Getting to know each other – more than an icebreaker – is important for an entire training. Participants who know each other learn better together, ask questions more readily, and give more honest feedback. With LearningStone, you can handle introductions smartly - before and during the first session. A blended approach means you can use online features to make getting acquainted both more meaningful and more efficient, alongside the in-person icebreakers at your first live session.
This is an article in the "Blended training activities with LearningStone" series of the LearningStone blog - for trainers who want to get more out of their learning environment. Copyright: LearningStone.
In many training programs, introductions are rushed - a quick round of 'say your name and what you do' and that's it - or they take up way too much time. With LearningStone, you have activities and functions at hand that make introductions more meaningful without feeling forced. Getting acquainted adds a layer of social motivation (it's more enjoyable when you know people) and makes collaboration during the training easier.
That's not just a feeling - it's backed by science. Research shows that group cohesion fosters leadership, satisfaction, communication, and engagement, directly promoting learning. In a blended environment, that cohesion is especially important because participants don't see each other all the time . Recent studies show that participants in purely online environments (as opposed to blended) often experience a lack of community because personal interaction is missing - blended learning compensates for this by combining face-to-face and online contact.
Sources
Student engagement and teaching presence in blended learning (2023)
The perceptions of task cohesion in collaborative learning teams (2024)
Set a good example. Add a profile photo and post a personal message on the wall. Encourage participants to do the same as soon as they get access to the group space.
Why this works: people connect more easily with someone they can see. A photo lowers the threshold for the rest of the group to show themselves too. Profile photos also play an important role in LearningStone: they appear in emails, in dialogues, and in many other places in the environment.
Ask participants to post a short message on the group wall before the first training day. Give them an instruction: "Share your name, your job, and one thing that would surprise people about you." Or encourage participants to record a short video - LearningStone makes it easy to share video privately within the group.
Why this works: a post or video before the training reduces anonymity. Participants no longer walk into the room as strangers. Research on blended learning emphasizes that an initial online meeting - community building - is one of the core principles for successful blended programs.
Create a short form and add it as the first block in the course timeline. Ask three to five questions about expectations and experience. Answers are only visible to the trainer. This way you arrive well-prepared for the session. When you add a form block to a LearningStone course timeline, you can choose a sample intake form in just two clicks.
Why this works: participants feel taken seriously when their expectations are asked before the training even begins. You as the trainer immediately know what's on people's minds.
Have participants upload a photo - not a profile photo, but something that says something about who they are. Use these photos in the room as a conversation starter. If it suits the group, turn it into a small photo contest and let participants vote on the photo that makes them most curious about the person behind it, or surprise someone with a prize.
Why this works: we remember images better than names. A photo gives participants a hook to start the conversation.
Use a dialogue via the course timeline, a day before the training, with one open question. Want to tap into the group energy? Choose a group dialogue so participants can see each other's answers and respond. You can post a dialogue yourself or schedule it automatically using the "Automatic..." course timeline block.
Why this works: research shows that participants who build good relationships with the trainer and fellow participants experience a stronger sense of belonging - and as a result score higher on cognitive and emotional engagement. A dialogue before the training already sets that relationship in motion.
"How are you feeling today?" Add a progress marker to the first block with answer options ranging from energized to tense or use an open question. As a trainer, you can see at a glance how the group is doing and tailor the opening round accordingly.
Why this works: a quick check-in makes participants aware of their own state of mind. You can set the tone of the day accordingly.
You have now used digital methods before or right after the first session. But don't forget to plan some form of introduction during the session itself. It can go faster because you can build on the digital foundation already laid.
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