For a number of years now, eLearning, as an educational platform, has been widely discussed and developed, but the evolution of electronic training has its origins further back than many of us initially think.
A few of us have been around for long enough to remember the use of video cassettes in training. Back in the 1980s, watching a guy on video for 30 minutes was pretty engaging, especially one with charisma, such as Tony Byrne. You might say these video presenters were the first examples of electronic training; but purely video training will not cut it anymore. With the ‘instasnappy-yougram-chattersound-tubebite’ generation, you rarely find anyone watching a video for longer than a few seconds – especially if they’re in recruitment! To cater for this new phenomenon, eLearning has had to develop rapidly to keep up with changing behavioural habits.
As a result, effective and good quality eLearning now has a range of features that will either encourage or enforce use and engagement – and the good old carrot and stick is still evident.
So, if you are looking into eLearning as part of your recruitment training resource, make sure that the solution you opt for has the following elements, to ensure the optimum user experience:
Multimedia – good eLearning content should provide an even mixture of text, video and audio, so that users flow from one communication medium to another, maintaining engagement for longer.
Interactive exercises – don’t just add a test or assessment at the end. Effective and engaging eLearning now provides a range of mechanisms that encourage learners to engage with and, most importantly, ‘think’ about the material. These could simply be ‘drag and drop’ exercises, various quiz structures (true/false, multiple choice, free text answer), pop up reminders and prompts. These interactive elements are particularly important when the subject matter is ‘grey’ (more subjective); such as recruitment, as opposed to ‘black and white’; such as health and safety.
Gamification – we all love an element of competition, recruiters particularly so. Points, badges, leader tables and gamification all promote users engaging more regularly with eLearning.
Tests and assessments – well structured, certificated eLearning courses that check your knowledge and learning with tests and assessments are great for beginners with no prior experience. They support a user learning the entire workings of their job from the ground up.
Flexible access – effective eLearning content will allow users to explore topics and dip into very specific content and resources, as and when they need it. Make sure your eLearning platform can be easily searched and accessed, allowing users to revise specific areas of interest or revisit topics at a later date.
Coaching functions – finally, well developed eLearning content will also be structured in such a way as to be accessible to both the trainee and manager. This empowers managers to run powerful coaching and training sessions, either 1-2-1 or in small groups.
These are just a few of the ways that eLearning should improve a user’s learning experience. Make sure that your eLearning platform provides all of these and you’ll be sure to have an effective tool to develop your recruitment team.
To discuss our eLearning platform in more detail, call us on 01264 360 234 or email info@enablingchange.co.uk. Alternatively, click here for more information.