12 Apr Why I am excited to work in eLearning

Hi, I’m John, the Business Development Manager with The Learning Rooms. I joined the team just over six months ago. I am really enjoying being part of the L&D and specifically eLearning industry. Training and coaching is something I have done in a professional and sporting environment and is an area I am passionate about. I wanted to share some of my early thoughts and excitement for the digital learning industry.

If you’re interested in talking to me about joining our team or how our eLearning and training services can help your business, call me on 01-2974070.

Why I’m excited about working in eLearning

Training and talent development has always been an area that has interested me. I have also been lucky throughout my career to benefit from working with forward looking managers and companies that were prepared to train staff and invest in their development. The Learning Rooms are specialists in a range of L&D services including face-to-face training, blended and digital learning solutions. Working here has given me a considerable understanding of talent development and the different tools and approaches we can use.

Specifically, as the title suggests, I want to tell you why I’m excited about working in the eLearning industry in Ireland! Spending increasing time with the team and seeing the innovative solutions that they create daily, I feel now very passionate about digital learning and the potential it has!

The Evolving Workplace

eLearning is adapting quickly to suit the modern employee and the way we work. The workplace has evolved rapidly over the last decade with increasing numbers of contract staff, remote workforces and digital transformation affecting a large number of roles. This has changed the way we need to learn, on the job and now informs new approaches for staff development. On a daily basis if we need an answer we turn to Google, watch YouTube instructional videos or use online communities. If our habit is to source and consume online data and knowledge in this way, then our workplace learning should enable this and allow us to get answers on the job.

The Potential

eLearning shouldn’t be text on a screen with a next button. Effective eLearning should designed to meet business goals and meet the skills gap between where staff are currently and what they need to be able to do to perform. eLearning should deliver content in an interesting and engaging way. For example, our team use a broad range of different techniques in designing courses and based on best practice in adult learning theories.

By utilising eLearning this way, you can reach a geographically and demographically diverse workforce and give them access to more impactful L&D in a cost effective and time efficient manner. In an age with Skype, Slack, Hangouts, Zoom, VR conferencing etc it seems archaic that we all have to meet and down whole teams for a training session. This does not mean I am against classroom training, I believe it is an important and essential method of training. I feel however that we have moved on from a need to deliver all training exclusively this way. Using a blended approach of face to face and digital learning allows managers to choose the best medium to deliver content maximising results and buy in from employees.

Through correctly implemented and well-designed eLearning an organisation will benefit from a higher performing and more confident team.

From the Learner’s Perspective

Typical excuses for not investing in our own self-development whether going to the gym or pursuing personal development are most commonly; time, access and convenience.

We all like having control, this is no different when we need to learn something. Using digital learning allows the learner to choose the day, the time and complete the course on their device of choice. I love the idea of a learner having a twenty minute window so they will finish a module of the online course they are enrolled in. The reason, that’s how I like to learn. I like taking small bursts, give my undivided attention and move on. When we are forced into allotted times, whether personal or during worktime, we become anxious of that time loss, backlogs created etc.

The Future

As you may have guessed I like technology and the on-going evolution of digital services. One of the things I love about our team, is their use of technology as well how they utilise new techniques such as the embedding gamification elements in our courses to enhance the learner experience. I can only see an increase in this and similar techniques as more tools and tech come onto the market. Perhaps we will see more of an adaption and integration of IOT and wearable devices.

The emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning will give us course content that can adapt to the learner and offer real-time feedback for online learners. This, paired with the visual and media potential of virtual reality and augmented reality, there is a bright future for eLearning.

What excites me the most, is that every day when I step into our office there are conversations about how we can deliver better, more innovative and more engaging eLearning.

If you are interested in a career in eLearning or finding out more about what eLearning can do for your team or just want to contact us.