What is it?
Training is an essential part of any business’s success. In today’s business world, computers and technology are integral to how the company operates in almost every capacity. Put the two together and you’ve got elearning. It sounds simple, computer (technology) + training = elearning. It can almost be that simple if you’re asking the right questions, working as a team, understand the process, and focus on the learner.
Elearning is the delivery of content electronically through the Internet, intranet, extranet, DVD, CD-ROM, audio- or video-tape, satellite, TV, video-conferencing, and in increasingly more forms every day (Ipods are certainly next). Elearning comes in many different ‘flavors’ - online education, distance learning, Web-based training (WBT), computer-based training (CBT), virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration such as, synchronous or asynchronous interactions - to name a few.
Why do I need it?
As companies continue to grow, they struggle more and more with providing consistent products and services to their customers. Every McDonald’s hamburger tastes (generally) the same in every part of the country and this is due to a consistent process defined at the corporate level and documented down to each restaurant location. What if that process needs to be modified? Do you need to print and distribute new manuals? How can you be sure they are read and absorbed? If over time these things are not integrated using sound instructional measurements, your organization may build inconsistency on top of inconsistency leading to unsatisfactory products or services. Elearning can easily track and measure performance, build confidence and motivation for the learner, and your organization can achieve a higher degree of excellence in your products and services.
Aside from the product or service standardization, elearning can improve employee performance due to the following aspects:
- Consistent Message: Learner’s are getting the same message from the training program. They don’t hear different things from different instructors at different times. They are all given the same course content in a consistent format.
- Easy Access: Elearning is more accessible to the learner because it is always available allowing the learner to schedule the training when they know they have time to focus on the training. If your training needs to reach out to employees located around the globe, elearning provides that support and cuts the costs of supporting global training initiatives.
- Just-In-Time: Learners can also use it as a tool for review and to keyword search the contents of the training easily. Elearning allows the learner to easily hone in on exactly what they are looking for and can apply it immediately to the job at hand.
- Self-Paced: In a classroom setting the pace of learning is typically set by the learner that needs the most help with understanding the materials. With elearning, people can move through the training at their own pace. If a learner is already familiar with the material, they can move through it quickly and use it more as an overview to validate what they already know with less frustration. Other learners that are new to the course content are able to spend the time they need to help them absorb, retain and feel confident in their understanding of the materials.
- Retention: Because learners are able to access the training when they have time they are able to retain what they’ve learned more readily. The interactive nature of elearning also supports the ability of the learners to retain the materials.
Where do I start?
Start by clearly identifying the need - a "Needs Analysis". For Example: new employee orientation; new product training; business ethics? Is it a short-term need or a long-term need? Do I need to track each learner’s progress not only on this training piece but over the course of their career? What is the need that the training program is addressing?
The Needs Analysis will identify whether elearning is the right solution. You may even find that elearning by itself is not ideal. You may discover, for example, that a ‘blended solution’ is more suitable - blending classroom training or Instructor-Led Training (ILT) with elearning can provide employees with well-rounded exposure to the course material.
What are your Learning Objectives?
What is the outcome of the training? What questions do you want the learner to be able to answer once they’ve completed the training? What are the performance goals you are targeting for the employee/learner? Are you converting classroom training, training manuals, developing from ‘scratch’? Your learning objectives will directly tie into the content for the training and the Needs Analysis you identified earlier.
Learning Objectives are often referred to as Performance Objectives. Consider that your learning/performance objectives will shape the instructional design decisions that in turn impact the design of your elearning. These objectives will ultimately provide a framework for evaluating the learner’s understanding of the training and if they are achieving the outcomes that were identified during the Needs Analysis.
Who’s the Learner?
Once you’ve determined your learning objectives the next step is to profile the learner. Age, computer skills, experience with the content, delivery platform, and where the learner will be taking the training at home, their desk, in a computer classroom, locally or globally - can all impact the instructional approach and the technology used to develop your elearning. What’s the motivation to take the training? Is it strictly a requirement or is it positioned as a tool to help their performance? Learner Analysis involves thoughtful questions that help define your instructional direction.
Understanding who your learner is will define the instructional design of the elearning. Many instructional questions can be answered more easily when there is a clear understanding of who the learner is and what their experience is with the material. An elearning course has to do more than just be available whenever the learner needs access. It has to have sound instructional goals in order to successfully address the training need.
In Conclusion
Elearning is more than fulfilling a corporate requirement. It is providing the right tools to your employees to help them perform at the highest level. Their improved performance impacts their productivity which in turn impacts the company’s overall success.
In next month’s eNewsletter - Elearning 101 - Part 2: How do I get it? - I will discuss the development and implementation of elearning.
In the meantime, Aware Web Solutions has experience in all aspects of elearning development and can help you ensure your elearning initiatives are a success.
If you have any comments or questions about any Aware InSites, feel free to contact us at
info@awareweb.com or call 800-783-8919.
Featured Resources
Learning Objectives
ASTD-Learning Circuits
A Quick Guide to e-Learning - Gregory Sales, PhD
Chief Learning Officer