Innovator Interview: Will eLearning Replace Instructor-Led Training?
Will eLearning eventually replace in-person training?
It's a sensitive topic, isn't it? We trainers are always looking for the latest trends in learning technology, and what they mean to the industry as a whole. In this week's Q&A, we sit down with Steve Gluckman of LawFirmElearning, who gives us his forecast of industry trends and their impact, along with best practices for "getting e-learning right" the first time.
This interview is one of four posts showcasing the speakers of L.A. Learn Tech 2015. (Here is the first interview on cmi5.) Check out the conference sessions and register now!
Q: Your company does a lot of work in the legal industry, which demands a high degree of perfection. What strategies have you developed to understand customer needs and provide a tailored product?
A: One thing I learned early on is that there’s no one solution or approach that will work everywhere. Organizations (and even groups within a single organization) have different cultures, requirements and expectations. So whether we’re catering to multiple user groups within an organization or creating solutions for their external clients, it is important to learn as much as we can about the client and audience before we start development.
And you’re right about the high degree of perfection. We work with a lot of lawyers who are known for their eye for detail. And with some of these high-stakes topics, it is critical that the learning be not only 100% accurate but also well organized and as easy to understand as possible. Over the years we’ve learned the value of both a robust planning process and a robust quality review process.
In addition to the detailed planning and reviews to ensure the content is all accurate and well organized on the front end of the process, we have a robust multi-tiered review process on the back end as well. For example, it’s important that the developer(s) review their entire module before turning over to our QA team. The QA reviewers then examine the module to ensure that all aspects are working as designed and have no errors, omissions or typos. Finally, our reviewers make sure that the module meets learning objectives and is consistent in look, feel and approach to other resources developed for that same client.
While it may appear that this multi-step review adds to the overall project timeline, my experience is that it will actually SAVE time in the long run by reducing the amount of back-and-forth required.
Q: Some companies are afraid to rely heavily on e-learning courses, because they offer a different experience from instructor-led courses. How do you respond to that?
A: I’m obviously a huge proponent of e-learning, but I don’t think online learning should ever replace live in-person training. Online learning is simply another tool in the learning and development toolbox. I think online learning is at its most effective when it’s offered as part of a “blended learning” solution in concert with other learning methods and resources.
For example, one of our law firm clients recently created an “E-Discovery Basics” learning series for associates across their firm. The series was divided into four parts. The firm decided to offer the first three segments in a self-paced, online format. Associates were expected to complete the modules on their own by a certain date. The modules also included some exercises and scenarios that the associates had to respond to. The fourth session was held live, with all associates coming together in a room with the presenters. This served as the capstone session of the series and provided a forum for the associates to discuss what they had learned, to pose questions, to work with each other, and to explore the remaining topics with the presenting partners.
I don’t think any single e-learning program should attempt to mimic the live classroom experience. Instead, I prefer to see a comprehensive approach to programming that includes instructor-led classroom training as well as asynchronous self-paced online learning resources.
Q: What future trends do you anticipate in the e-learning industry?
A: Great question. I think about this a lot. The first thing I can say without any hesitation is that everything will be mobile – and soon. Any learning or knowledge sharing resources that an organization offers, regardless of format, will need to be accessible remotely from hand-held devices.
I also anticipate that the current move toward more targeted and modular online learning will continue. That is, rather than implementing a 75-minute program on a certain topic, we’ll see a series of stand-alone modules that address small, discrete pieces of a topic. We’ve seen a big shift to this approach in the past 18 months or so and I expect that trend to continue and accelerate.
Finally, while I’m not a huge fan of the term “gamification,” I do anticipate that we will see more and more organizations moving to scenario-based learning. Think “apprenticeship meets virtual worlds and gaming.” Basically, a learner will interface with virtual clients, teammates, and others as they address a true-to-life work scenario. They will respond to events and then navigate and address the consequences of those actions all while trying to meet the original goal. Think “corporate flight simulator”: an environment where the learner can put into practice what they’ve learned and a safe place to experiment and make mistakes. We’ve started playing around with this concept here a bit and I’m excited about where this is all heading.
I am pleased to read that you don't see e-learning totally replacing face to face learning. I find the e-learning useful, but would hate to lose the face to face contact with my learners as it builds confidence and trust, which is important, especially in the training I do with carers and managers. E-learning is a great management tool though as it makes it easier to produce reports and track learner journeys. The 'gamification' sounds interesting...
I like the translation of "Gamification" into "scenario-based learning...[where] a learner will interface with virtual clients, teammates, and others to address a true-to-life scenario. They will respond to events, navigate and address the consequences of their actions while meeting the goal." Think “apprenticeship meets virtual worlds and gaming or corporate flight simulator."
Agreed - great interview. We're planning two upcoming online panel discussions for ATD Philadelphia around Micro-Learning and Gamification. I think there are still a lot of companies/organizations out there that are still hesitant to "play games" and don't have L&D teams with the leverage to dictate enough of the terms around a solution. I too would agree with the sentiment that e-learning should never replace ILT - enculturation, teaching new processes, bodies of knowledge, certain skills - leadership, mechanical, etc all need a human touch in them to make them realistic and effective
Great interview. Thank you and hope to see you at the summit