Evaluating webinar-based training: a mixed methods study of trainee reactions toward digital web conferencing

What are the reactions of training participants toward digital webinar-based training programs? Webinars are digital tools to deliver training and education through synchronous audiovisual communication among remotely located training instructors and participants. A webinar is a special case of web conferencing that serves the educational function of learning and teaching. Because the previous literature underemphasized the webinar process and qualitative learner experiences, the present study aimed to explore the reactions of 419 trainees toward 48 webinars in the four content areas supply chain management, industrial management, early childhood education and mathematics, the present study used a sequential mixed methods research design. The quantitative part of the study employed a multi-item online questionnaire to measure satisfaction and reactions toward the webinar trainer; survey responses were analyzed to estimate mean differences across webinars. The qualitative part of the study employed narrative interviews with 23 trainees; interview transcripts were analyzed with qualitative content analysis to identify how the instructional design, webinar content and implementation can be improved for future web conferences. The findings indicate that early childhood education trainees had the highest satisfaction levels. Trainees preferred greater levels of learner-teacher interaction, less time spent on discussing task solutions collaboratively and digital webinar recordings as a follow-up possibility at home or in the workplace. Trainees also liked the fact that webinars afforded the possibility to deepen the content, to prepare for upcoming exams and to have virtual consultation hours with the facilitator. Furthermore, trainees preferred webinars no longer than 90 min and webinars on weekdays after work rather than at weekends. Optimal internet/broadband connections were perceived as a requirement across web conferencing and virtual classroom programs for effective digital education. Implications of the findings for educational technology, human resource development and professional learning are discussed.