The word e-learning was first coined in 1998 and has grown into massive industry aiding numerous schools, universities and companies with their educational programs. According to Forbes, the global e-learning market is set to reach $325 billion by 2025, which is three times the amount that was achieved in 2015, thus showing the significant role it has played in education.
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So what is e-learning? Also known as electronic learning, it incorporates electronic technologies into our educational curriculum without the need for a traditional classroom. Whilst traditional based learning typically involves textbooks and classrooms, the majority of e-learning courses and programs nowadays can be delivered completely online with the use of computers and the internet. Due to this fact, learning is open to all individuals creating a wide array of benefits, applications and norms.
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In this blog, we will be drawing on this to uncover the importance of e-learning and find out how this is impacting our society.
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Cost Saving
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E-learning is a significantly important factor in creating a green environment. According to The Open University (UK), online programs equate to an average of 90% less energy and 85% fewer CO2 emissions per student (compared to traditional in-person learning courses). E-learning reduces the need for textbook-based materials, and as a result, helps to reduce our society’s footprint. As a consequence, we won’t need to spend as much time or money to recycle these materials.
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A report by the American Heart Association suggests that when you let an individual learn at their own pace, cost savings are 45% or more. Saving money will always be an essential part of any individual’s life, but with today’s rising inflation rates, cost-saving is ever more important to sustain a healthy and happy lifestyle.
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As a result of e-learning being a convenient and flexible alternative to traditional learning, it can save time and money for the user. E-learning can lower the amount of time needed away from home or the workspace, hence withdrawing the need to travel to classroom-based learning. A Brandon Hall report on e-learning within the business environment has uncovered that this style of learning usually requires around 40-60% less employee time in comparison with traditional classroom-based learning. Hence, e-learning allows students to gain back more of their time so that they no longer need to choose between learning and their other hobbies. This will also help encourage more students to continue with their educational studies.
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Skilled Workforce
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It has been found that e-learning can help students to retain more information. A source has discovered that when you let an individual learn at their own pace with e-learning, retention rates are shown to be 25-50% higher. A possible reason to explain this is that students will be able to use microlearning techniques to learn a little each day (instead of having 2 or 3 back to back lectures at university, for example). This helps students to maximise their knowledge learnt and ultimately upskill in the specific areas of employment they wish to pursue.
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Not only does e-learning help with high retention rates but it also encourages more people to learn, due to the flexible learning schedules. Having a learning course which suits the person at hand and is customised to their everyday life will be more appealing to them than a traditional learning degree. A report has shown that 71% of students feel that virtual learning provides increased flexibility to take classes. Therefore having a student that it is more likely to learn and is more motivated to learn will boost their knowledge and training making them better prepared for the workplace. In other words, this will positively impact the workforce creating more skilled labour which can lead to a more efficient and higher standard of goods and services.
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Business Applications
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E-learning is not only important in higher education, but is also a key part of the business world. The constantly changing need for skills and jobs due to advancements in different technologies is making our world much harder to settle down into a job we feel safe in. Therefore, in order to try and keep up with the evolving skills needed to succeed in the current working environment, organisations such as Shell are continually encouraging their workers to upskill and gain certifications in training courses.
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Shell currently has an online training portal – Shell Open University. Employees have unlimited access to online courses, webcasts, e-books, and guides through a wide range of practical, commercial and technical learning tools. In addition to this, Shell reimburses the money and time spent on further employee learning if the corporate curriculum is insufficient, thus further incentifying employers to upskill their knowledge.
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Furthermore, in 2017, 72% of American organizations said eLearning gives them a competitive advantage. This, therefore, emphasises the importance of e-learning in the workplace.
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E-learning has become an absolute must-have in education as it is almost impossible to not have e-learning materials in any education program. A number of educational schools and organisations are starting to fully immerse e-learning into their traditional teaching methods and employee training. Flexibility, employee training and time / cost saving are a few of the many reasons why e-learning is important and why we need it in our everyday life.
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To find out how Armada can assist with your eLearning requirements, get in touch with a member of our team.