Manage remote learning effectively

Well-managed training makes participants feel secure. It can also make your life, as a trainer, much easier. Well-managed training follows these guidelines: 

• There is a timetable and the trainer sticks to it.
• All training information / materials are distributed before the session / course.
• Sessions start at the advertised time.
• Feedback on progress is given regularly.
• The trainer keeps control during both synchronous (real time) and asynchronous (in your own time) activities.
• The trainer holds the teachers accountable for managing their time and completing their work.

The same management skills are needed in remote teaching as in a face-to-face training. However, you may need to adapt them to an online setting.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

Build good relationships: Involve teachers in establishing how you will communicate with each other, so that they feel part of the process. If you have the technology, use a brainstorming website / tool for this. If not, teachers can send their ideas to the group. You can still be engaging and friendly, even if from a distance. Tell the teachers about yourself. Ask them to tell the group about themselves. Respond to comments positively. Be fair and inclusive.

Have good administration and timekeeping skills: Keep registers, provide timetables, keep good records and establish routines e.g. what to expect at the beginning of each session. This will give the trainees confidence in you and in the systems you are using.

Give frequent and constructive feedback: On small tasks, this could be as simple as a ‘thumbs up’ emoji. If you ask teachers to submit a task, give timely feedback. Don’t expect teachers to hand in work on time if you are late in giving feedback.

Understand the technology you are using: Don’t expect the teachers to use a platform until you have tested it thoroughly yourself. You need to be confident about the way you present the course.

Have a Plan B: Always have an alternative in case the technology fails or there is no electricity. Be flexible and ready to change if necessary. Change to a new method immediately if you lose power, your connection drops or your teachers can’t access the session. Having a backup like using text messages is a good management tip.

The only certain thing about technology is that it will sometimes go wrong! To be a trainer in an online environment does not mean you have to be a technical expert. However, there are basic technical troubleshooting skills you should learn. These include:

• Learning how to use the programmes or apps you will be using. If you are using WhatsApp or Zoom, for example, make sure you know which features will be useful to you. Think about how you can explain these features to your trainees.
• Find a short tutorial on how to use the programmes and send it to the teachers beforehand. This could be a video clip or a document. Refer to it during the first session, so that teachers know where to find help.
• If you are using videoconferencing material, familiarise yourself with the sound and video settings on the computer. One common problem is that teachers can’t hear. This is often because they haven’t checked their settings. You can send a quick message to help them fix the problem.
• If you want teachers to submit work they have completed, give very clear instructions on how to save and send their work. Again, a short tutorial can help.

Managing online training has similar challenges to face-to-face training. However, there are also some specific strategies you can follow to make sure online training is well managed. 

These include: 

• Relationships with teachers and between teachers are more difficult to manage remotely because you aren’t in the same room and you can’t see their reactions or their body language. You may have to work harder at building relationships.
• Administration issues, e.g. lessons which start late or run over time because teachers are not ready. This can be frustrating for you and for participants who arrived on time. Give guidelines at the beginning of the training and repeat them frequently. Start on time, even if teachers join late.
• Keeping up with tasks. You need to hold teachers accountable for tasks which need to be submitted.