According to one expert, two-way video is changing the training landscape, so the question is how should you be preparing for it? In today’s Advisor, we get expert advice on this up-and-coming training tool.
"Video training has been around in some way for a very, very long time," says David Stubenvoll, CEO and cofounder of Wowza Media Systems (www.wowza.com), a provider of media server and media workflow software. However, two-way video—a relatively new technology—is becoming increasingly popular in corporate training settings, he says. "With the Internet and with high-speed connectivity and the opportunity to have two-way communication, this is a rich area for the future."
Either prerecorded video or a live video feed can be used with the technology. Live video feed can be recorded and, like prerecorded video, played back at a later time, he says, adding that multiple feeds can be displayed at once, and learners can pause the session and return to where they left off. He says webinars are one type of video training, but that two-way video provides opportunities for "much greater interaction" and synchronous or asynchronous feedback.
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"Using a two-way video feed is incredibly useful," Stubenvoll says. It addresses most learning styles; captures trainers’ body language; and is an ideal, cost-effective way to deliver training to remote employees.
When using the technology, however, Stubenvoll cautions against spending too much time editing prerecorded videos. "The biggest risk is overediting," he says. "You can overproduce it."
Instead, Stubenvoll provides the following advice: "Start simply. Take your in-person training and literally put that out there as online or asynchronous training and get feedback." Include video of the trainer and his or her slides. "Just start with that and then go from there. Resist the desire to make it perfect from the start."
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Since the technology is so new, Stubenvoll acknowledges that two-way video might not be right for every organization yet. However, he says it is important for training professionals to familiarize themselves with the technology now so they are prepared to use it in the future. "Whether you’re a visionary, a pragmatist, or a late adopter, this is happening."
Why It Matters
- Safety training is an ongoing critical need.
- Successful safety trainers will use new technologies to continuously find new and more effective ways to convey safety information
- It’s a good practice, therefore, for safety trainers to keep up to date on new training technologies and to assess these advances for the ways they can be incorporated into their safety training programs and customized to their workplaces and workforces.