Scroll Top

Learning Modalities and When to Use Them, 5 Methods of Training Delivery

Work training is as diverse as work itself. There are many, many types of jobs. But in professions, there are broad categories. In the workforce, they may be called sectors or fields. In the training part of L&D, these categories can be classified into modalities.

In this article, we discuss five of the top employee training modalities. We’ll suggest the most compatible type of training for each one and give examples. However, knowing how to select the right one is important. Below is a thumbnail sketch of identifying if it’s specific skills, knowledge, or abilities that need to be honed. Usually, a training will have at least a little of all three. 

Matching Needs to Modality

Determining If Employees Need Knowledge, Skills or Abilities/Attitude Training

Define the space between present criteria and what you need (sometimes called skills gaps). Start there to determine the best training modality or training delivery method. The training will come down to a need for one or more of the following:

Opportunities to Learn: KSA or the Three Major Types of Training Needs

  1. Knowledge: there is declarative knowledge (factual, easily-verbalized concepts and information); procedural knowledge (how to complete a concrete task); and strategic (progressional and adaptive thinking and acting patterns, navigation)
  2. Skills are the abilities to complete tasks or groups of tasks. They’re completed by using internalized knowledge.
  3. Attitudes are now sometimes called abilities. They are notions about people, things, experiences and personal associations–negative or positive–with them.

→ Knowledge can adapt or be integrated into almost any learning modality. 

→ Skills are also very adaptable. However, they usually have a manual or kinetic component that information alone can’t meet. 

→ Attitudes/abilities will always have an emotional and psychological component.

As such, attitudes/abilities are most effectively taught when real-time communication and feedback are abundant. Additionally, attitudinal or ability training usually fosters quality interactiveness and collaboration. Those two things can thrive when there are in-person or high-communication formats.

For a more in-depth guide to choosing a modality, see our article -> How To Select The Right Modality For Your Training: 5 Must-Ask Questions

Being Flexible: Blended Learning and Getting Creative

Any development program or training may integrate multiple modalities. This integration is usually called blended learning. If you’re long term in the L&D field, you’ll eventually use blended learning at some point to deliver training.

The exploration of training modalities below is a map and not a route. Roundtable has created hundreds of training sessions affecting over five million workers worldwide, so we know the territory. These are practicality-minded guidelines for what works when and where. But they’re not rules. A skilled, creative instructional designer or trainer can adapt to almost any of these. And often times, they work most effectively in a blended learning approach – combining multiple modalities into one comprehensive training solution. This helps ensure knowledge retention from several aspects of adult learning. 

For example, eLearning can integrate short VILT video submodules of an instructor leading a 9-minute video. Additionally, ILTs can be video recorded.

Another example is virtual sales training. Sales definitely requires direct people skills (a “soft” skill). But Roundtable’s VR-based Kellanova sales training blended this talent into an immersive experience. This program taught and evaluated parts of the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed. In doing so, it eliminated a million dollars of overhead!

So, let’s explore some of the most impactful learning modalities and how you can leverage them to their full advantage. 

1. Instructor-Led Training (ILT)

Best for: Hands-on skills, team collaboration, high-complexity training, and leadership development

Instructor-Led Training (ILT) is a traditional, face-to-face training method where a trainer delivers content in a structured classroom setting. ILT allows for real-time interaction, hands-on practice, and immediate feedback. It is most beneficial for highly interactive or collaborative learning experiences, such as leadership training, certain safety procedures, or compliance training that requires live demonstrations.

When to Use ILT:

  • Direct and In-Person: Learners benefit from direct, immediate engagement and feedback
  • Complex, Consequential Topics Needing Hands-on Guidance: Hands-on practice and live discussions
  • Team-Focused: If team collaboration, networking and trust-building are key to learning outcomes

Real-World Example: Supervisor Training for Air Freight Operations

One of our clients, a Fortune 10 global retail and freight company, needed a comprehensive training program for their air freight ground crew supervisors. These supervisors must manage safety protocols, ensure operational efficiency, and lead their teams effectively. While checklists and procedural knowledge are essential; leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are just as critical.

ILT was the best option for their learning objectives as it required a mix of written activities, hands-on simulations, case study discussions, group exercises and supervised safety rehearsals. Supervisors participated in role-playing exercises to practice giving instructive feedback. They also worked through case studies, discussing and diagnosing so as to cognitively absorb the cause and effect for good and bad outcomes. Further, they engaged in team-based activities to strengthen collaboration and decision-making under pressure. 

The training also incorporated detailed safety rehearsals—such as flight-check procedures, freight loading/balancing, and compliance with exhaustive industry regulations. By leveraging the ILT potential for in-person interaction, participants gained not just technical knowledge but also the confidence and soft skills needed to lead effectively.

Other Popular ILT Training Programs:

  • Soft Skills Training: Build better communication, teamwork, and high-level leadership skills in an interactive setting
  • Safety and Compliance: Reinforce and monitor practice of critical safety protocols with live demonstrations
  • In-Depth Sales and Negotiation: Strengthen sales strategies through role play sessions, anecdotes and real-time feedback
  • Highest-Gauge Technical Workshops: Master complex, single-location machinery or software with guided, hands-on instruction (especially when equipment isn’t portable; mining or space aeronautics)
  • Leadership Development: Collaborate and problem-solve in dynamic group activities
  • Change Management: Facilitate smoother transitions with personal guidance and support

2. Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT)

Best for: Geographically dispersed teams, topics where in-person presence isn’t critical, and leadership or tactical training that can be delivered via digital platforms

VILT mirrors traditional Instructor-Led Training but is delivered entirely online. The training format brings participants and instructors together virtually, often via video conferencing or webinar tools. This modality is ideal for scenarios where face-to-face interaction is not mandatory, but structured discussions, Q&A sessions, and real-time engagement are still beneficial. VILT suits organizations that must train teams spread across regions (or nations or continents!) or those needing to adapt ILT content quickly for remote delivery.

Naturally, VILT is popular in corporate training programs.

When to Use vILT:

  • Multiple Topics and Skills: Especially those similar to ILT but with less reliance on non-verbal communication
  • Geographically Separated Team Members: When in-person ILT isn’t feasible due to geographic distance
  • Cross-Device Training: If learners have access to compatible devices and strong internet connections
  • When Online Engagement Is Sufficient: If learners already have baseline experience and only need virtual discussion and feedback

Real-World Example: Lincoln Financial Leadership Program

Lincoln Financial is a major powerhouse management and investment firm managing over a quarter-trillion dollars in assets. They needed to deliver foundational leadership content to newly hired managers. While these managers already possessed a strong aptitude for leadership, the company needed to immerse them in Lincoln’s specific guiding principles and expectations.

It was ideal because the company had hired people who had shown leadership aptitude, so it was not necessary to have hands-on guidance, unfiltered feedback or immediate communication in real time. The learners had the baseline knowledge for the training. However, there was still a need for evaluation (technically a type of feedback) and ways for hires to respond so as to show their knowledge retention. 

As with any training, online feedback, quizzes, forms and other follow-up may be needed. Since it’s already digital, VILTs tend to integrate other modalities. As stated earlier, all modalities will use bits and pieces of others.

Other Popular VILT Training Programs:

  • Leadership & Management Essentials: Deliver core leadership principles and strategy sessions virtually
  • Compliance & Policy Updates: Roll out company-wide regulatory training in real-time without travel expenses
  • Technical or Software Tutorials: Provide guided, interactive instruction on new tools or platforms

3. eLearning

Best for: Onboarding and orientation, compliance training, product knowledge, less-mechanical technical skills, global training, and continuous self-paced learning

eLearning is a modern, self-paced, online training approach where learners navigate content through digital platforms. It enables consistent delivery of information, interactive modules, and scalability across diverse, geographically dispersed audiences. eLearning employee training programs favor visually engaging scenarios. 

This modality also reduces travel costs and provides 24/7 accessibility. It is especially effective when graphics, imagery, or step-by-step procedures are central to the learning experience—making it a reliable option for straightforward, less-ambiguous concepts, skills, and activities.

When to Use eLearning:

  • Fast and/or Volume Onboarding: Streamline onboarding so new hires quickly absorb company culture and policies
  • On-Demand and Dispersed Needs: global teams require localized, consistent training accessible anytime and anywhere
  • Content or Topics w/ Updates: Regulatory requirements call for easily updated and trackable compliance courses
  • Interactive Sales for Detailed Products/Services: teaching product knowledge or technical topics with detailed visuals and interactive tutorials
  • Overall Career Advancement Opportunities: Support ongoing professional or career development through flexible, self-paced modules

Real-World Example: Museum-Tourism Hack for Cleveland Residents

The travel and tourism industry in the United States represents trillions of dollars in economic impact. And some museums can draw a crowd. A standout example of eLearning in action is Roundtable’s demo pack: one of those demos features a short, self-navigated tutorial about a museum in our headquarters’ hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. The demonstration highlights eLearning’s strong suit of delivering seller knowledge—specifically, a promo for how to obtain free museum tickets.

While Cleveland may not be a tropical paradise, it has some attractions. One notable exampled is the turntable-shaped Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, designed by Kennedy Center and Louvre Pyramid architect I.M. Pei. In our sample course, learners can perform a check-out (for free) by moving through a straightforward sidebar menu enriched with illustrations, photos, annotated screenshots, and instructive audio narration. They discover a “consumer hack” to gain free admission (provided they’re Cleveland residents.)

This eLearning project illustrates how visuals, interactive guidance, and on-demand flexibility make eLearning an ideal fit for orientation and product (or tourism) knowledge delivery.

Other Popular eLearning Training Programs

  • Onboarding and Orientation: Empower new hires to quickly grasp company policies, culture, and role expectations
  • Compliance Training: Simplify meeting regulatory standards with engaging courses that don’t require a (salaried) in-person trainer
  • Product Knowledge: Ensure teams are equipped with detailed product insights
  • Technical Training: Deliver specialized software tutorials or basic equipment handling guides
  • Skill Development: The conceptual elements of leadership; project management, other valuable competencies
  • Global Training Initiatives: Deploy localized content to a geographically diverse workforce
  • Continuous Learning: Support professional growth with content tailored for ongoing education

4. Virtual Reality (VR)

Best for: Technical, high-risk simulations, highly-realistic in-the-field training, and rapid onboarding in visually intensive or hands-on skill areas

Virtual Reality (VR) immerses learners in a 360-degree digital environment where they can safely practice skills and procedures that might be too risky, complex, or expensive to replicate in real life. This training delivery methodology is data-rich, offering instant (and multi-sensory) feedback and detailed performance metrics. It’s ideal for scenarios that require quick immersion without lengthy back-and-forth discussions or text-heavy materials—especially when travel constraints or safety concerns make on-site training impractical.

When to Use VR:

  • For Tasks that Are Dangerous and/or Costly: For potentially dangerous skills or practices, such as firefighting or industrial safety
  • Presence-Based Training at a Distance: When real-world surroundings are essential, but travel is expensive or unfeasible
  • Warehousing, Freight, Logistics: tasks like pallet-stacking or truck loading
  • Saving Time: When time-intensive traditional methods (e.g., extended ILT sessions) are not feasible

Real-World Example: Kellanova Foods VR Sales Training

One of Roundtable’s standout VR success stories involves a partnership with Kellanova Foods (Mars, Inc.), where we developed a VR-based sales training project. Kellanova’s VR modules cover 15 different settings in under 30 minutes. Trainees make a procedural sales call, walk through a grocery store and more. They scout empty floor space for potential added product displays of Cheez-Its, Pringles, or Rice Krispy Treats—all within a fully immersive, wrap-around headset experience.

In the supermarket setting, participants identify available floor space for promotional displays and even spot potential hazards like spills or slippery surfaces. This fully digital environment places sales staff in realistic scenarios, allowing them to hone interpersonal selling techniques and practice persuasive agility. Instead of maintaining a costly off-site warehouse with physical supermarket aisles (stocked year-round with perishable foodstuffs), Kellanova saved over $1 million in overhead using Roundtable Learning’s VR.

Moreover, by leveraging Mercury XRS—Roundtable Learning’s data software for training metrics—Kellanova captured automated, indexed(?) performance data for every trainee. This immersive, life-like experience cut travel and facility costs while also enabling high-volume, baseline training and evaluation for new hires. The ability to blend on-the-job realism with minimal logistical burden showcases why VR was uniquely suited to their needs.

Other Popular VR Training Programs:

See how Roundtable Developed an interactive gamified VR welding lesson where middle schoolers can learn about a career option while repairing rollercoasters

5. Augmented Reality (AR)

Best for: Moderate-complexity technical tasks, machine operation, multi-step safety procedures, product knowledge, and practical onboarding

Augmented Reality (AR) layers digital elements—such as instructions, visuals, and interactive prompts—onto the physical world. This real-time blend of real objects and digital cues offers guided, kinetic interaction, making it ideal for tasks that require visual aids or step-by-step direction without shutting down actual operations. AR is especially useful in scenarios where moderate complexity still allows for on-the-job interactivity—like assembly or point-of-sale training—while providing a richer, more immersive experience than traditional 2D references.

When to Use AR:

  • Moderate-Complexity Technical Tasks: Engine, machine, or home appliance repairs; assembly processes
  • Machine Operation and Manual Tasks: Routine mechanical operations, midpoint (packer) warehouse logistics, and point-of-sale (POS) use
  • Process-Heavy Safety: For multi-step handling of delicate, hazardous, or specialized materials
  • Product Knowledge and Sales: Retail associates guiding customers through a finite product set
  • Practical Onboarding: Providing an overview of company culture and guiding new hires through physical worksites

Real-World Example: Six Flags Seasonal Staff Onboarding

Each year, Six Flags amusement parks welcome 30,000 to 40,000 seasonal employees, many of whom operate point-of-sale (POS) systems at snack stands. The environment is noisy, fast-paced, and crowded—adding complexity that can overwhelm new hires. Roundtable addressed this by developing tablet-based AR modules that created an identical mockup of the POS screen. We added in real-life park scenarios onto a digital interface.

In these modules, trainees see and hear the typical distractions of a busy amusement park, complete with realistic audio and visual cues. They interact with an identical POS/register display, learning to ring up orders and handle unexpected challenges—like miskeyed items or rapidly shifting customer demands.

This AR approach was ideal for moderate-complexity machine operation (retail customer service) and allowed for guided, kinetic practice in a real-life setting. By combining realistic simulations with instant guidance, Six Flags could effectively train large groups of new hires while preparing them for the high-pressure reality of the job.

Other Popular AR Training Programs:

  • Guided Assembly Tasks: Overlay digital instructions or placements on real components for efficient assembly
  • Retail and Customer Service: Provide real-time prompts on POS systems, shelf restocking, or in-store navigation
  • Basic or Moderate-Complexity Maintenance and Repair: Show step-by-step procedures directly on engines, appliances, or machinery
  • Safety and Compliance: Demonstrate multi-step handling of delicate and/or hazardous materials using blended physical and digital cues
  • Onboarding Walkthroughs: Give new hires an interactive tour of facilities, equipment, and workflows

If the Destination Is Known, the Modality Can Be Flexible

This article gave a rundown of when to use what modality and highlights of Roundtable’s successes for each one.

These five training modalities encompass the majority of planned job training and development.

If you identify the right knowledge, skills and attitudes/abilities needed for your training, flexibility in modalities is easier. 

You’ll have the destination, and Roundtable will help you with the map. Call one of our experts today to discuss your training needs!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR

NEWSLETTER