Towards Maturity Summary Report - Le

Towards Maturity: Summary © 2007 e-skills UK

Towards maturity Looking at the impact of e-learning in the workplace

January 2007

Report Summary

Contents

Towards Maturity: Summary | © 2007 e-skills UK 2

Contents

1 Introduction ..............................................................................................3

2 e-learning: the drivers and the business case......................................5

3 e-learning planning and development - getting ready......................7

4 Creating learning solutions.....................................................................8

5 Influencing take-up.................................................................................9

6 The changing face of learning.............................................................10

7 Further information.................................................................................11

Towards Maturity research team:

• Laura Overton (author of ‘Linking learning to Business’ investigating e-learning success, commissioned by e-learning Age magazine, 2004)

• Howard Hills (co- author of ‘Embedding e-learning in large organisations’, a study commissioned by UfI, 2004)

• Dr Genny Dixon (e-skills UK work based e-learning Project Manager)

This study is part of the Skills for Business Network work based e-learning project (based at e-skills UK) which is funded by the Learning and Skills Council to understand how technology assisted learning can support employer skills requirements.

Towards Maturity: Summary


1 Introduction

We are on a journey towards the point where our learning technologies are stable, reliable and accessible, the workforce is IT literate, our education and our training professionals have confidence and competence in ICT and e-learning, and the long-heralded benefits of e-learning can be fully realised.

However, the reality is that businesses and organisations are all at different points on this journey. They differ widely in the extent to which they have embedded e-learning and in the contribution that it makes to their workforce development.

This report summarises recent research from e-skills UK1 to investigate why employers are investing in e-learning to support workforce development.

For the purpose of this study, we define e-learning as

“the use of any technology across the learning process, including skills diagnostics, learning delivery, support, management, assessment, informal and formal learning.”

The research draws on established models of maturity and technology adoption to look at the trends in usage, uptake and availability of e-learning, and the business impact this is having on organisations and their staff. As e-learning becomes increasingly embedded within organisations, we see effective practice emerging which can inform the planning, development and implementation of e-learning. We describe specific examples, to provide an insight into how companies and organisations can transform their learning culture through the exploitation of learning technologies.

1.1 Participant profile

Employers with existing investments in e-learning were invited to take part in an online survey during September and October 2006. Over 200 organisations participated from a wide range of industry sectors, including manufacturing, health and social care, finance, communications and education. They spanned all sizes from small or medium sized enterprises with less than 250 staff on a single site, to global companies working across multiple locations. Many had dedicated training and indeed, e-learning staff.

Over 1000 learners (from 14 of the participating organisations) also took part in an employee survey. Respondents were evenly distributed across age, gender and location, with 60% at graduate level or above. All were regular computer users.

1 The Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms



1.2 Research Themes

The analysis focused on a range of factors which affected performance across the following dimensions of e-learning success.

> Business impact - the tangible business benefits, the ability to respond to business need and direct application of skills to the job in hand.

> Staff impact - the intangible benefit of e-learning in an organisation - including

motivation and learning benefits

> Take up of e-learning – the extent of both the individual and organisational usage and engagement with e-learning

> Availability - the extent of the access to learning opportunities (number of

learning opportunities, location, time available)

The study investigated the factors that influenced these dimensions and the extent to which maturity of e-learning implementation affected these indicators of e-learning success. Participating organisations described their current experience with e-learning according to a maturity scale (Table 1) loosely based on previous models2. Maturity is characterised by e-learning being thoroughly embedded throughout the organisation, reflected in business strategy and supported by Board/managerial commitment and actively promoted as an integral part of the learning culture of the organisation.

Table 1 Defining e-learning maturity

Category Survey statement Profile of respondents

The Novice We know very little about e-learning 5%

The Sporadic user Use of e-learning is localised or sporadic (used in somedepartments or for some courses)

21%

The Developing userWe are developing and co-ordinating our use of e-learning 35%

The Established user e-learning is established across the company and istransforming the way we manage our learning anddevelopment

17%

The Embedded user e-learning is thoroughly embedded within the company –we have a learning culture which influences our everydaywork

5%

The Innovator We are thought leaders and innovators in the way in whichwe are using e-learning – prepared to experiment in newareas and with new technologies

17%

2 Eg ICT Test Bed technological maturity model, Becta, 2004



It is important to note that maturity can vary across business sites, departments, and individuals in the training departments. We also noted that ‘Innovators’ can occur at each stage in this maturity model – what is innovative and experimental in one organisation may be regarded as established or embedded practice in another.

Established and embedded users only appear after 3 years experience or more. Some still perceive themselves to be developing and sporadic users even after several years of experience, highlighting that it is possible to be stuck at any stage.

2 e-learning: the drivers and the business case

This chapter looks at what drives organisations to implement e-learning and the impact that it is having on the business and on its staff. The tangible and intangible benefits that contribute towards the business case for e-learning are explored.

The strongest drivers for e-learning adoption include the need to increase access to learning and to improve flexibility in training provision rather than being driven by demand from the workforce or senior management.

Figure 1 Drivers behind e-learning investment

5%

11%

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20%

25%

25%

27%

31%

38%

41%

47%

48%

49%

73%

79%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Pressure from senior management Respond to ICT literate younger staff

Demand from workforce Maintain image of organisational innovation

New regulations and legal requirements New IT systems

Organisational change New processes or new products

Availability of improved technology Improve quality of work-based learning

Improved management and administration Develop a better qualified workforce

Reduce training costs Increase flexibility in providing training

Increase access to learning

n=212



Organisations mature in their use of e-learning see significant business and financial benefits. They focus better on business requirements, implement new learning programmes more quickly and support learners in the effective application of their learning to their jobs. However, investment in e-learning does not necessarily guarantee success. Compliance training for example, is seen as a means to an end, and does not lead an organisation towards maturity. Cost savings on staff training and development are also perceived to increase as maturity increases.

As businesses and organisations become more mature in the way in which they embed e-learning in their practice, there is a positive impact on both tangible and intangible business measures.

Figure 2 The effect of increasing maturity on business and staff impact

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Novices Sporadicusers

DevelopingUsers

EstablishedUsers

EmbeddedUsers

Innovators

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Business Impact Staff Impact

The tangible business impact of e-learning within mature organisations is improved by:

> Focusing on meeting the needs of individuals at the frontline of business > Increasing the capability of the training function > Supporting the learner as they consolidate new skills back into the workplace

Intangible benefits in terms of staff impact (motivation, engagement) are improved by:

> Proactive communication plans > Empowering learners to take control of their own learning and development

through e-learning



3 e-learning planning and development - getting ready

This chapter considers the factors in the planning stages that will help employers get ready for e-learning success.

Good planning begins with a strategy agreed at Board level and embraces the needs of all levels in the organisation. The mature organisations realising greater business impact are characterised by:

> Getting the right people involved

o Although a significant overall stakeholder, e-learning decisions driven by the training department do not directly influence business impact

o Mature organisations are more likely to recognize that learners and line managers are significant influencers of success

o e-learning plans require strategic business direction rather than piecemeal approach to really improve business results

> IT capability – having reliable IT infrastructure and technical support in place

brings increased benefits:

0.0

1.0

2.0

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4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

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BusinessImpact

Staff Impact Availability Takeup FinancialImpact

IT capable (n=68) IT not capable (n=70)

> Training Department Capability:

o Building the training department capability to implement e-learning

brings increased business benefits

> The ability to source resources appropriately either in-house, or working in partnership with vendors



4 Creating learning solutions

This chapter investigates the types of learning solutions that are offered in the work place (both within planned events and those that take place informally initiated by learners themselves). It considers how technology is used to support learners through the learning process and back at work.

Organisations are moving beyond IT and compliance learning and are using e-learning technologies for many purposes. The report outlines the extent to which technologies are enabling delivery of a wide range of skills and programmes such as for industry certifications, qualifications and learning initiatives for both customers and suppliers.

Learners are not only using e-enabled programmes in work but a number are also building their technical and communications skills using e-learning outside of work.

Informal Learning - Over the next 3 years, informal learning opportunities will figure on the radar of 79% of employers to provide a context for learning – the more opportunities that are offered, the more impact it will have on business and staff impact. Mature organisations are realising the benefit of providing more informal and collaborative tools for learners, such as online communities and job aids.

From a learner perspective, 60% of their knowledge that they need for the job comes from informal learning sources (identified below). 4 out of 5 learners were either currently using technology to share their own knowledge with others or were interested in doing so if the opportunity arose.

Figure 3 How learners are building their skills

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Participating in online communities(discussion groups)

Electronic help and job aids

Printed job aids

Industry publications

Books

Online reference

Conversations

Searching the web

Frequently used & very helpful Used and helpful Used Not usedn=736

We also investigated different aspects of learning support, tutor support management support for learners, identifying the elements most effective for influencing overall business impact.



5 Influencing take-up

This chapter investigates the most effective actions that an organisation can take to influence the take up of e-learning, one of the biggest challenges for any organisation.

The study identified a number of factors influencing take-up of e-learning that correlated strongly with either business impact or staff impact. The top factors that correlated with these success measures were focussed on communications, change management and the involvement of key stakeholders in the ongoing learning process:

Table 2 Input factors influencing e-learning success

Top input factors for e-learning success

The visible demonstration of e-learning success within the business has helped us maintain resources allocated to learning

We regularly communicate e-learning successes to managers

Senior Management regularly demonstrate commitment to e-learning

Change management is an integral part of our deployment and planning of e-learning

We provide each new e-learning initiative with a specific identity and brand

We consider the specific actions that influence learner take-up of e-learning including the extent of the availability of resources, launching e-learning, sustaining interest, providing learner support and feedback.



6 The changing face of learning

This chapter considers the developments planned by organisations over the next 3 years, and the barriers that need to be addressed moving forward.

Given the broad definition of e-learning that is used in this study, we wanted to explore the plans that organisations have for technology to support their learning services overall and more specifically the technologies that they are considering in the future.

Trends for the future focus on improving accountability and business alignment and using technology to improve communication and collaboration both with and between learners.

Technology trends to watch include steady and continued growth in learning and content management systems. Competency management will also increase over the next 3 years. Social software will grow as organisations increase in maturity.

Figure 4 Future plans for e-learning development

15%

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Video on demand

e-portfolios

Podcasting

Electronic Performance Support Systems

Blogs/wikis

Mobile learning

Rapid application development tools

Open source e-learning tools

Competency Management System

Moderated chat rooms/ discussion groups

Unmoderated chat rooms/discussion groups

Virtual classroom

Games/simulations/intray excercises

Content Management Systems

Video conferencing

Learning Management System (LMS)

Currently in use Planned within 3 yearsn=164

Trends in spending patterns over the next 3 years were consistent with previous studies where we found that the ceiling for expected spend on e-learning in 2010 remains at 30% of total training budget. Slight variations in this pattern were reported across sectors and across maturity levels.

Barriers are now more likely to be about people capability and funding than about IT capability. It is interesting to note that hype from suppliers is more likely to be perceived as a barrier than IT skills and access to PC’s.



7 Further information

Full details of this research are published in the Towards Maturity suite of reports:

Table 3 Towards Maturity reports

Report Target audience

“Towards Maturity: insights for employers and training providers”

Employers and those working with employers interested in a high level and practical insights from the research findings. Contains 5 example case studies from participating organisations.

“Towards Maturity: implications for policy-makers” (available March 07)

For those interested in the implications of the research for improving work based e-learning provision.

“Towards Maturity: facts and figures” (available March 2007)

For those interested in detailed information on the analysis of the overall research, including survey details and research methods.

The full reports and further information regarding the research findings and implications can be found at www.e-skills.com/elearning/towardsmaturity.

For further information please contact: e-skills UK 1 Castle Lane London SW1E 6DR t: +44 (0)20 7963 8920 f: +44 (0)20 7592 9138 e: [email protected] w: www.e-skills.com For specific information on this report and to download the related research reports, visit www.e-skills.com/etowardsmaturity © Reserved, e-skills UK Ltd, 2007

All rights reserved. No part of this material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilised in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior authorisation.

e-skills UK is a not-for profit, employer-led organisation, licensed by government as the Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms. e-skills UK has responsibility for improving business competitiveness and UK productivity, uniting employers, educators and government on a common employer-led agenda for action on skills. Part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils

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Towards Maturity Summary Report - Le