Three Key Success Factors in Online Language and Innovation Training
Motivation, collaboration and automation are considered as key success factors during e-Learning experiences, particularly for language and business/ innovation training. As an experienced trainer, I understand that motivation and collaboration are crucial for not only online training but also in-class training while automation smoothens processes and enhance learner engagement.
1. Motivation
To motivate learners, we need to use strategies that help enhance the competence, autonomy and relatedness needs of our learners:
Autonomy (a sense of being in control and having freedom)
- Allowing learners to make meaningful choices that have consequences,
- Providing learners with more than one way to reach their end goal,
- Encouraging learners to take risks and be creative during the e-Learning module/course.
Competence (a sense of being able to do something i.e. being competent)
- Making the rules and goals for learners clear and structured,
- Measuring learner performance in multiple ways,
- Increasing the difficulty as the learner progresses through the e-Learning module/course,
- Providing learners with constant and varied feedback and support.
Relatedness (a sense of being associated or connected to others).
- Providing space/areas for learner interaction and discussion e.g. forums
- Providing opportunities for learner collaboration e.g. a group quest or challenge
2. Collaboration
Collaboration helps learners build mental models through practice and application. Mental models help learners take what they have learnt to apply it in the real-time world.
Live virtual classroom lessons should be more about learners working together collaboratively than lecture and PowerPoint.
Put into L&D terms, the former (learning in a vacuum) may allow learners to achieve the lower levels of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy: Remembering and Understanding. However, the latter (learning through collaboration) is what allows learners to achieve the higher levels: Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, or Creating.
3. Process Automation
As for eLearning, automation entails not only reducing the workload of other staffs and teachers but also enhancing the engagement of learning platform users. eLearning automation means moving away from boring activities in favor of introducing interactive tools that provide individualized content, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the education process.
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