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| ARTICLES |
| Good Content: Core of a Successful E-Learning Strategy |
| E-Learning
initiatives are large and multi-faceted, with the largest ones costing
millions of dollars and years to implement. As one of the current
economy’s shining glimmers of hope, the e-learning industry
saw several major tech companies climb aboard in the early 2000’s
to increase profits and visibility. With guidance from these and other
e-learning vendors, it is too easy for client teams to get caught
up in the glory and technical sophistication of learning management
systems, web conferencing, and other “essential” tools.
At the heart if every good e-learning strategy is a great set of e-learning courses. As is often said about websites, “content is king,” and nowhere does this better apply than self-paced electronic courses. Successful e-learning initiatives focus heavily on the benefits to the end-user throughout the project. What do students want? To put it simply, end-users want a good answer to the question “What’s in it for me?” By showing that you care, through carefully selected or custom-built content, you answer that question. Another key component is to make sure that actual end users (novel, I know) have reviewed and tested the content. Providing a slick learning portal does show that you’ve put time and effort into the project, but this will wear out quickly if the course catalog contains mind-numbing, textbook content. Focus on Multiple Learning Styles Employees have different learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), but in this ultra-fast-paced business world, can we really afford to take the time to develop a duplicate course for each individual style? The good news is that even people with strong tendencies to one style aren’t distracted by other forms of media, according to current research. In fact, almost no one learns completely with a single style, unless all other senses are impaired. One practical strategy is to mix learning styles in a single course. In evaluating off-the-shelf programs, note the places where multiple styles are used. If you turn your sound off, does the same message come across? Try the same test with your monitor turned off. The medias and amounts to include depend on available content, bandwidth, and other factors. It takes creative thinking to find the ideal proportions of animation, graphics, and sound for your course. Getting to know your audience Audiences can be evaluated with surveys and psychological tests, but mixing this with person-to-person interaction provides the most benefit. Unfortunately, certain assumptions are made about student preferences based on generations. True, generations X and Y, on average, prefer game-style courses, but they don’t all want to mix the latest Sims game with FDA training (although, that could be interesting). Some just want to learn the essentials and move on. Also, don’t make the mistake of assuming that older generations don’t want or need the same level of interaction as Gen X or Y. Many older adults enjoy the kind of in-your-face edutainment that others consider nauseating. The only way to know for certain is to test, survey, and ask. Wrapping it up So dive into the LMS project, work on the latest voice-over IP web conferencing, and spend hours designing a single graphic on the portal. These all add to a valuable user experience. Just don’t forget about the content. In fact, start and finish with content that the users love . . .and they will love you back. Sheldon Murphy E-Learning Consultant Solid State Learning www.sslearn.com sheldon@sslearn.com 724-452-6945 |