What Is Rapid eLearning Anyway?

Is Rapid eLearning a new methodology for “knowledge enabling” workers more rapidly, or is it a simply a faddish term that is merely a “nuance” on time-tested practices. Since the term is hot off the tongues of everyone from industry analyst Josh Bersin to industry giant Macromedia, it’s probably worth our time to sort thru the various interpretations. (I apologize in advance for the length of this post, and I encourage your patience—thanks!)

A recent blog posting on eLearnspace teed up the discussion perfectly, so I take the liberty of quoting in toto:

“Rapid elearning and workflow learning are two concepts that have been getting enough attention over the last year to be classified as ‘trends’. I'm not entirely sure what to think about either. We have a unique problem in the learning/technology field of giving every small nuance in a concept a new name. Then we declare the old name/concept "dead" (almost as if we are constantly struggling to stay with the ‘in crowd’). Rapid elearning simply means ‘we have limited resources and time, how can we get this stuff done faster’...and workflow learning simply means ‘learning integrated (an abused word that can cause a rash to break out in some tech workers) as a vital business process...while still focusing on the needs of each individual worker’.” [Posted by gsiemens at July 10, 2004 05:17 PM]

From this point of view, Rapid eLearning is simply doing what we have before (designing formal instruction), but figuring out ways to do it more quickly. This interpretation is consistent with that of the eLearning Guild, which is holding a conference on “Rapid eLearning Development.” The focus of the conference is to re-examine the instructional design process to figure out how to do what we have always done—but do it more quickly.

But sometimes in our rush to dismiss a new phenomenon as ephemeral, we actually miss the point of an industry-transforming trend. I am one who believes this is one of those cases. The point of Rapid eLearning is not just to do more quickly what we have done before, but to do things fundamentally differently. And the analyst who is on target in understanding this trend for what it really represents, is Jennifer De Vries, a Senior Analyst for Bersin & Associates (her recent article is worth a read):

“There's a new training category emerging, which we call 'Rapid E-Learning.' It is a whole new approach to Internet-based training - one that changes the development model, leverages new tools, and dramatically changes the economics of content development… In our research, we talked to companies who are creating e-learning content using rapid methods. We found that most of these methods are a cross between knowledge management and e-learning.”

According to De Vries, the distinguishing characteristics of true Rapid eLearning include:

• SME centricity
• Based on simple, ubiquitous tools, such as PowerPoint (sorry, it's what people use! more later on this)
• Ability to be developed in a few weeks, rather than months
• And, learning also occurs quickly

And, she continues, this new type of Rapid eLearning is most relevant in he following situations (and I quote):

• Delta: Teaching the difference between what was learned and what has changed
• Disposable: Content that has a short shelf-life and will go out of date
• Continuous: Topics that require frequent and regular updates
• Urgent: Problems that must be addressed immediately
• Introductory: Topics that may preface an instructor-led class or more detailed blended learning program

With this as background, I’ll continue the Rapid eLearning definition process in the next post.