Copyright Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2007 Learning and technology
Edited by Anne Gimson
The Leitch review, unveiled in December 2006, shows that the UK must urgently raise achievements at all levels of skills. It outlines that responsibility for achieving these goals must be shared between government, employers and individuals. E-learning, or online learning, is outlined as playing a key role in this drive towards increasing skills levels.
E-learning is not a new concept. In 2003 the UK government launched an e-learning strategy in which it recognized its many benefits: it is an effective way to provide an individualized learning experience, while also offering opportunities for collaborative learning.
However, some remain reluctant to implement the technology. The most common reasons being a sometimes impersonal delivery method or overly-automated assessment processes as well as concerns about possible isolation of learners. The industry has responded well to such criticisms, however. The better examples of online courses are now often highly personalized, with each learner's progress and "attendance" tracked, and personalized comments offered throughout. Discussion forums and instant messaging technologies can also offer support and collaboration for those undertaking the program.
Despite these reservations by some, online training and education has grown rapidly in recent years, fuelled by a greater demand for personal development and learning and lifestyle changes within society which mean that other, more traditional techniques - such as away-day courses, fixed schedule TV programs and night-classes - are too impractical and inflexible. As a result, online learning is increasingly replacing such traditional methods.
More universities, businesses and individuals are now using e-learning to develop knowledge and skills and to ensure mandatory training (health and safety, discrimination legislation in the workplace) is undertaken. Online courses can both supplement and replace many traditional learning techniques and the diversity of subject matter is ever-growing. Learners can study across multiple disciplines, and it is now possible to practice your driving theory test online as well as learning a new language. The popularity of e-learning is growing - recent years have seen significant uptake amongst both business and individuals.
Advantages for business
The early adopters in the corporate world have been predominantly led by large city-based organizations. Often faced with the challenge of training large numbers of employees in a short space of time, such large, multinational companies find it easier, more convenient and increasingly cost-effective to use online training resources. Other advantages include the up-to-the-minute nature of online content, ensuring courses are current, relevant and, most importantly, in line with the latest legislation.
Businesses are also realizing that online training provides the an effective solution to training a global workforce - the same course material can be easily translated, while maintaining consistency and the on-demand nature of the resource means that an entire workforce - regardless of location or shift patterns - can undertake the course in a relatively short period compared to more traditional training.
With an ever-growing selection of courses now available online - from health and safety to stress and time management issues, employers are now realizing e-learning's full potential.
In a business climate where corporate compliance is of crucial importance, some of the more revolutionary advances in online learning are helping companies remain on the right side of the law. One of the areas pioneered in recent years is the development of an auditing tool that enables employers to track the progress of those employees required to undergo training in specific, compliance-related issues (disability and diversity discrimination and health and safety for example). This means that employers have a detailed record of each employee's performance on the course, including details of when, where and how long they spent in each section, and any areas they may have struggled with - therefore flagging areas with which they may need further help and support.
Recent developments
New technologies such as haptics (technology which facilitates the sense of touch through computer-generated forces) are opening up exciting possibilities for online learning. The University of Edinburgh, for example, is currently planning to provide online training to teach doctors surgical procedures by allowing them to practice on three-dimensional "virtual patients". Meanwhile a team of scientists in Newcastle are developing a haptic cannula - a device to train nurses to deliver injections among other procedures using a special haptic "pen" and virtual reality glasses.
In conjunction with haptic technologies, online learning has the potential to transform the teaching of more "hands-on" disciplines and professions. A long-standing example of haptic technology being employed to augment training is that of aircraft simulators. Now widely used by avid computer gamers, the technique has for some time also been a crucial element of pilot training. Through vibrations in the control column (caused by haptic feedback), the trainee pilot is able to respond to the simulated reactions of the aircraft.
Greater flexibility for learners
While advantages for employers are clear, online learning holds real benefits for learners too. For many adults, the word "studying" invokes memories of stuffy, dusty classrooms, boredom and mass-instruction. They remember being "talked at", having to attend (regardless of the quality of the lecturer), and having to be present at inconvenient times. E-learning offers unique flexibility and control over the learning experience - the learner can decide when and where they wish to study, which modules they feel like doing at any particular time and they can also set the pace of their learning.
Well-constructed courses normally enable short periods of learning, meaning the work of the business can continue relatively unhindered - ideal for busy people and busy businesses. If learners find certain areas more demanding, challenging, or requiring greater attention, this extra time can be taken to ensure the employee has fully understood the necessary information. E-learning also provides a relatively anonymous learning environment, so there is less pressure to perform well in front of colleagues as might sometimes be the case in classroom-style training. This safe environment allows individuals to tackle very personal issues. Recently, Amazing Education launched a pioneering new online course for working mums, aimed at helping them juggle family and career - an example of when people might want to explore their situation in an anonymous environment.
Cost effective
The lower cost of online education also opens up a wider spectrum for personal development. That professional development course requiring time out of the office, which may have previously been withheld by an employer, now becomes possible, because it needs no time-specific attendance and is affordable. Employees can access the training materials at the most convenient time in a normal working day to suit both the business and the learner, rather than taking time out of the office for a day or more for training.
As technology becomes increasingly accepted within society and developments such as webcams and haptics blur the boundaries of virtual and reality, more and more potential for online learning will be realized. It is unquestionable, in my opinion, that e-learning will form the cornerstone of learning and development in organizations in future years, helping to contribute towards attaining the skills base required in the UK for a prosperous economy.
| [Author Affiliation] |
| Jane Bell, Managing Director of Amazing Education Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK |
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