Meaningful. Memorable. Motivational. When was the last time you applied those three words to an e-learning course you took?

My guess is you might answer “never” or “rarely.” And that's a problem.

It's a problem Michael Allen masterfully tackles in the second edition of Michael Allen's Guide to e-Learning.

Nearly thirteen years ago, when Michael published the first edition of this work, the case was still being built for the viability of technology-enabled learning. The debates raged about whether e-learning was actually learning, and whether people could learn via computers. Classroom was king and Michael's work helped open eyes and minds to how technology could enable learning on a scale previously unimagined. These were the days before tablets and smartphones, before Facebook and Twitter, before MOOCs and the Khan Academy. And Michael's resounding call about the viability of e-learning rang loud and strong. But he also challenged us to understand that the value of e-learning wasn't about the technology—it was about designing for the technology and making e-learning something different, something powerful, and something meaningful.

Today, the conversation is a bit different. Learning via technology is pervasive. Online courses are offered to students in elementary schools, and most young people will tell you their #1 research tool is YouTube. Organizations continue to increase the use of technology to deliver learning. We know that people can and do learn via technology—and some prefer to learn that way. But e-learning still has not realized its full potential. There's more of it, yes. But that doesn't mean that what's available is making enough of a difference in the lives of learners.

Michael talks about the “3Ms” (meaningful, memorable, motivational) in Chapter 5 (Executive's Guide to Good e-Learning) and states, “What I value are meaningful, memorable, and motivational learning experiences because they have the best chance of enabling people to do what they want and need to do.” This is a powerful statement that extends well beyond the context of e-learning. In fact, I think it is a lens through which all of us in the talent development profession can evaluate what we do and how we do it.

It's critically important that we understand that the courses we design and deliver must be relevant to the learner. In organizations, learning's relevance means aligning to goals and strategies that are meaningful to stakeholders and to employees. Some of this is about the learning experience, certainly, but there's more to the story.

To be relevant and to create meaningful content, talent development professionals must partner with stakeholders to fully understand their needs, and then design courses and learning initiatives that address knowledge and performance needs, close skill gaps, and prepare pipelines of ready talent. This requires intentionality, preparation, and an investment of time—things that are often lacking because they are not valued as critical parts of the process.

We need to change how we think about what we do, why it's important, and what it can achieve. The power of learning should not be undervalued or underestimated. Learners must do their own learning, of course, but those in the talent development profession are uniquely positioned to make that learning meaningful, memorable, and motivational. When we rise to that challenge we have the ability to affect real change and growth.

And that is Michael's call to us. His passion for the “why” behind e-learning is evident in every page of this book. He's brought new thinking and new insights to this second edition. He's not only updated the content, he's updated the context. He helps us see that just because we're swimming in technology, doesn't mean we're using it well. He makes it very clear we're not reaching our potential when it comes to e-learning.

And then he offers us a road map. As only Michael Allen can, he's laid out examples and tactics and resources in a meaningful, memorable, and motivational way.

I encourage everyone with a passion for learning to read this book. It will inspire your work.

Tony Bingham
ATD President and CEO
June 2016