Michael Allen's Guide to e-Learning, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2Plain Talk

Success is getting people to do the right thing at the right time!

Did I shout loudly enough? e-Learning is about success, both individual and organizational. It is about behavioral change—again, both individual and organizational. It's also about inspiration, competency, and even fun with technology. It's where I've lived for well over 45 years, and I invite you to join me in reviewing the state of e-learning from a very personal perspective.

I'd like to show you the often untapped potential I see in e-learning and share with you some lessons I've learned about how to make e-learning a valuable competitive investment for any organization striving to be more successful.

There are many reasons for the prevalence of e-learning, ranging from practical to idealistic. Pundits note that in our information-based economy and society, e-learning may be the component needed most to improve lives dramatically. It will allow us to learn what we want to learn where and when we want to learn it. It will provide choices in how we learn. It will make hard things easy and boring things fun. It will wrestle our intellectual laziness to the ground while helping each of us use more of our untapped capabilities. And, with knowledge and skills readily acquired when the spirit moves us, we will blissfully pursue alternate careers on a whim. Life will be grand.

Sure.

But wait. Let's not dismiss these possibilities just because they seem idealistic and therefore unrealistic. Is ...