How do I log into elearning?

This is a question I’ve been asked hundreds of times. How do I log into my elearning? Why, after all the developments in LMS and LXP platforms, are people still asking the same question?

It’s creating a barrier for people who want to get into content. It’s hard for people who are having to get through various company systems, and then we’ve got the classic: how do I get into my elearning.

The main issue isn’t the how do I get in. It’s that people don’t actually know where the LMS or LXP is. This is an issue that sits with the delivery and deployment of the programme. Increasingly I read about the need for impact and behavioural change around L&D, but one of the first things that need to change is how programmes are delivered.

Why login problems are a delivery problem

I’ve been involved in so many IT and L&D programmes where the delivery programme is frankly poor. There isn’t a specification, no project plan, no budget, no ideas and no ownership. The business doesn’t know about the programme and there is one person who is delivering what is essentially a large IT project and a few months later people are wondering why the platform isn’t being used.

The end result is the “How do I log into my elearning”. This is where behavioural change starts. It’s not just about the content and saying we’ve got too much content or the content we have will do. It’s about how projects are delivered from a project management perspective and about how they are then delivered and employed across the organisation. Again, this is more than just a few lines in a project plan that says we need to think like a marketer. Simple thinking that fails.

Then we will move to ROI where the thinking shifts to the content and why the content has failed — the constant posts and articles about vanity metrics. Something that I think is a misdirection when the focus needs to be on whether you even know what your internal costs are. How many large organisations actually know and capture what their internal costs are when they deliver a large programme?

But further down the line we will get the classic, how do we log into the elearning, and we’ll see that the LMS or the LXP will be the problem. If you have got this far and the question is repeating, then your delivery, specification and user delivery plan has failed and you need to go back and think about what has happened to make sure that this doesn’t happen again in the future.

What the learner is actually experiencing

Think about the learner. If you are in the same position — you’ve been given access to a new system. Another username and password to remember and another platform to access. But how do you log into the elearning that you’ve been given access to, and what exactly is elearning? What information have you actually been given to access the system and then how do you access the content? Again I’m reading posts from the thought leaders that the content is the problem.

I’ve logged in but how do I actually get to things? We are talking about leaders and directors who are pursuing great and exciting things at work. This isn’t everyone, but if you are investing six figures then you need a strategic plan to make sure that you get the content out.

Elearning is normally delivered via a digital device like a PC, Mac, tablet or mobile phone. How many people actually check that the delivery platform matches what you’ve got, and that the login process will actually work?

The login process for accessing the elearning will vary depending on the platform that you are using and whether the elearning content that you are trying to access is free or part of a paid platform.

You can access elearning via a number of platforms including YouTube, OpenSesame, Real Projects, Udemy, Go1 or perhaps your company learning platform.

When you purchased your LMS or LXP did you actually go through the process and see what the user experience was like? Did you test it across a range of platforms? My experience is that people don’t. Why? Because it isn’t that interesting and they assume it works. If you are talking about impact then you need to talk about detail and make sure that things work. This isn’t about just talking about things, it’s about the doing — the boring detail that makes the difference.

How elearning platforms work

Elearning content is often delivered within organisations via a Learning Management System (LMS) or Learning Experience Platform (LXP).

These platforms are accessed via a website and will look familiar if you’ve logged into ecommerce, library or banking systems. You’ll have to go through a login process and you’ll be given content that is specific to you.

If it doesn’t look like something familiar, get it changed. You need to have a user experience that is going to make a difference. Again we are talking about user experience and user interface. Did you test it? Did you go through the change password process? Remember this is the first place that people will give up — this is a metric for you. Do you actually measure this? How many people are actually logged into the system?

Accessing your account

The login process to access your elearning content will vary depending on the platform and the provider. However there are a number of similar steps that you are likely to have to follow:

• Open up your browser (Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge)
• Navigate to the login page of the platform that you are using – ensuring that this is the correct login area
• Select the correct login button or link if required on the homepage or learning platform page
• When prompted, enter your details. This will be as a minimum your username and password. You will have been provided with a username and password by the elearning content provider.
• If the details are correct then you will be able to access the platform and view your content.

You’ve probably logged into lots of systems. You can probably remember what works well and what works less well. It could be home shopping or banking. It might be the video streaming service that you use. It is important to remember that some of these systems have millions put into them, but did you check that the process after the login works? Does the behaviour match what you think? This is part of the login process, it’s not ending after you press login. You need to think about this and the impact that this has on your process and your organisation.

Access levels

Once you have accessed the platform you might find that you have different levels of access to your friends and colleagues. Administrators can set up access rights so that different users can access different sets of content.

If you think that you are not able to access all of the content that you need you might need to contact the administrator to check your account.

Often learning platforms are set up so that you have to complete a certain number of courses first to unlock the next set of courses. This should be explained to you during some introduction content.

Again this is vital to the success of your platform. Video is ideal to explain to people how this works. Don’t expect that people will get this straight away. You need to think about how people will do this week and month later. Don’t leave this to chance. You don’t want people thinking about how do I log into my support login or my admin login. Remove the barrier to entry.

Different ways to log in

If you are accessing content via your company systems there may be a number of ways to access elearning content including single sign on (SSO), username and password or even two-factor authentication.

Typically users will access elearning content via a web browser like Chrome or Safari and navigate to the Learning Management System or website that is providing the learning content. There are a number of platforms and portals also providing content for you to access.

Organisations may allow you to access your elearning via a Single Sign On Portal (SSO). This is often explained to you in more detail either when you join the organisation or when you start accessing the elearning content.

Other platforms may use an authenticator like a mobile phone. During the login process you will have provided your mobile phone number, and each time during the login process the system will send a code to your mobile device that you need to enter to obtain access.

When you don’t need to log in

There is lots of free elearning content on platforms like YouTube that you don’t need to log in to access. You can navigate to the page and view the content. You may find it useful to bookmark these pages for future reference.

There are also elearning content providers who often provide free content on their website for you to use — often you don’t need to log in or provide any details. Be conscious that this content might not be around forever.

I can’t log in to my platform

Most systems will have the option for you to get a new password. This is an automatic process where a password reset will be sent to your registered email address.

If you have changed email address or can’t remember your email address then you will need to contact the administrator of the platform.

You may come across elearning platforms during your research that you would like to access. Several of these platforms may restrict access to company employees only and you won’t be able to get access. Others may require a subscription or are designed for business to business access only. If you think you should get access as an employee of an organisation, get in contact with your manager or Human Resources department.

How do I log into my elearning account?

If you have an account with a specific provider either as an individual or as part of your company provision you can follow the steps we outlined above. As a basic guide you’ll need to navigate to the login page, find the login link, enter your details and you should be able to find your elearning account.

Once you are in your account you should be able to administrate your account. At a basic level you can change your personal details and how you are viewed when logged in. You might have an avatar that you can update.