According the to the “2006 Industry
Report” in the December issue of
Training magazine, companies spent approximately 15 percent of their training
budgets on e-learning, a two-fold increase
over 2005, signifying that online instruction
is here to stay as a mainstream delivery
vehicle.
The article notes that online programs
are used most extensively for mandatory
or compliance training, but are increasingly being used for customer service, retail
process and soft skills instruction as well.
“Corporations are currently the largest
users of online learning programs,” says
Cindy Larson, Ed.D., president of
Spectrum Pacific Learning Co. in La Jolla,
which creates and supports distance and
online learning systems. “However, the
academic sector is expected to be the
largest user within the next five years.”
Smart Business asked Larson what
makes for a quality program and how corporations can make the most of their
online training dollars.
What are some of the trends for employer-sponsored online learning programs?
Since 2000, the growth of online learning
has been tremendous. Enrollment in online
programs has more than doubled in the
last few years, and this trend is likely to
continue. Industry analysts predict that
growth will double again in the next two
years. This can greatly be attributed to
lower costs and better use of technology to
create engaging online learning.
How do corporations benefit by offering their
employees online learning?
Online learning has the opportunity to
engage all learning styles, offers flexibility
and provides accessibility. There are three
core learning styles: audio, visual and
hands-on. Approximately 10 percent of
adults are audio learners, 20 percent are
visual, and 70 percent are hands-on. In a
classroom, you’re typically only fully
engaging about 10 percent of your audience — the audio learners. Online learning
enables us to move beyond those limitations. Additionally, it is flexible and accessible, meaning that employees can take the
classes at times that are most convenient
to them, and that the employer can change,
add to and update the programs in real-time.
Rather than the traditional testing that
takes place in a classroom, online courses
offer the opportunity to conduct pre-, during, post- and follow-up assessments.
Students can always go back to areas they
missed or still don’t completely understand. The post- and follow-up assessments enable the employer to quantify and
qualify its investment and ensure that the
employee has retained the information.
Also, when compared to a classroom, the
online learning environment offers more
opportunity to engage visual learners. As
for the social aspect of the experience, separate ‘communities’ can be set up where
learners can chat, engage in live discussions or participate in discussion threads.
How can companies that do not yet have an
online learning program get started?
The first step is to undergo an assessment
of the company’s training needs to determine whether an online program would be
practical. Factors that are considered include the company’s business environment, culture and competitive marketplace. How much training do they need?
What type? There is no one-size-fits-all
solution. Companies should be judicious
when selecting courses that make sense
for their particular organization and start
out with a pilot program.
How can companies that already offer online
courses ensure that their programs are effective?
By conducting an audit. Audits will reveal
if the company is on-target with the design,
content and delivery of its programs. An
audit should ensure that clear learning
objectives are established; that benchmarks gauge comprehension; that training
aids engage all three learning styles; that
information is broken down into small
chunks, and that 24/7 technical support is
available.
In addition, trainers/facilitators should be
accessible via e-mail and/or discussion
threads.
How can employees get the most out of their
online experience?
It depends on their learning style and
place in the organization. For an exempt
employee, taking a 45-minute online
course on harassment prevention can be a
huge time saver. For a nonexempt employee, is it relevant? Staff-level employees
want to feel that the training is relevant to
their specific job. They want to know
‘what’s in it for me’ if they complete the
courses.
Help participants up-front by providing a
questionnaire to assess what type of learner they are: visual, audio or hands-on. This
can easily help them maneuver through the
course. Done well, e-learning can have an
incredible impact on learning, corporate
culture and the bottom line.
CINDY LARSON, Ed.D., is president of Spectrum Pacific
Learning Co. in La Jolla, which is part of the National University
System. Reach her at [email protected] or (858)
642-8113.
