The Glories and Pitfalls of Online Learning

May 13, 2009 4680 Comments2009-05-13+10%3A00%3A39Ben+Nash

employee training wednesday Suppose your sixteen year old daughter comes home and tells you that there is a new on-line Driver’s Ed program at school. “After only six weeks of on-line learning”, she tells you, “I will be qualified to take your new Honda out by myself for a trip to the mall”.

“Just a minute” I hear you say, “you can’t learn to drive on-line; you need practical hands-on experience to learn how to drive safely”.

For on-line learning skeptics this is an example of why on-line learning is a waste of time and money. But are they throwing out the baby with the bathwater?

On-line learning is a growth industry, even in these tough economic times. Organizations are waking up to the fact that they can save significantly by having employees take on-line courses instead of flying them to attend a training seminar.

But does on-line learning work? Well, like most things, it depends! Here are some tips to consider when thinking about using on-line learning programs:

Identify the goals for the learning? If the goal is to communicate information or to provide concepts, then on-line learning can work. In the Drivers Ed example, the student driver could certainly benefit form learning driving theory from an on-line course (stopping distances, road signs, etc.). If the goal is to practice skills that require hand-eye coordination or interpersonal competence, however, on-line learning will probably not cut it.

Use tried and tested instructional design principles. Many on-line learning modules are tedious and boring and are not deigned to engage people in the learning process. This is generally due to poor instructional design. Adults need to be able to see the relevance of what they are learning and become engaged in the process. Good instructional design uses tools such as quizzes and hands-on interaction to maintain the interest and motivation of the learner.

Combining on-line learning with other forms of learning in a “blended” approach. Research shows that a “blended” approach which combines on-line and “on-ground” elements can work effectively to allow students to learn the concepts and practice the skills. By combining on-line with on-ground learning you can get the best of both worlds – cost savings combined with high impact skills development.