The way we receive, process, and retain information is constantly adapting, and how this knowledge is transferred is evolving too.
E-learning has been around for many years and has evolved alongside the expectations and requirements of today’s developing workforce.
What once was generalised e-learning is now individualised. Employees want training on-demand with access to a library of the right information that’s targeted for them. Rather than just learning to work, we work to learn.
Learning has become a way of life and more businesses are understanding the importance of an embedded learning culture. E-learning can support employee development.
Whether you’re thinking about implementing e-learning into your strategy, or you have one in place but feel it isn’t working, these 5 points can help you identify what you need for e-learning to work.
We learn by doing. Trial and error, putting into practice what we’ve read, watched or heard. Your e-learning content may be fantastic, and learners may enjoy their learning experience online or in the classroom. But do they know how to apply their knowledge to their roles?
If the content doesn’t give a learner the 360-degree experience by placing them in real-world situations, they’ll most likely leave what they’ve learnt in the classroom. And in this case, the e-learning course probably isn’t the right e-learning solution to support your employee development.
Using an e-learning platform that embeds real-world scenarios enables you to set your employees up for success right from the beginning.
There may be a possibility that the e-learning modules, the platform and content within it are not the right solution for the challenges your business or employees face.
A good training provider will work with you to identify these challenges. Through in-depth discussions, your training provider will learn about your training goals, objectives, and requirements to ensure your employees are given access to the right e-learning content that’s adapted to suit them and the business.
We mention content again. In an environment filled with enhanced technology, we are bombarded with information through news, updates, messages, videos and more. Content delivery expands the way we learn online. How is your e-learning content delivered for your employees?
There are so many different ways of taking in information than ever before. Providing your employees with a range of content helps keep them engaged. Bite-sized learning, for example, is one way your learners can grasp information better, according to our research. Being fed too much in one go can cause fatigue resulting in the learner remembering only parts of what was taught. For example, a learner may only process a snippet of information during a three-hour e-learning video compared to if this was split into three one-hour videos spread over three days.
Many e-learning platforms now provide learners with a range of content that’s packaged in a way that allows them to be more engaged in their learning.
Of course, learners want to excel in their roles. Going back to the first point (applying learning into real-life scenarios), if they cannot use what they’re learning as part of their career development, their motivation towards learning will drop.
What are the other benefits of e-learning? Some e-learning platforms include certificates and digital badge credentials that prove that a course or module has been completed, adding value to each individual.
One of the many learnings we can take away from the effects of the global pandemic is the importance of human interaction. With e-learning being virtual, learners need the human element of support from trainers and/or peers.
Some platforms, like our e-learning platform, Alpha Ability, gives learners access to ‘Ask the Expert’ for additional support, and discussion forums that encourage peer collaboration.
E-learning can be an integral part of your development strategy, and understanding what to look for in an e-learning platform to support employee development is a key ingredient to making it work.
