9. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Slide 16
Slide 17
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 9
10. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Slide 18
Slide 19
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 10
11. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Two More Case Studies
Slide 20
Slide 21
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 11
12. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Organization Readiness Checklist
Use this checklist to determine your organization’s readiness to develop and implement e-Learning.
Infrastructure Readiness
How will the training be distributed, installed, and run?
Do you need record-keeping or scoring in the training? How will these needs be accommodated?
Does the IS/IT department have the server equipment to deploy e-Learning?
Will IS/IT provide the space to house e-Learning? Can it handle an LMS?
Does the network have the bandwidth for learners to use e-Learning?
Will the network and intranet pipeline support large numbers of learners using e-Learning?
Has the network been tested to handle the desired and peak traffic levels?
Is there IS/IT staff ready to support the installation and testing or e-Learning course?
Does the corporation have a firewall that prevents access to the Internet?
Will the lowest workstation configuration support the use of e-Learning?
o Operating system
o CPU type and speed
o Monitor: color and resolution
o Hard disk space, if needed
o RAM
o CD-ROM
o Sound cards
o Browser types and versions
o Modem speed or connectivity type
o Players and other software available or allowable
What features are already part of the corporate intranet:
o Chats
o Message boards
o Threaded Discussion Groups
o Internal Listservs
o Attachments
o Small Executables
o Application sharing
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 12
13. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Learner Readiness
Do learners have the requisite computer skills to handle e-Learning?
Are learners comfortable learning at their desktops?
Do learners have experience learning from e-Learning?
Is there a prior history with e-Learning that new courses must overcome?
Do learners have an easy way to determine the courses available to them and how to register?
Are media used properly to support various learning styles?
Are methods employed appropriately to ensure learning?
o Frequent interactions
o Methods match content types
o Methods to make up for the “missing instructor”
o Methods for learners to self-test
Are there learner-support mechanisms in place to handle learner questions?
o Mentoring
o Chats
o Threaded discussions
o Message boards
o Feedback from the “expert”
Management Readiness
What are the reasons for moving to e-Learning, and how will they measure its success?
Is management making the decision to move to e-Learning based on money alone?
Is management aware of the tradeoffs of e-Learning?
Is management aware of the development time differences between e-Learning and classroom?
Does management support training staff in the design of e-Learning?
Will management provide supervisory/management support of e-Learning skills and concepts?
Will they set expectations of learners for the results of training?
Have stakeholders been defined?
If the course development requires interdepartmental cooperation, are all departments and parties
ready to participate?
Are SMEs given the time to support the development of training materials?
Will management release learners from normal work duties to take e-Learning courses?
Will learners have a distraction-free environment in which to learn?
Does management buy-in to the skills being trained? Will they help ensure that training is
relevant to the job?
Is there a roll out plan in place?
Is there a maintenance plan in place?
Is funding committed?
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 13
14. e-Learning: When Is it Right?
Development Team Readiness
Does the development team have the right staff with the right mix of skills to develop e-Learning?
o Instructional design for e-Learning
o Graphic design
o User interface design
o Usability testing
o Screen design
o Writing for e-Learning
o Production of media, including audio, animation, graphics, and video, as appropriate
o Programming
o Software testing
Has the development team been trained in the design and development of e-Learning?
Does the development team have a solid development process that incorporates the software
development process into the instructional design process?
Does the development team have strong leadership with experience in developing e-Learning?
Is the development team ready for the longer development cycle for e-Learning than for ILT or
documentation?
What resources are currently available for the development?
Are sufficient time and resources available to create a course that is engaging, job-relevant, user-
friendly, and accurate?
Does the development team have the skills to employ the variety of methods necessary to ensure
learning?
WhenE-Lrng-ISPI_Showcase.doc 14
