eLearning is a popular way to train employees. Understanding how people process information will allow you to create effective learning programs using electronic means.

PowerPoint, synchronous and asynchronous online classes, and videos are common forms of eLearning. These methods have been proven to communicate information in a consistent and efficient manner.

An eLearning Course Can be Prepared to Suit the Audience's Learning Style & Preferences

There are three ways of learning something:

• Visually - Understanding information when seeing images, diagrams, charts, demonstrations, etc.
• Aurally - Understanding information when it is explained in detail through active listening
• Tactilely and kinesthetically - Understanding information when the student tries it himself, hands-on fashion.

Training consultants can develop eLearning courses for people who learn using any of the above three methods.

If a group of employees are prefer visuals to learn, using an eLarning tool such as SHIFT is a fantastic way to make sure employees are grasping what you are trying to convey to them in an interactive and graphic way. When they are taken through HotSpot interactions, a set of images, with some explanation, they will grasp the concepts more easily.

If a group is mostly comprised learners that enjoy learning through audio, concepts and procedures shown on visual aids can include longer explanations. These learners understand when they hear new information explained in great detail.

If a group includes tactile learners, action steps can be included in the eLearning experience. Try stopping the course and conduct a role play with the group so they can apply the actual concepts instead of just hearing about them.

A good example of tactile learning is incorporated into the American Heart Association's CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course. A single aspect of the CPR process is fully explained in a video. The video is then stopped at a designated point, and students practice that particular step on manikins. Instructors can quickly spot students who are having trouble and correct the problem before moving on to the next concept.

Specializing different training courses to unique learning styles allows the training to become standardized across the company while still being tailored to the needs of the employees. eLearning courses such as these allow for more streamlined learning without trying to make a one-size-fits-all program that’s ultimately ineffective.

The Brain Likes the Material to be Organized

Whether a person is a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner, the brain prefers information in a hierarchical fashion. A disorganized or illogical course structure is a hindrance to learning and wastes valuable production time.

Good eLearning courses are organized logically and appropiately to eliminate all extraneous information. A good training consultant will review the material repeatedly to be sure that only what is necessary to teach is included.

E-learning Provides Consistency

With eLearning programs, an instructional program can be developed once and the administrator knows that it will be taught the same way every time. There is no fear that a new instructor will leave something out or explain it incorrectly. Once a presentation or online class is developed, each set of learners will get the complete and thorough program presented in the proper order.

eLearning Provides for Review and Pace

If an elearner has difficulty understanding a particular point the first time, eLearning allows him or her to replay and review that section until the concept is understood. Sometimes all that’s needed is a second or third viewing instead of finding new ways to present the information.

If the program includes hands-on instructions, the video can be stopped until the learner completes a step correctly and then the course can be resumed. In other words, the tactile aspect of the learning experience can be taken at the pace required for optimal learning for each individual or group of students.

eLearning Provides for Customization

Suppose a business owner wants their employees to learn a certain difficult but vital skill. The first time the employees are exposed to this information, the eLearning experience will have lengthy descriptions.

Months later, when the employer feels that a review is necessary, the eLearning course can be abbreviated to just include a review of the steps without the lengthy explanation they received when they were first introduced to the concept.

The shorter review course allows employees to return to productive work sooner and to avoid unnecessary boredom.

If the business owner decides that a task's procedure needs to be changed, just that portion of the eLearning course can be altered. This cuts down on costly training time.

So as you can see, eLearning is an excellent way to teach employees new tasks or concepts:

• eLearning can peak the learners' interest to learn the material
• Can be presented in a way to speak to students' style of learning
• Thorough and consistent
• Can be modified if concepts or tasks change
• Can be organized properly by training consultant
• Can be presented to the students' optimal pace
• Difficult sections can be reviewed until full understanding is reached
• Review sessions of material are simplified

If you believe that eLearning may help you with your employee training needs, call a company with training consultants today to learn more about how they can develop a course that will be perfect for your company.