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The E-capability Checklist for RTOs

What is e-capability? This checklist has been developed by LearnWorks to help training organisations implement or extend e-learning in their business. It draws on research and consultancy work from 2004 to 2010.

The checklist identifies four main areas of capability which all appear to be necessary for organisations to implement e-learning effectively over time. Getting a balance between them probably has a lot to do with achieving the magic goal of sustainability – that is, integrating e-learning into the business so it’s just part of how you operate.

Capability areas for e-learning

Using the checklist Although it has grounding in recent research, the list is a work in progress. We’d like to shake it around and see what’s missing, find out how well it works, toss up ideas about how you’d use it.

Some of the language won’t fit the size or culture of you organisation. Just boss it around and make it work for you – whether, for example, you call the head honcho the director, the principal, the chief executive officer, the owner, the manager, or something else. In smaller RTOs one person may have several roles or “positions” and so on.

What to do now: Use it try it out at your place

Give feedback hop onto the Forum at http://ecapability.com.au/ and tell other what you found out

Help improve the checklist additions, corrections, critiques: post your ideas and suggestions

Clint Smith LearnWorks learnwks@bigpond.net.au 0410 569 386

at the E-learning Capability Forum http://ecapability.com.au/

E-capability Checklist v3.1 LearnWorks May 2010 2

Current level Rate your organisation’s current level of e-capability (tick one number)

Strategic e-capabilities 1=very poor, 2=poor, 3=average, 4=good, 5=excellent Interpreting trends in using web-based technologies for training 1 2 3 4 5

Analysing business opportunities and threats from the technology trends, 1 2 3 4 5

Monitoring e-learning development in competitors 1 2 3 4 5

Identifying types of e-learning relevant to the training business 1 2 3 4 5

Articulating the role of e-learning in the business 1 2 3 4 5

Developing an e-learning game plan 1 2 3 4 5

Establishing clear leadership goals and targets 1 2 3 4 5

Identifying, developing and supporting e-learning leaders 1 2 3 4 5

Marketing, supporting, monitoring and updating the game plan 1 2 3 4 5

Recruiting or developing appropriate e-skills for the business 1 2 3 4 5

Evaluating, selecting and implementing e-learning systems and services 1 2 3 4 5

Integrating e-learning needs in web and intranet services 1 2 3 4 5

Designing and implementing e-learning embedding strategies 1 2 3 4 5

Total strategic score/percentage /65 or %

Management e-capabilities Identifying opportunities for e-learning initiatives 1 2 3 4 5

Making a business case for using an e-learning solution 1 2 3 4 5

Selecting and resourcing leaders to drive e-learning 1 2 3 4 5

Forming and resourcing e-learning project teams 1 2 3 4 5

Providing and administering useable and reliable e-learning tools and systems 1 2 3 4 5

Managing e-learning projects, on time and on budget 1 2 3 4 5

Establishing flexible staffing to support e-learning 1 2 3 4 5

Establishing team workflow processes for e-learning initiatives 1 2 3 4 5

Contracting and managing e-learning specialists for skill gaps 1 2 3 4 5

Managing e-learning content development staffing and processes 1 2 3 4 5

Providing e-learning consultancy services to business clients 1 2 3 4 5

Managing contracted e-learning content development 1 2 3 4 5

Marketing e-learning internally, including to client employees 1 2 3 4 5

Promoting e-capability externally 1 2 3 4 5

Evaluating the impact and value of e-learning initiatives 1 2 3 4 5

Total management score/percentage /75 or %

Design and delivery e-capabilities Analysing client/learner needs and readiness for e-learning 1 2 3 4 5

Selecting an appropriate e-learning mix (self-paced, facilitated, blended) 1 2 3 4 5

Selecting appropriate delivery tools for an e-learning solution 1 2 3 4 5

Designing e-learning sequences and activities 1 2 3 4 5

Using e-learning tools, resources and systems for training delivery 1 2 3 4 5

Using e-learning tools for assessing learning outcomes 1 2 3 4 5

Providing client/learner/employee induction to e-learning 1 2 3 4 5

Facilitating group learning online 1 2 3 4 5

Providing support for e-learners 1 2 3 4 5

Total design and delivery score/percentage /45 or %

E-capability Checklist v3.1 LearnWorks May 2010 3

Learning materials development e-capabilities Sourcing content for e-learning courses 1 2 3 4 5

Customising available e-learning materials 1 2 3 4 5

Writing and editing content for e-learning 1 2 3 4 5

Designing and storyboarding e-learning materials 1 2 3 4 5

Producing media resources for e-learning (audio, video, graphics, animation) 1 2 3 4 5

Developing (programming) e-learning materials 1 2 3 4 5

Packaging e-learning materials (learning objects) 1 2 3 4 5

and/or

Managing contracted development of e-learning materials 1 2 3 4 5

and/or

Providing non-specialist (rapid) development tools for teachers 1 2 3 4 5

Supporting and coordinating individual teacher development of e-learning materials 1 2 3 4 5

Total development score/percentage /50 or %

Reflections on your organisation’s current level of e-capability

Where are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

Does this help explain anything about your progress (or not) in implementing e-learning solutions?

Which do you think are the critical factors for success?

Which e-capabilities should be your development priorities in the short term?

What are the main organisational/cultural systems or processes you would have to change to make an impact on e-capability? What’s the degree of difficulty for each?

E-capability Checklist v3.1 LearnWorks May 2010 4

Priorities Where has your investment in building e-capability been focused?

Targets for developing e-capability (by expenditure and effort) 1=none 2=some 3=fair bit 4=lots 5=most

Director, Owner, Board 1 2 3 4 5

Planners, business managers, finance officers 1 2 3 4 5

Senior managers, education 1 2 3 4 5

Senior managers, corporate/admin/IT 1 2 3 4 5

Middle managers, project managers 1 2 3 4 5

Industry consultants/sales/extension 1 2 3 4 5

E-learning leaders/champions/innovators 1 2 3 4 5

Teachers/trainers/tutors/lecturers 1 2 3 4 5

Learning material developers 1 2 3 4 5

Media producers 1 2 3 4 5

E-learning support/admin staff/IT (LMS etc) 1 2 3 4 5

Library/resource centre staff 1 2 3 4 5

Other:

Reflections on your investment priorities

Who is missing out? Why? What assumptions about e-capability does this reveal?

Does this help explain anything about your progress (or not) in implementing and sustaining e-learning solutions?

Who should be your priority targets for building e-capability in the short term?

E-capability Checklist v3.1 LearnWorks May 2010 5

Methods What learning & development strategies have you used to build e-capability?

Strategic/developmental specialist consultants eg strategy development

business mentoring (eg for senior managers)

conferences and briefings

benchmarking (eg comparing leading local, overseas e-learning providers)

measurement (eg monitoring your e-learning progress against agreed indicators)

membership of e-learning professional associations

targetted e-learning team projects for delivery outcomes

partnering with a mentoring provider (ie with e-learning capability)

visits to other providers

incentives for improved e-learning performance

integrating e-learning goals in performance management

training e-learning mentors/champions

leveraging external funding for capability building

hiring guidelines/policies to attract or ensure e-skills

internal marketing of e-learning

walking the talk: using e-learning tools for organisational communication (eg web conferencing)

walking the talk: using e-learning for staff training (induction, compliance etc)

Other?

Operational/upskilling group coaching/mentoring

individual coaching/mentoring

web-based community/resources (eg wiki site)

peer networks, online communities

external online courses (webinars)

face to face group training

online group training

self-paced course/materials about e-learning

individual e-learning projects

accredited training options

manager follow up and support beyond the training

time release (eg for mentors/champions)

Other?

E-capability Checklist v3.1 LearnWorks May 2010 6

Reflections on your L&D methods

What’s your balance between strategic and operational methods?

If it’s out of whack, why?

Any changes or improvements for the checklist?