The Successful Virtual Classroom: How to Design and Facilitate Interactive and Engaging Live Online Learning Paperback - 2014

Every learning environment is different. When it comes to virtual learning, you must prepare yourself for a whole host of new considerations in order to deliver effective training. The Successful Virtual Classroom arms you with a proven approach, tools, techniques, and exercises to create the engaging, interactive, and memorable learning experiences demanded by today's increasingly mobile and globally dispersed workforce.

Packed with interaction examples, icebreakers, exercises, worksheets, and easy-to-use templates--as well as case studies from organizations such as Oracle, UPS, and more--the book helps you bring the virtual classroom to life in high-impact ways, whether you're uniting physically dispersed teams, reaching participants globally, or simply providing training in a more convenient manner.

Going far beyond a mere introduction to new technology, Darlene Christopher introduces the unique and powerful PREP Model, which takes you step by step through the stages of planning, rehearsing, executing, and post session reviews for fine-tuning your program. You'll learn how to:

Leverage virtual classroom features such as content and screen sharing, annotation tools, polls, and breakout rooms * Consider every aspect of train-ing from the participant's perspective * Convert existing face-to-face training materials for virtual classroom use * Compensate for the absence of body language * Weave chat responses into the discussion * Monitor participant feedback * Encourage audience partici-pation * Engage individuals with different learning styles * Meet the unique needs of global participants.

Virtual training gives you and your learner's unprecedented flexibility...but the new tools at your disposal are only as good as your ability to adapt your training style. This book shows you how to orchestrate and deliver the high-impact virtual interactions your organizations and participants have come to expect.

Advance Praise for The Successful Virtual Classroom

"If you're looking for an accessible and practical book that will help you master the virtual classroom, this book hits the mark. It's a MUST-read for today's technologically enabled learning-and-development professional charged with developing effective virtual programs for an increasingly diverse and globally dispersed audience."-- Elaine Biech, author of Training for Dummies; editor of ASTD Handbook

"Complete with step-by-step instructions, case studies, checklists, and ideas for icebreakers and exercises to keep virtual training sessions inter-active and engaging, The Successful Virtual Classroom is an indispensable resource for both new and experienced virtual trainers." --Anne Schwartz, Vice President, Global Leadership and Talent Development, UPS

"Delivering learning using alternative delivery methodologies is critically important for today's learning organizations. This book provides relevant and practical information about how to design and implement virtual classrooms. A useful resource for any-one interested in managing learning in the digital age." --Tamar Elkeles, Ph.D., Chief Learning Officer, Qualcomm

DARLENE CHRISTOPHER is a Regional Knowledge & Learning Officer at the World Bank. She has been designing and delivering virtual training programs for global audiences for more than ten years.

Connect with Darlene at:

Twitter @darlenec

Website: www.successfulvirtualclassroom.com