"Blended Learning-The Human Touch”
“If we don’t fly that helicopter, we are going to die”. Urgency, need, and desperation are some of the emotions that came about when Keanu Reaves and his companion had to learn how to fly a helicopter in the film “The Matrix”. What happens next, instant pilot awareness from a computer program.
The solution is instant education transmitted through computers. The spectacular image has opened the concept of eLearning to many a corporate.
Why not Instant Knowledge?
Technology has brought with it, greater speed, greater reach, and the ability to do everything “out of a box”. Instant food packets only need to be opened for you to have food that is ready to eat. In fact there are packets of food that heat up when opened! So why not have Instant Knowledge available in small doses, for use when absolutely required.
eLearning Is to learning what Kanban was to Manufacturing. eLearning has changed the outlook of people to training in the same vein as the “Just in Time” management philosophy has changed the outlook of people in manufacturing. eLearning has highlighted focused and timely teaching. .
From Competition to Unity
Prior to the widespread acceptability of eLearning as an accepted medium of instruction, there was an accepted view that learning was a group activity. One learned as much as from the “instructor” as much as one learned from the participating students. eLearning brought about an individualistic approach to learning and hence was considered “competition” to the traditional form of classroom learning.
In the last couple of years eLearning has gained widespread acceptance and there is a greater level of comfort to eLearning. The focus has now been to take the best of both in the form of a mixed platform of “blended learning”. In essence, a mix of the self paced learning philosophy of “E-Learning” and the interactive approach of a classroom session.
The blended learning model typically approaches learning by focusing on the use of eLearning content prior to the classroom session. .
How many people can use the Help features in a Software tool?
However, as in all great concepts the problems lie in the implementation. The problem in this blended approach is that most users do not adequately utilize e-Learning material before attending rapid fire training classes. Their awareness level is the same even after using eLearning material. To understand this, one must realize most people cannot use the power of electronic gadgets. After all how many users of “Windows” actually know anything beyond the basic commands, or how many users of mobile phones, PDA’s , can really use the power available at their finger tips? The solution lies in the understanding that the use of e-Learning itself is best when there is prior human interaction, bringing about awareness of goals, and instructions on the use of the medium. The full power of e-learning devices has to be explained.
Bring about e-Learning with the right “human” touch.
So if you do not explain the power of e-Learning and its use, you would be doomed to failure. My strong suggestion, use e-Learning rightly in the right manner with the right instructions.
“If we don’t fly that helicopter, we are going to die”. Urgency, need, and desperation are some of the emotions that came about when Keanu Reaves and his companion had to learn how to fly a helicopter in the film “The Matrix”. What happens next, instant pilot awareness from a computer program.
The solution is instant education transmitted through computers. The spectacular image has opened the concept of eLearning to many a corporate.
Why not Instant Knowledge?
Technology has brought with it, greater speed, greater reach, and the ability to do everything “out of a box”. Instant food packets only need to be opened for you to have food that is ready to eat. In fact there are packets of food that heat up when opened! So why not have Instant Knowledge available in small doses, for use when absolutely required.
eLearning Is to learning what Kanban was to Manufacturing. eLearning has changed the outlook of people to training in the same vein as the “Just in Time” management philosophy has changed the outlook of people in manufacturing. eLearning has highlighted focused and timely teaching. .
From Competition to Unity
Prior to the widespread acceptability of eLearning as an accepted medium of instruction, there was an accepted view that learning was a group activity. One learned as much as from the “instructor” as much as one learned from the participating students. eLearning brought about an individualistic approach to learning and hence was considered “competition” to the traditional form of classroom learning.
In the last couple of years eLearning has gained widespread acceptance and there is a greater level of comfort to eLearning. The focus has now been to take the best of both in the form of a mixed platform of “blended learning”. In essence, a mix of the self paced learning philosophy of “E-Learning” and the interactive approach of a classroom session.
The blended learning model typically approaches learning by focusing on the use of eLearning content prior to the classroom session. .
How many people can use the Help features in a Software tool?
However, as in all great concepts the problems lie in the implementation. The problem in this blended approach is that most users do not adequately utilize e-Learning material before attending rapid fire training classes. Their awareness level is the same even after using eLearning material. To understand this, one must realize most people cannot use the power of electronic gadgets. After all how many users of “Windows” actually know anything beyond the basic commands, or how many users of mobile phones, PDA’s , can really use the power available at their finger tips? The solution lies in the understanding that the use of e-Learning itself is best when there is prior human interaction, bringing about awareness of goals, and instructions on the use of the medium. The full power of e-learning devices has to be explained.
Bring about e-Learning with the right “human” touch.
So if you do not explain the power of e-Learning and its use, you would be doomed to failure. My strong suggestion, use e-Learning rightly in the right manner with the right instructions.
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