E-Learning

Did You Know?

  • In an ILX Group survey, 51 percent of HR decision-makers said that ongoing e-learning has a direct effect on boosting employee morale, satisfaction and longevity.
  • A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that microlearning makes learning 17 percent more effective, and Software Advice reports that microlearning engages over 50 percent of participants.
  • A study conducted by Brandon Hall found that e-learning requires 40 to 60 percent less employee time than classroom training.
  • The Research Institute of America reports that learning retention rates improve from 8 to 10 percent for face-to-face training to 25 to 60 percent for e-learning.
  • IBM research found that for every dollar you invest in e-learning, the result is $30 in productivity, mostly because employees save a lot of time through online learning and are able to resume work and apply the new skills faster.
  • In a survey by Cambridge English Academy, almost 72 percent of organizations said that online learning is instrumental in enhancing their competitive edge.
  • In January, Amalgam Insights anticipated that the corporate and academic e-learning market would exceed $180 billion in 2018.

What Does the Modern Learner Look Like?

To understand why e-learning is the tool of choice for corporate training, it is important to understand the target audience. Employees today are keen to learn and upskill. If an organization does not provide ample learning opportunities, its employees may join a competitor. According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workplace Learning Report, 94 of employees say they will stick with an employer that invests in their development. Today’s learners want personalized content at their point of need. Since they are mostly on the move, they prefer being able to access content anytime and from anywhere. Twenty Eighty’s 7 Consumer Realities report states that at the time of need, 91 percent of people depend on their smartphone for an answer. Jane Hart of the Centre for Modern Workplace Learning and the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies found that 93 percent of employees prefer to learn on the job. Learners are busy multitasking and have a limited attention span. If organizations want them to learn something new, they have to offer bite-sized pieces of information that do not take too much time to consume. Online learning has features that cater to these modern learner preferences – hence its rise in popularity. Here are the top five advantages of e-learning.

1. E-learning saves time and money.

    With online learning, you can access content anywhere and anytime. You don’t need to take time out from your jobs to attend classes. E-learning is also cost-effective; companies save a substantial amount on the travel and accommodation costs of both learners and instructors, as well as the venue and materials. No printing helps reduce your carbon footprint, too.

2. E-learning leads to better retention.

    As modern learners, you will prefer bite-sized, interactive content. You would rather watch a video or listen to a podcast than read through pages of a manual. E-learning tools enable learning designers to make content interactive. The more engaging the content is, the better you remember information. If you enjoy learning, you can able to recall and apply the concepts at work.

3. E-learning is consistent.

    In face-to-face sessions, every instructor has his or her own method of teaching. Each varies in approach and style and is susceptible to mistakes. You can eliminate these issues with e-learning. Online learning provides consistent and standardized training every time. You will go through the same experience regardless of when and where you take the course.

4. E-learning is scalable.

    For Corporates online learning is scalable. You can roll it out to as many employees you need and is a one-time investment. The more learners take the course, the faster you can write off the expense.

5. E-learning offers personalization.

    Each learner has unique preferences and learning goals. E-learning makes it possible to cater to individual needs. It allows you to choose your learning path and navigate at your own pace. When you decide what to learn and when, you remain invested in the course.
With all these advantages, it is no surprise that e-learning is topping the popularity charts.

Fundamentally, there are two categories of eLearning, Synchronous and Asynchronous:


1. Synchronous eLearning is when the learners and the instructor interact with each other in real time, from different locations.

It is real-time learning. In synchronous learning, you, other participants and the teacher or only you and the teacher, are online and interact at the same time from different locations. You deliver and receive the learning resources via mobile, video conference, Internet or chat. In this type of learning the participants can share their ideas during the session and interact with each other and they get detailed queries and solutions. Synchronous eLearning is gaining popularity because of improved technology and Internet bandwidth capabilities.


You will learn from the sources of:
  • Virtual Classroom
  • Audio and Video Conferencing
  • Chat
  • Zoom
  • Application Sharing
  • Messaging instantly
  • Skype

2. Asynchronous eLearning is when learners complete self-paced online training. In this case, the learner and the instructor are not online at the same time.

It is a pause-and-resume kind of learning. In this type of eLearning the learner and the teacher cannot be online at same time. Asynchronous eLearning may use technologies such as email, blogs, discussion forums, eBook’s CDs, DVDs, etc. Learners may learn at any time, download documents, and chat with teachers & also with co-learners. In fact, many learners prefer asynchronous instead of synchronous learning because learners can take online courses to learn at their preferable time by not effecting their daily commitments.


You will learn from the sources of:
  • Self-paced online courses
  • Discussion forums & groups
  • Message boards

This is all about Asynchronous and Synchronous types of eLearning. Which type of eLearning do you prefer, please do share!