Enthusiasm for digital technology is at an all-time high, not least in the workplace as companies around the world turn to internet-based training to keep their employees abreast of all the latest developments. As with all new trends, there is some debate about whether this transition is for the best. I strongly suggest the composition of both approaches would be more beneficial.
One key reason for this move away from more traditional training methods is the fact that e-learning offers businesses the opportunity to reduce their expenditure significantly. Providing face-to-face training can be exorbitantly expensive, particularly in terms of travel costs and lost productivity, and online courses can greatly reduce the expense of keeping employees well-informed and up-to-date. Computer-based training renders geographical location irrelevant and this eliminates the need to pay an instructor to travel to your office or cover the cost of sending your employees to a training centre. It also minimises the amount of time wasted. From a purely financial perspective, there is no doubt that this shift to digital learning makes perfect sense.
However, research suggests that the quality and effectiveness of web-based courses lag behind the efficacy of those delivered in a classroom setting. People crave interaction and while digital training courses may offer a welcome addition to a company’s professional development plan, many educators believe that they should be used to complement rather than replace instructor-led sessions. Some subject matter such as compliance training is well-suited to an online format, whereas management or leadership courses which are more collaborative in nature, are best taught ‘in person’. Many companies are starting to implement ‘blended learning’ programmes which aim to combine the best of both worlds.
In conclusion, although the rise of computer-based education is very attractive in terms of reducing overheads, for the moment at least, more traditional training still has its place in the workplace. The challenge for businesses is to find the right balance between the two.
Enthusiasm for digital technology is at an all-time high, not least in the workplace as
companies
around the world turn to internet-based
training
to
keep
their employees abreast of all the latest developments. As with all new trends, there is
some
debate about whether this transition is for the best. I
strongly
suggest the composition of both approaches would be more beneficial.
One key reason for this
move
away from more traditional
training
methods is the fact that e-learning offers businesses the opportunity to
reduce
their expenditure
significantly
. Providing face-to-face
training
can be
exorbitantly
expensive,
particularly
in terms of travel costs and lost productivity, and online
courses
can
greatly
reduce
the expense of keeping employees well-informed and up-to-date. Computer-based
training
renders geographical location irrelevant and this eliminates the need to pay an instructor to travel to your office or cover the cost of sending your employees to a
training
centre
. It
also
minimises
the amount of time wasted. From a
purely
financial perspective, there is no doubt that this shift to digital learning
makes
perfect sense.
However
, research suggests that the quality and effectiveness of web-based
courses
lag behind the efficacy of those delivered in a classroom setting.
People
crave interaction and while digital
training
courses
may offer a welcome addition to a
company
’s professional development plan,
many
educators believe that they should be
used
to complement
rather
than replace instructor-led sessions.
Some
subject matter
such as compliance
training
is well-suited to an online format, whereas management or leadership
courses
which are more collaborative in nature, are best taught ‘in person’.
Many
companies
are starting to implement ‘blended learning’
programmes
which aim to combine the best of both worlds.
In conclusion
, although the rise of computer-based education is
very
attractive in terms of reducing overheads, for the moment at least, more traditional
training
still
has its place in the workplace. The challenge for businesses is to find the right balance between the two.