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What is an ILT?
eLearning is full of acronyms and buzzwords that can sometimes cause confusion. Industry-specific terms are sometimes used as if they are very well known. One of those terms is Instructor-Led Training which is abbreviated to ILT.
Our team often hears the question: “We want to move our training online, can we schedule in-person sessions as part of a course on your LMS?” The answer is yes! You do not need to manage the attendance of your in-person classes with a spreadsheet any longer. In this post, I break down what an ILT is and how you can incorporate them into your courses today.
Instructor-Led Training
Instructor-Led Training is the practice of conducting training with an Instructor ‘present’ (in person or via webinar). The Instructor’s knowledge of the subject matter helps the individual or the group to understand the topic in greater detail.
In the context of a learning management system, an ILT is a ‘module’ or section of a course that may or may not be combined with other module types such as online documents, video or exams. Training can be delivered in different formats and combinations depending on what is most suitable for the subject.
It can be an ILT aimed at a large group that resembles a lecture or it can be divided into smaller groups if a greater interaction is required. If practical demonstration and participation are needed the Instructor can choose a workshop style rather than a lecture to increase engagement and participation.
Common types of ILT
- One on One
- Small group class
- Workshop
- Seminar
- Webinar
Benefits of ILT’s
Instructor-Led Training allows a hands-on and personal approach. Here are some of the benefits you will see as a result of using ILT’s:
- An expert Instructor facilitates the training sessions
- It allows for feedback to be given in real time
- The Instructor’s style or approach can be adapted if they realize that the class is not picking the information up as well as they would like. They can return to previous points or place emphasis on particular elements if they sense confusion
- A ‘classroom’ can be a social learning experience
- The subject matter may require practical instruction or demonstration
- Learners can learn from the questions of others
How can an LMS facilitates ILT
An LMS can help to organize, schedule and report on an Instructor-led session. The key benefits of using an LMS to run ILT’s are:
- Easy scheduling of sessions
- Invitation emails are sent to attendees
- Automatic reminders of upcoming sessions are sent to attendees
- Waitlisting for sessions at capacity
- Rosters of attendees for Instructors in physical form or on their device
Blended Learning
Blended learning is a term used to describe the combination of eLearning and Instructor Led Training. It describes offline and online components being ‘blended’ together. Comparing online versus offline may not actually be the best approach as the Instructor-led sessions can also be in webinar form. Perhaps a better way to look at it is whether the content is on demand or live.
- Instructor-Led Training sessions in person or via webinar (live)
- Online learning courses or materials (on demand)
Webinar
By using webinar tools, you can carry out virtual classroom sessions. If you want to pursue a blended learning model you can choose an LMS that integrates with your webinar tool. Key information like attendance can be sent back to your LMS for reporting purposes. This makes the process easier than keeping your own records of attendance external to a course. It reduces the manual effort and the possibility of the duplication of records.
As previously mentioned an ILT is not just for a physical classroom. Webinar tools like Gotowebinar, Zoom or Webex allow learners to attend ILT’s remotely and still get the benefit of the Instructor’s knowledge. Webinar tools are progressing to the point where the experience is getting closer to attending the session in person. For example, in Gotowebinar an attendee can raise their hand and ask a question in real-time. This allows for feedback to be given during or after the session.
Conclusion
Blending live sessions and on-demand content in a course is a great way to engage your learners and keep a feedback loop open. With an LMS you should be able to manage both in one place to reduce time and effort. If using multiple tools is causing you headaches and costing you time then now is a good time to look for an LMS that will make it easy to manage your classroom sessions, workshops, and webinars.
