E-Learning Aids in Professional Development

E-Learning Aids in Professional Development

SPECIAL REPORT – EDUCATION



Online Training Seen as Flexible, Efficient Option

BY WILLIAM E. BYXBEE



Special to the Business Journal






Across the business community, most organizations provide their employees with opportunities for professional development.






At some organizations, employees attend classes led by internal training administrators, other companies hire training consultants to provide in-house programs, while others send their staff to offsite training sessions.






Regardless of the delivery method, almost all organizations incorporate formal employee training into their development initiatives. In today’s information age of techno-savvy workers, many companies are calling for electronic delivery methods to supplement traditional classroom training.






Distance education, or e-learning, is an excellent solution to this growing training need. By incorporating computers and the Internet into the mix of tools available, organizations can provide training that is flexible, convenient, efficient, and less costly than more established methods.






Many online classes designed for professional development and personal enrichment are asynchronous: that is, individuals taking these courses study and learn the material independently via the Internet. Participants also have the opportunity to interact with instructors or fellow students via e-mail, discussion boards, and chat rooms.







- Options Include Self-Paced Courses







Popular e-learning options include online courses that can be completed in one or several sessions and can even be downloaded to a laptop computer for employees who frequently travel or those who prefer to learn at home. Often, this type of online professional development course offers information to participants in modules. The employee can review the learning content at their own pace and contact subject matter experts electronically for clarification and further discussion.






At the end of a module, students complete a knowledge assessment. Those who do not receive satisfactory scores on the assessment can retake the test after reviewing the material to ensure mastery of the course content.






These online classes can be taken alone or as a series of courses within a professional certificate program.






Distance learning programs involving synchronous methods of delivery operate more like an audio or videoconference call, via phone or Internet connection. These courses are often real-time, providing the opportunity for dynamic interaction among participants while also increasing the challenges of offering these classes nationally or internationally, due to time differences.






The technology for this type of distance learning is readily available, making the approach an attractive option due to its capability to provide human interaction and collaborative learning.







- Blended Learning







Blended learning is a hybrid solution that offers the best of both worlds. It combines the benefits of asynchronous on-line learning with the interaction of classroom learning. Students receive and study the information online and then enter the classroom to facilitate discussion with the instructor and fellow classmates.






This combination also allows participants to complete the program in substantially less time than would be required if all of the information was presented in the classroom.






The benefits of online training go beyond simple convenience and flexibility. Unlike the traditional classroom, online courses provide each participant with the same information that can be accessed anytime and as often as necessary.






This saves the organization the expense of providing multiple onsite training sessions and also helps insure that training content is consistent across employees. Productivity is also protected since employees do not have to devote large periods of time to training but rather schedule short learning sessions over a period of time.






In addition to the cost savings, online professional development courses offer many benefits for managers. As program administrators, supervisors can electronically monitor employee progress, check how much time an employee has spent in the program, and view assessment scores.






This information is extremely helpful at evaluating knowledge acquisition and employee progress.







- Online Classes Are Not Geographically Limited







Students from around the world can log on, via the Internet, to take courses in management, communication, marketing, finance and an array of other topics.






For local students, distance education takes some of the logistics out of learning. There is no parking to worry about, a full-day commitment is not required, and there are no predetermined class times. The classes are ready when the student is ready and classes can be completed in several short time blocks or at one sitting.






Online training is rapidly becoming an important tool in the arsenal of training and education. It is an effective addition to the current training approaches.






For example, organizations with in-house training departments can partner with online training providers to offer employees a wide range of courses to better address individual needs. Even in tough economic times, training is essential to the growth and development of the individuals and their organizations.






Continuing education and corporate training organizations help fill the need to provide work force training, for a work force that is rapidly changing. Today’s workers require more flexibility and often work longer hours than at any time before.






Training providers are responding to this change by offering additional training and professional development opportunities, like e-learning, designed to meet the needs of the marketplace. Distance education or e-learning is the obvious next step in the evolution of professional development and has become a supplemental tool designed to meet the training requirements of the business community.






Byxbee is dean of San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies.