Elearning or Effective Learning?

Elearning?

"Elearning is the next big thing,""Wow! Elearning! Now that's an interesting phenomenon", "Elearning is booming in India", "Elearning,the best solution for corporate training".

Well, if you look at the above sentences, you would have guessed what i am gonna talk about. Yup! It's about E-learning,the most hyped thing(except for the fact that the common man in India is yet to be aware of its existence).
For people who don't know, Elearning stands for Electronic Learning or to be short, internet enabled learning(Learning via Virtual Classes, Websites etc) or computer enabled learning(Usings CDs and DVDs). The biggest advantage of elearning(As the experts say so..) is that a person can learn about any subject via a Virtual class, or by using a computer, or by just using games or ipods. Hmmm.., does this make sense. Experts predict that elearning would replace our traditional instructor-based learning in the future. But my question is, will E-learning amount to EASY LEARNING or EFFECTIVE LEARNING. The answer is NO.

Let us take a common example, if a common man wants to learn a sport, for example:swimming, will he be able to learn it via elearning. As far as i am concerned, nothing can replace instructor-led training, since the prescence of a live instructor adds to the human element. Students always have queries and most of them like to have it solved then and there.

If you were a student and you have a question to ask? Would you would like to know the answer immediately or would you post it in a forum or mail your instructor and wait for the reply??? I bet you would go for the first option.

Let's assume i am going to learn Aviation through Elearning. Can you teach me to fly by just using 3D simulations, Virtual Classes conducted by pilots etc. If so, would i be certified to become a pilot just by learning the course????The answer is no. Elearning cannot replace Instructor-Led learning yet. But Elearning can be used to complement Instructor-Led learning via a method called Blended Learning.

Let me take the same example to justify my view. A person aims to do a course in Aviation, the best possible way to teach him/her using blending learning would be to have a Pilot do the training: basics of flying, precautionary measures, the control panel of the plane etc. This is because you can never teach a skill or an art using elearning, because it is something that a person learns via experience.
The other things such as tools, machines, terminologies, protocols etc required for aviation can be taught using Elearning, because these things can be acquired by either reading them or by using simulations.
Therefore, blended learning is the best solution to your needs if you require your training to be effective.


Elearning is the next big thing, but it surely cannot replaced ILT as yet. Instead it can be used to complement ILT.
So corporates! If you wish to reduce your training costs, but yet want it to be effective, use blended learning.
To all those ELearning buffs and critics: Elearning should amount to EFFECTIVE LEARNING, not just electronic learning. Please do not hype Elearning, it still has a long way to go.