Since 2000, the e-learning industry has grown by 900%, and by 2025 the global e-learning market is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2027. These are impressive stats but why are businesses turning to online learning?
Firstly, what IS online learning?
Also called e-learning or distance learning, online learning takes place on an internet platform. During the pandemic lockdown, the increase in provision of online training was essential to ensuring that training continued.
As we embraced the technologies that enabled more remote interactions for everyday work, any fear of new methods that were once a barrier to online training quickly diminished.
Why is online training gaining popularity?
There are numerous reasons why learners embraced online learning. Firstly, taking away the need to travel to a training venue makes online options more convenient, and saves money in hiring venues, and employee expenses.
It also means that training is less disruptive to the working day. Courses can be accessed at times more convenient to the learner and employer as it can fit around work and private life.
In addition, the classroom environment isn’t always a comfortable place for everybody, so online learning offers the best of all worlds.
Online learning can be instructor-led but it doesn’t have to be in the classroom. Learners benefit from face-to-face interaction, insights and support from a trainer in an environment they find more reassuring – maybe their own home. A interactive online session can also be recorded for review another time.
If pre-recorded, being able to complete an online course in your own timescale can work for different styles of learning. Being allowed to manage your own learning environment is likely to lead to better outcomes.
While online training is often more convenient for participants, does this translate into greater effectiveness as well? Is it a cost-effective investment for businesses?
The advantages of online learning for businesses
The continued growth of online learning post-lockdown suggests that businesses recognize its benefits, for a number of reasons:
· Convenience. Learning can be done at a time and place that suits employers as well as learners. Not being constrained by location means people don’t need to leave work when there are deadlines looming. Downloadable course content also lets participants take materials with them to use when they want.
· Cost-effective. No physical space maintenance or venue hire costs, no travel expenses or time spent out of office and group training can make online learning cheaper to deliver.
· Different learning styles. It’s easier to accommodate different learning style preferences through the wide variety of online learning tools and formats now available, which helps individuals to learn more effectively.
· Measured and tracked. Data provided by online learning tools means progress can be tracked more easily. The course can then be personalized to assist and incentivize learning. Tech can also make learning more fun by making progress visible, interactive and engaging, even using gaming principles by offering rewards for competing modules.
· Consistency. Lessons can be delivered more consistently, with common resources that can be updated regularly, even when delivered by different trainers. There is less reliance on the ability, experience, skills or style of individual trainers to engage their learners.
· Scalability. Not retrained by room size and easily adaptable to different numbers and learning styles, online training can be adapted to deliver at different scales, whether in groups or individually. This means vocational training can be more affordable and accessible for a wider range of smaller businesses.
· Flexibility. Learning can be delivered on a range of personal and company devices, adding to its accessibility. The ability to attend in person is no longer a limiting factor.
The benefits for business
Online learning combines convenience with expert support from an online tutor experienced in delivering courses, so that course delivery can be of a consistently high and effective standard.
It can be done through a pre-recorded lesson, making it accessible at the learner’s convenience, or live, which engages participants through more interactivity as though they were learning face-to-face.
Ultimately, a well-trained workforce with the right skills and knowledge is more motivated, productive and effective in meeting a company’s objectives. They are also likely to be happier and fulfilled, reflecting in greater retention.
Participants learn nearly five times more material with online training without a proportional increase in training time, and 42% of companies asked, say that e-learning has led to increased revenue. This adds up to a good return on any investment in training.
IT training support
If you would like to explore how our training tam can help your business to get the most from your IT systems and software, such as Microsoft 365, either through group or individual online training or one-to-one coaching, then contact 365 Consultants today.
