For a few months now, I've observed how some people flinch at the name of "e-learning".
These people come from a range of segment: individuals, small-medium enterprises, corporates, schools everywhere. These even include those from training and learning background.
For sometime I wondered why this perception about e-learning and distance learning and to address my curiosity I decided to put on my "Coach hat" and Listen.
After listening,thinking, and reflecting, I now have my theory.
1. Those who are from learning background seem to dislike e-learning for the way it is misused, which is simple automated exe with some text and pictures is construed as e-learning and sometimes created on the fly without any design. This causes a loss of learning transfer. Therefore, to control the misuse of
2. First are the individuals: I often help students to understand the design and features of the Distance learning Coach training program offered at International Coach Academy (ICA). ICA runs a voice distance learning program, where a live facilitator teaches over a phone.. to a group of people..
Most ask me, "Is classroom not better.?" So my question to them is, what do you find good about classroom? Their response is I can see the facilitator! Well then my question to them is, what if the facilitator is not good at facilitation? How will seeing someone face to face cause better learning transfer?
Often at ICA we have more than one facilitator who conducts the same session at diffeent times..
2. Coming to the technical or corporate consumer of distance/elearning training. They seem to firmly believe that distance learning especially "E-learning" is only good for givign overviews and not transfer learning. When asked what makes classroom better: the answer is well you can have a discussion and give real examples, and assess better.
The belief is people do not take the assessments given on elearning seriously but also the perception is that "Elearning" cannot effectively deliver a scenario-based,discussion-based learning program.
Now, if you listen carefully to both users, there is one underlying need:
I want to "control"
A very basic human instict where we want to "Control" and seem to believe we control..
Individuals feel they are more in control of quality because they can see who is teaching them. Professionals who are responsible for someone elses learning have a "feeling of lack of control" of what the participants are doing.
Please think about this: If in a classroom situation, face-to-face, what-if the facilitator shows you slide-after-slide and includes no interactions or examples, what will happen?
What if the participant is not present in the classroom? Is tired and not focussed..They will not achieve and make the shift they are meant to...
It is the same discomfort when people manage remote teams, have long distance friendship---"the feeling of lack of control."
Some more observations if you wish to read:
The key is how do you "Design" the learning-be it classroom or e-learning or distance learning.
The other is both forms of learning have their advantage.
It is about what meets your requirement!! Do you know that or are you making your learning choices based on perceptions!!!!!
These people come from a range of segment: individuals, small-medium enterprises, corporates, schools everywhere. These even include those from training and learning background.
For sometime I wondered why this perception about e-learning and distance learning and to address my curiosity I decided to put on my "Coach hat" and Listen.
After listening,thinking, and reflecting, I now have my theory.
1. Those who are from learning background seem to dislike e-learning for the way it is misused, which is simple automated exe with some text and pictures is construed as e-learning and sometimes created on the fly without any design. This causes a loss of learning transfer. Therefore, to control the misuse of
2. First are the individuals: I often help students to understand the design and features of the Distance learning Coach training program offered at International Coach Academy (ICA). ICA runs a voice distance learning program, where a live facilitator teaches over a phone.. to a group of people..
Most ask me, "Is classroom not better.?" So my question to them is, what do you find good about classroom? Their response is I can see the facilitator! Well then my question to them is, what if the facilitator is not good at facilitation? How will seeing someone face to face cause better learning transfer?
Often at ICA we have more than one facilitator who conducts the same session at diffeent times..
2. Coming to the technical or corporate consumer of distance/elearning training. They seem to firmly believe that distance learning especially "E-learning" is only good for givign overviews and not transfer learning. When asked what makes classroom better: the answer is well you can have a discussion and give real examples, and assess better.
The belief is people do not take the assessments given on elearning seriously but also the perception is that "Elearning" cannot effectively deliver a scenario-based,discussion-based learning program.
Now, if you listen carefully to both users, there is one underlying need:
I want to "control"
A very basic human instict where we want to "Control" and seem to believe we control..
Individuals feel they are more in control of quality because they can see who is teaching them. Professionals who are responsible for someone elses learning have a "feeling of lack of control" of what the participants are doing.
Please think about this: If in a classroom situation, face-to-face, what-if the facilitator shows you slide-after-slide and includes no interactions or examples, what will happen?
What if the participant is not present in the classroom? Is tired and not focussed..They will not achieve and make the shift they are meant to...
It is the same discomfort when people manage remote teams, have long distance friendship---"the feeling of lack of control."
Some more observations if you wish to read:
The key is how do you "Design" the learning-be it classroom or e-learning or distance learning.
The other is both forms of learning have their advantage.
It is about what meets your requirement!! Do you know that or are you making your learning choices based on perceptions!!!!!
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