Addressing the Downfalls of Online Training

This post is part of a series concerning the differences between traditional classroom learning and online training or “e-Learning” and the various aspects of each.

We’ve talked about how effective online training can be, how it can save money and time, and often provide an equally enriching experience as an equivalent lesson in the classroom. But naturally, nothing is perfect. There are some negative facets of eLearning. We’ve addressed some of them in past posts, but I’d like to reiterate and add to the list, and perhaps differentiate between true “negative” aspects of eLearning and problems that could feasibly be solved.

I’m going to lump instructor interaction and peer collaboration into one category here. Essentially, they both relate to the live interaction that is so important to education. Naturally there can be no “live” (or, more accurately, in-person) interaction using eLearning. Video streaming and live chat functions can alleviate this problem, of course. But many ask the question: Is it really the same? The answer is a subject of many debates and disagreements. Perhaps the more relevant question is: Do the other benefits of online training outweigh the potential interaction lost by not using a traditional classroom setting? I know that’s a confusing bunch of sentences to chew through, but these musings are at the center of the debate between eLearning and classroom training.

Connection and service issues can arise as well. The responsibility for maintaining working content depends on the party who is hosting that content. So, if you have thousands of people using an online training course, and something happens to interrupt the service of the host, you end up with a major problem. This is why it’s important to consider carefully who will be hosting the online training content and who will be responsible for its maintenance. Of course, there can be similar problems with in-class training. At the most obvious and basic level, a power outage would make it impossible to conduct a class, and inclement weather would make it difficult to travel. Also, convenience has to be taken into account – few people appreciate having to travel to a location that is often far from their home for a few hours of training. So service can be a difficult factor for both mediums of training.

Finally, content. Possibly the most important aspect of eLearning. I think that there is greater potential for content in terms of what can be developed using technology versus a live classroom session. For example, using computers one can create powerful graphics and animations that are impossible to replicate in a live setting. Without effective content, there will be no retention of the education materials. But it’s also important to note that without an effective Learning Management System (LMS), or content delivery mechanism, there will be no way to accurately convey the content. Basically, content is only as good as the system that backs it up. In my opinion, content and system go hand in hand. It’s important to develop great content, and perhaps just as important to have a method of delivering this content to users.

Phew, that was a lot of material. And I didn’t even get to the question from the last post: “Which negative aspects of online training can be mitigated, and what must stay exclusively in the classroom?” I’ll tackle it in the next post with some concrete examples.