DL+in+the+Workplace+-+Discussion+Summary

= Triggering events – What were the key questions identified this week? =
 * DL in the Workplace - Discussion Summary** by Danelle, Maya and Robyn


 * Some of the key questions addressed in the thread relating to self directed e-learning in the workplace were as follows:**
 * How satisfied are employees with a-synchronous e-learning?
 * Do a-synchronous e-learning courses really work for learning or do they require additional support in order to be successful (i.e. follow up or blended approach)
 * What factors affect whether an e-learning module is effective (i.e. interactivity, distinction between must-know and nice to know, the students learning style)


 * Questions related to collaborative technologies were surrounding:**


 * What types of technology do participants use for distributed learning in the workplace?
 * What is our experience with both informal or formal learning and how would we describe the type of learning that occurred?
 * How is distributed learning collaborative in our workplaces?
 * Is there group constructed knowledge?
 * Is it facilitated?
 * Do we utilize blended learning?


 * Questions related to the effectiveness of E-Learning were:**


 * How effective do we think the delivery of e-learning in the workplace?
 * How did we feel about our own personal experiences as learners with e-learning?
 * What impact did it make on our own learning in the workplace?
 * Have we experienced positive outcomes with e-learning initiatives? Why or Why not?


 * Questions related to the advantages and disadvantages of E-learning were:**


 * What does E-Learning look like?
 * What are the barriers to starting and implementing E-Learning?
 * What are the top reasons for employers to use learning technologies?

= Exploration – What opportunities and challenges were discussed? =
 * E-Learning provides flexibility which was identified as a major plus as employees have very busy schedules.
 * While the discussion provided some great ideas for improving the learning experience (i.e. drop in sessions, workplace mentoring, various media tools, evaluations) multiple learning methods/blended learning approaches it can be a challenge to get employees to utilize the resources and take advantage of the opportunities presented.
 * There can be a lack of support in the workplace to re-enforce what is learned in the online learning modules.
 * While many of us are fortunate to have resources devoted to building content, if you don’t have access to these resources it can be hard to create comprehensive e-learning modules.
 * Technology issues can sometimes occur which can prevent learners from fully utilizing the online content (i.e. lack of flash or other needed software)
 * Ethics issues when dealing with e-learning were exposed by several learners including Bernice who indicated, “I have seen staff create answer sheets for these written components for recertification - CPR, and other WHMIS recerts.”
 * Effectiveness of the learning was discussed and whether or not e-learning is the right solution for all situations and audiences. Ultimately did the learner achieve the desired learning outcome?
 * Is e-learning just a cost-effective solution in order to implement training and development for an organization?
 * The opportunities and challenges that were discussed was that e-learning is the same as when you try anything new/unfamiliar.
 * It was found that, it could be a little hard on the teacher at the beginning because not knowing what to expect, the capabilities or how to best utilize it can be a challenge.
 * Cost is a major issue, especially for smaller workplaces. It is clear that some employees could see e-learning as increased workload and be against it if they are not allotted a specific time frame for e-learning.

= Integration – What recommendations and conclusions can you draw from the discussion? =
 * The idea of providing “just in time” training and information in chunks seemed to resonate well with the discussion participants. This helps learners absorb the information which can be a challenge in the online realm.
 * Building a community and support to augment e-learning programs is a great way to improve user satisfaction and success. Online discussion boards and mentor/buddy programs were suggested as ways to implement this support.
 * We must not forget that employees need training and support if they are expected to complete e-learning courses- they are not simple, especially to a new user.
 * A large variety of e-learning delivery is happening in the workplace. Skills focused training –mostly asynchronous delivery of information, solitary learning, powerpoint, some video and with some interactive games.
 * Collaborative asynchronous learning is not common in the workplaces of the learners in this course. Very few workplaces are implementing this type of learning.
 * There were varying degrees of e-learning effectiveness. Some felt it was very effective, for instance Joanna indicated, “I have learned things…for example fire safety. I know which extinguishers put out which fires, how to maintain patient safety in case on a fire in the OR, and out of the OR (very different things)…” (Dziewaltowski-Gintowt, June 2, 2010). However, Jeff stated, “Unfortunately, many people do not take them seriously. I have one colleague that explained to me that she had someone else complete one of the modules for her because that person already knew the material.” (June 1, 2010)
 * Learning Management Systems were discussed and various systems compared. The consensus appeared to be that they were expensive and alternatives were being considered, many of the alternatives open source or free versions.
 * Organizations use e-learning to give our employees access to information and flexibility. Moreover, Human Resources Development Canada is so supportive of e-learning and the pdf file resource talks about how it supports it.
 * It is believed that e-learning to be a cost effective learning tool, much less expensive than hiring an instructor, a classroom etc. It is flexible with time; an employee can complete the course when they see best fit or when they are ready to learn.
 * Employers who use learning technologies show their employees that they care about them, and that they are a supportive environment striving for constant improvement in the way they function/do business.

= Resolution/Application – How do you plan to apply these "lessons learned" to your final assignment or your own distributed learning context? =

//**Robyn says:**// “The discussion has raised my awareness on some of the challenges faced by both the learner and the administrator in such a distributed environment. This awareness will help me to adapt and ensure I am sensitive to these issues from both perceptive (especially the learner since I am an administrator). I have also learned that there are lots of advantages to distributed learning but like any learning, incorporating creativity and diversity provide a better learner experience. The recognition that different strategies work in different organizations and for different learners has help me to understand I need to find what works for my particular situation and look for creative ways to think beyond the standard canned e-learning course and try some new distributed learning related things in the workplace. “

//**Danelle says:**// “The style of e-learning deployed has to consider the desired learning outcome, the audience and the subject matter. Too often the delivery of e-learning considers only the cost and the ability to “get the job done”. E-learning can be a way of implementing training and development within a stated budget but not considering if it is effective or not.”

//**Maya says:**// “First of all, e-learning is asynchronous learning where an employee makes time at work or at least should be able to so that they do not to intrude on their personal life/work balance to improve their knowledge base. The employee provides course modules rich in audiovisual and visual content that the employee processes at their own pace and than completes a quiz to test their gained knowledge. So that quiz will apply to see if they gained that knowledge or not. I will apply it to my distributed learning context by administrating a quiz to “test” their knowledge.” Key resources (i.e., Web sites, articles, books) that we could use to find further information/ideas about this topic?


 * Types of e-learning either in use, or being considered, in the workplace**
 * · web-based portal system by SCT Banner (Sunguard)
 * · Lotus Notes (for email and calendaring)
 * · Blackboard (learning management system)
 * · Microsoft (live@edu)
 * · Google's cloud computing systems.
 * Additional e-learning resources:
 * · Ning, Wikis, Yammer, LinkedIn Groups, blogs
 * · WebCT
 * · D2L
 * · Moodle
 * · iSpring


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