10 tips for creating effective eLearning
Ten tips for creating elearning experiences that actually deliver results
1. Don’t start with the technology
Start by being clear about the business is trying to achieve, and what experience learners actually need. It may or may not be eLearning.
2. Learning Management Systems – Get it right before you buy, not afterwards
Don’t start with choosing an LMS, don’t buy the first one that sounds ‘OK’. Test, pilot, gather requirements with the people that matter – the users.
3. Find your champion
eLearning will involve lots of change for many people. It won’t happen unless the initiative has overt, consistent support from the management team. Find your champion(s) and enlist them.
4. Experiment with creating content
There are a myriad of options, from contracting a company, to DIY, to SaaS services. Unless you’re setting up an eLearning development function, you’ll need to partner in some way. Don’t commit until you’ve tried creating the right level of content you need, and making sure it delivers results.
5. Get learners working together
Training isn’t the goal, changed behavior and improved performance is. People working in teams in a coordinated way is an important part of achieving this.
6. Interactivity generates learning
It might be cheaper to put pages of text online, but will it achieve anything? One way or another you have to engage the user’s brain. Interactivity is a critical part of the solution.
7. Get managers involved
If people are going to learn and change behavior, the organization is going to have to change as well. ‘Doing’ eLearning is not just about providing content people can study anywhere, anytime.
8. Know what your strategy is
eLearning is just another tool. Without a clear vision for what you’re trying to achieve, your effort is likely to be misdirected.
9.Return On Investment/Cost Benefit Analysis, ignore it at your peril
Enduring changes to bottom line performance will require investment. If you don’t project the return, you’ll find it hard to get the resourcing. Elearning may be cheap in large scale delivery, but there are a wide range of costs in getting established.
10. Make sure you can demonstrate success
Don’t get lost in the big systems issues. Small, piloted initiatives that are seen to work are critical to getting momentum.
Posted by PhilGaring at January 21, 2010 01:24 PM
