Darlene Christopher
LEARNING OFFICER, WORLD BANK

Learning Objectives
1. Examine the virtual classroom from the global participant perspective
2. Develop strategies to adjust content, images and exercises for a global audience in a virtual classroom
3. Use best practices to avoid common mistakes when delivering training in a virtual classroom to global audiences

Producer
Participant view
Audio
Subject
Matter
Expert

Infoline: Nov 2011 T&D Magazine: Feb 2011

0 - 3 years
4 – 6 years
7 + years

5 Keys
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Content
Facilitation
Learning &
Communication Styles
Preparation
Logistics

Adjust Content
 Trim content used in classroom
 Spread reduced content over more slides/use slide builds
 Add graphics
 Check for culturally appropriate content

What Good Writers Do

The boxes below represent two words. When it’s your turn, guess a letter you think is in either word. The first person to guess the phrase wins.
Clue: What Good Writers Do

Summer E-Learning
Series
 Course 1: Investment Lending
 Course 2: Financial Management
 Course 3: Safeguard Policies
 Course 4: Procurement
 Course 5: Development Policy
Lending

August E-Learning
Series
 Course 1: Investment Lending
 Course 2: Financial Management
 Course 3: Safeguard Policies
 Course 4: Procurement
 Course 5: Development Policy
Lending

Do your images reflect the cultural and ethnic identity of the audience?

Add Interactivity
 Polls
 Status Icon Changes
 Whiteboarding
 Chat

17

18

19

20

2. Facilitation
 Clear and precise
 Pace
 Language/cultural awareness
 International English

“Maria, play devil’s advocate and respond that statement.”
“Don’t have a cow.”
“Close, but no cigar.”
“She kept her nose to the grindstone.”

Lead Facilitator
(SME)
Slides/Content Advances slides, engages audience verbally
Chat Not active in chat; comments verbally on chat
Polls
Producer
(Web Conf. Expert)
Types key messages from content into chat
Active in chat; engages audience by posting questions, links, etc.
Comments on poll responses Opens/closes polls
Exercises Leads and debriefs exercises Describes how exercises will run

3. Learning &
Communication
Styles
 We learn and communicate in different ways
 Perceptions of role of student/teacher

Cross Cultural
Communication
 When Cultures Collide by Richard Lewis

Learning Styles
 David Kolb: Experiential
Learning
 Match diversity with diversity

Cultural
Dimensions
 Geert Hofstede

4. Preparation
(Rehearsal)
 Facilitation team
 Mock audience

Rehearsal Tips
 Rehearse in the location of the formal launch
 Include someone from the target country in your mock audience
 Practice the first three minutes until they are flawless
 Rehearse exercises
 Develop back-up plans

5. Logistics

Do all countries observe daylight saving time?
Of the countries that observe daylight saving time, do they do it at the same time?
Is the work week Monday – Friday for all countries?

5. Logistics
 Time Zones
 International
Holidays
 Workweek
 Audio Considerations

 Time Zones www.worldtimeserver.com/
 International Holidays www.qppstudio.net/publicholiday s.htm
 Work Week http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work week

Books
Virtual Classroom Basics – Cindy Huggett
Great Webinars – Cynthia Clay
Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide – Jennifer Hofmann
Blog webconferenceguru.com
Twitter
@darlenec
@cindyhugg
@colinsteed
@klmonline
@presentationzen