Amatrol is the leading American company that creates eLearning courses for high schools, community colleges, universities, and industrial training centers focused on Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Maintenance. Our team of Subject Matter Experts, programmers, and graphic artists has created thousands of hours of eLearning over the years. We hope these tips, based on that experience, will prove valuable to you.
1. Use Multiple Subject Matter Experts
Amatrol’s curriculum developers are Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in their field of responsibility. During the writing process, our developers consult with other experts working in the industry to ensure that the curriculum teaches best practices and is not skewed to a specific industry’s application of that technology. Integrating real-world applications into the curriculum, garnered from multiple SMEs, makes the topic come alive to learners.
2. Interactions In eLearning Must Have Value
To some eLearning developers, “interaction” mainly means clicking a button to launch a video or animation. Technically, that is an interaction. However, adding true value to the interaction will engage the learner at a much higher level that results in a greater retention and understanding of a subject. For instance, an interaction that has the learner select and then drag-and-drop the appropriate valve into a hydraulic circuit, requires the learner to make a decision, based on a deeper understanding of the topic. If this is then followed with a virtual control panel that can be operated to energize the circuit, the learner would receive immediate feedback regarding their choice.
3. Don’t Underestimate The Time Required
Be careful not to underestimate the amount of time required to create an eLearning course. We frequently talk to instructors that started creating an eLearning course, but due to teaching obligations, they never found the time to finish it. We recommend that before you start a project, lay out the entire process identifying all the steps and resources that will be required. An eLearning course typically requires you to create an outline, write content, develop graphics, program interactions, and create assessments. A high-quality, one hour multimedia course may take over 400 hours of work! Lastly, don’t forget to anticipate additional time down the road, as the course needs to be updated as industry standards change.
4. Curriculum Must Provide Measureable Outcomes
A successful eLearning course must provide measureable outcomes that align with industry standards, prepare learners for a certification, or provide a foundation for a more advanced course. Before starting a new course, talk to local industries and ask them if new employees are missing specific skills or about positions that cannot be filled due to missing skill sets. Let these needs guide your efforts.
5. The WOW Factor
We’ve indicated that a successful eLearning course must have relevant content, interactions that provide value, and measurable outcomes, but we would be remiss to ignore that eLearning must have a WOW factor. Amatrol’s graphic artists are constantly honing their skills and developing new ones to stay current with today’s eLearning expectations of high-end graphics. The best content in the world will go to waste if it doesn’t engage and energize the learner. Stunning graphics, 3D animations, and interactive situations can add sizzle to an eLearning course. Let’s face it: this generation of learners expects a highly visual learning experience and if your course lacks the WOW factor, the learner will tune out and the teaching opportunity is lost.