FAQ's
1.
 What is e-Learning?
Electronically delivered instructions to ensure learning is known as e-Learning. The instructions can be delivered using a Web browser or multimedia platforms, such as CD-ROM or DVD.
2.
 How can I determine whether e-Learning is right for our organization?
Here are several questions you can use to assess the viability of e-Learning for your company: To assess viability of e-Learning for your organization you can use the following questions:
1.
 Are there enough learners in your organization to justify cost of developing or purchasing content and infrastructure?
2.
 Does your learners use or have access to computers?
3.
 Will the learners accept the change from instructor led trainings to e-Learning programs?
4.
 Will the program developed be easier to learn, more engaging than alternative mode of learning, cheaper and faster to deliver.
5.
 Do you have the budget and time to get the program designed by an Instructional Designer for self-paced learning?
6.
 Do you want knowledge dissemination to be standardized, have a global reach, and should meet the Just-in-time requirement.
7.
 Do you want the training delivery in your organization to be cost-effective?
 
3.
 What are the advantages of e-Learning?

e-Learning helps learners to learn at their own pace and at their own convenient time. The learners are not bound by the time, place and pace of their trainers or peers. This gives the learners flexibility in learning, makes knowledge accessible from any corner of the globe and makes learning convenient. Moreover, learning delivered to all learners is consistent and standardized and is free of individual biases and opinions. The knowledge delivered through Internet can be accessed just in time of requirement. Cross Platform Accessibility: The e-Learning programmes can be delivered to any machine over the Internet or the Intranet using a Web browser. The programmes can run on any platform: Windows, UNIX, Macintosh, OS/2 without having to create the programme for each platform.

Inexpensive Delivery: The e-Learning programme can be accessed from any computer from any corner of the globe without having to set up separate distribution channels for different geographical locations. This keeps the delivery cost very low. There are no travel costs involved. The organizations do not have to bring remote employees to a centralized workshop because the Internet or the Intranet can be accessed from any desktop.

Ease of Update: Whenever there is a need to update the learning content, the change can be easily implemented on the server where the programme is stored and the update can be instantly made available to all the learners.

In addition, the courses can be designed to access updated information from any other server for on-the-fly update. For example, if there is a change in the policies, the changed policy details resting on another server can be made available in the learning content, if designed so.
 
4.
 What are the Limitations of e-Learning?
Bandwidth Limitation: Learners usually face bandwidth problem. Limited bandwidth restricts download of very heavy files such as high quality video files on standard modems. These large files take long download time, which affect the learning process. The problem is greater over the public Internet where the traffic is more; and less over the company’s intranet where the traffic is comparatively less and the bandwidth is high.
Exceeds time and cost expected-If e-Learning in implemented for the first time, then like any other first time challenge, creation and implementation takes more resources than expected. This can be simplified by starting with pilot runs of the e-Learning programmes and then building on each success. And, remember that the greater portion of costs associated with e-Learning are the initial setting up cost.
 
5.
 Is this a medium worth investing in?
Yes. Immediate access to information and knowledge are becoming increasingly important for the growth and right decision making of any organization. The Web has become the most convenient medium for delivery and access of learning and knowledge. Apart from the ease of delivery, the medium also assists in easy update of knowledge, scalability and has huge reach.
 
6.
 Where can e-Learning be delivered?
It can be delivered from a CD-ROM, Internet or the Intranet to learners' desktop, any time, anywhere.
 
7.
 What criteria should be used in evaluating e-Learning?
An e-Learning programme can be called successful only if it meets the complete learning requirement. To evaluate whether the programme meets the learning requirement, the points given below can be used:
1.
Instructional Design: Has the programme been designed keeping in mind the learning audience and will this programme make the learners actually learn?
2.
Content: Does the content provided enough for the learning required? Is the content of the right quality?
3.
Tone: Is the tone of the programme appropriate? Does it avoid being condescending, pedantic, judgemental etc?
4.
Interactivity: Is the learner engaged during the learning process? Does the interactivity assist learning?
5.
Navigation: Is the navigation for the user easy and intuitive? Is there an exit and navigational help available?
6.
Use of Media: Is there appropriate and effective use of graphics, animations, audio and video? Or the media used is more of a learning distraction than assistance.
7.
Aesthetics: Is the programme created aesthetically appealing to the eye and ears?
8.
Motivational aspects: Does the programme have enough exercises, unique content, surprises that motivates the learner to learn further?
9.
Testing: Does the programme provides learners the opportunity to test their knowledge? Is there a final test built in which would measure the learning effectiveness?
10.
Tracking and Reporting: Does the programme have means that can track and record learner’s activity, progress and learner performance data?
 
8.
 Can you use Web technology on a company's internal network?
Yes. The same technology used for the Internet is the same that exists on many companies' internal local area network (LAN), or company intranets.
 
9.
 How do you influence decision-makers to use e-Learning vs. traditional training options?
Here are some of the pointers that can help you influence the decision makers.
 
10.
 How can you justify investing in e-Learning?
Cost Saving is the key word to justify investing in e-Learning. The training cost reduces because of reduction in time and resources for delivery. It also eliminates the travel cost and the recurring infrastructure cost. For example, Braahmam developed an enterprise-wide e-Learning program for a large pharmaceutical company located in New Jersey. The cost per employee (all 47,000 of them) was ONLY 74-cents per employee! In addition, there are certain non-cost related benefits of e-Learning such as reach, scalability, Just-in-time learning, standard learning and flexibility.
 
11.
 How can management be assured employees are actually completing the program?
Since the e-Learning programmes are self-paced, tracking of learner’s progress becomes a concern at times. To ensure that learner’s progress are tracked you can use tools such as Learning Management Systems (LMS) or Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS).
There are some programmes that come with progress tracking features.
 
12.
 How do you motivate employees to use e-Learning?
You can use any motivational strategy that you use for other training programmes. For example, the learning and skill acquired can be linked to performance evaluation. The tracking and report features enables you to structure reward on successful completion of the programmes. Learners often need motivation because it’s not easy to adopt new things and of course, isolated learning can’t be as much fun as sharing lunch and coffee with peers during classroom training sessions.
 
13.
How do you help your training staff that is used to instructor-led training (ILT) make the transition and embrace e-Learning?
For the trainers to embrace this change, you must:
1.
Make them aware of the benefits of e-Learning.
2.
Provide them adequate training on the e-Learning technology.
3.
Provide them the administrators role for managing learning of the study groups.
4.
Assign them as e-trainers in their field of expertise.
 
14.
 What kind of a team is necessary to develop e-Learning? Usually, an e-Learning team consists of:
1.
 An instructional designer, who is familiar with computer-delivered instruction, self-paced learning and learners’ behaviour.
2.
A project manager, who is capable of managing a team with different work styles and personalities.
3.
A graphic artist.
4.
A programmer or author capable of using the authoring tool.
5.
A subject matter expert (SME).
6.
An IT person.
7.
And someone who can get the funding for e-Learning from the management.
 
15.
 How much multimedia is being used now for e-Learning?
Multimedia is being used for higher interactivity. Web languages such as Java and plug-ins used by authoring tools such as Authorware and Flash. The use of these tools has made it possible to access web courses with high multimedia even on a low bandwidth. The compression and optimisation of the audio and video files have made it possible to make it accessible even for home users.
See our demo courses in the Website.
16.
 How do you determine the appropriate level of interactivity and media?
The level of interactivity and use of media varies with the requirement of meeting the instructional objectives of the programme. All activities and media should only be included if they help in achieving the instructional objective. Simulations are very effective tool and make an effective and interactive learning programme. However, it is also possible for a learning programme to have too much of multimedia, which do not contribute to learning. If multimedia does not contribute to learning they become unjustified. The multimedia used in a learning programme should be useful. An Instructional Designer who has experience of self-paced learning should design an e-Learning programme.
17.
 From an instructional designer's perspective, how is Internet-based training different from multimedia training?
When designing Internet based training, instructional designers have to work with the limitations and benefits of the Internet for making an effective training programme. An instructional designer makes note of the bandwidth limitation, Internet user type according to which s/he designs the level of multimedia. In addition, the instructional designer chunks content, designs programme to ensure synchronous and asynchronous learning to make the best of Internet. Synchronous learning is ensured through designing, discussions, SME interactions and webinars.
18.
 From a student perspective, how is e-Learning different from CD-ROM based training?
A student should not feel much difference between e-Learning and CD-ROM based training. In the two media, there is a difference in the richness of the multimedia being used. Web-based programmes must use streaming techniques for audio and video files and the multimedia files must be compressed and optimized for the Web. The students as such should not feel much difference and the programme should include multimedia for CD based training and Web based training and should be easy to navigate for the learners.
19.
 Can an existing CBT be converted into e-Learning?

Yes, you need a person who can compress and optimise multimedia to minimize the file sizes for the low-end system. In addition, it would be better if all videos were re-created to animation with voice-overs. This considerably reduces the file size. You may need to chunk the content again to make them smaller modules suitable for slower bandwidths. You must ensure that experienced Instructional designers are part of this process as they can make valuable recommendations.
20.
 Should the training be interactive on the Web or should it be downloaded and used off-line?
It depends on the requirement of an organization, whether the content should be interactive on the Web or can be downloaded. Given below are some pointers that can help you decide:
Condition
On the Web/Downloadable
You need to administer the training status in real-time.
Web-based
If the completion status and scores can be sent across for administration purpose.
Downloadable
If the content does not need regular updates.
Downloadable
If the content is such that it would need change in data and codes.
Web-based
If there is a concern over the security of the content.
Web-based
21.
 What kinds of authoring systems are available for e-Learning?
There are many authoring tools available in the market. Some of them are Authorware, ToolBook, DazzlerMax, Digital Trainer and CBT Express. Most of these tools come with in-built training components. You can use these tools to create highly interactive e-Learning programmes with NO programming experience. However, if you want to start with simple programme an HTML editor such as Dreamweaver would be of much help.
22.
 How fast a connection is needed to access e-Learning effectively?
28.8K is recommended
23.
 How can I calculate how fast my program will be delivered over a network?
For this you need to contact your IT department to know the low-end connection speed.
24.
 Once a course is developed, how do you get it on the Internet or intranet?
Your IT department will be able to help you to upload the programme on the Web or on your intranet. Your vendor should also be able to provide you this service, in case you do not have someone in-house for the purpose.
25.
 What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?
An LMS is a software that manages, tracks and provides access to e-Learning programmes. Higher end LMS provides portal to the students to access content assigned to them by the administrator and also helps in synchronous learning through asynchronous and synchronous learning.
The LMS tracks students’ activity, completion status and scores. This helps in maintaining and administering the trainings.
26.
 What are the differences between and LMS and LCMS?
An LCMS is designed to handle learning objects along with training management part of an LMS. LCMS enables you to build, leverage and reuse effective e-Learning content for a broad range of learners. This is where an LCMS takes an edge over LMS if you want to use standardize content and reuse it.
 
 
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