Why develop e-learning?

Many organizations and institutions are using e-learning because it can be as effective as traditional training at a lower cost.

Developing e-learning is more expensive than preparing classroom materials and training the trainers, especially if multimedia or highly interactive methods are used. However, delivery costs for e-learning (including costs of web servers and technical support) are considerably lower than those for classroom facilities, instructor time, participants’ travel and job time lost to attend classroom sessions.

Moreover, e-learning reaches a wider target audience by engaging learners who have difficulty attending conventional classroom training because they are:

>> geographically dispersed with limited time and/or resources to travel;

>> busy with work or family commitments which do not allow them to attend courses on specific dates with a fixed schedule;

>> located in conflict and post-conflict areas and restricted in their mobility because of security reasons;

>> limited from participating in classroom sessions because of cultural or religious beliefs;

>> facing difficulties with real-time communication (e.g. foreign language learners or very shy learners).

E-learning can offer effective instructional methods, such as practising with associated feedback, combining collaboration activities with self-paced study, personalizing learning paths based on learnersf needs and using simulation and games. Further, all learners receive the same quality of instruction because there is no dependence on a specific instructor. Some questions to ask when choosing among e- learning, face-to-face instruction or other types of informal or on-the-job learning include:

>> What is the relative cost of each type of training?

>> Is learning best delivered in one unit or spread out over time?

>> Does it address a short-term or a long-term learning need?

>> Do participants have access to needed computer and communications equipment?

>> Are participants sufficiently self-motivated for e-learning or self-study modes of learning?

>> Do target participantsf time schedules and geographic locations enable classroom.based learning or other types of synchronous learning?

Can e-learning be used to develop any type of skill?

A training program may aim at developing different types of skills:

>> cognitive skills, which can involve knowledge and comprehension (e.g. understanding scientific concepts ), following instructions (procedural skills), as well as applying methods in new situations to solve problems (thinking or mental skills);

>> interpersonal skills (e.g. skills involved in active listening, presenting, negotiating, etc.); as well as

>> psychomotor skills, involving the acquisition of physical perceptions and movements (e.g. making sports or driving a car).

How can e-learning address these diverse domains?

Most e-learning courses are developed to build cognitive skills; the cognitive domain is the most suitable for e-learning. Within the cognitive domain, thinking skills may require more interactive e-learning activities because those skills are learned better “by doing”. Learning in the interpersonal domain can also be addressed in e-learning by using specific methods. For example, interactive role playing with appropriate feedback can be used to change attitudes and behaviours.

E-learning is a good option when…

>> there is a significant amount of content to be delivered to a large number of learners;

>> learners come from geographically dispersed locations;

>> learners have limited mobility;

>> learners have limited daily time to devote to learning;

>> learners do not have effective listening and reading skills;

>> learners have at least basic computer and Internet skills;

>> learners are required to develop homogeneous background knowledge on the topic;

>> learners are highly motivated to learn and appreciate proceeding at their own pace;

>> content must be reused for different learners’ groups in the future;

>> training aims to build cognitive skills rather than psychomotor skills;

>> the course addresses long-term rather than short-term training needs;

>> there is a need to collect and track data.

Since e-learning is ideal help for all purposes, that it will enhance the facet of classroom training completely in an organization. The most cost-effective application of e-learning may be to complement conventional training in order to reach as many learners as possible.