What is e-Learning?

There are different ways to define e-Learning (also called eLearning, e-learning, Online Learning). One of the most popular is “Teaching or learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the Internet”.

Explaining, educating or sharing knowledge through the internet also include to have knowledge about how to deliver the content to your audience. Using Instructional Design techniques to create the content is really important. Instructional Design is the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of instructions. The learning content you will deliver to your audience, should have a purpose.

There are many different Instructional Design techniques/models like ASSURE, ADDIE, Spiral, Backward and some others.  My favorite is the ADDIE Model. In this article, I will explain a little bit more about the ADDIE Model.

Before creating any type of content, I answer the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the training?
• What type of Audience will receive the training?
• What is the expected result?
• How will I deliver this training?

Once you get the answer to this questions, you can start creating your content. The ADDIE model focus on: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. By answering the previous questions, you are already in the Analysis phase.

This Analysis phase is the most important because you need to define who will be your SME (Subject Matter Expert), the person who will be your main contact, and who will answer all your questions regarding the material. This person is really important, as he/she will be your guide through the process.

It is crucial to meet with the initial requesters, and major stakeholders to discuss on the needs for training. During the interview, in order to gather much information as possible, include the following questions: What are the goals that they want to achieve? Why do they think the training is needed? What is the gap they are trying to close? What are the issues/difficulties they are facing and why do they think training is the solution?

The next step is move to the Design and Development phases. Most of the time, you will work on both at the same time. I recommend to record all the Design phase in a Word document or in a Google Doc, as you will need to do a lot of Question and Answer interaction.

Think about the areas of opportunity, issues or difficulties recently held, inaccuracy, processes or roles not yet standardized, common complaints received from internal and or external customers and training gaps. It is very important to clarify and understand the expectations. Why is this training required?

Having set the needs and the purpose, now it is time to set a general objective for the whole training plan. Review the Bloom´s Taxonomy table along with the stakeholder and SME, and discuss with them briefly on the importance of knowing the different levels of knowledge, as we need to set the phase in which the trainees are and where we would like to take them; this way we will be able to better understand and decide the kind of training material to develop for hitting objectives. Generally speaking, what would it be the main goal for developing this training? Learning objectives should have the following characteristics:

1. Specific: Clearly identifies a particular knowledge or skill that learners are expected to demonstrate following training.
2. Measurable: Knowledge or skill can be quantified through assessment.
3. Action-oriented (attainable): Active verbs are used to represent the behavior being measured.
4. Relevant: Knowledge or skill can be attained within the time, scope, and other conditions of training and relevant to the needs of the program and the learners.
5. Time-bound: Include the time-frame in which learners are expected to achieve objectives, usually by the end of training.

Next Step is Implementation.

Narration, video, animation and other multimedia, in combination with text and graphics, can increase understanding and enhance the learning experience. Engagement and repetition offered by using multimedia can help the learner to retain information. With a balanced mix of content through a variety of media formats, the learner’s motivation and attention also increases. Avoid a boring training experience!

And finally, the last step is Evaluation.

In the context of learning, a formative evaluation is one quality assurance check before a product is released to learners. Formative evaluation ensures that problems that can hinder learning are detected and corrected. Although some formative evaluations can be simple and informal, they can be quite effective. A formative evaluation is conducted during the design and development of a product. Because a formative evaluation is intended to improve a product before it is delivered, a mockup or prototype can be used to represent ideas before they are incorporated into a finished product.

Learning Assessments may be included on the training courses to make sure the objectives were accomplished by the learners. Mostly used when the level of knowledge that has been set is to comprehend and/or apply the new skills or knowledge acquired through the course.

If you have any questions regarding learning assessments and other e-Learning Techniques, please send me an email trough the contact form.