Training via e-Learning first surfaced in the 2000s and has since sparked a veritable revolution in the world of education as the sheer number of trainees created a real buzz. In today’s trying economic times, companies are always looking to stretch their training budget as much as possible. That being said, it becomes important to understand the factors that can influence the efficiency and effectiveness of any online training program.

There are many factors that can help optimize any e-Learning experience, but four stand out as critical to its overall success.

• Quality content:Content must not only be complete, but also current and balanced in terms of understandable and relatable tone and technical information. The jargon, the methodology to apply and the reflexes to adopt must be considered from the onset of the training program.
• The team and the pedagogical approach:the supervision of learners is essential, be it in terms of professional expertise or academic. The “pedagogical approach” concerns the structure of different phases of the learning process: digital courses and its access supports, e-tutorials, group social learning, face-to-face seminars, various tests, exercises, virtual classrooms, remote working groups, etc.
• Interactivity:the remote and digital components of the training must integrate various forms of interactivity. Digital training technologies offer us various ways to introduce interactivity: trivia quizzes, serious games, trainee follow-up, social learning, etc.

The main obstacle to successful remote learning for businesses is resistance to change. It is therefore recommended to follow three distinct phases:

Upstream, internal communication will answer teams’ questions and doubts. Involving employees in the e-learning process promotes their buy-in. Moreover, the analysis of learners’ expectations is also essential, as well as the involvement of managers in the selection of training courses and e-Learning modules.

Throughout the project, it is useful to keep the overall strategy in mind by emphasizing the innovative aspects of the e-Learning project and its contribution to those involved.

Also, long-term communication needs to be addressed through updates to training content. This can take on various forms including sending e-mails, organizing events and meetings, via intranet, etc.

Finally, the success of e-Learning training is essentially linked to four factors: content, pedagogical approach, interactivity and social experience. It appears that some standardization is necessary, but must be accompanied by great flexibility in the support afforded to learners.

Caroline Irrmann, web editor