There was some uncertainty regarding the last session of our ILM 5, the date set was 31 March, and because of COVID-19, by the beginning of March we were looking at alternative ways to move forward that did not involve a face to face meeting. We were very keen to find a way to run the session, thus enabling delegates to complete the course on schedule.
The course facilitator, Gill Graves assured us that she would be able to provide the course using Zoom, that she finds Zoom very useful for distance coaching. Plus experience using Zoom would benefit the delegates, as any coaching session in the near future would have to be conducted remotely, some experience of doing so would actually be advantageous!
There was a trial session beforehand, so any niggles could be spotted and avoided on course day. The structure of the learning day was changed to accommodate having to sit in front of a screen, with regular breaks scheduled and a proper break for lunch, but keeping the channel open for chat; there was even time scheduled for the pre course welcome coffee, although delegates did have to make their own!
The day went exceptionally well with delegates reporting that it had exceeded their expectations. They were particularly appreciative of the interactive nature of it and the fact there was the facility to use breakout rooms to do some coaching. Not only were the delegates able to complete the requisite course sessions as scheduled, they also were introduced to Zoom sessions by an expert. They will now will take the experience forward and be more comfortable in using video links for their own coaching.