99% of people believe that classroom-based learning is the most effective form of training!
Here at Silicon Beach we’ve long championed the benefits of face-to-face learning but clearly it’s not just us that think this way. We’ve been running a survey all about training and were surprised to discover just how popular face-to-face learning is compared to its online equivalent.
Our survey is still open if you want to have your say. Take the survey now for a chance to win £1000 worth of training.
The Proof
When asked to make a multiple choice about which types of training they believed to be most effective, 342 out of 344 of respondents in our survey said face-to-face/classroom-based (that’s 99%!), while only 92 out of 344 said online-based (26%).
It’s clear then that whilst E-learning can sometimes be a solution, face-to-face is almost always preferred!
So why is this?
In recent years, E-Learning has become a popular solution for business training needs, with managers often citing lower costs as a the main benefit. The thing is, there are still plenty of things that E-Learning can’t provide that face-to-face training can.
On our Train the Trainer Course we always explain why classroom-based learning is better for both learners and trainers, as opposed to online solutions.
In this post I’m going to outline these factors in detail and perhaps give some insight into why so many people believe in the power of face-to-face training.
E-learning isn’t Always Cost-Effective
As mentioned before, the most often quoted reason for choosing E-learning is perceived cost. Many think that up front costs, travel and time-off work make physical training too expensive. In reality, this is a misconception.
For the majority of businesses, their training requirements will mean a tailored e-learning package (as shown in our survey). This requires consultation with trainers, software developers and managers to make sure the final product is just right and costs soon add up.
While for individuals and small businesses the cost of e-learning can seem attractive, face-to-face training offers benefits that can’t always be measured in an initial cost analysis.
The qualitative benefits of classroom training can’t necessarily be pinned down in terms of cost, but certainly when you factor in the interaction with an expert, better recall of information, continued support and generally more detailed and higher level training material, the investment is beginning to look less daunting.
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More Interactive
More InteractiveOne of the negatives of online learning is the lack of interaction between learners and trainers and between learners themselves.
In a classroom environment you can discuss things with the trainer without having to ‘queue’ or talk to peers for their input on the material.
We keep our class sizes down so that everyone gets individual attention from the trainer when they need it. Nobody gets left behind and nobody feels like the course is going at a snail’s pace.
Overall this leads to a more well-rounded training experience in which delegates can gain an in-depth understanding of the course from various angles.
More Intensive=Better Quality
E-Learning is often conducted in short bursts, supposedly to prevent full days being lost at work.
The problem with this approach is that such short sessions can easily lapse into time wasted: by the time you’ve ‘warmed up’ it’s time to finish and you spend each session trying to remember the last one.
Classroom learning avoids this issue.
With intensive sessions there is more time to get into the material and really spend time understanding each aspect fully.
With suitable time for breaks, our minds are better suited to learning in this way and so it equals better recall and therefore usefulness of training overall.
Better Experience
What would you prefer – having to log in to a site each day for half an hour, interrupting your workflow every day for weeks or even months?
Or spend a day or two out of the office, in a nice environment (like our great Brighton-based classrooms!) and get to really immerse yourself in the course, focussing solely on the training without other work-related distractions?
It seems obvious really doesn’t it, but it’s an important consideration.
Employees that enjoy their training experience are more likely to make practical use of it and remember the information they’ve learnt. Isn’t that the most important reason for training in the first place?
We recognise that in some cases e-learning is a necessity due to scale, but as shown by our survey – it’s not what people want – and so it’s always important to carry out Training Needs Analysis to make sure you have the right programme in place.
The post Why E-Learning Still Can’t Beat Face-to-Face Training appeared first on Silicon Beach Training Blog.
