Know them better to aim right

The tech novice

Tech is not his forte. On a day-to-day basis, he's more of a hands-on guy and swears by face-to-face meetings.

The risks?

He may be lost on the day, facing a platform that he does not know or that he has little experience with.
He may delay you, monopolize the session on technical problems that can be solved beforehand or slowly abandon his training.

The benefits?

He has everything to discover and is amazed by all the possibilities offered by the virtual classroom.
He asks the questions that others don't dare to ask out loud.

How to accompany him?

It is necessary to accompany him beforehand to identify his needs and solve any technical problems. Thanks to this, they will be able to join you on the day. (To go further, read the article: Participating in a virtual class: you can learn how)

The Mr. (or Mrs.) I know everything

He really doesn't understand why he is attending this training, he is already an expert on the subject.

"It is what we think we already know that often prevents us from learning"
Claude BERNARD

The risks?

It is possible that he has no desire to participate in this virtual class ("another trick of the training department that doesn't know my needs..."), he can let it be known and create a bad atmosphere for the whole group.
Or adopt a passive attitude, which may penalize the interactivity of your session.

The benefits?

He already has knowledge on the subject, so he can share it with others and encourage exchange between peers.

How to accompany him?

Identify participants' skills before the training and divide them into levels.
Promote it and encourage peer-to-peer learning.

The telecommuting trauma

He was brutally plunged into the remote unaccompanied during the health crisis and he experienced it very badly.

The risks?

He comes to the training course with reservations and even fears from his previous experiences. He has experienced "virtual classes" where even the trainer did not bother to turn on his camera and simply conducted the training without interaction.
He associates the virtual classroom with boredom and passivity.

The benefits?

You have a new challenge to take up: to make him love the virtual classroom!

How to accompany him?

Give them the virtual classroom they deserve: a dynamic, interactive and friendly session where they don't see the time pass and look forward to the next session.
(Face-to-face better than virtual class? The debate is over: he likes both)

The recalcitrant of the webcam

You've probably come across it, you know the participant who says "uh I don't understand, my webcam won't turn on". Well, for 1% of the cases, this is the truth, but for the others, the reason is quite different.
They don't want to turn it on (out of embarrassment, fear, or just wanting to stay in their pajamas).

The risks?

He is not aware that he is considerably reducing the quality of the exchange. Even worse, he may lead others to be reluctant: "If he turns off his camera, so will I!".

The benefits?

It allows you to remember a primordial notion of the remote know-how: turn on your camera.
In addition to putting a face to a name, the camera allows you to maintain non-verbal communication.
Once convinced, you can collect his feedback at the end of the session, so that he can share his feelings with others.

How to accompany him?

Prove to him that the experience is much more enjoyable for him and the other participants.
Capitalize on the group effect: everyone made the effort to turn it on.

Liabilities

He is happy to participate in your virtual class, but he has a passive view of the training. For him, the trainer explains and the participants listen quietly.

The risks?

He may interfere with the group dynamic and not fully live the experience, which impacts the anchoring of his training.

The benefits?

He just needs a push to become a motivated participant. He lacks the codes of the virtual classroom.

How to accompany him?

Involve them from the start with an ice breaker and put them into action as much as possible throughout the session so that they finally become actors of their training.

The motivated

He has clear expectations and is eager to learn new things.

The risks?

Disappoint him if the proposed training does not meet his expectations.

The benefits?

The motivated one is happy to be there and intends to participate in order to know as much as possible about the subject. He can become the driving force of the group.

How to accompany him?

He is already perfect, it is your turn to meet his expectations, his needs and his objectives, which you will have identified beforehand.

Of course, there are multiple learner profiles, the challenge is to understand :

• Their needs
• Their fears
• Their brakes
• Their desires

This will allow you to lead them towards their goals and better prepare your virtual classroom.

Let's make it real! 😉