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REVIEW

The ASTD E-Learning Handbook: Best Practices, Strategies, and Case Studies for
an Emerging Field, by Allison Rossett (Ed.). (2002). New York: McGraw-Hill.
543 pages, $49.95 (cloth). ISBN 0-0713-8796-X.

Like many other technologies, e-learning has its enthusiasts and skeptics. The
enthusiastic view seems to dominate most of the e-learning literature, giving
positive attributes of e-learning, high growth indicators, and lots of promises.
However, as Allison Rossett, the editor of The ASTD E-Learning Handbook, notes,
“The delicious e-learning honeymoon appears to be over” (p. 9). Thus, her pur-
pose for writing this book was to “encourage dialogue, reflection, planning, and
action surrounding e-learning” (p. xiii). Critics are increasingly pressing for
quality and standards in e-learning, and practitioners are seeking best practices
in instructional design, content development, implementation, project man-
agement, and evaluation of e-learning. This book does a good job of capturing
these topics through contributions from chapter authors who share both pos-
itive and negative experiences with e-learning. By incorporating ideas and expe-
riences from recognized experts in e-learning, this book provides a key resource
for HRD practitioners and other e-learning stakeholders.
The notable features of this book are Rossett’s definition of e-learning, a per-
spective that she calls the “big tent view.” This broad view goes beyond common
definitions that limit e-learning to an instructional delivery tool. This perspec-
tive expands the scope of e-learning to encompass five functions: (1) learning,
(2) information support and coaching, (3) knowledge management, (4) inter-
action and collaboration, and (5) guidance and tracking. Past definitions focused
primarily on the learning component, leaving out the other elements, which are
just as valuable. Second, the contributions of various e-learning practitioners
and academics offer enriching experiences that are needed as e-learning con-
tinues to take root. The discussions in this handbook clearly indicate growing
dialogue and offer a more holistic view of e-learning.
This review explores the book’s strengths, contributions to HRD, an
overview, and limitations. The target audiences for this book are executives and
HRD practitioners, but the experiences shared, topics discussed, and the ques-
tions raised are valuable to various stakeholders. The book should appeal to a
wide audience of practitioners, researchers, administrators, managers, academics,
students, and e-learning vendors and providers.

Importance to HRD
E-learning is a recent addition to the HRD professional’s toolbox. HRD practi-
tioners have historically relied on classroom-based training and other instruc-
tional technologies, but organizations and institutions are turning more and

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, vol. 14, no. 4, Winter 2003

Copyright © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 493
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494

more to e-learning. HRD practitioners can no longer afford to ignore the

impact of e-learning; thus, writes Tina Sung, ASTD president, in the foreword,
“The profession is rethinking its role in an e-learning world” (p. ix). This book
aims at orienting and educating practitioners and executives about e-learning,
making it a great resource because it offers examples of real-life experiences
with e-learning and advice on how to implement e-learning, deal with change,
evaluate e-learning, and develop as an e-learning professional.
With changes caused by the growth of e-learning, the job description for
HRD and training practitioners is changing. HRD professionals will consistently
require professional development to keep in touch with these changing tech-
nologies. Sung writes in the foreword about the paradox facing professionals:
inasmuch as HRD professionals want to take advantage of the power of technol-
ogy, they still want to hold on to the traditional values of training. Resistance to
change resonates through many of the chapters, and the chapter authors give tips
on how to manage this change process. HRD professionals must begin to add to
their repertoire the skill of facilitating change that accompanies e-learning. This
book provides resources to assist in this change process.
HRD professionals are challenged to evaluate and prove the value of their
interventions. In addition, there are continuing concerns over e-learning stan-
dards. The ASTD E-Learning Handbook contains several chapters that will guide
those in the pursuit of quality and standards. Finally, a chapter on how to evaluate
return on investment in e-learning covers the “how to” of evaluation.

Overview of the Book

The ASTD E-Learning Handbook is a compilation of pieces written within the
past four years from professionals in business and academia. It has six parts,
each beginning with an overview. Contributors for chapters in the book
include recognized experts in e-learning such as Zane Berge, Marc Rosenberg,
Jack Phillips, Elliott Masie, and William Horton, to name but a few. The
authors represent a wide variety of e-learning stakeholders, ranging from edi-
tors of e-learning magazines to consultants and academics. Those familiar with
the e-learning literature will note that some chapters have been featured in
other publications. Although the handbook consists of primarily opinion-based
chapters, a few empirically based pieces are also included. Each chapter pro-
vides value in understanding a component of e-learning, and all are equally
important and insightful. However, due to the need for brevity, I will mention
only a few of them in this review.
The seven chapters that make up Part One, “The State of E-Learning,”
identify the current state of e-learning. This introduction offers readers an
overview of what is currently happening in e-learning. A highlight is Rossett’s
introduction, “Waking in the Night and Thinking About E-Learning,” which
introduces various dimensions of e-learning and extending its scope. Simmon’s
chapter offers an interesting e-learning model and identifies some of the
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Review 495

barriers that organizations face as they adopt e-learning. Organizational lead-

ers thinking of starting an e-learning initiative will find this chapter particu-
larly valuable: it covers both the benefits and concerns of e-learning and
provides a checklist to determine readiness for e-learning. The topics in Part
One include performance support, blended learning, and copyright law. A
notable chapter by Volkl and Castelein gives readers a glimpse into the state of
e-learning in Western Europe.
The chapters in Part Two, “Developing Great E-Learning,” address how to
purchase or develop e-learning. Some of the key topics are an object-oriented
approach to designing e-learning, tips for buying e-learning courses, learning
standards, barriers in implementing e-learning, facilitating change, and man-
aging e-learning. The ideas discussed in these chapters are not specific to
e-learning; they are appropriate to other distance-learning technologies as well.
They also bridge theory and practice by capturing how adult learning theories
and instructional design principles can be incorporated into e-learning. For
example, blending different media to enrich instruction, using computer
and virtual games, and improving interactions through questioning are dis-
cussed. One of the strengths of Part Two is the array of ideas for on-line instruc-
tors and instructional designers on how to make training interactive. Also of
interest is e-learning that incorporates the use of mobile wireless technologies.
Part Three, “Managing E-Learning Success: Strategies That Turn Promises
into Performance,” focuses on how to manage e-learning and the strategies
that will lead to performance improvement. Executives and managers who
are implementing e-learning will find this part valuable since it addresses the
prerequisites for a successful implementation, including changing organiza-
tional culture, communication, championing e-learning, and working across
organizational functions. A discussion of knowledge management provides a
clear link to the broader definition of e-learning. HRD practitioners imple-
menting e-learning will benefit from the numerous implementation check-
lists, and on-line instructors will appreciate the chapter on instructional tips
and strategies on how to keep students engaged and enrolled.
The question, “Is e-learning too good to be true?” is discussed in Part Four.
E-learning is rife with myths and continuing concerns with quality. One of the
contributors to Part Four notes, “Online learning’s deficiencies are a touchy sub-
ject. Nobody wants to look like a Luddite . . . but everyone is either trying to
sell something . . . or they’re an academic who’s immediately against it because
they’re out to defend the classroom” (p. 363). The chapters in Part Four cover
the issue of quality and standards in e-learning and stress evaluation. For exam-
ple, the chapter on evaluating return on investment of e-learning should cap-
tivate many who are seeking to justify the value and worth of the investment of
resources required for quality e-learning.
Part Five is titled, “E-Learning for the E-Learning Professional.” Valuable
insights on the path that many HRD practitioners are taking to keep up with the
fast pace of e-learning are offered. Hoffman’s chapter, “Preparing E-Learning
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496

Professionals,” presents the many hats that an HRD professional may currently
wear, including e-learning artist, scientist, engineer, and craftsperson. Because
the skill requirements necessary in e-learning go beyond facilitation, and may
even include Web design and programming, many HRD professionals feel chal-
lenged to continually hone their skills. This has resulted in the trend of training
professionals’ returning to the classroom. Shank even suggested the need for
HRD professionals to take on-line courses. Those seeking to enhance their skills
will find the resources in the chapters in Part Five useful, including information
on institutions offering graduate and certification programs and tips on select-
ing a quality program.
The chapters in Part Six discuss case studies and present interesting and
topical organizational experiences with e-learning. Case studies from Cisco,
Oracle, a higher education institution, and the U.S. government are included.
Blended learning and an object approach to instructional design are key trends
that run through many of the cases. The last chapter in The ASTD E-Learning
Handbook sets it apart from many other similar books by providing the reader
with a wide array of on-line and hard-copy resources. Also included is an
extensive listing of professional associations, journals, magazines, Web
resources, and books and articles related to e-learning.

Limitations
A weakness of The ASTD E-Learning Handbook is its lack of contributions from
international e-learning practitioners. Although there is a contribution
from Western Europe, a view of what is going on beyond the West is lacking.
Considering globalization and the diffusion of e-learning around the world,
there is a pressing need to hear from international authors and researchers
about their experiences with e-learning. Although the focus of the book most
likely is the U.S. market, most HRD practitioners operate beyond the United
States or Western market and culture, and the nature of e-learning clearly
defies any traditional boundaries. Future e-learning books should integrate
global experiences with e-learning.
Although the chapters are well written and appropriate to HRD practi-
tioners, this is not an introductory book on e-learning. Readers who are unfa-
miliar with e-learning may experience some difficulty with the jargon used.
The book would have benefited from a glossary.
The book focuses on both the present and future state of e-learning but
omits the history of e-learning. An introductory chapter capturing the brief
history of e-learning would have been useful to orient those new to the field.
History is valuable to any field, especially an emerging one like e-learning. If
we as e-learning professionals forget where we are coming from, we are bound
to repeat mistakes in the future.
As expected in a book about an emerging technology, there are questions
about validity, facts, and reliable figures. Currently, anecdotal evidence reigns
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Review 497

over empirical fact. Many researchers will no doubt consider this book weak in
terms of empirical research, although it was never intended to be an academic
text. It is simple to suggest that more empirical evidence be included, but the fact
is that good research is scarce, and empirical evidence is fairly limited. Numer-
ous questions raised in this book support a need for more research in e-learning
to verify whether the recommended tools do work and to justify e-learning’s value
in organizations.

Conclusion
Allison Rossett, the editor of The ASTD E-Learning Handbook, begins the book
by pointing out that the gap between e-learning promises and what is actually
delivered can be daunting for practitioners, keeping them “awake at night.”
The editor’s stated purpose was to “inform, coach, entice, caution, and encour-
age,” and through the many experiences and numerous tips it contains, this
book meets this purpose and surpasses the hype that has accompanied many
other publications on e-learning.
Although the lack of empirical evidence in e-learning is a concern, grad-
uate students and researchers should benefit from the abundance of research-
able topics discussed and the array of resources offered. Practitioners and
consultants are offered a variety of frameworks, checklists, and examples of
best practices and lessons learned in organizations that have successfully
implemented e-learning.
As I read this book, one of the key issues that persisted for me was the
future of e-learning. The example given in the book’s Foreword on the rise of
Napster supports this questioning. In 1997, Napster had zero users; by 2002,
it had over 40 million. Today, Napster no longer exists. The recent debacle of
the meteoric rise and fall of thousands of dot-coms suggests that while growth
and investment in e-learning are important, the most important thing is good
instructional design. While tools may come and go, the focus should be a sys-
tematic approach to solving learning and performance problems regardless of
the medium. I believe that HRD professionals need passion and enthusiasm
about e-learning, but they should also be cautious and, of most importance,
knowledgeable in how they implement it. The ASTD E-Learning Handbook adds
much to this understanding.

REVIEWED BY
PENINA MUNGANIA
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY