that work well in physical training environments can be employed online, but many others must be adjusted to be effective outside a traditional face-to-face classroom. When training online, these core tenets provide a framework to explore and expand online upskilling and offer experiences to employees that will encourage engagement, learning, and understanding.
Training online must center on employees.
The first step of the Stanford Design Process is empathy. When training online, empathizing with and understanding employees' needs will positively impact the effectiveness of the experience. Pacansky-Brock states, "Empathy requires you to slow down, see things through your students' eyes without judgment, be flexible, and support them towards their goals" (2020).
Employees may not have the same background when it comes to the training topic, the same accessibility when it comes to computer equipment or wifi, or even speak the same language as their fellow employees. These "structural and instructional impediments" must be addressed through "culturally relevant instruction" and "instructional interventions" that humanize training to recognize and support employees regardless of their differences (Farley & Burbules, 2022). Providing instruction online is not one-size-fits-all for every learner.
Training online must combine technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) to engage learners.
Koehler and Mishra (2009) expanded on the work of Lee Shulman to add Technological Knowledge to the concept of pedagogical content knowledge. "The interaction of these bodies of knowledge, both theoretically and in practice, produces the types of flexible knowledge needed to successfully integrate technology use into teaching." Choosing the kinds of technology in online learning, such as videos, podcasts, and online articles, and a learning management system that best combines content and pedagogical approaches will impact learners' understanding. Forcing content into the wrong technology, or using a pedagogical strategy that doesn’t fit the content, does not center learners and must be avoided.
What technology, pedagogy, and content to use in online training? It depends. As there is no one-size-fits-all approach to online training for every student, there is no one-size-fits-all technology, pedagogy, or content either. No learning experience platform can support training for every employee or every topic. It would serve trainers well always to think, “It depends” when questioning content, pedagogy, and technology choices for online training to ensure the student is centered and the correct choices are made to find the sweet spot where these choices overlap to impact the learner positively.
Training online must be iterative.
Even if an online learning experience exists in the sweet spot of TPACK, a trainer must be aware that online learning occurs in a social context outside of the online environment. Learners' culture, socioeconomic status, and local and world events affect the success of online learning experiences. These varying contexts change over time which directs online learning to be iterative. Jesse Stommel writes, "We should also not use systems that etch curricula into stone. This means supporting (financially and culturally) course development and frequent course redevelopment. It also means eschewing altogether stock courses." (2018). What works in one training class may not work in the next and must be iterated to provide an outcome where employees learn regardless of external influences. By iterating learning experiences, a trainer is also demonstrating empathy by understanding the needs of students and centering students in their content, pedagogical approaches, and technology choices.
The COVID-19 pandemic represented a turning point in teaching online. Trainers thrust into a whole new world of online training because of the pandemic had to rapidly iterate their teaching pedagogy, content, and technology tools as they learned how to train online while training online. Iteration of online learning experiences should not be relegated to once-in-a-lifetime exceptional events but apply to all online instruction. Technology, and the world outside of learning, develops rapidly, and with iteration, a teacher will provide relevant experiences for the current world where students live.
Training online must engage and humanize trainees.
Most online training is asynchronous and presents a unique obstacle to engaging employees. Some of the most engaging experiences in the traditional training sessions are the discussions and learning reflections in face-to-face training. Trainers must find ways to engage their employees when employees and trainers are in different physical spaces. "Rampant online discussion requires flexible technology and requires that we choose our tools carefully" (Morris, 2018). Research by Jaggars & Xu (2016) shows that "...the quality of interpersonal interaction within a course relates positively and significantly to student grades."
For online courses to be engaging, they must be inclusive through humanizing strategies. Trainers must build trust with employees by creating an environment where the employee feels supported, seen and that their effort matters. Creating this humanized environment is done through frequent, positive communication, feedback, and support from the Trainer (Packansky-Brock, 2020).
Training online is challenging, exciting, and ever-evolving. The unique online learning environment requires trainers to be curious, open, and collaborative. When a trainer centers and humanizes students while teaching online and evolves their content, pedagogical, and technology choices to engage their audience, students will learn as effectively, or even more effectively, than in traditional, in-person training.
REFERENCES
Bransford, J. L., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. (Expanded Edition). National Academy Press.
Farley, I. A. & Burbules, N. C. (2022). Online education viewed through an equity lens: Promoting engagement and success for all learners. Review of Education, 10(3), e3367.
Jaggars, S. S. & Xu, D. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, (95), 270-284.
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1).
Morris, S. M., & Stommel, J. (2018). An urgency of teachers: The work of critical digital pedagogy. Pressbooks.
Pacansky-Brock, M. (2020). How to humanize your online class, version 2.0 [Infographic]. https://brocansky.com/humanizing/infographic2
Stanford University d.school (n.d.) Stanford design thinking model. https://dschool.stanford.edu/about.
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