eLearning 101: Lesson 5 – how to manage elearning projects effectively

Best practices for effective elearning project management were listed in this lesson:

Starting the Project:

• Identify who is in charge, who has the authority?
• What are the expectations?
• What is the budget?
• Who signs the project off? What is that expected date?

Establish a Common Understanding of…

• Success
• Goals
• Timelines
• Deliverables

Clarify Learning Objectives:

• What needs to be learnt?
• Who needs to learn it?
• What do they need to know before they start?

Identify Technology Considerations / Issues such as

• Computer set up
• Mobile devices
• Headphones
• Multimedia
• Hosting solution

Lots more lists in this lesson:

Planning the project – identify tasks, establish a schedule, set target milestones, set dependencies, plan for review and rework, buffer for the unexpected, allocate resources (including people).

Suggestions for keeping the project moving – be flexible to incorporate changes, but be aware of the possibility of project creep; keep communication open and transparent; include regular reviews and build in time to change things. Once the project is finished have a final checklist and sign-off. It is also a good idea to have a post-implementation review to determine what went well and what can be learnt.

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So this is the basics of project management. Again something I am familiar with from my computing days. But again something that tends to put off my fellow librarians so how it is presented needs to be considered. When we upgraded our etutorials I did draw up a plan (spreadsheet) but it did have to be very flexible, but I think you do need it to detail what needs to happen and monitor milestones.

Planning is also pretty difficult in my current role as the elearning development aspect is a relatively minor role and will almost always be trumped by other events occurring.

eLearning 101: Lesson 4 – how the course creation process works

This lesson described the steps which make up the workflow and design process.

Step 1 – discuss with the client

You should discuss the requirements of the proposer or sponsor (client) or the course to determine: why the course is needed, what the objectives are, what the performance gap is that needs filling. This will help you to identify: high level objectives, budget, tools, timeline, review process, branding requirements and where the course can be accessed from. You may also need to meet with a subject matter expert (SME) who has content specific knowledge.

Step 2 – gather and organise content

Identify what information is “need to know” and what is “nice to know”; identify task-based content. You may need to breakdown the content into smaller chunks, and work out how to organise the different elements into an order that makes sense.

Step 3 - storyboard

Use storyboard techniques to identify:

The text that will be used

Places for multimedia, images and video

Navigation

The level of detail required here depends on who the audience for the storyboard is – client, developer, you.

Step 4 – review and edit

Present the storyboard to someone else for review – this may be a colleague or the client. This is an iterative process – make changes as required.

Step 5 – develop the course

Use the authoring tool of your choice to create your course. Here are some visual design basics:

• Leave white space
• Avoid clutter
• Restrict use of fonts to 1 or 2
• Restrict the colour palette to use
• Be consistent – with buttons, links and other navigation tools
• Align items and text
• Use relevant and meaningful images
• Be consistent in use of types of images

Step 6 – quality assurance testing

Review and test to pick up problems.

Step 7 – publish and deploy

Make the learning object available to users.

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This process sounds very familiar to me – dredging up years of working on computing projects, lots of, basically, specifications of differing detail depending on who it was aimed at.

As I work with librarians now I find that this kind of language can be alienating, so although I follow the process it can be called different things. As the client is really us, I also probably don’t record things in sufficient detail.

eLearning 101: Lesson 3 – how to choose the best app to create your course

Lesson 3 looked at the different types of elearning authoring software. Three different types are listed:

• Web Applications – these are tools hosted on a server and made accessible via the web
• Desktop Applications – these are installed on a PC; are typically more robust and are often feature-rich
• Powerpoint Plugins – additional plugins to MS PowerPoint to enhance the functionality

The types of functionality required include the following:

Text	Audio
Shapes	Interactivity
Photos	Screen-recording
Animations	Quiz / Assessment feature
Video

Functionality should also include the ability to create linear courses (where the navigation is fixed in one direction) and non-linear courses (where navigation is branched and users can make choices).

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When we were looking at updating our etutorial package (from mediator), in 2015, I completed an exercise to evaluate which tools we should use. This involved:

• Creating a list of functions that we needed to include to deliver the same functionality that we already delivered
• Creating a list of functions that we believed we could use to enhance our package
• Talking to experienced staff within the University to identify various suitable apps
• Matching the applications against our list of needs
• Identifying the most likely applications that would work for us
• Trialling the most likely candidates
• Identifying the one application that we would use

And in the end we chose Articulate Storyline – which is why we are here.

eLearning 101: Lesson 2 – how instructional design relates to elearning

In this lesson the ADDIE model of design is introduced – I‘ve come across something similar before in another course:

A – Analyse – the needs, objectives and profile of the learner

D – Design – plan the learning object, identify the elements required to achieve the objectives, use storyboarding to record this

D – Develop – create and test the learning objects

I – Implementation – publish the learning object and make it available to the users

E – Evaluate – evaluate whether the object is achieving its objectives

Here is my diagram of the DADDIE model (similar)

DADDIE model

The evaluation process should then feed back into the analyse phase – to result in improvements to the course.

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I perhaps have far too informal approach to my design. So far I have generally produced online learning that often replicates or complements face-to-face learning. The etutorials offer an alternative route to the face-to-face training sessions, which learners sometimes find difficult to attend. Thus much of the analysis is based on what is already being delivered by the face-to-face training. The design phase can be informal (scribbled boxes on notepads) if I am only doing it for me but if I am working with colleagues then I make much more effort to document what will be done so that everyone else can review it. Evaluation is probably the trickiest phase. I have an informal distribution ie the etutorials are freely available via the web server, so learners can choose whether to complete the tutorials or not. Although every tutorial offers a feedback form, I cannot “make” a learner complete it. It is quite difficult to get feedback that can be used to re-analyse the content. This is an area that I think I need to work on.

eLearning 101: Lesson 1 – exploring the essential qualities of e-learning

So to start at the beginning…

What is e-learning?

I think there are a number of definitions, articulate plum for:

“use of electronic devices (computers, tablets, phones) 

to deliver educational or training content to learners”

eLearning has also been called web-based training, online learning and computer-based training.

Typically content has included slide-based content with simple navigation and incorporating some interactivity such as quizzes. Content can be developed to include responsive web-based content, software simulations and interactive courses with role-playing and complex decision-making.

Why is elearning valuable?

Some of the benefits identified include:

• asynchronous or synchronous activities
• global reach – anytime, anywhere
• proceed at learners own pace
• use of multiple devices eg tablets / mobiles
• flexible for the user
• just in time / needs based – available when the user needs it
• can reach more people, more quickly compared to face-to-face training
• allows consistency of quality and content – same message delivered to all participants

How do you create eLearning courses?

So at this point Articulate products are introduced – I’m not going to do the sales pitch.

How is eLearning shared?

Two possible routes are offered:

• Informal Distribution – eg freely available via a web server. Users can decide whether to participate.
• Formal Distribution – eg via a learning management system (LMS), such as Blackboard. Here the LMS tracks and record user activity. Standards are required to allow the learning object to “talk” to the LMS. I have heard of SCORM and TinCan protocols, although never used them.

What makes an elearning project successful?

1. Using the right applications

Use the application that can provide the functionality and interactivity that you want for your learners. You need to consider how easy it is for you to use, so that the learning curve is manageable and you don’t spend time dealing with technical issues.

2. Instructional design

You need to be able to create the most effective, educational experience for your learners, to maximise learning and help users to improve their knowledge and skill.

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The definition seems to change with the times – it always wants to be the new kid on the block, although the concept now must be pretty old (although efficacy is still argued over). I was trying to remember my first experience of “elearning”. Certainly not at school – I remember fund-raising activities to collect enough money to buy a computer for the school (one computer for the whole school!). You’ve never seen so many cake sales. Not at university either, we just about had a computer-based catalogue. I think it was when I first started work (in the 1990s). I was learning coding and I remember a “video disk” – something the size of an LP (if you remember what that was) which played video on a TV screen. We learnt all about the adabas database from shiny-faced americans.

I have found elearning to be very useful – for all the benefits described. I’m not sure that I would do any CPD if I had to rely on booking on face-to-face training events. I remember when I learnt visual basic (mid-90s) – it was a 1 week course and a book for 2 weeks. Now I am learning Articulate Storyline, it is an ongoing process with access to a variety of learning opportunities, in different formats, with peer support from people that I have never even met. Quite a change.

eLearning 101 – online course from Articulate

At the end of last year (Sept/ Oct 2017) I signed up for an online course delivered by Articulate – eLearning 101. This was a series of lessons delivered weekly. Although I didn’t quite manage to keep to the 10-week schedule I have finished it and so am somewhat belatedly writing up my reflections.

I have been using Articulate Storyline for a few years now to create our online tutorials. These are aimed at students and staff who use the Health Library I work in. They are intended to offer users an online learning experience to help them to find and use our resources as well as develop their information literacy skills.

I have used the Articulate forums extensively and really enjoy the learning opportunities available. They offer tutorials on how to use the product, whether via videos or simple step by step instructions. There is also a forum where you can post queries and they have a regular challenge where participants submit ideas to solve particular problems. It is a very welcoming environment and I have found it very useful in order to get ideas and solve problems.

I suppose given that Articulate are selling products to deliver online learning it is good to see that they can offer a good online learning environment.

The course consisted of a number of blog posts, with links to articles for further reading. It looked like a number of the articles were relatively old – a few years anyway – so you could say this is an example of pulling existing material together and re-purposing it for a new audience, (an idea to squirrel away).

I’ll try to complete a blog post for each weekly lesson. This is purely my reflection on what I picked up on from the lessons.

Health Libraries Group Conference 2018

The Health Libraries Group Conference was held 14^th and 15^th of June at Keele University. As it was in my backyard I applied to attend. This was the first library conference I attended, although not my first conference. I decided to make sure that as well as attending sessions I also built in some time to sit, think and reflect – I was worn out by the first conference I attended.

Here are my comments on the sessions I attended:

(presentations, where available, are online here)

Library Statistics – why you do that thing you do

This session was presented by the task and finish group looking at the collection of statistical data within libraries. They presented the work that they had completed so far and then asked the group for ideas about what should go into the toolkit they were developing.

Some ideas presented were: templates, be modular, dashboard, guidance on gathering qualitative data to “flesh out” what the statistics might mean, guidance on factors that might be impacting on statistics, ability to benchmark.

I think the abstract for this session possibly over-sold it a little as I was hoping (and I’m sure some others were too) to have some take-home points. It looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for the toolkit.

Working Collaboratively with your Non-Library Colleagues

Mary Hill explained how her library service had worked with event organisers and clinical staff on 2 different projects to present information via a blog. She worked with her trust’s conference event staff to develop a “reading list” type information source relating to study days / conference events held within the trust. She also worked with clinical staff to produce a “Medical Oncology Update” blog based on the selection and appraisal of current research papers.

These projects have allowed the librarian team to work with different departments within the trust, where not only do the resources relate to the teams but the blog posts also help to promote the trust’s events.

This was a really interesting presentation, demonstrating the potential of the library service to enhance other trust activities.

The Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Innovations Database at RBHT

Samantha Unamboowe presented the development of an Innovations Database at her trust, on the trust intranet. This is intended to help staff learn about activities within the trust and to keep a record of what is happening, creating an “institutional memory”. Her idea was developed from an awareness of trust activities generated from the literature searches completed. The database is manged by library staff, although contributions come from many different staff. The content recorded includes: service improvement projects, quality improvement projects, research, conference presentations, educational lectures, posters.

Although Samantha was not able to provide any details of analytics or impact yet, this did look like an interesting project.

Service Oriented Libraries: changing the conversation by design

In this presentation Kate Kelly shared how the library service for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) was created in a new build. The building also included educational elements such as a lecture theatre and clinical skills rooms, as well as leisure facilities such as a gym.

This talk wasn’t quite what I expected, but was interesting none-the-less. Kate seemed to be trying to steer us into thinking about the library as a range of services, moving away from the physical space. So even the space is a service to allow users to “do something”, rather than a space the library occupies.

I think this is a helpful way to look at the library service, to try to move our marketing messages to be more about what the users can do here, rather than what we have here. So I am thinking of re-doing my “What’s at the Library…” information cards to be more “What can the library do for you?”

Social Media and Collaborative Tools Knowledge Café

This session was held as a discussion session. It seemed to be more concerned about the process of the session – a Knowledge Café – rather than the topic of social media.

So what is a knowledge café? There was a main question to discuss and there were several topics relating to the question. We were put into groups, each group was to discuss a topic – in this case a social media tool. The group was to write / express their thoughts on the question and the topic on a piece of paper. After 5-10 minutes of discussion the groups changed. One member of the group remained to be able to explain the content of the piece of paper but the other members all moved to a different topic. This occurs several times so that you get a chance to participate in a few of the topics.

I think the idea is that you learn from your peers rather than from a presenter. Of course this only works if the members of the group know something about the question / topics. There wasn’t any “show and tell” at the end so I missed a couple of topics and didn’t get to see what everyone had added to the papers.

In terms of what I can take away – use local #tags on twitter

Collecting Meaningful Feedback on Information Literacy Training: results of a project to evaluate feedback methods

This was another session where I was expecting more. Zoe Thomas presented the results of a project carried out by her predecessors which looked into gathering effective feedback from training sessions. However the results seemed to be only about the type of method most effective for gathering feedback, rather than about the quality of the actual feedback.

I think that we need to improve how and what we gather as feedback for our etutorials, but this didn’t really help me in this area.

Ready from Day One: developing evidence-based practitioners

This was probably my favourite session. Shirley Yarwood-Jackman described the information literacy sessions that she delivers to her group of clinical psychologists. Shirley described the current situation that I am sure many of us are familiar with – students / staff who don’t realise what they don’t know and over-estimate their literature searching skills.

The information literacy sessions are embedded in the curriculum and use reflection to allow students to explore their own searching abilities, both on their own and as a group. Shirley emphasised that the students are required (by their professional code) to become evidence-based practitioners. This was used with the students to demonstrate how important it is to develop the right skills to find the evidence easily.

The reflective approach was so successful that Shirley has also looked at how to use it in library inductions – start with a question, rather than give a presentation of everything at the library.

This is a problem that we deal with at the library with our students. They don’t appreciate how specialist their searching needs to be, and how their skills development or non-development will impact on their professional career going forward. We have tried to make some headway by developing our Check Your Skills etutorial, which allows students to think about their searching behaviour and provides suggested actions if there are gaps in their knowledge.

I like the idea of asking students / staff whether they want to be evidence-based practitioners and how they think that they are going to achieve this.

Expand Journal Access for Health Professionals with BrowZine

This presentation demonstrated some of the features of BrowZine and how it has been used at an example library – The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. BrowZine is available as an app and desktop system. It allows you to present your A-Z list of journals as an attractive visual interface. Users can also add journal titles to their own “shelf” and thence get updates when new issues of their selected titles are released.

This offers a way to present the journals A-Z list in a more visually appealing way and possibly allows users to set up their own personalised journal current awareness shelf.

It was reportedly relatively easy to set up. Users found that it was easier to find content and the library service that it was making their journal collection more visible.

Have to say that I really like the look of this and think that it might help to deliver a current awareness service.

Themes that I can carry forward

Emphasise that students / staff want to be evidence-based professionals – how can they achieve that?

Stop telling people what we do but show them how we can help.