I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to participate in an online chat about e-learning best practices with our own Paul Signorelli.  As I answered questions for Paul, I had the opportunity to reflect on my experiences in introducing blended learning at Gwinnett County Public Library, an organization, that until a couple years ago, relied almost solely on classroom-based ILT for training.  In my ferver to get e-learning off the ground, I took a few lumps along way that could have been avoided had I taken more care to address early on a few fundamental questions in implementation regarding physical assets, supervisory needs, and administrative concerns.  I volunteered to Paul that I would be happy to compile and share a general e-learning preparation checklist for libraries considering e-learning, or for those that are relatively new to it.  Here goes (or visit the Google group T is for Training for a printer-friendly version):

E-Learning Preparedness Checklist

Physical

• Does each work unit have an adequate number of PCs to be used primarily for e-learning?
• Are the PCs in an area away from potential distractions?
• Does each training PC have the necessary equipment and configuration for e-learning?
  • Consider equipment such as:
  • Headset microphones for webinars
  • Webcam for video conferencing
  • Browsers correctly configured (i.e., Java, Flash Player, Active X controls, popup blockers, software applets, etc)
• Is there a Help Desk/Tech Support system in place?
• Are there bandwidth bottlenecks during peak times of PC use in the branches?

Supervisory

• Do employees have scheduled off-desk time to participate in e-learning?
• Is training viewed as an essential job function and supported as such?
• Are policies/guidelines in place to restrict hourly employees from accessing e-learning off the clock?
• Will concepts taught in e-learning be modeled and reinforced in the workplace?

Training Administrator

• Will e-learning offerings conflict with branch/department scheduling?
• How will new e-learning opportunities be advertised?
• Which, if any, e-learning classes count toward CEUs for your professional staff?
• Have you communicated your vision for e-learning so that staff know what to expect?
• Do you have the buy-in of key stakeholders, such as the Director, the IT department, line managers, etc?
• What evaluative criteria will be used to determine the success of e-learning initiatives?

Jay Turner

Jay Turner, Training Manager at Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia, is responsible for all aspects of learning and development for a staff of 300+ employees. He considers himself a lifelong student, and delights in sharing his passion for learning with anyone willing to listen (much to their chagrin!) He is a library lifer, who began working in libraries as a teen and has worn almost every conceivable public services hat since. Jay’s diversity of experience helps him develop and deliver solutions that are creative, practical, and effective. He is a self-proclaimed information and tech junkie, who gets his fix by playing in his “digital sandbox” with new tools and neat ideas to make learning more accessible, more flexible, and more fun across any medium. He can be reached at jayturner[at]comcast.net.