Use of the Internet in e-learning

Focusing on the use of the Internet in e-learning, three primary uses have emerged:

1. Non Academic/Corporate

Both small and large businesses are increasingly using e-learning for initial and updating staff training. Both external resources and in house programmes developed on company intranets are used.

Benefits                                              

• Information (such as health and safety) can be kept current by updating the intranet site. Staff can be instructed to update their training as and when the information is updated; with out the need to organize trainers and courses, and find the time for staff to attend them. This is seen as the best way for staff to keep their skills up to date.
• Enables 'just in time' learning. When employees face new challenges in their day-to-day work, they can immediately access a central training resource to equip them to deal with it, on a situation by situation basis.
• Staff can train as and when they want to, and can break the course up into section as they see fit (removing the problem of concentration loss).
• Money is saved by reducing the need to book venues and trainers. Staff are released from their desks for a minimum amount of time.

Problems

Staff are resentful, as they feel obliged / are encouraged to do the training in their own time i.e. during their lunch break, or before / after work; instead of being given time off to do it

• It may be difficult to gage whether or not staff are actually completing the training fully / benefiting from it as much as they would from a classroom based training session.
• Staff may need support to use the technology.
• Online resources take time and money to set up and require ongoing maintenance and support.