E Education

1. How to Motivate and Monitor Distance Learners

RRC Business Training has long advocated that not only is distance learning the best method of study in terms of time-saving and value for money and by providing many people with a chance to attain qualifications and skills they might otherwise not have because of work or family constraints - but also because the achievements tend to be greater for those who persevere.

That open or distance learning is increasingly perceived as a more enjoyable and beneficial means of study is supported by an Attitudes to Learning Survey (MORI 1998) which found that around half of adults prefer to learn new skills on their own and almost three quarters (72%) prefer to learn from books or written materials compared to 42% who prefer to attend lectures.

There is an argument that distance learning does not suit everyone but RRC have addressed the biggest criticism levelled at distance learning –that it can pose problems for those with a lack of self-motivation.

Our experience shows that everyone undertaking training benefits from one-to-one tutorial support to help to motivate them, which is why we offer our participants the back-up of being able to pick up a phone at any time to talk to a personal tutor. Email is also a huge step forward in addessing this issue – as it allows much quicker communication and allows distance learners to feel far less isolated.

It is also crucial that trainers ensure potential students are matched to courses to which they are most suited and that training programmes are not viewed as ‘off the shelf’ products but can be adapted to suit an individual’s lifestyle, needs and abilities. This is the main reason why RRC offer a 30 day money back guarantee to those enrolling for a course. This enables participants to both make sure that the course materials and content are what they want and that they are prepared to commit themselves to it.

RRC Business Training also believes that lack of technological know-how does not have to be a barrier to multimedia training. Even those with little or no experience of IT can learn on a programme that has been designed by people who understand how to train people. Simply not taking anything for granted and not assuming that users are familiar with even the basics of IT, such as closing a window or operating a mouse, can make multimedia training accessible to those who would not normally be able to cope with it.

This principle touches on a wider problem of multimedia training which affects people who have a good understanding of IT. It is all too easy for the technology to get in the way of training so that participants end up concentrating more on that than on what they are supposed to be learning. It is essential that the vital elements are not overlooked in favour of glitzy graphics and technological wizardry.

Another issue with multimedia training is that students must not lose the ability to sit down and write an essay which they will be required to do in exams. Though course work can be submitted by email students should be required to submit some work in writing as practice for examinations.

2. Techniques, technologies and tips for managing e-education

Virtual Common Room

When we asked our distance learning students for feedback, one of the main issues they raised was a wish to communicate with tutors and fellow students on neutral ground. The biggest problem for distance learners is isolation or inability to share training experiences with other students and have discussions with tutors. However, the other side of the coin is that many distance learners chose this method because it offers a degree of privacy not available with other methods of study. Internet ‘chat room’ communication provides a solution that meets both these needs.

The next step from the virtual common room is virtual tutorials and virtual lecture suites: Real time on-line lectures – with set times for participants to tune in. Times could also be arranged for students to go on-line to talk directly to tutors.

Round the Clock and Round the World

The Interent also, of course, enables assignments to be submitted electronically, allowing faster response times.

Another significant reason distance learners chose this method is that they live or work in remote regions of the world and the Bulletin Board therefore offers them a way to communicate with fellow students as never before - even different time zones are not a problem. They can send and receive messages whenever and from wherever they choose.

Internet based study also makes it much easier for people overseas to study in general. Not only can they join in with discussions but expensive postage costs are avoided as both material and assignments can be sent via the web.

Tutors should be available by email or you could even provide duty tutors so that students will be guaranteed instant communication at any time of the day, or night, no matter wherever they are in the world.

As with traditional methods of study, if a student asks a question or raises an issue that is of interest to others, then the answer can be made available to everyone by posting it on the web site too.

3. Comments, views, ideas and advice, with hints and tips for managers setting up e-education

E education brings significant advantages. Information and course material can be kept completely current, response times can be speeded up – we would recommend a facility that allows students to communicate with each other, and with tutors, via a Bulletin Board or virtual common room.

Web-based training offers more diverse interaction which benefits the majority of the distance learning student base.

Keeping things Current

Another major advantage with E-training is that it allows information to be kept right up to date.

With many subjects in business training, legislation and accepted practices are constantly changing, new laws are introduced and current events produce new opinions and revised practical guidelines. It has been our experience that, ideally, students should be given an update on a monthly basis but even this is not adequate. Effective dates for new statutes coming into force are sometimes uncertain, and issues may be altered right up to the last minute. But it is crucial to keep information current. Those undertaking health and safety training are typically already working in a health and safety related environment and new information is therefore vital in order for them to meet responsibilities in their day to day work. It’s just not acceptable for study materials and backup information to be even a matter of days out of date. Hardcopy publishing is a drawn-out procedure. It is clearly far more efficient to post new information on the site where it is instantly accessible to everyone, than having it typed, laid out, printed and then mailed. Students using the web site can be assured that all course material will always be current.

The Structure

Web sites should be laid out for ease of use, by looking at what is done on paper, successfully and to the satisfaction of students, and transposing it onto to the site.

Fallaize, who instigated RRC Business Training’s ‘Fire Safety’ CD-Rom which was last year nominated for a BIMA Award for its combination of advanced technology and sound instructional value, believes this is a very important issue:

A great problem with Internet and multimedia training in general is that it can all too easily become a case of medium over content. It is crucial that trainers do not go down the road of multimedia for multimedia’s sake and that technology based training is first and foremost based on high quality educational content.

Web sites could allow potential students to find out about products on offer and enroll on line. Course material can be password protected with all current students given immediate access. Simple to use but sophisticated search abilities mean that key topics can be quickly and easily located. The material could be transposed to an intranet to cut telecoms costs if larger companies have several staff who want to study via the site.

Editorial Quality Crucial

There is a real danger in multimedia for multimedia’s sake and it is crucial that technology based training is first and foremost based on high quality educational content. The market is being flooded with products which though they may be colourful are produced by companies whose primary expertise lies in technology rather than in how to train people. There is no doubt that multimedia is an excellent training medium, with interactive activities and visuals helping to both improve the retention of information and simplify concepts but it is not appropriate for every area of learning or for everybody. The best training programmes often take a more integrated approach by combining multimedia with paper-based material and one-to-one tutorial support.

E-learning ideal for Life Long Learning

It seems inevitable that in the future more and more people will either choose or will need to use distance learning to obtain new skills and qualifications. With the Government placing great emphasis on the concept of Lifelong-Learning, which puts the onus of obtaining the necessary skills firmly on the shoulders of the individual, and in an increasingly competitive market place in which time and training budgets are limited but on-going skills development of the workforce is vital in order for companies to remain competitive, distance provides an ideal solution for both employers and employees. It is also perfectly suited to the multimedia training platforms which look set to dominate the training market of the future.

With a ‘job for life’ now a thing of the past and the employment market moving more and more towards contract and freelance work, it is important for people to constantly re-train to keep them selves up-to-date and maintain or improve their employability. Distance learning, which can be adapted to fit into their lifestyle, means that they can do this without taking time out from work to study. It is never to late to train and, as our passrate shows, success in gaining new qualifications does not have to come at a cost of putting your life on hold.

Details of person attributed

Gary Fallaize, Managing Director of RRC Business Training

  • RRC Business Training is one of the UK’s leading business training providers, specialising in distance learning, open learning programmes and in-company training. For details about RRC Business Training’s courses for business skills and qualifications, phone: 0208 944 3100
  • Web site: rrc.co.uk
  • RRC Business Training produced the interactive ‘Fire Safety’ programme which was nominated for a BIMA award for its combination of state of the art imagery and sound instructional value
  • In key business qualifications, RRC Business Training’s students, who study by distance learning, achieve a consistently better pass rate - in some cases as much as 50% higher - than the nationwide average.