The world of training and coaching is changing fluidly and becoming increasingly digital. In this context, new terms are constantly emerging in the professional community. One of them is "live online training," which we will take a closer look at in this article. For this, we will take a journey through space and time.
The new buzzword: Live Online Training
In the article "Advantage through Live Online Trainings" in Training Aktuell from June 2018, Alexandra Altmann and Carsten Blumenstein (both from virtuu) write about the advantages of this format: It is live, it is online, it is interactive – as a trainer, you have to travel less and can actively engage your participants online. Many trainers and experts describe the learning format of webinars similarly – a term that has now found its solid place in the professional world.
For Altmann and Blumenstein, the difference lies in the level of interaction. Webinars usually consist only of a presentation by the speaker and the opportunity to ask questions. In contrast, live online trainings would involve specific tools of the virtual classroom, such as chat or polls:
“This intensive synchronous communication makes the difference between live online training and the mostly passive webinar.” (Training Aktuell No. 6/2018, p. 28)
This distinction seems vague since many webinars largely consist of a presentation; however, this is more a personal choice of the trainer than a factor of the term webinar. No question – the method of holding training online and live can be meaningful and suitable depending on the situation. However, there is no definitional difference from the classical webinar.
A journey into the world of terms: Webinar, Live, and Online
What is a webinar?
According to Duden, it is an "online seminar," while according to Wikipedia, it is a "seminar held over the World Wide Web." The term itself also tells us this, as "webinar" is composed of the words Web + Seminar.
What is live online training?
The term itself does not appear in Duden or Wikipedia. If we go by the composition of the term itself, we simply have a training that takes place live and online.
So we have Web + Seminar on one side and Online + Live Training on the other. Do you see a difference?
For Altmann and Blumenstein, the difference lies in interactivity. But this is not conceptually distinguished in terms like seminar or e-learning! And even a webinar (= Web + Seminar) should contain a certain level of interactivity. Otherwise, it would be a lecture or a simple transmission.
Yes, one could introduce a new term for a particularly interactive webinar. However, that would not be productive – on the contrary: The terminology of modern trainings is already a very broad field in which many trainers quickly lose track. Accordingly, we would also have to find terms for particularly interactive classical seminars or a particularly interactive e-learning.
It is clear: Live means that there is a fixed time for the event. If that is the case, then interactivity is fundamentally a good factor to enhance learning effects. Even speakers who incorporate questions into their one-sided presentations take this into account. In seminars, interactivity is generally higher – but how high, is not defined.
As for the fixed place, there is still a need for clarification: In our modern world, we should increasingly move towards talking about a digital place and a physical place.
Matrix: Space and Time for Learning Forms
We humans are bound to the dimensions of space and time. Even in training, coaching, and classes, these two terms are anchor points for distinguishing between different learning forms: For example, e-learning is not bound by space and time, but a webinar, according to the conventional definition, is only unbound by space:
Matrix 1: To be able to distinguish between different learning forms, they are classically defined by their dependence on time and place.
However, with digitalization, this classification is becoming increasingly inaccurate, and even our physical anchor points of space and time need to be questioned. Or at least the dimension of space – after all, in webinars or live online training, we talk about digital classrooms.
What do you understand by a space? You probably first think of a physically present place, such as a room in a house. Four walls, floor, ceiling. But when we think longer about it, the term "space" also denotes a place in a more philosophical sense. Even Duden gives partly contradictory definitions here, for example:
(Space is) a defined extent in length, width, and height
(Space is) an undefined extent in length, width, and height
Returning to the terms webinar or live online training (which is practically the same, as we noted above): Would you speak of a fixed place here? The digital space is already fixed; otherwise, the physically scattered participants and trainers would never meet.
Also, online learning forms like e-learning or webinars do not function per se independently of local conditions: I need access to a particular website, a platform – I am digitally at a very specific place!
So, let’s adjust our above matrix to this expanded description of the place and differentiate now between the physical and the digital location:
Matrix 2: Through increasing digitalization, the term "place" becomes inaccurate. The diagram shows current learning forms depending on time as well as digital and physical locations. For example, a presence seminar has a physical location and a fixed time.
Terms and Learning Forms in Transition
The second matrix looks very complex, that's true. We find it is worthwhile to have dealt with this once to understand the complexity of the terms surrounding new learning forms.
But a fundamental understanding is enough as well! What makes a training valuable are ultimately always the content and the needs of the participants. How you call your training at the end is entirely up to you. Focus on the content and adapt the learning form to it, not the other way around. Whether you call it "webinar" or "live online training" is insignificant.
Benefit from all Learning Forms: Blended Learning
This article is not about entirely dismissing the concept of live online training. That should have become clear. However, we are convinced of two points concerning this topic:
Live online training is the same as a web seminar (webinar)
No single learning form is the ultimate solution for the future
The second point is crucial: Regardless of whether you are a fan of the term "webinar" or the term "live online training" – taken alone, the learning form is far from being as effective and sustainable as when you combine it with other forms. A live training falls under the category of “presence.”
Recently, we provided an overview of current terms related to various learning forms in our blog and wrote: "We understand presence learning as a form of learning in which participants are present at a specific time together." – thus also the webinar or live online training. In the second matrix above, all learning forms under “fixed time” and “fixed physical location” are included.
Once you do not restrict yourself to a single learning format, but combine at least two together, you utilize blended learning. In this context, professional literature recommends combining a presence form with a form of e-learning, as each of these brings its own advantages.
The participants in your training benefit from this combination because different learning types are addressed, and they are personally motivated (advantage of presence) while being able to practice self-directed (advantage of e-learning).
A typical model of blended learning: Live presence events are alternated with e-learning impulses.
Conclusion: Live Online Training Only in Combination with Other Learning Forms
Live online trainings are defined as particularly interactive webinars, but there is no significant distinction between the two terms. If you are considering delving deeper into this learning form, we advise you: Use blended learning and combine live online training with e-learning. Through an online-supported self-learning phase, your participants can internalize what they have learned in the long term and integrate it into their daily lives.
Do you have a different opinion and see a conceptual difference between live online training and webinar? Feel free to send us a message, we look forward to discussions!
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