I am brand new to the e-learning world. In fact, I'm quite new to training in general. I have no education in training or teaching. I have sort of fallen into training at work because I had a natural tendency to teach people new processes, and to learn new processes myself. I am lacking in the "staples of e-learning/training" knowledge and would love any suggestions or advice on books to read, or classes to take.
I have two book recommendations for you to help you get started.
The Accidental Instructional Designer by Cammy Bean
Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen
The first is for people just like you who have "fallen into" the field. The second has great information on the science of learning, written in a very accessible tone.
If you're looking for more than that, check out my post on 12+ Books for Instructional Designers. The first section of books under "General Instructional Design and E-Learning" will be most relevant to you right now, but the others may be interesting too.
One of the easiest things you can do is start reading the Rapid E-learning Blog. There is a ton of good information there. If you check the sidebar you can also download the "The Insider’s Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro".
If you'd prefer something more formal there are lots of certificate, diploma, and masters programs offered by universities and colleges. The University of Illinois, for example.
You may also want to take a look at the Association for Talent Development (formerly the American Society for Training and Development). They offer certificate programs and numerous publications.
Welcome to the learning and development world. It's a great place. :)
All good suggestions so far. I also recommend joining the Association for Talent Development and/or the e-Learning Guild. ATD is broader in scope, but includes e-learning. Obviously, the e-Learning Guild is specific.
I've taken the Advanced e-Learning Instructional Design course from ATD and it was outstanding. I also join their webinars regularly, read their publications, and attend the ATD International Conference and Expo.
And don't hesitate to connect directly with people on here. I've reached out via message, LinkedIn, and email on multiple occasions. It's a very supportive community.
Thank you everyone for the input. I have acquired a membership to ATD and have signed up for Learning Solutions Magazine, eLearning Guild, and a few others. I'm already finding valuable information!
7 Replies
I have two book recommendations for you to help you get started.
The first is for people just like you who have "fallen into" the field. The second has great information on the science of learning, written in a very accessible tone.
If you're looking for more than that, check out my post on 12+ Books for Instructional Designers. The first section of books under "General Instructional Design and E-Learning" will be most relevant to you right now, but the others may be interesting too.
Ciji:
One of the easiest things you can do is start reading the Rapid E-learning Blog. There is a ton of good information there. If you check the sidebar you can also download the "The Insider’s Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro".
Learning Solutions Magazine is also full of good content.
If you'd prefer something more formal there are lots of certificate, diploma, and masters programs offered by universities and colleges. The University of Illinois, for example.
You may also want to take a look at the Association for Talent Development (formerly the American Society for Training and Development). They offer certificate programs and numerous publications.
Hope that helps.
Steve
You can gain a whole bunch of good resources to help you at www.yourskillshub.com
Nancy Duarte's books are good and basic.
Welcome to the learning and development world. It's a great place. :)
All good suggestions so far. I also recommend joining the Association for Talent Development and/or the e-Learning Guild. ATD is broader in scope, but includes e-learning. Obviously, the e-Learning Guild is specific.
I've taken the Advanced e-Learning Instructional Design course from ATD and it was outstanding. I also join their webinars regularly, read their publications, and attend the ATD International Conference and Expo.
And don't hesitate to connect directly with people on here. I've reached out via message, LinkedIn, and email on multiple occasions. It's a very supportive community.
Thank you everyone for the input. I have acquired a membership to ATD and have signed up for Learning Solutions Magazine, eLearning Guild, and a few others. I'm already finding valuable information!
Echoing Matthew's suggestion, our free E-Learning for Beginners eBook is great for laying the groundwork. And Tom Kuhlmann's The Insider's Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro is a fantastic resource for beginners as well. And you may also benefit from the articles and resources in our E-Learning 101 hub since it's geared towards folks who are just getting started.
Good luck on your journey and congratulations on stumbling into everyone's favorite accidental profession!
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