The Business Case For ELearning [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

ElementK: A Question of Leadership

Bob Mosher, executive director at ElementK, is recognized as an e-learning thought leader. Conversations with him provided a perspective that presents a simple, yet profound, recommendation to people who are thinking about adopting e-learning for business in their organizations. Mosher believes that the extent of commitment to Internet learning on the part of managers is a function of their commitment to productivity and their belief that learning can help generate the desired productivity.

According to Mosher, if line managers view Internet learning as an opportunity to "buy back time" and keep employees at work for 40 more hours each year, the advantage is lost. The opportunity to integrate learning into the business process is where the productivity returns should be soughtnot in the mere saving of time.

Based on his experience of working for a multitude of organizations, Mosher believes that knowledge sharing is a "sleeping giant" in terms of its potential to impact organizations' learning processes. Communication tools such as e-mail, real-time chat, electronic meetings, FAQ sites, and learning portals present a cost-effective way to improve the work environment and productivity. According to Mosher, knowledge sharing will continue to offer a user-friendly segue into making learning permeable throughout the organization. Workers are likely to be less resistant to knowledge-sharing tools because of their community-driven approach.

With respect to e-training, Mosher maintains that organizations should seek to empower workers so that they can make smarter decisions for their organizations. E-training is a tool that improves the decision-making environment throughout the organization. According to Mosher, it is through learning and empowerment that knowledge workers will emerge from the ranks of the work force.

According to Mosher, assessment tools such as certification exams, online tests, and quizzes have been the missing link in many organizations. Assessment is about accountability. Being able to demonstrate results through learning requires steps such as online exams, quizzes, task analysis, competency mapping, and skills-gap analysis. In organizations where even job descriptions are not mapped out, however, the notion of having individuals conduct thorough pre- and post-assessment might be a steep task.

Basically, organizations must consider the existing attitude toward learning within their organization. If training is still being viewed as an activity-driven event with little or no relevance to organizational bottom line, line managers will not embrace the e-learning efforts. For Internet learning to make any headway, the line managers must buy into the notion that offering learning opportunities offers productivity improvement. If line managers never perceived training as an agent for boosting productivity, the chances of them perceiving Internet learning as a productivity tool will also remain slim.

"Adopting Internet learning might not be as simple as turning on a light switch; it won't just happen because content is available on a server somewhere," says Mosher. "Purchasing IDs is not the answer." Decision makers should invest in their culture to integrate learning into the business as an inherent process rather than as an event-driven activity. Beginning with knowledge sharing, applications might have more chance of adoption because the value of knowledge sharing is more evident and intuitive to line managers.

Organizations can move forward by adding on to tutorial, virtual labs, and blended learning solutions that combine Internet learning with existing face-to-face classroom instruction. According to Mosher, organizations starting from their present place and moving forward from there will more likely bring about organizational change. With Internet learning, Mosher postulates, the classroom might be the best place to begin deploying it.

The transition to an environment that is highly independent and learner driven could conceivably create resistance within an organization; however, much like the migration from a mainframe to client environment, Mosher believes that information technology's transition to Internet learning is inevitable; however, he warns not to expect changes at light speed. "Although there will always be revolutionary approaches in education, they will only be adopted at an evolutionary rate," says Mosher, reading from a quote hanging on his office wall. He believes that productivity results in the long run, and that it is a function of organizational culture responding to Internet learning as much as it is a function of technology.