What is good e-learning?

I was at a function tonight chatting away, extending my network and doing all the things we are supposed to do :-). The conversation turned to innovations funding and why applicants don’t get funded…. interesting, I could talk about that for hours, but the conversation quickly evolved and then …. ‘what is good e-learning’.

Drawing on my own experience: several years ago I had the wonderful privilege of completing ‘Prince 2 Practitioners’ online (and yes it was advertised as an example of e-learning best practice). This course was completely online with very little contact with anyone. Consider:

* first contact: my email to enquire
* second contact: their email to say my payment was received and to give details of the username and password
* third contact: the dates and location of my exam (ouch)
* fourth contact: the person who gave me my exam paper
* fifth contact: my statement of attainment in the mail

Did this course prepare me to learn? …. no

Did this course allow me to work at my own pace?… mostly but it needed to be finished before the exam or I would fail 😦

What was the structure of the course? Read this, answer this quiz and keep answering it until you X% …Not the best example, simply a regurgitation of facts.

So it brings me to a very important question: ‘What do you consider a good example of e-learning?’

These are just thoughts but for me, maybe you will agree:

* Rather being focused on regurgitation of facts and knowledge, shouldn’t my experience be focused on what I need to know, the practical application of the task and an opportunity to have a go?

* Shouldn’t the course be thought provoking and provide just enough information to make me curious and maybe do some of my own research;

* give some tangible examples so I can apply what I am learning;

* encourage me to assess how I am going and offer an opportunity for reflection so I can determine actions that will help me improve.

Fortunately for me my Prince2 course was not my only online experience so I was not totally shattered.

Keep this discussion going. What do you consider is ‘good e-learning’?


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