Rapid E-Learning Guide (EN) by Digital Knowledge

Rapid e-Learning

This Rapid e-Learning Guide has been prepared as a part of the “Rapid e-Learning Master” project co-financed under Erasmus+, a European Union programme. THE CONSORTIUM INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF:

›› Fundacja Obserwatorium Zarządzania (FOZ, Poland) ›› HIC Slovakia ›› Nowoczesna Firma S.A. (NF, Poland) ›› TREBAG (Hungary) AUTHORS:

›› Reinhold Hofmann (HIC Slovakia) ›› Nóra Kövesd (Trebag) ›› Anna Linda Orosz (Trebag) ›› Piotr Maczuga (FOZ) ›› Marta Mazur (FOZ) ›› Justyna Dobaj (NF) ›› Karolina Sikorska (NF) ISBN: 978-83-63481-84-1

Warsaw 2015 Rapid e-Learning Master

CONTENTS

1. 2. 3. 4.

INTRODUCTION 6 RAPID E-LEARNING

2.1 Definition and Concept

2.1.1 Fast Development of Learning Content

2.1.2 Fast Capture of Learning Content

2.2 Advantages of having REL in Business Life

2.3 Best practices – good examples

2.3.1 How to Integrate Gamification into e-learning

TRAINING SCENARIOS

3.1 Learning Effectiveness

3.2 Motivation and Learning Scenarios

3.3 Rapid e-Learning Types

3.4 Learning Scenarios

3.5 Conclusions

HOW TO IMPLEMENT RAPID E-LEARNING IN YOUR COMPANY 31 4.1 Step 1: Specify the current situation and future plans

4.2 Step 2: Plan your environment

4.3 Step 3: Build your Content

4.4 Step 4: Learning process

4.5 Step 5: Analyse and improve

4.6 Step 6: Train next rapid e-learning experts

1. INTRODUCTION

We are living in the era of “Knowledge Society”, in which enormous changes are happening in education. The “Rapid e-Learning Master” project attempts to meet those challenges. What is rapid e-learning? Let’s try to divide up the term into parts to better understand it: Firstly, it is rapid. The intention is to spend no more than three weeks’ time to prepare and conduct the course, and the learning experience is rapid, since the time learners’ need to obtain new skills/ know-how can be reduced (in fact the latter aspect is more applicable). Second, there is “e”. The learning experience is based on the use of electronic media. Third, there is learning. As a result of participants being exposed to the e-learning experience, they will have improved their skills or obtained more knowledge. The aim of the project is to develop a methodology and guide for the effective realization of rapid e-learning courses in SMEs and big companies. Rapid e-learning is based on short training modules conducted using dedicated tools. It responds to a growing demand to provide more relevant and attractive learning opportunities for companies. The compact structure of rapid e-learning modules makes the process of learning easier. Knowledge is provided in small doses and the content is concrete. From the user’s perspective, he deals with a more flexible model of learning (in contrast to classic e-learning, where there are dozens or even hundreds presentation screens). It’s also easier for the user to find time to develop necessary competencies. Thanks to rapid e-learning implementation, employee efficiency could increase substantially. The challenge, however, is the proper preparation and implementation of these solutions in the company. The Guide is a combination of general textbook content and a guidebook for SMEs, big companies, trainers and coaches, which has been designed as a summary of the practical aspects of rapid e-learning. It presents data and knowledge in a graphic form, making it easy to search, understand and memorize. If a reader wants to know more about a subject, he or she can consult the methodology for a more profound analysis.

The Guide consists of 3 main parts:

1. 2. 3.

Information about rapid e-learning Training scenarios How to implement rapid e-learning in your company

The last part is the one where you will find a clear and useful path which will lead you through the complete process of implementing rapid e-learning in your organization.

2. RAPID E-LEARNING

While everybody seems to be familiar with the concepts of e-learning, at least in Eastern Europe, the concept of rapid e-learning is new.

2.1 DEFINITION AND CONCEPT There is no generally agreed definition for rapid e-learning within the community – and the term doesn’t exist on the English version of Wikipedia. The German version of Wikipedia does have the reference.1 Initially, rapid e-learning was used to describe the fast development of course materials. Nowadays, a second aspect has been linked to it: the fast grasp of information, often supplied by “mini-takes”, small learning modules (e.g. a youtube video, a 5-15 min learning sequence referencing “how-to” elements or “what is” explanations. For this Guide, in support of the ”Rapid e-Learning Master” project, we will focus on both elements: 1. Fast development of learning content 2. Fast capture of learning content

2.1.1 FAST DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING CONTENT It is quite normal. The more effort you put into something, the better the outcome will be. Within the framework of REL (rapid e-learning), you do not have the comfort of spending a lot of time preparing the training material. Actually, we need to find the possibilities to reduce traditional effort by up to 90% (one hour of training requires 10 hours of preparation!). For REL, our task is: no more than 1 hour of preparation for 1 hour of delivered training. Can that work? Yes it can, but we have to change the traditional training approach. 1. Professional Trainers become moderators of Training Content. As such, they do not have to study the subject matter to become entirely familiar with it; they will have assistance from content matter experts, who might, e.g. prepare sample scenarios. 2. The new generation of e-learning products and tools make it easier and faster for trainers to design and develop courses. For an experienced trainer it is not difficult to design a course/workshop schedule within a short time frame. Then, the experts will plug-in the content. 3. An REL course needs to be maintained, especially since these learning modules will often be used for an ever-changing environment (e.g. Software Packages). The responsibility for content quality will be with the experts, not the trainer! 1 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_E-Learning

2.1.2 FAST CAPTURE OF LEARNING CONTENT Actually, this is not a new concept. It has been tried for many years, but technical possibilities were limited. In order to help learners to capture the content quickly, we need to apply a few elements of adult psychology. 1. Adults like to learn by doing; they don’t like to just be “told”. (Actually, this applies to children, too!) 2. Adults must grasp why they need the knowledge, i.e., “If you cannot deal with this new approach, you will be out of a job.” 3. Adults learn better by having fun. 4. Adults lose interest if the content is boring – or, if they already know it. Consequently, the REL approach to fast learning must contain: a. Modularized learning elements for the learner to choose what he/she actually needs to learn. This can also be done by first testing for the knowledge, before the principles are explained. If the test is successful, the learner might be able to skip the module. b. Interactive elements, to engage the learner and to encourage participation. These can be tests, games, quizzes, screen-forms of an SW application, etc. One additional interactive possibility is with webinars, where the trainer (and possibly one or more experts) are available online to deal with learners’ questions or concerns. For longer rapid e-learning cycles, a chat possibility with a guaranteed feedback timeslot can help to create an interactive solution. c. Attractive courseware. There are many tips on how to prepare meaningful and attractive slides. Modern course development software (e.g. Storyline) often comes with hundreds of predefined templates, motion figures, etc. d. Use of multimedia. There is nothing better than a short video highlighting a specific course aspect. For REL courses, these videos do not have to have studio quality. Very often amateur-video quality will be sufficient to make the point! And it can be short. REL software has possibilities to integrate “youtube” clips, as well as your own.

2.2 ADVANTAGES OF HAVING REL IN BUSINESS LIFE In the business environment, where change happens very quickly, it is of utmost importance to spend money for training and learning wisely. RELM offers the framework for the availability of up-to-date training content at a very moderate cost. There is a major move in the business community towards e-learning due to the increasing difficulty of commuting relevant employees to a specific place for traditional face-to-face training.

On top of this benefit, REL also offers major cost savings with respect to the creation of relevant e-learning modules by using appropriate rapid e-learning tools. REL even goes one step further: we offer guidelines and possibilities for making it easier for the learner to comprehend the offered content in a shorter period of time. To sum up, there are several pros of having REL in business life:

›› Development of staff’s skills ›› Lower preparation cost compared to ”classic“ e-learning solutions ›› Time saving ›› Greater competitiveness of the company ›› Increase in company‘s innovation ›› Minimization of loss of business opportunities in the company ›› Better flow of knowledge within the company ›› The compact structure of rapid learning modules makes the process of learning easier ›› Improvements in internal communication ›› Increase in the flexibility of enterprise management

2.3 BEST PRACTICES – GOOD EXAMPLES

SCENARIO

SALES SUPPORT FOR TRAVELLING SALES PEOPLE Travelling Sales People normally have many different products in their portfolio, and they may not always be fully up-todate on the functionality or major selling points of these products.

A product-oriented database of e-learning modules for their products can be a help for these sales people, especially if abbreviated (rapid) modules also exist for customers to be used as a walk-through item during sales discussions.

SCENARIO

USING RAPID E-LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION At SGGW, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, they are using rapid e-learning SW for faster creation of presentations and other materials for students. According to their summary presentation,2 they now have more than 120 interactive e-learning lectures, and it is growing.

Analysis of learnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities and their overall learning progress

4 Manage learners and course content within a LMS SW package

3 2

Quick and easy creation of the course content

1 2 Rapid e-learning w szkolnictwie wyĹźszym, M.Rusinek

Design the course to be attractive for students

With the Articulate package, existing .ppt slides were enhanced and transformed into an e-learning solution. They used a four-step approach: 1ST IMPROVEMENT: Control Questions After the first analysis it became clear that many students didn’t go through the whole course. Therefore, as a corrective action, the Authors were asked to generate ”control questions” which students have to answer. 2ND IMPROVEMENT: Lecturer Access In order to improve the learning experience, the students now have the possibility to approach their lecturer with questions via e-mail while taking the course. 3RD IMPROVEMENT: Timing After a few trials it became clear that students need a timing challenge to really make a meaningful learning effort. Therefore, it is helpful for learners to know about time constraints. For SGGW, the benefits of using REL at their university can be summarized as follows: Benefits for University, Lecturer and Students University

Saves money

Lectures can be given from remote locations

Lecturer

Saves time

Lecturer needs to spend less time

Student

Increase in skills

Better student results than with traditional approach

SCENARIO

EDU-GAME FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Szigetnyi Tudás,3 or Island of Knowledge, is a nationally accredited, award winning edugame for secondary schools. There are 3 main categories: enterprise, agricultural enterprise and consumer protection. In this edu-game there are some games which are based on Prezi. Prezi is suitable, because it is free (there is a company package, but it is not free), easy to use, dynamic, public, has some built-in templates and can be saved, for example, in a PPT or youtube video. Here is an example:

(It is not a simple quiz, this exercise is a little bit complex.)

Firstly, the learner watches a short prezi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKSin4-X4UI&feature=youtu.be.

And at the and he/she gets feedback about the individual results.

After that, he/she gets quizzes/exercises about the videos.

In the education part, a training material/presentation combined with some exercises can be a good and effective solution.

3 http://szigetnyitudas.hu/jatek

SCENARIO

DEVELOP DECISION-MAKING SKILLS

This is e-learning material for SME managers in the shipping sector to develop their decision-making skills.4 There are 6 topics: creativity, decision-making, communication, ICT-skills, business plan and corporate entrepreneurship. It is available in different languages.

At the end, there is a quiz where the learners can check their knowledge.

Since this has been developed to be used by mobile devices, theÂ training materials and the videos are short.

4 http://mroad.nsinfo.hu

SCENARIO

SCENARIO BASED LEARNING

How to use real-life cases to better engage people in the learning process? The link below provides a very good description of a concrete case, please visit it. SOURCE: http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2011/10/ how-to-create-a-memorable-mini-scenario/ Background info: Memories are contextual. School activities that draw out emotions, i.e. simulations, role playing, and cooperative projects, may provide important contextual memory prompts that will help students recall the information during closely related events in the real world. This is why we tend to practice fire drills in an unannounced, emotionally charged setting; in the event of a real fire, students will have to perform in that kind of setting. SCENARIO

BUILD LEARNING ON THE BASIS OF EMOTIONS

Good examples are here: http://www.smartinsights.com/online-pr/ viral-marketing/creating-emotional-viral-content/ The link is on a 2013 study led by Associate Professor of Emerging Media and Communication, Rosanna E. Gudagno, which looked at the factors which caused YouTube videos to go viral. In line with

the 2010 study referenced above, this research team concluded that a video was much more likely to be shared in cases where it aroused emotions in participants, whether positive or negative. This study also found that videos that resulted in high levels of human emotion had a tendency to be shared, whether participants viewed them positively or negatively mattered little in this regard; what mattered was that they had an overwhelming emotional attachment to the content, one way or the other. Background info: We know emotion is important in education, as it drives attention, which in turn drives learning and memory. But because we don’t fully understand our emotional system, we don’t know exactly how to regulate it in school, beyond defining too much or too little emotion as misbehavior. We have rarely incorporated emotion comfortably into the curriculum and classroom. Further, our profession hasn’t fully addressed the important relationship between a stimulating and emotionally positive classroom experience and the overall health of both students and staff. Source : http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct94/vol52/num02/How-Emotions-Affect-Learning.aspx

2.3.1 HOW TO INTEGRATE GAMIFICATION INTO E-LEARNING Gamification can improve the learning process, so it can support rapid e-learning! Simply put, gamification is the application of gaming elements and techniques to e-learning content in an effort to make it more engaging and fun. In other words, you use gaming elements to motivate learners to explore and learn. What are gaming elements or gaming mechanics?5 They are things like:

›› rules ›› narratives ›› levels ›› scores ›› time constraints 5 Nicole Legault: blog on Gamification; https://community.articulate.com/articles/why-use-gamification-e-learning

which can be incorporated into your rapid e-learning. There are a few advantages to “gamifying” your courses—let’s take a look at how these relate to e-learning: Capture Learner Interest Fact: Most people love games! Because games are fun, it’s exactly why you should incorporate gaming elements into your courses. Capture your learners’ interest with gaming techniques such as the use of narrative, interactivity and player control. Using a story with characters and a plot will hook your learners and make them want to find out what happens. Allowing for discovery piques your learners’ curiosity and encourages them to click around and discover your course content. Using these types of gaming elements, you can capture your learner and draw them into the course content, as opposed to just clicking the “next” button for more bullet points. Increase Engagement & Retention Once you’ve captured your learners’ interest, you want to keep them engaged. How? By constantly having them think and make decisions. Use gaming aspects to help achieve these goals: try a time-constraint to make learners think and react quickly to a question. Or, offer rewards and an opportunity to gain bonus points for questions answered correctly. These types of techniques require a learner to interact with the course content, which increases their engagement. And it goes without saying that the more interested and engaged your learners are, the more content they’ll retain when they’re back on the job! Promote Healthy Competition Competition is a natural and healthy human instinct. And gamification can be a great way to spur some competition, either amongst employees or even just against themselves. The gaming technique of continuous play, or allowing learners to keep trying over and over, encourages a learner to compete against themselves and improve their own score. Some companies use leaderboards, rankings, or badge systems for employees to show how well they’re doing in their online training. Of course, you always want to approach these types of ideas carefully and be wary of showing personal scores or of making those with the lowest scores feel badly. That aside, a dose of healthy competition can push most people to perform well. All in all, there are so many gamification techniques from which to choose (one really great article to read is Gamification Techniques: How to Apply Them to E-Learning), and they can be really beneficial to the learner by making them feel like they’re having fun while learning. And if you can achieve that, then I’d say you’ve achieved success in your role!

3. TRAINING SCENARIOS

As training delivery methods have a direct impact on effectiveness and cost benefits for the organisation, we had better look for the answers to the question: Which program is the best for the case?

LEARNING PYRAMID

We suggest thorough consideration of learning effectiveness and motivation aspects.

3.1 LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS 5%

The Learning Pyramid, created by the American National Training Laboratories, illustrates how different learning outcomes can be anticipated depending on the various ways of learning.

10%

RAT

There are 3 Common E-Learning Scenarios which promise different outcomes, depending on the utilized tools and methods:

Audiovisual

RET

30%

Demonstration

50%

Discussion

ENT STU D AVE RAG E

The result percentage may show rather low, but in some cases it’s not necessary to aim at in-depth knowledge. E.g. obligatory training elements, review or refresh former trainings, circulating information, etc.

ENT

›› reading or audiovisual materials can lead to approximately 20%

learning effectiveness; ›› effectiveness can be higher, up to 30%, if combined with online demonstrations (e.g. videos, pictures, asynchronous webinars);

20%

Reading

ION

1. Individual rapid e-learning

Lecture

75%

90% Source: National Training Laboratories, Bethel, Maine

Practice doing Teach others/ immediate use

2. Asynchronous rapid e-learning

›› participants can individually contact the coach using a forum, chat or electronic mail

›› the possibility of discussion about the topic provides a great contribution to information processing; it increases learning effectiveness to approximately 50%.

MOBILE LEARNING

3. Synchronous and blended learning

›› in both cases learners have the chance for online or face to face

group discussions, thus sharing views and getting feedback more actively. Cooperation among peers, e.g. group tasks, provides an opportunity to put the learned material into practice and can raise the learning effectiveness to even 75% ›› from cooperation, common tasks and co-learning (online or offline), many occasions arise to explain views and experiences to peers. In such situations, students switch between ‘student’ and ‘teacher’ functions. They become teachers for a while themselves. This fosters the deepest information aquisition, increasing the effectiveness of learning to 90%. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education published a meta-analysis report comparing the effectiveness of classroom learning, individual e-learning and blended learning methods. The study concludes that “blended instruction has been more effective. When used by itself, online learning appears to be as effective as conventional classroom instruction, but not more so.” (Means at al., 2010)

BLENDED LEARNING METHODOLOGY

ONLINE LEARNING

CLASSROOM LEARNING

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blended_learning

3.2 MOTIVATION AND LEARNING SCENARIOS Rapid e-learning’s ‘dose it short’ content policy is attractive for its easy fit into work days and allows for learning based on an individual’s pace. Still, this is not necessarily enough to motivate people. Take into consideration that studying individually tends to create a feeling of isolation.

›› it’s useful to bring social elements into the learning scenario through the combination of individual and synchronous/asynchronous ways

of learning. Massive open online learning (MOOC) and rapid e-learning can offer immediate communication by using web technology facilitators (email, chat, video conferencing, etc). ›› a more learner-centered, blended approach can combine the advantages of both online and offline learning channels and inspires learners to participate in online classes more actively as they have the opportunity to meet their peers virtually or in real life. Colin and Moonen (2001) defined blended learning as “a hybrid of traditional face-to-face and online learning so that instruction occurs both in the classroom and online, and where the online component becomes a natural extension of traditional classroom learning”. (Colis & Moonen, 2001 cited in Rovai & Jordan, 2004, p.3 ). HINTS AND TIPS FOR MOTIVATION Extrinsic motivators can be helpful and should be used, but alone they do not bring enough drive into the learning process. There are great means to turn rapid e-learning into a motivating challenge. This move is crucial, as learning proves to be more effective when motivation comes from the learner intrinsically:

›› driven by curiosity, ›› important needs (of which the learner is aware of and what the training promises to cover), ›› activating challenges (not too difficult and not too easy, but tempting enough) ›› realistic, practical simulations, scenario based-learning (SBL); situations are taken from real life and connections between learning and application are stronger

›› emotions, if used well, can be helpful in learning. How does it happen? For example, if you tell a story using a video in which a character shows strong emotions, it will make the story more realistic and familiar and the learner will remember its content better.

›› When creating rapid e-learning content, it’s good to apply open innovation, or a ‘Learning Lab’ method. This means that representatives of end-users are also involved in the development process from the very beginning. They help to shape the content into real needs, thus ensuring the usefulness of the material. Besides, they can give excellent scenario ideas, based on their own experiences.

›› From brain studies, we also know that mini scenarios and ’dose it short’ contents favor the learning process of younger generations (Y, Z),

and we can exploit that knowledge in rapid e-learning. The internet generation is used to more multitasking and switching rapidly between different tasks than former generations. Their information processing is hyper textual, compared to the more linear thinking mode of older adults. This implies that they can better focus their attention on ‘mini-contents’ or mini-scenarios. LEARNING MANAGEMENT IN COMPANY ENVIRONMENTS INTRINSIC MOTIVATORS

EXTRINSIC MOTIVATORS

Goal of the training – covers important need in a realistic way

In-house marketing – specifying why it is good for the employees to take it, and what the aim of the course is.

Professional approach combined with spice- generates flow – e.g. humour/gamification/scenarios

Learning awards, course certifications, acknowledgements

Well-proportioned quantity – rapid lessons – mini scenarios

Obligation – setting a time frame for the course completion

Represents reasonable challenge

Rewards

Inspires competition – e.g. introducing simple gamification elements Alternative from the usual work processes (switch off from into the learning process, like points – badges – leader boards the daily routine) Promising benefits of gained skills – e.g. more effective and easier customer care, less stress, happier workdays

In-house training promotion – specifying ‘dose it short’ content policy (e.g., RL; BL) – easier to fit it into the workday

Inspires curiosity Team building – social interactions – visibility Moving emotions

3.3 RAPID E-LEARNING TYPES The authors of the Guide recommend rapid e-learning as it is a more effective type of e-learning and can also be used in blended learning. We can distinguish the kinds of rapid e-learning training as follows: 1. Individual learning – without the presence of a expert/trainer. The participants pass the entire course at a place and time selected by them. This type of training requires a lot of motivation and independence from the participants. The participants do not contact one another and the expert only prepares the materials. 2. Asynchronous learning – the participants can contact the trainer/expert, but they do not have to be online at the same time. Usually, they communicate using a forum, chat or electronic mail. The basic benefits of this type of education include: ›› the possibility of learning at a freely selected place – for example, the trainer and the participant can each work from home ›› flexibility – all materials are available after logging in from any device and from any place with Internet access ›› the possibility to think over the subject and discuss any doubts – because the coach can be contacted ›› low costs – dependant on the level of content advancement and the entire system – however, they are significantly lower than traditional training forms 3. Synchronous learning – the trainer and the participants have to be active at the same time. This model is the most similar to traditional trainings, but takes place in virtual space and not in a training room. The benefits of such solution include: ›› interaction with the trainer and other participants in real time ›› possibility of working individually or in a group ›› possibility of presenting materials during the discussion ›› possibility of monitoring work of the participants 4. Blended learning – a combination of courses conducted through the Internet with traditional training in a training room. After selecting the type of the training and answering the above questions, proper tools should be selected and then creation of the training may begin.

Some trainings, like communication, inter-generation, innovation, web 2.0, soft-skills or negotiations and sales training, require a face-to-face component. With the solo rapid e-learning scenario, such training wouldn’t have a true impact. In the case where the learning goal is to gain knowledge, which

›› Is deeper, more elaborate, long-lasting, ›› should be put into practice or transferred to new situations, ›› builds on practical skills, then the recommended training scenario utilizes:

›› a classroom environment to conduct exercises and interactions. The offline classes give an opportunity to put the material learned online

into practice by project work or to inspire further associations and deepen the information processing by sharing opinions about the topics.

›› short e-courses, which can be created to help learners prepare a background for the lesson before they come to class.

Far from traditional learning, blended learning trainers need to be able to function in ‘amphibian mode’, which means managing individual and group learning processes both online and offline. They must:

›› evaluate, analyse and summarize online data ›› act as a mentor during the online learning process ›› be available for answering questions and giving feedback regarding the online learning process ›› use tests and other assessment tools (individually – e-learning/REL, and in groups – F2F) during the training course and actively build on the results

›› flexibly shape and tailor the face-to-face lessons to the needs identified during testing and assessment ›› give instructions and guidance at different levels (individual, group, class) ›› have wide and deep knowledge of the course content ›› adapt the learning methodology to students’ profiles and needs ›› manage the class in an effective way, give the needed time, attention and support to each student ›› help and guide students on how to find information and answers, or to ask the right questions in order to receive the right answers ›› have plans and strategies to keep students on-task and hold their interest As we can see, the trainer’s role is quite complex when it’s about helping students to move beyond the automatic use of rote responses, in order to transfer the knowledge to new situations. This requires a skilled trainer and the training design should be adapted to the group in the case of each training course.

3.4 LEARNING SCENARIOS SCENARIO 1: Individual rapid e-learning Enables learning whenever and wherever convenient. We already have the license?

Just (rapid) e-learning (scenario 1)

Finalize

Open source? Needs investment? System identification/ structure creation (HR/training department) Learner

Feedback (standard)

Server

Computer/mobile device Expert

Content study Internet

Content creator

Uploading

End

Test

Updating

Creative writer Content creation

Needed inputs:

›› learner ›› content creator – creative writer, expert ›› responsible for content maintenance At the first step, they have to identify the system to use (but this step is needed only the first time). There is significant difference between e-learning and rapid e-learning is terms of learning management efficiency. The chart below illustrates the advantages of rapid e-learning:

›› No need to test the tools again and again ›› The development phase 26

OFFLINE E-LEARNING Classical approach: extensive modules of knowledge produced in a long time

ANALYSE

DESIGN

DEVRLOPMENT

TESTING

IMPLEMENTING

ACTION

UPDATE NEEDED

Difficult and expensive process Rapid approach:

ANALYSE

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, TESTING, IMPLEMENTING

ACTION

UPDATE NEEDED

Fast and easyâ&#x20AC;¦ and you can multiply it

The learning process ends with the testing of the learners, the results, evaluation, and automatic feedback about the learner’s results. SCENARIO 2: Rapid e-learning with coaching elements Needed inputs:

›› learner, ›› content creator ›› trainer In this form, learners also can participate in pre-course training before the “normal” course, which can be either synchronous or asynchronous. The course itself takes place in an assisted rapid e-learning style, with online coaching and can also be either synchronous or asynchronous.

online coaching (e.g. webinar) Pre course training in group (real time, e.g. webinar) Rapid e-learning course Individual online pre course training (non real time)

Rapid e-learning course

Evaluation

SCENARIO 3.: Blended rapid e-learning In this form of blended learning, synchronous and asynchronous learning elements are combined. Needed inputs:

›› learners, ›› content creator ›› trainer ›› education organiser The main course is mostly synchronous, face-to-face learning, while the supportive material is provided with rapid e-learning. There is also the possibility that learners participate in an online pre-course training before the “regular” course.

online coaching (forum, tutor, chat, e-mail)

Pre course training (e-learning)

Face to face training (classroom environment, teamwork, teacher and peers)

Evaluation

rapid e-learning (supportive learning)

3.5 CONCLUSIONS Some questions to ask when choosing a training scenario:

›› What is the relative cost of each type of training – what fits our budget? ›› Which is best, to deliver the course in one unit or spread out the material over time? ›› Does it address a short-term or a long-term learning need? ›› Is it worth investing in rapid e-learning in the long run? ›› Does it address deeper elaboration /information processing, or is it enough to keep it on the surface? ›› Will learners need to apply the learned material in real life or transfer it to new situations? ›› Do participants have access to needed computers and communications equipment? ›› Are learners sufficiently self-motivated for rapid e-learning? ›› Do target participants’ time schedules and geographic locations enable this type of training? ›› Is classroom-based learning or other types of synchronous learning feasible? Rapid e-learning is a good option when:

›› There is a significant amount of content to be delivered to a large number of learners; ›› Learners come from geographically dispersed locations; ›› Learners have limited mobility; ›› Learners have limited daily time to devote to learning; ›› Learners have at least basic computer and Internet skills; ›› Learners are required to develop homogeneous background knowledge on the topic; ›› Learners are highly motivated to learn and appreciate proceeding at their own pace; ›› Content can be reused for different learner groups in the future; ›› Training aims to build cognitive skills rather than psychomotor skills; ›› There is a need to collect and track data.

4. HOW TO IMPLEMENT RAPID E-LEARNING INÂ YOUR COMPANY

4.1 STEP 1: SPECIFY THE CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE PLANS The first step to be made by the company before introducing any changes or implementations, is to audit the current situation and to compare this with the company’s strategy. Another important aspect is to think about the point your company would like to be in the future – it’s hard to consider strategy without realizing what the company want to achieve. The diagnosis should be conducted at different aspects:

›› Management ›› Employees ›› Technological setup ›› IT ›› Financial All aspects of the company’s operations that affect a new project or implementation should be controlled and assessed in detail.

NEEDS A needs analysis should be at the beginning of a general implementation of (rapid) e-learning. The following questions may help:

›› What knowledge do we need in the company?........................................................................................................................................................................ ›› What is the knowledge of the company experts?..................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What is the knowledge that the company wishes to spread?............................................................................................................................................... ›› Who is going to receive knowledge inside the company?...................................................................................................................................................... ›› Will all or some of the company’s knowledge resources be distributed outside the company?................................................................................... ›› Why a specific type of knowledge should be delivered to the selected receivers?........................................................................................................... ›› Which experts from the company may participate in knowledge distribution?................................................................................................................ ›› What are the training needs of the employees?....................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What are the training needs of the external environments which the company wishes to reach?............................................................................... 32

›› Do the competitive entities conduct similar activities?.......................................................................................................................................................... ›› Is the technical infrastructure for rapid e-learning activities available?.............................................................................................................................. Obviously, this list of questions is open. It can be extended freely, taking into account the nature of specific organisations who wish to implement the rapid e-learning system. While adding questions to the list, remember that they should refer to the areas which will constitute the focus of the company in the context of rapid e-learning.

LEARNERS While creating the rapid e-learning system in the company, you should decide who is going to use it. Are the trainings designated only for the employees or also outside the company? This decision is a condition for structure of specific courses and their contents, for example areas related to the company secrets. The group can be:

›› closed, composed of the employees of the company (identity of the learners and their competences are known to the organisers and the trainers),

›› semi-closed, requiring invitation from the company, but also outside the company (learners known to the organisers and trainers, but it is possible that third parties will also enter),

›› learners outside the company, who will use provided e-learning on a commercial basis Each of the above groups requires a different approach, both from the point of view of substantive knowledge and technical aspect of conducting such training. Also the number of participants is important for success of the training. One of the general rules of conducting online trainings states that the more simultaneous learners there are, the lower interactivity the training provides.

EXPERIENCE Past experience in the field of broadly defined education is one of the most important tools that a company can apply when creating a rapid e-learning system. The key is a diversified approach to the experience by specific workers.

On one hand, a very useful thing to do is to identify the persons, who themselves took part in similar courses and workshops and are able to tell, on the basis of their experience, what actually worked out and what failed. On the other hand, the workers who carried out courses, whether in the traditional form or applying e-learning tools, will constitute the basis on which the company will be able to build its course base. Yet again, the management staff should invite highly motivated persons to cooperate, show appreciation for the time spent on and the effort made during preparation and implementation of the rapid e-learning system. If internal knowledge is not available, but new skills are needed, rapid e-learning modules might also be procured from external training providers. The following questions may prove useful in analyzing the company’s current experience:

›› Who will deliver the content?....................................................................................................................................................................................................... ›› Who will conduct the course?...................................................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What abilities should such persons show?................................................................................................................................................................................ ›› Is it necessary to train them?........................................................................................................................................................................................................ ›› Do they need additional materials?............................................................................................................................................................................................ ›› How will you provide the support?............................................................................................................................................................................................. ›› Who has worked with similar course models?.......................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What parts of such courses were essential?.............................................................................................................................................................................. ›› Which parts worked out?............................................................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What were the disadvantages of such courses for the participants?................................................................................................................................... ›› How does a perfect course look like?......................................................................................................................................................................................... This questions list is obviously open. Each company should create a dedicated list taking into consideration its needs, conditions and experience.

RESOURCES Each project carried out by a company, whether external or internal, requires specific resources. Usually they can be listed in the following way:

›› Time frame ›› People ›› Technology ›› Budget In case of educational activity of any kind, rapid e-learning included, one additional category can be introduced:

›› Content How, then, do we recognize the company’s current resources and how to indicate possible lacks? It is best to answer a number of questions relating to specific categories. Time frame:

›› How much time does the company need to design rapid e-learning courses?................................................................................................................ ›› How long will it take to implement the new system and to prepare assessment of the first results?.......................................................................... ›› When should the effects of the courses become visible?....................................................................................................................................................... ›› Is the time frame sufficient for the course participants to achieve the prescribed goals?.............................................................................................. People:

›› Does the company have own experts?....................................................................................................................................................................................... ›› Will the company employ persons outside the organization, and if so, in what extent................................................................................................... ›› Are there any persons who will constitute not only the technical, but also content-related support.......................................................................... ›› Do the persons involved in the project posses sufficient abilities and knowledge..........................................................................................................

›› Can they prepare the course........................................................................................................................................................................................................ ›› Will the participants be able to recreate the courses.............................................................................................................................................................. Technology:

›› Does the company have access to persons who can work with JAVA or HTML5............................................................................................................... ›› Does the company employ persons who create websites, or who have experience with applications or games..................................................... ›› Can the company specify in detail its requirements towards programmers...................................................................................................................... ›› Does to company have the essential equipment to register and recreate the courses................................................................................................... ›› Does to company have adequate software to register and recreate the courses............................................................................................................. Budget:

›› What is the budget of the company and how can it be disposed of.................................................................................................................................... ›› Does the annual budget plan include resources for educational activities....................................................................................................................... ›› Are there any potential reserves which may be used.............................................................................................................................................................. ›› Does the company have resources for external specialists................................................................................................................................................... ›› Are the internal experts awarded extra...................................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What elements need to be additionally purchased................................................................................................................................................................ ›› Does the company have resources to develop rapid e-learning.......................................................................................................................................... Content:

›› Does the company already have educational materials, which may be converted to the rapid e-learning format.................................................. ›› Is the content adequate for this kind of courses...................................................................................................................................................................... ›› Who will deliver the required content........................................................................................................................................................................................ 36

›› Will it be possible to convert it for mobile devices................................................................................................................................................................... ›› Who will update and change the content, if it is so required................................................................................................................................................ ›› What about personal property – who will have the rights to the content.......................................................................................................................... While answering the above questions – those suggested in the guidelines and those, which the company will add on the basis of its needs and requirements – you should consider any and all elements and resources available in the company, which may prove useful when building the rapid e-learning system. Its advisable to analyze what equipment and what tools are available in the company, e.g. sound players, video players, a clock, a calendar, a contact list, GPS, maps, navigation, Bluetooth, e-mail, a web browser, text messages, phone calls, sound recording, a video camera, a text processor, spreadsheets, social network service, augmented reality, sensors. Although some of them appear at first not to have much to do with the courses, they may, when considered, be of use in designing the rapid e-learning courses. The essence of the rapid e-learning is its efficiency. The courses do not need to, and even should not, involve significant costs. It’s worth to consider money-saving solutions, abundant on the market.

EXPECTATIONS Any action taken by the company requires defining the goals of such action. Contrary to the appearances, it is not that easy. The first steps which define the goals of implementing rapid e-learning in the company can be based on the following questions:

›› What does the company want to achieve.................................................................................................................................................................................. ›› What does the competition do within the scope of rapid e-learning.................................................................................................................................. ›› Are there going be only internal courses, or are the external courses planned................................................................................................................. ›› How the company is to be perceived by the clients/workers in the scope of education................................................................................................ ›› What experts does the company have access to..................................................................................................................................................................... ›› What are the most common client/employee questions....................................................................................................................................................... This is of course a sample of a question list and constitutes only an introduction to defining real goals.

In fact, the real stage of defining the goal is a reliable tool, trusted by the best and the greatest: SMART.1 This concept helps with proper setting of goals, which in turn increases the chance of achieving them. It is effective, as it requires a diligent analysis of what the company wants to achieve, by establishing 5 basic qualities, characteristic for a real and properly set goal. So: S – specific – the goal needs to be specified clearly, it has to be precise and easy to understand M – measurable – the goal needs to be measurable, i.e. it should be assessable with objective indicators if, and in what extent, it was achieved A – achievable – the goal needs to be achievable, i.e. it mustn’t be too hard to achieve R – realistic – the goal needs to be realistic, i.e. the resources need to be sufficient for its implementation, but it also needs to be a tangible step forward for the company T – time-bound – the goal needs to be set in time, which means that its implementation should not be postponed indefinitely SMARTER is an extended version of this model. The two additional letters of the acronym stand for the following: E – exciting – the goal should be exciting, i.e. the designers and the participants should not be indifferent towards it R – recorded – the goal should be recorded, which helps its achieving, as the recorded goals are harder to back out from. The presented method will allow setting a group of goals, which the company wishes to achieve by developing and implementing rapid e-learning. They will become the central point for further steps building the educational strategy and reference at assessing if the company achieved the desired effects.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria

4.2 STEP 2: PLAN YOUR ENVIRONMENT TEAM Every company has persons holding specific knowledge that is important from the point of view of the organisation and should be spread to other employees. At this stage of creating the rapid e-learning strategy, such people have to be identified and it should be decided whether they can transfer their valuable knowledge to other people. What are the features of a perfect expert/trainer? There are many lists of desired features in the Internet and various publications concerning that topic. Almost all of them contain the following characteristics:

›› Extensive experience and substantive knowledge ›› Passion concerning a specific domain, ability to interest others with the topic ›› Being open, sociable and patient ›› Ability to adjust the style of communication to the expectations of other people ›› The ability to prepare training materials ›› Taking initiative – presenting positive behaviour patterns ›› Easily speaking in front of the camera ›› Time availability ›› Charisma ›› Pragmatism – understood as the ability to relate the discussed issues to everyday work of the participants Every company may obviously add its requirements concerning qualifications, charisma, presentation skills or general features of its experts to the list.

TOOLS IS IT EXPENSIVE?

CATEGORY

TOOL

WHAT IS IT FOR?

HOW TO USE IT?

Presentation

PowerPoint

Program for creating multimedia presentations and is a part of Microsoft Office, available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. The format of presenting a series of slides with text, images and simple animations is a great way to illustrate information. In PowerPoint, text, graphics, video or other objects are combined in the slides. Slides can be printed, or (more often) displayed on a monitor or projector.

Approx.$150

PowerPoint, as most such programs, provides the possibility to create slide templates (eg. Title slide, slide-type table, slide text and graph, etc.). It is also possible to select the slide master or self-creation, which allows for a uniform appearance of all the slides. The slides may also be entirely different and not associated with any design.

Presentation

Prezi

It is cloud-based presentation software, as well as a storytelling tool. With virtual canvas users can create a very interesting presentation with a zoom in and zoom out function which distinguishes it among other presentation software.

14-day free trial, then $4-11 monthly (depending on the package)

Virtual canvas of Prezi enables insertion of text, video materials and any kind of graphics. Canvas can be edited, zoomed, paned, sized and rotated. Thanks to zooming user interface (ZUI, which allows to zoom in and zoom out of the canvas) Prezi delivers the “wow” effect. One can use Prezi after creating an account on prezi.com

Learning Management

Moodle

Moodle collects and supports creation of teaching materials and makes them available in the form of courses. It has a flexible module structure. It cooperates with many types of databases and works with any computer which supports PHP. The interface is not complicated and can be used for online courses as well as traditional classes. Within the course it is possible to, e.g. upload entries to applications supporting the practice of a given topic (e g. films, educational games).

free (domain and hosting – approx. 200 PLN anually)

Moodle allows the generation of courses according to HTML5 standards. It has templates adapted to display the contents on mobiles and tablets. Thanks to this we can create courses, manage the participants and make the whole application available to mobile devices.

DO I HAVE TO KNOW HTML?

EASE OF USE

Not required

Easy

Medium

Basic knowledge

Medium

WORKFLOW

CONTENT PREPARATION

Expert/Trainer – preparation of the content

CONTENT UPLOAD

Technician/Trainer – publication of the content into a course

TESTING

External/Internal users – test whether the course is comprhensive and intuitive

MAKING IT POSSIBLE

Technician/Trainer – publication of the course to online platform

4.3 STEP 3: BUILD YOUR CONTENT CREATION 4.3.1 GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTATIONS 1. The presentation cannot be so overloaded with information that the recipient has problems reading it (do not fill each slide with a wall of text). 2. The slides should include a title. It is worth dividing the text into smaller fragments by using subsections, paragraphs, underlining the font or using bold in certain parts.

3. If it is not necessary, do not use animations. They can be annoying, unless they play a significant role. 4. In case of photos, avoid clipart. Try to use well-chosen photos of decent quality, for example stock photos. 5. When it comes to charts – design meaningful graphs, and do not overload with information. It is important to be clear and transparent. 6. Content is king – use interesting, dynamic content – information from public and private resources. 7. Add multimedia – videos, graphics, audio, etc. 8. Slides should be simple, easy to understand and concise. 9. Use a consistent font size, select a simple, clear, and bold font such as: Arial, Tahoma or Verdana.

4.3.2 GUIDELINES FOR USING TOOLS FOR CONTENT CREATION 1. Remember that people have different learning styles. Some of us learn better when reading, others when listening or watching video materials. Be sure that your rapid e-learning content is for everyone and includes a variety of media. 2. Before preparing the course, set didactic goals (see chapter 4). 3. E-learning materials should be customized as much as possible (You cannot use the same lectures/files for a bank and afterwards, for a telecommunications company). 4. Create and organize questions which check acquired knowledge in such a way that the learner might be allowed to skip a specific sequence due to sufficient knowledge. 5. Preliminary information about the course should be available online.

6. The course should contain an initial training session in navigation and the functions of the course. 7. Materials should be presented in a logical structure. 8. It should be attractive to maintain learners’ attention (surprise the learner!).

4.3.3 GUIDELINES FOR USING TOOLS FOR LEARNING MANAGEMENT 1. Think carefully about what type of platform you need: will you use a free available platform (Dokeos, Moodle, OLAT, Scholaris, Eduslide), one offered by a commercial company (WebCT, WBTExpress), your own platform based on existing software, e.g., Moodle or a platform entirely developed and used within the company or a free available platform with learning materials prepared by others (PeLP)? Remember that you have to spend more time to customize a free platform to your needs. 2. Use internal communication tools. It is better when students/learners communicate through the platform than by their own emails or communicators. 3. Educational material for the learning platform should be very-well prepared with the appropriate standards. Get to know the tools and guides on how to do this. 4. Make sure your platform enables work assessment.

4.3.4 GUIDELINES FOR USING GAMIFICATION 1. Gamification should change people’s behaviour to one more desirable by the employer/brand, so look carefully at the behaviours of the persons who you are going to address your actions to in the given area. 2. Introduce elements to make the gamification attractive: levels of difficulty, rankings, scores, progress identifiers, collecting, rewarding, new challenges, role playing, solving problems and sharing, winning, cooperation with others in order to achieve the purpose – individual and group competition. 3. The game should include some fixed elements such as purpose, action, obstacles and rules. The information on the condition of winning a prize is necessary. 4. In the whole process of planning gamification, don’t forget about what is most important for the recipient. It’s about entertainment. The sense of satisfaction comes from the user’s experience and atmosphere of the game. 5. Be mindful of the adequate level of entertainment (not too easy and not too difficult), so that it does not put off with complexity or discourage with simplicity. 6. Combine gamification with a real prize in the form of a reward.

7. The players should feel that they have an influence on certain elements. Let them participate in the creation of the avatar or decide with whom they will cooperate or compete. 8. Present a story connected with the game. This way the recipients will feel that they participate in something more than just a made-up play.

TESTING Testing the course’s functionality is a must, it shouldn’t be omitted in any case. This gives feedback about the successfulness of the training. You can spot possible shortcomings or errors in the course, and can check if it meets both management and learners’ expectations. It’s also important to see if it is intuitive and if potential training participants can easily operate it. Why it’s so important?

›› Testing is a fresh look by people who are not involved in the work on the course. This is important to spot issues that might not be noticed by the developers

›› Testing provides a very good initial material (a development base), which, combined with the trainer’s experience and knowledge, can be extremely useful.

›› It is always better to correct the course at an early stage of its creation than later. This way you prevent extra work that could occur later, with the technology not functioning correctly, or not being user friendly. (Then it would be more expensive to correct the whole system.)

›› Even the easiest test (carried out with one person, taking several minutes and organized with small effort) is better than none. ›› How to do it? ›› First think about the selection of the group, find the target audience ›› Invite a few persons to the test (in the case of a company, the employees for whom the training is being prepared may be the testers). Testing can be done also by experts who created the course content.

›› Provide the testers with devices, if they do not have any ›› Once again explain (this information was provided for the first time during the recruitment for the testing) to the participants why they are here and what you would like to achieve thanks to this meeting

›› Ask them to perform certain actions giving a time-limit for their completion ›› Say thanks for the efforts

What should be tested?

›› A course should be written in language understandable for the learner – so you should consider this while testing. ›› Is the course intuitive (does the learner know what to do next)? ›› Does the course fulfill its goals set forth at the designing stage? Collecting the learners’ opinions and corrections The tests may be carried out in your company or any other room which meets the basic requirements (equipment). The tester group does not have to be big (3-5 people). Watch the test participants carefully and write down the problems they had while operating the prototype. After the tests are carried out, it is good to organize a meeting with the team developing the application to discuss the results. After presenting your own observations, it is important to decide which elements require correction and to find a solution to the problem. When you already know what requires correction and what modification should be implemented, introduce the changes to the course.

4.4 STEP 4: LEARNING PROCESS Rapid e-learning is one of many types of remote training. Therefore, there are certain consequences connected with education process. Trainings or courses conducted through the internet partially change that process in comparison to traditional trainings, therefore affecting the directions and effectiveness of the training. So, while conducting such types of trainings, it should be remembered that:

›› Scattering and virtualisation of the participants increases their feeling of anonymity. ›› The participants are more eager to ask questions and express critical opinions than during a traditional meeting. ›› The participants are more easily disrupted and stop to follow the course of the training. ›› Using technologies is a part of the training process, so the related challenges should be acknowledged. Both the trainer and the learners should receive access to proper technical resources in order to deal with those challenges.

4.5 STEP 5: ANALYSE AND IMPROVE

The assessment is based only on subjective impression of the participants. Besides, it does not provide an answer about application of the knowledge in the future.

All actions conducted by the company within the scope of education of its employees should be measured from the point of view of the achieved goals and results. It is important for further building of the learning culture in the company.

There is also a much more complex training assessment method using D. Kirkpartick’s model,2 where the training is assessed at four levels:

One of the simplest tools that can be used by the company is a knowledge test after every training. Such tests should be prepared by the training authors, namely the company experts. They allow testing the knowledge level of the training participants after the training. However, they do not allow checking whether such knowledge will be applied by them in everyday work. Another method of evaluating the trainings (both at a location and online) are post-training surveys. The participants assess the trainer, the materials, the training programme, as well as increase of their knowledge level etc. Usually, grades are given using the scale from 1 to 5, where:

›› 1 = very poor ›› 2 = poor ›› 3 = average ›› 4 = good ›› 5 = very good

›› Level

1: Response of the training participants – assessment directly after the training, for example in the form of surveys ›› Level 2: Learning – assessment of the level of acquiring new knowledge, skills ›› Level 3: Behaviour – assessment of the level of application of new knowledge and skills by the participants in their everyday work ›› Level 4: Results – assessment of the level of performance of the goals set by the company That model allows complex examination of increase of knowledge, satisfaction after the training, as well as impact of new information and skills on everyday work of the training participants and therefore performance of the goals set by the company.

4.6 STEP 6: TRAIN NEXT RAPID E-LEARNING EXPERTS Rapid e-learning is the perfect system for any company which aspires to be a learning organization. This concept proposed by Peter Senge in “The Fifth Discipline” means an organization capable of learning, adapting to constantly 2 https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/kirkpatrick.htm

changing conditions of functioning. Such state is attainable by openness of the workers to new ideas and trends as well as constant worker self-improvement. The organization initiates and supports such activities and constantly changes itself.3 The features of a learning organization; own case study on the basis of “The Fifth Discipline”:4

In view of the comprehensive benefits from this kind of activities, the rapid e-learning system implementation acquires a new meaning. Thanks to such courses, every worker will have the chance to present themselves as experts in their field. Such activities will result in many benefits, e.g.:

›› understanding of tasks of specific divisions in the company ›› understanding of the goals of the company as a whole and its specific divisions

SUPPORTING THE CULTURE OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS IN THE ORGANIZATION – DISPUTES OVER VIEWS ENRICH THE WORKERS’ EXPERIENCE.”

APPLICATION OF EXPERIENCE OF THE ORGANIZATION’S WORKERS TO GENERATE OWN KNOWLEDGE

›› consolidation of the goals of specific divisions ›› internal communication improvement

LEARNING ORGANIZATION

OPEN BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE SUPERIORS AND THE SUBORDINATES (NO ESTABLISHED DIVISIONS – EXPERIENCE OF BOTH PARTIES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL)

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifth_Discipline 4 http://nf.pl/manager/organizacja-uczaca-sie,,10211,151

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.