Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

10.1. DOES MOTIVATION MATTER?

WBT is hard for learners. It raises technical hurdles. The rules for social interaction are uncertain. The immediate camaraderie of classroom training is missing. The easiest thing about WBT is clicking on the Quit button.

Successful WBT courses rely on the self-discipline and focus of motivated learners. But can we assume that all our learners are properly motivated?

One cannot count on the motivation of learners: both learners and professionals have a strong tendency to procrastinate, to fritter away time [123].

WBT demands high levels of motivation, but we cannot depend on learners bringing all the required motivation with them. Our WBT must motivate learners.

10.1.1. Why do learners drop out, slow down, or give up?

The reasons learners give for withdrawing or not fully participating in electronic courses vary. Many of them are the same reasons heard for conventional courses, but some are much more common for electronic courses:

"The material does not apply to me. It does not help me do my job."

'The course wastes too much of my time teaching me things I already know."

"I spent so much time trying to get the technology working that I had little time for learning."

"It was too lonely trying to learn by myself. I missed having classmates."

"I am not a herd animal. I learn best alone. I wanted to go faster than the rest of the class."

"Boring, boring, boring! Just like reading a textbook on the screen. This course isno fun"There was no incentive ...