What is elearning? The best of the basics.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What eLearning really is
- The dominant types of eLearning
- Common eLearning characteristics
- Top 4 benefits of eLearning
So, what is elearning?
In short, elearning is education or training delivered electronically.
In traditional education and training, a teacher or trainer presents knowledge in a physical classroom setting. Learners listen, watch, and interact with the teacher or trainer in person.
With elearning, learners consume educational content on computers, tablets, and smartphones.
What are the types of eLearning?
top 2 Types of eLearning
No matter what elearning looks like, it will generally fall into one of
two categories: information-based or performance-based.
elearning type # 1: information-Based
Information based courses are just that—they are packed with info a company needs to share with employees, often to comply with regulatory requirements.
Information-based courses are designed to increase awareness or certify
understanding, not change behavior. Elearning that’s about a new
company policy or an annual compliance course are good examples of
information-based courses.
elearning type # 1: Performance-Based
On the other hand, performance-based courses seek to change behavior,
such as applying a new skill on the job. These kinds of courses can drive
measurable results that make a real impact on the business. For instance,
when a support person learns how to respond effectively to an irate
customer, it can boost customer satisfaction and retention rates.
You’re probably getting the picture: elearning comes in all stripes
and colors. In fact, some elearning courses don’t look, feel, or act like
courses! As an elearning consumer, that gives you tremendous freedom to make elearning work for you.
What are the characteristics of elearning?
top 3 common eLearning characteristics:
elearning characteristic # 1: Self-Paced
One of the most convenient characteristics of elearning is that it’s selfpaced and asynchronous. This means there’s no set time for the learning to take place. Unlike traditional learning, where students must learn at a set time and pace of the instructor’s choosing, elearning can happen at any time, at any speed.
elearning characteristic # 2: Interactive
Typically, the most engaging elearning is interactive. Rather than being a passive experience, where the learner just soaks in knowledge through reading or viewing content, interactive elearning requires learners to be intimately involved. They click or touch the screen. They drag content from one place to the next. They make choices that impact what other content they see. Interactive elearning may incorporate critical thinking activities such as games, quizzes, and decision-making scenarios that encourage learners to explore the consequences of their choices in a safe way. While there’s plenty of elearning developed every day that’s not interactive, the most effective elearning typically is.
elearning characteristic # 3: Media-Rich
Elearning often includes multimedia. Frankly, it’s pretty boring to click through a series of PowerPoint slides that have nothing but bullets or paragraphs of text on them. In fact, online learners have noted that their biggest frustrations were having to read lists of tedious procedures and regulations and getting straight-up bored. The most effective elearning captures a learner’s interest and attention and engages them in a real way so that they actually digest the material. That’s why many elearning courses include animation, audio, and video — creating a multimodal, immersive, and effective learning experience.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF Elearning?
With elearning, you’re taught what you need to know quickly and easily,
wherever you are. It’s learning delivered right to you. And that yields big benefits for you and your company. Let’s take a look at what those are.
top 4 eLearning benefits
elearning benefit # 1: Reach Learners Anywhere and Everywhere
Elearning can be accessed from a variety of devices including computers, tablets and smartphones. This means your learners can be out in the field, on the go in even the most remote locations, and still access learning and training when it’s most convenient for them. And remember, elearning supports all types of learners, too. Now your students, customers, or staff can learn with you at their own pace, on the couch or while they’re traveling on the road. It puts THEM in the driver’s seat.
elearning benefit # 2: adapt at speed
Elearning can help your organization adapt at the speed of business.
Need to get your sales team up to speed on a new product quickly? With elearning, you create a course once, often in a matter of hours, and
share it instantly with thousands of users. And when regulators want to
see who’s gone through compliance training, sifting through training
registrations and attendance sheets can quickly turn into a recordkeeping
mess. With elearning, you can automatically track and report on
user completions and scores.
elearning benefit # 3: it’s Climate friendly
Elearning can provide an eco-friendly alternative to classroom training.
Cutting travel from the training equation not only lowers costs, as
previously discussed, but it also helps reduce carbon emissions. This is a must for any organization committed to reducing its carbon footprint.
elearning benefit # 4: save time and money
One of the biggest advantages of elearning is that it costs less and is
scalable in a way that in-person training simply isn’t. In fact, corporations save 50-70% when they replace instructor-led training with e-learning. (Source: Institute of Management and Administration Survey.)
With custom elearning, organizations can invest once in a course, then
disperse it to everyone and anyone in their workforce, wherever they are.
So much more scalable and less costly! And because staff can take the
course at their own pace, it’s easier to fit it in around their other duties.
Summary
Everyone benefits when your organization puts learning into the hands
of the people. With elearning, you can shift your focus from
planning and administering traditional classroom training to creating the
best possible learning experiences that can be accessed from anywhere.
And with on-demand access to learning, your learners are empowered
to perform and grow in their roles—and beyond. Business leaders and managers can dramatically reduce training downtime with elearning, as well as keep everyone focused and productive.
In short, elearning empowers people to perform. Thankfully, there’s help for individuals, businesses, and organizations to capitalize on all the goodness. That’s where I come in.
Mia Monday 