Elearning Solutions Versus Conventional Corporate Training Methods
The Internet has infiltrated all angles of our society from culture and entertainment, business, to social interaction. Even the way we learn and acquire information has been so dependent on technology and the worldwide web that people can now earn degrees even without going to conventional classes in the traditional school setup. Through elearning or electronic learning, people can take corporate trainings, university courses, and earn certifications without having to go to formal sessions in schools or corporate training centers. Students and trainees can have access to virtually everything and anything they need and want to learn through the cutting edge technology of elearning solutions.
Prominent universities and even the biggest companies in the US are now integrating this mode of training and teaching into their system. Despite this strong movement towards technology-based learning, many are still questioning the capabilities and efficiency of online education and training in really fulfilling its promise of effective learning. Some claim that although innovative and at par with the changes of the times, an online-based learning cannot replace the level of learning and interaction that a conventional face-to-face training can offer. But what factors set electronic learning apart from traditional corporate training methods?
Scheduling Convenience
Traditional training methods entail trainees and trainers to stick to a specific timetable, which requires so much planning on the part of the HR. The schedule should be established in such a way that it would not interfere with regular work routine of employees or operations of the company. On the other hand, companies’ schedules and plans change to give way for projects, sorting out contingencies, and the fluctuating product demands in relation to the economic downturn. This is often the reason of many companies for pushing employee development programs down their priority list. With elearning on the other hand, scheduling training sessions is never a problem. It provides both trainers and trainees accessibility and scheduling convenience. Since courses and sessions are conducted online, employees can take them wherever they are and whenever it is most convenient for them. They can do it individually or as a group depending on their availability. Online training also addresses the challenge of providing efficient training on an ongoing basis.
Self-Paced Nature of Learning and Instruction
Trainees have different learning curve: some learn faster while some need more time to absorb and process chunks of information from the sessions. In a conventional training set up, there is a tendency for participants to feel abash about if they are slower in catching information from the rest of the class. So instead of optimizing learning opportunities, some would either lose motivation to participate or will only participate in classes not because they want to but because they are mandated by the company. Such affective filters prevent employees from getting the most out of the training that the company is giving them. With technology based trainings, however, isolating trainees with slower learning curve can be avoided because of its self-paced nature. Trainees learn in their own pace and the system adapts to their learning speed and readiness. Employees can move on to the next part of the training depending on his learning curve.
By: Joel Owens