Let’s say your boss comes and asks you to convert a two-hour instructor-led training (ILT) session into an e-learning course. And since it’s already been instructionally designed, all you nee...
Published 9 years ago
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Great post Nicole. We have this debate from time to time at my work. I'd opine that there's a continuum when it comes to work involved in going from ILT to elearning. At one extreme, you're spot on - "And since it’s already been instructionally designed, all you need to do is take the presenter’s PowerPoint files, import them into an e-learning authoring tool, and spit out a completed e-learning course—right?" This approach simply moves people from resenting the in-person experience to the online experience, and everything else in your post helps address this.
On the other side of the continuum is a well-design ILT course. Again, you hit the nail on the head when you say that you need to convert activities for the online world (ideally it goes beyond drag and drop or quizzing activities). This is where good ILT design can really, really help take time off the up front elearning design. I've found that when I have time for discussion in an ILT class, I can carry that over into an elearning module by having people type out their thoughts to a discussion question, and then keep that on the screen while actual comments from ILT participants also pop up on the screen for comparison purposes. Or where there's role play in the ILT, it can be converted into a branching scenario.
I suppose my point is that it *can* mean starting over (especially with poorly designed ILT materials), on the other hand, well-designed ILT really paves the way and makes the elearning design process much quicker (and more fun) and offers some insights (ILT participant comments for example) that you might not otherwise have if you had just been given an elearning project to create from scratch.
On the other side of the continuum is a well-design ILT course. Again, you hit the nail on the head when you say that you need to convert activities for the online world (ideally it goes beyond drag and drop or quizzing activities). This is where good ILT design can really, really help take time off the up front elearning design. I've found that when I have time for discussion in an ILT class, I can carry that over into an elearning module by having people type out their thoughts to a discussion question, and then keep that on the screen while actual comments from ILT participants also pop up on the screen for comparison purposes. Or where there's role play in the ILT, it can be converted into a branching scenario.
I suppose my point is that it *can* mean starting over (especially with poorly designed ILT materials), on the other hand, well-designed ILT really paves the way and makes the elearning design process much quicker (and more fun) and offers some insights (ILT participant comments for example) that you might not otherwise have if you had just been given an elearning project to create from scratch.
- Great comments, Brian, thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts. I have had the luxury of working with some really high quality and well-designed ILT materials myself when I've had to convert ILT to e-learning and so I know exactly what you mean about how much time it can save and how much of a huge help it can be to get things going. I think the problem is that most other people don't have that luxury and are often working with sub-par materials which they are told are "instructionally designed" but really, they aren't -- and in those cases, I feel like you're basically starting from scratch! But, maybe I'm wrong and more people than I thought are working with really well-designed ILT ... Maybe we'll find out from others in the comments here!
- I agree with both you Nicole! As a I am fairly new to ID, I've already had to figure this dilemma out for myself. I am creating a series of elearning courses and for the most part, I started fresh but not because the ILT wasn't created well, it just did not transfer well into an elearning environment or experience.
There was one course that was so comprehensive yet woven with some amazing anecdotes that I did use the PowerPoint file. I am going to take it one step further and have the SME that created the training record it with me after I make a few adjustments and tweaks.
My reasoning stems from the fact he is the main trainer of this content and he has very distinctive voice. Having the employees hear his voice will not only give the course credibility, the delivery will make it similiar to the original ILT course he taught. It will also allow for that conversational interaction on screen.
Open to any comments or words of wisdom anyone may have.
Thank you!
LYJ
