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Online Learning: The Future of Education
For the past decade, online courses have popped up for every topic imaginable. If you think of a random area you’re interested in, there’s probably an online course available that takes a deep dive into it.
Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down most in-person seminars, classes, and workshops, many professionals are turning to the vast library of learning options they can access from their cell phone or computer. When the pandemic is over and in-person learning is accessible again, it’s unlikely people will ditch this new learning style. The convenience and diversity of options is too good to give up.
Besides the obvious benefits like easy access from anywhere and going through the courses at your own pace, the past decade of online learning has completely transformed the educational landscape. Even before the pandemic, the transition to online learning was evident with the amazing statistics that have arisen in recent years.
For example, studies show that 80% of employers since 2011 have used online learning in some capacity. In fact, corporate training is a $200 billion industry, and approximately half of that value comes from online learning.
These numbers are unsurprising when we look at the other advantage of online learning. I wholeheartedly believe corporate training will continue to move to online mediums with the fantastic benefits that come with it. Even my own online learning product, The Collection Advantage, has fantastic benefits that in-person learning lacks.
Let’s look deeper into those benefits.
Benefit #1: It's Growing Rapidly
According to the Brandon Hall Research Group, the online learning industry has grown by 900% in the past 21 years. Because online learning is growing so rapidly, we can expect more courses on every topic to make its way into the mix, which means we’ll have even more incredible options to choose from when we’re advancing our educational goals or implementing new training at work.
With so many options available, we have an increased opportunity to be picky when it comes to planning our educational and professional journeys. Gone are the days of settling for workshops or seminars because they’re the only ones available in our field; now, we can choose whatever online courses we want.
Also, as online learning is growing, niche markets are growing as well. For example, I developed my online training program, The Collection Advantage, to train debt collection agencies and billing departments on empathetic communication. Because everything is online, I’m able to train people all over the globe easily if they’re interested in my program.
Now, I want to show you why employers are opting to use online training more than ever and why the industry is growing so rapidly.
Benefit #2: It Decreases Training Time
All professional trainers know how frustrating it can be when the training they use isn’t efficient. Luckily, online learning increases efficiency significantly.
The Brandon Hall Group’s research found that online learning can reduce training time by 60%.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Think about how much you could accomplish if training took less time.
When you use an online learning program for training, all of the content is already created, so the trainer doesn’t have to spend any time developing materials by himself. He also doesn’t have to worry about combing through content to get ready to teach the new hire what he needs to know. Instead, the trainer can use a streamlined program and get the training done faster without the extra work on the trainer’s part.
In addition to less work for the trainer, online learning also increases consistency. Think about it: Creating consistency at your company can be time-consuming, especially if multiple trainers are relaying the information. With online learning, every employee gets the same training experience in the same amount of time, which means your company will see increased consistency almost immediately.
Since you know that online learning decreases training time, let’s move on and talk about how it also boosts knowledge retention.
Benefit #3: It Fosters Microlearning
Many online learning programs use microlearning to outline the content. Microlearning is when the information in a course is presented in repetitive, small stacks. Students only learn for a few minutes each day, and the content builds upon itself by drawing on previous lessons.
Unlike an hour-long presentation or training session, these short videos will help people learn each concept slowly so they retain it easily. I like to say that microlearning gets the content into people’s DNA.
The Brandon Hall Research Group has backed up this claim as well. They found that online learning increases overall knowledge retention by 25% to 60%. In other words, when learners use an online training program, they’re more likely to remember what they learned after completing the course.
When I created my online course The Collection Advantage, I implemented the microlearning model, and it has truly helped my students grasp new concepts effortlessly. By breaking the content into daily stacks, I’m able to help my students transform in their professional roles in only nine weeks. The effectiveness is undeniable.
The Time Is Now
Ultimately, online learning has so many pros that it’s becoming essential in the 21st century.
With the shift to increased online content during the pandemic, the time is now to start diving into the vast world of online learning. I wholeheartedly believe there’s an online course for everyone. Whether you’re looking for professional or personal development, someone has crafted the perfect course for you. This is your sign to find your niche online learning experience.
If you want to hear more from me, connect with me on LinkedIn. I upload daily content about communication, learning, connection, empathy, and more. You also can book a call with me to discuss my online training options.
To see this post as it was originally written, visit maryshores.com.