While many companies have been successful with training programs that involve eLearning development, there are still some organizations that prefer traditional classrooms. Custom training software offers many advantages over standard lessons, but there are a few elements of old-fashioned teaching that shouldn't be abandoned because another type is considered superior by some. Consequently, many businesses have discovered a blended custom training software program is often the most effective model.
This practice is supported by academic research at the University of Tennessee. Researchers from the school established that in addition to reducing overall training times, blended workplace training brought instructional costs down by 50 percent. At least 10 percent of companies that used blended models found their employees' test scores and performances improved significantly. Consider the following benefits to combining the use of eLearning development and standard classroom training.
Materials
A useful aspect of eLearning is it can easily replace standard training materials. Books will become much less important than before, but other tools such as blackboards, flash cards, notebooks and overhead projectors will be rendered obsolete when the right hardware and training software are used for lessons and classes. In addition to improving the learning experience, electronic devices will help to cut costs and keep training tools from becoming obsolete.
Demographics
Classes are often most successful when they're held in groups similar to one another. For instance, a lesson in remedial computer use won't be accessible for employees who don't have a background with PCs in the first place. Consequently, employers face the choice between disjointed classes full of pupils with different instructional needs or many small classes. With eLearning development techniques, companies can conduct some lessons in large groups and communicate other information with training programs when workers are split up.
Time constraints
It's difficult to get employees together for lessons when they're also needed in the workplace. Without some formal classes, personnel might not get the instruction they need to be successful. Let training sessions be held whenever they accommodate a company's schedule, and let the rest of the instruction be conducted with training software development.
Self-directed
A formal classroom setting can only be so successful when what's being taught is primarily going to be accomplished by individual workers. That's why traditional instruction should be interspersed with independent study and self-directed learning that is conducted through the use of custom training software.
Contact Christy Beiermann at cbeiermann@csesoftware.com or 309.670.7595 and ask for an eLearning demo today!
