How to A.C.C.C.E. Your Synchronous Design

More and more organizations are moving their learning events to synchronous delivery platforms. And more and more we see a lack of success in that arena because too often the platform is used as a presentation platform; in other words, the learning is really a one-way communication.

At The Training Doctor, we use the acronym A.C.C.C.E. (pronounced ACE) to ensure our synchronous designs are interactive and engaging.  Here is what you can do to ensure that yours are as well:

A = Active

The learners should be active participants in the learning process, not passive recipients of information. In order to keep them active, use the variety of tools that are available in any synchronous platform: chat, feedback tools, polling, etc.

C = Create Content

Rather than simply deliver content, have the participants create the content with you. For example, instead of saying “There are two types of feedback: Reinforcing and Developmental,” and then going on to define or describe each; say “There are two types of feedback: Reinforcing and Developmental – using the text tool, give me an example of what each would sound like, by writing a sentence on the whiteboard in the appropriate area.”

C = Contribute to Lessons

It is impossible to create a synchronous class without making it part of a blend to some degree. Think “before” and “after” assignments and ensure your learners’ independent work links to the course content. For example, prior to a lesson on service standards, assign the learners to investigate whether their company has a list of service standards and, if so, to bring one example to class to share with the rest of the participants.

C = Collaborate

The final C stands for collaborate. One of the best features of a synchronous platform is the ability for learners to collaborate. One of the best learning strategies for adults is utilizing collaboration (collaboration enhances critical thinking skills). However, non-stop collaboration can turn in to a frenzy of participatory activities without a real connection to the content or one’s fellow learners.  Choose collaborative activities carefully and ensure you allow enough time to for true collaboration to occur (and not simply discussion or comparison).

E = Engaging

Finally, E stands for Engaging.  Most people are visual learners, yet the synchronous environment forces auditory delivery of information (that way that people LEAST prefer to take in information). In order to counter the auditory overload, ensure your slides are colorful, include visuals, and are dynamic (for instance, instead of displaying a slide with 5 bullet points, have each bullet build individually). You can further maximize the dynamics by asking participants to write on the screen / whiteboard which will add color and variety as well.

We risk losing or alienating our audience when they are not constantly part of the learning process. By following the A.C.C.C.E. method of synchronous design you can ensure that your learners are engaged visually, auditory and cognitively throughout your learning event.