The goal of this project is to create a solution for the staff that engages them in the required training.  After researching information and asking other professional in my learning networks I found that Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) would be a great solution.  MOOCs are a way of learning in a networked or digital world. 

 

MOOCs can be used in a corporate environment for the following:  employee onboarding, skill enhancement, self-directed training, and building a talent pipeline.

 

The benefits of using MOOCs are:

• Employees can access training on a 24/7 basis.  They can access the training anywhere and when it fits in work schedule.  This is also an advantage if the company has employees that work globally.  Since MOOCs are all online there are no printed learning materials. 

• Boosts employee productivity and profits.  Employees build new skills, develop existing skills, and provide professional development.  Companies can provide a list of MOOC links and employees can access on their own. 

• Improves employee retention rates.  When employees feel informed and trained they are happier.  MOOCs give employees the opportunity to feel as though they are growing professionally.

• Ensures that employees are up-to-dates with skills and professional knowledge.  Continuous training offers employees the ability to further develop their skills and expand professional knowledge.  MOOCs provide the opportunity to fine tune skills, learn about new topics, and stay up-to-date with industry trends

• Address real world challenges to improve on-the-job performance.  MOOCs can be customized for an organizations business and training needs. 

• Organizations can identify motivated employees who possess desired skill sets.  MOOCs allow companies to find motivated employees internally; those who complete MOOCs that are not mandatory.  This shows they are motivated to improve their professional skills.  MOOCs also offer a variety of reports and tracking features to identify who has completed the training, how long it took them to complete, and how their learning results.  (Pappas, 2015)

 

MOOCs can be implemented in the following way: 

1. Identify the learning outcomes the organization wants for the employee.

2. Identify and/or create the appropriate MOOCs.

3. Match the employees to the correct MOOCs.  These would include compliance training as well as development training.

4. Employee assesses the course once they receive their certificate of completion.

5. Reward and recognize employees for training completion. (Gillett, Hamori-Ota,  Lonn, 2016)

   Learners who use MOOCs are able to connect and collaborate and engage in the learning process.  The model that would be followed is the Cohort model, “in which employees follow the courses together in groups” (Gillett, Hamori-Ota, Lonn, 2016).  This can motivate employees to complete the courses and learn from each other.  This format would be most effective to engage the staff and help them connect to the learning.

 

MOOC providers include Khan Academy, Coursera, Udacity, and edX. 

 

According to Pappas (2017) the top MOOCs for corporate training to consider are:

• Human Resources

• Communication in the 21st Century Workplace

• Customer Service Training

• Introduction to Corporate IT Strategy and Business Frameworks

• Introduction to Time Management

• Diploma in Workplace Safety and Health

 

Using MOOCs will help motivate the staff to participate in an updated training format that is easily accessible, develops their professional skills, and is engaging.