Interaction depends on where you stand. The more knowledgeable learners felt that the interaction was enough to keep them engaged. However, learners less familiar with the content felt the interaction wasn't adequate. Bring on the experts. Participants indicated they greatly valued the opportunity to learn from SMEs and would have stayed online even longer to take advantage of their knowledge.
Motivation is everything.
Many of the participants worked at home, hundreds of miles from the nearest corporate training facility. Had they not been able to participate in the synchronous program, many would not have received the learning. The opportunity to participate in the program was a strong motivation. I asked participants if they would have preferred the program to be taught for three hours a day over eight days instead of the marathon four-day format. Without exception, they answered no.