The landscape of e-learning today is eerily similar to the European Middle Ages that we all were forced to learn about in high school social studies. There were royalty who had access to everything and the peasants who could only have as their “lords” would allow. E-learning has been developing along with this separation between the “have’s” and “have not’s”, or maybe more appropriately titled the “people who know how” (or have the enormous amount of money to pay someone who does) and those “who don’t”. So for those who have been considering e-learning solutions, it is time for the working class to revolt! Technological skill and budget constraints are no longer barriers that separate you and your organization from e-learning that will maximize your productivity and effectiveness. The gap between the professional programmer and the working professional is narrowing and is currently at the point where learners will not perceive the difference. Recognizing that effective e-learning is within everyone’s reach, there are 3 reasons to consider this as a tool to enhance your organization, business, or classroom outcomes.

  1. Effective. For those who are unsure, the efficacy question regarding e-learning as compared to face to face training has been answered time and time again (for those interested in the research behind this, send us a note and we will email you references). The argument that it is not as good as face to face doesn’t hold up to the data. It may not “feel” the same, but that’s okay. Experienced professionals should be past the focus on “feelings” in training. It is about results. Ensuring that your participants gain the material and are able to use it in their practice.

  1. Efficient. E-learning removes time, cost, and distance barriers and equalizes the playing field between small business and major corporations. You do not need a company jet to meet your client face to face when there is free video conferencing software that allows you to connect with them in less then a second. The goal of your organization is not to spend hours traveling to reach your client or for your clients to spend hours (and money) to reach you. We developed e-solutions for an educational support agency that had a small number of staff and a large geographic region to cover. E-learning solutions allow their services to be available around the clock and for them to instantly be where they are needed as long as there is internet access.

  1. Encompassing. Anything that can be done face to face has a digital solution counterpart. Where we have made the most dramatic assistance for organization is when we have looked at a product that was developed for a particular application and reconfigured it for a new use. One such example is when we were providing consultation support to a client using a free videoconferencing software (www.skype.com). To maximize our support we needed to be able to talk directly to the client during the consultation without anyone else listening. We switched a few plugs on a wireless lapel microphone, plugged in earbuds, and were able to give immediate and private feedback.

As you consider e-learning or are looking for a way to do it better, don’t just look at the big companies. Those expensive systems are paying for the large executive salaries and office buildings. When your organization invests tens of thousands of dollars in a program, it is similar to having an in-law that will never leave. You dare not suggest that you get rid of this person for fear of retribution, but they do get in the way of progress. This issue of significant monetary investment is that your company or school has spent so much money on a particular system that switching to something new is not even a consideration. This is painful because there are better and more efficient solutions that cost thousands less (dare I say free with an internet connection!?!). Find something that you like, then dig deep to find it at no cost or low-cost. The solutions are there; use this blog as the springboard for your journey.