1

DISTANCE LEARNING FOR MANAGERS – DOES IT MAKE

SENSE? ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF STUDYING – CASE STUDY

Aleksandra Mykowska, Dom Szkoleń i Doradztwa (Poland)

2010-05-21

Questions• When and which methods of learning should be

used? • How can the engagement and motivation of the

participants be increased? • How can the effectiveness of the learning process be

improved?

The project

• For managers of small and medium-sized companies

• 10 courses comprising a total of 23 lessons. • 20-24 lesson hours (1 lesson = 45 mins).• Participants: – 140 managers blended learning– 140 only e-learning

Reaction

Learning

Behaviour and attitude

Results

Methodology for evaluation study

Deep interview with participants

3 months after finishing learning Self evaluation about changes in competences and behavior

Posttest of Attitude

Development Centre Posttest of behavior changes Final posttest of knowledge

Blended learning - 14 days training- 24 hours e-learningKnowledge pretests before every course Evaluation of satisfaction

Development CentrePretest of behavior changes

Pretest of Attitude

2 Focus groups – evaluation of satisfaction

Deep interview with participations3 months after finishing learning Self evaluation about changes in competences and behaviour

Posttets of Attitude

Final evaluation of satisfaction

Final posttest of knowledge

24 hours e-learningKnowledge pretests before every course

Pretest of Attitude

Reaction - Level of participants in e-learning training

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

100%

e-learning groupblended learning group

clarit

y of in

formati

on

usefulness

of inform

ation

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

100%

e-learning groupblended learning group

Reaction - The level of satisfaction of information

Reaction - Evaluation e-learning group – focus groups:

• High quality, both in terms of graphics and content,

• High level knowledge,• Highly rated examples, exercises and tests• Feedback on learning

progress.• Ability to print

out materials

• Topics not always suits needs of the participants,

• Examples are not adapted to the industry in which participants work

• Problems saving files• Difficulties finding lessons

in the platform

Reaction - Factors influencing intrinsic motivation

R^2 F p Beta t p

0,66 81,66 <0,01

Evaluation of e-learning 0,39 6,28 <0,01

Usefulness 0,42 7,23 <0,01

Perceived control 0,16 3,25 <0,01

Perceived autonomy 0,09 2,02 <0,05

• Table shows significant predictors of intrinsic motivation• Stepwise method of linear regression was adopted• Four predictors explain 66% of intrinsic motivation

What people like the most?

Plot Cartoon convention

Quizzes time limited

Quizzes without time

limit

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

Evaluation of e-learning

Ave

rage

eva

luati

on

• Each factor contains 5 items rating on Likert scale from 1 to 7• Colourful lines link factors statistically different at level p<0,01 (test t)• People like the most two features of our e-learning: plot (series convention) and the cartoon convention (animation)

e-learning group blended learning group0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Learning - Knowledge tests

pretestposttest

Learning - Attitude towards development

before after52.5

53

53.5

54

54.5

55

55.5

56

56.5

57

57.5

blended learninge -learning

The difference between pretest and posttest was statistically significant ANOVA (p <0.05).

Attitude towards the democratic -consultative management style

before afterAttitude towards the democratic -consultative management style

43

43.5

44

44.5

45

45.5

46

46.5

blended learninge -learning

The analysis showed that the difference is statistically significant (p <0.05) for blended learning group and not significant for e-learning group..

Attitude towards self-reliance of workers

before afterAttitude towards self-reliance of workers

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

blended learninge -learning

effect is statistically significant (p <0.05). Only for e-learning group

Behaviour - Are there things that you did not apply before participating in the project, and now you do?

What are they?

Planning methods

Methods of evaluating workers

Employee motivating systems

Individual interview with employees

Methods of recruitment

20.50%

12.80%

12.80%

12.80%

10.30%

People from the blended learning group:

Employee motivating systems

Delegating duties

Using all the skills, but to a lesser extent

Methods of planning and assertiveness

25.00%

18.00%

18.00%

12.50%

People from the e-learning group:

Summary about learning

• In both groups was an increase in knowledge and change in attitudes and participants in both groups declared an increase in skill level.

• The e-learning group more highly evaluation and implementation od e-learning

• Participants liked e-learning as a method of soft-skills• e-learning group alone achieved significant results - very

similar in comparison to the group of participants who were supported with additional classroom training

Summary about evaluation

• Reaction questionnaire, knowledge and attitude tests - good and inexpensive evaluation tools.

• Coordinate the evaluation process and take care of:– consistency of methods and tools– save time and engagement of the participants– Centralize contacts in relation to people and IT tools

• A process map should be available for the participants all the time

Our e-learning

• a recipe „How to make a good comedy serial”

• a new world – small company established in polish enviroment

• 6 multidimensional and funny characters with good and bad personality sides

• in each lesson a story revolves around the learning content and we learn together with the characters

Ann is conscientious

and sometimes

clumsy

Eve is stubborn

and enterprising

Madeleineis wise and but

too critical

Mark is a simple gay with rules

Witold is charming

and conceited

Thomas is calm and a little bit

slowly

CHARACTERS

They have problems but they solve them.They quarrel but they come to an agreementThey have they own likes and dislikes ….

…like in normal life or in normal comedy serialThey learn in the a lesson and a participant learns with them.