E-learning

 Training as a Communication Strategy

 

 Learning Objectives

 

Electronic learning or E-learning is a general term used to refer to computer-enhanced learning.   We have e-learning when computers are used in the interaction between teachers and learners and amongst learning groups. Computers are therefore used to access knowledge stored digitally on various supports:  intranets , internet, CD Roms, etc.   E-learning has become the most common standard for didtance learning programmes, but it is also a commonly used enhancer of traditional classroom and trainings.

However much e-learning is praised, computers will serve and not substitute direct human interactions What is important is to know exactly what e-learning advantages exist and when these outweigh the limitations of the medium.   E-learning can be seen as a form of access to knowledge management and KM is not the implementation of a technology: it is a multidisciplined approach that integrates project/program strategy, cultural values and work processes. KM programs perform best when enabled with adequate technology (e-learning), but an emphasis on technology alone will achieve very little progress toward KM. Conversely, even the strongest KM culture that is not supported with adequate e-learning technology also will falter.

 

E-Learning Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Key advantages of E-learning are flexibility, convenience and the ability to work at any place where an internet connection is available and at one’s own pace.

Perhaps the single most influential factor to the trainer or organization in adopting e-learning is the reduced overall cost. The elimination of costs associated with instructor’s salaries, meeting room rentals, student travel, lodging, and meals are directly quantifiable. The reduction of time spent away from the job by employees may be the most positive outcome.  Learning times are reduced an average of 40 to 60 percent. Increased retention and application to the job averages an increase of 25 percent over traditional methods. Consistent delivery of content is possible with self-paced e-learning (known as “asynchronous”).  Expert knowledge is communicated, but more importantly, captured, with good e-learning and knowledge management systems.  Proof of completion and certification, essential elements of training initiatives, can be automated.

Unlike classroom training, users may repeat the E-learning course without duplicating the cost. It is commonly accepted that the initial cost of an E-learning implementation is expensive (once-off development cost), but that the cost of training (per user) goes down exponentially as more learners use the E-learning course material. When using E-learning simulations to assess learning progress, the instructor is assessing the actual competence of the user to perform a transaction and not merely knowledge of the system.

Other advantages of E-learning are the ability to communicate with fellow classmates independent of metrical distance, a greater adaptability to learner's needs, more variety in learning experience with the use of multimedia and the non-verbal presentation of teaching material. Streamed video recorded lectures and MP3 files provides visual and audio learning that can be reviewed as often as needed.

Along with the increased retention, reduced learning time, and other aforementioned benefits to students, particular advantages of e-learning include on-demand availability that enables students to complete training conveniently at off-hours or from home.   E-classes are asynchronous which allows learners to participate and complete coursework in accordance with their daily commitments. This makes an E-learning education a viable option for those that have other commitments such as family or work or cannot participate easily e.g. depending on a disablility. There are also transportation cost (and time) benefits with not having to commute to and from campus.   Self-pacing for slow or quick learners reduces stress and increases satisfaction.  Interactivity engages users, pushing them rather than pulling them through training.  Confidence that refresher or quick reference materials are available reduces burden of responsibility of immediate mastery.  

 

Disadvantages

 

Disadvantages of E-learning include the lack of face-to-face interaction with a teacher. Critics of E-learning argue that the process is no longer "educational" in the highest philosophical sense (for example, as defined by RS Peters, a philosopher of education). Supporters of E-learning claim that this criticism is largely unfounded, as human interactions can readily be encouraged through audio or video-based web-conferencing programs, threaded discussion boards,of fact, many in K12 would support E-learning if it was not associated with the more extreme versions that attempt to cut out the directed teacher-student relationship.

The feeling of isolation experienced by distance learning students is also often cited, although discussion forums and other computer-based communication can in fact help ameliorate this and in particular can often encourage students to meet face-to-face, although meeting face-to-face is often not possible due to the disarray of student's physical locality. Discussion groups can also be formed on-line. Human interaction, faculty-to-student as well as student-to-student, should be encouraged in any form.

E-learning tends to work better for the student when the topic matter consists of self-learned items. When much group collaboration is required, E-learning can cause lag times in collaborative feedback if the students are not discipled. For example, some student's may only check their online agenda once a week, or even less, making it impossible to achieve goals. Web and software development can be expensive as can systems specifically geared for E-learning. The development of adaptive materials is also much more time-consuming than that of non-adaptive ones.

 

E-learning: Tutorials

Just as there are many names for e-learning itself (e.g., online learning, web-based training, technology-based learning, etc.), there are many names for different types of e-learning and e-learning products are often segmented dependent on some characteristics of their approach to learning.

A number of fundamental modes of training or instructional models make up the backbone of valid and valuable training. While these can be used as guides no matter what type of technology is chosen, the specific strengths and weaknesses of a particular training mode should be considered in order to maximize learner benefits.

Tutorials are one of the oldest and most commonly used modes of education. A good tutorial presents information and guidance, makes sure the learner has an opportunity to understand the instruction, through “testing” ensures that the learner has comprehended the material, and only then continues on to new information. Many tutorials basically consist of a linear presentation of content. When implemented properly, using the classic principles of instructional systems design, guided tutorials can be engaging and effective. The key to useful tutorials in e-learning are interactions that establish pace, clarify content, provide for practice and instill confidence. A tutorial that presents content directly without giving the learner any more opportunity to interact is often referred to as "an electronic page-turner.”

Branching can greatly enhance the effectiveness of a tutorial, allowing it to operate in the way that a skilled teacher does. A question posed following an instructional moment can determine if the student has mastered the content. If mastery is not achieved, one branch is followed and another approach is provided to eliminate confusion. Only after mastery is achieved can the learner move to the branch containing the next piece of information.

 


The Advent of Multimedia

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the training field began seeing a new buzzword—multimedia.  With the advent of multimedia, more and more organizations were employing Computer Based Training (CBT) as a key part of their strategic training plan.  Multimedia allows the use of video and audio, a greater range of fonts, and 2- and 3-D images available in many different file types.

With faster and faster CPUs (Central Processing Units) came faster delivery of content and more responsive activities for the student.  Faster chips meant faster processing for video and sound cards.  Larger hard drive storage and faster data access time meant more responsive video, graphics, and interactivity.  More sophisticated authoring tools and lower level languages were making courseware easier and faster to develop.  Ratios of hours of development-per-hour of CBT instruction came down from 300:1 to 25:1.

Two other technologies bear mentioning when discussing the advent of multimedia.  CD-ROM technology gave developers the huge storage space required for realistic, highly visual, and feature-rich multimedia courseware, and information on them can easily be searched and accessed.  The types of files and file structures required by multimedia to make it highly visual continue to take massive amounts of storage space. CD-I (compact disc interactive) did a superior job of handling video, but because of its proprietary hardware and software requirements, it never claimed a large enough market share to really make an impact.  DVD (digital versatile disc), the current up-and-comer, is gaining momentum at a much slower pace than expected.  Its claim to fame is that instead of 655 MB, it has up to 17 GB of storage space. That’s over 20 times the capacity of CD-ROMs.


Advantages of CD-ROM Training

When compared to instructor-led courses (ILCs), the features and benefits of CD-ROM training include those shared by other types of technology-based training.  It is self-paced, highly interactive, has increased learning retention rates, and costs less than ILCs.

When compared to Web-based training, the benefits largely come from the fact that CD-ROMs usually provide a more engaging learning experience, with text, audio, video, and animation, all used to convey information. Typically, a graphic will be displayed along with bulleted text as an audio narration provides the primary content. In addition information is easily searchable and accessible.

Video clips can be used to show human behaviors or complex operations. This use of multiple media means that learning is optimized for all three learning styles: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual.  Student engagement is also increased with the use of creative themes or metaphors. Whether the topic is sales training or understanding a new computer system, today’s programs are often wrapped in a classic Hollywood genre: science fiction, mystery, adproject/program, or even television talk shows and game shows.

Finally, since people learn best from experience, the multimedia capability of CD-ROMs provides the power to create realistic job simulations. For example, a sales training program could put the student face-to-face with a tough prospect. A discovery-learning simulation can be developed using disk-based CBT, or delivered via the Web, but with bandwidth limitations the simulations would consist of only text and graphics. Learning is enhanced with multimedia CD-ROM because students are able to see the body language and hear the voices of on-screen video participants, and interact in real-time.

 

Disadvantages of CD-ROM Training

One of the disadvantages of CD-ROM based training is the lack of peer-to-peer and person-to-person learning opportunities. Good instructors are supposed to be facilitators who bring out experience-based lessons from the students themselves. This cannot be accomplished without face-to-face interaction. Additionally, there are other benefits from the socialization that takes place in a physical classroom, including higher motivation, team building, and creation of relationships that can be supportive long after the training is over.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of CD-ROM-based training compared to Web-based training is the difficulty in updating or changing the content. Once a CD-ROM is created, the information on it cannot be changed easily. If a widget manufacturer uses CD-ROMs to train its sales force and they create a better widget, usually a new training CD-ROM will have to be created, duplicated, and distributed to the sales force. Depending on the size of the sales force, distributing new CD-ROMs could prove very costly. Once the training program itself is updated, it typically takes three weeks for a duplication organization to complete an order, which is likely followed by another week to package, address, and ship the CDs to the sales representatives. Some organizations have the capability to duplicate large batches themselves, but not many.

Finally, CD-ROM programs present a challenge when it comes to student tracking. Because the CD doesn’t have a direct link back to a training department, other types of media must also be used for the reporting of student scores and completion certificates. Common methods include paper printouts of scores or a certificate, which is then faxed or mailed to the organizational training department. If student has e-mail access, but no intranet is available for automatic distribution, assessment score files can be attached to e-mail messages.


Web Based Training (WBT)

The Internet promises to provide a distance learning delivery system that will greatly benefit the learner and the organization desiring to expand its training options and horizons. The Internet will let anyone with a computer take an education or training course from anywhere in the world with nothing more than their computer.  Gone are the days of worrying about whether a course will operate on one operating system or another or one computer or the other.

For those who develop product, however, it has proven to have many shortcomings.  For one, the advances in our use of video and audio have been constrained because of the lack of bandwidth.  In addition, the size, quality, and resolution of the images we can use are limited. Regardless of how entertaining and interactive we make the training, the extreme delays and wait time encountered by the student will diminish the effectiveness and enjoyment associated with the learning. A training program that looks great when developed for and delivered on a fast, borad-bandwidth system (e.g. Ethernet) becomes close to worthless when used with even a fast 56k modem.

For the time being, trainers and educators who are constrained by bandwidth issues will continue to rely on rudimentary methods such as combining videotape with lecture to show and demonstrate hands-on or procedural tasks. Or they may shuffle between CD-ROM, video and Internet course exercises.  As technological advances occur, and they are occurring every day, many of the factors discussed will dissipate.  Soon the functionality of web training will be on a level playing field with other types of training, and the distributive nature of distance learning delivery systems of the web will likely surpass other technological methods of delivering training and learning.

 

Advantages of Web-based Learning

The general benefits of Web-based training when compared to traditional instructor-led training include those shared by other types of technology-based training. These benefits are that the training is usually self-paced, highly interactive, results in increased retention rates, and has reduced costs associated with student travel to an instructor-led workshop.

When compared to CD-ROM training, the benefits of Web-based training stem from the fact that access to the content is easy and requires no distribution of physical materials. Access is available anytime, anywhere, around the globe. Students always have access to a potentially huge library of training and information whether they are working from home, in the office, or from a hotel room. Wireless technology even allows access to training in places that don’t have a traditional phone line or network connection.

Per-student equipment costs are affordable. Almost any computer today equipped with a modem and free browser software can access the Internet or a private Intranet, and student tracking is easy. Unlike with CD-ROMs that require students to print reports or save scores to disk, WBT enables the data to be automatically tracked on the server-computer. This information can be as simple as who has accessed the courseware to detailed information including how they answered individual test questions and how much time they spent in each module.

With CD-ROM training, students have access only to the information that can be held by one CD-ROM. The instructional design for this type of delivery, therefore, has been to create entire modules and distinct lessons. But with WBT, there is virtually no storage limitation and content can be held on one or more servers. The best WBT is designed so that content is "chunked" into discrete knowledge objects to provide greater flexibility. Students can access these objects through pre-defined learning paths, use skill assessments to generate personal study plans, or employ search engines to find exact topics.

Content is easily updated. This is perhaps the single biggest benefit to WBT. In today’s fast-paced project/programme purpose environment, training programs frequently change. With CD-ROM and other forms of training when there are changes, the media must be reduplicated and distributed again to all the students. With WBT it is a simple matter of copying the updated files from a local developer’s computer onto the server-computer. The next time students connect to the Web page for training; they will automatically have the latest version.

 


 Limitations of Web-based Learning (WBT)

There are two main disadvantages to WBT, and both should be overcome soon as high bandwidth network connections become as common as telephones.

The first drawback, when compared to live instruction, is the lack of human contact, which greatly impacts learning. WBT is better than CD-ROM learning in this regard. Students can use their Web connection to e-mail an instructor or other students, post comments on message boards, or use chat rooms and use videoconference links to communicate in real time. While this type of interaction is helpful, and an improvement over CD-ROM learning, it still doesn’t have the impact of a live, face-to-face interaction. With higher speed connections and improved conferencing software, students around the world will soon be able to communicate in real time with each other through full-screen video. While this will not replace personal contact, it will provide a good alternative.

The second major drawback is the lack of multimedia in many WBT programs. The use of audio and video are critical to creating compelling scenarios, realistic job simulations, and accommodating different learning styles. Full multimedia delivered over organizational intranets is possible, and many organizations are doing it.   But in most cases, even with high-bandwidth intranet connections, organizational information technology departments don’t want large media files used because it slows down the entire network. The result is that most WBT programs are still comprised of text and graphics alone. Once again, the bandwidth problem should be solved in the near future with advancements in network protocol standards and software compression.

Using Web-based training, like all other delivery media, has advantages and disadvantages. Trainers and designer must carefully weigh these against the profiles of other options on a case-by-case basis.

 
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