Evaluating Trainees’ Satisfaction: Comparison between Face-to-Face and Virtual Medium Training during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic required the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) to deliver training through both face-to-face and virtual modes. This study compared trainees’ satisfaction with these delivery modes and examined knowledge retention and the potential continued use of virtual training. The analysis used 395 data points gathered from participants who received face-to-face and virtual medium training from BIM’s Accounting and Financial Management Division between July 2020 and April 2022. According to the findings, participants in face-to-face training were significantly more satisfied with their outcomes than participants in virtual medium training. The demographics of the two groups could not explain the differences in knowledge gain. Virtual delivery adaptations, including instructional techniques, presentation style, content and materials, and participant preparation, should be considered to bridge the gap between face-to-face and virtual training. This study also assessed the economic feasibility of using a virtual medium for BIM training under normal conditions. The curriculum effectively increased knowledge in both the virtual and face-to-face groups, with each group significantly improving its understanding and application of knowledge in daily work. The improvement resulting from BIM training was significantly greater for the face-to-face group than for the virtual group. The virtual group began with greater knowledge but applied it less than the face-to-face group, resulting in a change in outcome that was approximately half that observed in the face-to-face group. These findings support virtual curriculum delivery as a viable method, although it may be less effective than face-to-face training.