Measuring the Success of Learning Through Technology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Measuring Impact and ROI on E-Learning, Blended Learning, and Mobile Learning

Learn to measure the results of your technology-based learning programs with this step-by-step guide. Few would dispute the convenience, cost, and efficiency of learning through technology. Whether e-learning, blended learning, or mobile learning, it’s usually just in time, just enough, and just for the user. The challenge with e-learning lies in proving its value and showing the results. The cost savings and the outcome of the learning program must be considered to determine the true value of these programs. Renowned ROI experts Jack and Patti Phillips have joined with Tamar Elkeles, the chief learning officer for Qualcomm, to provide this guide for measuring the success of e-learning programs. By following the steps prescribed in this book, designers and developers can significantly affect the success of e-learning at the application and impact levels, ultimately making the ROI easy to develop. Part I of the book outlines the steps that make up the logical approach to evaluation using the ROI Methodology. Part II describes how the methodology has been applied in real-life case studies. These studies represent a variety of industries and applications and are written by experienced professionals in the field of learning and development.

About the Authors

Tamar Elkeles is responsible for global learning, executive and leadership development, engineering development, employee communications, organization development, talent management, and learning technology for Qualcomm. She created the mobile technologies company's learning center in 1992, and in 1995 initiated its online learning development. In 2007 she co-authored the first book on the chief learning officer's (CLO) role: The Chief Learning Officer: Driving Value Within a Changing Organization Through Learning and Development .

Dr. Patricia Phillips has focused on the implementation of ROI evaluation for the past seven years. She assisted in building an international evaluation consulting business, helped launch the ROI Network, and developed and managed international partnerships with organizations interested in implementing the ROI methodology. Prior to her involvement with ROI, she worked 13 years in the electric utility industry. As the manager of market research and planning and marketing administration, Phillips helped launched a number of initiatives, including Marketing University, a unique learning environment for new sales representatives. Phillips works with organizations to implement accountability processes including ROI. She has been involved in ROI impact studies in a variety of industries around the world, including private and public sector organizations. Along with implementing ROI evaluation, Phillips is the president of the ROI Institute, a research and education organization dedicated to advancing the understanding and practice of ROI evaluation. Her work has allowed her to author and edit a number of publications, including: The Bottomline on ROI (2002) published by the Center for Effective Performance, which won the 2003 ISPI Award of Excellence, The Human Resources Scorecard: Measuring the Return on Investment (2001), published by Butterworth-Heinemann, Measuring the Return on Investment, Volume 3 (2001), Measuring ROI in the Public Sector (2002), Managing Evaluation Shortcuts (2001),

Mastering ROI

(1998) published by ASTD. She has served as contributing author in a number of publications, including Donald Kirkpatrick's Evaluating Training Programs (Berrett-Koehler, 1998), Lorraine L. Ukens's What Smart Trainers Know (Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 2001), and Allison Rossett's The ASTD E-Learning Handbook (McGraw-Hill, 2002). She served as editor of the Symposium on the Evaluation of Training in the International Journal of Training and Development 5(4) December 2001.

Jack J. Phillips , PhD, is chairman of the ROI Institute and a world-renowned expert on measurement and evaluation. Phillips provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and workshops for major conference providers worldwide. Phillips is also the author or editor of more than 75 books and more than 100 articles. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune , and on CNN.