eLearning, before and after the emergency
Over the last few years many companies and organisations have opted for e-learning, motivated above all by the more immediate advantages it offers: it cuts times and costs, enables more flexible and effective training. The events of 2020 suddenly spotlighted online learning, which has turned out to be a “lifeline” in such an unprecedented and complex situation, characterised by the limitation of activities in the physical presence of others.
Therefore, eLearning has become a compulsory route but also a great opportunity for experimenting with an innovative training methodology, in line with widespread digitalisation trends in all professional and personal realms of our lives.
In addition to these three advantages, which other requirements does eLearning respond positively to?
- It guarantees continuous training, suitable for changes and innovations sweeping through organisations.
- It enables the capitalisation of training contents generated.
- It reinforces on the job training, thanks to on demand access to training contents useful for your own line of work.
Mindset and tools for implementing eLearning in the company
Despite an awareness of the positive impact generated by eLearning, there are some companies that are not yet ready for it, due to a lack of a clear picture on training needs or of necessary technological infrastructures.
Let’s take a look at how to implement an eLearning project in a streamlined and rapid way to start off on the right foot, so that it is more than just a temporary remedy and can evolve into a precious asset over time, thanks to it invaluable qualities:
- Adaptable and flexible
- Effective
- Interactive
- Involves and empowers the learner
- Dynamic
- Modular
- Value for money, in terms of costs and time.
- Sustainable
When you open the company’s doors to eLearning, you are embarking on a journey of change management, which requires the right preparation in terms of: technology and environments, trainers with digital skills, contents and engagement strategies to constantly accompany learning.
Who guides change management? The project designer, with these fundamental skills:
- knows how to design blended paths;
- has got relevant digital skills;
- is up-to-date on current trends and knows how to identify the right methodologies from available ones.
Identikit of the digital trainer
It is with increasing frequency that we see how those who hold the company’s know-how are vested with the role of internal trainer: they teach classrooms of colleagues or supply contents that are turned into eLearning courses. The digital trainer never stops! They continue to up their Digital Factor, enrich and update their pool of project development expertise, identify and incorporate increasingly effective methodologies; they know how to search contents in their area of work, verify, filter and adapt them to the needs of their own reality.
How does the digital trainer orient themselves and move?
- they use internal and external environments to order and classify contents,
- they know how to use new digital languages to create high communicative impact paths,
- they know how to create engaging, blended classrooms, effectively balancing traditional methods and digital innovation,
- they know how to involve all generations and company cultures
- they know how to manage both the involvement and the learning process beyond the classroom.
Action plan and strategic-operative steps of the Digital Trainer
These steps are recommended for successfully achieving the goal of rapid eLearning implementation within your organisation:
Step 1.
Choose the eLearning platform, the online environment that will enable people to train autonomously, any time of the day and anywhere.
Step 2.
Identify and design eLearning contents.
A word of advice: to get the experience rolling, start with courses in the compulsory training area, which are usually perceived as boring and difficult to take in; thanks to eLearning innovation you’ll be able to rethink them so that they are more appealing, engaging and enjoyable.
Step 3.
Choose the most suitable methodology and language for the training path.
Your toolbox should always contain resources you can generate autonomously and internally, acquiring necessary skills:
- Visual thinking and infographics, perfect for making the concepts and contents of eLearning paths immediately clear and understandable.
- PowerPoint, invaluable collections of company knowledge you can reorganise and reconvert into multimedia video tutorials;
- Webinar
Step 4.
Communicate, to inform and engage people in the organisation, on several levels.
Before launching this significant change:
- ensure you have the support of internal decision-makers by involving them in your project and build an internal support network;
- identify experimental groups to test the validity of innovation you are proposing;
- curate the launch and communication of each new training path;
- plan carefully the design to enhance contents and enrich the training experience with emotional and recreational components.
Obviously, Team Skilla is ready to provide you with full information and accompany you in your new activities.