Recap of E-Learning Webinar

by Kasia Novak, Quill Contributor

The STC telephone workshop, "Breaking Into E-learning", was presented by William Horton. The target audience for this workshop included those seeking employment in e-learning—either full time or part time—and employers wanting to learn how to interview for e-learning positions.

The market demand for skilled manpower in the field of e-learning should alert us technical communicators to potential career opportunities that may not be as far away from home as we may think. Not long ago, advanced computer technologies let us offer our customers online documentation. It did not take us long to learn proper software tools and use appropriate writing styles to meet the demand for online documentation. A similar transition may take place if we want to move to e-learning.

In his presentation, W. Horton provided a good overview of e-learning and supplemented it with useful tips for researching the subject. This summary should make you want to learn more about e-learning.

What is E-learning?

E-learning uses information and communication technologies to create learning experiences. The need for e-learning is most evident in education (online universities, colleges, public education), government (internal training), volunteer organizations, and software companies, but the potential demand is not limited to these sectors. Practically any training documentation is a candidate for e-learning. To find opportunities, take a close look at your current job or research other departments responsible for education and training. You may notice many opportunities for e-learning.

Recognizing Potential E-learning Job Ads

The e-learning job titles are neither precise nor standardized, therefore read the job description to uncover the required skill set. E-learning positions may be advertised as:

• Media Specialist
• Instructional Designer (writes instructions)
• E-learning Producer (implements instructions)
• Performance Technologist
• Trainer
• Graphic Designer
• Document Specialist

Some of the advertised positions may not sound familiar at all, so is there a common ground between e-learning and online documentation?

Comparing E-learning to Online Documentation

The difference between e-learning and online documentation is similar to comparing a university course with a workshop. In the long run, the principles you have learned in university will benefit many life disciplines, whereas the workshop will give you a set of skills for immediate use in a particular discipline. 

Conducting a workshop and teaching a university course require two drastically different styles. A workshop facilitator tells participants what to do to meet a specific goal, while a university professor teaches the students how to solve their own problems, which are not limited to any specific industry. Therefore, teaching is more complex than telling, and we, as technical communicators, have both skills in our portfolio. So, what else do we need to break into e-learning?

Roadmap from Paper-Based Documentation to E-learning

If you work mostly with paper-based documentation, switching to e-learning requires you to sell your idea to management, negotiate with decision makers and technical experts, and do a lot of planning, implementing, and testing by yourself. Here is a condensed list of some of the hurdles you may have to face.

• Sell radical-sounding ideas to conservative management.
• Negotiate with impatient and resistant subject-matter experts, server administrators, and media producers.
• Cope with tight deadlines and thrice-squeezed budgets.
• Admit that your bright idea did not work and scramble to recover.
• Test and refine.
• Build and integrate media to create learning experiences.
• Prescribe learning experiences to accomplish each objective.
• Select a strategy: informational, behavioral, cognitive, or constructive.
• Catalog the knowledge, skills, and attitudes learners must acquire (objectives).
• Identify precise learning goals.

Researching E-learning – Recommended Authors

Whether you look at in-house or outside opportunities, be prepared to speak the e-learning lingo, recognize e-learning gurus, and identify authoring tools.

Benjamin Bloom

Benjamin Bloom classified the levels of thinking, which are important in the processes of learning. This became a taxonomy that included the three domains: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. 

Robert Gagné

According to R. Gagne, there are nine events that activate processes needed for effective learning. 

All lessons should include this sequence of events:

1. Gain attention
2. Inform learner
3. Stimulate recall
4. Present information
5. Provide guidance
6. Elicit performance
7. Provide feedback
8. Assess performance
9. Enhance retention

Howard Gardiner

H. Gardiner defined multiple intelligences, which include:

1. Linguistic
2. Logical-mathematical
3. Spatial
4. Musical
5. Kinesthetic
6. Interpersonal
7. Intrapersonal

Donald Kirkpatrick

Kirkpatrick's book, Evaluating Training Programs, became a widely used and popular model for the evaluation of training and learning.

The four levels of Kirkpatrick's evaluation model measure:

1. Reaction of student - what they thought and felt about the training
2. Learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability
3. Behaviour - extent of behaviour and capability improvement and implementation/application
4. Results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's performance

Using the E-learning Industry Lingo

ADDIE

Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. The ADDIE instructional design model is a basic model that holds true for any type of learning, including Web based.

AICC

The Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based Training) Committee (AICC) is an international association of technology-based training professionals. The AICC develops guidelines for aviation industry in the development, delivery, and evaluation of CBT and related training technologies. 

LCMS= LMS+CMS. 

LMS - Learning Management System's objective is to simplify the administration of learning/training programs within an organization.

CMS

SCORM

The Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) standard allows compliant e- learning content to be deployed on any Learning Management System (LMS) and assembled with other SCORM-compliant e-learning content to create a course that brings together best-of-breed learning components. Reusability, interoperability, and extensibility have arrived in the area of e-learning. 

SWF

Macromedia's Shockwave Flash

Recognizing the E-learning Authoring Tools

Some of the most popular technologies suitable for e-learning include:

• Macromedia: Authorware, Captivate, Flash
• Microsoft: PowerPoint
• Outstart: Trainersoft
• Sum Total Systems: ToolBook

Considering a University Course in E-learning

If you want to go to school, be prepared for two years training and a $20,000 to $40,000 price tag. To pick a university, ask graduates what positions they hold. Check e-learning experience of faculty and ask recent grads how well the school prepared them. You may also ask potential employers which universities they respect. After graduation, you may end up teaching e-learning.

Recommended Books

If you like to self-study, or you would like to do more research about e-learning, here is the list of recommended books.

• Marc Rosenberg, e-Learning (high-level business perspective)
• William Horton, Designing Web-Based Training (design of courses, topics, and activities)
• William & Katherine Horton, E-Learning Tools and Technologies (hardware and software at all levels)
• Betsy Bruce, eLearning with Dreamweaver MX (typical how-to)
• Ruth Clark & Richard Mayer, e-Learning Science of Instruction (research basis for good design)

See other books by Michael Doyle or Garin Hess.

Recommended Conferences in the E-learning Industry

Conferences are gold mines that offer not only seminars but opportunity to make contacts within the industry. They are highly recommended for anyone who seriously thinks about getting into e-learning. Most popular sponsors and their conferences are listed as follows.

VNULEARNING.COM

VNULearning.com's world-class conferences, expositions and e-newsletters focus on job- related, employer sponsored training and education in the working world. VNULEARNING sponsors two great e-learning conferences: IDI (Instructional Design Institute) and Training Conference and Expo. 

The eLearning Guild

The eLearning Guild is a Community of Practice for designers, developers, and managers of e-learning. Through the member driven community they provide high-quality learning opportunities, networking services, resources, and publications. The eLearning Guild sponsors the eLearning Producer conference. 

ISPI

The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) is the association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace. ISPI represents more than 10,000 international and chapter members throughout the United States, Canada, and 40 other countries. 

ASTD

The American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) sponsors a TechKnowledge conference. 

Advanstar Communications

Advanstar is a worldwide business information company serving specialized markets with high quality information resources and integrated marketing solutions. Advanstar sponsors a TechLearn conference.

Tips for Overcoming Stereotypes During a Job Interview

Getting an interview may be challenging, but be prepared to be stereotyped, especially if the interviewer is not an expert in the technical communication field. The stereotypes may be both positive and negative, but it is the latter ones you should be prepared for.

Positive stereotypes

• Can write clearly
• Can deal with electronic media
• Comfortable with technical content
• Avoids "art for art's sake"
• Understands modular design

Tip: Just briefly confirm these stereotypes.

Negative stereotypes

How do you prove these stereotypes do not apply to you?

• "Press the Start button to start"
• Word bigot
• "They won't let me" and other whines
• Cubicle hermit
• Typo police

Tip: Offer a portfolio, resume, and other evidence that you can do the job.

Meeting a Hiring Manager's Expectations

This is a prioritized list of skills and attitudes of hiring managers.

1. Meet commitments
2. Communicate in multiple media
3. Quickly learn new subjects
4. Sell ideas to others
5. Know learning theory & research
6. Design computer games
7. Learn new authoring tools
8. Write error-free prose
9. Write computer programs

Demonstrating a Professional Skill Set During an Interview

When you apply for an e-learning position, be prepared to:

• Pass an instructional design test
• Prove you can do an internet research on an industry buzz-words (see a sample research test following this list)
• Have your own Web site with an online portfolio and be prepared to talk about plug-ins, interactive objects, and different design and evaluation stages. Include the customer testimonials.

Sample Research Test

Search the Web to find the answers to the following questions. For each question, record the answer and the URLs you accessed to find the answer.

1. Which processor is used in the fastest IBM ThinkPad computer available? Answer: URLs:
2. How many Japanese Language courses are offered by Audible.com? Answer: URLs:
3. Who founded SumTotal Systems? Answer: URLs:
4. Are the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg based on the same chassis? (List three pieces of evidence for your answer) Answer: URLs:
5. In what file format does Napster deliver songs? Answer: URLs:
6. In what countries does Ericsson have sales offices? Answer: URLs:

Summary

To get a job in e-learning, you should:

1. Prove you can do the job
2. Learn to design instruction
3. Create a portfolio
4. Get active in e-learning communities
5. Manage how others perceive you

About Kasia Novak

Kasia is an editor at Raytheon Canada Limited, a supplier of Air Traffic Management Systems. In her previous positions, she was a technical writer at CheckFree i-Solutions and MKS. Born in Poland, Kasia's interest in books, languages, and technology brought her into the fascinating field of technical communication.