Holistic Thinking in the Implementation of Digital Learning Activities, with Due Regard to Implementation of a Learning Management System and Digital Learning Course: A Field Report

Abstract

Digital learning (DL) has enjoyed a huge amount of hype over the past two years. This is especially the case among businesses which just 5 years ago were convinced that DL could never replace in-person training. Looking back at the developments of the past years in the area of learning, the rollout of DL among companies, including the IT infrastructure that goes with it, has not always been without its issues. For this and other reasons, efforts are currently underway to rethink and revise the DL decisions of the last few years. Yet if there is so much to rethink, why not think holistically from the outset? In this respect, we might compare DL within an organization to the circulatory system in the human body: It reaches all areas of the organizations, supplying employees with important knowledge that is necessary for the survival of the organization. The present moment offers an opportunity to rethink what has been achieved so far. In order to ensure the success of this holistic redesign, this paper describes 7 steps for developing a DL approach, with tips from fieldwork which also cover the different areas of a company, such as learning strategy, roles and responsibilities.