Instructor-led training (ILT) is something we’ve all been through. Take a trip down memory lane, whether it’s to a high school class or joining a work session facilitated by an instructor. All of this falls into the category of instructor-led training.

It’s true that elearning and blended solutions are evolving rapidly. But it’s impossible for them to replicate the many benefits face-to-face interactions offer.

Instructor-led training provides a direct connection between learners and instructors, which is why it continues to be the most effective method of learning. However, as the learning preferences change, this method should adapt to meet the needs and expectations of today’s learners. This is an area where edtech can play a vital role.

In the scope of this article, we’ll touch upon what instructor-led training is all about and how it can leverage edtech to enhance the learning experiences of modern learners.

TL;DR

• Instructor-led training (ILT) is a training led by a human instructor. It can occur both in physical and virtual environments.
• ILT remains as important as ever due to its direct interaction between learners and instructors. However, it needs to adapt as the learning preferences change.
• Edtech, short for education technology, is a great way to enhance the effectiveness of ILT sessions and meet the ever-evolving needs of modern learners.
• Edtech can enhance instructor-led training through AR/VR experiences, interactive tools, multimedia, personalized learning, and session recordings.
• LMS solutions like Edly streamline ILT programs by offering tools for scheduling, enrolling, and organizing training materials in one centralized location.

What is Instructor-Led Training

As the name implies, instructor-led training is a training program led by an instructor. In the most traditional sense, this form of training occurs in a classroom setting, office, or any physical facility.

However, instructor-led training (ILT) can also occur online through virtual classrooms where students and instructors are present at the same time.

An ILT can include one of the following training formats based on your specific needs:

a) One-on-One: This training format focuses on individual learners in a one-to-one meeting. The purpose is to give in-depth instructions to each learner with personalized attention.

b) Small Group: In small group training, the number of participants is limited, generally less than 10. Here, the learners get to experience group discussions and peer learning under the supervision of a human instructor.

c) Seminars: Seminar trainings are educational sessions where one or more speakers guide learners on a specific topic. The size of these sessions varies from small groups to huge gatherings.

d) Workshops: This format comprises interactive sessions where the instructor guides learners through group exercises, case studies, and hands-on activities. The focus is to help users develop practical skills by applying information in real-world scenarios.

How to Enhance Instructor-Led Training With Edtech

Edtech, short for “education technology”, combines IT tools with educational practices. Integrating edtech provides an excellent way to enhance the effectiveness of your ILT courses and satisfy the ever-evolving needs of modern learners.

Here are 5 ways you can use edtech to make your instructor-led training more engaging and dynamic:

Fill the Gaps with AR/VR

Sometimes, despite all the effort an instructor puts in, the participants find it tough to understand a new concept. This could be due to various reasons, such as the lack of any prior knowledge about the subject. So, they might not fully grasp that new idea unless they experience it themselves.

In such cases, emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can really step up and fill the learning gaps.

What the AR/VR technologies do is, they bring abstract concepts to life by creating immersive experiences. For instance, VR technology can transport your learners to the Moon, where they can explore its surface and improve their understanding of science and space.

Similarly, AR can help your learners understand machinery operations and repairs by creating 3D visuals of equipment parts and guiding them through complex processes step-by-step.

Use Interactive Tools

Do you know what’s the biggest advantage of instructor-led training? You got it right, it’s the opportunity for instructors and learners to have direct interaction and provide feedback.

However, it is also a fact that engaging everyone is not always possible, especially when you have a large group of learners. Using edtech tools is a great approach that will help you engage diverse groups by creating simulations, polls, quizzes, and chat platforms.

Leveraging the edtech tools, you’ll be in a better position to assess the understanding of the learners, stimulate curiosity among them, and foster collaboration.

Incorporate Multimedia

Imagine listening to an instructor during an ILT session. The instructor continues reading dense documentation for almost an hour. You’ll definitely feel disengaged, right? The same holds true for your learners.

What if you incorporate multimedia such as images, graphs, videos, or animations into your ILT content? This will not only help you improve the quality of your ILT content but will also keep people focused during the session.

With multimedia and visual aids, your ILT presentation or demonstration is sure to become more effective. However, the important thing is to use these aids moderately and appropriately. Otherwise, it may distract some of the learners.

Personalize the Learning Experiences

Edtech is a great facilitator of personalized learning. Now you can tailor educational experiences based on the individual needs of the learners.

Adaptive learning platforms are available that assess a learner’s performance and adjust content according to the progress they have made.

This type of personalization lets you create an environment where learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Instead, it is flexible enough to meet different learning styles and fit into how fast each participant is able to learn.

Share Session Recordings

With edtech software, you can record your ELT sessions and share them with the participants. When you record, make sure to include everything, even the notes or board illustrations created during the training.

This will allow learners to go back and review important points instead of relying on messy notes. The ability to rewatch certain parts of a training session will give them the extra time they need to fully absorb the information. Which in turn will help them learn better.

How Edly Can Help

Edly is the most trusted learning management system (LMS) that has impacted millions of learners around the world. You can leverage our LMS solution to plan and schedule your ILT programs, enroll learners, send them reminders, and more.

With Edly, you’ll have a centralized location where you can store and organize all your supporting materials, from documents and videos to presentations, research articles, and whatnot.

Interested to know how Edly can support your ILT sessions? Talk to one of our experts today.