6 Reasons Why eLearning Programs May Fail, Plus Tips To Avoid Failure

6 Reasons Why eLearning Programs May Fail, Plus Tips To Avoid Failure
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Summary: Despite the fact that in comparative development corporate eLearning has grown by a stunning 900% since 2000, multiple training programs are still offered in an old-fashioned way of delivering eLearning courses. This lack of evolution is often obvious because of 6 common mistakes.

eLearning Programs May Fail: Why Does It Happen? How Can You Avoid Failure?

Those are the most common issues that eLearning programs face today.

1. Lack Of Engagement

Many trainees may quit courses or simply skip classes outright if they perceive them as boring. Older training programs were mostly one-dimensional, mainly made of text.

By 2019, video will be in charge of 80% of the web activity on the planet.

This is because of the fact that modern learners are hungry for media. Thus, unless there are enough videos, sounds, and graphics, the content won’t engage the users. Besides, it’s crucial for eLearning programs to offer a sense of progression and achievement to the users. People like to feel a sense of achievement whenever they do something. Employees are no different when it comes to training and development. Therefore, there must be gamified tests and ways for the learners to check their progression, otherwise they may feel that they are not getting anywhere. Having that in mind, course designers may want to add leaderboards along with a ranking system that will definitely boost competition among the learners and eventually improve user dedication towards the program.

2. Lack Of Interactivity

A simple demonstration of new knowledge is not enough. It is of utmost importance to provide opportunities to the learners to actively engage with the tutors, other students or even the course itself. The learner needs to practice his/her new skills in meaningful activities and interact with other students in a variety of conversations. This interactivity will help the student overcome the fear created because of the insecurity the distance barrier brings about. Educators play a vital role, since they can make students interact and cooperate with other participants in a synchronous or asynchronous way, encouraging them to respond to their questions by creating a learning community.

3. Teacher-Centered Approach/Inadequate Educators

Educators should be present but should not be dominant. They should steer the conversation but never monopolize the discussion. They should interact with the learners frequently and make sure everyone has the chance to participate but they shouldn’t, under any circumstances, overshadow them. The educator has to be active and well informed in order to provide continuous support when needed. This is essential, since feedback must be regular so that the learner will not feel abandoned in an inactive or a low-value training program.

4. Information Overload

In order to minimize logistical expenses, it’s common for companies to offer intensive training programs that last for a day or even days. The reality is that people can’t absorb and remember all of that information in that limited amount of time, meaning that even more than usual of what’s taught will be quickly forgotten and eventually lost.

Millennials have a shorter attention span compared to previous generations, making the breaking of eLearning material into more manageable chunks of information necessary. This is called microlearning. Microlearning breaks information content into small-, easy-, and fast-to-consume parts, which helps learners achieve one distinctive objective at a time.

5. Need For Real-World Application

The Research Institute of America found that eLearning increases retention rates from 25% to 60%, while retention rates of face-to-face training are very low in comparison: 8% to 10%. On the other hand, if the learner doesn’t use the acquired skills after training, knowledge retention will diminish fast. It is a common mistake for some training programs not to give the learner a way to practice new knowledge.

A successful training program is necessary to provide the user with the means to connect the information learned in real-life situations. So the program should incorporate ways for the learner to practice new knowledge After all, a training program delivers value for an organization only when it aligns with employees’ expectations and improves business performance.

6. Not Mobile Friendly

An eLearning course has to be not only meaningful and engaging but easily accessible as well. If the training program is not mobile optimized, then it is highly doubtful that it will satisfy the participants’ needs. People use mobile devices a lot more than they use personal computers. This is because it’s possible to use portable devices whenever, wherever. People use mobile devices all day long. They watch videos, play video games or interact with others while laying on their beds, while waiting at the metro station, or even while watching TV. Therefore, eLearning training programs should be developed in a way that will be friendly for mobile devices.

It is certain that there are other factors which contribute to the failure of some eLearning training programs but those mentioned in this article are some of the most common ones. If those 6 issues are taken into consideration, many potential issues won't arise, and the trainees will definitely enjoy a far more intriguing and productive learning experience.