SUCCESS — OR, FAILURE

Periodically, you should step back and objectively evaluate your e-Learning initiatives.  From a design point of view, there is an excellent set of criteria listed in an article, “eLearning Course Evaluation: The Ultimate Guide For eLearning Professionals,” by Christopher Pappas in eLearning Industry:

 “In order to effectively evaluate your eLearning course at all stages, you need to check 7 elements:
 
First of all, you need to identify your eLearning objectives. What does your eLearning course claim to do for your learners? You have to be clear and specific about your eLearning goals.  .  .  .
 
Interactivity is essential for an eLearning course, because it boosts your learners’ engagement and knowledge retention, both of which lead to a more effective eLearning experience.  .  .  .
 
It may sound superficial, but it’s not; a poor visual impact disengages your learners. Examine the look and feel of your eLearning course and determine whether the images and graphics you have chosen are aesthetically appealing and, of course, suitable;   .  .  .
 
Language is a key element of your eLearning course. You will want to determine if your learners are able to completely comprehend what they are reading or listening.  .  .  .
 
The technological aspect of your eLearning course is also important to be evaluated throughout.  You will need to know if your learners use your eLearning course comfortably and, hopefully, intuitively.  .  .  .
 
Another factor you need to check in order to successfully evaluate your eLearning course is the critical factor of seat time.  .  .  .
 
Finally, you will want to evaluate the cost of your eLearning course.  .  .  .”

In addition to the foregoing there are several other factors you should examine in order to get an objective view of the success (or failure) of the e-Learning courses you offer.

Have your enrollments increased, decreased or stayed relatively flat? 

(Your learners are, subjectively, telling you something about your offerings.  Word of mouth is communicating to you in a positive or negative way.  People will endorse your selections if they feel that those offerings have value to their future success, and the attendant personal rewards.)

Do your learners actually complete the e-Learning programs you offer? 

(Nationally, more than half do not.  Remember that the tracking results of your administrative system or LMS are making a valid assessment of the communication value of your offerings.  Ask yourself, “Why did so many fail to complete the course?”  In many cases it will be because you are trying to pass off converted PowerPoints as e-Learning — a grievous mistake.)

Are the trainees’ immediate supervisors happy or displeased with the transfer of knowledge from the classroom to the shop floor? 

(If the e-Learning you are offering does not translate into more efficient and effective on-the-job performance that, too, is telling you something about the quality of your offerings.  After all, the transfer of performance objectives in the classroom should have a direct correlation to the trainees’ performance in your plant.  And their supervisors should be encouraged to give you feedback as they are the ones who will see a direct correlation between the training you provide and actual job performance.)

Of course, there are other evaluation tools relating to cost control and time savings but if you track the above three you’re going to have a pretty good idea.  If you are honest with yourself, you’ll quickly discover that your e-Learning initiatives have been a success — or failure. 

Ultimately, management will evaluate whether or not you have positively contributed to reduced expenses, increased revenues, and/or increased market share.  It’s important for you to be on the right side of that evaluation!

More on Monday  –  –  –

     — Bill Walton, co-Founder, ITC Learning
 June 27, 2018

      www.itclearning.com/blog/  (Mondays & Wednesdays)

  “THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”

 (This is a personal blog.  Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner, jhbillwalton@gmail.com, an independent consultant.  They do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the owner may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity.)