How E-learning Works

E-learning is to classroom learning as cell phones are to a pay phone at the bus station.

At least it is in some ways. For instance, e-learning allows you to learn anywhere and usually at any time, as long as you have a properly configured computer. Cell phones allow you to communicate any time and usually anywhere, as long as you have a properly configured phone.

E-learning can be CD-ROM-based, Network-based, Intranet-based or Internet-based. It can include text, video, audio, animation and virtual environments. It can be a very rich learning experience that can even surpass the level of training you might experience in a crowded classroom. It's self-paced, hands-on learning.

The quality of the electronic-based training, as in every form of training, is in its content and its delivery. E-learning can suffer from many of the same pitfalls as classroom training, such as boring slides, monotonous speech, and little opportunity for interaction. The beauty of e-learning, however, is that new software allows the creation of very effective learning environments that can engulf you in the material. We'll use software from Trainersoft as an example to show you how the process works.

Levels of e-learning

E-learning falls into four categories, from the very basic to the very advanced. The categories are:

Let's move on to how learning works.

Let's begin with what goes on in a person's head when they're learning. First, learning requires attention. Effective training grabs attention and holds it. Unfortunately, the neural systems in the brain that control attention and store information as memory get tired very quickly (in minutes). They need to rest every three to five minutes, or else they become much less responsive. They recover pretty quickly, but training has to work with this quick fatigue/boredom pattern for the person to learn efficiently.

Training that is patterned to move from one set to another provides the most effective learning model. The patterns those neural sets respond best to involve interweaving different types of information and using different areas of the brain. For example:

These systems are interrelated and work together to form memory (i.e. learning). The goal is to form memory in each neural system. Information designed in a way that moves from neural system to neural system creates more effective learning.

E-learning and Retention

Besides catering to these neural systems' needs, training should also incorporate other elements such as interaction, imagery and feedback.

E-learning can incorporate many elements that make learning new material, a new process or a new program more fun. Making learning more fun -- or interesting -- is what makes it more effective. Obviously, every type of training can't be turned into e-training, but many can with excellent results. The keys to successful e-learning include:

To incorporate these elements into training, Trainersoft developed simple tools that allow you to drop in animations, video or other media, and set special attributes for them such as:

Self-paced

E-learning lets you go through the course at your own pace. This helps avoid missed information in situations where you have to leave the course or you just don't catch what the instructor said.

E-learning courses offer user-controlled elements that aren't feasible in regular training classes. For example, differentiating the sound of an irregular heart beat from that of a regular heart beat by clicking on screen icons allows the learner to listen at their own pace and replay the sound as often as they like. This self-paced element helps make e-learning effective.

On the next page, we'll talk more about the interactive features of e-learning.

Interactive

E-learning also offers interactivity. This type of interactivity can be in the form of simply clicking on appropriate responses to questions, clicking to animate an object or start a process, or dragging and dropping items to practice a skill.

Interactive games based on the training message are also very effective at improving learning. Now, you may be thinking of "Doom" or "Tomb Raider," but gaming in a training setting doesn't have to be quite that elaborate -- although it certainly can be!

Think about games where you go through a series of tasks, learning about the environment, and use tools you've discovered along the way. Those same techniques can be incorporated into many types of learning programs. Games can take you through an adventure in almost any type of scenario. Being able to explore, try, succeed or fail makes good training.

For example, you may be a human resources manager taking an e-course on hiring techniques. The course might include a series of video and audio segments that take you through the processes. Then a game would begin that takes you through those same processes where you make the decisions in a virtual world. Suppose in the interviewing section you asked a question that's not allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bells might go off and a simulated team of attorneys might whisk you off to a virtual jail! When you do rather than simply read or listen to something, you retain more of the information, and learning from mistakes is one of the best ways to ensure you don't make those mistakes again. Think of it as cyber role playing.

This type of game scenario could be easily created in Trainersoft by using photos or graphics, and applying hot spots that link to video clips. Once the video clip has played, a multiple-choice quiz box could pop up that asks the user what he should do next. The options for answers could be linked to individual video clips that play out that scenario. Once the scene has played, the results of the choice (i.e. whether it was the right decision or the wrong decision) could then be revealed as either a talking head video, an audio response or simply a text box. This scene could be as simple or as intricate as you want to make it.

Motivating

Being motivated to learn is half the battle. Knowing the course you're taking is going to have some "fun" elements like video, audio, animation and the "gaming" scenarios we mentioned above creates more interest and curiosity in learning. This, too, leads to better retention and faster learning.

Other motivating factors with e-learning are the conveniences that it offers, such as being able to go through the course any time and anywhere (almost). It's much easier to work training into a busy schedule when you don't have to take two days off to travel and then sit in a classroom.

Other e-learning elements that beat out the classroom scene

Besides the bigger issues like interaction, control of the pace, and motivation, e-learning can readily put to use the information that researchers have been studying for the past 30 or more years. These studies have identified things that can greatly affect memory and recall. Some of the key research found significant improvements in recall when:

On the next page, we'll talk more about the benefits of e-learning.

E-learning has definite benefits over traditional classroom training. While the most obvious are the flexibility and the cost savings from not having to travel or spend excess time away from work, there are also others that might not be so obvious. For example:

There are many advantages to e-learning, and even the potential disadvantages (i.e. boring text-based courses, technophobia, loneliness) can be alleviated with a properly designed course. Let's move on now to how to plan a good course.

The most important step in building any training program is planning. This means rebuilding existing materials for a cyber-landscape. The worst experience anyone can encounter in an e-learning environment is finding traditional written training materials simply moved to the computer screen. Talk about a high snooze-factor! And this is not only boring -- it's ineffective training and a waste of time for pretty much everyone involved. What Trainersoft focuses on is easily incorporating multimedia and interactive elements into every training program.

The first steps...

Before anything is put on paper, the audience for the training has to be determined. Once you know who you're talking to and what their skill levels are, you can then begin the long task of actually putting the training program together.

Next, you have to know what that audience should be able to do once the course is over that they couldn't do before. In other words, what are the objectives of the course? Working backward from your objectives will keep you on track. Also, make sure the audience knows those objectives right from the beginning. The "What's in it for me?" factor plays a role in training just as it does in many other areas of life and business. This is especially true for e-learning because leaving the class isn't the attention-drawing act of getting up and leaving a group, which tends to create a pause in the lecture and stares by fellow students. It's a simple mouse click.

The program should be designed with the delivery method in mind (i.e. Web-based, CD-ROM-based, Network-based) as well as the limitations of the users' hardware. (Again, know the audience.) Bandwidth will play a big part in the acceptance and success of a multimedia program on the Internet.

Organize, organize, organize

Break your content up into manageable chunks that are meaningful to your objectives.

Trainersoft's authoring tool allows you to organize your program into books, chapters and then pages within those chapters. This establishes a very clean and simple way to keep your content broken into the manageable "chunks" you need, as well as arrange those chunks within the overall program. The better organized your materials, the easier it will be for the student to navigate. Keep in mind that each module shouldn't exceed about 20 minutes. This equals about one hour of classroom-based training.

Navigation is another critical element of e-learning. Difficult navigation creates frustration and often encourages the student to leave the course (remember that "one click" escape). Setting up the navigation and look of the program is an important step and shouldn't be done without a lot of thought and testing. Trainersoft provides a template-based solution that includes the basic built-in navigation tools, but also allows you to customize or create your own navigation controls.

Storyboarding

One method for organizing your materials, particularly if you plan to include any games, is to create a storyboard of the complete program. Creating a storyboard involves simply drawing blocks on a page that represent the frames (pages/screens) of your course. This will help you visualize the sections of your program and identify kinks in the flow. Do this before you begin committing text to computer.

If you don't think a storyboard is necessary, at least create a good outline of the material. Any of these steps toward organization will speed up the process once you begin creating the course in its electronic format.

On the next page, we'll talk about integrating media into your course.

Once you have your outline and storyboard (or at least a cocktail napkin with your plan of attack written on it), begin to think about how to work interaction, animation, video and audio into your program.

Vary the presentation of information into formats that force different parts of the brain (or actually different neural systems) to go to work and store the information in the form of memory.

This can be done, for example, by presenting information in one form (e.g. text on the screen stating a fact), then including an audio or video clip of something related that fact, then using the information to help the student create his or her own visualization of the fact. This last step could come in the form of a quiz that asks questions forcing the student to use reasoning to combine the two facts in order to come up with the correct answer. Or, it could be turned into a game that takes the student through a process that draws into play the two related bits of information.

Trainersoft's tools were developed specifically to address the idea of creating courses using this infrastructure. This type of process helps the brain weave together those bits of information that were stored in different neural systems for better retention and recall of the information -- in other words, more effective training.

Incorporating text

Text isn't necessarily seen as multimedia, but it is an important element in e-learning. The problem with many e-learning programs is that the developers have simply taken their existing text-based teaching and put it on the computer screen. The interactivity of the program consists of reading text and then clicking on an arrow to proceed to the next page. You have to use some text, but you can do it responsibly. Keep it to no more than six lines per screen and intersperse it with other elements. Also, don't overdo your text animations.

Trainersoft allows you to have text appear and disappear, or simply move to another location on the screen, within pre-set time increments or upon a click or rollover of the mouse. Using this type of animation may make more sense in many training instances. For example, you might have an audio clip that ends with a question posed to the student. If the student doesn't respond within a set amount of time, text could pop up that gives a hint or instructs the student to do something else.

Trainersoft also includes a function that allows you to index all of the text within the course. This makes it easy for a student to search for specific terms or formulas without having to go back through every screen.

On the next page, we'll talk about incorporating video.

Incorporating audio

The power of audio may often be overlooked, but the combination of written and spoken words does have a big impact on recall and retention. To bring audio into your course with Trainersoft simply means dropping the clip onto the screen and setting its controls. The hard part is determining where to use audio, and knowing how much is too much. Audio, just like other media files, requires good bandwidth if you're producing a Web-based program. This screen from Trainersoft 7 shows the media controls you can set when incorporating audio into your program.

Incorporating video

A paper by Rachel Ellis and Mark Childs, published in the Journal of Educational Media in 1999, discussed the The Broadnet Project, which was a study on the effectiveness of video as a learning tool in online multimedia modules. Their conclusions and recommendations based on the analysis of comments and perceptions of the trainees and the producers were:

Building interactivity into the experience was also discussed. Having optional endings for scenes that the student can select based on the training they have had so far begins to incorporate some of the gaming aspects we discussed earlier. Students could go through portions of learning material, then begin a video story that they control through selecting actions that create a scenario. Their choices would be graded based on the correct actions.

For example, going back to our human resources manager example, the interview session could include three different choices for questions. When the student makes a selection, the video then plays out that scenario. They could progress until they chose incorrectly and had to face the consequences.

By relating to characters on the screen and being able to control their "destinies," students can learn from mistakes that would be too costly to make in the real world.

Trainersoft supports streaming media, which allows the student to see the video (or hear the audio) immediately. Rather than waiting for the complete file to download, the student hears it as it is "streamed" to his or her computer. This only applies to Web or intranet-based training. There are, however, hybrid possibilities that could include links to the Internet for streaming media or other training media. This might be beneficial if that portion of the training is likely to change and need updates frequently. By putting that portion of the training on the Web, updating the files is easier than recreating and distributing new CD-ROMs.

On the next page, we'll talk about using animation in your e-learning course.

Incorporating animation

Animated graphic elements are great to use in training. They're fun to watch, and can get a message across that words or audio (or even video in some instances) cannot. Animation is another element, however, that has to be used appropriately. While animations don't typically require the bandwidth that video does, they still can slow down a Web-based program.

Trainersoft provides some tools to aid in creating animations and even some video. SmartCap is a Trainersoft tool that can be used in software or other computer-screen-type training. It can capture a series of screen movements and export those movements to a video. For example, you could show how to select a specific menu, select the menu item, enter specific information and then see the effects on the screen. Each step, or action, is actually an image that would be converted into an animated video.

Click here to view an example of a video created with SmartCap. The example will open a second window in your browser. To return to this article close the example window.

You can animate almost any graphic image or text you put on the page. This can include buttons that play specific sounds when clicked, or even that change to another image when the mouse moves over them. This is known as a rollover. You've probably seen this type of effect on Web pages. Rollovers can actually do more than just alter an image -- they can bring in another path or choice for the student.

For example, suppose you're creating a game that requires the student to enter an office, find a specific document, then proceed to use the information within that document to perform some action. You can begin with a background photo of an office. Within the photo you could have several "hot spots" that have rollover effects. By moving the mouse over the file cabinet, the student might find a file he needs to proceed. The student can then click on that file, which would take him to the next screen, which shows the information in the file. By mousing over (or clicking) on something within that information, the student might find the key needed to move to the next step of the game.

The possibilities for animations and interactivity are only limited by your imagination.

Incorporating quizzes and tests

Interspersing the course with quizzes that pop up after material has been presented offers good feedback and reinforcement for learning. In most learning situations, the more immediate the feedback, the better -- it's the building effect of learning.

Inserting questions and quizzes using Trainersoft amounts to selecting "Question" from the "Insert" menu and then deciding what type of question you want it to be. Inserting multiple choice, multiple-multiple choice, true-or-false, matching or fill-in-the-blank questions is simple, and feedback can be given immediately after the question is answered. The feedback can be in the form of an audio response or text response.

The answers to these questions can be tracked and used to compute the student's final score and grade for the course. As a course administrator, you can look back and see any areas that caused difficulty and reassign those areas for additional training.

Here are some highlights of what we've discussed in this workshop, along with some additional notes and guidelines for developing your online learning adventures.

Now that we've discussed how to create an e-learning course, we'll talk about actually finding e-learning courses, starting with those offered by colleges.

E-learning has changed the college experience for many students. Rather than sitting through college courses and taking notes, tech-savvy Net Generation students are taking advantage of online classes and other forms of online learning. Schools are responding by looking at ways to combine the convenience of e-learning through online courses with traditional classes for a blended or hybrid approach.

Colleges have offered e-learning opportunities for longer than you may think. In 1983, Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., began offering online courses for credit. In 2006-2007, the school had 11,020 students enrolled in 863 credit-granting online courses ranging from nursing and law to computer science and oceanography [source: U.S. News E-Learning Guide and Nova Southwestern University].

While it may be one of the oldest, Nova Southeastern doesn't have the largest number of students taking online courses. The University of Phoenix topped the list in 2006-2007 with 196,140 students taking 770 online courses, followed by the University of Maryland-University College (UMUC) with 40,009 students in 691 courses [source: U.S. News E-Learning Guide].

Students at UMUC can either take traditional classes or, in many cases, sign up for an online class or opt to complete a degree online. These students also receive 24-hour library access and technical support. The flexibility of online classes has allowed some students to pursue studies under difficult circumstances.

A Tulane University senior, for instance, signed up for online classes at UMUC when Tulane closed temporarily after Hurricane Katrina. And, while stationed in Iraq, an Army captain has completed online classes toward an MBA at UMUC, which has served U.S. troops worldwide for 60 years [sources: University of Maryland University College and University of Maryland University College].

Even on campuses which focus less on e-learning, the technology has crept into everyday education. Nearly 20 percent of U.S. college students, or almost 3.5 million students in all, took at least one online course in fall 2006, according to a survey of 2,500 colleges by the Babson Survey Research Group and the Alfred P. Sloan Consortium.

The survey also shows that use of online courses grew by nearly 10 percent over a year earlier and has doubled over five years. Yet while 67 percent of higher education institutions provide online offerings, just one-third of these institutions account for 75 percent of online enrollments [source: The Sloan Consortium].

E-learning classes can be asynchronous, with instructor and students interacting occasionally via chat, messaging or e-mail, and work submitted online -- or synchronous, with students and the instructor online at the same time to communicate directly and share information. While testing for some classes is done online, schools often still want tests taken in person at a physical site to ensure security and the identity of the test taker [source: Software Secure].

Even traditional classes can have a touch of e-learning. The professor, for example, may offer podcasts of lectures that students can download and review, or an instructor may be available to answer questions immediately outside class via chat, text messaging or e-mail.

Go to the next page to learn more about how you can find and take e-learning courses.

E-learning is readily available, whether you're already taking college courses or not. Let's take a closer look at how you can find and take advantage of online learning opportunities like online classes. This e-learning process is easier than you may think.

If you're already enrolled at a college, the process is very easy. Just check your school's online course catalog to see which online courses you can take. If you're looking to enroll at a college or take some courses, there are plenty of online resources that you can access without leaving your home computer.

The U.S. News E-Learning Guide provides links to 2,800 colleges and universities with online courses, and eLearners.com offers information to online learners, connecting them to 169 schools offering online learning.

Both sites can help you learn more about online learning -- and both offer interactive searches allowing you to see what courses or subject areas are available online from which schools. You could, for example, search for all online degrees or courses offered at George Washington University, or you could search for any school offering online nursing courses.

As you hunt for a school, you'll want to avoid so-called "diploma mills" that award worthless degrees. How can you recognize these organizations? Here are some suggestions from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission:

[source: Federal Trade Commission].

Once you've selected a course and school, make sure you have the required technology. For an online class at the University of Massachusetts, for example, you'll need a personal computer with 256 MB RAM, an Internet connection (with DSL or broadband cable) and an e-mail account [source: University of Massachusetts].

Also check the school's Web site for information about what you can expect in an online class. UMassOnline courses, for example, include exercises, projects and collaborative assignments. They feature audio lectures, photo materials, discussions, chat rooms, readings, illustrations and video conferencing. You interact with the professor and other students primarily through e-mail and online forums. At schools including UMassOnline and UMUC, you can even "test drive" a sample online course from the school Web site.

Finally, you'll need to register, which you usually can do online. But keep in mind that online classes generally follow the same schedule as the school's traditional classes. If you decide to take a class in October, for example, you'll need to check available classes and wait to register at the right time for the winter or spring session.

Net Generation students know e-learning goes beyond the personal computer. Keep reading to learn about e-learning opportunities that use MP3 players, smartphones, podcasts or blogs.

Think of e-learning and you probably envision students using computers to take online classes. But online learning can be much more than simply studying on a laptop in a dorm room. Today's e-earning tools go beyond computers to include MP3 players, podcasts, blogs and more. Let's see how these forms of e-learning technology are being used.

Net generation students are well versed in technology, often arriving on campus adept at communicating by text message, e-mail and message board and armed with laptops, MP3 players, smartphones and PDAs. Many have years of experience with online social networks, blogging and downloading music and video. They're looking to apply their technology and skills to learning, and schools are finding ways to meet those needs with online courses and hybrids that bring new technology to traditional teaching.

Yes, these students can take online classes on their personal computers, but they also can:

[source: EDUCAUSE].

Students are well versed in the mobile technology that has become part of e-learning, while professors know the subject matter well but are less experienced with new technology. The challenge for colleges and universities is bringing the two together. And students may be the more ready group.

A 2006 study of students and faculty at the University of Texas at Brownsville University found that, based on the mobile devices they owned and how they used them, 94 percent of the students surveyed -- but only 60 percent of surveyed faculty -- were ready for mobile learning.

The researchers used the definition of mobile learning as the intersection of mobile computing (the application of small, portable and wireless computing and communication devices) and e-learning. They predicted increased emphasis on mobile learning and urged professors to work e-learning elements into even traditional courses, starting by making content and information accessible from students' computers and phones [source: EDUCAUSE].

As the Net Generation graduates and as technology advances, e-learning is finding a home beyond schools and on campuses. Through Web conferences and Web seminars, for example, companies are using e-learning to train employees, keep stakeholders aware of company initiatives and help consumers learn to use the products they've bought.

For more information about e-learning and related topics, check out the links on the next page.