Webinars are a promising way to help organizations develop quality training and outreach programs with a greater reach than traditional face-to-face sessions. Unfortunately, webinars often fall short of their potential because instructors fail to make the training interactive. The possibility and reality can come together, however, with some basic changes in presentation and thoughtful planning.

1. CRAFTING
INTERACTIVE
WEBINARS
Elizabeth Cole,
AmeriCorps VISTA

2. WELCOME TO TODAY’S WEBINAR
 This is a 60 minute
session.
 Use the chat/question
feature to discuss
technical issues, ask
questions, or comment
on the proceedings.
 Feel free to “raise your
hand” and I will get to
you as soon as I can.

3. A WEBINAR IS….
 Shortfor Web-based Seminar, a
webinar is a presentation, lecture,
workshop or seminar that is
transmitted over the Web
A key feature of a Webinar is its
interactive elements -- the ability to
give, receive and discuss information
 Typically 60-90 minutes long

4. HOW COULD YOU USE WEBINARS
Expand or
Program supplement
orientations training
opportunities
To lead meetings
Replace in-person
between remote
trainings sessions
participants
Recordings so you
To reach out to
don’t have to
new members or
re-teach the most
clients
popular courses

5. PLEASE TYPE YOUR RESPONSE INTO
THE QUESTION BOX:
What do you like about
webinars?

6. BENEFITS OF WEBINARS
• Convenient
• Accessible
• Affordable
• Can transcend geography
• Can be targeted to specific
audiences.
• Presentation can be recorded for later
use.

7. PLEASE TYPE YOUR RESPONSE INTO THE
QUESTION BOX:
What do you dislike
about webinars?

8. DISADVANTAGES OF WEBINARS:
• Impersonal
• Often limited opportunity for interaction
• Brainstorming and discussion is
particularly minimal
• Computer and Internet access required
• No body-language cues
• Does not accommodate different learning
styles
• People tend to multi-task
• Technology glitches

9. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR IN
LEADING A WEBINAR
 Technical difficulties
 Inattentiveness
 Silence
 Getting off-track
 Stage fright
 None of the above. I am a fearless
webinar warrior.
 All of the above. Please don’t make me
do this.

10. 4P’S TO PLANNING AN ENGAGING
WEBINAR
1) Plan Ahead
2) Prepare Participants
3) Partner Up
4) Prepare Yourself

11. STEP 1: PLANNING

12. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?
 Raising awareness
 Teaching specific skills or
learning objectives
 Attracting people for more
in-depth trainings
 Recruiting new clients/members
 Orientation to your organization
 Facilitating discussion
 Other: ____________

13. WRITING SMART GOALS
 SMART is an acronym for
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time appropriate

14. PLANNING: DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Materials and information should be
divided into three types:
1. Things that can be read
and reviewed
independently.
2. Things that benefits from
listening and questioning
an expert.
3. Shared knowledge that
benefits from interaction
between participants

15. PLAN YOUR AGENDA CAREFULLY
Do you have:
 Interesting and relevant content?
 Lively speakers?
 No more than 10 minutes of talking
before an interactive exercise?
 At least 10 minutes to respond to
questions at the end?

16. IDEAS FOR
MAKING IT INTERACTIVE
Problem Solving
Question
Activity Moderated
and
Answer Panel
Discussion
Discussion
Quick Case Study
polls
Reflection Quiz
Survey Polls

17. HOW WOULD YOU STRUCTURE IT?
 An environmental organization is trying to:
 Teach citizens to recognize the Pine Shoot
Beetle which is devastating pine forest.
 How to report a sighting.
What sort of
interactive activity
could you include
in this webinar?

18. HOW WOULD YOU STRUCTURE IT?
An organization is considering moving part of its
volunteer recruitment to a webinar. They hope
that perspective volunteers will:
Understand the purpose of the nonprofit
 Understand the role of volunteers
Understand benefits of volunteering
What sort of
interactive activity
could you include
in this webinar?

19. STEP 2: PREPARE PARTICIPANTS

20. CONSIDER ASSIGNING PRE-WORK.
• Pre-reading of materials,
including slide presentations
• Watching a video, listening to a
podcast, responding to an
article.
• Self-assessment survey
• Partnering activities in twos or
threes
• Online brainstorming of ideas
for later discussion

21. INTRODUCE PARTICIPANTS TO EACH
OTHER
 Small groups
 Verbal introductions
 Medium/ Large groups
 Consider collecting written introductions (and
pictures!) from participants to distribute prior to
the webinar
 Pull together data on the make-up of the group
and present it via slides and orally
 Use names whenever possible
 Call on people by names
 Ask participants to use their name to preface
their remarks

22. STEP 3: PARTNER UP

23. CONSIDER HAVING A PANEL
OR A CO-PRESENTER
Benefits:
 Different perspectives
 More interesting for participants
 Varied delivery styles
Warning: If you do it, practice! Have a moderator
that will assign questions to different panelists.

24. RECRUIT A WINGMAN
The wingman:
 Helps people login to the webinar
 Responds to text chats and questions
during the webinar
 Assists with technical complications

25. STEP 4) PRACTICE

26. PRACTICE
 Run through the webinar at least once before you
take it live. Practice:
 Launching polls
 Switching presenters
 Answering submitted questions
 Audio and screen controls.
 Be sure to test on both Macs and PCs to make sure
the system will work for everyone