How to Plan and Manage an E‐Learning Programme

Citation

Walz, J.T. (2004), "How to Plan and Manage an E‐Learning Programme", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 387-388. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730410538725

Seldom does a text come along that thoroughly presents a topic such as e‐learning in a manner that takes the guesswork out of designing, developing, and delivering learning content in a distance learning environment. How to Plan and Manage an E‐learning Programme has accomplished just that. Not only will teaching practitioners in e‐learning programmes find the text helpful, but learning theorists will discover a sense of confidence that the recommendations presented by Lewis and Whitlock are grounded in solid research and experience.

How to Plan and Manage an E‐learning Programme is laid out in a systematic manner that addresses key concerns for all educators. These concerns include:

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  assessing learner needs, outcomes, and learning activities;

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  designing, developing, and delivering course content; and

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  business planning, marketing, and managing e‐learning programmes.

Educators will be encouraged to know that Lewis and Whitlock consider the learner's perspective in all activities related to the e‐learning experience, “our philosophy is that the learner should always be placed at the heart of programme planning” (p. 18). This perspective is evidenced by the many references to discovering learner needs, offering appropriate course content, and analyzing learner outcomes.

Of particular interest for programme managers is the meticulous approach to programme planning, assessing, selecting appropriate materials, and developing a competent e‐learning development team. These issues are often overlooked in texts of this sort that frequently consider only e‐learning course content and delivery.

How to Plan and Manage an E‐learning Programme includes over 110 figures and tables to assist the reader in understanding the processes and recommended approaches to the many components of developing and managing e‐learning programmes. The book offers many checklists and easy to comprehend bulleted topics that provide for quick referencing during future implementation. In addition, each chapter leads with a list of learning outcomes for the reader and concludes with a summary that puts the previous chapter into perspective.

E‐learning technology can be universally applied therefore; it is not unusual that the text is written from a global learning perspective, using examples not only from the UK but from the US and other nations. In addition, How to Plan and Manage an E‐learning Programme is not so narrowly defined as to appeal only to university educators and managers but also to corporate trainers and program developers. For university educators, a limited focus on the unique differences between education and training may present one minor deficiency. However, I believe that the text has a wealth of general, as well as specific knowledge that all educators, regardless of their educational venue, will find portions helpful.

The authors bring to this publication many years of professional educational experience in e‐learning as well as in the traditional classroom environment. Professor Roger Lewis serves on the editorial board of Open Learning and is an external examiner in the on‐line masters program at Open University. His professional experience extends from academia to the industrial sector and as a consultant to public and private enterprises. Quentin Whitlock has over 30 years of experience in technology‐based training in the areas of course design, project management and consulting. He has also published many journal articles and papers related to training design.

In conclusion, How to Plan and Manage an E‐learning Programme is a well thought out and comprehensive educational programme development text. It is general enough in nature to appeal to most educators and trainers and yet specific enough to answer many of the often asked questions. At 206 pages of text, figures, and block diagrams, the book is an easy read and relates many educational concepts and programme planning and delivery methods in a manner that feels more like a “guided tour” rather than a “forced march.” Lewis and Whitlock have certainly taken the mystic out of e‐learning and shown us that the distance between traditional classroom experiences and e‐learning environments is not very far indeed.