How to get the most out of integrated eLearning in your RTO

When I spoke to RTOs 5 years ago hardly anyone was interested in eLearning. In fact many saw it as a threat. Today the world has certainly changed. Many RTOs are now eager for information about how to use eLearning on so many levels:

• Marketing courses
• Pre requisite learning and assessment
• RPL assessment
• Blended programs where students can do some face to face and some online components
• Quizzes and Surveys
• Online assessments
• Interactive documents

The list goes on…

Why the interest? - eLearning is convenient and cost effective. Processes can be fully automated online and most importantly integrated with traditional face-to-face elements, i.e. “Blended”. So if I’m an RTO delivering a course in Food Safety for example, I can set up a qualification that incorporates eLearning content where it is convenient and practical for the student to work independently and combine it with traditional classroom based training where practical skills need to be taught and assessed.

The beauty of a well-constructed and blended training environment is that is so easy to incorporate both into a single program. As this video using Bluegem’s TMS illustrates; it is easy to set up a fully-compliant and blended certificate course that tracks and records student activities, progress, and AVETMISS / AQTF-reportable results. Best of all, you won’t need to flip-flop between disconnected eLearning and face-to-face software applications to piece-together the full picture. The benefits for the student are even more pronounced (screenshot):

• Total training progress and results for any course can be accessed in one place whether the content is delivered face-to-face or online.
• Results are integrated. If the student completes an online assessment that contributes to an overall qualification the summary results will be integrated. The student won’t need to work out results from two separate applications.
• If the student requires Professional Development (PD) points as is common in the financial industry they also will be integrated.
• The student can launch the eLearning content from a central view of his or her training records. If the student is not allowed to commence an eLearning component before completing another component the link will be visible but not enabled. So the student can instantly see all course components in context.
• The same central view enables the student to print certificates (if successful and if allowed to do so by the RTO).
• Students can integrate their training records with feedback, additional resources, enrolments, and payment records for both online and face-to-face environments from one central point.
• Needless to say employers and RTO have aggregate views of the same information for multiple students.

Summary

eLearning is so much easier today than it was only 5 years ago. Integrating it into your RTO programs gives you far more fire-power in multiple areas including: Marketing, Course Programming, Courseware authoring, convenient and cost effective delivery options in areas where it is possible and practical to offer eLearning, and most importantly profitability.

To find out more about how integrated eLearning can help your RTO business contact Bluegem and reference this blog. Or send in a comment below.