What is eLearning?

eLearning is a human performance improvement initiative that employs electronic technology. By that definition, consulting an Internet-based dictionary to find out the meaning of a word is a form of eLearning. Indeed, learning is occurring, therefore improving performance by the means of an electronic technology. Though it is incidental and informal, it falls within the parameters of eLearning.

One of the pitfalls many encounter when developing an eLearning strategy is ignoring the wide spectrum of eLearning possibilities. They limit their potential by centering their approach around the digitization of content via impressive technology. They forget that, much like in the case of the user consulting the Internet-based dictionary, meaningful learning is personal, context-related and most effective when answering a specific need.

Situating the Current Popular eLearning Offering

When one decides to venture into the world of eLearning, he or she will quickly come across the following terms:

Learning object: a pre-defined parcel of learning that elaborates on a subject or a notion. It is usually developed with rich multimedia.

Learning Content Management System (LCMS): a system that enables the organization and sequencing of learning objects to follow a preset learning path.

Learning Management Systems (LMS): a system that manages individual learning paths and tracks the learner’s participation and results. It usually interacts with an LCMS and many systems today integrate both.