If you have decided that using e-Learning in your organisation is a good idea, and that there are programmes or courses which could by enhanced by using e-learning, there are challenges for everyone involved: the next step is to find out whether the organisation, staff and students are ready for this change.

The Niu Sila team met to discuss some of the barriers to implementing e-learning, including the current state of its technology as well as the skills and motivation of staff.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle is the number of changes involved. Change may occur not just in the technology area, but also in the way the organisation and the people in it think about teaching and learning. e-Learning tends to shift some of the control of learning away from the organisation and the teachers to the learners, something that teachers may find difficult. 

Before going down this road consider:

• the motivation of everyone involved. Do they really want to use e-Learning?
• your organisation's attitude to change. If everyone is comfortable with the current situation, there may not be much willingness to make major changes.

You will also need to consider:

• the cost – moving to e-learning can be expensive. Even with free learning management sytems such as Moodle, you'll probably need to upgrade your network and / or internet connection, and you'll probably need to provide extra technical support.
• the technology which is available. A common source of frustration for students in an e-learning programme is unreliable or inadequate technology.

But remember: you don't need to make big changes from the beginning! You can start in a small way by introducing a few simple e-elearning activities into your courses. We recommend this as a great way to get started in e-learning.