How To Empower Your Learners With Self-Paced Online Training
A digital learning solution should always offer the opportunity to choose the training modality most suited to a learner's educational needs, learning style, and personal schedule. As technology continues to evolve, the need for on-demand online training has also grown. We’re used to having information at our fingertips, and finding the answers we need within minutes, this immediacy has dramatically changed people's expectations of traditional learning. More and more online training participants are taking control of their own learning, in contrast to traditional classroom structures.
A 2017 education survey by Kaltura reveals a 135% increase in remote teaching and learning [1]. With the ready availability of collaboration software and cloud storage, professional education is making it as convenient as possible for learners to set time aside for completing a training program.
That flexibility is especially important in a high-speed business environment where online training participants often need to be capable of responding immediately to changing situations. Getting bogged down with an inflexible schedule and separate location for training can make it difficult to fulfill other responsibilities. Learners are less likely to drop out of a course if they know they can consult materials and complete assignments at their own convenience.
On-demand learning provides quality, localized training that is readily available for both corporations and individuals. In this ever-changing field of digital training, learners can develop the competencies to perform at both a local and global level. The digital training marketplace allows trainers to provide online learners with relevant learning solutions and to offer their best products and services.
Here are 5 benefits to offering on-demand learning in your online training business.
1. A Flexible, Engaged Learning Culture
In live training, instructors must teach according to the capabilities of the majority of students. This often means individuals who already have a solid grounding in the material feel the course is progressing too slowly, while others might be lost and need more time to explore basic concepts. Having access to lessons on-demand makes it possible for all students to learn at their own speed.
According to a study published in the Journal of Memory and Language [2], pacing yourself may also mean retaining more of what you learn. This research looked at how successful subjects were at learning while under time constraints, as opposed to when they were able to control their own study time. When learners took advantage of additional time to focus on more difficult items, they performed significantly better than those who had to obey a time limit.
Having access to lessons on-demand results in more opportunities to explore key concepts before an exam. Afterward, your online training participants have the flexibility to discover where they made mistakes before moving on to the next unit.
2. A Scalable, Revenue-Generating Learning Model
Delivering micro-courses in highly focused, digestible chunks resonates with learners who look to Google and YouTube when they want to learn a new skill. This model is ideal for online training participants who prefer independent study, as they can access these courses on-demand anytime and anywhere with an internet connection.
Forbes reports that an average presenter makes around $7,000 a year from their online training sessions while building a strong reputation for their courses among their audience [3]. A digital-learning solution that provides several tiers of content, a connection with other online learners, or independent study offers trainers the opportunity to generate a steady flow of revenue by ticketing their training sessions or webinars. Start charging your attendees and allow them to choose and learn from an online training modality that is most suited to their educational needs.
3. A Cost-Effective, Convenient, Self-Paced Environment
When an organization hires a trainer to come to their business to speak or teach on a particular subject, there are certain costs associated with that training. Moreover, if an employer instead elects to send their employees off for training to a conference across the state or even in another state (or country), they face even higher costs. With on-demand online training solutions, no one needs to come to you or go somewhere else. Your audience has access to video content from world-renowned experts at a fraction of the cost of traditional learning methods. Subscription-based online training courses can eliminate time and costs related to travel, while also providing the best learning experiences for online training participants.
4. Remote And Mobile Connectivity For Learning On-The-Go
According to Top 20 eLearning Statistics For 2019 You Need To Know the old image of eLearning where a student or employee sits at a computer terminal clicking boxes is slowly fading away. Digital training courses are designed, in general, to provide intuitive navigation so online training participants can concentrate more on the course materials and less on the distraction of cumbersome navigation. The online training courses must work seamlessly in the medium the online learner prefers, whether it’s a laptop, tablet or smartphone.
5. Curated Content To Meet The Needs Of Every Student
Offering self-paced online learning is key to empowering your online learners with access to easily digestible content anytime, anywhere. This flexibility offers online training professionals a new universe of opportunities to deliver continuing education and online training programs that align with the needs of today’s learners.
The on-demand economy is here to stay, and technology will continue to offer new possibilities for training and education programs. In addition to serving as a strong retention and engagement tool, on-demand continuing education offers a strategic advantage to learners who have limited time. Implementing a multi-tiered, on-demand digital training program is a proven way to address the need for continuing education in a time-crunched world.
References:
[1] 2017 Education Survey Reveals 135 Percent Increase In Remote Reaching And Learning
