More effective presence time and sustainable online learning: that’s what blended learning promises. But how can you as a trainer achieve the perfect workshop with online support? In this article, we will show you the concrete steps using a practical example, from model selection to follow-up.
In theory, you are likely familiar with the concept of “blended learning”: training measures such as trainings or coaching take place partially online and partially in a traditional format. This saves presence time and allows you as a trainer or coach to accompany the learning process longer in your participants' everyday lives. Blended learning is not only excellent for trainings with multiple in-person appointments; it can also be effectively used for traditional one-day workshops. These 10 tips will help you digitalize your one-day workshops during the planning phase.
But what should you pay attention to in order for the concept of “workshop with online support” to really work? Here are some tips from our expert: colleague Dennis has been regularly accompanying workshops with online courses on the blink.it platform for several years. Using the example of the successful “rocketday” workshop, you will learn everything you need to know to support your own workshops: in this workshop, trainers and companies learn to create their own training videos for successful blended learning.
Overview
Step 1: Planning
Step 2: Online Preparation
Step 3: The In-Person Workshop
Step 4: Online Follow-Up
Step 1: Planning a Workshop with Online Support
Accompanying your workshop online offers you many advantages over a pure in-person workshop: “In most workshops, the basic prerequisites among the participants are different,” says workshop leader Dennis. “Preparation allows everyone to get on the same level. A uniform knowledge base is advantageous to ensure nobody is bored during the in-person workshop and to really use the time effectively.”
The presence phase serves primarily to show practical exercises and to answer individual questions. Here, online preparation is also valuable to identify learning deficits and adjust your presence time if necessary. Individual support in-person also enhances your overall offering. Therefore, Dennis advises: “Definitely offer in-person support – this can also be digital! Even if your topic could be fully digital, participants are usually willing to pay more for personal support with blended learning.”
Core Thoughts for Workshops with Online Support:
The goal is for all participants to arrive in-person with the same knowledge!
The online support should enhance your presence, not replace it!
The Right Model for Workshops with Online Support: The Sandwich
Now, for the concrete planning, first ask yourself: How should the workshop proceed? How many presence phases do you have, and how many online phases? Expert Dennis recommends the blended learning model “sandwich” for one-day workshops: online preparation, one in-person day, and online follow-up. This model is straightforward yet very effective. The rocketday is structured according to this model as well.
The “sandwich” is just one of many options: you can find additional blended learning models in the free guide:
Which Workshop Contents Are Included in the Online Course, Which Are In Person?
Once you have chosen a model, you still need to divide your contents: distinguishing between synchronous and asynchronous contents can help.
Dennis advises: “Think about: What do my participants not need me for? That should be done asynchronously. Typical PowerPoint presentations with basic knowledge are better suited for preparation alone. And in-person, as the workshop leader, I give a short introduction and then dive directly into practical deepening.”
Example: In the rocketday workshop on filming training videos, the division looks as follows:
Example: In the rocketday workshop on filming training videos, the division looks as follows:
| Asynchronous Contents | Synchronous Contents || -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- || Explain the flow of the workshop Collection of links and addresses Download guide Install video editing software Task: Create your own concept Checklist for preparation Follow-up / summary | Practice using video equipment Feedback on the concepts from the workshop leader and other participants Video shoot Video editing |
Do you know the objectives of your online support, have you decided on a model, and divided your workshop contents? Then it’s time for the preparation phase:
Step 2: The Online Preparation for the Workshop
With the “sandwich” model, the workshop starts with preparation in the online course. This preparation has advantages not only for you as a trainer. Expert Dennis knows the participant's perspective as well: “When I prepare online as a participant, I can learn at my own pace. I can run videos at double speed and take notes at my own speed.”
To make the preparation ideal for you and your participants, you should plan it carefully and present it well. How long the preparation needs to be depends on the topic. Dennis recommends: “The more complex the topic, the more pleasant it is for participants if the content is split: For highly complex topics, it's worth dividing the preparation into several sections and offering opportunities for questions at shorter intervals, for example with short Q&A sessions. For simpler topics, usually, a short preparation phase is sufficient.”
Example: In the rocketday workshop, the preparation lasts about an hour. This is what the preparation course for the rocketday workshop looks like in practice:
Insight into the preparation course for the filming workshop “rocketday” // Source: blink.it
At the end of the preparation, every participant has:
received all the information about the flow
downloaded a guide as a knowledge base
received useful tips for video planning
developed a first draft of their own video concept
checked with a checklist whether all preparations are completed
With these preparations, an effective workshop day can now begin, where you as a workshop leader can build on the preparatory tasks and shared prior knowledge.
Step 3: The In-Person Workshop
How the actual workshop proceeds depends, just like the preparation, on your topic. Do you already have a finished workshop that you have often conducted in person? Then you can simply shift a large part of the basic knowledge into the online course. Everything practical, such as exercises, feedback loops, discussions, and interactions, you retain as usual in person.
To establish an ideal connection between the online and presence phases, Dennis recommends: “Take a maximum of 15 minutes at the beginning to go over the content of the preparation. This way, the participants know exactly where they stand and how to proceed.” – This also works perfectly in the video shoot workshop.
If you would like to know exactly how the rocketday workshop works, you can find a detailed report here: Report on rocketday: Become a video pro in 6 hours
Insight into the rocketday workshop: Expert and workshop leader Dennis explains how to handle tripods, cameras, and microphones. (l: Martin Wagner, r: workshop leader Dennis)
What to Do If Participants Do Not Prepare?
Even in a good blended learning workshop, it can happen that some participants do not take the preparation seriously. Especially in mandatory corporate training, employees are sometimes not as motivated as the workshop leadership would like. Workshop expert Dennis has experienced this as well and insists on consistency:
“Make it clear beforehand that participation in the workshop without preparation is not possible. Ideally, agree with the client that you will not take any consideration for those who do not prepare: They can participate, but the program will not be changed. Otherwise, the benefit of blended learning is wasted: We want to make effective progress in-person and not slow down participants who are well-prepared!”
This is How to Make Your In-Person Workshop Maximally Effective::
Make it clear that preparation is mandatory.
Stick to your program, even if some participants are not prepared.
Plan 15 minutes for an introduction to establish a connection between online and presence phases.
Step 4: The Online Follow-Up for the Workshop
A follow-up and long-term support is optional. This again depends on your topic and the chosen model. In the case of the rocketday workshop with the “sandwich” model, a final online phase is planned:
Workshop leader Dennis especially appreciates the flexibility in follow-up: “How the follow-up is used depends on the participants. In the course, specific questions from the live session can be brought up again, additional materials offered, or the results from the workshop collected. What helps participants afterward with implementation usually develops simply over the course of the day.”
The following formats are well-suited for a follow-up:
Photos of whiteboards or other notes
Results from participants on tasks during in-person
Answers to relevant questions from the workshop
Prompts and exercises for the participants' everyday lives
Feedback surveys to optimize your course for the next group
With expert tips and a simple tool like blink.it, you can easily offer your workshops as blended learning. This way, you create real added value for your participants, optimize your presence time, and enhance your traditional workshops.
To perfectly start with blended learning in continuing education, download the free guide “Blended Learning for Trainers” now: in it, you will learn everything you need to know for the online support of trainings, coaching, and workshops.
Free Guide
Blended Learning for Trainers
Improve your training and create your blended learning concept in 9 steps! We will guide you from goal setting to content creation, call-to-actions, and methods:
To the trainer guide for blended learning
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