Elearning Resources & News

Posted 7:25 PM by Steve
From Steve's Head

Loving Every Minute Of It?

Looking at all of the comments and articles we are currently seeing about the (under)performance of e-learning, it seems that the e-learning industry may be approaching a level of maturity where reflection and retrospection are replacing hype and hyperbole. Vendor claims extolling the virtues and capabilities of their products (...it manages courses...it manages content...it de-feathers and fricassees a chicken...), which once caused eyes to light up in delight, are now causing those same eyes to glaze over. Those early promises of a better, more effective way to learn seem to have borne fruit inconsistently.

This is not to say that e-learning doesn't work. I'm still a firm believer that e-learning can result in better learning; however, far too often, e-learning efforts result in text-heavy resources where the only interaction is "click here to go to the next page". Is it really surprising to see student and employee attitudes towards e-learning souring? Does it come as a surprise that businesses and institutions of higher learning are reluctant to invest in developing these types of learning resources?

Just when I'm ready to become good and depressed by all of this, I try to remind myself that this doesn't have to be the case. There are ways to make e-learning engaging and effective. People are tackling the uninspiring e-learning dilemma and creating resources that are educationally sound as well as interesting. Here is a collection of resources that examine how you too can make your e-learning memorable. If nothing else, perhaps these can shake up some of those thought processes or help get those creative juices flowing...

Have a great week!

Steve

Developing Your E-Learning for Your Learners

Quote: "We tend to take a one-size-fits-all approach, acting as though there were one and only one "good" e-learning design approach that works well for all people in all situations. In fact, failing to pay attention to the differences in learner goals can make a huge difference in the level of success we achieve in our e-learning initiative. Learning goals should motivate how we design our courses, how we present and market them, and how we measure their success."

Comment: There's a reason why this article is in the E-Learning Basics section of eLearn Magazine...it's really quite basic. However, basic is not necessarily bad. The author examines two hypothetical training programs, both based on the same legislation, at two different banks. Each bank has significantly different needs that affect the way its e-learning initiative should be structured. Hopefully, reading this article will get you to consider how your end goals affect the design of your training (if you don't already do this...).

Macromedia Flash MX: Serious Instructional Authoring Tool?

Quote: "So what are some optimal uses for Macromedia Flash in instructionally oriented sites? Actually, you can use Macromedia Flash to create online any instruction that benefits from showing motion, structure, or sequence—or all three. A few examples quickly come to mind: visual representations of both concrete and abstract concepts, procedures, simulations, and walk-throughs. For example: Imagine an online employee orientation where the learner can interact with the office floor plan to find their way around the company. Or envision a product introduction where a salesperson can view a new laser copier and virtually learn to use it."

Comment: Macromedia propaganda? Well, this article IS located on the Macromedia site... However, I have read Patti Shank's positive opinons about Flash for a few years now in a number of other publications. Never short of opinions, Shank presents a number of reasons why Flash can help create compelling e-learning. Check out the link to a seven-year-old's Flash site (yep, seven-year-old...when I was seven, I was still struggling with the finer points of finger-painting!) One of the best features of this article is a collection of links to Flash e-learning sites (including froguts, in case you missed that reference in last week's issue), that should help get the old creative juices flowing.

Lifescape

Comment: Here's a great example of high-impact e-learning! I saw this at one of Michael Allen's workshops at Online Learning 2002. He described a scenario where a company wanted its managers to understand the company's Employee Assistance Program, so it created an online training resource. It used the typically uninspirational "click - click - test" model of design, and resulted in few managers working their way through the content. Allen's company came up with this activity that takes the manager through a year in the life of the company, working with a group of virtual employees and their incredibly life-like problems (the first challenge has the manager dealing with one employee whose husband just died of cancer; later, one of the employees is chronically late). Future problems either disappear or appear, based on the decisions made by the manager. Talk about mimicking real life! Not only do managers learn about the program, they're forced to make decisions about when to use it. Definitely worth checking this one out.