VILT

This is an extension of ILT that is powered by the internet. In VILT, there are virtual instructor-led classes on the internet. Both students and instructors do not have to travel to attend a class since they can participate from anywhere provided that they have a stable internet connection. The institutions offering this training have the advantage of not having to rent rooms for students to study in. There is more flexibility with this learning model since students can take up other tasks before and after the classes. The classes are also more time-efficient and will start and end at predefined times. The quality of training can also be high, since the institution is able to hire qualified personnel from anywhere, as long as they have a reliable internet connection.

However, VILT comes with its own set of challenges. To begin with, it is virtual and, therefore, comes with self-discipline requirements for the learners. Students have to avoid distractions such as phones while the training is going on. It is tempting for students, without physical supervision, to wander away from the training and be distracted by other things in their environment. Some estimates show that the attention-span for a VILT is 25%. This means that many students do wander off during the training session. The scope for interacting with instructors is also limited. This type of training tends to have many students per session, reducing the chance for each student to voice their concerns or ask questions to the instructor. The instructor is also unable to connect with the students. This is because one of the ways instructors know whether students understand what is being taught is by looking at their body language. VILT does not offer the best medium for instructors to observe non-verbal communication from their students. Finally, there is a limitation to the practicality of this type of training. Students are sent resources through PDFs, video clips, or manuals. However, these resources are not always optimized for different screen sizes and it can be uncomfortable for some students to actually follow the training.