Why Are Quality Checks Important in E-learning?

Why is quality check important in e-learning? For this rather seemingly simple question, we can say, BECAUSE “quality matters”. It’s high time the E-learning industry accepts that ensuring the quality of e-learning products is important to deliver courses that are engaging, which in turn ensure client satisfaction. The quality of the course reflects the professional competence and subject matter proficiency of the institution.

According to the Docebo report, ELEARNING MARKET TRENDS AND FORECAST 2017-2021, “the size of the eLearning market was estimated to be over USD 165 Billion in 2015 and is likely to grow by 5% between 2016 and 2023, exceeding USD 240 Billion.” At a time when the demand for e-learning is increasing, and training and teaching is moving from brick and mortar classrooms to laptops, tablets, and mobiles, a quality product makes the difference between a client/learner getting disinterested or coming back for more.

Quality checks add value to a finished e-learning product, and assure that the organization soars up the ladder of competency and proficiency.

However, it remains a neglected area for a number of reasons. I will discuss the significance of a quality check, the challenges, and tips to ensure effective quality checks in e-learning courses, in 2-3 blogs. 

What is Quality Check in E-learning?

Quality check in e-learning is a method of maintaining standards and ensuring the creation of consistently high standard products. Ensuring a quality product is a complex process and is not just about checking typos or spelling mistakes. It refers to a system of checks at every stage of the process.

We know for a fact that all sectors and industries, from textiles, toys, paints, to manufacturing of cars and computers, to software solutions, use some form of quality checks and controls, at various stages. A number of checks and controls are devised at various stages a product has to pass through, before being given clearance. This ensures errors are identified and rectified as early as possible, paving the way for continuous improvements.

There needs to be an evaluator who can assess the quality of the course in all its streams such as spellings and grammatical errors, content consistency, flow, and technical glitches.

Importance of Quality Checks

• Quality checks are needed to both identify errors or mistakes and also to ensure that the course incorporates the desired feel and look.
• E-learning is a complex exercise, requiring a combination of skills, where not all steps are understood by everyone. It is an integrated process that needs collaboration between different specialists and requires bringing together several skill sets such as instructional designers, developers, project managers, and subject matter experts to carry out activities. Errors in each stage and synchronization of the different elements contributed by different members require a thorough check to ensure the entire product works seamlessly and effortlessly.
• Quality check is a way of maintaining standards in e-learning and ensuring that learners receive a consistent, and a high standard product. All aspects of a course/module need to work effortlessly. Issues such as inaccessibility or errors in assessments can set off boredom or worse, antipathy, which can be fatal to the brand value of the organization.
• Quality checks in this era of gamification assume all the more significance as errors and glitches can spoil the impact of the course and halt the learning process. An effective gamification experience requires seamless transition and synchronized progression, and quality checks and evaluation are essential.

A quality check is more comprehensive than proofreading or editing, and involves several elements. We will discuss some tips for effective quality checks in my next blog.