How times change! In the early years of eLearning - say 15 years ago - there were lots of surveys that purported to show that any form of eLearning was far more effective as a learning medium than ILT. Of course, sanity soon prevailed and people from all sectors of the 'human resources development' sector realised that not only was this not true for everyone all of the time but - rather - that eLearning is an important adjunct to the trainer's armoury. It should be used appropriately, not as a cure-all.

The thing that is shocking about SkillSoft's survey is the news that eLearning is 'just as effective' as ILT.

Is the technology-delivered learning industry suffering from a dose of modesty? Or, in these days of political correctness where everyone - and, perhaps, every thing - is supposed to equally equal, is this merely an attempt to show how equal and, thus, politically correct eLearning is?

If so, should we settle for this? Is expressing 'equality' merely another way of confirming middle of the road, mediocrity in learning effectiveness as far as eLearning is concerned?

Perhaps this survey really reveals that the technology used to deliver learning - ILT, eLearning, virtual classrooms and so on - is agnostic in terms of its effectiveness. The real test of learning effectiveness is how the material being taught - by an instructor face-to-face; via self discovery through eLearning, or whatever - engages the learner.

Perhaps it's time for instructional design (ID) to break the shackles of a pre-occupation with delivery technology among buyers of learning materials that have held ID back for so many years.



For over 20 years, Bob Little has specialised in writing about, and commentating on, corporate learning - especially elearning - and technology-related subjects. His work has been published in the UK, Continental Europe, the USA and Australia.
You can contact Bob.