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

Chapter 6Where Does e-Learning Fit?

If (and it's an important if) there's a performance problem, then, in most cases, the problem can be addressed effectively with learning. Instruction and consequent learning cannot overcome performance barriers such as the lack of necessary equipment and resources. It will not change behavior when there are greater rewards for continuing current practices. It will not change behavior when the focus is simply on providing information, such as extoling the damages caused by smoking, poor diet, or lack of exercise. Performance improvement requires a combination of knowledge, performance practice and rewards.

But whatever business you're in, whatever content and outcome behaviors you're dealing with, if better outcomes can be achieved through enhanced skills, e-learning can probably have a valuable and cost-effective impact.

Of course, e-learning can be effective only if it is designed in ways that address the need. It's an obvious truth, but too often e-learning's capabilities are used simply to present information as shown in Figure 6.1 regardless of the need and desired outcome.

Figure 6.1 Misaligned instructional strategies.

Fitting Strategy to Targeted Outcomes

We need to take quite a few situational parameters into account in order to select an appropriate e-learning strategy, but even without digging deeply, it's critical at least to ...