How To Develop World Class eLearning: 8 Tips
With so many eLearning platforms on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones are the best. It can be even more difficult to get faculty to use them to maximum benefit. While your Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) or Learning Management System (LMS) is a critical asset, more important is your ability to develop a balanced eLearning experience for learners, that combines the right technology with pedagogical best practice. To guide you on your way, here are my top tips on how to develop a world class eLearning experience.
1. Engage The Learner Early On, From The Point Of Enrollment
Remember, this experience is new to your learners, they need to be supported early on. Provide email prompts to help them log into your platform, and encourage them to engage with the content early on. You may give them light pre-reading before a physical or virtual class begins. Use email automation to mange this process.
2. Clarify The Learning Outcomes And Syllabus Early On
Once the learner is active, they will want to know what to expect from the course. Providing a syllabus outline helps them to build a mind map which will later aid learning and recall. While it adds the main structure to the course, it also ensures that all content and pedagogical practice is covered to achieve the stated learning outcomes. Finally, it also allows learners to plan their time around assignments and events in their personal lives, such as vacations.
3. Use Synchronous And Asynchronous Learning In A Blended Manner
Pre-recorded classes are a great way to scale the business without a significant incremental cost in classes or live webinars. However students still need support via live class's which allow them to ask questions, learn from classmates and feel like they are being supported fully. Adding student support and asynchronous learning can also make you stand out in the market.
4. Provide Tutor Support, Don’t Rely On The Platform Alone
Resist the urge to bombard your learners with videos, case studies, practical exercises, and other resources. Eventually, they will have questions and require additional support. A tutor is a great resource to not only answer student questions, but also to gain feedback on how the overall student base is doing.
5. Stimulate Recall Of Prior Knowledge
Learning something new can be daunting, and learners won't remember everything. Regular small assessments can help learners to assess their knowledge, and revise past course topics that they struggle with. These assessments also act as early warning signals to educators to identify students who are struggling and get them back on track.
6. Use Gamification To Stimulate Healthy Competition And Ongoing Learning
We all love to win, and we compare ourselves to our peers to see how we are performing. Provide leaderboards and scorecards allowing learners to see how they are performing (on assessments) against their peers in their group and other groups around the world. Consider providing awards or prizes to high performers.
7. Center Each Class Around A Specific Goal For The Learner To Achieve
Adult learners want to understand why they are doing something and will want each class to benefit them in achieving their goals. Ensure that each class or activity focuses on creating a tangible benefit for the learner, such as developing the ability to write a blog, create a website, or interpret reports in Google analytics. Once learners see the benefit, their engagement levels generally rise as do assessment results.
8. Encourage Peer Learning Via Forums And Shared Assessments
I always find that learners can learn a huge amount from each other, whether it is working together on a case study or discussing their own experiences. This can be an invaluable teaching practice that is sometimes lacking online. Use online forums and activities to encourage peer learning and interaction especially in online environments where learners may never be in the same location or city as each other.
Let's Hear From You
What experiences or insights can you share about eLearning? What are your top tips or big mistakes to avoid? Leave your feedback in the comments below.