Providing an overview of the components essential for a successful virtual teach was step one. Step two of the conversation focuses on components one through four.

Own The Content:

“But I didn’t design or create the content”. Frankly, no one cares if you created the content or not. If your voice is behind it, it’s yours and you own it, plain and simple. It’s best to visit with the author(s) of the courseware to get a better feel for the message they are trying to convey and to whom they’re targeting. Not gathering this information puts you at risk of misinterpreting key points, contradicting previous communications or worst yet, being off brand.

Command the Environment:

As a baseline, understanding the courseware is the first half of being prepared for a virtual teach. Understanding how the course will flow within the presentation application (Elluminate, WebEx, Saba Centra) is the second half. Situations that affect the presentation software of choice as well as flow are;

• Is instruction being delivered via PowerPoint only
• Are technical labs which include virtual machines (VMs) being used
• Does the presentation have slide builds (animations)
• Will an application be demonstrated
  • Is the application web based
  • Is the web based application secure (https)
  • Will the audience be expected to participate
    • How are the expected to participate (labs, quizzes, surveys)

These are some of the parameters that require consideration when scoping a presentation platform as well as understanding how the platform will be used. Regardless, it’s imperative you’re comfortable with the environment. Why? Simply, because you won’t have the time or the brain-power to concentrate on the presentation at hand and stumble around the environment trying to figure out how to share the desktop, take control of an application or start a lab exercise.

Lose the Distractions:

Everyone multitasks. No one multitasks when standing in front of an audience. When you’re presenting to a virtual class, treat the situation accordingly. Turn off instant messenger, the ringer on your phone, and close your email. Have in front of you the objects that are pertinent to the presentation, such as reference material or diagrams. ESPN.com won’t help you when some asks a question about extending the schema in generic LDAP.

Present in Manageable Bites:

Your audience will revolt if your plan is to lecture to them straight for 4 hours. This never happens, right? Think again, it does and somewhere there’s a soon to be unemployed instructor who’s planning to assassinate a class with PowerPoint. Don’t be that guy.

Content is consumed best when it’s broken into 15-20min chapters. Weaved into these chapters should be the corresponding demonstrations that enrich the conversation. Try out different sequences to determine where labs and demonstrations make the most sense.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of this 3 part series where we’ll talk though points five through eight.

5. Don’t skimp on equipment
6. Location, present in a quiet one
7. Be a student
8. Have a personality

Posted by Amin on 11.09.2009 at 10:00am   Tags: centra, distance-learning, elearning, elluminate, instruction, powerpoint, saba, training, webex
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