Now that it appears working remotely is here to stay, have you been thinking that it’s time to convert your in-person training program into an eLearning version so employees can complete it wherever they are working?
How can you make this transition easier for you and your employees? Here are nine simple steps to transition in-person training to eLearning.
1. Establish a short-term plan
You may be moving to eLearning because your employees will continue working remotely long-term. Or maybe you want to streamline your training materials to meet your employees’ needs better. Whatever the reason, it’s essential to start with a short-term plan.
You may want to start with virtual instructor-led training with the material you already have while your team puts together a complete online training program. Consider this an orientation period where employees have some support from a trainer while they become familiar with new platforms. This can be a helpful first step since one of the main challenges of eLearning is mastering the technology.
2. Conduct a training needs analysis
Before you begin to move training online, take the time to perform a training needs analysis. Consider how many employees need training, which topics you should start with, and what needs to be updated in your current training. Now is also a good time to change your focus if needed to another area of needs, like soft skills, upskilling, etc.
3. Create phases of development
It’s important to have a development plan in place before you go any further. Since you’ll most likely start with your budget, make sure everyone is on board and ready to designate resources (money, materials, and time) to convert in-person training to virtual training.
After you finalize the budget, use your training needs analysis to decide which topics or courses you need to build out first. Create a timeline for development and implementation. Carefully match each phase of development to your desired training goals and outcomes.
4. Decide what resources you can reuse
When converting from in-person training to eLearning, think about what resources you already have. Are there materials you used for IRL training that will convert to an online format?
How can you use the hard copies of training guides and manuals for eLearning programs? For example, you can convert procedures and policies that haven’t changed to different formats. You can adapt some of the in-person step-by-step problem-solving activities to other formats, like checklists. Reusing resources saves both time and money in development.
5. Choose a learning platform that fits your needs
One of the top eLearning trends is switching to xAPI-enabled learning record stores (LRS). Unlike the standard learning management systems (LMS), these new eLearning platforms provide a richer, more data-driven experience. LRS tracks what employees learn – and how they use it.
The old LMS is still a good choice for many businesses, and the LRS may not work for every business. So, take time to explore and evaluate your options before moving to the next step.
6. Match the method to the material
Now that you’ve identified your needs and found the right platform to use, it’s time to decide which types of training go with your material.
For instance, performance support gives learners the knowledge they need right where they are. Microlearning works well when you want to focus on one specific task. Longer courses with activities that fit into an employee’s day are best for complex topics they can apply to the job. Gamification is an excellent tool to keep employees engaged and motivated.
Whatever method you choose, remember that everyone learns differently. You’ll have a better chance of successfully converting in-person training to eLearning if you thoughtfully match the method to the material and give employees options for learning.
7. Develop your first phase of courses
Developing your first phase of training courses may require some time and effort – but it could also be as simple as uploading existing materials.
Even though it’s possible to transition to eLearning completely in-house, many companies choose to co-develop with a partner in employee training. Some companies prefer to outsource the project entirely. At Impact Group Training, we’ve worked with a variety of small and large businesses to convert their instructor-led training to eLearning. We’ve also developed entirely new training programs.
Partnering with a professional frees up valuable time and resources within your company and makes your roll-out smooth and seamless.
8. Assess what worked and tweak what didn’t
No matter how carefully you plan, sometimes you don’t get the outcomes you expect.
It’s essential to take time to assess what worked in your first round of new training – and what changes need to be made. Post-training employee surveys provide valuable information. So does measuring performance or implementation. This phase aims to make sure that you develop an eLearning training program that works for everyone who needs it.
9. Develop the next phase
The last step takes everything you learned from the first phase of transitioning to eLearning and uses it to improve the remaining phases. There is much more to consider than just taking your traditional in-person training program and posting it online.
Final Thoughts
Remote work – and remote learning – are here to stay. The benefits of eLearning are powerful and allow your team to access your training material anytime, anywhere. At Impact Group Training, our team is proficient at transforming traditional training materials into the eLearning format. We also specialize in creating a full suite of eLearning training programs from the ground up. Contact us today to learn more about our development, printing, and logistics services. We’d love to help make your training ideas a successful reality!