e-Learning is learning delivered electronically – this can be on a network, Internet or intranet site, CD-ROM, DVD – even good old fashioned diskettes.

The challenge of e-learning is to put your best instructors into a box, accessible any time, anyplace, on their best day.

The problem?

Computers are machines, and they often act like it.

When you try to train your employees using a computer, the machine can get in the way of learning. At The Learning Group, we spend a great deal of our design time finding ways to make the machine help the learning process, not hinder it.

A few other useful facts:

• Fact: reading large amounts of information from a computer screen is tiring, ineffective and boring.
• Fact: employees remember a great deal more when they are encouraged to interact with their training.

Why are so many companies using computers and e-learning to train their employees in everything from their company’s rules and procedures, to how to handle complex customer service situations, to selling negotiations, to how to operate complex machinery?

We could go on and on about the benefits of e-learning , but it really depends on your company’s learning culture and its training goals. This means that for most companies, a conversation is needed with a reputable e-learning developer, to determine whether your needs match up with the benefits of this type of learning.

Spending Smart

e-learning is also a chance to spend lots of money – on neat graphics, audio, video – lots of cool stuff your executives will find rewarding, even if it doesn’t produce change in the organisation.

NOT!

e-learning projects can suck up money at a pace you’ve rarely seen – that’s why it’s critical to understand what investments (hint: good instructional design, good instructional design, and also good instructional design) pay off, and what do not (hint: cool stuff)

Are your current training programs being taught using the most appropriate training technique?

Sometimes true – but sometimes you find you have the wrong horse running your course.

Many of our clients have decided that they can create better and cheaper training by working with The Learning Group to convert some of their existing training courses into interactive multimedia courseware – providing a blended learning solution that matches their investment with the learning outcomes desired.

What’s in it for you?

e-learning is a chance to reinvent the role of training in the organization. Training can be at the big table now — nowadays e-learning is discussed in the same breath with e-business and e-commerce. Human Resources has always wanted to be strategic partners — this is your chance. But we won’t be with our traditional mindsets about change.

We should approach e-learning implementations from a stronger position. Instead of being staff people looking for vision, hoping for support, and working to please, we need to be business people — forming our own visions, initiating new conversations, and focusing on results.

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