Isn’t eLearning supposed to be the most engaging way to train staff? Then why isn’t my eLearning working? These are questions that all staff trainers, at some point in time, have asked themselves. Regardless if your company is large or small there are common problems and missteps that pop up when creating and distributing your eLearning content.
Let’s explore five reasons that your current eLearning isn’t working, and the solutions to solve them!
1. Your lessons should be shorter
It’s no secret that the way we process information has changed. With social media being more widely used in our day-to-day we’re used to short snappy content that’s easy to understand and tells us something in a concise manner. So, the same theory should apply to eLearning content as well. You don’t want to risk your staff losing interest, or feel like they’re reading an instruction manual. Make sure your eLearning is concise and telling your staff what they need to know, removing any unnecessary information.
2. You should be using more videos
Think about the last time you wanted to learn how to do something, odds are you went to YouTube and watched a video on it. So why should your eLearning be any different? Videos show your staff the real-world application of the skill you want them to learn and keeps them engaged in your content. It’s also a great way to let students learn at their own pace. They can pause, rewind and re-watch any information they want, at any time.
3. Is this what they should be learning right now?
How relevant is the training that you’re delivering to your staff? You could have created the best course in the world, but if that course doesn’t add value to your staff’s roles, or development, then why should they engage with it? You should be creating training that’s specific to your staff’s needs and adds value to their day-to-day. Remember that they can always learn something in the future, concentrate on the now.
4. Your courses need to be engaging
Embrace variety and make your content a joy to read, watch and play with. Don’t just use text, place images and videos in your courses as well. Engage your staff using quizzes, surveys and games to make it feel like less of a chore and more like a fun learning experience. When your training is fun and light-hearted, it helps your staff to better digest and learn that information. Reducing the risk of them losing interest and leaving the training.
5. Learning is a two-way street
The simple answer of how to know if your eLearning is working? Ask your staff. Its sounds simple, but it’s often an overlooked step. If your staff isn’t interested in, or feels disconnected from your training, then it explains why they’re not engaging with it. Send out surveys, quizzes and polls to find out what it is that your staff really wants to learn. Track your training to see what type of training works and what doesn’t. Finally, make sure that how what you’re providing it truly useful, engaging and easy to understand and retain.