Are you on E yet?

Published: 30 January 2014

If you do not have an e-learning based qualification in three to five years, you may be one of the few who hasn't. Far from being a new trend, e-learning is, faster than anticipated, becoming the status quo in education. In addition, more and more employers and employees prefer e-learning qualifications.

In this week's newsletter we look at e-learning from the new world perspective, and how studying through e-learning can be ideal. Increasingly, companies prefer people with electronic skills and savvy. Gone are the days when a graduate entered the workplace and needed to get computer orientation and training on using a mouse.

Nowadays, companies expect people with skills to learn, search, and synthesize knowledge in a highly connected and fast–changing digital world. This is where e-learning comes in: e-learning can be defined as delivering training content via all electronic media, including the Internet, intranets, extranets, satellite broadcast, audio/video tape, and interactive TV. These methodologies are maturing and learning has never been more supported than in the online learning environment.

Research shows that e-learning is on the rise. It has been predicted that by the year 2019, conservatively at least 50% of university students would be engaged in e-learning. Currently, more than 4,6 million university students are globally enrolled in an e-learning course. We estimate that enrollments for electronic media (vs. contact learning) would be closer to 80%. The reality is that Universities do not have enough seats to accommodate learners and that more learners are therefore doing their qualifications online.

With organisations investing in developing their people, implementing the right blend of contact and e-learning courses optimises this investment. This is because students who study through e-learning can be a little more cost effective since they can work and study at the same time. e-Learning is also accessible in locations where there is Internet access but no physical classroom or university. We increasingly see community centres, schools and other infrastructure serving as access points for people doing distance education in key degrees.

The number of companies using online training methods is also dramatically increasing, mainly because technological barriers are fading and because it is cost effective to train people by means of e-learning methodologies. Companies seem to understand that, in order to move forward, they also need to attract people who have adapted to innovation in technology. That being said, there is still a need for control and flexibility.

e-Learning offers control and flexibility to learners and corporates. This is far more than what the classroom can do in its limited way. Training through e-learning means that courses are delivered in shorter bursts and spread out over several days. As a result, operations keep running smoothly and the need to shut down units for days at a time is negated. This improves productivity, because employees no longer need to travel to get to class. An added plus is that e-learning enables students to review and revise frequently. Also, support systems often offer learners better access to lecturers and support than the physical classroom.

Companies need learning to happen at a pace that will suit the business. When planned or unexpected off-peak periods do occur, this is an optimum time to enrol employees for training programmes online.

Not all e-learning is equal. Finding an education provider that offers the right combination of customised contact and e-learning training solutions is essential in an ever-changing knowledge economy. Key considerations that make e-learning attractive are that students can start at any time, and have a wide choice of programmes to enrol in. Furthermore, they will not get lost in an unsupported space.

It is important to check that e-learning complies with the following criteria:

    It should allow you to start at any time
    It should offer support while you study
    Material should be reviewed and updated
    Interactive features should link students to each other and to the lecturer
    Videos and other inspirational materials should feature extensively

e-Learning has great potential to impact positively on the growth of any business and to show employees that the organisation adapts to change.

As this learning method is one of the fastest–growing training trends, it has already moved from being used by early-adopter industries such as retailers and financial services providers, and other mainstream industries. It is also the defacto standard for all multi-national corporations to be trained via e-learning, with more than 77% of American companies currently using e-learning.

Apart from the real benefits of students choosing to study online, Regenesys also sees great value in providing e-learning courses to corporations for their employees. The use of blended and pure e-learning courses cuts costs for training delivery and adds a new level of convenience and flexibility in terms of time and location.

Employees often seek ways to better their skills, and if they are not granted the opportunity for training and development, there is chance of them leaving their employer. e-Learning courses can be used effectively to retain staff who have developmental needs. Likewise, these courses will boost motivation and productivity.

Thanks to the availability of initiatives such as the Regenesys Free Business Education initiative (www.regenesysfoundation.org), companies can initiate training with no initial investment, and effectively use bursary schemes and other mechanisms to encourage training for individuals and teams. This not only leads to increased retention, but also to general growth.

Through free online learning programmes, small businesses can access the material, anytime, anywhere, and study at their desired pace. Learning happens through web-based audio-visual materials, and accessing study guides and e-textbooks. The portability of e-learning courses means that staff can connect and access videos, text and pictures via their smartphones and tablets.

To maximise the effectiveness of e-learning courses, Regenesys is mindful of the need to make the learning programmes relevant in both the global and local context. This is imperative as Regenesys operates worldwide – with students in over 155 countries.

For more information on Regenesys' e-learning, contact, and customised courses, please visit http://www.regenesys.co.za/

For some interesting statistics on eLearning, please visit: http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/247473/18-Mind-Blowing-eLearning-Statistics-You-Need-To-Know

- Regenesys

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