Implementing An Effective eLearning Strategy: 4 Tips
No two eLearning courses are the same. Every course is based on unique learning needs. So, it is important to define the purpose of the course and create a tailored corporate eLearning strategy. A corporate eLearning strategy is simply a plan for how to proceed with building the learning. It starts with setting up focused goals, and determining the actions required to achieve the goals. The plan also includes the specific resources, devices, and techniques the development team will utilize to achieve these goals.
Here are some questions you need to address in order to create a winning corporate eLearning strategy.
1. What Do You Want To Accomplish With The Online Training?
You need to assess the need of the eLearning. What is the end goal? Unless you have an end goal in mind, your strategy is sure to fail. Chalk out the short-term, as well as the long-term goals. The goals must be specific and measurable. They should directly impact the organization’s goals.
Begin with the absolutely necessary portions, and then define the scope. Focus on 2 or 3 skills, or pieces of key knowledge the learner needs to take away from the training. The goal of the online learning may be to impart certain skills and knowledge to its learners. But, the organizational needs may be different, like reducing training cost by reusing existing content, or increasing employee mobility. Your course needs to balance both requirements.
2. What Do You Know About Your Target Audience?
Who are you creating the eLearning for? How much do you really know about them? If you want your eLearning to be successful, you need to know your target audience well. Only then will your module be learner-driven.
You need to find out what your learners already know, and what they expect to gain from the learning. Assess their education level, technical know-how, existing knowledge, and job roles. Then, gauge the performance gap the organization wishes to close. Once you identify the performance gap, you will be aware of the content you need to include in the learning. You can expect your training to be successful only when you know what is relevant to your target audience.
If you want the learning objectives to be relevant to the learner, then research them before you dive into creating the content. You can gain the learner's’ input on the proposed objectives or course outline through informal interviews, surveys, and questionnaires.
3. What Is The Assessment Strategy?
Most eLearning courses end with quizzes to assess the understanding of the learner. But, be sure your assessment strategies align with what you want to measure. There are 3 major areas to assess – recall, conceptual understanding, and the ability to apply the knowledge. Most courses require all the 3 areas to be measured. Some may only need one or two. There are different techniques to use for each. For example, you can use multiple choice and matching questions for memorization, discussions and open-ended questions for testing conceptual understanding, and hands-on activities to understand if they can apply the learning.
There are some other factors to keep in mind. For instance, how will you track completion of all the topics? How will you monitor attendance and progress? Do you want a certification? How many attempts should each question allow? What should be the passing score? Are the questions mandatory, or can the learner move ahead without answering them? Should you include social learning tools for assessment?
4. How Will You Market The Course?
Your online training strategy should also include your marketing plan. How will you inform learners about the new course? How will you convince them to take it? Share your marketing messaging through channels your learners will notice, such as an email campaign or in-office flyers. If you already understand your audience, then you know what they are hoping to learn. Clearly, state what you have for them, and how the course can help them achieve their desired goal. Your marketing tactics should convince the learners that it will be worth their time and, in some cases, their money.
At times, you may consider giving them a sneak peek. Offer them a quick and free preview of the course. There may be people who are opposed to online learning. They are not sure if they can cope with the technology involved. If you provide them a free demo, they can try it out themselves before deciding.
Designing Digitally, Inc. creates custom eLearning designed specifically for your training objectives. Our courses ensure strong retention of information, and provide innovative ways to change learner behaviors. Each learning ecosystem developed by Designing Digitally is tailored to the customer’s eLearning specifications and needs.
Get in touch with our experts at Designing Digitally, Inc. about your corporate eLearning strategy today.
