Why E-Learning Doesn’t Work

Training Zone has published an article of mine on Why E Learning Doesn’t Work that is proving popular..well, controversial at least 🙂 Here it is in full:

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E-learning is increasingly popular but there’s a problem: it’s not really learning and it doesn’t really work. What! How can I say that? It’s all modern and uses computers and everything! I’m being somewhat flippant but here’s my point – e-learning is good at certain things and rubbish at others. This article explains why.

First, I should explain my own perspective as I’m not an impartial observer. I’m a specialist in experiential, interactive and “embodied training”. I use this approach both because it fits my values and because I’ve found that it’s what’s most effective. I would be equally happy writing an article called “why traditional classroom learning is a total waste of time” too. I am also no technophobe enjoying Twitter, blogging and my I-Phone.

What is Learning?

The majority of people in the Western world now have the close to the sum total of human knowledge at their fingertips via the internet, To be more precise they have information, and e-learning is a part of this boom (as is this article). Information isn’t however wisdom as almost any viral internet phenomena will prove! Like the web, e-learning is great for learning about things. Like most people I use Google and Wikipedia to find about things and e-learning makes this more efficient collecting relevant data in one place, but this is not to learn to do things. Think about driving – yes, the theory test is useful, but there is no substitute for lessons. HUman Learning any skill whether it be driving, speaking French or leadership skills, takes real-world practice and bespoke human support. E-learning often misses these two critical points. To be fair, not always, and the use of video, customer support and real-time “synchronous” e-learning is growing and generally viewed as making e-learning more effective (more a driving simulator to continue the analogy). Note however that this is making e-learning more effective by making it more like traditional training!

The Human Touch

Being able to see delegates, resonant with them emotionally, pick up on subtle nuances of communication and respond appropriately is the very essence education. I believe passionately that training and coaching are not about getting a “thing” from one head to another, but are an intimate dance that transforms both parties. We are not computers and if we treat people as such they will rightly resist and rebel.

I highly recommend the new film Up in The Air staring George Clooney. In it a company that makes people redundant tries to switch from face-to-face firing to video conferencing. The film explores the issue of removing this vital “human” touch. I use this fictitious example to protect the guilty in the real world. I would regard some e-learning “solutions” I have seen applied to human issues (and this definitely includes stress management and leadership training) as not only ineffective but dehumanising and ethically dubious.

Retention of Knowledge

Tell me by e-mail I forget. Show me I may remember. Involve all of me (and not just by clicking through a few games) and I really learn.

Second Order Learning

A whole level of learning that Wikipedia doesn’t touch is when the learner themselves changes. This “second order” or “ontological” learning is what is required for lasting behavioral change and therefore impact on bottom-line results. Let’s take stress and time management training which I provide regularly. I’ve seen bad e-learning programs which are just like Power Bore slide telling people about stress and time management. This in no way helps with people’s actual stress or time management. More advanced interactive e-learning programs may encourage people set goals and establish practices like regular deep breathing or list-making to support behavioral change in these areas. This is a bit better. I have never yet however seen an e-learning program which works effectively at the level at being. What do I mean by this? For example – does a person have a set of beliefs about workload that mean they will always be overwhelmed? Is there an embodied tendency to say yes? What is a person’s unique emotional pay-off for consistently being overwhelmed? Unless this level of highly individual learning is accessed “tricks and tips/ tick-box e-learning won’t be effective, and any money spent will be wasted.*

This applies to other areas too, from leadership which I hope is very obviously not learnt from an I-Pad, to health and safety. Can a person really safely learn manual handling without being given feedback targeted to their specific body and tasks? Traditional class-room learning (which itself can be non-interactive and “cookie cutter” in its approach) often fails to shift lasting habits – how much more so a few slides which may or may not even be read?

But What About…

What about all the advantages of e-learning? It’s cheap right? Yes, so is the clock I bought from Poundland that doesn’t work either. If not effective at producing behavioral change (and therefore better results) e-learning is hardly good value. Likewise, it can be standardized but this is not usually a good thing for learners and therefore outcomes.

Much of what I have said is also not fair to all e-learning providers so feel free to “yeah but…” this articles and advertise quality wares that address the issues I raise. My sense is that e-learning is definitely improving (there are some great companies here in Brighton alone – hello Brightwave, Kineo and Epic!). I also don’t think that the e-learning train is likely to stop, I do however hope it picks up the essence of what learning is all about along the way.

The Future

Perhaps blended learning solutions are the future – bringing together the best of e-learning and traditional training? Getting some factual learning across electronically before an interactive course and having good e-follow-up for example can make better use of “contact” time. I also think e-learning is a good challenge to stagnant traditional trainers as now they have to offer something that Wikipedia cannot. A concern I have is that increasing demand for e-learning will replace subject matter experts who know their material and how to work with people deeply, with tech wizards and companies large enough to afford the outlay of e-learning design. Time will tell, and ultimately what works will prosper.

I hope this article I’ve clarified some of the less obvious weaknesses of e-learning to balance its apparent strengths .

* See also Kirkpatrick’s work on learning evaluation theory.

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Mark Walsh is a UK pioneer of embodied training. Based in Brighton, Sussex, he heads Integration Training – business training providers specialising in management and leadership training, team building, stress management and time management training. Contact Mark on 07762 541 855 or visit his training blog.

Summary Points

• · E-Learning has gotten popular but may not be good for certain things
• · Learning about is not the same as learning to do or be
• · The human touch is essential
• · Cheap isn’t the same as good value
• · Not all e-learning is equal
• · Blended solutions may be the future