Tour 5: Prepare an e-learning plan

Build whole-of-organisation change strategies to embed e-learning successfully in your training and business model (allow time as needed over 3-4 weeks).

This tour is for organisations. It is best tackled with a management team leading the process.

Tour notes:

This tour is based on a research tool from the UK which can be related to a performance improvement (PI) model for organisational change — see further information at: http://www.ispi.org/.
The Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s recent Innovate and Integrate research (2007) provides a comprehensive model for embedding e-learning in training and education organisations.
The Framework’s Practical guide to e-learning for industry includes a range of tools for businesses to implement e-learning.

Itinerary

*Stops on this tour*	*What to do*	*What you'll need from the travel pack*
1. Check your readiness for e-learning	To get a snapshot of where you are up to with implementing e-learning in your organisation: Download and print copies of the *BECTA matrix*. (optional, but recommended) Customise the tool — localise the language, delete items with low relevance to your setting, reduce overall size if possible eg in the BECTA material the term ‘ILT’ means ‘Information and Learning Technologies’; in Australian vocational education and training we would use ‘Information and Communication Technologies’ (ICTs) and for ‘tutor’ we’d use ‘teacher’ or ‘trainer’. Complete the 1-to-5 ratings under all items (involve teams in this to broaden input and build ownership) and collate them. Review the results (eg discuss messages, sort rating disagreements, identify strengths, assess your organisation’s relative performance across the five categories, identify challenges or missing bits).	BECTA matrix (PDF 147KB)
2. Develop goals for improvement	To identify planning goals and priorities for e-learning: Decide on the scope of your planning period (eg usually 1-3 years) and divide into appropriate stages (a semester/term, or year). Identify your organisation’s current strengths (ie sub-items with scores of 3 or more) in each of the five matrix areas (vision, teaching, infrastructure, staff development, management) and list ones which offer the best opportunity to progress in your planning period. Also identify any lower score items (scores of 1 or 2) which are the most critical to improve or would have the biggest potential impact, then and add them to your list. From the combined list, select two key items for improvement in each of the five areas.
3. Develop action plans	For each of the 10 items for improvement: Write goals statements for each item on your list (ie copy across the description for the next level on the matrix for that item, edit as needed). Allocate the goals to appropriate staff or teams for action planning. Prepare action plans for each goal – list tasks/strategies to achieve the goal, allocate responsibilities and set milestones. Edit, collate, polish, publish and promote your E-learning plan.
4. Identify new opportunities for e-learning	(Optional, but recommended) You will have completed this step already if you took Tour 3 To guard against your whole-of-organisation e-learning plan getting bogged down in longer-term processes, implement up to three new e-learning initiatives to drive change now: Review your current products and capability by filling in pages 2–3 of the E-learning opportunity analysis template. List three promising e-learning ideas for your organisation on page 4 For each idea, score your current situation against each criteria 1–10 (1 = very weak, 10 = very strong). Rank your three ideas, guided by your scores for each. Prepare project plans for one or more of the three initiatives.	E-learning opportunity analysis template (Word doc 143KB)
5. Select supporting strategies to embed e-learning	While you are implementing your e-learning plan, support it with other useful organisational strategies for embedding e-learning in your business model: Use the *Embedding checklist* to review which strategies for embedding e-learning you are using now, or are already planning to use. Add any useful strategies to your e-learning plan.	Embedding checklist (Word doc)