How to Plan and Manage an e‐Learning Programme

Citation

Parry, F. (2003), "How to Plan and Manage an e‐Learning Programme", The Electronic Library, Vol. 21 No. 5, pp. 497-498. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470310499911

E‐learning has grown quite considerably in the last few years, gaining momentum with every new advance in multi‐media technology. It is easy to see the attraction: educational courses can be delivered to distance learners far more effectively than ever before; companies can deliver training to staff in multiple locations; learning material can be tweaked or updated with relative ease and learners can benefit from improved feedback and assessment facilities. That is the theory. In practice, organisations can become spectacularly unstuck with poorly managed and lacklustre programmes that do not stimulate learning or retain the learner’s attention.

Roger Lewis and Quentin Whitlock have produced a “how to” planning guide that should help organisations avoid the pitfalls and prepare them to plan for every stage in a programme’s development. The authors have extensive experience in the fields of both academic and business learning and training, which is evident throughout this guide. The focus is resolutely learner‐oriented with chapters on analysing learning needs, defining and testing learning outcomes and managing learner support standing out for special mention. The authors are also candid in discussing the limitations of technology‐based learning systems, emphasising quite strongly the need for additional – human – support such as that which can be found at various forms of learning centres. Learners can get bored and discouraged with just one form of presentation.

Each chapter deals with a particular stage of the planning process and is very much a working document. Thus, a chapter will start with the expected aims and outcomes and work its way through the planning process with abundant use of graphs, figures, bullet points and check‐lists. Text is generally short and to the point with case studies providing examples throughout. Occasionally, the text is a little too light with the feeling that you are simply working through a rather dry series of action points. Nonetheless, the ground is fully covered with good “nuts and bolts” specialist advice on business plans, technology and materials assessment and implementation, managing the development team and learning management systems and standards.

There is a useful glossary and index, but the references and sources section is disappointing.

Planning and managing an e‐learning programme must surely be one of the more complex and time‐consuming projects for trainers and educators. This is as good a starting‐point as any.