When evaluating e-learning or
online courses, I look for:
content It is said
that in e-learning "content is king." You cannot base an e-learning platform
on anything else. Content should be new, targeted to specific audiences, and
interesting.
training design How is the content presented? Do adult
learners really learn that way? It should have interactivity and let people
know how what they learn applies to their job.
translation Is the training translated into the languages
you need? If not, what are the costs of translation?
technology Does the training work on the computers of the
target learners? This is particularly a problem if the training has a lot of
video content, which may not work on slower computers.
blending Does the training lend itself to blending
instructor led training with the online content?
look-and-feel Does it look and feel interesting? Does it
use the proper amount of white space, good design? Is it easy to navigate?
interaction Does it give the appropriate amount of
interactivity for your target audience? You don't want to slow people down
with too much interactivity, but you also don't want to have just reading
from the screen. Look for a balance.
applicability Is it applicable to your needs? Do you need
full courses, or just job aids with "chunks" of knowledge that can be
quickly accessed?
tracking Does the elearning have a way to track who has
taken it, how many hours they spent, and if they passed the test(s)? What
kind of reporting/analytics is available?
LMS Does the eLearning work with the LMS you have? If you
don't have an LMS, does the program have an LMS built-in that you like?
Cost Of course cost is a factor. In calculating the cost,
the best way is to calculate the total cost per learning completed, and
compare Instructor Led Training (ILT) and eLearning. Be sure to include
travel costs, etc
Pilots The best way to evaluate an elearning program is to
conduct a pilot. I find that many eLearning vendors are willing to provide a
couple of free licenses so that I can test out their products. I am very
skeptical of companies that want me to buy their elearning without a pilot.
