eLearning Leader

Recently, in a meeting I attended, the question was raised, ‘What are the characteristics of a great eLearning leader? At first, when I heard the question, I thought it odd that my mind went blank. After all, I’ve been in this profession for 6 years and in the education realm for 14 years. With this experience, shouldn’t I know exactly what makes a great leader in this profession? Amazingly, in all of my professional experience, I have never sat down and really thought about this pertinent issue. So, over the course of 4 days, I found myself grappling with the question. I’m glad I did because I now know what I would say if ever asked again. This list has been edited to read in a generic sense so as not to give away any business-related specifics.

· An eLearning leader must not be the typical ‘corporate’ type. His/her expertise is not founded on the principles others in management may have; rather, his/her expertise is founded in education. Although staying within a budget and meeting with clients is extremely important, this person believes his/her success is in seeing his/her students (agents) succeed because when they succeed, the company succeeds.

· An eLearning manager must have a firm understanding of the vague term ‘eLearning’. He/she must understand that in the word ‘eLearning’, the ‘e’ only describes the method in which a course is transmitted (i.e. electronically). It is merely the prefix to the key word…Learning. Although we teach in a business setting, the failure of students to learn will ultimately cause the business to fail. This person must be willing to fight for the sake of the agents’ learning environment as it is one of the key components to any company’s success and growth.

· An eLearning manager must have teaching experience so that the team he/she leads can grow in their teaching abilities. Whether or not an eLearning team realizes this, we are teachers in a virtual world. The team does not directly make money for a company; however, an eLearning team gives it’s employees the knowledge to succeed, thus, making enabling the company to make profit, both financially and in reputation. An eLearning manager who has a teacher’s heart (with teaching experience) will grow the team’s teaching abilities which will positively affect a company’s bottom line. An eLearning manager who does not have a teacher’s heart (with teaching experience) may do well in the management aspect of things; however, he/she will not be the resource the team needs. Collectively, educators want and need to grow their teaching abilities because, as educators get better, so will the employees.

· An eLearning manager must be an educator. He/she must have their pulse on adult learning. This does not mean that he/she must be an expert in andragogy; rather, he/she must understand what goes into the learning process for an adult. eLearning is not simply putting a manual online, nor is it a PowerPoint with simple narration. He/she needs to always be willing to put themselves in the agents’ shoes and ask ‘would I learn from this?’ and/or ‘would I enjoy sitting through this?’. Education in an online environment must have purpose, be engaging and be entertaining. An eLearning manager who is an educator, first and foremost, will understand this and will be a great advocate for any eLearning team as they work to develop fantastic ‘edutainment’ courses.

An eLearning manager must be open-minded. All of us have pre-conceived notions as to what constitutes a great course. As the American culture evolves, the way people learn evolves. An eLearning manager who is open-minded will understand this and find ways to challenge his/her team, to ‘up their game’. He/she will always be looking out for new and exciting ways to educate employees as well as excite them about the learning process.

Storytelling

The greatest medium in all communication is storytelling. Throughout history, stories have been used to communicate great truths in all cultures. Why? Stories capture the attention of the listener. The imagination begins to churn as words become pictures within the mind’s eye. The hearer takes what is said and makes it his/her own based on their life experiences. Most listen and most learn.

Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult at times to incorporate storytelling into an eLearning course, especially when the material is dry; however, if you have mastered the material, it is not impossible. Stories do not have to be long and complex. In fact, stories can often be simple case studies (i.e. describing a problem in a real-world scenario and solving it by using the subject material being taught). A master teacher who incorporates this methodology into his teaching is Ed Welch. A Biblical counselor and author, Mr. Welch delves into deep theological truths in a manner that captures the imagination. Each book begins with a case study (i.e. a counseling case) in which he introduces a character and explains the problem(s). Once the reader is engaged with the character, Mr. Welch takes a break and begins to dissect the story. As he does so, he expounds upon the necessary ‘dry’ material by using the story as a launching pad. Once the truths are taught, he moves back into the story and repeats the process. As a reader, you are engaged with the book because of the story. Because of the story, you are engaged with the ‘dry’ material and find yourself learning the great truths that are needed.

Storytelling isn’t just a possible option to include within an eLearning course. It is an absolute necessity. Give your learners a reason as to why they need to know the material and how it can and will help them. It is not enough to simply tell someone something. Think about how you teach your kids that lying is wrong. A universal understanding is if you lie, no one will know when you are telling the truth. The perfect story for this is The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf. As you tell the story, it captures their imaginations and they make it their own as they rely on their own life experiences (i.e. doing chores, danger, fear, etc). They put themselves in the little boy’s shoes and imagine what it would be like if no one came to their rescue. Children listen and learn from this entertaining story.

Adults learn in the same fashion. Capture their imagination and watch them succeed.

eLearning or eWaste

One of the account managers in my office just sent me an interesting email. He stated that his experience with self-paced learning materials has been ‘that it needs a lot of…hand holding to go with it to be effective’. Unfortunately, I am sure that many feel this way when it comes to self-paced learning. Why would that be? There are many reasons that eLearning courses could fail; however, based on my experiences, here are the 3 main points I believe this person has made this conclusion.

1. Communication Methodology Ineffective

Whether you are teaching in a traditional classroom setting or designing an eLearning course, you, as the teacher, MUST be a master of the material. Failure to know the material is a surefire way to confuse your learners. Someone who has ‘mastered the material’ is able to do 2 key things regardless of the learning environment: They are able to communicate the material in numerous ways to make sure each student understands the subject content and they are able to predict the questions their learners will ask.

In a traditional classroom environment, it is much easier to communicate with your audience because you see their faces and can react accordingly. You can ask if anyone has questions. You can reiterate information in a multi-faceted manner. You can take a break so your students can clear their heads…and so forth. In an asynchronous environment, these things are much more difficult to attain. Therefore, it is absolutely vital that you have mastered the material so that you can incorporate the proper elements to effectively share the information. As stated before within this blog, set the mood and incorporate things that make learning an adventure. Use storytelling, music, games and other means to grab their attention…and, make absolutely sure, the learners are in complete control of the course.

2. Lack of Learning Objectives

Whether you are in a traditional learning environment or an online environment, you must know the purpose of your course. If you don’t know the purpose, your learning audience certainly will not know it. If you have mastered the subject material, you know what your students must grasp in order to succeed. Regardless of the learning environment, make it a point to tell your students what they must know.

Think back to your high school or college days. Most of us we’re given reading assignments and told there would be a quiz at the end of the week. So, you would read the book and highlight the ‘important’ parts. Unfortunately, you didn’t know the truly important parts, so you ended up highlighting the entire book. Although, you worked to understand the reading material, you may not have ascertained what your teacher thought was important. As a result, the quiz came and you didn’t know the answers to the questions. Why? The learning objectives were not made clear. You worked hard and made it through the book, but, based on the quiz, you failed. Remember how you felt after the quiz? You probably thought to yourself, ‘What a waste of time.’

What would have happened had your teacher given you clear objectives? What if your teacher said the purpose of reading this book is for you to demonstrate your ability to find the main themes within the book? You would have read with that purpose in mind. You would have worked to demonstrate that ability. When the quiz came, you would have been prepared. For this reason, when teaching in any environment, tell your students what they need to be able to do when finished with a course and give them the ability to prove to themselves they understand it (i.e. knowledge checks, quizzes, etc).

3. Failure to Engage Your Audience

This is what I’ve discussed at length within the previous posts of this blog, so I won’t spend too much time discussing this point. To summarize the other posts…if you bore your audience, they won’t respond. If you fail to engage them, you will lose them. Few people can learn dry materials in a dry manner; however, if you capture your learners’ imaginations, you can teach them the phone book. Always incorporate the culture of the day in which you are teaching…

When you fail in any of these three ways, you are no longer designing an eLearning course. You are designing eWaste. You are wasting your time as well as your learners’ time. The results will be less than what you (and your client’s) expect. Your learners will be dissatisfied because their performance and it all stems from you. You, as a teacher/eLearning developer, are only as successful as your students. When they fail, you fail. When they succeed, you succeed.

What It’s About

I realized I jumped into this blog and never really stated my purpose behind it. More than likely, I failed to do so because this blog is simply my thoughts regarding why I do what I do. I have read so many educational theory books and listened to numerous ‘experts’ regarding eLearning and there isn’t much in the way of practicality that ever comes from these sources.

Take for instance andragogy. You can step into any bookstore and find numerous materials regarding the adult learning process. However, the material is dry and tough as nails to get through. Further, as the saying goes, ‘different strokes for different folks’. There are numerous theories regarding this theory so you never really know who to believe. Because of that and my time being extremely valuable to me, I no longer spend time reading and/or listening to these so-called experts. Instead, I look to two things: How I learn and my audience.

Learning should be a fun adventure. The methods employed by elementary school teachers often are what take hold of my heart and help me master the material presented. When I was in college working on my Bachelor’s degree, I minored in Koine Greek (the original language the New Testament was written). I had my fill of dry materials as I read lexicons, grammatical books and critical commentaries. I also took numerous theology classes and poured through pages upon pages of books written by the Puritan pastors. As a young man, I took pride in these things because not many others could do what I did; however, looking back, I learned little because I was so bored. I think back now as to what these classes could be if we embraced our culture and integrated great learning design within these courses. (Note: I am not endorsing emergent church practices).

So, back to the purpose of this blog…it’s me taking a few moments out of each day ’selling’ why I do what I do. There are numerous ideas as to what constitutes a great eLearning course, and, at times, I am asked why I choose to design/develop the way I do. This blog is giving me the opportunity to work out my arguments.

On the other hand, it could just be for me to waste some time in between projects…

Finding Creative Ideas for Designing eLearning Courses

Watch Movies and Television Shows

• Pay attention to logo designs
• Pay attention to color schemes
• Does the logo design and color scheme fit the mood of the movie/TV show?
• Pay attention to the music
• Pay attention to the narrator and his/her voice tone
• Does the music and narrator help create the proper ambiance?
• While watching, think about how you would design a website for the movie/TV show. Focus on how you would capture the mood (i.e. color schemes, music, fonts, narration, etc.)

Visit Movie and Television Show Websites

• Does the website capture the theme of the particular movie/TV show? Why? Why not?
• Pay attention to the interactive elements (i.e. do they capture your interest?)
• Pay attention to the usage of fonts, music, narration, etc.

Play Video Games

• Pay attention to the logo and design schemes
• Pay attention to the usage of animation (cut scenes)
• Pay attention to the tutorials. Are they informative? Fast-paced/Slow-paced? Narrated?

Surf the Web

• Install StumbleUpon and visit sites you didn’t know existed
• Pay attention to the numerous design techniques used
• What catches your eye? What doesn’t? Why?

Read Comic Books

• Pay attention to the drawing style. How does it reveal theme of the characters/story?
• Pay attention to the font usage. How does it reveal the theme of the story?

Conclusion

Our audience is saturated with eye candy and is prone to respond to it. When a McDonald’s commercial advertises the Big Mac, they show the perfect sandwich. The sesame seed bun that perfectly fits the beef. The cheese is golden. The lettuce gently protrudes the bun as the special sauce beckons you to take a bite. You and I know that the sandwich does not look anything like this when you purchase it from your local McDonald’s; however, the commercial appeals to us as eye candy and we can’t help but crave that sandwich.

I could go on and on with the numerous marketing techniques that are out there, but you get the picture. You see it and are drawn to it just like everyone else in our culture. Our learning audience is no different. We must design our eLearning courses in such a way that it creates excitement about whatever we are teaching them. If our courses are appealing to the eye (i.e. eye candy), then it will increase the learner’s desire to know their product/subject and excite them to put their knowledge to use.

Whether you create eLearning courses for a school or for a business, great design that captures your learners’ imaginations will increase their ability to master the material.

Narration in eLearning

Andragogy is the big word used in the educational field to describe the process of engaging adult learners. One of the key tenets within this philosophy is adult learners want to learn at their own pace which means they want to be in total control of the learning process.

I’ve got to say, this definitely applies to me. When I’m learning a new programming language or software tool, I need to be in complete control. Some aspects of the learning process come easily and I don’t want to waste my time going over them again and again; however, other aspects come much more slowly. In this case, I need to take my time and carefully dissect the information.

As such, my experience has greatly influenced how I design eLearning content. I cannot stand watching and listening to an eLearning course that is narrated. The course is out of my control as I have to listen to the narrator tell me what I need to know. Sometimes, the information is simplistic and I grasp the information within a few seconds; however, I cannot move forward until the narrator is done speaking. Other times, the information is complex and the narrator does not explain the information in a way that I can understand. A narrated course completely removes the user’s ability to control the learning process and, frankly, can bore the hell out of the learner.

As stated in my last post, we live in a culture that says ‘entertain me’. In fact, our culture is so permeated with this sentiment that some refrigerators and cars come with televisions…some even come with gaming consoles and DVD players. We, as eLearning developers cannot turn our backs on the things that drive our learners. Most adults are technologically inclined. Even my 84 year old grandpa is quite resourceful with his computer and iPod.

How do the majority of adults learn to use these gadgets? Here is a great case study. The two most popular video games adults play today is Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Now, when an adult puts the game into their console, how do they learn to play the game? Is there a narrated tutorial? Nope! Most adults plug in their guitars and other peripherals and figure it out on their own. Another case study. Cell phones are extremely popular in the adult population. Most cell phones include ringtones, games, email abilities, etc. Do cell phone companies include narrated tutorials for users to learn how to use their phones? Nope! Most cell phones come with a manual that the users can read, but, for the most part, users figure it out on their own. By playing with their ‘toys’, they learn while being entertained. In this way, learning becomes an adventure as adults entertain themselves while being in complete control of the learning process.

For these reasons and many more, I rarely use narration in any eLearning course I design. Forcing someone to listen to a narrator removes the adventure from the learning process as it removes a key tenet from what educators know to be vital in engaging adult learners.

Hopefully, you noticed that I used the word ‘rarely’ in the previous paragraph. There are times that narration can be extremely helpful. For instance, if you are demonstrating a piece of software via a video tutorial. It helps the user to see what you are doing as well as hear you explain why you are doing it; however, when creating a video tutorial, be sure to include a playback bar so the user stays in control of the learning process. If they missed something, they can rewind it and watch it again. If the learner has to get up and take care of the kids or dinner, include a pause button so they can quickly get back to it when they are ready.

Another time in which I will use narration is to tell a story. Some courses need a storytelling element due to the content (i.e. domestic violence course). The key in using this kind of narration is to make the course visually engaging and make sure the narrator uses the right voice tone, accent, etc. It would not work to tell a story of domestic violence if your narrator sounds bubbly and happy go lucky. When using this type of narration, it is always best to give the learner an option to skip the story. Again, the learner must always feel as if he/she is in control of the learning process.

Now, I know there are developers out there who will completely disagree with my thoughts. There are many out there who find narration a key aspect of the learning process. I have no qualms with you. For some learners, you might be absolutely right. They need to hear what is being taught. Kudos to you for knowing your audience and meeting their needs. All I would suggest to you is that you give the learners an option to remove the narration. This will ensure that those who need the audio will have it; however, it will also ensure those that do not are satisfied as well.

Narration has its place in eLearning, but we must make sure it is used wisely. Failure to do so could detract from the learning process. Our job is to ensure we do everything possible to make learning an adventure for our audience. Know them and edutain them.

Adult Edutainment???

Our culture is permeated with entertainment. Televisions, computers, gaming consoles, iPods, cell phones and the list could go on and on. There is rarely an occasion in which we cannot be entertained. Even as I write this, I’m listening to a movie on my other computer. Entertainment could well be called the heartbeat of our culture. As such, entertainment is something that must be considered in the realm of education.

When I was a little boy, I spent my mornings watching educational programs such as Sesame Street, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and Mr. Dress Up. These shows were a source of great entertainment, but they also managed to teach me something. In fact, I learned how to count to 12 because of the pinball song played on Sesame Street . Today, kids learn many things the exact same way. Sesame Street is still on the air. My 2 year-old daughter has learned all about the ‘potty’ because of Elmo. Throughout the country, preschoolers are even learning to speak Spanish because of Dora and Diego.

Many elementary schools have taken notice of the profound impact of edutainment and has found ways to blend entertainment and education. My 3 sons come home from school everyday telling us about the computer games they played while at school. When they get a chance to play on our home computer, all they want to do is visit the websites they view at school. Little do they realize that they aren’t just playing; rather, they’re learning.

If edutainment is seen by schools and parents all across the country as a great tool for kids’ education, what makes us think it should be any different for adults? Think about this. The average age of a gamer (one who plays video games) is 33 years old. The average age of those buying video games is 38. These stats prove that the average adult is not into dry material. The average adult entertains himself/herself on a daily basis whether its playing video games, texting a friend on their cellphone, listening to music on their iPod or watching a movie on their PSP.

In so many ways, we, as adults, are just like our kids. We would rather be entertained than be educated. Think about this. I’m willing to bet that if you’re reading this post, you’ve found yourself skimming through because this post isn’t all that entertaining. When I mentioned Sesame Street and Dora, you probably perked up a bit, but then you found yourself drifting. What about when you are in a meeting. The speaker goes on and on explaining sales figures and upcoming clients…things that are important to business; however, the approach is dry and you find yourself thinking about the clock or what’s in the crock-pot. Admit it. We are just like kids when it comes to gaining information.

When designing eLearning courses, we MUST keep these things in mind. As educators, it is our foremost responsibility to ensure our learners are motivated to learn the concepts we present. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you storyboard and begin the development process of your eLearning course(s).

• ‘Pop’: Grab your learner’s attention right away (i.e. sounds, storytelling, interesting interface)
• ‘Pizazz’: It’s not enough to grab your learner’s attention at the beginning. Keep them enthralled throughout the course. Include sounds, stories, games, etc.
• ‘Perception’: Throughout the course, make sure your adult learner knows why they must learn the information presented (i.e. to gain a job, to earn a raise, etc).
• ‘Presentation’: Use solid learning fundamentals throughout the course that entertain while being informational and educational.

Think about the new media: Blue-ray and HD-DVD. Not only do you get the movie, you also get interactive menus, extra features and easter eggs (hidden gems within the disk such as interviews, deleted scenes, etc). In the same way, when we design an online course, or any course for that matter, we need to include more than just the ‘movie’ (the facts about a particular concept). We must include ‘interactive menus’ or ‘Pop’ to our materials. We need to include ‘extra features’ or ‘Pizazz’ to excite them about the concepts presented. We need to include ‘easter eggs’ or ‘Perception’ to keep our learners wanting more. If we do these things in the right manner, our ‘Presentation’ style will achieve fantastic results which is great for our learners as well as for the company in which they may work.

The bottom line is, we, as eLearning developers (or any teacher for that matter), cannot discount the profound impact of our culture in which American Idol is king.  If we choose to ignore the reality of adults needing to be entertained, we will not capture their minds during the learning process.  It is a difficult balance to maintain; however, it is not impossible.  With hard work and much creativity, we can capture the hearts and minds of our adult learners just as much as Sesame Street captures the hearts and minds of our children.