Paper-based training methods are costly and time-consuming to create, difficult to track and maintain, and inefficient for large-scale training. Digital learning tools are rising in prominence, with learning management systems (LMS) becoming the go-to solution for training and assessment.
However, companies that have a foundation of traditional training materials are often overwhelmed by the idea of digitising their content.
In this article, we look at:
- What content digitisation means
- The benefits of implementing digital transformation
- Steps for digitising content with Cloud Assess
- Challenges with digitising your training content, and solutions you can implement
What is Training Content Digitisation?
Content digitisation is the process of bringing traditional training materials into an online platform, like a Learning Management System (LMS). The process can either be done manually on a course-by-course basis or outsourced when adopting a new training solution.
Manually recreating content may seem more cost-effective, but can take significant time. There is also a risk of human error and inconsistencies with the digital formats. Companies often prefer to outsource the project to a team that is more familiar with the platform to reduce risk and ensure consistency.
Want To Start Digitising Your Training Content?
Cloud Assess can help.4 Steps to Digitising Your Content with Cloud Assess
Cloud Assess is a training and assessment solution that helps companies and training providers create, deliver and measure the success of learning programs. We’ve developed a 4-step process for digital transformation that ensures content is brought online with minimal effort from your side, and at a reasonable cost.
1. Digitise a Sample
Before we start any content digitisation project, we want to ensure that you’ll be happy with the results. You provide a sample piece of learning content, and we digitise this material free of charge to show you what it would look like in our system.
2. Determine the Scope of the Project
Once you’re happy with the sample we’ve provided, and can see the benefit of digitising your training, we’ll host a quick workshop. This will help us gauge how much content needs to be digitised, and where your priorities lie.
3. Deliver a Quote
Based on our workshop, we evaluate the type of content, interactivity, multimedia elements that can be integrated into it, and any customisations that can be applied. From there, we generate a quote for your digital transformation and estimate the time it will take to complete.
4. Develop and Go Live
Once the content has been digitised, we share it for your review and feedback. As soon as you’re happy with the results, you can start enrolling your learners, and see the impact of digital transformation on your training programs.
Benefits of Digitising Training Materials
Improves Efficiency
When maintaining paper learning materials, every process is manual. You need to manually create assets and assessments, print them, distribute them and mark them. Then, you need to manually input the results and file the original evaluation, ensuring that it will be easy to find in the case of an audit.
A platform like Cloud Assess can help you automate course enrolment, deliver personalised training based on results, and track training metrics like learner progress, engagement and pass rates. This minimises administrative burden, as courses only need to be created once. If any updates are required, they will be applied across learners who access the course now and in the future.
Reduces Costs
Printing costs, training facility rental, bringing in subject matter experts, and reduced productivity make traditional training programs expensive. Digital training, on the other hand, is significantly less costly.
Learning resources don’t need to be printed to be distributed, and courses can be distributed to as many learners as necessary without increasing training costs. Virtual learning environments can be used to deliver online or blended learning, which reduces the need to rent training venues and eliminates transport costs.
eLearning courses can also accommodate on-the-job training, helping employees learn while working, and maintaining productivity even during training.
Increases Accessibility and Engagement
With the right LMS, digital learning materials can be accessed anytime, anywhere and on any device. A platform like Cloud Assess even makes training and assessment resources accessible offline, syncing progress when an internet connection is restored. This kind of mobile learning opportunity makes training accessible to more learners than traditional methods allow for.
Online training materials are also more easily adapted to different learning styles. A lesson previously taught in person with printed handouts could be recorded and streamed online with subtitles, related materials, and a transcript available to download.
Interactive elements like quizzes and gamification further enhance learner engagement, improving knowledge retention and ensuring the transfer of learning into real-world situations.
Simplifies Tracking of Training
Tracking traditional employee training methods can be challenging, and time-consuming, with an increased risk of human error. When you provide digital training sessions, it’s easier to maintain an automated data trail of learner progress, assessments and results.
This simplified tracking makes it easier for companies to maintain compliance, especially in heavily regulated industries where employees must pass specific training courses. Tools like document and certification management further these efforts.
Maintains Content Relevance
Digitised learning content is easier to update than paper-based materials. This ensures that training remains relevant, providing learners with an up-to-date education that addresses the latest best practices and industry trends.
Digital employee training also reduces the risk of skill stagnation within your organisation. It gives employees access to the latest information and relevant courses to upskill themselves.
Facilitates Data-Driven Decisions
When running traditional training sessions, you only have to measure the results from assessments and evaluations, with little detail in between.
Digital training provides more data that can be easily monitored, measured and tracked, providing organisations with actionable insights they can use to improve learning experiences. For example, Cloud Assess helps you track learner progress, measure time spent on specific courses, compare results between intakes, and measure time to certification.
Looking at these statistics can help companies improve their training programs to ensure learners get the right information and support to achieve positive outcomes.
Content Digitisation Challenges and Solutions
Accommodating Learner Preferences
While digital courses can easily accommodate different learning styles, some learners prefer in-person sessions to self-paced or online learning.
Solution: Consider taking a blended learning approach by providing training resources online and supplementing them with in-person classes and workshops.
Content Adaption
Not all training materials can easily be translated into digital courses. In-person workshops, discussions and hands-on training are often more effective in person.
Solution: A flipped classroom approach can help you provide relevant and interactive materials before lessons, helping you leverage the advantages of in-person sessions.
Resistance to Change
Staff and learners may be hesitant to switch to a digital learning platform when they’re accustomed to traditional training methods.
Solution: Clearly communicate the benefits of digitised training content, such as accessibility and progress tracking.
Data Security and Privacy Concerns
Bringing training processes online can raise concerns about personal data protection and intellectual property being put at risk.
Solution: When choosing a digitisation platform, check their data security policies. Features like single sign-on, encryption and access controls will help protect your training data.
What Are The Next Steps Once Your Content Is Digitised?
Once your training materials have been digitised, it’s time to start delivering them. A platform like Cloud Assess helps with content digitisation and lets you leverage digital tools to make your learning experience more engaging and effective.
- Gamification features turn training into a fun, immersive and memorable experience that motivates learners to return to training regularly.
- Microlearning courses break complex topics into bite-sized lessons that take less than 20 minutes to complete. These lessons build on each other to reinforce learning and improve knowledge retention.
- Social learning features like discussion forums help learners gain insights from others’ expertise. They can use tips and techniques that others provide to improve their own understanding of a subject.
- Collaborative learning features like webinars, group assignments and communication tools help learners work together on team-wide projects and activities.
