Effective
e-learning solutions engage the intelligence of the learner. Learners
bring knowledge and experience to a task. We must not treat people
as if they were flesh-and-bone data warehouses. That is not a trivial
statement: it took some folks years to realize that documents piled
into a website do not constitute online learning.
Contrary
to popular belief, work is not a four-letter word for most people.
Most of us want our work to be excellent. It is by working with
the motivation and the abilities of learners that we best achieve
our performance objectives. We need to present information in a
global and meaningful context. We need to make sure learners know
when decisions are required, what the consequences of each decision
will be, and how to apply each decision.
We
must stop wasting money and time delivering training on "data"
that is forgotten or obsolete before it is applied. Complete and
exact information must be delivered and applied while tasks are
being carried out, when the need and the motivation are highest.
The
potential savings and payoffs of effective e-learning are massive
in terms of reduced training and better work.
