Assessing Readiness for E-Learning

ABSTRACT Today, e-learning is a common delivery media for education and training within many organizations. Yet, while both the supply and demand for e-learning opportunities has risen in recent years, many professionals are beginning to question whether e-learn-ers are prepared to be successful in an online learning environment (e.g., Gug-lielmino Watkins & Corry, 2005). After all, a learner's demonstrated success in a conventional education and training classroom may not be an adequate predictor of success in an e-learning classroom. One way of gauging a potential online learner's readiness is through self-assessment. As a first step in defining an instrument that measures an e-learner's readiness, with the cooperation of volunteer participants from the U.S. Coast Guard, this study looked into the validity and internal consistency of items within a self-assessment of e-learning readiness that is under development, and provided data for the continuing development and revision of the instrument. Having demonstrated evidence of internal consistency and construct validity, the self-assessment now provides a tool for continuing research into the prediction of e-learning performance. Funding for this study was provided by the International Society for Performance Improvement.