Focused college student sitting in cafeteria taking notes while using laptop. Young brazilian woman doing research for business at coffee shop. African american girl sitting in cafe using computer and writing notes.
Focused college student sitting in cafeteria taking notes while using laptop. Young brazilian woman doing research for business at coffee shop. African american girl sitting in cafe using computer and writing notes.
Also known as online learning or distance education, eLearning has grown in popularity over the last decade, and even more recently since the onset of COVID-19. Aside from remote work and at-home education however, the speed at which valued skills are changing in the professional landscape is a key propellent of the rapid growth of eLearning.
The first application of distance education was as early as 1840, when English teacher Sir Isaac Pitman taught a system of shorthand through mailing texts transcribed on postcards and receiving transcriptions from his students in return for correction. With the advent of the internet, eLearning has granted learners everywhere access to endless information. Top tier universities including Stanford University and Harvard University, have even made courses available online across a variety of disciplines, further democratizing otherwise exclusive academia.
While the inefficiencies of eLearning have been felt globally this past year, there are actually many benefits to this type of educational format. First, the immense amount of user data across eLearning platforms gives educators the ability to personalize content based on user interests or learning requirements. For those that experience communication barriers such as social anxiety, eLearning may be preferred to face-to-face interactions. In addition, and perhaps the most widely-accepted benefit to eLearning, is the opportunity for better time management. Specifically, learners are able to create schedules based on existing commitments and calendar events. Some students may hold a job or have families for example, and are trying to make education fit into their busy lives. Further, the accessibility of online learning allows professionals to scale their skills rapidly, having access to courses, coaching, virtual webinars and events at the click of a button. And finally, eLearning is typically more affordable than in-person programs making it more widely available.
One of the main challenges eLearning presents is the need for self-discipline. While adult learners tend to be self-motivated, focused and task-oriented, younger students may struggle with the lack of structured accountability that comes with sharing a physical space with a teacher and peers. And while ease of adoption shouldn’t pose a threat as most current generations are “digital natives”, eLearning programs should ensure they incorporate learner resources such as advising, tutoring and help-desk functionalities, as a support system to students.
eLearning is sure to be accepted even more widely post-pandemic, as the benefits significantly outweigh the challenges. Once initial barriers are overcome, this type of learning allows equal access to information among students, flexibility to accommodate different schedules, can be customized and provides a variety of program formats for learners to choose from.
Contact us to learn how we can apply eLearning modules to your corporate development programs.
The Rise of Online Learning was initially published on May 2, 2020 by Forbes.
Insights on Adapting to a Virtual Learning Environment was initially published on April 13, 2020 by Harvard Business Review.
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