10 questions about online training; is it the future or is it just a gimmick?
There’s lots of talk, planning and investment going into online training programmes accompanied by speculation that people no longer require the traditional classroom-based training. Is online training the future in your opinion or is there still a requirement for people to be taken off-site and placed in a nice room with other people who share the same career path and vocation?
Online training is certainly not a cheap by-pass around conventional training so before anyone goes off and invests tens of thousands of pounds in development of online training here are a few questions that may stimulate your thoughts sufficiently for you to make a comment below.
- What about motivation… Will delegates have the necessary discipline to carry on with online training whilst at work?
- Will people find the time to conduct online training?
- Will people be allowed to conduct online training without any interruptions in the workplace?
- Will online training get the attention it deserves or will it be done in short bursts when time management allows?
- Will online training provide sufficient feedback and a cross flow of ideas?
- Is online training restricted to specific subject matters?
- Is online training better suited to specific job roles or people?
- Will online training make a difference in the workplace?
- Can online training tackle negativity and change people’s minds?
- If there is room for both, what kind of split do you see?
If you have taken part in online training already, please make your comments with relation to the above questions.
If you are thinking of developing online training programmes, we’d love to hear from you.
Your thoughts are very welcome and any examples of online training would be a real bonus.
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As a delegate who attends regular technical training I cannot get on with CBT’s, I much prefer getting away from the office to a training establishment with like minded people. Focuses my mind better and reduces business or personal interuptions.
Only a personal view, I know others who can learn very heavy technical subjects from just reading a book, others like CBTs.
I think it depends on the individual so there will always be a market for all types of training.
Hi Jeff
I can only go by my experience I’m afraid. FWIW, I am firmly in the camp that nothing can replace traditional classroom training if you want a better set of results. IMHO, their are far too many distractions either in the workplace or at home for the pupil to remain 100% focussed.
However, that being said, in todays era of technology, it does make sense to utilise the internet to a greater degree so I think that a combination of the two makes sense. As in regular meetings/conversations with the tutor.
I’m sure that lots of folk will disagree with me, but I genuinely feel that although some could remain focussed, the majority of trainees would struggle to maintain appropriate levels of motivation if the training were to be solely undertaken on a distance learning level.
Hope this helps.
Mister B
I’m with MrB, I prefer ‘real’ books over e-books and proper training and seminars over web based offerings.
Jeff
Online training seems to be difficult to sell to people succesfully. I cannot give you an example of a successful delivery but can give you an example of an unsuccessful one ……. I have a client who provides HR consultancy and training. They have a website providing documents and procedures, a helpline for people to call to get advice and they developed a fully interactive ‘on demand’ website with HR courses.
They have not been able to sell a single HR course via the internet.
I must admit I was sceptical about the idea due to all the standard cons.
When you pay and attend a course you diarise the day/ half day and put aside the time. You physically remove yourself out of the working environment so no/fewer distractions.
You can interact with the other attendees during breaks etc.
If a course is delivered online then it can easily be put off due to the numerous distraction throughout the day. You can come back to it anytime (which usually means never).
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Alan
I’ve completed campus based courses and distance learning courses and really enjoyed the distance learning courses. However, I was highly motivated, enjoy independent study and the courses very much appealed. This type of learning really suited my lifestyle and personality but I recognise that it’s not for everyone.
Always great to have the option of both.
I have completed courses online, but have always felt that I have gained more from the interaction experienced with other people.
Having said that, I am quite a self-motivated person and if I knew that I needed training in a certain area that would forward me in my career, I would knuckle down and complete it. I think an ideal learning environment would be 40% online and 60% classroom/workshop.
An interesting set of questions. The issue is really what type of learning are you talking about and secondly what type of learning the learner best responds to. After 23 years as a trainer it is practical to suggest that a simple task such as learning a telesales script lends itself well to e-learning. More complex ideas such as performance management et al would not. I always think of it as a tool and not a solution. Like a blackboard
I have seen and practiced all sorts of training “methods” from NLP to blended training and myriad others. what seems to me to be gloriously obvious is that most things only muddy the waters and are just the same as renaming marathon snickers. the only constant in this is human nature which does not change. Nothing works as well as a group learning experience with interaction, debate, cognitive exercise and most of all fun.
That, i humbly believe will never change. The rest when used inappropriately (as they often are) are generally either money saving, lip service devices used by companies that wish to cut corners or new fangled gubbins that costs a fortune and are used by companies more interested in image than actuality.
on the other hand I may just be barmy and out of touch.
Barry
I have to say that its just a fad in my opinion. CDROM and then DVD-based training were the fad of the 90s in many workplaces and now its online training. I’ve gone through a couple of these type of things and always found them to be a fairly hollow experience - technically slick presentation doesn’t make up for the true interaction in a group.
Hi Jeff, as you are aware through the Sikkens Acoat Partner Programme we set up a tools and training online facility some 5 years ago. Although by general acclaim it was ‘very useful’ it was simply not used!
Perhaps people are now getting used to doing stuff on the web which they weren’t then but I still think it would struggle to work! Why? I think ,as many of the replies above, that it just misses too many of the hygiene elements needed to turn people on (in a training sort of a way!). We are at the end of the day interactive humans and need more than just the written word to enjoy an experience- and if you don’t enjoy it you dont learn! RAB
Hello Jeff,
I think there is a use for online training but only on certain subject matter, you are not going to get “buy in” or “excited” by the prospect of a training DVD and they usually end up in the draw or on a shelf somewhere?
The other thing is the abuse, I know of a dealership that has just registered with a network who take care of all their FSA requirements and take away all their obligation apart from a monthly return, but they had to complete an “online” test to prove that we are capable?
The G.M set everyone up with their own password and asked them all to complete the training, but once they had 1 person who “passed”, all the others copied!
The service receptionist did not even see the questions as the service manager logged on as her and completed her assessment, as she could not “get her head round it” and they were on a tight schedule.
There is no substitute for getting “like minded” people in a room and exploring the possibilities, feeding off each other etc etc, the problem being that most dealerships just “send someone” on a training course to satisfy their manufacturer, so invariably the delegate usually has little or no interest.
The delegates are generally not of the same mind or ability as well, just attending to “tick” the box.
Then there is the trainer? What more can I say, they make the course good or bad, some of the course trainers that I have experienced over the years?? Well a lot to be desired, good content poor delivery.
The other problem is that there is no training plan with clear direction or career path. If a group of people progressed together the results could be frightening, just like Parts 1 2 3 were the same delegates getting to know each other and are confident that they can partake without being seen as a plonker if wrong, this opens up a lot more meaningful debate and a far more positive outcome I think.
I’ve seen this in many instances in your courses and the excellent results that came from delegates participation in the modules- online training cold never achieve this.
Just a few thoughts, sorry to harp on.
Cheers
Steve.
Hi Jeff,
I believe that the old traditional method of class room learning is the only way.
I have carried out on line training and the info does not stick.
When training has taken place in a room full of others with the same objectives, then the info sticks as the Teacher covers the subject until a full understanding is gained. Plus during coffee breaks candidates talk to each other and share experiences.
Away from the business in a relaxed environment works every time for me.
Regards
Stuart
Online training is Ok if you are just trying to teach yourself something and you are motivated to learn but it is pretty useless when you try to use it to train bored employees etc
Online learning has a poor reputation, not because it’s a poor substitute for on-site training but because many educators don’t know how to design and run a good online course. Many seem to post material for people to read, give them a quiz, and then don’t show up for a week. That’s a disaster.
From my experience, online courses can be superb or dreadful. The really good courses seem to share certain attributes:
- The instructor is more like a coach who engages the students in daily meaningful discussions. Just like this forum, a lesson forum can draw people out of their shyness and give them the courage to ask meaningful questions. Many who wouldn’t open their mouth in a real classroom will get carried away in an online discussion.
- The class includes teams and team activities. Again, this encourages interaction among students. For sure, I interacted with others far more during my Web-based MBA degree than I ever did for my traditional bachelor’s and PhD degrees. Planned interaction is a fundamental requirement of a good online course.
- The instructor is genuinely enthusiastic, guides discussions, encourages students, and responds to questions quickly. One of the benefits of online learning is that the lesson never stops. If you think of something in 3 in the morning, you can post a question - and it’s very encouraging when you see the instructor’s response at 7.
What we could really do with is a rating system whereby students can rate courses and instructors - so others know who “gets it” and who doesn’t. Over time, that would mean poor courses and instructors would go out of business and those who know how to get the most out of the medium will thrive.
Will online learning replace on-site learning? For some things, absolutely not. For others, though, I think it will. Why would a company fly employees around the world for two days of on-site training, only to find they are falling asleep because of the time zone difference or spending all their time answering emails? That’s expensive and inefficient. A well-designed and properly-led online class not only saves travel and expenses but allows employees to complete work without affecting ongoing work commitments.
I think online training might work in certain areas. For example, learning languages or ( so we hope, exam revision. Our project - primemaths.com is an online maths revision site aimed at students revising for 11+, common entrance and to a lesser extent Sats maths. One main advantage to our students is the instant feedback they get on areas that they need help in. This is in our opinion superior to paper based training as they are hard to track.
My 2 cents.
Hi Jeff,
Ive got LOADS of experience of doing online training courses. At my old investment firm they used to set up courses online. As an investment manager you have to ‘remain competent’ to provide advice. You have to prove to the FSA that you are remaining competent. The best way to do this is to set a course and test it. If you get 75% or more then you’re competent.
The courses were not rocket science, nor should they be to a qualified investment manager. The problem was that they were SOOOOO DULL…. They were very well set out with little men jumping around with bags of money etc, and they’d obviously tried to make the topics interesting but it was a real pain to do.
If we’d had a couple of hours in a room, together with someone, it would have been much more exciting.
Its a cost effective way of ensuring that you know your staff know. (if thats not too much of a tongue twister).
Peebles.
Some very good comments so far - and I agree with much.
On-line or CBT has its role - the more functional, right/wrong, process biased subjects are likely to benefit, but this debate has been going on for a decade now, and I still see very little high quality CBT.
The more qualitative and subjective aspects seem never to have derived benefit and I think are unlikely to do so - training leadership, performance management or strategic thinking is interactive and human.
CBT can be dull or interesting; face-to-face training can be dull or interesting - the skill of the training designer is paramount in both cases (and training deliverer in the second). The current problem I therefore see is an absence of high quality design in CBT - as a previous poster said - little men jumping arounds with bags of money - that is not design, that is packaging; and so far I have seen emphasis on packaging without emphasis on good training design.
I don’t think any specific area of development can be seen to replace another. As others have pointed out, we all have preferred methods of learning and even then it is not confined to one format.
Learning & development is not an event, a product or a tool. It is simply a method of helping people to increase their knowledge or skills. Any way a person can be helped to achieve this will always be in demand.
New technologies provide some wonderful opportunities to help people learn by alternatives means. They should be considered as additional to the more traditional methods, not as a replacement.
Mobile learning, e-learning, serious gaming and all of the recent innovations work best when they are part of a whole. In developing any training intervention the needs of the learner/s are what’s key and the provision should reflect that.
In my experience, E-Learning has been used to save money rather than because it is truly the most effective method of delivery and I think it’s image has suffered because of that. It also doesn’t help that most e-learning simply turns a training course into an online book.
I think Stephen makes some sound points here.
The only real deciding factor is whether the training intervention is effective. Therefore, I think they are all around to stay.
Absolutely right, and therein lies one of the big problems.
Imagine you’re a telephone company that sends out a monthly bill to a corporate customer. The bill has hundreds of pages, arranged by department, but it’s fixed in format because it’s on paper. The corporate customer can see just how much each department spends each month.
Now imagine that the telephone company informs all its customers that it now offers a new and improved service: an online bill. Sadly, all they do is make the paper bill available on line. That company doesn’t get it.
A competitor, though, embraces the new technology. Not only do they make bills for their corporate customers available online, but they allow them to view the bill by department, by type of call, by day/time of call. They let their customers see how much the bill would be using a different calling plan. They offer a discussion board so customers can ask questions, and so on. The second company didn’t just make something paper-based available on line. They embraced the new technology, invested time and effort, and made the most of it.
It’s the same with online learning. Turning an on-site course into an e-book is taking many steps backward. By taking advantage of technology, however, good designers can transform a course into something much better. Frankly, this isn’t happening much right now. Over time, though, I think the power of this new medium will begin to emerge.
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Steve
So are you saying that there are good and bad online training courses just as there are good and bad tutors and trainers in the classroom, or am I over simplifying this, Steve?
Absolutely. In fact, they come in all shapes and sizes. Sadly, a lot of online courses are self-study. Even if they’re not, there’s little in the way of interaction, so learning is limited. I’d suggest the following are the keys to a good online training experience:
- Design a course intended for online learning. Take advantage of the online medium. Don’t just copy an on-site course.
- For learning facts, use quizzes with a huge test bank so ’students’ can take the quiz over and over and over.
- To glean experience from others, use discussions. Grade them so everyone must contribute; on the other hand, block anyone who takes over the discussion. Have the instructor act as a coach and guide so everyone feels equal and able to contribute. “The only stupid question is the one never asked.”
- Plan for interaction in the classroom and consider using teams.
- Ensure you have a great instructor. In this area, I strongly recommend having students grade material and instructors at the end of a class so others can later pick the best instructors.
- Archive the class so everyone can return to it, even years later. The discussions, in particular, may contain a wealth of useful information. It’s still there even after the trainer and maybe colleagues are long gone.
You can’t beat a good trainer who inspires people to want to learn more.
If online training is part of a suppliment to some classromm training then it should work well. If online training is given as an option to training without an initial meetup with a tutor, then I think it will not be anywhere near as successful.
I think the key is to have a mentor/coach. What do you think?
I agree that, in the long term, blended courses may offer the best of all options:
- Face to face interaction so you get to know everyone well
- Real-time discussions in the classroom (or maybe a webcam session)
- The chance to get to know your classmates socially
- The opportunity to test online your knowledge of the topic at any time
- Discussing topics online (like we are now) at any time and from any place
- Planning online activities around work commitments to reduce any inconvenience
- Details of the class are permanently available and not entrusted to our memories
The number of face-to-face meetings can be adjusted based on the class’s ability to meet - maybe once a month instead of once a week.
What you’re correctly pointing out is that, if an online learning technology is affordable, this doesn’t have to be an either/or decision.
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Steve
Online training is good in one way as it makes courses open to people who wouldn’t normally be able to attend training, for whatever reason. However I have experienced online training and from a personal view I would prefer classroom based training any day.
With online you just go through the motions sometimes and don’t really take the info in.
The last comment makes sense, on-line learning can make very expensive training more accesible, any training is simply down to cost and return on investment in most cases, and the willingness for the trained to actually use and implement the stuff they learn is the key, so there might be a need for on going coaching and the all important follow up/measured assessment
All the comments so far are without doubt valid and contribute well to the general discussion on the subject. Certainly food for thought for anybody considering investing in delivering on-line learning.
In principle though the cost benefits can’t be questioned. There’s a multi-billion pound industry globally that services this field. I’ve been involved in the delivery of all manner of training and development initiatives within the motor industry for 20 years including e-learning.
In my experience the key to success in using e-learning is to do with culture of the organisation behind the initiative and the focus and drive that exists. If the culture is not supportive of learning, does not provide the right conditions, does not put the learning initiative in the context of meeting an identified training need then it’s less likely to succeed anyway regardless of the method used. Elearning and technology based learning is a very cost effective way to help people learn.
When motivational training delivered in a classroom by a great trainer is very powerful it can be seen as being quite a passive form as far as the learner is concerned, in as much that as a learner I can just sit back and be led by the trainer following his or her path, following the course structure. Where as with e-learning I need to take full responsibility for my own development. The course will not succeed unless I put in all the effort, so for lazy learners this is too onerous.
But then may be it’s a generation thing too. Those of you with children will know just how IT savvy they are, how quickly they can navigate around the web and multi-task on-line. My prediction is that the 16 year olds of today who will be your future employees will expect and want more on-line learning. As the cost of fuel increases there will be pressure on all of us to find new ways of developing staff without the expense of traveling distances to training centres.
Technology now allows us to provide rich online learning experiences that can be very rewarding to be part of especially when the communication and learning can be extended beyond the class room. E-learning is here to stay and it will only get better.
Having read all the above comments, I firmly believe there is now a place for both forms of training.
However, as with most things in life you invariably get what you pay for!
I have attended many of RAB’s Acoat training courses and found them to be extremely beneficial to my own career development. This was because his philosophy on training was always to hire the very best tutors relevant to the subject; that’s how we first met Jeff!
I was recently asked by a local high school to give a talk on basic business skills to year-10 students as part of their “Young Enterprise Day”, I accepted the offer and felt comfortable to talk to young people of this level, but this certainly does not make me a good tutor!
I suppose my point is that it is more important to have high quality training, delivered at the right level making the delivery method a less important factor.
Personally, I like classroom based training as I find so much more information can be sought from networking with other people in a similar job role.