Grow Your Cloud Skills: Enhancing Self-Paced Learning through Virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT)
If the future of work is online, then so is the future of job training.
As more businesses implement virtual elements into their learning strategies, virtual instructor-led training (vILT) has quickly become the de facto method for delivering cloud training to learners.
But even as organizations take the plunge into virtual classrooms, many still have no clue how to make them more engaging and productive.
In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of vILT and self-paced learning, and how together, they can help to turn your tech employees into habitual power users of your new IT-training platform.
Understanding the importance of adoption and engagement
Learner engagement is a common concern among IT leaders: “If I make the investment, will they come? Let’s face it, a training program that fails to maintain the interest of its end-user is over before it ever begins.
Achieving high user adoption rates is the ideal outcome of any IT training program. It means more employees are likely to complete the training and benefit the organization by improving individual performance and increasing productivity.
To achieve high user adoption rates, an IT training program needs to have a user-centric focus. This requires a deep dive into the specific needs and preferences of employees, and designing a program tailored to individual learning styles and job responsibilities.
What is vILT?
vILT isn’t new, but it is making a comeback. And chances are you’ve unknowingly taken part in it. Live online, webinars, virtual training, it’s called many things, but simply put it is training that is delivered in a virtual environment. The training is delivered in real-time by a qualified live instructor, providing the learner an opportunity to connect with the content, classmates, and the trainer.
Unlike traditional training modalities, vILT allows SaaS training providers to reach a larger, more dispersed audience, providing more flexibility for the learner, and eliminating the need for travel, which explains its 51% growth spurt.
Becca Byers, Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Cloud Academy, has witnessed this paradigm shift firsthand.
“We’ve seen both Fortune 500 organizations and smaller businesses embrace vILT, particularly when the instructor-led learning is blended with self-paced learning,” says Byers. “Participants report that the vILT sessions add excitement and relevance to their learning, while managers report that staff grow more confident in using job-ready skills.”
With Cloud Academy’s up-to-date content and learner-centric platform, you can build your team’s tech skills at scale and at the speed you need. To learn more about our courses
How does vILT enhance self-paced learning?
Research shows that top-notch online learning programs that combine synchronous vILT with asynchronous online training can help to improve engagement and fact retention by upwards of 600%.
vILT amplifies self-paced learning by combining the advantages of autonomous learning with expert guidance, real-world application, adaptive pathways, and continuous feedback.
Its flexible structure provides training that meets the learners where they are in life and work while offering the support and direction of skilled instructors. Through vILT, learners can achieve a deeper understanding of complex concepts, collaborate with peers, apply knowledge practically, and receive personalized attention all at a pace that works for them.
“We had a lot of people who grew more confident after attending your Live Lab Challenge. It was excellent!” – US Federal Customer
Activities like live labs provide practical, hands-on experience that goes beyond the standard asynchronous learning experience, providing immediate feedback, a risk-free environment for experimentation, and opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios.
These factors collectively empower learners to feel more confident in their ability to use cloud applications effectively in their professional roles.
The combination of self-paced learning and vendor-provided vILT creates a potent synergy that optimizes the training experience. When harnessed effectively, this power blend can help learners take control of their learning journey while enjoying the benefits of structured guidance and a vibrant learning community.
Here at Cloud Academy, these vILT opportunities are included in our Success Services packages. For more details, read our Success Services Announcement.
To learn more about Cloud Academy’s courses or to request a demo
