E- Training
*M.K.DURGAMANIIntroduction E-Training has undergone explosive growth as enterprises have discovered it advantages as a cost effective, flexible alternative to maintaining a knowledgeable, skilled workforce. With one-third of corporate training now online. E-Training has become the new learning paradigm.
Not surprisingly many of these early programmes presented formidable challenges for human resource and training executives. Too much time and money went into selecting the right learning management system, the necessary hardware, integrating E-Training into the corporate network and purchasing the courses. All to often, insufficient attention was devoted to ‘managing the introduction” of new learning initiatives into the organization, designing the right mix of online and offline instruction or finding appropriate ways of motivating the staff. A number of new approaches are currently being introduced to provide better support for overworked managers.
Business are also turning to E-Learning has found sweet spot knowledge-intensive industries where employees were already familiar with technology.
Any learning that utilizes a network (LAN,WAN or Internet) for delivery, interaction, or facilitation. This would include distributed learning, distance learning (other than pure correspondence), CBT delivered over a network, and WBT. Can be synchronous, asynchronous, instructor-led or computer-based or a combination.
Benefits or E-Training or E-Learning: Like no other training form, e-learning promises to provide a single experience that accommodates the tree distinct learning styles of auditory learners, visual learners, and kinesthetic learners. More efficient training of a geoghraphically dispersed audience; and reduced publishing and distribution costs as web-based training becomes a standard E-learning also offers flexible and individualized instruction, which print media cannot provide, at great cost reduction. In conjunction with assessing need, e-learning courses can target specific business performance needs. Synchronous e-learning is self-placed. Advanced learners are allowed to spped through or bypass instruction that is redundant while novices slow their own progress through content, eliminating frustration with themselves, their fellow learners, and the course. Well-delivered synchronous e-training education, and technology like message boards, chats, e-mail, and tele-conferencing enhances the learning value significantly.
Advantages to Learners and Students:Along with the increased retention, reduced learning time, particular advantages of e-training includes
On-demand availability enables students to complete training conveniently at off-hours or from home. 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 mastery. Student support procedures and monitoring systems are constantly applied: at e-trainingcentre.com learners are never alone.
Disadvantages to the learner and students: Technology issues of the learners are most commonly technophobia and unavailability of required technologies. Portability of training has become a strength of e-learning with the proliferation of network linking points, notebook computers, PDAs, and mobile phones, but still does not rival that of printed workbooks or reference material. Reduced social and cultural interaction can be a drawback. The impersonality, suppression of communication mechanism such as body language, and elimination of peer-to-peer learning that are part of this potential disadvantage are lessening with advances in communication technologies.
Advantages to Organization: Reduced overall cost in the single most influential factor in adopting e-learning. The elimination of costs associated with instructor’s salaries, meeting room rentals, and student travel, lodging, and meals are directly quantifiable. The reduction of time spent away from the job by employees may be the most positive cost reduction Consistent delivery of content is possible with asynchronous, self-paced e-learning. 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.
Disadvantages to the organization:
E-learning is not, however, the be all and end all to every training need. It does how limitations, among them
Up-front investment required of an e-learning solution is larger due to development costs. Budgets and cash flows will need to be negotiated. Technology issues that play a factor include whether the existing technology infrastructure can accomplish the training goals, whether additional tech expenditures can be justified, and whether compatibility of all software and hardware can be achieved. Inappropriate content for e-learning may exist according to some experts, through are limited in number. Even the acquisition of skills that involve complex physical/motor emotional or emotional components (for example, juggling or mediation) can be augmented with e-learning Cultural acceptance is an issue in organizations where student demographics and psychographics may predispose them against using computers at all, let alone for e-learning
Computer Based Training (CBT) In traditional training the trainer may not exactly follow the consistency in several work locations. He may not be able provide the same quality from place too place. But CBT:
Provides management systems for tracking trainees progress and location. Provides standardization of training when training occurs in several work locations simultaneously
CBT can reduce resource requirements In traditional training process the trainer should complete the training within a particular period. The training process may take more than the resource requirements. But with CBT:-
You can have a higher trainee-to-trainee ratio, where the instructor serves as facilitator, assisting trainees as needed. There is less need for a centralized training facility. Facilitators can serve more than one company with CBT programme, lessening the investment each company world have to make. The average time taken to a particular lesson can be reduced with CBT because some trainees may take less time and more trainees may take more time because of their understanding of the lesson.
CBT can improve job performance In traditional training all trainees may not be able to follow the trainer correspondingly. Come trainees may need more time to get good performance in a particular lesson. But with CBT:-
The trainer can continue on the lesson as long as he/she does not get the good performance on the lesson Trains people in specific skills for specific performance. Trains people in general skills that broadly effect general performance. Provides increased access to information tools for decision making
Conclusion Online training may revolutionize corporate education, but it still has some bugs: Employees like the convenience, but miss the face-to face interaction. Teaching employees online-using everything from self-paced, web-based tutorials to video-conference, instructor led classes-is faster and more flexible than traditional corporate training programmes. It’s easier to upgrade: you can update course materials with the click of a mouse. It can be cheaper and offerings cover the gamut, from technical know-how to operational techniques to soft sills like leadership development. Of course, E-Training has its shortcomings. While just about every company that implements E-training say cutting costs is a big draw, the savings are not always that significant. Moreover, not all workers are receptive to it.
