The need for training in our modern work environment has never been more critical. That’s because the job skills we require of our workers have never been more complex or more specialized. The advances in technology that continues to improve productivity in the workplace are also making the tasks of our workers more challenging. The only way to meet these challenges in job complexity is through effective skills training.
When employee development managers consider the options available for training today’s workforce, increasingly they are turning to e-learning solutions. The effectiveness of e-learning within the work environment has grown along with the advances in technology used to develop and deliver it. In this way e-learning is keeping pace with the needs of industry, while also meeting the growing needs of employees.
Why e-learning?
Part of the reason e-learning is garnering such positive attention is the increasing recognition of its effectiveness. When implemented correctly, e-learning has the advantage of being more efficient, more relevant, and a more enjoyable way of learning than traditional training methods.
E-learning is more efficient because we no longer rely solely on sending an employee to off-site training or sitting them in a classroom for hours on end, and instead bring the training to the employee. It’s more relevant because we can target very specific job skills and deliver them any time an employee needs to access them. It is also a more enjoyable way to learn because employees can progress at their own rate of comprehension, without the pressure that sometimes accompanies a classroom setting.
Use e-learning to engage and appeal to your audience
Within e-learning design, there are ways to create courses that have more appeal for your intended audience. These techniques aren’t secrets or tricks of the trade; rather they are time-tested training methodologies that are modernized for use in today’s on-line and electronically delivered media.
Here are some examples of successful e-learning techniques that are designed to engage and appeal to your audience.
- Focus on the learner. The temptation is to develop an e-learning course that is slick and exciting, and uses all of the latest design techniques and fancy features. While aesthetics are important, form follows function in this case. Design courses that focus on how an employee approaches his or her job, and what skills they will need to master in order to perform better. Deliver it in a way that respects the learner’s time, intelligence and current abilities. Also, remember to incorporate different styles of information delivery, since people learn in different ways.
- Make it relevant. In order for a learner to get the most from an e-learning course, they need to believe it is relevant to them and to their job performance. It should be made very clear what the benefit is to the employee, and what they can hope to accomplish once they have mastered the lesson. When tied in with real-world returns, case studies and real life situations, e-learning is far more likely to appeal to an employee.
- Challenge your learners. Nothing is likely to turn off your audience more than if you present an e-learning course that insults their intelligence. If they are going to put in the time, they expect to gain the knowledge and skills that are promised. This can only be done through challenging and thought-provoking lessons. At the same time, care should be taken to give them all the information necessary to succeed, if they really apply what they’ve learned.
- Make it interactive. One of the biggest advantages of e-learning is that it can be as interactive to your learners as you want to make it. When your audience is engaged and interacting with the lesson, they are more likely to progress, learn and retain the information you’re providing them. Interactivity also appeals to those individuals who learn more kinesthetically, offering them an experience they are less apt to receive in traditional classroom-based training.
The real benefits of e-learning for today’s workforce are measured in increased productivity, increased engagement, and improved job performance. Here at Designing Digitally, Inc., we’re experts at creating e-learning courses that not only educate, but engage and entertain a modern workforce. Our team of expert designers will work with you to develop an e-learning program that appeals to your employees while teaching them the valuable skills needed to succeed. Let us know how we can help you bring the power of e-learning to your business.