Progressive firms embracing e-learning.

Forward-thinking companies are embracing e-learning to become more productive, innovative and efficient, while creating a generation of employees who are motivated, life-long learners.

While large corporations across North America are increasing their connectivity through e-learning, owners of small- and medium-sized businesses may be hesitant to allow their employees time during the workday to take a course online when they could be making sales calls.

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To Maggie Matear, NEOnet's director of operations, the choice is simple.

"Are you committed to professional development or are you not?" Matear questions.

E-learning or distance education is instructional delivery that does not constrain the learner to be physically present in the same location as the instructor. In the past, that meant correspondence courses. Today, audio, video and computer technologies are the delivery modes for distance education using videoconferencing, the Web, e-mail, instructional television, satellite and online courses.

Matear can cite a handful of examples of progressive businesses and institutions in the Timmins area who are engaged in distance learning.

Apple Canada offers an e-learning component set up through its corporate Web site where authorized dealers can go online and take training on different product lines to enhance their skills. Included with the course material are quizzes which online learners win points for, jackets and promotional merchandise.

Northern College in Timmins has organized an e-learning lab for area industries to take WHMIS certification. Since WHMIS needs to be renewed on a regular basis, any manufacturer needing industry certification can take courses online.

Though delivered off site, it is still an example of implementing e-learning into a business development plan.

Matear, herself, is taking a Canadian Association of Management Consulting course through an e-learning platform, regularly meeting her instructors and classmates using a high-speed Internet platform with icons representing each person on the team. With a headset and computer, she can converse with other learners and do assignments.

Among the advantages of e-learning is convenience and flexibility. Web-based training is unscheduled and can be done on the learner's own time.

"The flexibility in time and location when you take the training makes the difference."

E-training also tends to be cost-competitive. With a plethora of e-learning programs available with a variety of content, employers do not need to develop an expensive custom-made program delivered by a trainer.

"Often there are programs out there to take advantage of without having to travel to them."

Taking the same course the conventional way about five years ago would have meant a trip to Toronto every two weeks for four months. Because of high-speed technology and the applications that run on it, she devotes a few hours every week to do it in the office.

"There are huge, huge savings in travel and time."

The drawback to e-learning is not everyone is self-directed.

E-training require the learner to be internally motivated.

E-learning also tends to be very audio-oriented, Matear says, unlike a traditional classroom setting where one can see, listen and practice. Sitting at a computer with a headset strapped on, one relinquishes the "hands-on experience," the social interaction and the non-verbal cues of the instructor when interacting with a group of people online.

While technology is gaining wider acceptance every day, barriers still persist among business people, she finds, as many business people are hesitant with new technology and the capital investment involved.

These applications generally get adopted once there is third-party endorsement.

Matear says there is no basic how-to plan on getting started as individual employer's needs vary from business to business.

"Each employer has to look at their long-term professional development plan and evaluate where e-learning can fit into that."

In the NEOnet environment, e-learning works because they have staff who are motivated and capable of learning that way, "because our organization allows time on the job to develop professionally."

Other organizations may find it is not as effective because there is no social element or peer pressure of a classroom setting.

By IAN ROSS 

Northern Ontario Business