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Rapid E-Learning - Within Your Reach
Training Update - by Nancy Cobb

Last November Training Today had an article on the basics of E-learning. Whether you have read this article or are hearing more people talking about E-learning, you may still be faced with the challenge of how to get over the hump and get started. You are not an instructional designer, you do not have a lot of time to build courses and learn new software but you would still like to give it a try. Rapid E-learning might be just what you need to get on your way. Its popularity has exploded over the past few years growing at the rapid rate of 30% per year. Additionally, new tools are being launched constantly and many sites offer 15 to 30 day trials, free.

What is Rapid E-Learning?

Rapid E-learning is a revolutionary step in training and communication. It empowers subject matter experts (like yourself) to build instructional content easily and publish it online. It enables you, the Subject Matter Expert (SME) to take the material you have (usually in PowerPoint) and create online courseware with very little training. There are usually two components: first, some kind of desktop software that converts PowerPoint slides or templates into Flash (a web technology) and second, a server component. Some E-learning software doesn’t even require PowerPoint. It’s probably safe to say that all of your companies have an Internet site and most, if not all of you have PowerPoint – so you already have most of the basics. Now we will give you access to the first component - a free trial of the software needed to get started.

Give it a try.....Getting Started

Similar to most E-things, you have to “just do it” to understand. Give it a shot and try it yourself with either of the free trial software packages listed below.

Option 1 – From PowerPoint

  • Look at your existing products and marketing information or training programs that are not extremely technical in nature (like lockout/tagout). If you do not have a training PowerPoint, check with your sales or marketing department. They generally have PowerPoint presentations that can be used.
  • Identify which program, task, job aid or learning module that you feel you can easily access current information to build a mini learning sample. For example, do you have a short PowerPoint on lockout/tagout, start-up (if it’s easy), a panel view screen or some other task? Pick just one task for this trial.
  • Decide how students will learn versus only providing information (this will be the terminal objective).
  • Go to Articulate on the Internet at www.articulate.com.
  • Download the Articulate trial software and try building a 5 to 10 screen lesson with a quiz. The quiz will measure what you want the students to learn from your lesson. The free trial is good for only 15 days.
  • Review the tutorial; it takes you through step by step.
  • Create your lesson.
  • You are now the author of a rapid E-learning lesson!

 Option 2 – Not requiring PowerPoint

  • Follow the first 3 steps listed above.
  • Register for a Test Drive account with CourseAvenue, Inc. at www.courseavenue.com/TestDrive.aspx.
  • Go through the online tutorials to teach you how to use the tool.

If you would like to sit through a Webinar that explains more about E-learning and shows you samples, go to pmmi.webex.com and look in the archived Webinars. Locate the Webinar titled “Demystifying E-Learning”, dated February 9, 2007. This is available to view at your leisure.

Rapid E-Learning is Not “Enough”

It’s important to remember that E-learning is not for everybody or for every type of training. Just as e-commerce does not replace the need for bricks and mortar at retail stores, E-learning does not replace instructor-led training, hands-on, coaching, labs, help lines and other collaborative support. It can be a very effective supplement to learning. Try it and see for yourself!

References:

There are many other products and sites on Rapid E-learning and/or E-learning tools. Articulate and CourseAvenue are just two we thought might be the easiest to start with.