From correspondence courses, which involved sending teaching materials by post, to internet-based digital learning, distance education has come a long way and reached its peak with e- learning, so it is important to know exactly what is it and wich are the main advantages. Today, it is not just another novelty, but a sector in full growth. E – learning continues to gain ground, especially in companies, where it has been adopted as an important resource for training employees, as well as for streamlining and enhancing their internal processes.
After all, what is e- learning ? What exactly is it about?
When, in the early 2000s, the distribution of mobile devices began to become widespread in the form of smartphones and tablets, their use also evolved and was no longer exclusively intended for making calls, but their range and functionality expanded and allowed users to users to do a series of activities that until then were unthinkable on a single device, such as watching videos, reading books, listening to music and playing their favorite games. Likewise, thanks to improved connectivity and the expansion of the internet, these mobile devices have become a learning tool, becoming great allies of distance education, both for business as well as for any other type of learning.
Today, the term e – learning refers to training or learning on any digital device. Watching an instructional video, reading about a topic of interest in an informative article or expanding your knowledge through audios or internet games is what is commonly called e- learning . The convenience of this form of learning comes down to the fact that it can be available at any time, through your mobile device, and at the time that is most comfortable for you, which guarantees you greater flexibility. This convenience is one of the main reasons why e- learning is so popular. Another reason has to do with the ability to personalize the learning experience with other innovations, such as augmented reality or virtual reality (VR), adding new stimuli through technology.
An equally important fact is the observation of how e- learning has been transformed, from a process allied to formal education to something more democratized and more present in everyday life. In fact, e- learning is used daily to learn about any topic. Searches on Google, articles that are read , videos on Youtube , podcasts and some games that serve to stimulate the brain are part of what is now called e- learning .
Several companies, from small startups to large corporations, also use e- learning as a way to help their employees understand and improve their internal procedures.
The benefits of E-learning for companies
E – learning adds a series of advantages for companies, which can be summarized in the following aspects :
reduced costs
With e – learning , companies do not need to spend a fortune on organizing seminars or covering travel expenses for specialized training or training. . Simply develop an online course and share it with employees.
extended coverage
Distance learning knows no borders. You can train multiple employees in different locations around the world, uniformly.. Employees don’t have to waste time traveling to face-to-face classes. All they need is a digital device and internet access. A unique knowledge base This is the most defining point of what E-learning is in essence, as a distinctive resource.
A unique knowledge base
All educational material is stored in a single place or server. Employees can log in at the most convenient time, from any device, and find the course they need.
Faster employee development
Traditional learning can be time consuming as it depends on the schedule and availability of the company’s trainers. E – learning is available around the clock, allowing employees to study whenever and wherever they want.
Companies preferentially use this learning and training format in the following cases
One of the main reasons companies implement e- learning is to train their employees. Online training is more effective in empowering employees because it provides an easy-to-use, continuous training solution, in addition to the fact that, by going digital, you can reduce a lot of costs, save time and increase training efficiency.
Another use of e- learning in a business environment is compliance training or compliance training . This training aims to inform new employees about the company’s policies and practices, such as those relating to safety and the behavior to be adopted in certain situations. Compliance training is much easier to provide through e- learning , especially if the company needs to make immediate changes to its policies.
The need for development of customers and partners is also one of the reasons why e- learning can be used .. Through online courses it is possible to train your partners and customers about your business, your products and your services. People like innovation, but they are also suspicious of what they don’t know and using lectures and presentations to explain how a certain service works, highlighting its strengths, can reassure customers and allow the service to be adopted more quickly.
The same scenario applies in promoting some product. Since brands always have something new to introduce, e- learning can be used to train sales teams on new arrivals and help new employees to become more quickly familiar with products, better training them for the development phase sales.
Types of E-learning content
One of the big questions to be answered is how, exactly , do companies achieve their goals with e- learning A quality online course is more than just a series of slides. The content to be presented must be attractive, informative and interactive . The effectiveness of an e- learning course depends on its content and how it is exposed. . The more relevant, interesting and interactive the course is, the more its effectiveness will be increased. There are several types of content and paths to choose from, from simple online courses, to webinars , quizzes , video lessons, augmented reality, e-book articles, simulations, podcasts , among others..
Conclusion
Digital learning in the present context is proving to be more and more effective, compared to traditional education, and may surely become a new standard in education. However, in some cases, digital learning is not yet able to replace traditional teaching. This means that it is important to consider hybrid teaching and learning with human contact when the need justifies it or where there are difficulties in applying technology-based distance learning. Currently , e- learning is a more practical alternative in many cases, such as training professionals and with the development of new technologies, it will certainly continue to gain more strength and range of applications.
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