In recent years, as cloud technologies have continued to evolve, more and more organizations have transformed their employee development efforts to eLearning programs. But for many companies, determining the right methods to accomplish their learning objectives can present a significant challenge. Developing effective corporate eLearning programs relies on a proper needs analysis and target audience assessment. In addition, selecting an effective delivery method can have a tremendous impact on the level of engagement and overall success of the program.
What is eLearning?
Electronic Learning or “eLearning” refers to the use of technology to connect students with the instructors and learning materials they need to accomplish training objectives. eLearning has emerged as a cornerstone of corporate training and employee development as it eliminates many of the expenses associated with classroom-based training while providing both students and instructors with a level of convenience that is not possible with in-person training. Cloud-based eLearning allows companies to launch eLearning programs and offer the ability to adjust and scale their usage on-demand as their learning needs change and evolve over time quickly and cost-effectively.
The Two Major Types to eLearning
While methods can vary widely, there are fundamentally two eLearning methods: Synchronous training and Asynchronous training.
Synchronous Training
Synchronous training refers to training actions that occur at the same time. This is a real-time approach to eLearning that allows for student interaction with an instructor via the Web. Virtual Classrooms are a form of synchronous training in which participants interact with instructors and each other using chat and other messaging tools. And these sessions can be recorded for future sharing and playback.
Asynchronous Training
Asynchronous training refers to training activities which do not occur at the same time. This approach to eLearning allows students to conduct learning activities at their convenience and to work at their own pace, rather than try to keep pace with an instructor. Asynchronous training provides more of an on-demand offering in that students are able to access training materials they need when and where they need them.
Choosing the Right Method for Employee Training and Development
The synchronous approach to eLearning is usually preferable when there is a clear benefit in the students working and interacting with a live instructor and feeding off the presence of other students who can lend to the experience. Many “soft skill” training topics, such as communication, leadership skills, and problem solving are well-suited for synchronous training.
Asynchronous training tends to be well-suited for “hard skill” training content, such as technology, finance, or any other topic that does not call for a great deal of social interaction in the learning experience and for which the student may need to revisit materials several times before moving forward.
To deliver the most effective eLearning experience, many companies now employ a “blended” approach (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous) in order to ensure the right method is used, given the subject matter and target audience.
LMS Portals for eLearning
LMS Portals provides a powerful platform that allows our clients and partners to launch and manage branded, customized eLearning portals on-demand. Our system allows you to divide your eLearning activities into logical segments and includes robust supporting tools for student onboarding, messaging, knowledge management, analytics, and more.
Contact us today to get started for free!
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