How to make E-learning Successful
Before You Even Begin
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Do a Needs Assessment – Ask:
o What’s the business reason? Is the reason a priority in your
organization?
o What is the behavioral reason? In what ways do you expect your
employees to change their behavior as a result of completing elearning?
o Is your organization a good candidate for using e-learning? 1
o What do you hope to accomplish by offering e-learning?
o Will senior management champion e-learning?
o Is e-learning the best way to achieve these outcomes?
o If yes, then ask:
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Does the e-learning content and design reflect good
instructional systems design principles? Be relentless on
keeping this focus.
Does the training design focus on the behavioral outcome,
not the method of delivering training?
Tip:
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Focus on using new technology to create a new model for a
better way of learning vs. recreating the classroom
experience via e-learning.
o What is the best strategy for implementing e-learning in my
organization? Prioritize needs.
 Create and roll out plan that involves staff
Tip:
Remember to ask:
 What equipment and software do you have available to you?
Remember to think outside of your office – the person down
the hall; the other departments; and if you’re part of a larger
government organization, then check out side of your
agency.
 What equipment and software do the users have available to
them? Is it the same as what you have?
 Do you really need high tech? Ask if low tech will do.
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Remember any roll-out has barriers. Recognize and
understand in advance.
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Must over come barriers to achieve success. It’s
about creating a positive climate fore e-learning.
 Leverage what you learn about possible obstacles
and points of resistance
Offer a readiness survey to staff to determine whether
certain individuals might be good candidates for e-learning.
Understand, Appreciate, and Plan for Cultural Resistance
The main difference between classroom training and e-learning is that staff must
take more responsibility for learning.
o Learner – positive attitude – new way of learning and taking
responsibility for your own learning.
Bottom line:
Support to the Learner – Develop an environment in which support is provided to
the learner. Cultural piece
Main Student Barriers
 Lack of self-motivation
o Learning takes mental effort and concentration – readiness for self
direction/ability to manage own learning.
o Resistance for taking on the responsibility for one’s own learning***
 Make training an extension of job responsibilities
 Create accountability through performance appraisals
the E-Learning is a new way of learning and some people will
resist that. The main difference is that staff must take more
responsibility for learning.
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Motivators
 Must be critical to doing immediate job – more
efficient/more effective/takes away pain/makes me
look good
 Must be part of a larger certificate
 Must require proof of completion and therefore
attainment of a certain competency. (mandatory).
 Must increase professional related competency (e.g.,
librarian related) or professional skills (e.g., (conflict
management). (important to job, but not immediate;
therefore, students can put it off.
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Tip:
 Keep a log of successfully completed e-learning titles
for future reference as a motivator.
 Time Management –
 “The fact is that many employees don’t know how to
be effective self-learners. They’re just not aware of or
in control of independent learning strategies. Though
many learners can establish goals, assess progress,
ear-mark time, and exert continuous effort to workrelated projects, when it comes to e-learning they’re
more likely to go for a cup of coffe.”2
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Lack of time – perceived – can make time if e-learning is important
Feeling isolated
o Preference for learning through social interaction
 Create collaborative work groups – online/offline, chats, etc.
Fear of Technology
o Make e-learning very user-friendly.
o Access to help desk.
o Rewrite the provided user manual in a more friendly way.
o Provide reliable technology
o Desire for access to experts
 Include “email the expert”
o Discomfort with learning new methods and tools.
o Keep it simple
o Don’t assume a FAQ will solve all of your problems.
Role of Management - Provide Leadership and Support
o Championed by senior management
o Manage the change process – learning becomes a part of work
instead of in addition to work.
 E-Learning takes time and effort by each individual.
o Set realistic expectations
 Set clear expectations with the learner as to what you
require from the as a result of completing the program.
 Include e-learning as part of the performance management
process, similar to classroom training. If possible, make
learning success one factor for promotions. Position elearning as a primary means for expanding a person’s job
opportunities (job enlargement, job enrichment, job
advancement) (for example, extra points on the interview
score sheet; or a requirement of completing a particular
certificate for applying for a job.) Hold managers
accountable for for e-learning completion in their units
o Provide leadership
 Foster an environment that values all forms of learning.
 Understand the e-learning initiative in your organization
 Complete e-learning programs yourself and see what it is
like
o Give support
 Provide encouragement and reward employees
 Reinforce application of new skill or knowledge.
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Encouragement
Help employees organize their time and work in ways
that permit opportunities for e-learning.) Encourage
use of chunks of time; 20-30 minutes per session.
o Make it a unit-thing – set an expectation that
each person will complete one e-learning
program by a certain date.
Provide uninterrupted time; respect the learning
process as if it were classroom training. (Offer lab
environment, if available)
Reward
Intervene
o Send emails, make phone calls, or have faceto-face meetings with e-learners who fall
behind in their coursework.
Market& Promote E-Learning – Use intentional, dynamic, and continuous
marketing activities, as well as traditional marketing methods, such as face-toface discussions and print advertising.
For example:
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Provide a teaser – some content that has immediate value.
Contests
Set clear expectations as to the length of the online course.
For synchronous learning, invite senior managers to open and close the
learning session.
Make it easy to sign up and get started with e-learning.
Assign mentors – Match experienced e-learners with new learners.
Must repeat “how-to’s” for accessing e-learning often.
Use peer testimonials.
Send letters
Create Incentive Programs – Develop incentive programs, such as job ladders
and peer recognition that go beyond candy bars and meaningless certificates.
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Recognition – for every step taken – logging on, usage, completion, etc.
o Organization’s Newsletter
o E-mails
o Use content as part of staff meetings
o Make introduction to e-learning a part of orientation
o Advertise benefits of e-learning
 State ideas for relating e-learning to the job
 Announce on Intranet homepage
o Peer testimonials
o Present at meetings about e-learning
o “No risk” trial
o Rewards – Clear Structure
o CEUs
o Certificates (Pratt – signed by the Director)
Other: (handout ?)
Synchronous – Interacting with Instructor & Students, e.g., LATI
Student Skills
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Student-to-Teacher Communication/Student-to-Classmate Communication
(Overcomes barrier of feeling isolated.)
o Make the time to introduce yourself, ask questions/clarify and
exchange ideas as needed.
o → Connecting with the teaching and reducing isolation
o Ask the instructor for feedback
o Communicate with your classmates and instructors early in the
course
o Form an on-line study group.
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Efficiency – Able to cut through stuff and get things done, e.g., efficient
research.
Flexibility – reframing approach to learning
Ability to Balance a Schedule - Manage your time/make the most of small
amounts of time/know how to prioritize.
o → Relates to projects (e.g., LATI & 9th House management
program)
o Set a routine and stick with it. Page 109 (Dixon).
o Set deadlines for yourself, know the quantity of work to be done in
a week - create own visual calendar.
o Avoid procrastination – remember the benefits outweigh temporary
discomfort p 110 (Dixon)
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o Prepare before each class.
o Look for downtime – be prepared to make the most of short time
opportunities.
o Find a partner/mentor. Set goals and encourage each other to
reach them.
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Resourcefulness – Handling challenges as they arise.
o Know what your school offers in the way of resources.
 Review classes if available (e.g., recorded)
 Access to libraries
 Available copying services
Persistence – Finish what you start out to do.
Techno skills
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Computer Literacy
o Word processing
o Online Skills – surf the web, send e-mail
o If pre-class training is available, take advantage of it. Page 109.
Hypertext Literacy
o Knowing how to hyperlink through documents without getting lost.
o Be wary of wandering
o Be wary of missing important information while hyperlinking through
a document.
Information Literacy
o Choosing among mediums – print, vidoes, CDs, Web, etc.
o “Stick to your goal and ignore the data you don’t want.” Page 108
(Dixon)
o Check validityy of source/Verify information.
Electro-Schmooze
o Using e-mail, chat, bulletin boards to “charm’ people
o Think about what you write
Instructor Skills
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Computer Literacy
o Word processing
o Online Skills – surf the web, send e-mail
Preparation time is consuming than class room training.
Student interaction format varies from face-to-face to e-mail.
Bibliography
Bozarth, J. (2005). E-Learning solutions on a shoestring: help for the chronically
underfunded trainer. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
Cross, Jay and Dublin, Lance Implementing E-Learning. Alexandria, VA:
American Society of Training and Development, 2002.
Dawson, C. (2004). Learning how to study again: a practical guide to study
skills for mature students returning to education or distance learning. Oxford:
How to Books.
Dixon, P. (1996). Virtual college: a quick guide to all you need to know to get
the degree you want with computer, TV, video, audio, and other distance learning
tools. Princeton, NJ: Petersons’s.
Geisman, J. (2001). If you build it, will they come? overcoming human obstacles
to e-learning. Learning Circuits, March. (ASTD’s online journal).
Nelson, Bob, 1001 Ways to Reward Employees. New York, NY. Workman
Publishing Company, Inc., 1994
Piskurich, G. (Ed.). (2003). The AMA handbook of e-learning: effective desing,
implementation, and technology solutions. New York: American Management
Association.
Osberg, C. (2004). Marketing E-Learning. T&D, V58, pp 53-54.
Rossett, A. & L. Schafer. What to do about e-dropouts? T&D, v57 n 6, pp 40-46.
Snider, A. (2002). Find a winning blend: a real-world guide for you e-learning
initiative’s success. E-Learning, March, v3 i3, pp 22-25.
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Henderson, J. (2003)., pp. 15-17.
Rossett, A. & Schafer, L. p. 2