Transcript from workshop the eLearn Expo Conference, Paris (2003)

1. Introduction

This session explained a wide range of currently available multimedia technologies and demonstrated practical techniques for applying them to eLearning applications. The objective was to illustrate how, with a little imagination and a reasonable budget, eLearning experiences can be produced that are engaging, effective and ideally, fun too.

2. Why should we learn?

Once we leave formal education and enter the commercial world, ‘learning’ takes on a different role in our lives. There are several reasons why we might follow a training program . . .

a) we are told to do it (for example so that our employer complies with Health & Safety regulations or with financial services laws)

b) we need to do it (to learn about products so that we may sell or service them)

c) to improve ourselves (to gain promotion, a pay increase, for personal pride, etc.)

Whatever reason we have, the quality, relevance and appeal of the material we are given dictates how effectively we learn. If eLearning is treated as an under-funded publishing task – expecting staff to learn and become competent simply by turning pages and watching videos – then don’t be surprised if it fails miserably.

4. The three keys to great eLearning

There are many approaches to creating and delivering ‘self study’ training programs, for in spite of all the jargon and hype, that is what it is: studying alone to achieve some measurable objective.

Whether the training is delivered via CD-ROM, internet, intranet or on the screen of a mobile phone, there are three key rules to keep in mind:

Key 1: Keep job aids separate from essential learning

Analyse each training requirement and, rather than being a slave to any existing course material, sort out which information is unlikely (or unnecessary) to be remembered and consider building this into an interactive job aid, or reference tool. Think of all the courses you’ve attended and the sheer volume of factual data you were faced with over a period of several days. How much of it did you remember as a result of this exposure? Probably less than 10%. For staff whose job is to sell products or services or to support your customers, this problem is often acute.

Why waste time and money throwing information at staff, hoping that some of it will stick? Specifications, data rates, physical cabinet sizes, market share percentages – they’ll forget the lot so give them on-the-job access to all of it with a PDA, an intranet support site, maybe even a book. Then when they need it (in 8 months time) the data is at their fingertips and it’s up-to-date. Some people call this ‘Just In Time’ learning – there when you need it but not before.

If you remove all of this ‘data recall’ drudgery from your eLearning content, what you are left with is the most vital component of all: building understanding. What was originally a three day classroom course packed with dozens of text-laden PowerPoint presentations, delivered dutifully by various experts wheeled in every 40 minutes could become an efficient 8 hour eLearning course, perhaps split into 6-8 modules.

These eLearning modules should concentrate on introducing concepts, illustrating the reasons why things are the way they are, giving opportunities to practise techniques and to gain a solid foundation of the subject matter and where/how to find out more.

Publishing an existing monster training course on CD or web pages without attempting to re-design it in this way is just lazy. It is of course very cheap to do which why it’s so popular.
b) Key 2: Design the experience to be fun!Turning pages and reading text is not learning. Achieving 75% in a test of memory is not demonstrating competence. The eLearning experience should be enjoyable and any test of ‘competence’ should be based on applying knowledge and judgement, not on ‘information recall’.

Your eLearning programs should:

• involve the learner with interaction (doing rather than watching or listening)
• present activities and scenarios that are relevant to their jobs
• invite exploration and experimentation without fear of criticism if they fail
• provide constructive feedback and guidance with links to revision material
• include links to reference information
• let learners test themselves against the clock, realistic measurement criteria, etc.
  and let them try again (encourage improvement, not criticise failure)

c) Key 3: Structure the content to suit different needsEach learner has a unique background. Some may be new recruits, others may have many years’ experience of the subject matter. Even if they are new employees they may be very experienced in the subject if not in your company’s particular products or services.

Each person also has his or her own preferences for learning . . . some are analytical and demand all the background rationale; others just want the ‘big picture’ and are happy to leave the detail for later (when the actually need it).

So, analyse your material and structure it into ‘layers’. At the top layer is the essential material, everything the learner must work through in order to be able to acquire and prove competence. This will be the stimulating content.

The next level down might be further study on company policy documents, interviews, facts and figures. At a still deeper level (if the learner really wants to know) could be detailed reports and analyses (held perhaps as Word or Acrobat files), rules and regulations, statutory documents and so on. In each level could also be links to internet or intranet pages carrying maintained copies of other material.

6. Examples of Interactive Techniques

Technology on its own achieves very little and yet this is the trap that many companies fall into. Including sexy graphics, high quality video clips and attractive Flash animations in a training program may improve its appearance and perceived quality but this isn’t what you are after is it?

What really matters are:

• defining clear learning objectives
• helping the learner to acquire all the skills/knowledge to achieve the objectives
• enabling the learner to demonstrate that they have achieved the objectives

By inviting your learners to explore, experiment, discover and play they will reach competence almost without realising it, not necessarily using quizzes but by well-designed interactive exercises.

The type of techniques and exercises demonstrated in the session included:

a) Clickable pictures

• click to zoom into a picture for more information or to magnify an area
• suitable for organisation charts, maps, technical/medical illustrations, etc.
• cheap to create, gives learner control over what they see and when

b) Virtual interviews

• long audio or video interviews or presentations are boring and achieve little
• give the learner a list of questions from which they may choose only those of interest. When selected, the audio or video plays only the relevant clip
• no-one would want to listen to an entire 30 minute interview but they would like to cherry pick the bits of interest to them