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Packaged E-Learning: What You Are Buying
By Nancy L. Bartlett and Brandon Hall
In an excerpt of their report "The Cost of E-Learning Packaged Courses," researchers Bartlett and Hall present a tool that can help you define some of the features, components, and issues to consider when buying e-learning courses.
Like other training delivery options, e-learning can fill multiple roles in an organization's and individual's training and development plan. It can
- provide access to broad learning opportunities for your employees
- provide comprehensive content coverage of a specific topic
- be closely aligned with your performance development plans or business objectives, or be a just-in-time, just-what's-needed learning resource for a global workforce
- take the form of self-paced and self-directed training
- be instructor-facilitated, instructor-led, or asynchronous
- prepare learners for certifications, be a source of content review, or provide preparation for instructor-led training.
These different purposes result in multiple course-delivery options, instructional-design methodologies, and diverse course elements and e-learning features. Here's a quick look at some of the features, components, and issues to consider (and questions to ask) when buying off-the-shelf e-learning courses:
Courses Content coverage
- Course duration ranges from 30 minutes to 20-plus hours.
- Library sizes range from 17 to 1000-plus courses.
- Curricula range from 2 to 100-plus titles.
- Some vendors chunk content into modules, addressing fundamental, intermediate, and advanced skills separately, while others have complete coverage of a topic within one course.
- For IT and desktop software training, some courses merely show sample screens, while others run the actual application with the training as a seamless component.
- Some vendors offer courses in multiple languages.
Instructional design: questions to ask
- Are access and course segments learner-driven?
- Is there integration of content and look-and-feel across the vendor's e-learning curriculum?
- Does the course require integration with other training formats, such as instructor-led training (ILT)?
- Is it self-paced, instructor-led, or facilitated?
- Does the course contain a variety of teaching elements for different learning styles?
- Is the course designed to provide multilayered learning--students can drill down for more details on any topic, move to a related concept, or jump to a different section?
Interactivity
- case studies
- tests
- simulations--can vary in the degree of complexity and interactivity. (There are two families of simulations: One emphasizes quantitative business decision-making, while the other stresses qualitative business issues and benchmarking.)
Media options
- text and graphics
- animation
- audio (music, sound, narration)
- video
- low- and high-bandwidth versions, giving the buyer the ability to select an appropriate version for their network
- ability to read user's system and automatically run the appropriate media version.
Assessments and testing
- pre- and postcourse assessments
- multiple-paths branching and testing
- nongraded topical practice tests
- graded topical tests to track progress
- final exam
- simulations
- automatic adjustment of the table of contents or creation of a customized curriculum based on student assessment results
- sample certification test questions for IT certification courses
- integration with internal development plans, such as linkage to a multirater feedback mechanism.
Mentoring and content supportMentors and tutors provide educational assistance to learners. One-to-one support via email or telephone may
- give students direction upon notification of assessment results
- respond to content questions
- remind a student when they haven't participated
- provide certification coaching or assist students in course selections
- help learners apply course material to a specific job, including posttraining.
Mentor group support
- Discussion boards. Mentors respond to learner content questions via public discussion boards.
- Chats. Mentor-facilitated chat rooms run on an ongoing or periodic basis.
Things to consider
- Mentor qualifications. Mentor or tutor qualifications run the gamut from vendor-certified instructors (MCSE-certified tutors, for example), to subject matter experts, to vendor staff.
- Accessibility. Some tutors are exclusively online via email; others have telephone hours. Some vendors mentor the entire class via discussion boards only. Other vendors allow each student unlimited emails to a mentor.
- Response time. Responses to questions can range from hours to days. Beware of vendors that don't have response-time requirements.
CollaborationCollaborative tools allow learners to work with others synchronously or asynchronously via email, threaded discussions, or chat. In some cases, collaboration is used to create an opportunity for team-based projects.
- Moderated discussion groups. Where students and instructors can collaborate on course-related materials or assignments in an asynchronous environment.
- Real-time synchronous chat. Allows learners to communicate with their peers and instructors.
- Students can send email from the classroom to other students or instructors.
Things to consider
- Is the collaboration structured or informal?
- Who's responsible for monitoring? Does an online trainer, subject matter expert, or other learner answer student questions? Can your company provide designated employees who respond to inquiries?
- Are synchronous activities archived for later retrieval for review or to meet the needs of students unable to attend?
- Do you want the option of group training?
Implementation services and feesTraining implementation: Does the training administrator receive support in implementing the vendor's product? Are there any fees associated with support services or products?
Technical implementation: When calculating the cost of e-learning, be sure to include any fees for technical products or services, such as the impact of hosting (Internet, intranet, extranet, or third-party hosting) and plug-ins.
Technical requirements: Most e-learning courses have standard end-user minimum requirements, such as
- for Windows computers: Pentium processor or better
- for Macintosh computers: PowerPC preferred
- network connection
- Web browser.
In addition, other courses require the following:
- audio (sound card and speakers)
- video support
- specialized browser plug-ins.
Technical support: All vendors provide technical support, however, the quality and features cover a broad spectrum.
Things to consider
- Is the implementation support for IT, training administrators, and end-users?
- How long does the support service last? What support is provided after training?
- What's the support staff's expertise?
- What's the support staff's accessibility?
- Will you use FAQs, email, chat, discussion boards, telephone?
- Is help available 24/7 or only 9-5 EST?
- Is there a toll-free customer service line?
- Does it offer unlimited access?
Learning tracking systemDo learners receive guidance on where they are, where they have been, and where they are going?
Sample features
- bookmarks in courses
- record of courses completed
- curriculum path or course recommendations
- recordkeeping of certification requirements
- desktop file managers to organize job aids and keep them available for immediate access.
Tracking and reportingAlmost all e-learning options contain some tracking and reporting, ranging from vendor-generated monthly reports, to customized, detailed, immediate, and online customer-run reports.
Things to consider
- Check for integration with existing systems.
- Check whether the system will track third-party and internally developed courses.
- Check for additional fees associated with these features.
CustomizationCustomization can range from putting your company's logo on an introduction page to allowing your organization to change, add, or delete content. Some customization may be included in the basic price, with other custom services carrying additional fees. It's another issue to consider when buying e-learning.
ResourcesExamples
- product recommendations to extend or support training (CD-ROMs, books, videos, and so forth)
- link to an e-commerce site to purchase additional support material
- Internet connection to special servers to perform exercises
- how-to guides
- job aids (worksheets and checklists, for example)
- search tool to access reference material, sample code, and tips to apply to coding projects.
Things to consider
- Are there additional fees?
- Are job aids customizable? Can an organization add its own documents?
- Do students have access to the resources after the training? In what format? For how long?
- What's the quality and quantity of job aids?
Customer relationship servicesA number of vendors are creating learning communities that extend the relationship with the learner beyond the traditional training boundaries. Check for additional fees.
Examples for users
- An alumni-club area for students to find out about recent technical updates, ask questions, and keep in touch with other students. There is no charge for use of the alumni club, and students are automatically enrolled in it after completing a course.
- Access to a resource for updates and other news about the certifications that students have achieved.
Example for training administrators: An area that provides educational resources and white papers on innovations in the training industry and in instructional design principles.
Some words on numbers Because pricing models and corresponding price points mirror evolving product offerings, it's inappropriate to present an average price for packaged e-learning courses. Despite the fact that there's no average price, you'll find price ranges within course delivery models.
Knowing the actual price points of products will make you a better informed consumer when working with other e-learning vendors. In general, the larger your learner population, the more courses, and the longer the contract, the lower the price. Also be cognizant of the challenge of determining a course's duration--another key factor in comparing pricing. The time it takes a person to complete a course depends on his or her time commitment, information retention, reading skills, motivation level, and prior experience with the topic and online education.
Finally, when comparing and contrasting vendor offerings, you should factor in other alternatives, from internally developed courses, to third-party training management systems, to outsourcing components such as mentoring or technical support.
Published: October 2000 |