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 The Benefits and Limitations of E-Learning Problem: The field of employee development and training is undergoing a sea of change due to the many new forms of technology that are becoming available. Web-based learning, CD-ROM training and interactive computer simulations seem to be the wave of the future. Many organizations, ranging from the U.S. Department of Defense to Chase Manhattan Bank and Cisco Systems, have successfully made use of this new approach to learning. Currently, it is possible to learn many different kinds of skills on the Internet. Websites like trainingnet.com offer a wide range of business classes on-line. CD-ROM training now offers movie-quality lectures by famous business authors and consultants that include a variety of quizzes and exercises. And computerized simulations allow jet pilots and surgeons to practice their skills in the safety of the computer lab. These types of e-learning can be useful in a number of ways: • Employees at various sites can all learn the same thing at the same time; But we have to ask ourselves: What kids of things are most appropriate for learning on a computer&endash;and what kinds of things are not? If face-to-face learning goes the way of the dinosaur, we will lose a number of factors that are actually essential to the process of effective adult learning. Solution: Computers are particularly useful for cognitive learning, i.e. the kind of learning that deals with logic, concepts and memorizing technical words or foreign languages. So computers are great for learning COBOL programming, French or logic. But we also need experiential learning to adequately grasp how to do certain things. Even though we may look at a series of diagrams on a Website that show us how to knot a tie, we also need to practice how to do it with a tie in our hands. We may even need someone else to guide us through the process. You have to admit that you would be very hesitate to fly with a pilot who had never flown a real plane and you would not want to be operated on by a doctor who had never operated on real people before. It seems that computers are generally best for individualized learning. But even so, sitting in front of a computer screen simply can't take the place of a group learning situation for many topics. For example, you can't really duplicate the experience of live brainstorming on a computer screen. There are a growing number of programs and Websites that allow people to do that, but it's just not the same thing. The computer screen lacks the ability to communicate the energy in people's faces and voices, as the brainstorming becomes more exciting. Yet that excitement creates a kind of synergy and momentum in the group's energy that is really essential. In addition to the experiential aspect of learning, there is also an emotional aspect to the learning process that can't easily be satisfied on-line. The emotional side of learning is very important for people skills. In order words, to learn how to be effective with other people, we usually need to access new ways of feeling. So gaining leadership skills may depend on developing our courage and emotional control. Or, for example, team-building skills may require learning empathy and emotional flexibility. These kinds of skills simply cannot be gotten from a computer screen or a CD-ROM. They come from practicing with other people, e.g. trying a certain behavior, making mistakes, getting feedback from others and then trying again. Example: An HR manager in the high-tech industry approached me to do a sexual harassment prevention training which she was legally required to do. She suggested that we do it on the Web or on a CD-ROM rather than face to face because she felt that would be more cost-effective. I suggested that it was important to do the training live rather than on-line because sexual harassment prevention training is inherently a highly charged, social/emotional issue. For example, one of the turning points in a successful training involves allowing women and men to publicly tell their personal stories about being harassed. This always has a profound effect on everyone and this kind of contact cannot be achieved on a computer screen. Results: We decided to do the training live and it was very effective. The manager was very satisfied with this approach. Summary: You really need to be clear about your purpose when you consider using computerized e-learning approaches. It can be very useful for learning certain things that do not need a social/emotional context. But those things that do need that context need to be taught face-to-face. |
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