Evaluating e-learning systems and suppliers to determine compatibility with the organization.
Today business success depends more and more on high quality employee performance, which in turn depends on high-quality training. In the quest to remain competitive in today’s tight labour market, companies are exploiting advances in technology to train staff more rapidly, more effectively, and at less expense than in the past.
Technology has changed the way we live, work, think and learn. Today’s workforce has to process more information in a shorter amount of time. In the age of just-in-time production, just-in-time training becomes a critical element to organizational success.
The Internet
Since its introduction to mainstream western society in the mid-1990s, the Internet has fundamentally altered almost every aspect of daily lives. It has radically changed the way we conduct business, and e-mail has become a staple communication device. Access to the Internet for research and communication is proliferating quickly. Business models are changing with the advent of e-commerce, electronic procurement and e-logistics systems.
Since its introduction to mainstream western society in the mid-1990s, the Internet has fundamentally altered almost every aspect of daily lives. It has radically changed the way we conduct business, and e-mail has become a staple communication device. Access to the Internet for research and communication is proliferating quickly. Business models are changing with the advent of e-commerce, electronic procurement and e-logistics systems.
The same technology that is transforming the business world will do the same for the world of education. The classroom may still reign supreme, especially for skills that are best addressed in a group environment. The Internet, however, offers a way to provide quick and efficient learning opportunities to geographically dispersed audiences while reducing both the direct and indirect cost of delivering training.
In 1999, corporate North America spent $62.5 billion on training and educating its workforce. At $3 billion, the technology delivered corporate training segment occupied only a fraction of the total market, but has been growing rapidly (reported by the Masie Centre, 1999.) What started out with IT training has found its way into management, sales, customer service and professional development training. The most significant growth is expected to be in soft skills training.
Locating an effective e-learning process
After reviewing the wide array of impressive statements concerning e-learning, and the exciting predictions of how e-learning will revolutionize the way individuals learn, HR professionals must begin the process of investigating the existing and planned capabilities of e-learning processes, and determine which will best support the training needs of their organizations and learners.
After reviewing the wide array of impressive statements concerning e-learning, and the exciting predictions of how e-learning will revolutionize the way individuals learn, HR professionals must begin the process of investigating the existing and planned capabilities of e-learning processes, and determine which will best support the training needs of their organizations and learners.
As in any development project it is important to establish criteria for evaluating available resources, or determining what needs to be developed to best serve training needs. Particularly in the field of e-learning, which is still relatively new, training decision-makers must define specific requirements and measure potential solutions against these requirements in order to develop the best system for now and for the future.
The quality of the e-learning system selected will determine how or if it is used by learners, and therefore significantly impact on the eventual success of the online learning initiative.
The following are criteria for evaluating e-learning systems:
User-friendliness — Are the user’s needs supported by the layout and functionality of the e-learning system?
Consider: ease of use, clarity of display, terminology, online help, information storage and download time.
Course Offerings — How do the requirements of the organization compare with the range and available options for the online system?
Consider: number of courses, range, online availability, reach, target audience and time independence.
Course Information — A system should offer easily accessible course descriptions that are available to learners to determine the benefit of the program.
Consider: standard program outlines, technology requirements, type of learning, course objectives, prerequisites, target audience and time requirements.
Search Capability — A database is only as good as its search engine. If learners cannot easily locate a course or program that meets their needs, then the system is not useful.
Consider: System maps, keyword search and browsing capability.
Reliability — A system is only useful if it performs its functions smoothly and without error.
Consider: system reliability, information reliability and search capability.
Connectivity — A system should allow the learner to connect with course providers for support and direction.
Consider: accessibility to content and support, links to support personnel and others.
The supplier
Investigate the experience of the suppliers in the design and delivery of training. Do they understand adult learners and their needs? Do they have a proven track record of using training to produce significant positive results and productivity improvement? Do they demonstrate this expertise in the way they have designed the online learning environment?
Investigate the experience of the suppliers in the design and delivery of training. Do they understand adult learners and their needs? Do they have a proven track record of using training to produce significant positive results and productivity improvement? Do they demonstrate this expertise in the way they have designed the online learning environment?
At a minimum, suppliers should include the following nine e-learning solutions:
1) Online assessments to help learners pinpoint which courses apply to their priority needs.
2) Different levels of instruction on the same topic such as basic, intermediate and advanced.
3) Sufficient visual stimulation to provide interest without being distracting.
4) Content presented in appropriately sized chunks, not so small as to be demeaning but not so large as to be overwhelming.
5) Ample opportunity to apply the content to the real world.
6) Language that is instructional and conversational.
7) Tools that can be used as job aids to help the learner practice new skills.
8) Access to human beings, not just for technical support but for learning support.
9) A process and tools for the learner to evaluate his or her knowledge and skill acquisition and identify remediation steps that may be necessary, not just in the form of simplistic, multiple-choice quizzes, but in re-assessments, on-the-job activities and performance exercises.
After all is said and done, the success of any e-learning product will come not from flashy and impressive technical components, but from compatibility with the organization’s specific needs and from its ability to integrate the key principles of adult learning in both its design and delivery.
Integrating e-learning
As an organization identifies selection criteria for an online learning system and how that system must match with the future requirements and capabilities of its learners, attention must be given to how e-learning will integrate with existing or planned training strategies. As technology-based training becomes an increasingly popular method of delivering training courses, focus is shifting from stand-alone offerings to more comprehensive and convenient training solutions. It is unlikely, and indeed unwise, to look at e-learning as a replacement of existing training strategies and programs. The key is to find opportunities where one of the following scenarios applies:
As an organization identifies selection criteria for an online learning system and how that system must match with the future requirements and capabilities of its learners, attention must be given to how e-learning will integrate with existing or planned training strategies. As technology-based training becomes an increasingly popular method of delivering training courses, focus is shifting from stand-alone offerings to more comprehensive and convenient training solutions. It is unlikely, and indeed unwise, to look at e-learning as a replacement of existing training strategies and programs. The key is to find opportunities where one of the following scenarios applies:
1. The e-learning solution is significantly more cost-effective than the existing delivery method while having the ability to meet established learning goals.
2. The e-learning solution can supplement existing delivery methods, as a pre and/or post-training vehicle to potentially reduce time off the job, or to bring the entry level of a dissimilar group to the same point.
3. The e-learning solution provides training in topic areas that current training initiatives do not address, or to employees who may be geographically dispersed and unavailable for classroom attendance.
The following can improve the success of an organization’s e-learning initiatives:
•Connect e-learning to the performance management system. Create individual learning curricula based on specific business unit goals and resource needs.
•Make e-learning part of each employee’s job requirements and factor time for learning into the job. (For organizations that have chosen to limit Internet access in the workplace, consider setting up a learning lab with sufficient resources to support broader Internet use.)
•Connect e-learning to a reward and recognition processes. Particularly if it is done during non-standard business hours, acknowledge this extra effort.
•Connect the learning system to the job, as an on-going reference source and job aid.
•Use the e-learning system as a coaching tool. Have each learner establish specific personal goals, track the completion of these goals, acknowledging successes and providing coaching support.
•Connect to accountability. Establish specific goals and expectations regarding use of the system and hold individuals and their supervisors accountable for consistently using the system and more importantly, continuous improvement.
•Measure and track usage of the system weekly, but more importantly track individual progress frequently. The adage “you get what you pay attention to” rings true for self-directed learning.
The internal sell: getting people to use e-learning
With the impressive array of benefits and cost-savings it may appear that the inclusion of e-learning should be quite straight forward — find an effective system, integrate it with current training strategies, sit back and let technology handle the rest. Sounds good — sounds almost too good to be true. It is key to sell the concept of e-learning internally.
With the impressive array of benefits and cost-savings it may appear that the inclusion of e-learning should be quite straight forward — find an effective system, integrate it with current training strategies, sit back and let technology handle the rest. Sounds good — sounds almost too good to be true. It is key to sell the concept of e-learning internally.
The upside to e-learning is that it does offer impressive support to the ongoing development needs of an organization, but like any new idea or product introduction, it must be effectively marketed to the decision-makers and gatekeepers within the organization as well as to those who will use it.
To sell e-learning, focus on the cost benefits, productivity implications and extended reach capabilities. Communicate benefits of e-learning including:
•Just-in-time access to timely information: Web-based products allow instructors to update lessons and materials across the entire network instantly. This keeps content fresh and consistent and gives learners immediate access to the most current information.
•Higher retention of content through personalized learning: With 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week access, learners can learn at their own pace and in their most comfortable environment. Learners can review material as often as needed, and can customize the learning materials to their own needs, allowing for more effective learning and higher retention. Higher retention of material puts a higher value on every dollar spent on training.
•Substantial cost savings due to elimination of travel expenses: A significant benefit of e-learning is that it minimizes the expense and inconvenience of getting the instructor and students in the same place. Opting for e-training also means that courses can be pared into shorter sessions allowing learners to manage their own time more efficiently.
Selling e-learning to the users requires an internal marketing/ communication campaign. This is by no means a new concept, and is one that likely used in the past to promote other initiatives.
Use internal publications, e-mail, staff meetings, organizational events and other vehicles to communicate and reinforce the value e-learning offers.
Consider conducting a pilot with a representative sample of employees. Through this process, participants in the pilot become advocates, creating interest and appetite for e-learning.
People are not generally inclined to use training unless there is strong leadership to make it part of the organization’s culture and the individual’s job requirements. This is where the effective integration plays an important role in success.
Select carefully
An organization should select its first e-learning projects carefully. The first courses should be of interest to a large group and target specific and measurable performance enhancements. Focus on the content, not just the technology. It’s tempting to use all the bells and whistles available, but if the media does not support the goal and objectives, it may be superfluous and distracting.
An organization should select its first e-learning projects carefully. The first courses should be of interest to a large group and target specific and measurable performance enhancements. Focus on the content, not just the technology. It’s tempting to use all the bells and whistles available, but if the media does not support the goal and objectives, it may be superfluous and distracting.
Know the technical environment. Conduct a technical audit ahead of time. Who is the audience? What’s the connection speed? Are plug-ins allowable? Are there firewall issues? The best e-learning program can be a waste of time if the audience cannot easily use the content.
Ray Miller is vice-president, marketing and sales for CanTrain Development Corp., a firm that provides classroom and internet-based training consulting. TheTrainingBank.com is a web-based employee and management development site. Ray can be reached at [email protected] or 1-888-607-0591.
