LOLAs are Live Online Learning Activities incorporated in virtual training sessions.
Here are some characteristics of effective LOLAs:
LOLAs require the participants to actively process, recall, evaluate, and apply the content presented to them in the training session.
LOLAs can be inserted in the beginning, middle, or end of a virtual training session.
A single LOLA can be used to add interactivity to the entire virtual session. Alternatively, several short LOLAs can be inserted at different places in a virtual training session.
In the previous two issue of the GameLetter, we briefly described these different types of LOLAs: audio LOLAs, cash LOLAs, debriefing LOLAs, improv LOLAs, job aid LOLAs, and kinesthetic LOLAs.
Here are three more types: closer LOLAs, assessment LOLAs, and case-study LOLAs. (More to come in future issues.)
Closer LOLA
These LOLAs are conducted at the end of a training webinar. They are used for different purposes such as reviewing main points, tying up loose ends, planning for future action, celebrating successful completion, and organizing networking activities.
Anagram Closer is an example of a closer LOLA. In an anagram you are given a word, a phrase, or a list of letters and asked to rearrange the letters to spell a key word. (For example, wine bar is an anagram for webinar.) In this closer LOLA, the facilitator presents a list of anagram puzzles related to the key terms from the training session. The participants unscramble the letters in each anagram and rearrange them to spell a key word related to the training topic.
f the participants appear to be frustrated, the facilitator provide prompts and clues to make the task easier. After all the key terms are identified, the facilitator conducts a brief discussion of each term.
There are different types of closer LOLA to serve different purposes. You can save the structure of each type of closer LOLA and load it with new content to create different virtual training activities.
Assessment LOLAs
These LOLAs require the participants to respond to a test, a rating scale, a survey, or a questionnaire and receive feedback about their personal competencies or attitudes. In this type of LOLA, the facilitator conducts a discussion among the participants to provide additional just-in-time training.
Trust Test is a LOLA that focuses on building trust in the workplace. In the virtual session, the facilitator presents five different items (selflessness, predictability, authenticity, relatedness, and competency) one item at a time, as a five-point survey statement. The facilitator asks each participant to write down the appropriate number on a piece of paper, presents a couple of high-trust and low-trust behaviors related to selflessness, and invites the participants to type-chat other behaviors related to the same factor. We then ask the participants to reflect their level of trustworthiness on this factor and come up with personal strategies for increasing the frequency of selfless behaviors.
There are several other assessment-based LOLA. We can retain the structure of each LOLA and change the training content to create different activities.
Case Method LOLAs
A popular teaching technique in business schools, the case method can be incorporated in a LOLA. The basic procedure involves the participants processing the case material presented in an audio, video, or text format.
Principles to Practice is a case method LOLA. The facilitator begins this LOLA by presenting four principles of rapid instructional design (for example, Build the airplane while flying it.) The facilitator asks the participants to keep these four principles in mind as they listen to a case study about the design of a leadership-training course. At the end of this narration, the participants recall one of the four principles and vote to indicate whether that principle was not used in the case, or slightly, moderately, or heavily used. Before displaying the results of the poll, the facilitator invites the participants to type an explanation of why they chose what alternative they chose. Later, the same polling procedure was repeated with each of the other three principles.