eLearning
(EE-luhr-neen)
Radioactive
What is eLearning?
Elearning is a learning delivery method by which content and activities are available in a digital format for learners.
Other Common Names
Other common names for elearning include:
- Online learning
- Virtual learning
- Asynchronous online training
- Web-based training (WBT)
- Computer-based training (CBT)
Key Properties
Let’s identify some key properties of e-learning content:
- Content accessed digitally
- Can be synchronous (in real-time) or asynchronous (accessible on-demand)
Resources From The Train Like a Champion Blog
Some charged statements from What's Your Formula?
- "My first exposure to e-learning came in the early 2000s. I was working at a youth center and our program had just signed a contract with a company to provide e-learning content to my GED class. The students thought it was interesting and the content seemed pretty good. And it cost a lot of money. Fast forward several decades and the cost of e-learning development has plummeted with the rise of rapid development tools such as Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate. In addition, many learning management systems (LMS) allow administrators to publish content and videos, all in the name of e-learning. While it has become extremely affordable to produce, it doesn’t mean every e-learning program is a high-quality learning experience."
- "With these core properties in mind, e-learning content can take many forms—from a 10-minute, asynchronous module that you click through to answer questions to webinars or virtual instructor-led training to online college courses (and many things in between)."
- "E-learning can be such a powerful learning tool because it can be delivered relatively inexpensively to many people across any geographic region. Unlike classroom training, which relies on the consistency of the presenter, e-learning content can be consistent every time. Organizations have also come to like e-learning because no travel budget is needed to deploy new content."
Elements that Bond with eLearning to Prevent Hulk-Like Reactions
To insulate your elearning design against harmful gamma rays that can turn your learners into the Incredible Hulk, ready to smash their keyboards in anger and frustration, you may wish to bond your e-learning initiative with one or more of the following elements:
Measuring for Effectiveness
There are many compliance focused e-learning courses littering LMSs at organizations around the world. Whether you’re generating a compliance course for a highly regulated industry or a module to build new knowledge or skills, measuring for effectiveness can help determine whether your investment in e-learning development was worth the effort.
Adult Learning
Integrating principles of adult learning— finding ways to activate prior knowledge, ensuring relevant content, and addressing an immediate learner problem—can help prevent multitasking during webinars and mindless clicking through standalone e-learning modules.
Gamification
Using elements of gamification—such as weaving a narrative throughout your module, integrating interactions with subtle feedback systems (perhaps a score goes up or down based on decisions the learner makes), or unlocking new content only when learners achieve certain objectives, can bring learning to life and provide incentive for learners to want to come back to your LMS.
Screen Capture
Have you ever been scrolling through an e-learning module or sitting through a PowerPoint presentation when you’ve come across a low-resolution or grainy photo? Screen capture tools like Snagit are inexpensive and help ensure your visual imagery is crisp and clear.
Visual Design
Adhering to standard principles of good visual design can make a huge difference between a conventional snooze-fest of a learning experience and something that engages participants at first sight. Making decisions about consistent placement of navigation buttons, cartoon versus photo imagery, and the amount of text (including font size and placement on the screen) are all important considerations.
Instructional Design
Sometimes all someone needs is access to information in a place they can find it, when they need it. But if your goal is to help someone learn something, then simply uploading slides, resources, or documents to an LMS or lecturing at them in a webinar doesn’t make it e-learning. Bringing in sound principles of instructional design to ensure learner needs are being met, activating prior knowledge, and giving your learners an opportunity to explore and practice using your content are all key elements that put the learning into e-learning.
Games
Bringing in short games that challenge learners to use the information you’ve presented can offer an engaging and entertaining way to reinforce key elements of your module.
Books on eLearning
