E-learning with Impact: the Role of Narrative Structures and Methods in Designing and Delivering E-learning in a Corporate Environment

Abstract

In a fast developing and disruptive digital‐driven era, it has become evident that organizational learning could not have stayed unaffected either by the hype or the need for transformation. Corporate training experts are challenged to find ways to enhance learners’ engagement in a new digital learning eco‐system and to provide them with an overall meaningful experience. Additionally, they have to ensure that the whole organization in which the learning takes place will profit the most.

This chapter elaborates on how narrative structures as an integrated part of a unique development model for e‐learning are used to maximize learners’ engagement and learning. This model has been used in several training initiatives in the corporate environment and it leverages different pedagogical strategies, behavioral change, and psychological theories and concepts. Most importantly, the use of stories is the groundwork where the development teams, the learners, and the various stakeholders involved interact with each other through a participatory process. When using these concepts, it becomes attainable to capture and leverage the informal learning, which takes place in every corner of the organization and appropriately transform it to formal e‐learning programs for the profit of the whole organization.

Inspiring challenges, practical examples, process parts, and extracts from e‐learning courses where the above‐mentioned model is used are deployed in this chapter. They give a clear view of how narrative structures work in a newly induced digital ecosystem in the organization field of learning, and how it becomes feasible to maintain the human contact needed for an efficient learning outcome.