In one of the previous articles it was outlined how to determine eLearning ROI and implement a Pilot eLearning project.

The next step will be to determine whether you buy off the shelf courseware, or develop custom courseware from scratch.

Off the shelf or custom courses?

Bespoke or custom means creating an eLearning course from scratch. That includes determining learning objectives, writing content, graphic design, programming and testing.

Off the shelf products contain generic content not developed specifically for one organization. Off-the-shelf courses are also usually "plug and play," which means they can be implemented without conflicting with existing systems. You can also customize off the shelf courses by making cosmetic changes to course content and graphics, so it appears to be built just for you. Customization requires fewer resources and a smaller degree of commitment than starting from scratch.

The decision to buy or build is typically based on three factors: training requirements, available resources, and course subject matter.

Training requirements

The first step in an eLearning project is the same as conventional face to face training.  A training needs analysis will help you identify and prioritize the course topics and determine which courses might be available and appropriate to use, off the shelf. 

Resources

You have to consider the amount of time, the budget allocated for the training, and the availability of people with the required expertise to develop and implement eLearning.

Time factors include:

• Time to make purchasing decisions
• Development and testing requirements
• Implementation and rollout training schedules

Expertise

As you analyze your resources, you must determine whether you have both the personnel to develop and implement the eLearning course(s), and the technical support staff available (for example, IT and administrative support people).

Budget

When building custom courseware, you may incur a large, up-front, one-time fee, but the investment will reduce over the time and number of employees trained.   With off the shelf courseware the up front costs are much lower, and are typically offered on a pay-per-course or per-use basis.

Content

The third factor to consider when deciding whether to buy or build eLearning is whether the training is unique to your business, such as product and service knowledge, or generic, such as Food Safety training.

If you're teaching employees about your corporate culture and service standards, you'll need a custom built course.

If your training requirement is generic, you can still customize an off-the-shelf course to give it the look and feel of your organization. That could include making simple changes like including the company's logo or revising text to reinforce a  company specific message.

eLements of a great eLearning course

Whether custom built or off the shelf, an effective eLearning course is based on proven instructional design principles:

• Usability- The course must be easy to use, with simple and consistent navigation
• Relevance- The course design and content should address the specific needs of the audience using the most appropriate elements (see below)
• Interaction- The course must demand interaction
• Testing- The course should be able to test and track learning effectiveness

In addition, eLearning can be comprised of unlimited combinations of elements, such as:

• Games
• Graphics, Pictures, Animations
• Text, Audio, Video
• Simulations
• Discovery
• Problem-solving
• Drills and practice
• Tutorials

These elements, appropriately used, can be combined to create an engaging course that results in an interesting and effective learning experience.

eLearning standards and terms

There are many terms and acronyms that you will hear when discussing eLearning courseware with content providers and developers, here is a brief introduction to get you started.  (We have additional info on our website www.lexingtoninteractive.com/aboutelearning.asp )

Learning Objects
A learning object is a reusable unit or ‘chunk' of instruction contained within an eLearning course. Examples of learning objects include multimedia and instructional content.

Learning management system (LMS) integrates with the HR system to track employee records, eLearning and classroom-delivered courses, and online course enrollments.  The user interface allows learners to review, register, and launch online courses. Selecting a learning management system can be the most critical decision you make when building your company's eLearning infrastructure.

The following standards provide a blueprint for interoperability between applications, such as an LMS, custom developed and off the shelf courses, by providing uniform communication guidelines that can be used throughout the design, development, and delivery of learning objects.

AICC (aicc.org)
The Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based Training) Committee (AICC) is an international association of technology-based training professionals. The AICC has developed guidelines for the aviation industry in the development, delivery, and evaluation of computer-based training and related training technologies since 1988.

The AICC has since expanded its standards beyond the aviation industry and has played a major role in promoting interoperability standards and guidelines for eLearning development.

IMS Global Consortium (imsproject.org) is a consortium of suppliers that focus on the development of specifications used to define how an LMS (Learning Management System) communicates with back-end applications and content objects or libraries. Several of its standards are made available on its website at no fee.

SCORM (adlnet.org)
The Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) is a set of interrelated technical specifications built upon the work of the AICC, IMS and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) to create one unified "content model."

SCORM outlines the technical means for learning objects to be easily shared across multiple learning delivery environments and platforms, and is the most widely followed set of standards.

Choosing off the shelf courses

There are many providers of off-the-shelf eLearning courses, but relatively few that offer content specifically for the hospitality industry.  Lexington Interactive offers a catalog of industry specific eLearning courses.  Most providers either host individual courses or install course libraries on a company's internal server.  

Ten Questions to consider when choosing off the shelf content:

• Is the course structure logical and complete?
• Are the courses user-friendly and easy to navigate?
• Are the courses engaging and interactive?
• Do courses use proven instructional design principles?
• Do courses meet your learning objectives?
• Can the courses be customized? What are cost and maintenance implications?
• How often is course content updated?
• What is the review process for course development?
• Can you replace courses based on learner usage and changing business needs?
• What special features do the courses offer? For example, do the courses create a paper record or support online note taking?  

If your company has an existing LMS, test the courses to ensure compatibility.  Not all courses that claim to be AICC- or SCORM-compliant integrate quickly and effortlessly with every LMS.  Another cost effective option with a relatively quick implementation time is to use hosted web-based courses without purchasing an LMS. Most suppliers provide course launching and tracking tools that offer security and training management functions.

There are several pricing models for purchasing courseware- library subscription, pay-per-course or pay-per-use.  Ask about discounts in the pricing structure and the level of commitment required by your company. Some suppliers offer more favorable pricing based on the potential for future business, including discount pricing for multi-year agreements.

Keep in mind that a good supplier can be a useful business partner in building your business case for implementing eLearning. Advice from suppliers can be useful when selecting other eLearning services that they don't offer. For example, a web-based training provider may have insights into integration issues with various learning management systems.

Most eLearning implementations involve a combination of off the shelf and custom eLearning content.  In the next article I will outline the factors to consider for developing custom content either in house or with a development partner.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email robertduprey@lexingtoninteractive.com