Classic Training Compared to eLearning: Which is Better For You?

These days, eLearning is becoming increasingly popular in comparison to more traditional types of learning like classroom training. New technologies like the Internet have made new forms of learning possible, and all different types of organizations are taking advantage of the possibilities.

Not only are universities and schools benefiting from online learning capabilities, but also companies and many other types of organizations. However, a lot of people remain doubtful of the effectiveness of online learning because they are more accustomed to the classic training methods that have been in place for centuries to teach in a classroom setting.

If you have been relying on traditional training methods to teach at your organization, it may be time to consider some of the many advantages of eLearning. You need to optimize your learning processes at your organization so that your people are not only well trained, but they can also maintain productivity and minimize costs while training.

Key differences between these two types of learning

In order to evaluate the potentials of eLearning in relation to classic training, you need to consider what makes these two types of teaching distinct from one another.

Training in a classroom
Classroom training usually involves a group of students who take instruction from a teacher. This type of training brings a group of people together but sometimes doesn't offer a lot of opportunities for the group to collaborate together. Training in a classroom setting often relies on lectures from the teacher and note-taking activities from the students. Learning in a classroom usually requires a few important resources. One important resource is a central classroom where students will come together. Another important resource is a teacher who can relay the knowledge that is to be passed onto the students. With a typical classroom, everyone must come together in the same place at the same time.

There's no doubt that learning in a classroom can be a great method of relaying information to students. However, traditional training methods like this tend to lack some of the many advantages of online learning possibilities.

Training using eLearning
When an organization relies on eLearning rather than traditional classroom methods of teaching, many of the resources mentioned above are not necessary. It is not necessary for a classroom to be set aside for all students to come together. Students can tune in to learning presentations remotely. It is also not necessary for all teaching to occur at the same time for every student involved. It's not even necessary to have a teacher available because presentations can be pre-recorded and repeatedly viewed over and over again by different classes of students.

On the other hand, eLearning does require some technology resources. Students are going to need to access classes and information via computers or mobile devices. Also, information presented in the online class will need to be compiled, organized, and put into clear and readily understandable presentations. It may be necessary to have some authority available to answer questions that students will need to ask and have answered to fully grasp the subject matter.

Elearning can be set up to offer opportunities for students to communicate with and question one another. It can also typically be provided in a format where lessons can be viewed repeatedly. This means students can refer to lessons again and again, whereas in a classroom each lesson can only be viewed once.

A few unique advantages of eLearning

To recap, eLearning offers the following distinct advantages over traditional classroom learning:

Flexibility for students to tune in remotely- Setting a classroom aside for training can consume an organization's resources. A fixed schedule for classroom lessons also makes it so that students/staff members have to set time aside from their schedule for training rather than simply fitting training into any available free time.
Ability for students to collaborate- Students can benefit enormously from communicating with one another and solving problems together. Setting up a forum or another mechanism for group conversation through eLearning facilitates and encourages conversation between students.
Ability for students to view presentations and lessons repeatedly- When it comes to complex subjects, it can be next to impossible for a student to grasp the subject at hand by sitting through only one lesson. With eLearning, students can review lessons until they have mastered them.
Possibility of not needing a teacher available for each individual presentation- If you don't need a teacher to teach in a classroom setting, you can use that staff member to focus on other tasks for your organization and thereby boost organization productivity.

What's the right learning method for your organization?

Online learning solutions offer distinct advantages that often make this training format ideal for many different types of organization. If you're struggling to handle some of the financial and practical limitations of classic training, take advantage of the benefits of online learning solutions that are mentioned above.

Designing Digitally, Inc. helps organizations from all industries identify training needs and establish the best solution available to meet specific business goals. To learn more about eLearning and the different options available for your company, schedule a free consultation with our team today!