Using E-Learning Content Providers for Employee Blended Learning
Yes, another blog that starts by talking about COVID-19. Well, we will be brief. COVID-19 changed a lot of things.
There were changes related to –
- Education
- The great resignation
- People studying for work purposes
- Funding for universities, colleges, TAFEs and education in general
Changes in Education
In many countries, we saw school children, college students, TAFE students, University students, suddenly having to study from home for the first time.
We saw people having to study online or by e-learning for the first time.
In some countries, employees had to work from home, becoming digital nomads for the first time.
When we look at the changes that occurred in education as a result of COVID-19, the focus often tends to be on people in full time education – the school children, the college and university students. Little attention seems to have been paid to how COVID-19 changed on-the-job and vocational training for employees.
The Great Resignation
Since COVID-19, we have also been hearing more about the great resignation, with Microsoft estimating that 41% of people are considering leaving their jobs in 2022. Read more on the blog we wrote about Slowing the Great Resignation
Increasing Numbers of People Studying for Their Work
A recent report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 23% of adult Australians are taking courses related to their work. Read more on how The way adults are training and learning is changing .
Reduced Funding for Adult Education
We have also seen that many countries have experienced cuts in their adult education funding. For example, in Australia, University funding has been cut by 10% and 24% for TAFEs. Read more here on The changes in Education Funding - Opportunity or Threat ?
So, we have seen –
- More people are considering changing their jobs, resulting in staff shortages
- More people are taking courses related to their work
- Funding cuts in traditional face-to-face education
- More people have been exposed to online learning than at any time previously
What does this mean for Employers?
This has, and will continue to, have a serious impact upon employers.
- Staffing Problems
- People are considering leaving.
- People are leaving employers.
- Employers need to find ways to keep their staff.
One way to do this is by investing in staff. Showing that they value them and want to keep them. Providing training for their staff will help employees to -
- Do their job better
- Increase their skills
- Diversify their skills
- Increase their employment prospects
- Increase their promotion prospects
This is, obviously, a substantial benefit for the employees.
But it also has substantial benefits from employers –
- They have invested in their staff, so hopefully their staff are happier and less likely to leave.
- It improves staff morale
- Employers have a more highly trained workforce, which benefits the business
- They are training staff ready to take over if someone leaves – succession training.
That’s great. So, offering training to staff is the way for employers to go.
Oh, but wait….
This is coming at a time when most traditional, face-to-face education providers are reducing their funding!
- Reduced funding in education means –
- Less courses offered
- Reduced range of courses
Potentially a reduction in high quality (and expensive) trainers and tutors
This means that at a time when employers need to provide their staff with high quality training to meet their needs, the traditional education providers are reducing their education provision!
Training Employees
This issue may seem insurmountable, but it isn’t. Actually, the changes as a result of COVID-19 have opened up many, many options for training employees.
Let’s clarify some terms before we go further.
Online Learning
Online learning is learning conducted via a website. A student will be given a username and password and can access their course via the website.
They need WiFi and a device, such as a PC, laptop, smart phone or tablet.
E-learning
E-learning is similar to online learning, but not quite the same. It is studying using an electronic device. The student can study online or offline.
E-learning and online learning is usually conducted on an LMS.
Learning Management System
An LMS is a learning management system. It is a way of delivering online and e-learning courses using a learning platform. Read more at
Blended Learning
Blended learning is learning that –
- Focusses on the learner and the training the individual needs to do their job well. It is learner-centric, focussing on the specific skills that the learner needs.
- It can be conducted online, by e-learning or a mixture of face to face and e-learning/online learning.
This is a form of learning that works well in the work environment.
The employee can –
- Develop their skills and job role by learning on-the-job
- Receiving other aspects of learning online or by e-learning.
This is useful for the employer because –
- The employer can see exactly what training an individual needs.
- They can teach the employee on-the-job
- They can fill gaps in learning by offering online/e-learning courses
With the reduced option of face-to-face teaching, blended, e-learning and online learning offers employers a –
- Convenient
- Flexible
- Cost-efficient
- Individualistic
Way to train their employees to meet the needs of the employees and the organisation overall.
The Benefits of Online, Blended and E-learning
Geography
Blended learning is flexible. Employees can study anywhere they have a device and WiFi. There are no geographical limits to where they study. This means that
- people who work at home
- people who work sometimes in an office
- staff who travel for their job
- can study where suits them.
As many businesses become more global,
- There is increased need for staff to travel, so online and blended learning offers staff the opportunity to train wherever they are.
- Businesses may have staff throughout the world. They may need to train them to ensure that they are working at the same level and have the same knowledge throughout the world. Online and blended learning makes this possible.
Time Management
E-learning can be studied anytime. Employees can study anytime to fit in with their work schedule, when employers want them to train etc.
Self-paced
- Online, e-learning and blended learning tends to be self-paced, so the student can work at their own pace to fit in with the needs of the employer and employee. For example, an employer might want an employee trained in a specific area quite quickly, so give the staff member the time to complete a course quickly. Or they might offer the chance for the student work at their own pace, engaging in the course to suit them.
- Self-paced does not mean that the student doesn’t really bother. It means that the student can work at a time that is optimal for their studying. For example, some people like studying daily for a shorter period of time. Others may like to work in larger chunks. Whilst others, for example, shift workers, may not have a specified time to study each week, so work to fit in around their work.
- Self-paced also means that the student can study when fits in with their work. For example, say a plant nursery student was developing their pruning skills at work, they could also undertake further online or e-learning training at the same time. So, tying in their work-based training with their online training.
Personalised
Blended and online learning is also personalised. An employee will receive the training that they need. A member of staff joining with substantial experience of digital marketing will not need the same training as a brand new trainee with no experience. Employers are able to pick the learning that most suits the member of staff.
This means that the training is effective and individualised.
Progress
Online or blended learning enables employers and employees to see the progress a student is making with their learning.
- They can see where the student is in the course
- How much work they have completed,
- What modules they have completed etc.
This is useful for the employer and employer to see how the student is progressing.
Costs
Blended learning reduces costs to the business.
- They can use off the shelf training from education providers, so they do not have to use their own trainers or face-to-face trainers, which are more costly.
- They can train individual staff when they need a course or training, rather than having to pay for a group of staff to train at the same time.
- As training is individualised, they are only training the employee in the skills and knowledge they require. Rather than training all staff in all skills and knowledge.
- By moving training online means employers do not have to pay staff to travel to training locations or give them the time to travel.
Up To Date
Many online education providers are specialists in this area, focussing on online learning. This means that they are experts in online learning. They know how to teach students online and the most effective ways of learning.
They are not usually weighed down by bureaucracy in the same way that traditional face-to-face education providers are. This means that they can change and update courses frequently. This means that their courses are usually more up to date. This benefits employers and employees.
Training Your Staff
Online and blended learning, therefore, offers employers the opportunity to –
- Train their staff when, where and how they want to, to fit in with the needs of the business.
- Provide individualised training to meet the needs of specific staff, rather than providing one-size-fits-all training, which can be ineffective and costly.
- Have access to a wide range of courses offered by online providers that suit the employee’s and employer’s needs.
- Ensure that all training is cost-effective.