E-Learning Design: The Good and The Bad

E-learning has been around for over a few decades now. Over the years eLearning has transformed itself from a new computer-based learning technology to the go to option for organizational training needs. Such rapid growth does come at cost; no matter how great eLearning is doing today, there are always glitches here and there.

When it comes to eLearning design, there are pitfalls that make even the most interesting courses a bad learning experience. In this post, we will take a look at the good and the bad sides of eLearning design. 

The Good

Let’s talk about the good things first. The good obviously outweighs the bad. E-learning has opened up new paths to train and facilitate teaching. You don’t have to rely on a single person to train your employees. When it comes to eLearning design, you have the opportunity to be creative and out of the box. Innovative ideas can be well collaborated in an eLearning course.

With infinite possibilities such as making use of stories to engage your learners, eLearning gives you a chance to do things that are not possible in a classroom setting. Imagine using simulations in classroom with a single screen for a group of thirty people, and you are most likely to find them all sleeping after a while.

There are no restrictions when it comes to using inventive ideas, from storytelling and gaming to videos and simulations; it is the designer who decides the destiny of the course, facilitating teaching methods that add fun to learning.

Apart from these, you have the added advantage of having a new medium to instruct thousands of employees all around the world, breaking the barriers of time and space to deliver high-quality, cost-effective learning. 

The Bad

Of late, in most eLearning courses, creativity seems to fly right out of the window. With ‘copy and paste’ being the norm of the day, eLearning courses seem to be losing their touch.

In most cases, you can blame this on tight deadlines or low budgets which restrict your creativity. However, killing your learners with lengthy paragraphs and dumping information on a screen is not eLearning. It is bad learning! E-learning is at its best when your course is short and clear. 

And last but not the least, get rid of the PowerPoint templates. Imagine you’re taking a course and the very first screen looks like a typical PowerPoint layout. This not only turns off for your learners but also displays your capabilities as a designer in a poor light. When deadlines are tight, make some more time and put in that extra effort to make an eLearning course that you can be proud of.

With more good than bad, there are umpteen advantages of eLearning, and by concentrating on the good and working towards it you will be creating courses that wow both your clients and your learners.