He’s one of the most famous villains ever.
And yet, in the video below, most virtual trainers could probably relate to his plight. Watch the video to see what I mean.
So how can you as a virtual trainer relate to him?
His batteries ran out of energy! And as trainers, when our virtual training runs out of energy, our class runs out of energy, and our participants run out of energy. You know what that means.
Engagement, retention, and application plummet.
This guide will show you how to use activities called energizers to inject some energy into your virtual training. You and your participants will feel like the Energizer Bunny, and you'll all want to keep going and going toward discovery, retention, and results!
4 signs your participants need an energizer
Before we give examples of effective energizers, let’s answer an important question.
How do you know if your participants need an energizer?
Here are four common signs…
- Blank stares on their webcams (if their cameras are turned on at all)
- Limited action in the chatbox with questions or interjections
- Limited Zoom-tool responses when you call for interaction
- They've been sitting for a prolonged period of time or are about to be sitting for a prolonged period of time
Which sign do you see the most?
Regardless, an equally important question is, how do you know when participants are re-energized?
- They're smiling (and ideally their webcams are on)
- Chat-box activity increases with questions or random interjections
- Zoom-tool response increases when you call for interaction
- They're standing!
Common attributes of energizers that work
Here’s the scary reality.
The brain goes into a trance approximately 30 percent of the time.
Therefore, we need to constantly re-energize our participants so that they're re-engaged and ready to keep learning.
The energizers we recommend at The Bob Pike Group accomplish three specific things from a scientific perspective.
They promote circulation, increase oxygen levels, and allow the brain to be fed at an optimal rate.
They also happen to be relatively quick and don’t take much time, they’re unrelated to the content (but it’s OK if they do relate), and they are varied relative to other energizers you use.
Plus, they can be either cognitive or kinesthetic. This guide will give you examples of both.
All that said, before giving participants instructions for how to do an energizer activity, it’s critical to explain the why. (Talk about the importance of blood flow and oxygen to the brain when it comes to learning!)
9 easy energizers that give learners 9+ volts of long-lasting energy
Today's post shares the first of those nine. Stay tuned for the remaining eight in future blogs.
But here’s the best part about all nine.
They’re super easy to prep and set up! So let’s get started…
- Trivia
Send learners to a Buzzfeed quiz like this one.
Tell them they can stand up and sit down every time they get the right answer.
Then when they’re done, they can type in the chatbox how many they got right.
For more examples of Buzzfeed quizzes, click here.
Be sure to keep an eye out for future blogs in this series revealing 8 MORE VIRTUAL ENERGIZERS that’ll help you keep your learners engaged!
