Enabling learning
There has been so much hype on the impacts of FINTECH on the financial services industry that most industry experts agree that it is hard to ignore the possible business disruptions. Concerned over the possible loss of business opportunities, leading banks have already taken the appropriate actions.
On line learning on the other hand, is not new to the market. It is not also spared from possible technology disruptions.
It was first introduced way back in the seventies in the United States. University of Pheonix offered its on line courses allowing flexibility to working adults to pursue higher education back in 1976. Around the same time, Open University was established, replacing the distant learning with interactive experiences through internet.
According to Financial Times a higher proportion of the populations in emerging nations are making use of technology for upskilling or training purposes. In China alone there has been a proliferation of fast growing digital education companies providing on line tuition.
Recent surveys predict that half of all higher education students will have experienced on line learning by 2018. Demand for on line learning will continue to grow based on greater acceptance of its flexibility and cost efficiency.
E learning started in the early seventies. Today, web based technologies are widely used in both teaching and learning in all universities. Evidently for many years now the surge in the of ICT to enable learning. One example is the establishment of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) which changed the way higher education is practised. Several universities have already embarked on this platform, as there was a strong belief that large scale MOOCS will significantly alter the landscape of the education.
No one will dispute that on-line education is now part of mainstream learning, and the way students study and prepare for assignment and examinations. By allowing greater access and convenience, it should spur greater demand especially for working adults. Quite naturally, corporations for the past decade have spent much on learning management system.
Interestingly, Josh Bersin in his recent article on the disruption of digital learning shared a few trends that needs many to re-think the way learning is being managed. For example, he wrote that the traditional learning management system is no longer the centre of corporate learning because in today’s context, the LMS is more of a compliance management system serving as a platform for training records, and to fulfil regulatory requirements. Instead there are more flexible systems to track, monitor and efficient way to manage learning.
The impacts of technology are starting to take place with the entry of Microsoft, Google Hangouts and Google Drive each having a flexible platform to share digital content and experience etc. While instructional content remains a key learning factor, “micro-learning,” on how we can quickly read, view, or consume and they only take 10 minutes or less.
In today’s digital age, it is no surprise to hear the growing popularity to an extent that experts believe that online learning is even more effective than the traditional classroom training.
But as the economy continues to shift towards more intangible, knowledge based sectors and one of the consequences is that roles will require higher knowledge inputs including know-how and education and the application or interpretation skills have become critical factors to sustain competitiveness.
There are challenges. For on line learning to be available, access to internet is a must, and given the inadequacy of digital infrastructures in remote parts of the country access remains a challenge. Equally important is the adaptability of learning styles towards on line, as learning in isolation may not be practical for a working adult.
There is a general agreement that e-learning technologies will continue to evolve, more accessible and cheaper the applications will become more interactive through mobile devices, empowering the younger workforce to construct their own meaning and digital identity.
The traditional classroom teaching has not disappeared. Mentoring and coaching become even more relevant and necessary as shifts in job roles and business models will require greater collaboration, participation and interactivity.
As technology disruptions in learning shape the way we do things, such developments only provide opportunity to improve learning and become relevant. There is no doubt such disruptions have given the unprecedented opportunity but more importantly a proposition to bridge the social divide.
