No Technology Religion
Distance learning, distance education, computer-based training, and instructional TV have all contributed to the body of knowledge around what is now refer to as e-learning. Technology limitations are a key factor that often impedes the adoption of electronically mediated learning. In certain cases, the technology is not ubiquitous (videoconferencing). In other cases, it is not interactive (instructional TV). And in other situations, it is not self-paced (satellite video). Even web-based learning that relies intensively on text-based content taxes the student to gather information that could more efficiently be gathered from an audio or video file. In the current age of voice, video, and data convergence, and Internet ubiquity over fast connections, Internet-based learning has gained in favor and popularity because of its possibilities and versatility. If it is to work, managers must avoid the pitfall of letting the technology determine the nature of the program. Internet learning has a long way to go before it can be hailed as the perfect medium. In the training and development of soft skills, some organizations might determine that delivery of content over the web is not the right answer. Some have found that in areas where negotiation and sales skills are nurtured, more visual training approaches might be needed to ensure learning effectiveness. Technology must address the instructional needs of learners before it can fit a learning environment.
Hindsight Is 20/20: Out with the Old, in with the New
Should we eliminate all the classrooms and instructors we use today? No, of course not. No one believes that, even those who ask it every time the topic comes up. Instructors and classrooms are wonderful ways to learn, communicate, and bond. However, they are not the best way in all cases for all people and all topics. Consider this: Many people feared that movies would put live theater out of business. Years later, many people believed that the new invention called television would kill radio, live theater, and the movie industry. However, all those entertainment media choices coexist today and people choose among them, and books, and other choices. Did each new technology affect the existing entertainment choices? Yes, obviously, and each one evolved into the broad spectrum of entertainment choice we enjoy today. Or look at it a different way: What is the best restaurant in your community? Not your favorite, but the local eatery that has the very best food in town. Do you eat there three times a day, every day? Probably not. Why? Is it too expensive? They don't serve breakfast? Service is too leisurely? So why not eat at a fast-food place three times a day, every day? It's convenient, not leisurely, and definitely not too expensive. The obvious and related point is that we have criteria that affects our choice of how we feed our bodies: how much time we have, how much we can afford, whether we need a full meal or just a piece of fruit, whether we are going to have a social meal or just fuel up to keep us going until a real meal at dinner. Again, it's about control, choice, and access to the appropriate mechanism that will meet your criteria for that moment. E-learning adds to the spectrum of choice for feeding your mind, your career, and your future. It is not about e-learning versus the classroom, it is about access and control over your choices of how to learn, when, and in what way. We should be able to choose how and what we are learning with the same ease that we choose where to have lunch. And that choice should take into account our preferences, our limitations of time and money, and our needs for different levels of detail depending on a number of factors. |
Starting with the learning objectives and then choosing the best-suited delivery option often yields better results for learning programs. Cisco experience has demonstrated strong results using Internet learning, and, therefore, there is greater discussion on that topic. However, other companies may realize significant savings via satellite broadcasting. We obviously recommend that organizations focus on the essential message of productivity and just-in-time information, skills development, and skills assessment rather than on just e-training. The integrated approach to learning is still relevant regardless of the delivery medium.
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