We’re in a period of transition right now, in which many organisations are looking to move away from face-to-face training and invest in an alternative eLearning model. Of course, by their very nature, some topics lend themselves more to a face-to-face setting, so often it’s a case of marrying the best of both worlds by providing a solution in the form of blended learning.
At Red Mirror, we’re very much used to being faced with an abundance of information when we first start conversion projects like these. Right from the get-go, it’s paramount for us to establish with the client exactly what their learning objectives are. Often, these can be different from the existing learning, perhaps because the training needs updating as well as converting. Knowing what is required from the end-user is key from the beginning, and guides the project from that point on.
Next, the original content should be organised in order to establish what should remain and how Red Mirror can help fill in the gaps. Taking a systematic approach ensures clarity, so that the right questions are asked and nothing gets overlooked.
Selecting the right authoring tool is vital; it has to suit the needs of the organisation and the objectives of the eLearning package. Take scalability, for instance. A company with global reach will require a level of content adaptability and precision-tracking that may not be a concern for a more compact organisation. Either way, it’s important to compare the features of a variety of solutions to determine the best fit.
Another consideration is interactivity – an important part of eLearning that face-to-face trainers don’t have to think about in quite the same way. We have to drill down into what will work for each section of learning and the type of feedback which will be useful to learners in turn. We can think about videos, animations, drag-and-drop exercises…the list goes on! Question formation is key to effective eLearning, too, so a lot of time and thought is put into ongoing assessment. This must be done in a fair and effective way, ensuring learners come away with real knowledge that they’ll retain for a long time to come!
