However, I vote for giving elearning a big fat hug. Not just because I work for an elearning team, writing...erm... elearning. Not just that. Here's what I think:
- Elearning lets you learn at your own pace. You don't need to keep up with, or be bored by the pace of the rest of the class.
- Learning IT skills online means you can mess about with the software in the way that you want, using your own computer and even your own documents.
- Learning happens via a mixture of being told what to do, giving it a go and asking when you get stuck. We have online chat or a real human being at the end of the telephone for those 'helpivebrokenit!' moments.
- It is often cheaper than classroom training. Which for individuals, tight budgets or charities is a huge bonus. Cheap doesn't mean rubbish. The materials from an online course can often be accessed for far longer than a day's training.
- It is tailor made. In a classroom course there are often parts of the syllabus that don't apply to you. Doing elearning? Skip those bits.
- It gives you instant validation. Online quizzes which mark your scores let you know straightaway if you've remembered everything and if you're doing it right.
To sum it up, elearning has its benefits. As does classroom learning. The two can co-exist quite happily. However, the world is changing and even monkeys are logging on to Facebook. We're getting used to having more of our needs met online, even if it feels a bit funny at first. My Dad even learnt the Cha Cha Cha online.
