Is E-Learning a Tool of the Present or a Fantasy for the Future?

Journal for Quality and Participation, The, Winter 2003 by Masie, Elliott

Are organizations really using e-learning or is this approach training vaporware? Elliott Masie, an expert in the field, shares his perspectives on where e-learning is, where it's going, and what it needs to get there.

This issue of The Journal for Quality and Participation focuses on new models for learning. No discussion on this topic is complete without input from Elliott Masie, an internationally recognized speaker, futurist, humorist, author, and consultant on the critical topics of technology, business, learning, and workplace productivity. The sidebars provide just a bit of information on Masie and his think tank, The MASIE Center.

Recognizing that most managers are intrigued by the concept of e-learning, we asked Masie to share his thoughts. This article provides three sections that should help you get a clearer understanding of the status and future of e-learning. First, Masie's article, "E-Learning Going Mainstream?" summarizes the trends and issues that existed in this arena at the end of 2001. He then reminds of the Center's predictions for e-learning that were issued shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks and during the initial phases of the U.S. economic downturn. Finally, he provides a few critical updates on what has transpired and what's projected for the future.

E-Learning Going Mainstream?

There is a moment in the evolution of a technology or methodology where it starts to go "mainstream." Prior to that moment, it is perceived as new, experimental, and different from the current practice and, therefore, is seen as "special" by organizations. E-mail, online transactions, the intranet, cellular/mobile telephones, and even the telephone each went through the journey from a new innovation to a mainstream corporate tool or process. So, where is e-learning on the road to mainstream?

The MASIE Center has conducted a wide range of interviews and studies to track the acceptance, integration, utilization, and perception of e-learning approaches in corporate cultures. Among the trends:

* Steadily increasing number of learners who are becoming familiar with e-learning through voluntary or assigned utilization of online learning.

* Steadily increasing demand for e-learning as the first option for learners who are given a range of training choices for a specific topic.

* Almost 97% of large organizations are proceeding with the deployment of e-learning projects.

* Significant numbers of organizations have adopted a learning strategy which contains an e-learning component, often calling for rapid growth of the percentage of training offered in nonclassroom mode.

* Throughout 2001, large numbers of CEOs pointed to e-learning as a corporate tool or weapon for speed to market and speed to change within their organizations. It is also being promoted by CEOs as a significant part of their e-business strategies.

* Globalization of learning has increased dramatically through e-learning. Organizations that had previously done the bulk of their training development on a country-by-country basis have shifted toward global development of e-learning, using the object nature of e-learning to provide multilanguage and localization support.

The data point to corporate acceptance growing in the e-learning arena, but for the most part, e-learning has been viewed as a "special" project. As it loses its "specialness," but keeps its importance, mainstreaming happens; however, there are a few significant hurdles to overcome on the way. The indicator of the "not-yet-mainstream" nature of e-learning is viewed by:

* Separate Sponsorship: E-learning is being developed, coordinated, and managed by a separate e-learning group. Often this group is quite separated from core training and development.

* Promotion by Delivery Systems: As e-learning (and its ancestor, computer-based training) were introduced, there was a tendency to promote them differently and separately. Often, a corporation would have its catalog of training divided into classroom sections and online sections. This gives a message to the user and their managers that e-learning is in a separate category.

* Separate Tracking: To date, a good percentage of learning management systems implementations have primarily focused on e-learning offerings.

While many systems now provide for tracking and management of classroom, as well as e-learning, the majority of implemented systems do not completely integrate the full range of learning activities.

* Separate Funding: The process for paying for e-learning activities is still quite different than for classroom training. In some instances, there is no departmental chargeback for e-learning or a quite different model for internal allocation of charges.

* Separate Metrics: The evaluation of e-learning is also often quite different from other types of training programs. It goes in both directions. Some organizations are holding e-learning up to much higher metrics, believing that online activities, being digital, should lead to more and easier to gather performance data. Other organizations are just focusing on learner acceptance and utilization, featuring completion rates as one of the primary indicators of success.