Online Learning: Is It For You?

By Osama A. Morad



In their first annual state-of-the-industry report, Online Learning Magazine (www.onlinelearningmag.com) and Framingham, Mass.-based International Data Corp. (IDC) reported that 82% of those who responded to the report survey were satisfied with their companies' e-learning initiatives, mostly online courses. About two-thirds saw it as a way to help organizations solve business problems. What is online learning and how can it help solve business problems? More importantly, is online learning for you?

Online learning is a form of a much larger discipline of delivering education over a distance known, not surprisingly, as distance education. Distance education is characterized by the separation in space (different places) and possibly in time (different times) between an instructor and her students.

A familiar form of distance education is the service provided by correspondence schools. In a correspondence program, students regularly receive, via mail, instructions on how to perform a number of assignments. Students complete the assignments and mail the results back to their instructor. The instructor reviews, provides feedback and sometimes grades the assignments and mails again to her students. This cycle repeats until an entire course of study is completed.

Distance education had since diversified and grown to encompass more media than correspondence-style printed text and more distribution technology than postal mail. Forms of distance education that exist today include radio, television, satellite broadcast, video and audio conferencing and online learning.

Online learning is a partnership among learners, instructors and web technologies. Learning online, sometimes referred to as learning in a virtual classroom, resembles learning in a traditional classroom. Dedicated instructors structure, schedule and facilitate class activities. Learners complete a variety of assignments, participate in class discussions, collaborate with fellow learners and the instructor and summarize their learning. Internet and web technologies provide the distribution channel for the many and varied computer-mediated messages exchanged during learning. Technologies that have been adopted for online learning include web pages, dynamic HTML, webcasts, chats, newsgroups, instant messaging and audio and video streaming.

Many universities, colleges and organizations have successfully embraced online learning. From dissemination of information, to teaching skills both soft (e.g., managerial) and hard (e.g., technical), to influencing and changing attitudes, online learning has proven itself to be an attractive delivery strategy.

Online learning can be confusing to define and categorize because of the many options, technologies and media it makes available for the delivery of instruction. To help conceptualize online learning and its relationship to traditional face-to-face classroom learning, consider the accompanying diagram.

The most common mode of online learning is asynchronous. In this mode, instructors and students are separated in both time and space. That is, students and instructors do not need to be online at the same time or at the same place. Many of the existing online programs in colleges and universities are of the asynchronous type.

Now let's address the second part of the question: How can online learning help you? To answer this question, you must first identify your relationship to the education process. As in any other delivery method, online learning affects the stakeholder. These stakeholders are summarized as the instructional designer and developer, the learner, the instructor, and the training (delivery) manager and administrator.

For instructional designers and developers of learning programs, online learning represents a new and challenging delivery environment. Online learning is an inherently learner-centered and technologically-enabled environment. Contrast this with the instructor-centered and much less technologically-demanding traditional classroom setting. Simple "repurposing of" or "converting" materials developed for face-to-face classroom training does not work. New and creative learning strategies and teaching methods need to be created and adopted for this delivery environment. Materials developed for online learning, on the other hand, are much easier to maintain and update. They are also highly customizable to meet a specific business or a fast approaching deadline.

For learners, learning online provides the maximum flexibility and convenience possible. You do not go to class, the class comes to you. All you need is an Internet connection. You learn at your own pace at the time and place that is comfortable for you. The Online Learning Magazine report showed that one of the most important reasons for organizations to deploy e-learning (mostly online courses) was its convenience for employees. These benefits, however, are only attainable if learners assume the more active role expected of them in an online environment. Learners must actively interact with the class materials, peer learners and the instructor to enjoy a successful learning experience.

Instructors are also affected by this online learning. The old saying that instructors should not be the "sage on the stage, but the guide on the side" is more applicable in online learning than in any other delivery method. Online instructors' roles now shift from presenting information to facilitating, supporting, guiding, coaching and motivating their learners as they actively pursue their own learning.

And, finally, training managers and administrators reap all of the benefits of online leaning, enjoying real savings in training costs as a result of online training. There are no travel costs for either students or the instructor. There are no classrooms to reserve or rent. Most of the course materials reproduction expenses are eliminated since these materials are now in digitally-distributable format. And, because online training is a partnership among active learners, instructors and technology, the total cost of the learning experience is dramatically reduced. Online courses can be scheduled and delivered any time and anywhere there is a performance need to be met.

So, is online learning for you? Only you can answer this question.



Osama A. Morad is the president and CEO of rosetta stone LA, Inc. He can be reached at OMorad@rosettaStoneLA.com or at 410-992-0766.