What are learners’ enquiries, questions and complaints?

e-Learning will be new to many organisations and individuals. It is therefore understandable that there will be enquires and questions. In some cases there may even be complaints. These could be generated through a lack of knowledge and understanding. It is important to manage these and to take them on board in a positive way. This is a learning process for everybody. If you manage this information correctly you will be able to learn more about the needs of the organisation and learners in relation to e-Learning. Ideas will also be generated about what needs to be improved. You can use all of this information to assist you with future planning for further development of e-Learning within the organisation.

How do you gather questions and answer enquiries about e-Learning?

To which aspect of e-Learning are these questions, enquiries or complaints relating?

How should they be collected formally?

A useful way for collecting this data could be to divide it into categories.

For example does the query relate to teaching and learning, technical or creative aspects of e-Learning?

This will also provide a means of ensuring that the most appropriate person in the organisation provides the answer. It will also identify which areas of e-Learning are working well and which are not working so well. This will help you to focus your efforts in the right areas. You will also be able to bring together a team of people with the relevant expertise that can help you.

When you are implementing something new such as e-Learning is always difficult to hear criticism or complaints of your hard work. The key is to identify what these messages are actually telling you.

Is the complaint legitimate?

What is generating the complaint?

Is it caused by the system, the design or the delivery?

What can be learned and how can it be improved?

All questions, enquiries and complaints should be recorded in a log with timed responses. This should include any actions that were taken and the outcomes. This log would be created during the planning process and reviewed regularly. Reviewing the log will identify if there is a pattern or a solution which has not achieved the expected result such as:

Is there a training need in a particular department?

Are there always technical problems at a certain time of the month?