By Roberta Neault, PhD, CCC and Deirdre Pickerell, MEd, CHRP
Developments in technology have facilitated greater accessibility, affordability, and flexibility in the delivery of staff training. Among the most common methods of sharing knowledge within organizations today are sending emails, posting information on an Intranet (internal website), and providing space for topical discussions on electronic bulletin boards.
Slightly more sophisticated (and expensive) methods include self-directed web-based tutorials or self-paced courses on CDs or DVDs. More sophisticated still, are real-time webinars (web-based seminars) or tele-seminars (teleconferences supplemented with a PowerPoint presentation on the corporate intranet). Even more interactive, is facilitated or instructor-led e-learning, which can, in many ways, simulate face-to-face classroom learning.
A google search of “e-learning solutions” results in almost half a million hits. If you have been tasked with developing online learning for your organization, the choices can be overwhelming. This brief article will highlight a few of the challenges, some inexpensive solutions, tips for making a case for your business, and simple steps for getting started. We will also introduce an upcoming HRMA experiential e-seminar that will show you first hand how easy e-learning can be.
Training Challenges
In work environments undergoing constant change, staff training can be an expensive proposition. Costs go far beyond curriculum development, instruction, and providing classrooms equipped with all of the modern conveniences. More significant are the costs associated with lost productivity, while employees are in training; and travel costs to bring learners to a central site (or instructors to remote locations). Scheduling can be a nightmare and, invariably, someone is unable to attend on the chosen dates.
In recent years, many organizations have downsized training departments and become more reliant on technology to meet their training needs. Many traditional courses have been converted to computer-based or web-based tutorials – some are very interactive and sophisticated, complete with sound and animated graphics. Others are much simpler, relying more on narrative text or slide presentations. In both cases, however, this approach removes the instructor from the equation, rendering the training less flexible and personalized.
Also, a static course doesn’t benefit from the real-time examples that great facilitators or instructors bring to the group, or the rich input from peers debating together over new concepts. Such e-learning (or distance education) solutions have been criticized as being sterile, with little or no interaction between learners and instructors.
Facilitated e-Learning Solutions
Facilitated e-learning is online learning facilitated by an instructor – either in real-time (e.g., a webinar or tele-seminar) or scheduled during a specific block of time when individuals and instructors will interact by posting daily messages in web-based discussion forums. Typically this type of learning takes somewhat of a “lock step” approach, in that learners go through the course in a cohort, with specific start and end dates, daily or weekly agendas for assignments and discussions, and topics organized sequentially.
However, facilitated e-learning offers much of the flexibility and accessibility of distance education while preserving the interactive nature of face-to-face delivery. Students (and instructors) can login to the course site, literally, from anywhere in the world that they can access the Internet, at any time of the day or night. This flexibility will allow your team to complete required (and optional) training - regardless of shift work, travel schedules, or remote locations. Your best instructors, without leaving the comfort of their own homes or offices, can accommodate learners from across Canada or around the world – and learners will benefit from rich discussions with colleagues who they may never otherwise meet.
Making a Business Case
We know how important it is to make a solid business case for introducing new training initiatives. Your “case” will be unique to your own situation, but many of our clients have introduced facilitated e-learning options to:
- Save money and time, by eliminating employee and instructor commuting / travel, and the need for classroom space and print resources
- Minimize disruption to customers, by avoiding training during peak business hours
- Maximize access to training – employees can learn anytime, anywhere
- Provide opportunities for interaction, across geographical regions
Facilitated e-learning can meet your needs for innovative “just-in-time” learning. It can be developed and uploaded very quickly – for several of our clients we’ve been able to have courses up and running within one week!
Getting Started
You don’t need a formal course to get started. We use our e-learning environment to collaborate on projects (i.e., share documents and engage in discussions, both on bulletin boards and in instant-messaging chats). Such forums can provide great opportunities for teambuilding and building effective working relationships between colleagues who work in remote locations.
For facilitated e-learning courses, an easy place to start is by converting existing classroom-based or distance education programs. Because the curriculum already exists, all that is needed is to establish an e-learning “home”, upload resources, create discussion questions and assignments, and hire an experienced e-learning facilitator / subject matter expert (SME) to instruct the course.
This skill combination is crucial to facilitated e-learning success – however, if you have a SME without e-learning expertise, one option would be to hire an e-learning specialist to co-facilitate the first course and model effective instructional strategies. Better still would be to have your SME take some e-facilitation courses (e.g., Capilano College partners with Knowplace.ca to offer exceptional online training in this area).
Another option would be to develop an e-learning solution from scratch. This would best be done with the help of an e-course design consultant, collaborating with a subject matter expert and a technical specialist, familiar with the e-learning management system that will be used. There are a variety of systems to choose from – some organizations build elaborate in-house solutions and others purchase commercial solutions.
We typically use Moodle (http://moodle.com/) because it is free, user-friendly, and works well for individuals who don’t have access to sophisticated computers or high speed Internet. This is an important consideration if any of your students (or instructors) will be travelling or working from remote locations while participating in a course.
Regardless of the learning management system you choose, there will be some need for IT support. As with any computer or web-based technology, users will have different levels of comfort and each computer will be set up slightly differently. Learners may need assistance to work around firewalls without breaching security or may need help learning to upload or download files, open documents, move from one section of the course to another, or generally become comfortable in their new online classroom.
Try it Out for Yourself
You may be interested in experiencing facilitated e-learning yourself before recommending it to others. HRMA has scheduled just such an opportunity–as part of your registration for the upcoming eLearning Symposium on February 16th, you will have the opportunity to experience an e-seminar, presented online over a period of five days. You will participate in a simulation of an online course, complete with uploaded readings, web-links to external resources, and facilitated discussion forums. The content will focus on the strengths and challenges of e-learning solutions for various types of training and professional development challenges. Join us to discover how e-learning can be integrated into your staff training catalogue, without breaking the bank.
About the Authors
Dr. Roberta Neault and Deirdre Pickerell, M.Ed., CHRP, of Life Strategies Ltd., designed and launched the fully online Career Management Professional (CMP) program in 2004, and continue to instruct all courses in it. This program, nominated for the BC Career Development Award of Excellence in 2004 and recently designated as the first Canadian curriculum for the Global Career Development Facilitator credential, offers professional development and skills upgrading to experienced human resource consultants, career/employment counsellors, career practitioners, and/or practitioners in related fields across North America and beyond.
The Life Strategies team has also designed and launched several other facilitated online professional development courses through our partnerships with Yorkville University, Claire Sutton Consulting, and SIGMA Assessment Resources. Roberta teaches online for several Canadian universities and collaborates on international projects using the convenience of web-based solutions.