The purpose of this guide is to provide detailed guidance on designing and developing an e-learning course for trainers and instructional designers who are new to e-learning design. It also provides basic concepts and information on the processes and resources involved in e-learning development, which might be of interest to capacity-development managers.

The information in this guide is based on consolidated instructional design models and learning theories and incorporates FAO’s experience in delivering e-learning courses in development contexts. While there are several definitions of e-learning which reflect different perspectives, e-learning in this document is defined as follows:

"E-learning can be defined as the use of computer and Internet technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions to enable learning and improve performance."

This guide focuses on formal learning, specifically on structured courses designed to meet job-related training goals. It does not address needs assessment or evaluation stages of a training project, but rather the design, development and delivery activities which are specific to e-learning. Its focus is on e-learning solutions suitable for development contexts characterized by technology constraints, such as limited hardware capabilities and low-bandwidth Internet connections.