| It goes without saying that whatever | | | | the face to face environment. Elearning often |
| technolgies are used, they have to be | | | | involves delays in providing feedback. Good |
| effective training tools. Previous Updaters | | | | online delivery will address this issue by |
| have detailed how to determine the profile of | | | | developing extensive feedback resources that |
| the learner and what the training is designed | | | | are immediately available to learners. |
| to achieve, you're now in a good position to | | | | |
| make an effective decision on appropriate | | | | - Much of the value in face to face learning |
| technologies. | | | | is derived from the types of activities and |
| | | | interaction that takes place. Simply adapting |
| The most common difficulty is in balancing | | | | resources does not necessarily result in |
| operational issues and a need to use existing | | | | learning activities or the level of |
| structures, against the particular needs of | | | | interactive engagement that brings about |
| the learners. The sorts of operational | | | | deeper learning. |
| pressures often encountered include: | | | | |
| | | | Working from existing resources also means |
| - Competing budgetary constraints. Often | | | | that alternative resources and activities are |
| developmental initiatives compete with other | | | | often not included in the design of the |
| 'special' projects in an environment of | | | | course, so much as tacked on the end. For |
| reduced and uncertain funding. | | | | example, existing Internet resources are |
| | | | often listed as background material; learners |
| - Organisation wide change. Significant as | | | | are invited to go beyond the structured |
| the spread of elearning is, it still must | | | | course resources if they choose to. Such an |
| integrate with other organisational change | | | | approach misses the opportunity to broaden |
| issues such as restructuring and the | | | | the depth of learning available through |
| internationalisation of education. | | | | existing online resources. Designing the |
| | | | learning process to incorporate such |
| - Institution-wide IT systems. Often, | | | | resources allows more effective use to be |
| existing IT systems were originally designed | | | | made of them. |
| to support the administration of | | | | |
| organisations, rather than the provision of | | | | The issue then is about selecting the |
| training. Where delivery software is | | | | appropriate technologies for the learners and |
| purchased, the decision is often based on | | | | training objectives. The respective |
| cost and ease of integration within existing | | | | advantages of core technologies can be |
| systems. | | | | summarised as: |
| | | | |
| - The development of courses has | | | | 1. Internet resources |
| traditionally been seen as one part of the | | | | |
| job of lecturers rainers. 'Getting a course | | | | - Provides access to training in a range of |
| going' was something that educators did as | | | | situations that learners might otherwise not |
| part of their wider delivery role. It | | | | be able to study in. |
| sometimes demanded additional resourcing, | | | | |
| which was negotiated as part of annual | | | | - Less suitable for modelling verbal skills |
| workload. As such, it was a cost to be | | | | or physical behaviours. |
| minimised. | | | | |
| | | | - Facilitates communication between students |
| - Time pressure. Pre-determined course start | | | | and tutors at a distance. |
| dates often dictate small development | | | | |
| timeframes. | | | | - Limited ability to provide feedback on |
| | | | behaviours (e.g. practical presentation |
| 1. Select the delivery tool. | | | | skills) |
| | | | |
| Relevant factors here are: | | | | - Provides access to current worldwide |
| | | | resources. |
| - The existence of legacy systems such as | | | | |
| generic online delivery tools | | | | - Less interactivity/depth of learning |
| | | | experience than multimedia. |
| - The 'best fit' for existing course | | | | |
| resources, with a focus on minimising the | | | | 2. Multimedia resources |
| adaption process. For example, online | | | | |
| availability of PDF documents generated from | | | | - Makes available a wide range of learning |
| presentation materials. | | | | resources and realia |
| | | | |
| - Lowest implementation cost. | | | | - More complicated to access 'live' and |
| | | | update. |
| - Minimising the need for staff training or | | | | |
| upskilling in order to implement delivery. | | | | - Incorporates a range of activities that |
| | | | stimulate and motivate learning. |
| 2. 'Path of least resistance' development. | | | | |
| | | | - Generally more involved development process |
| Collate existing resources (usually print) | | | | |
| and adapt for online/distance delivery. | | | | 3. Print resources |
| | | | |
| 3. Supplement the core. | | | | - Provides a permanent record |
| | | | |
| Provide communication, support or learner | | | | - Difficult to update. |
| feedback to the extent permitted by | | | | |
| timeframes and budgetary constraints. | | | | - More transportable and can be used in a |
| | | | wider range of situations. |
| Adopting such a model involves running a | | | | |
| number of risks. Many of the elements that | | | | - Costly to distribute |
| make up effective face to face instruction | | | | |
| are not readily adapted from course | | | | Don't assume that only one resource type |
| resources. For example: | | | | should be used. Well designed customised |
| | | | training solutions will often combine a range |
| - Much of the actual content is often in the | | | | of resources that, packaged together, provide |
| head of the presenter, not on paper. | | | | a learning experience that draws on the |
| | | | strength of each one. For an example of |
| - The role of a presenter as motivator can be | | | | training that combines multimedia, internet |
| missed in the adaption process. | | | | and print based resources, see a course in |
| | | | study skills preparing learners for |
| - The ability to provide immediate feedback | | | | University ertiary level study. |
| to learner's concerns or problems is part of | | | | |