Creating Online Learning Courses for Businesses By Jim Bandy President and Co-founder Brainband Technology Services

Why use online learning in your business?

Streamline the training process Ideal for large or spread out workforce Control over quality of instructors and consistency of message delivery Administration centralization

Ideal for large or spread out workforce

Control over quality of instructors and consistency of message delivery

Administration centralization

Virtual reality capabilities Some things are hard to do in a class Avoid high liability situations Interactive training scenarios increase content retention

Some things are hard to do in a class

Avoid high liability situations

Interactive training scenarios increase content retention

Cut costs, not benefits Save money on employee training expenses (travel, instructors, paper) Increase employee retention and productivity with effective training and continuing education

Save money on employee training expenses (travel, instructors, paper)

Increase employee retention and productivity with effective training and continuing education

Facts +ROI In an April 2009 survey of e-Learning Guild members, 48% reported a positive return on investment (ROI) from e-Learning, while only 5% reported no return or a negative ROI. 50% reported an ROI greater than 15%.

+ROI

In an April 2009 survey of e-Learning Guild members, 48% reported a positive return on investment (ROI) from e-Learning, while only 5% reported no return or a negative ROI.

50% reported an ROI greater than 15%.

Facts From a Sept. 2008 survey, 70.1% of survey respondents plan to apply more e-Learning 2.0 approaches to their learning endeavors. 66% of survey respondents believe that younger workers will demand e-Learning 2.0 approaches to performance support. Growth & Demand

From a Sept. 2008 survey, 70.1% of survey respondents plan to apply more e-Learning 2.0 approaches to their learning endeavors.

66% of survey respondents believe that younger workers will demand e-Learning 2.0 approaches to performance support.

Growth & Demand

The Course Creation Process…

Getting Started… Work with a course developer, not a Web designer Effective e-Learning courses need the same care and expertise put into the educational aspects as the design elements. Skilled developers build courses that carefully align to students’ needs and learning goals. Course content must be engaging and presented in the proper sequence to maximize a learner’s memory retention.

Work with a course developer, not a Web designer

Effective e-Learning courses need the same care and expertise put into the educational aspects as the design elements.

Skilled developers build courses that carefully align to students’ needs and learning goals.

Course content must be engaging and presented in the proper sequence to maximize a learner’s memory retention.

1) Establish your idea What is the learning objective of your course? What do you want participants to achieve by completing the e-Learning course?

What is the learning objective of your course?

What do you want participants to achieve by completing the e-Learning course?

2) Refine your ideas Work with a subject matter expert (SME) to determine what the course needs to do. Make a prioritized list of key learning points to determine the amount and detail of course information. The SME will insure the accuracy and sufficiency of the information you deliver.

Work with a subject matter expert (SME) to determine what the course needs to do.

Make a prioritized list of key learning points to determine the amount and detail of course information.

The SME will insure the accuracy and sufficiency of the information you deliver.

3) Decide if the course needs an administration function If you do not need any formal records of your participants’ training, you do not need an admin function. You will need a learning management system (LMS) or course management system (CSM) if you need a way to…

If you do not need any formal records of your participants’ training, you do not need an admin function.

You will need a learning management system (LMS) or course management system (CSM) if you need a way to…

LMS or CMS capabilities manage learners and track their progress across all types of course activities enroll students handle grades deliver test or quiz material offer two-way communication between the instructor and the student upload study resources keep records and transcripts of content and student-instructor interaction

manage learners and track their progress across all types of course activities

enroll students

handle grades

deliver test or quiz material

offer two-way communication between the instructor and the student

upload study resources

keep records and transcripts of content and student-instructor interaction

4) Work with an instructional designer This will ensure information is presented in an interesting and successful manner using the established learning principles. The designer determines how the knowledge is presented and reinforced through interactive activities, exercises and quizzes.

This will ensure information is presented in an interesting and successful manner using the established learning principles.

The designer determines how the knowledge is presented and reinforced through interactive activities, exercises and quizzes.

5) Course production A production team works with the course designer to determine needed illustrations, animation, audio, video, interactive media or Web 2.0 virtual reality components. Specialists design the graphics and create the needed media to integrate into each section. The course is made deliverable through the intended target media (local network, CD or DVD, or Internet). The production team handles quality control of the course.

A production team works with the course designer to determine needed illustrations, animation, audio, video, interactive media or Web 2.0 virtual reality components.

Specialists design the graphics and create the needed media to integrate into each section.

The course is made deliverable through the intended target media (local network, CD or DVD, or Internet).

The production team handles quality control of the course.

6) Course Delivery - Final Stage If an LMS or CMS is utilized, the course is installed within the chosen system. The course is made available to the intended participants through the previously selected media.

If an LMS or CMS is utilized, the course is installed within the chosen system.

The course is made available to the intended participants through the previously selected media.

Tips A good course development company can assist you in every step of this process. Steps 1 & 2 can be completed in-house to reduce cost and production time. Keep in mind if the course is for your business or department, you may be the subject matter expert. If you are able to go to a course development firm with your ideas already lined out, a large portion of the work is already finished.

A good course development company can assist you in every step of this process.

Steps 1 & 2 can be completed in-house to reduce cost and production time.

Keep in mind if the course is for your business or department, you may be the subject matter expert. If you are able to go to a course development firm with your ideas already lined out, a large portion of the work is already finished.

About the Author Jim Bandy is co-founder and president of Brainband Technology Services, a Web services company specializing in online course development. Brainband has built learning management systems and comprehensive training courseware for e-Learning providers such as Gatlin International and TheElearningCentre.com. Questions? Visit: http://www.brainband.com/

Jim Bandy is co-founder and president of Brainband Technology Services, a Web services company specializing in online course development. Brainband has built learning management systems and comprehensive training courseware for e-Learning providers such as Gatlin International and TheElearningCentre.com.

Questions? Visit: http://www.brainband.com/