On line learning -not just on line trading- is set to increase dramatically in y
On line learning -not just on line trading- is set to increase dramatically in years to come.
About 70 % of education costs are tied up in getting people to classes: transportation, meals, lodgings and instructors. Web based training will eliminate many of these costs.
Learning goes real time, all the time.
On-line education looks set to increase in popularity. By 2006 the need for IT professionals is expected to double, this is driving a tremendous increase in the need for corporate training. In the US companies spend $ 60 billion a year on training. About 70 % of these costs are tied up in getting people to classes: transportation, meals, lodgings and instructors. Web based training will eliminate many of these costs. Furthermore it has been found that online preparation for conventional courses reduced the amount of time in the classroom by 40 %. This is a critical factor in the competitive Net Future where any delay in educating a sales force can give allow competitors to gain market advantage.
Companies have discovered that offering their employees training programs acts as an effective employee retention tool. Information technologists say that the opportunity to improve their skills is of higher value to them than flextime or additional compensation. Online classes can include lectures, email exchanges, bulletin boards or chat rooms for discussions or tests.
Full undergraduate or graduate degree programs are now available online. Because online makes education more accessible, students are finding ways to integrate learning with their regular jobs. Many of the students enrolled in on-line courses are already in employment. Some institutions have been able to charge higher prices for online instruction than campus classes; frequently students are willing to pay four to five times more due to the increased convenience of online study. Convenience is the principal reason cited by students for them taking online courses.
Similarly convenience is the key reason for the development of online corporate training. Employers want to reduce the time and money spent on training their employees. Internet learning allows tuition that is customized for the individual learner. Learner segmentation theory demonstrates that different people learn more effectively using certain methods. Some people learn best by reading whilst others by watching videos or interacting with people. In the past developing customized learning programs has been a very expensive option and hence restricted to very large consulting environments. With the Internet, however, programs that are customized for the four or five most prevalent learning behaviors can be developed and delivered to a company's workforce via multiple learning paths.
Corporations often need to train large numbers of employees simultaneously and rapidly. When a company produces a new product for example, it is essential that the whole work force has the same information about it and that this is gained quickly. It is not acceptable for launch dates to be delayed whilst employees are being trained.
0n a pilot scheme Chrysler Financial set up learning rooms in each of their 25 US zone offices. These rooms contain 3-8 computers that are dedicated to training and are equipped with a system that integrates audioconferencing, multimedia, web-based courses and shared software applications. Prior to online training it was not feasible to take people out of the office for an hour or so for training. Instead training was saved and lumped together in a day long program that can justify employees being out of the office. With these learning centers employees can leave their office for an hour or so when convenient and receive training without leaving the office building.
Interaction is essential for online learning. Information has to be in short bites dispersed with tasks and activities. Real-time online training means shorter training time. This in turn means shorter product cycles and more products. On-line training is thus more than just a way to cut travel costs.
Online education demands student initiative and discipline. Teachers can encourage participation but the nature of Net Future learning indicates that the ability to set your own routine and organize your time effectively is even more important for students wanting to get the most from their education. Instruction in many cases will take on a new teamwork approach with student exchange being just as important as teacher student exchange. The Net Future does not require that all education occurs online, some will still stay in the classroom certainly until bandwidth problems are solved to the point that video can stream smoothly over the net.
In the Net Future there will be very few barriers to learning, teaching can happen at any location and knowledge can be gained from any number of experts at any moment. While companies and Universities will benefit from cutting costs it will be the recipient, the person who wants to learn who will benefit the most.
From a Book Called "Net Future" by Chuck Martin 1999.
Best Regards to all our viewers!
Paul A. Renaud.
