New Ways of Looking at ROI for E-Learning
In this article, Cross examines the new ways of looking at ROI for e-Learning initiatives in an organisational context.
This article is interesting as it doesn’t specify a correct way of evaluating the effectiveness of an e-Learning program in an organisation. He argues that the “Return” on an e-Learning program is no longer the bottom line for measurement.
In the past with older forms of organisational training such as classroom training, management could evaluate the cost-effectiveness of training programs that were conducted on a set period of time. E-Learning has changed this dynamic as it has made organisational training a continuous process. As a result, Cross argues that ROI is measured differently in organisations, depending upon your position in the organisation.
For Example:
- For a Training Officer/Manager, the goal of an e-Learning Program is to close competency gaps. A possible way to measure the ROI for the e-Learning Program is to measure employee performance before and after they have undertaken the E-Learning Training Program.
- For an Executive Manager, the goal of an e-Learning Program is to give the organisation a competitive advantage and to bring about organisational change. A possible way to measure the ROI for the e-Learning Program is to observe the share price of the organisation before and after the e-Learning initiative.
