One of the most confusing
aspects of eLearning is that nobody knows what it is.
We do know the "e" doesn't stand for "electronic".
The"e" in eLearning
would be better defined as
Evolving or Everywhere or Enhanced
or Extended
Based on this survey from a very
respected company,
there are many people that
have the wrong definition of eLearning.
The survey asked 259 training managers at Fortune
500 firms
what tools they use to create e-learning content.
The top choice was PowerPoint
with 66% of responses.
Next was Microsoft Word
with 63%,
Macromedia's Dreamweaver 61% and Flash 47%.
(Respondents
could choose more than one.)
Just taking a Word document or PowerPoint presentation and
doing a "Save as HTML" does NOT mean you have created
eLearning.
Just taking a F2F presentation and presenting it using a web conference is
not eLearning.
We define eLearning as ...
A learning environment supported
by continuously evolving,
collaborative processes
focused on increasing individual
and organizational performance.
Effective eLearning thrives
at the nexus of web usability,
communication,
relationship, document,
and Knowledge Management tools.
We also like this definition of Knowledge Management.
Knowledge Management is about
using information
strategically to achieve
one's business objectives.
Knowledge Management is the
organizational activity of
creating the social environment and technical
infrastructure
so that knowledge can be accessed, shared
and created.
Robert K. Logan
|
|
|
| Non
Linear - Learners determine how, what
and when they access information. |
Linear -
Learners must move through presentation in a predetermined
sequence. |
Dynamic Process -
Transformed, personalized, customized on demand in
response to learner and environmental variables.
Available on demand and just in time. |
Static
Event - Learning is not an event that
only happens when scheduled training occurs, it
happens continuously. |
Learner
Controlled - Learner controls their own
interaction with the content and presentation.
Learner has opportunities for reflection and application. |
Instructor
Controlled - Instructor determines sequence,
content, media and timing. Long simulations, or
animations or Flash presentations are instructor
controlled. Synchronous meetings are instructor
controlled. |
Reusable
Objects - Content of any media that can
be chunked down to the most granular, meaningful
level to allow combinations of objects to be assembled
and dynamically presented for different environments
and functional needs.
Learn
More About Reusable Objects |
Learning
Objects or Knowledge Objects or Information Objects -
By focusing the use of an object for only one environment,
you remove reusability. Web standard enterprise
level portal and CMS platforms should be used. |
Informal -
Recognizes that at least 70% of learning occurs in
meetings, in the corridors and breakrooms, through
collaboration, in situational communities.
Informal Learning
Masie |
Formal
- Learning occurs w/o formal training
presentations. Training is not the same as learning. |
Platform
Independent - can be transformed for use
in a variety of standard formats - XML, HTML, DHTML,
PDA, etc. in a variety of environments, both formal
and informal. |
Standards -
AICC ( Aviation Industry CBT Committee) , SCORM -
(Sharable Content Object Reference Model - Department
of Defense, USA) Why use these limiting standards
from extremely different, strongly hierarchical environments? |
Knowledge
Management - Rich, flexible tools chosen
to create, collect and distribute information,
on demand and contextually, to learners, intra
and extra organizationally.
What do they Need?
|
LMS
or LCMS - To manage the administrative
and content aspects of training, usually supports
a linear presentation of materials. Used
to track learners, not the value of the learning
processes |
Communities
of Interest - Collaborative, self selecting
and organizing groups of individuals that share
the same interests. |
CoPs,
Functional or Departmental - Limited by
type of function, title or expertise. |
RAD (Rapid
Application Development) - Iterative, incremental
design process. Define, design, refine processes
are integrated and parallel. Continuously refining
prototypes allows improvements to be integrated and
tested with each iteration. Each iteration offers
an opportunity to increase the penetration and acceptance
of the learning support processes. |
ISD -
Linear approach to needs analysis, design and evaluation.
Errors are geometrically compounded from wrong audience
analysis, invalid sample audience, skewed survey
results, wrong focus on weaknesses. Validity and
usability issues are not discovered until training
is delivered. By then it's too late to correct,
adjust, or change because of the sunk resource investment
in the deliverables. |
Multi
Channel
Learner <-> Learner, Content <-> Learner,
Expert <-> Learner, Expert <-> Content,
Expert <-> Expert |
Single
Channel - Trainer to Attendee |
