Web-based training has become a key technique as well as a buzzword (“buzzphrase”?) as most businesses undergo a digital transformation–that is, stronger reliance on leading-edge technology and software as a main component of doing business.

While digital transformation is enabling modern workplaces to operate at a higher level of productivity and profitability, it also involves a significant amount of upskilling and reskilling for workers.

Cue the rise of web-based training as a highly effective new style of learning. What do you need to know about web-based training to implement and benefit from it at your business or organization? Read on for a detailed run down!

Jump to:

• What is web-based training?
• Types of web-based training
• Web-based training vs traditional training
• Building a web-based training step by step
• Tips for making web-based training efficient
• What are web-based training platforms?
• How to implement web-based training in your organization?
• Kaltura Solution for web-based training
• Final Thoughts

What is web-based training?

Web-based training is a highly flexible type of online learning that can be delivered through a range of methods and allows employees to learn anytime and anywhere. Web-based training is sometimes referred to by the abbreviation WBT or synonymously as internet-based training (IBT). It uses cloud-based computing for content delivery and access, as well as for administration and analytics. However, one important note is that in “cloud-based” learning your content will be housed on provider-owned servers, whereas in a technically “web-based” scheme, you could also host learning content on your own local servers if you so choose.

Web-based training can also be referred to as virtual training or distance learning, although those terms might be overly general as they can apply to more than one use case. WBT can be deployed as virtual training led by an instructor, independently paced learning on-demand, or as a hybrid learning environment that can offer a combination of both.

Types of web-based training

There are three major styles of web-based training to consider:

Synchronous Learning

“Synchronous learning” is the most like a traditional class: it is instructor-led and involves real-time interaction. Teaching and learning happen with all participants being online at the same time. In synchronous learning, one or multiple learners can be trained. However, while the instructor and learners must be virtually present at the same time, they may all physically be in completely different places. This type of web-based training can include webinars, lectures, teleconferencing, peer meetings, and online tutoring. Participants engage in real-time online interactions with one another.

Asynchronous Learning

Web-based training is frequently synonymous with the idea of “asynchronous learning.” That is, it’s the most purely digital option and there is no “real-time” element. This is considered the most flexible, convenient, and well-known style of “e-learning” where learners can progress through programs on their own time, and at their own pace. Asynchronous learning encompasses formats such as pre-recorded webinars, video tutorials, prerecorded/preformatted online courses for solo use, screencasts, and any combination of the above. Asynchronous learning is geared towards an individual learner–there is no need for any part of it to “sync” to a group.

Blended Learning

Finally, blended learning refers to web-based training that is a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous. Blended training can refer to courses combining interactive sessions with on-demand recordings available to participants who are unable to attend the synchronous sessions, or it can refer to a curriculum that is deliberately designed to incorporate both synchronous and asynchronous learning. For example, a particular course could consist of one-half theory, which can be learned asynchronously, and one-half demonstration or lab practice which would be worked on synchronously with an instructor online.

Within these three categories of web-based training, there are several different ways to administer training courses, as we’ve noted above.

Web-based training vs traditional training

A key advantage of web-based training over traditional training is that it adapts well to remote and hybrid workplaces and the new dynamic learning requirements of digital transformations. While the benefits of traditional classroom learning can be debated, these techniques may not always be practical for a dispersed or hybrid workforce.

Web-based training is far more flexible and adaptive. Training courses can be completely on-demand, or on-demand learning can supplant instructor-led classes for employees who are on very different schedules or in different time zones.

Building a web-based training step by step:

The key pre-planning step is observing and understanding who your audience is and what their needs are. While in some cases this can be as simple as “X group of employees, who need Y job-specific skill competency”, perhaps you’re considering overall professional development. Or maybe you want to train for less easily quantifiable skills such as leadership or interpersonal and communication skills. Whatever the case, it’s incumbent on a business or organization to identify learning needs, and tailor training to the unique needs of your audience (i.e., employees). From there:

Set an objective

What are the specific learning objectives or outcomes that you want to achieve? Is success in the objective a “pass or fail” determination (an objective such as “pass a certification test”) or not as easily quantifiable (an objective like “improve communication and collaboration skills”)?

We’ve mentioned the “SMART” system of goal-setting before, which is “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound”–these criteria will definitely be key in tracking and analyzing training objectives.

Select your technological tools

Clearly, web-based training is going to require tech tools. The software you’re using to create your training course is an important consideration. Tools required for web-based training include:

• • Authoring tools
  • Web-based training platforms
  • Learning management systems

Make sure to do your research to find which products in each category will best suit your needs. We’ll shed some more light on training platforms specifically further down in this post.

Create relevant content

You may have existing content from prior training platforms that you can repurpose–for instance, training videos can be polished and uploaded to the web for on-demand viewing. Or your subject matter experts and instructional designer(s) might need to develop something brand new. Even in the case of repurposed content, you’ll probably need to make a pass over it with some new graphics and visuals to keep it fresh.

Make sure that you structure the content and eliminate aspects that could be unhelpful or irrelevant. Checklist the components you will need for your training content (video, image, graphics, sound, etc.), have a vision for the completed product and delegate these tasks out where appropriate.

Tips for making web-based training efficient

Where efficiency is concerned, by opting for web-based training content you’re already picking the most cost-effective way to implement employee training.

Here are some additional tips for making your web-based training efficient:

• Create an effective, cross-functional learning and development team

Your training content will be as good as the team delivering it.

• Incorporate interactive and multimedia elements.

These are proven ways to improve information retention.

• Use relatable, real-world examples in your training content.
• Solicit feedback from employees in training cohorts.

Make sure to use feedback to improve your content for the next training group.

• Choose training tools and platforms that provide testing options and detailed engagement data about your learners.

What are web-based training platforms?

Web-based training platforms, also referred to as eLearning platforms, are a set of interlinked online services providing educators and learners with information, tools, and resources that support education/training delivery. In other words, a training platform is a set of applications and functionality, typically sold or bundled as a single product, which you’ll choose for implementing a training course or education curriculum.

A learning management system (LMS) is often an integral part of a web-based training platform. An LMS is a software application framework that handles all aspects of the learning process (housing, delivering, and most importantly, tracking content). LMS are most widely used in education, however as e-learning has found more universal use, they are becoming a part of workplace training as well.

How to implement web-based training in your organization?

So long as you have established learning goals and objectives and identified an audience profile, you’ll want to put in place at least a small team to aid an implementation process.

Learning and development (L&D) teams include

Instructional Designers- Specialize in adult learning and course design; instructional designers help determine goals and create and develop the course.

Stakeholders- Usually decision makers or positions of authority; they are the ones who visualize and initiate the project.

Subject Matter Experts- SMEs are specialists who can draft or otherwise provide raw course content for course developers/instructional designers.

Project Managers- Managers focus on beginning-to-end process, logistics, milestones and deliverables in order to actually complete implementation.

LMS Administrators- Admins are the last stop in an implementation process. They’re responsible for adding users and tracking results.

With these bases covered and following the high-level guide we laid out earlier in the post, it should be relatively straightforward to create a timeline and put your implementation plan into action.

Kaltura Solution for web-based training

We’d also like to take a moment and recommend a leading, flexible, and white-label platform: Kaltura Training Platform is Kaltura’s high-quality solution for your web-based training needs. We’ll empower you to upskill, reskill, and boost employee learning and development with branded video experiences powered by our best-in-class video cloud platform.

Kaltura Training Platform is noted for ease of use and provides all the educational and collaborative features required for keeping employees competent and satisfied. Strong branded onboarding and training sessions are supported by Kaltura’s video technology, adhering to the highest enterprise standards.

From basic onboarding all the way to team training sessions, boot camps, and department-wide hackathons, we make video-based learning and development easy to set up and execute. You can also eliminate additional needs for designers or IT to help set up a new session–our platform features several templates that can be customized, branded, and reused. We also have an array of education-oriented features to keep learners engaged: multimedia playlists, whiteboards, chats, polls, quizzes, and live session recording that can help absentees catch up using on-demand playback. Remember, engagement is key to a “lean-forward learning” experience that will provide maximum retention.

Finally, a truly great learning and development strategy is built on testing and iteration. Metrics will help you improve your sessions and track the effectiveness of your learning programs. This is where Kaltura’s analytics dashboard shines, as it keeps track of registrations, attendance, learning results, streaming performance, viewing behavior, attendee engagement, live and VOD analytics, and more.

If you’d like to find out for yourself, we also encourage you to request a demo.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article has given you a thorough grounding in web-based training, however not an exhaustive treatment of the subject. Researching web-based training on your own initiative can give you a fuller understanding of the style of training that will be the best fit for your business or organization.

Though some may still prefer more traditional in-person training, it’s fair to say that web-based training provides a much higher level of flexibility and convenience for your employees. In enabling people to learn at their own pace from any location, web-based training brings a strong element of personalization as digital-first training models become more prevalent.