Converting Instructor-Led Training (ILT) to eLearning can be a game-changer for organizations, offering flexibility, scalability, and often cost savings. However, it’s not as simple as just transferring your existing ILT materials into a digital format. There are several common mistakes that can derail your efforts. A skilled instructional design consultant can help you avoid these pitfalls:
1. Not Assessing the Content Suitability
Not all ILT content is a good fit for eLearning. Some training objectives, especially those aiming for higher-level outcomes on Bloom’s Taxonomy, are tough to achieve with eLearning alone. For instance, developing critical thinking or problem-solving skills often requires more interactive, hands-on experiences. Before you start converting, evaluate whether the content will be effective in an online format or if it needs to be adapted or supplemented with other forms of training.
Tip: Conduct a content audit to determine what can be directly converted, what needs instructional design attention before converting, and what might require a different approach altogether.
2. Ignoring the Need for Interactivity
ILT sessions often thrive on interactivity, with discussions, group activities, realistic role plays, and hands-on exercises. Facilitators will tell you that this engagement is crucial for effective learning. When converting to eLearning, you need to reimagine how to get the same outcome that is achieved in the classroom. Incorporate elements like quizzes, simulations, discussion boards, and even gamification to make the learning experience dynamic.
Tip: Use tools like Articulate 360 or Vyond to create interactive eLearning modules that can captivate your learners.
3. Failing to Update the Content
Simply transferring your ILT materials to an eLearning format without updating or adapting the content can lead to a subpar learning experience. The context and delivery methods in eLearning are different, and your content should reflect that. Have an instructional designer update your course to suit an online environment, ensuring it’s relevant, engaging, and accessible.
4. Overloading Learners with Information
ILT sessions are often spread out over time, allowing learners to absorb information gradually. When you skip having an instructional designer redesign the curriculum and instead put all the content into a single eLearning module, you risk overwhelming your learners. Instead, break down the content into smaller, manageable chunks or microlearning modules that learners can complete at their own pace or are part of an overall learning plan.
5. Lack of Learner Engagement Strategies
ILT naturally allows for real-time engagement and feedback, which is harder to replicate in an eLearning environment. If the slides are simply converted to eLearning, the engagement and feedback elements will be lost. If you have an instructional design consultant completely redesign the curriculum, the designer can focus on creating opportunities for building engagement. Some elements to include are gamification, social learning, badging, realistic scenarios, personalized content, and regular feedback. These elements help keep learners motivated and involved in their learning journey.
6. Ignoring the Importance of Assessments
In the classroom or virtual classroom, the facilitator interacts with the learners, asking questions, encouraging discussion, and generally making sure the participants are understanding the materials. In eLearning, there is no facilitator to gauge understanding and retention. That’s why periodic assessments are vital in helping learners gauge their understanding and retention of the content. Effective eLearning should include various assessment methods such as quizzes, drag and drops, and other practical activities throughout the course. These assessments not only measure learning but also reinforce it.
Conclusion
Converting ILT to eLearning is more than just a digital conversion; it requires thoughtful redesign with a skilled instructional designer to ensure the training remains effective. You can avoid these common mistakes by engaging a skilled instructional designer on your team or bringing in an instructional design consultant with experience converting ILT to eLearning. Create engaging, interactive, and impactful eLearning experiences that meet your learners’ needs by avoiding these common mistakes.
Do you have an upcoming project to convert an instructor-led training program to eLearning? Would you like help from an instructional design consultant with experience in this area? When you have more projects than people ™, TrainingPros can provide you with the right L&D consultant to start your project with confidence. Schedule a consultation today.
