5 reservations about e-learning that we can easily refute

The topic of e-learning is not always viewed solely in a positive light. Sometimes it is prejudices that influence the discourse, and sometimes it is based on negative experiences with e-learning. We are critically putting five general judgments to the test here.

1. E-learning is tedious.

Whether it’s a virtual classroom, webinar, web-based training, or gamification approaches – virtual learning has long ceased to be the dull affair it often was in the Stone Age of e-learning. Today, e-learning is fun! Especially when it takes place in a playful, intuitive, and concise learning unit format (microlearning). Fancy a little quiz battle? Colleagues are happy to agree to that even after office hours or during a break. Because you can now learn on the go, too. With modern mobile learning apps like keelearning, you are connected everywhere and can specifically access small, up-to-date "knowledge snacks" and repeat what you’ve learned as often as you like. This allows learning successes and, consequently, a sense of achievement to occur very quickly.

2. E-learning is for younger people.

Digital learning has not only been well-received by the "digital native" generation. Other age groups are also now using digital learning opportunities on a large scale. This has to do, on the one hand, with the corona pandemic: people worldwide – and not just in the school system – were forced to forego face-to-face contact in favor of digital formats. But even before the pandemic, digital communication, not least fueled by social media, was gradually finding its way into our lives.

It is only a logical consequence that virtual learning is also gaining more and more acceptance across all age groups – especially since learning offers and formats are becoming increasingly diverse, interesting, varied, and thus also easier to consume. And that is appreciated by more than just the young.

3. E-learning means additional administrative effort for instructors.

Complicated administration? Complex structures? And if something goes wrong with the technology, are you left alone in the end and have to manage everything yourself? That costs time and nerves.

The good news: those who provide learning opportunities can also enjoy decisive advantages with an intelligent, easy-to-use, and intuitive Learning Management System (LMS)!

Equipped with an all-round carefree service package and a clear and attractive administration interface, the keelearning LMS makes it easy for administrators – it offers the practical basis for a wide variety of learning formats. This gives instructors the technological and administrative support they need to focus on the didactic and content-related challenges of the training – without days of training, at a reasonable price-performance ratio.

4. E-learning = data octopus.

Who in our company guarantees employee data security in the sense of the GDPR? Who ensures that it remains secret how employees perform in web-based training, which certificates they have acquired, and which they have not? Our data protection officer has enough to do as it is ...

We can reassure you here too: our keelearning LMS is made & hosted in Germany, which means it is subject to the strict data protection guidelines of the EU and, of course, complies with them. The learning management system is programmed in such a way that data loopholes do not even arise in the first place.

5. E-learning is (too) expensive.

It has gotten around that investments in employee development can provide companies with a positive return on investment, or ROI for short. A positive ROI means that the training has paid off, whereas a negative one stands for losses. According to the latest education finance report, spending on corporate training in Germany amounted to 11.1 billion euros in 2018 (Source: Statista). It is understandable that companies want to know what added value e-learning initiatives bring. So, is e-learning an investment that pays off?

The fact is that most companies today can no longer do without further training. Operational content develops too quickly and must be professionally retrained. It is also a fact that face-to-face training sessions are very expensive. Which path is ultimately the right one for your training – face-to-face or e-learning – depends on many factors. In most cases, however, you can save a lot of money with web-based training or a webinar. Our calculator offers you a good overview and initial comparison options.

We would be happy to advise you in a non-binding and free initial consultation!

Your team from keeunit in Mainz