E-learning: what is it and what are its advantages?

E-learning has taken stronger because of all the technological advances that have been for some time now because it allows forming where we always find and when we have internet and technology.

Therefore, in this article, we will explain what e-learning is and what are the advantages it offers within a company. 

What is e-learning?

E-learning is the simplification of the English term electronic learning, which in Spanish means electronic learning.

All the technological evolution that has taken place over the last decade's transformed everything, including teaching, and one of those implementations was e-learning, which is a relatively recent method, but which has permeated significantly in the lives of many persons.

This learning process takes place thanks to the internet and the technological tools that exist. The model takes place in a virtual space, in which teachers make content available to students that can be accessed from any computer or mobile device.

Distance education is not only functional within educational institutions, but also within companies, as it allows employees to take training from wherever they are and advance at their own pace.

E-learning models

There are two e-learning models: synchronous and asynchronous.

In the synchronic, the experts and those who take the courses connect at the same time, as happens in face-to-face classes, through a video call or chat to be able to have the classes online.

In the asynchronous, the trainer or teacher prepares their class in advance and records it so that the student or collaborator has access to it whenever they want. In this model, there is no live interaction during the class, but it allows the person taking the classes or courses to have greater flexibility and to advance at their own pace, without pressure.

Characteristics of e-learning

Distance learning has attracted the attention of many organizations since e-learning came to modify the way in which training and business training of work teams are carried out.

Some of the characteristics of this teaching model are the following:

There are no time-space barriers

People have the ability to take a class or a course or training from the comfort of their home or at their workplace any day, any time. In this way, they can organize their time and dedicate themselves to these tasks when they are free to get the most out of it and get the best training.

Flexibility

E-learning allows you to use a great diversity of methods and resources depending on the objective of the course and the needs of those who will take it. This in order to facilitate their learning and make it much more meaningful and, therefore, obtain more and better results.

The roles change

The student becomes the center of the teaching-learning process and participates actively in the construction and acquisition of their knowledge. In addition, you have the ability and freedom to choose the training itinerary according to your interests and activities. The teacher, for his part, ceases to be a mere transmitter of knowledge to become a tutor who acts as a guide and guides the students to facilitate the training processes.

Constant comunication

Thanks to the tools included in some e-learning platforms, it is possible to establish different channels (such as forums, chats, email, among others) so that there is contact between those who teach the courses or classes and those who receive them.

This will help students not get lost during their training and have the backing and support of the expert on the subject, making the process much more fruitful. These are some of the most attractive and outstanding characteristics of e-learning, whatever its purpose (educational institution or companies). But in addition to all this, it offers some advantages depending on the environment in which it is used.

In this article, for practical purposes, we will focus on the advantages it provides in the corporate sphere for the creation and implementation of training within a company.

Advantages of e-learning for companies

E-learning puts many tools at the service of organizations to encourage their collaborators to continue developing and growing in the professional field, acquiring more knowledge.

Some of the most important advantages are:

Cost savings

Face-to-face training requires adequate spaces such as meeting rooms or auditoriums, and if you do not have them, it will be necessary to rent facilities. In addition, there must be an organization so that all participants are present in the same place at the same time, which can be complicated due to the tasks or activities that each one has. Reaching an agreement could take significant time.

Availability

One of the best practices within any company is to have some of the most important training available so that they can be taken at the time it is required. To guarantee the success of this educational format, it is important to align the courses offered with the objectives of the organization and of the work teams themselves. In this way, they will be clear about why they have to do such training, which will increase their level of commitment to it.

Talent retention

Training usually works as a motivator for the employees of an organization. Having the same routine, doing the same activities for a long time, and feeling that we are stagnant and that we cannot grow is one of the reasons why a company tends to lose staff. E-learning can work perfectly to avoid this situation since it will make employees feel valued and they will have the opportunity to continue growing at a professional level.

Organization transformation

Online learning can help achieve a transformation within any company, as it allows people to have interact with other participants, fostering a better relationship and a culture of continuous learning. All you need is to adopt a good strategy and use resources that allow you to create an optimal space for the exchange of knowledge and experiences between collaborators. To achieve good results, it is necessary to take into account some aspects when launching corporate e-learning.

How to implement e-learning successfully within a company?

Training within companies, as we have seen, is important, but for it to be carried out correctly, the following must be fulfilled:

• Collaborative processes: this will allow the learning to be much more complete and enriching, at the same time that it will promote and reinforce the relationship between the different departments and work teams.
• Experience-based learning: This type of learning promotes skills that are related to problem-solving, autonomous learning, and the ability to make decisions and analyze the impact, which is why it is of great value within any company.
• Appropriate tools: to achieve that e-learning training reaches its objective, it is necessary to provide what is necessary for the collaborators, such as an optimal platform, blogs, intranet, among others.
• Value the initiatives: if a work team or collaborate shows a great interest in learning new things and improving their work performance, it would be quite significant to reward or recognize this initiative, since it will encourage them throughout the process and better results will be obtained.

E-learning can be a great tool, take advantage of it!

E-learning plays a decisive role in education and business, but in order to get the most out of it, it is essential that training is given jointly in order to share experiences and enrich the teaching-learning processes.

Do not allow each one to carry out their process in a totally independent way without having a guide available to monitor their progress; otherwise, it is very likely that you will not get the benefits you were looking for. Remember that when employees receive better training, their commitment is transferred to the rest of their work activities. Therefore, the return of the company can be one of the greatest advantages of the implementation of corporate e-learning.