Raymond Moodley, business development manager at Microsoft Press, discusses the impact of e-learning on the local market
E-learning is a term that has been widely used for some time, but it is very much in its embryonic stages in terms of wide-scale adoption. Information and knowledge provided on-tap in a digestible format are needed, and have the ability to surpass the traditional learning environment.
There is little doubt that e-learning has a role to play in the internet economy, and has the ability to provide users with information, communication, education and training. E-learning originated in conjunction with the internet age as traditional learning models needed to evolve alongside business development. Like any new technology, e-learning was soon branded as the answer to a number of previous educational and communication obstacles.
In the corporate environment it is predominantly multinationals that have benefited from online learning seminars and training courses. These have traditionally been the organisations with the financial resources to make e-learning a reality. An example of this is the United States military who were one of the forerunners in the adoption of e-learning. The reasoning behind this is that the military has always had to rely on highly-trained individuals to adapt to an ever-changing environment and be prepared for almost every eventuality.
E-learning has in some instances transformed the workplace. For example, employers no longer have to pay for costly off-site seminars that not only involve an overhead expense, but also result in valued
employees being out of the office for prolonged periods of time and other staff members having to take over their workload.
The value of e-learning in the corporate market lies in employees being able to absorb information at their workstations, with the added benefit of being able to revisit this information at any stage, thus guaranteeing retention and productivity levels. Additionally, organisations don’t need to hire a large team of on-site or off-site instructors.
As far as mainstream education is concerned, it is unlikely that e-learning will replace the traditional classroom; instead it will add value to the more traditional forms of learning. If one looks at South Africa’s demographic and socio-political make-up, it would be naive to assume that e-learning could be the answer to the country’s current educational challenge. However, this works on the assumption that a suitable technology infrastructure is widely available, and this will not be a reality for the average South African in the next two to five years.
This is not to say that government and private organisations are not working towards a technology infrastructure that will reach all South Africans.
One example of this are the digital villages where those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds can familiarise themselves with technology. These are community centres where the local people have access to the latest computers and basic training courses. Digital villages are already operational in Soweto, Cape Town and Kimberley. E-learning provides high-quality content, but this needs to be backed up with adequate support in terms of call centres with qualified staff. If this infrastructure is widely implemented, then e-learning has benefits, including savings on travel and fees. The internet is a phenomenal research resource, but is currently used predominantly by research experts and professional students. In the corporate environment, the larger the organisation, the more likely it is to have an existing e-learning infrastructure. This will change once smaller organisations begin to see the value of e-learning. In the local educational environment, e-learning has had less of an impact due to financial constraints and a developing infrastructure. As this infrastructure develops, e-learning’s role will begin to assist and add value to the educational process.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, November 2001.