{"id":2537,"date":"2014-10-29T16:49:40","date_gmt":"2014-10-29T13:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.talentlms.com\/?p=2537"},"modified":"2025-06-25T13:49:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T10:49:07","slug":"elearning-missing-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/elearning-missing-point\/","title":{"rendered":"eLearning – Are We Missing The Point?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I want to start this off by asking one simple question\u2026does eLearning really work? Unfortunately though there is no simple way to answer that question.<\/p>\n

There are many arguments both for and against eLearning, but the stark reality is, that if you are pushed for an answer, when you look at the facts, the answer is a resounding \u201cNO\u201d\u2026but it so easily could be a \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

So why is that?<\/h2>\n

First and foremost is that there are no real facts about eLearning being effective, particularly in the workplace<\/strong><\/a>. Sure we collect figures about how long something took to develop, how many times it has been accessed, how many people achieved the pass mark etc. But do we have any facts and figures about if it actually worked, can the learner do the task any better than before?<\/p>\n

eLearning doesn\u2019t really measure, or have the capacity to measure, \u201cKirkpatrick Level 3 \u2013 Transfer of knowledge\u201d, let alone think about Level 4. In my professional experience eLearning is primarily used to replace Instructor-led Training<\/a><\/strong> (ILT) or deliver a rapid deployment of a consistent message. The problem here is that it is used in a \u201cfire and forget\u201d style, once the course has been signed off and published, unless a spelling mistake is spotted or a business process changed, these courses sit quietly on the LMS never to be touched again. Now I can hear the outcry as you read this, but don\u2019t shoot me just yet. When you think about it, what do we actually measure in eLearning courses? Most measure \u201cReaction \u2013 Kirkpatrick Level 1\u201d, the better examples try to measure \u201cLearning \u2013 Kirkpatrick Level 2\u201d. I say \u201ctry\u201d because when a one dimensional learning experience is designed, where the flow of information only travels in one direction, how can you accurately measure a change in someone\u2019s \u201cKnowledge, Skill or Attitude\u201d especially when the Learner won\u2019t really appreciate this until weeks or even months after completing the course.<\/p>\n

Can user (insert name here) complete \u201cbasic blue sky process to create a bill?\u201d The answer is Yes. Can this same user create a bill on the live system with real data, knowing that a customer is about to receive whatever they create? Maybe they can, but the facts about who can and who can\u2019t are not measured and nor is their confidence.<\/em><\/p>\n

Again I can hear the \u201cYes but ILT can\u2019t promise the same thing either etc\u201d\u2026and yes I agree, user experience will vary, but ILT CAN at least measure it<\/em> and for those learners that fail this task, ILT can make real time and bespoke adjustments to support the individual during the course. eLearning is unable to do this, which means when we debate Training vs eLearning we are not measuring the same things.<\/p>\n

Yes eLearning can measure information retention and yes \u201cwe\u201d can get these facts if we really wanted to, but that would potentially mean a new course needs creating, for only a few users, with no promise of ROI\u2026this makes eLearning seem like the wrong choice for the task\u2026and sometimes it is! Yes that\u2019s right I said it! It\u2019s being used for things that it shouldn\u2019t. eLearning is a buzzword in business, yes it can save you money, and yes it can do some things faster and more consistent than a trainer would\u2026BUT that doesn\u2019t mean that it is always the answer. Working effectively is about using the right tool for the job, not using the shiny new tool for everything to get your money\u2019s worth out of it.<\/p>\n

Who designs this stuff?<\/h2>\n

Because of the explosion of this industry and increased demand for eLearning courses there are Developer jobs all over the place. And because this is a relatively new field (in comparison to other Learning Solutions) standardised qualifications, working models and generally \u201cthis is how things are done\u201d just don\u2019t exist, or at least they are not being asked for in interviews.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m all for new ideas, new skills and new ways of working together…but there comes a point where you need to know certain things when designing effective learning solutions. Telling someone everything there is to know about Basketball, for example, doesn\u2019t mean that they will remember it all. It certainly doesn\u2019t mean that they will understand all of the rules of the game or be able to play it any better than before.<\/p>\n

How many times have you completed an eLearning session that looked \/ sounded amazing, but you didn\u2019t actually learn anything from it? I have seen many of these types and thanks to rapid authoring tools I\u2019m sure that I have made some of them too! My problem is that if you remove the flashy images and sounds from the eLearning, most of them are just left with: Click > read > Click > read. And yes I get it, I\u2019m a designer too\u2026it is hard to get the message across, but that doesn\u2019t mean that the message isn\u2019t important anymore\u2026remember the days of \u201cdeath by PowerPoint!\u201d<\/p>\n

How many times have you got stuck in the \u201cFrankencourse\u201d mode? Perfecting interactions, editing images and re-recording objects to make your slides stand out from the rest!\u2026You can get so lost doing this that you forget what the point of the slide was in the first place. What was the learning objective? I know this is true because I catch myself doing it all the time.<\/p>\n

I have also seen this trend move across to my Stakeholders, the guys that asked for the eLearning in the first place. Gone are the days that Learning professionals such as you and I discuss what the learner needs to know\/do\/change<\/em>. Discussions now are all about font colour, style and what theme do we want to use. Do you want cartoons or real people? Can we change this word to that one\u2026can we have a video in it\u2026 can they open it on their mobile phones\u2026or the dreaded \u201cI don\u2019t like\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

To make the most out of eLearning you need to know how people learn\u2026and not just one person, how everyone learns.<\/p>\n

They say that There\u2019s no \u201cI\u201d in TEAM<\/em>\u2026well I say there\u2019s no room for \u201cI\u201d in eLearning either!<\/em> It needs to work for everyone, which means that it can\u2019t be personal.<\/p>\n

The sad reality is that we are all under pressure (deadlines to hit, meetings to attend etc), which mean that we don\u2019t always follow our own advice. eLearning (well training in general) tends to be an afterthought in the business world. Good eLearning takes time to plan and design, from Instructional Designers, Developers and Stakeholders and in my experience this is where the corners are cut, because we have to hit that deadline. We hide behind phrases like \u201cBusiness needs\u201d and \u201cit\u2019s not ideal but\u2026\u201d and most of us in our hearts know that we are creating something substandard, by our own standards, but we tell ourselves that it\u2019s OK because it\u2019s what the business wants.<\/p>\n

So my question to you is this: The business knows what it needs, because it has 30 members of staff that require training on _______, but who is best place to decide on the most appropriate method to do that?<\/p>\n

Yes my friends, that answer is you! Why is it that we just let people tell us how to do our job?<\/p>\n

Who is eLearning for?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s very easy to forget, but your preference, my preference and to a large degree the Stakeholders preference shouldn\u2019t come into it\u2026the only preference to worry about is that of the Learner! Our job is to help them learn, yes we need to keep the Stakeholder happy and try to accommodate their wishes, but only when they don\u2019t detract from the learning.<\/p>\n

Do I have the answers\u2026<\/h2>\n

So this is the part where you look for the answers\u2026the \u201cdo it this way and all your problems are solved\u201d<\/em>…either so you can shoot me down or find eLearning nirvana. Unfortunately I can\u2019t offer you this, and neither can anyone else. There are numerous different Learning models, best practice theories and latest craze fads out there\u2026the short answer is that we are all different. We are all unique, we have different values, we think differently from one another and we learn differently and this is something to be celebrated\u2026.when you design something, eLearning, ILT or even an LMS, design it for the user\u2026every user!<\/p>\n

What do I use?<\/h2>\n

I have created, reviewed and amended countless numbers of eLearning and ILT training courses over the past 15 years. I don\u2019t profess to be an authority on the subject, nor do I suggest that a graphic designer is unable to design a great eLearning session\u2026but I do think that sometimes we all get a little lost in the task and can miss the point. People do the course to learn something or because they are told to do it to learn something.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I do to try and keep myself on track:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Always agree the Objectives first and then agree how we are going to assess them.<\/li>\n
  2. Next, always always always storyboard!<\/li>\n
  3. Be mindful of every awful \u201cdeath by PowerPoint\u201d I have seen, and don\u2019t do that to my learners!<\/li>\n
  4. When reviewing and testing : Give it the 3rd<\/sup> degree<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    and Finally\u2026<\/h2>\n

    What\u2019s the point? If you have only taken one thing from reading this, no matter what that thing is, I hope that it reminds \/ inspires you to:<\/p>\n