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6 ways to boost digital learning ROI

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6 ways to boost digital learning ROI

Return on investment (ROI) is frequently overlooked in digital learning. However, calculating and improving digital learning ROI is key to success in our industry.
 

What do we mean by digital learning ROI?

The calculation of return on investment is usually:
 
(Current value of investment – Cost of investment)/Cost of investment
 
But, when it comes to digital learning, its sometimes difficult to calculate the value of investment. The value of our learning content usually falls to the intangible, like behaviour change, increased efficiencies and so on. Even though you can calculate a cost to these improvements, it’s usually quite fiddly. So, proving the ‘return’ on digital learning usually falls into a narrative.
 
Regardless of how you prove digital learning ROI, there is always room for improvement. So, here are my top tips for increasing the ROI of your digital learning efforts:
 

1) Increase accessibility

Make it easy for your learners to take your course! Logging into multiple systems, following numerous web links, and opening multiple subfolders can be overlooked obstacles for your learners.
 
Try including a single sign-on to seamlessly transition between systems. A great goal to set is putting your course within two clicks of the sign in. Mobile accessibility can also be an engagement booster. Course compatibility for tablets and phones lets your learners choose their own device (making them more likely to engage!)
 

2) Create a syllabus

Seeing the end goal and all the steps laid out lets your learners know exactly what they’ll need to do to meet your learning requirements. Create a straightforward list of all the courses that are available to your learner. Let them choose which courses they’d like to complete, whilst still ensuring they cover the whole syllabus. And finally, make sure you update learner progress when they’ve completed a course.
 

3) Promote interaction

Engaging courses usually offer a wide array of interactive elements and media options. Short quizzes about the material covered or fill in the blanks are two ways to make sure your learners are absorbing the material. Mixing in a variety of triggered media like video, animated graphics, and audio is a great way to stimulate interactivity. This gives your learners the feeling that they’re in control of their navigation through the material.
 

4) Communicate with your team

Does your communication channel go both ways? Polls and quick surveys are great ways to facilitate critical feedback from your learners. If your course is scored, asking your learners how they felt they did when delivering their results is an effective way of highlighting wins and exposing opportunities for improvements in your course.
 

5) Generate excitement

Quit sending emails saying ‘there’s a new course in the LMS for you to take’. By introducing your new learning content in a boring way, you’re giving the impression that the learning is boring too. Generate a buzz, create a launch campaign, get your learners excited about the new learning content.
 

6) Incentives & competition

Boost your learner engagement by providing incentives or encouraging some friendly competition. Grouping your learners into teams competing for the highest scores can often increase engagement. If you think understanding the material has more indirect or long-term benefits for your learners, short-term or immediate incentives for completing the course is worth it.
 
I hope this list was helpful! Please feel free to send us questions for our experts if you need a little help boosting your digital learning ROI.
Editor’s note: This blog was original published in 2015, but has been updated with fresh new content.
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