Let’s admit it: most eLearning just plain sucks! The sad reality is that most eLearning courses require learners to sit through a disappointing experience, where information is poorly organized, the content isn’t relevant, and the interactions seem contrived and without purpose. This is compounded even more when the slideshow-like presentation is interrupted with several poorly written quiz questions and cheesy animations to make it all seem “fun.” In this session, we will explore many of the reasons why most eLearning fails and the components that contribute to bad eLearning design. we will also explore how bad eLearning design can negatively affect the learning experience. Finally, this session will walk you through several practical methods you can immediately apply to fix your bad eLearning courses. In this session, you will learn: • When to implement a blended learning approach • Why clicking doesn’t make interactivity meaningful • Why good eLearning requires more than instructional design • Why knowledge and behavior aren’t mutually exclusive

5. Why Most eLearning
Fails & How to Fix It
T i m S l a de
G r o w Y o u r e L e a r n i n g C a r e e r
T h e e L e a r n i n g D e s i g n e r ’ s A c a d e m y

6. I’m not really
an eLearning
designer!

10. Why Does Most
eLearning Fail?
Answer the
question in chat.
QUES T I ON

11. Let’s just throw it into a
quick eLearning course.
We just need to track and
verify they know this info.

12. I just loved that
eLearning course!

13. EX P EC T AT I ON S V S . R EALI T Y

14. Why Does Most eLearning Fail?
…and why does it also suck!

15. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not
designed for how
people learn.
It’s not the right
solution for the
performance issue.
It’s not designed
for what people
need to do.

16. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not
designed for how
people learn.

17. How Do
People Learn?
Answer the
question in chat.
QUES T I ON

19. Learning Isn’t an Event…
…It’s a Process.

20. Learning is an Ecosystem
of Experiences.

21. How Do People Learn?
Adults

24. /ˈpedəˌɡäjē/
ped·a·go·gy
The method and
practice of teaching
child learners.
/ˈandrəˌɡäjē,-ɡäɡē/
an·dra·go·gy
The method and
practice of teaching
adult learners.

25. The
Learner
Role of the
Learner’s
Experience
Readiness
to Learn
Orientation
to Learning
Motivation
for Learning
/ˈandrəˌɡäjē,-ɡäɡē/
an·dra·go·gy

26. I learn when I am
involved in the
planning of my
learning and
development.
I learn through
action and
reflecting on ways
to improve my
performance.
I learn when
challenged by
problems, rather
than merely
hearing solutions.
I learn when the
subject is
relevant and is
something I
care about.
Principles of Adult Learning

28. Learning Isn’t an Event…
…It’s a Process.

29. Learning is an Ecosystem
of Experiences.

30. Training Event
Learning Curve
Retention
of
Knowledge
/
Skill
Forgetting Curve
Time

31. Retention
of
Knowledge
/
Skill
Time
Training Event
Learning Curve
Forgetting Curve
Retraining Event
Coaching & Feedback
Performance Support

32. Make it Blended

33. Learning Isn’t One Thing or Another.

34. How Do You Create Blended Learning?

35. What Do You Need to Achieve
Through the Training Experience?
TRANSFER OF
KNOWLEDGE OR
INFORMATION
PRACTICE OF
TASKS OR
BEHAVIORS
APPLICATION
OF TASKS OR
BEHAVIORS
ASSESSMENT OF
KNOWLEDGE OR
PERFORMANCE
JUST-IN-TIME
PERFORMANCE
SUPPORT

36. TRANSFER OF
KNOWLEDGE OR
INFORMATION
PRACTICE OF
TASKS OR
BEHAVIORS
APPLICATION
OF TASKS OR
BEHAVIORS
ASSESSMENT OF
KNOWLEDGE OR
PERFORMANCE
JUST-IN-TIME
PERFORMANCE
SUPPORT
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
TRAINING
OBJECTS
• Lecture /
Presentation
• Explainer Video
• Infographic
• Job Aid
• Article / Blog
• Communications
• Podcast
• Group Discussion
• Observation
• Etc.
• Roleplay
• Digital Scenario
• System Simulation
• Decision-Based
Quiz
• Trial & Error
• Etc.
• System Simulation
• On-The-Job
Practice
• Observation
• Coaching &
Feedback
• Etc.
• Knowledge- Based
Quiz
• Decision-Based
Quiz
• Performance
Assessment
• Observation
• KPIs
• Etc.
• Job Aid
• Online Resource
• Handouts
• Video Tutorial
• Article / Blog
• In-System
Prompts
• Documented Best
Practices
• Etc.
Align Learning Outcomes with
Various Training Objects

37. Let’s Say You’re Launching a New
System All Employees Need to Use.
HOW TO USE THE
NEW SYSTEM.
Explainer Video
Email Communications
System Simulation
Online Job Aid

38. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not
designed for how
people learn.

39. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not the right
solution for the
performance issue.

40. When is Training
the Answer?
Answer the
question in chat.
QUES T I ON

41. When is Training
the Answer?
Answer the
question in chat.
QUES T I ON
NOT
V

42. If we just create
some training, then
they’ll know…
Riiiiight.

43. Why Don’t Employee
Perform the Way We Want?

44. Why Don’t Employee
Perform the Way We Want?
KNOWLEDGE SKILL MOTIVATION ENVIRONMENT
Which of these can training fix?

45. How Do We Validate the
Cause of a Performance Issue?

46. Conduct a Needs Analysis

47. A NEEDS ANALYSIS IS THE PROCESS OF
EVALUATING A PERFORMANCE ISSUE TO
DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE AND TO
OFFER ONE OR MORE SOLUTIONS.

48. IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHY A PERFORMANCE
ISSUE EXISTS, YOU RUN THE RISK OF
CREATING LEARNING SOLUTIONS FOR
NON-LEARNING PROBLEMS.

49. WHAT ARE
PEOPLE
DOING?
WHAT DO WE
WANT PEOPLE
DOING?
WHY AREN’T
PEOPLE
DOING IT?

50. Talk to
Stakeholders
Review
Data
Talk to
Employees
Observe
Employees
Review Best
Practices

51. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not the right
solution for the
performance issue.

52. Most eLearning Fails Because…
It’s not designed
for what people
need to do.

53. How Do You Design
Performance-Based eLearning?

54. Design eLearning Focused On
What People Need to Do

55. If we just create
some training, then
they’ll know…
Riiiiight.

56. Your Learners Don’t
Need to Know Anything!

59. Knowledge & Behavior
Aren’t Mutually Exclusive.

60. Design Performance-Based
eLearning Interactions.

67. How Did You Do?
Compare your case note to our suggest case note.
Did you include all of the required elements?
Your Case Note Our Case Note
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aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab
illo inventore Veritatis.

70. Why Does Most eLearning Fail?
…and why does it also suck!

71. The Next Time You Create
eLearning, Ask Yourself…
It’s not
designed for how
people learn.
It’s not the right
solution for the
performance issue.
It’s not designed
for what people
need to do.

72. Available on Amazon!

73. Available on Amazon!

74. G r o w Y o u r e L e a r n i n g C a r e e r

75. Why Most eLearning
Fails & How to Fix It
T i m S l a de
G r o w Y o u r e L e a r n i n g C a r e e r
T h e e L e a r n i n g D e s i g n e r ’ s A c a d e m y