The Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide: Facilitating Successful Live and Online Courses, Meetings, and Events (Kindle Edition)
Review
we must also grow the skills and strategies of teachers working in the
virtual classroom. The Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide is a great
resource for the new or experienced eTrainer.”
— Elliott Masie, president, The MASIE Center
“The shortest path for most instructors to become more impactful is through synchronous training. And the shortest path for most instructors to become proficient in synchronous training is to use this unique book.”
— Clark Aldrich, cofounder, Simulearn and author, Simulations and the Future of Learning
“The virtual classroom is truly a brave new frontier in training. Jennifer Hoffman’s new book is appropriately titled, because it will allow readers to, in fact, thrive in the implementation of this exciting new training technology. Jennifer’s ands-on experience, as reflected in the book’s content and organization, is a great resource for anyone venturing into this otherwise uncharted territory. ”
— Ed Underwood, manager of research and development, Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc.
“The Synchronous Trainers Survival Guide will allow you to get your synchronous project on track quickly and will save you from potentially costly mistakes and missteps. Hofmann’s easy-to-read charts, tips, and humorous real-life examples will rapidly get you up to speed on this emerging training technique.”
— Nanette Miner, president, The Training Doctor, LLC
“An essential tool for anyone delivering instruction in the live virtual classroom. This book goes the extra mile helping readers maximize the technical features found in virtual classrooms such as assessments, polling, feedback, breakout rooms, and other educational capabilities. In addition to helping the reader make the most of technology, this guide looks at the essential instructional design elements that differentiate an e-learning experience form and e-meeting experience. When the best practices from this book are applied you will be able to do more than simply survive!”
— Dr. Margaret Driscoll, market development manager, Workplace Learning Products, IBM Lotus Software
I have been managing a synchronous language learning program for the past two years. When we first started, I wasted a lot of money (and time) on e-learning books which had nothing at all to say about synchronous virtual classrooms. Two years ago, the most anyone had to say about synchronous was that it would be “the wave of the future.” I needed practical, tested suggestions for best practice in setting up, preparing for and conducting live classes over the Internet, and these books gave me exactly zero input.
Hofmann’s Synchronous Trainer’s Survival Guide” is exactly what I needed two years ago. It’s sufficiently general to accomodate differences in platform design and functionality, which a focus on best practice in optimizing the enjoyment and learning value of online classes. It’s a slim book – you can easily read it in an afternoon, but filled with concise and informative bulletted lists with titles like “Using your voice”, “Language tips”, “Gauging participation”, “Reading participant cues”, etc.
Some of our teachers have had trouble making the transition from the traditional classroom to the virtual classroom, and I’ve been looking for a resource like this to give them pointers, and to let them realize that the frustrations they’re experiencing are not unique to them. I’m ordering copies of this book for all of our teachers and I expect that they’ll be going back to it again and again.