Tips for creating and delivering effective educational webinars

It is important not to overlook core components when creating and delivering webinars. Here are some reminders of the basics to aid instructors in facilitating an online community of practice where learners feel engaged and inspired.

Define the purpose of your webinar 

Before creating a webinar, ensure you define clear objectives and desired outcomes that focus on what students should learn or achieve to ensure relevant and targeted content design. For example, a learning goal might be for students to understand key theories of a discipline, while a broader, corresponding outcome could specify that they will be able to apply these theories in practical real-life scenarios.

Set out the expectations of your webinar if these are different from your other sessions, eg, lectures or tutorials. It may also be necessary to clarify the different types of learning delivery. For instance, a tutorial may be linked to navigating the learning platform, addressing assignment queries and answering general questions. In contrast, webinars are strategically crafted to improve engagement with the learning content, exploring the application of theoretical concepts in practical scenarios. These interactive sessions incorporate targeted activities aimed at stimulating students and encouraging them to examine the course materials from diverse viewpoints. By fostering active engagement, webinars facilitate deeper understanding and retention of knowledge.

Manage your webinar effectively      

Students need to feel safe and confident to fully participate, so to set them up for success, at the beginning of your webinar, reassure students if they haven’t yet managed to cover all the learning content. Also, remember to explain relevant terminology and acronyms.

It is always prudent to reiterate general group rules about respect, confidentiality and psychological safety. Ideally, spend some time at the beginning of your module to co-create these group rules. One fundamental group rule is to ensure that all members treat each other with respect. This involves listening actively when others are speaking, valuing a range of opinions and refraining from interrupting or dismissing contributions.

Be mindful of the time you have available and ensure you finish on time to ensure students have time for a break before their next activity. It can be helpful to acknowledge at the beginning of a webinar that at times you may need to move things on for the benefit of the whole group. Be ready to signpost participants to relevant sources of support such as student services and learning enhancement teams or module advisers when necessary. For example, a student may share personal experiences but struggle to shift their focus away from their own perspective, making it difficult for them to hear and engage with others’ viewpoints. In this situation, I gently reiterate the group rules, highlighting the benefits of hearing from everybody and being respectful of different perspectives. I always make a point to follow up with and check on a student’s well-being in these scenarios to ensure they are adequately supported. 

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Promote interactive learning 

Interaction keeps participants engaged and connected during webinars. Use polls, quizzes and break-out rooms for discussions, and encourage questions throughout the session, rather than just at the end. Acknowledging participant contributions and thanking individual learners by name also helps. Also, allow time and space for students to anonymously ask questions or make comments at different points during the webinar. 

Interactive learning experiences are vital for maintaining engagement in a virtual setting. For example, you can use a mini quiz to check understanding of key concepts, or a poll to ask students whether they agree or disagree with an author’s viewpoint. You can also use polls to check in with your students about whether activities have been useful. Additionally, you can ask them to self-assess using self-rating scales to reflect on where they are versus where they want to get to. You can then ask them what they need to do to move to the next step and what they need from you to help them get there. Review feedback carefully. This data can provide valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved for future sessions.

Keep your audience connected

Check in with everybody when you are ready to move on and acknowledge when things are hard. Real learning takes place when this is the case, so offer reassurance. It is usually helpful to reiterate that there is usually no single or simple answer to the issues we are exploring. It is also good practice to warn students ahead of supplying learning material that could be perceived as challenging or triggering. 

Bringing real-world experiences into the virtual classroom helps make learning relevant and relatable. Share personal anecdotes or invite guest speakers to provide insights related to the subject matter being taught. This brings it to life and provides a connection between theory and practice. For example, when teaching about leadership, I frequently draw upon examples from my clinical practice. 

Providing students with opportunities to bridge the gap between theory and practice significantly enhances academic skills. When these opportunities are paired with the chance to develop a community of practice and expand their professional networks, the real magic happens.

Lauren Flannery is a lecturer in health sciences at the School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia. 

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