What and Why of Distance Learning

Web based training Guide ( WBT )

Building an Online Course - 10 Lessons

Distance Learning Failure Factors

Distance Learning Master Plan Checklist

Evaluating Multimedia

Distance Learning Failure Factors:

1. Selected technologies before doing training needs assessment.
2. Did not perform accurate needs assessment.
3. Senior management now involved until too late.
4. No distance learning team put into place.
5. Learners not included on team.
6. Field office representatives not included on team.
7. Finance representative not included on team.
8. Learner-centered mindset not established and continuously reinforced.
9. System not promoted well internally.
10. Performed poor cost-benefit analysis.
11. Technology did not match perceived application.
12. System not easily accessible to potential users.
13. Overemphasized travel savings.
14. Forgot to include estimated commercial programming costs in budget requests.
15. No top-down endorsement.
16. Concept was not well understood.
17. Little or no emphasis on training users.
18. Role of remote site coordinators not clearly defined.
19. Not enough training and practice by trainers prior to course delivery.
20. System resisted for political reasons.
21. Technology selected not easy to use.
22. No department willing to champion the cause.
23. Poor administrative procedures for registration and scheduling of courses.
24. Too much comparison to on-site training.
25. Selected wrong courses to start distance learning.
26. No fun or humor integrated into learning.
27. No training provided for remote site coordinators.
28. No enough meaningful interaction between remote site learners and trainers.
29. Remote site learners not given instructions on how to use equipment and interact with the trainer.
30. No follow-up learner support in place.

-- From the book, "Distance Learning: A Step-by-Step Guide for Trainers" by Karen Mantyla and J. Richard Gividen (See www.astd.org)