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Top Six Misconceptions About Online Training

When you think about corporate training in particular online training, do images of a conference room with an instructor clicking on Powerpoint slides pass through your mind? Is the thought of training to upskill daunting to you? Classroom training was once a task you couldn’t avoid, no matter how much you wanted to. With the physical presence of a trainer and the absence of any way to ‘rewind’ a class, learning new skills and keeping up with corporate trends seemed like a throwback to the days of lectures and chalkboards.

Training has reached a new level thanks to e-learning, and employees can now earn certifications in creative and innovative ways. Yet, there is still misguided apprehension when it comes to participating in any method of learning, even one that has come such a long way from its initial application.

Today, we’re going to be counting down the most common misconceptions about online training and what people really need to know about it.

6. Only tech-savvy people can benefit from online training

A common misconception that some may have about online training is that they have to be tech-savvy. Their worry is that if they aren’t, it will be a time-consuming task to learn how to navigate a course before actually studying anything.

The truth is, e-learning courses are designed by instructional designers, or ‘IDs’, to be intuitive, and usually, as long as you know how to click with your mouse, you’ll be able to direct yourself through a course quite effortlessly. The ID’s responsibility is to design a course that is challenging and stimulating while also being painless to steer through. The experience should benefit the learner and not be a hindrance.

Thanks to the use of learning management systems (LMS), you can find everything you need in one location. Learners can access all course materials, such as documents, video lectures, practice exams, course syllabi, and announcements, without needing advanced technical skills.

Online training is developed for you to be able to focus purely on learning concepts and grasping information and ideas with ease – not to stress about how you’re going to get from one module to another. If you face any problems or issues, you can also turn to your training provider’s dedicated support team.

5. Online courses are easier

The myth of online training being easier than standard ways of learning is one that may frequently come to mind, but that couldn’t be more off mark. One of the reasons for this is that online learning requires a lot of self-motivation. Learners have to find ways to work independently and discipline themselves to set aside time to get the most from a course. For those who find this a daunting exercise, a lot can be gained once they establish this as a new daily habit, and the resulting discipline could even extend to other areas of their everyday life.

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Another reason e-learning isn’t plain sailing is that the best training providers put courses on the market only when they’ve been fully accredited. These courses must meet the standards of certification providers, so learners can expect the same strict curriculum they would find in traditional training. There are also exercises and checks to see that students are retaining the information, and there are still opportunities to fail.

4. Online courses don’t offer the same level of quality

Online courses not offering the same level of quality is an easy assumption to make. Some learners may worry that the expertise involved won’t match that of standard instructor-led courses. However, online training has come a long way, and with such a growing market, only top-quality course providers will survive.

To be the best course provider means that all courses in your portfolio meet the requirements for certification exams – that is, they are fully accredited by the certification providers themselves. Courses are assessed carefully to ensure quality. Also, the input of experts in the field ensures the material is current and relevant to the needs of the learner. Providers like Good e-Learning also utilize real-world scenarios where the student must adapt and apply methodologies rather than simply regurgitating information. This, in turn, can aid students in understanding how to use these concepts in their daily roles within a company.

Finally, it is worth remembering that, just like any other digital service, e-learning courses are often reviewed by customers. Checking feedback on websites like Trustpilot is a great way to assess the quality of a course before you buy.

3. Online learning is time-consuming

If you were to attend traditional classroom training in a new location, how much time would be spent on getting ready, travelling, or having to take a lunch break when you’d rather just continue with the class? In short, it’s easy to see how online courses can actually save time rather than demand more of it.

E-learning offers the opportunity to learn when and where you want, including how much and how little at any one time. Its accessibility also allows for flexible time management, which can make it easier for students to absorb what they’re learning.

It’s also worth mentioning that by training online, you can bypass activities and content that don’t have any bearing on the role you play in the office. E-learning offers you the core materials in a bite-sized format that eliminates any unnecessary and irrelevant content. Learners are only given the information that they need to know, cutting down on their study time considerably.

2. Online training is nothing but ‘self-study’

When the term ‘online training’ is brought up, you might imagine PowerPoint slides with a robotic voiceover narrating a lesson or the constant downloading of textbook-style materials. The thought of learning new methodologies in this way may be daunting, as getting your head around complex ideas can be difficult with nothing but self-study.

Good training providers will make your experience challenging, offering a combination of videos, knowledge checks, and real-world situations to help you gain an organic and practical understanding of the material. Online training is designed to engage and encourage the learner with interactive content and questions to push you further in your understanding.

You can also get support if you have questions regarding any material you may be struggling with. Some providers may offer tutors who are available to guide you in the right direction and online forums for learners to exchange ideas.

1. Employers are not impressed by certifications earned online

As already stated, online learning is a far cry from what it once was, and now, digital and IT is as much a part of our lives as any other everyday necessity. In the beginning, e-learning wasn’t taken seriously by businesses, and online training-based certifications seemed to be just pieces of paper that anybody could print off.

Luckily, this isn’t the case anymore. Online training’s visibility is rising at an amazing pace, and many employers see this as the most viable way for their staff to develop their qualifications. Topics such as ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 are also well known to corporations across multiple locations, sectors, and industries, and having respectable certifications under your belt is an easy way to stand out.

It has to be mentioned that 2020 brought unexpected challenges in the face of COVID-19. With a large portion of the workforce working from home, the ways in which teams have adjusted to collaborating remotely and acclimated to perform their roles have been unprecedented. So, too, has online training.

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Due to the digital acceleration brought on by COVID-19, learning providers globally have started delivering courses in different formats, such as virtual training and blended or self-paced learning. Employers can see the value and advantages of online training and how much it can provide in terms of upskilling their employees and creating more knowledgeable teams.

Conclusion

There will always be a place for traditional classroom and onsite training. Online learning, however, is quickly becoming the norm, and with this comes new ways and methods of teaching that are more exciting, effective, and creative. The misconceptions of e-learning stem from its introduction, back when it was just a way of giving information on a subject without much thought of how it was being delivered. Today, it’s a very different story. Online training offers fresh and innovative approaches to learning in a way that’s more accessible and efficient than traditional learning. It has progressed to reflect the times we live in and fits in perfectly with where we find ourselves today.