Debunking The Top 5 eLearning Myths
eLearning is fast becoming one of the most popular methods of delivering training. Whether you are training employees in-house or selling online courses to the world, there’s an eLearning answer for everything. But the increasing popularity of eLearning has spawned many myths, and these might be putting you off taking the plunge and getting your eLearning project up and running. In this article, we’re going to debunk five of the most common eLearning myths, and give you some tips on how to choose an eLearning platform that’s right for you!
1. eLearning Is Expensive
Let’s knock this off nice and early! This is one of the easiest eLearning myths to debunk. eLearning is usually a fraction of the cost of delivering in-person training – both for you as a trainer and for your learners. In fact, in some cases, it is up to 25% cheaper.
Most of this is down to time-savings. Think about how much time you spend preparing training materials, organizing venues, booking speakers, and making travel arrangements – and all of that’s before you’ve even delivered the training! You only need to invest the time to build your eLearning course once, and then you can deliver it as many times as you like to an unlimited, global audience.
Providing your training as eLearning is also more cost-effective for your learners. Instead of taking time off work they can learn on-the-go when it suits them, so there are savings for them too.
2. It’s Really Difficult
This is another common misconception! Today’s eLearning platforms are easier than ever to use, even for non-technical people. You don’t need to know how to code or use complex software – today’s eLearning platforms offer easy web-based interfaces you can use to build eLearning in the cloud. Most eLearning platforms offer a free trial period, so you can easily compare different platforms to decide which one is right for you.
Even when it comes to designing your course, there is a range of graphic design, video and other online tools that can help you create interactive and engaging courses – all you have to do is provide the expert subject matter knowledge you already have.
3. I’ll Lose My IP
As more and more eLearning courses are created, and more innovative ways to deliver content are discovered, questions about intellectual property (and copyright) are bound to arise. Most reputable eLearning platforms let you create your courses and keep your intellectual property, no questions asked.
Remember your courses –including their design and content– are unique. This means you have every right to double check whether you will retain the IP with the vendor before creating your eLearning course. If it’s not a problem, they’ll be able to show that their terms and conditions will protect your IP in your course content.
4. It’s Impossible To Track
This might be true of some older, less sophisticated eLearning platforms, but reporting is usually a central feature of most modern eLearning platforms.
Most platforms will let you track how many learners have completed your courses and what grade they got in their assessments. Other things you can track include sales, how products are performing against others and how many people have used your coupons and discount codes. The bottom line is you can definitely find an eLearning platform that will allow you to track the data you need to measure the success of your project!
5. I’ll Lose Money By Selling My Courses Online
It’s true, some eLearning platforms take a cut of your course profits – but not all do. If making money is the aim of your eLearning project, make sure you do your research and pick a provider that won’t hit you with charges when your courses starting flying off the e-shelf!
Remember –if it seems too good to be true–it might just be. It pays (you) to ask the question about whether your provider will take a cut of your hard-earned profits!
Bust These Myths By Asking These Questions!
- Are there any hidden charges that will tip you over your eLearning budget?
- Does the eLearning platform make it easy for you to create eLearning courses?
- Will you own the IP to the courses you create, or will the eLearning provider own this?
- What reporting features does the eLearning platform have? Will these meet your needs?
- Does the eLearning provider take a cut of your profits?
