Imagine my disappointment. LinkedIn had presented what appeared to be just the course I was looking for. Everything looked great. Two full days with a well thought out agenda, every session relevant, great facilitators, even the timing worked with my schedule.
Then I noticed it was all online. This was a program where the learning should happen in the conversations and shared experiences of participants, not two days of staring at a screen, with awkward silences after every question, random conversations happening in the chat, and being distracted by notifications. My reaction wasn’t about Zoom fatigue. It was about what kind of learning this program claimed to offer, but the format made impossible to deliver.
I get why we do things online. During Covid it was better than nothing for keeping learning alive. Since then, convenience and efficiency have become easy. Providers save on delivery costs, easier scheduling, repeatability at scale, and wider geographic reach. Firms save on travel costs, less time out of the business, and no more day delegate rates!
But participants and facilitators both lose so much.
Because much of the real learning happens in side conversations, shared experiences, and hearing how others interpret the content. Online breakout groups can’t replace this, and facilitators like me know how many people drop out just as the breakouts are launched.
In person facilitation is responsive. As a facilitator, you read the room, follow the energy and curiosity, and challenge the resistance.
Online delivery pushes facilitators toward a script, something that’s necessary when you don’t have the same level of energy and feedback a live audience brings. I’ve delivered sessions on the same topics more times than I can count, but I’ve never delivered the same session twice in person. That’s because participants ask questions and the conversation goes where they need it to. They get a tailored experience.
In short, facilitators lose visibility and momentum and participants lose the ability to immerse themselves in the content and think deeply without distractions. Keeping cameras on doesn’t translate to focus or attention. Especially if the participant records it then watches it at 1.5 speed later! Technology has fuelled our appetite for instant information and reduced our tolerance for deeper learning.
Of course, not everything has to be in person. There is a time and place for online. Some things actually work better online such as short, focused updates, briefings or refreshers, and technical knowledge where you can re-watch the same video as many times as you need to nail that Excel trick. But programs that focus on reflection, leadership, behaviour change, peer learning or creative problem solving need shared space, time and energy.
So, the question is, are we designing programs for depth of learning, or convenience and ease of delivery? If the format undermines the outcomes, is it worth doing at all?
If you’re thinking about investing in a training program, a few points need to be considered.
Be clear on the learning outcomes you’re looking for and then choose the format that suits those outcomes. Is it about technical learning, or is it about ways of thinking, behaviour change, strategies for success, or problem solving? Deep discussion and the ability to ask questions are key for this.
Be honest about what online delivery can and can’t do. Online delivery is unlikely to deliver a deep connection and shared experience. It also doesn’t help you focus for full days and become immersed in new ideas or ways of thinking.
If connection and shared experience are essential, do it in person, or don’t expect those outcomes. Think about what you want to achieve. Sometimes less reach with deeper impact is better value.
