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HR AND E-LEARNING
The assembly in Malacanang Palace last April 30 was a motley crowd of TESDA officers and Board members, management and labor leaders, student beneficiaries of PGMA’s scholarship program, training partners and accredited assessors from the private and government sectors. After the introductory speech of Director General Boboy Syjuco, he asked PGMA to approach the podium and press the button. When she pressed on the switch, the Director General said: “Madame President, you are now on line.” That signals the formal launching of E TESDA which opens its portals to accreditation of trainers and training institutions, training, assessment and certification and other services through the paperless system of electronics.
That episode reminded me of an experience in Japan about eight years ago. In an international conference on training sponsored by the Office of Vocational Training Administration of Japan, in one field trip, we observed how distance learning was conducted by one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies. The training “studio” where the trainer imparted his knowledge through video-audio network converted the whole of Japan where the company has branches into a virtual classroom.
Distance learning is already in and the sooner an HR practitioner takes a grip on this, the better for his future. The past century ushered us into the information age and brought a lot of technological innovations: movie, radio, records, broadcast television, learning machines, PCs, and others. But the internet has revolutionized education converting the whole world into a virtual classroom – a classroom not bound by 4-walls and not limited by time or space.
How does one define E-Learning? According to the eTESDA ANTHOLOGY, it is the delivery of learning, training or education program by electronic means. It is a mode of learning, where the instructor and learner are separated in space and time with connections through educational media where the learner takes an active role in the learning process. (BLURB). E-Learning is to classroom learning as cell phones are to payphones in the street or telephone company. Moving further our analogy, E-Learning allows you to learn anywhere and usually at any time, as long as you have a properly configured computer. Cell phones allow you to communicate any time and usually anywhere, as long as you have a properly configured phone and of course, your range is within a cell cite or satellite.
Like any new method, distance learning is not without criticism especially by some of the traditionalists. For one, it is expensive; one has to have a computer, phone line and modem. Secondly, it does not have the advantage of a face to face interaction with the instructor, trainer or facilitator where the nuances of body language can be observed by both sides. Since there is no physical contact in group discussions, it does not promote team work and camaraderie in the group. Also, there are training aspects where the trainer cannot escape from having a face to face encounter with the machine or object being worked out.
Well, the good news is that Cyber Cafes are cheaper by the dozen even in small towns all over the archipelago. One has to go to any school and chances are there is a computer hooked to the internet. As to the second observation, the demeanor of the teacher and the students can be observed in the electronic image. In training media where there is no video, any complaint, objection or request for clarification can be transmitted by the student thru the internet.
As to the last two observations, one has to understand that there are two kinds of E-Learning: One is pure on-line learning, which is the acquisition of knowledge and skills provided by teaching experts translated in digitized form. The other is blended learning mode which is a combination of on-line learning and face to face learning. The last two concerns can therefore be addressed through the blended learning system. Distance learning, therefore, maybe fully taken on-line for strictly knowledge-based competence and blended assessment if it will involve precise movements or group dynamics which can be demonstrated only in an actual or simulated work.
To be sure, in E-Learning, there is no waiting for participants to arrive. There are no latecomers or early leavers. How many traditional training programs can not start on time because of habitual latecomers? What about disruptions of participants coming in and going out at the middle of training or talking to each other or dysfunctional situations like answering calls in class talking in stage whispers to the chagrin of other participants and the instructor?
E-learning is self-paced and gives students a chance to speed up or slow down as necessary. It is self-directed allowing students to choose content and tools to suit their needs and interests.
In sum, here are the benefits that E-Learning offers:
1) Convenience and Portability – you are unbound by time and place; study at home, work or on the road;
2) Cost and Selection – wide range of prices to fit your budget and choose wide range of courses to meet your needs;
3) Flexibility – it is student-centered; you can skip over topics you already know and focus on those you’d like to learn;
4) Higher Retention – it draws you to topics you like and enjoy. Studies show that because of this and the variety of delivery method used to reach different types of learners, retention is better than in a traditional classroom; and
5) Global Opportunities – the global learning community is at your fingertips. The technologies used give online instructional designers the ability to build in tools that take you to resources you may never see in a traditional classroom.
What is only needed in E-Learning is commitment, self-motivation and discipline to finish the course and be willing to “speak up” if a problem arises; and of course, the skills to handle the computer and the internet.
Meantime, some major universities in the world are already providing on-line degrees, certificates, and individual courses. How about you Mr/Ms HR? Before your employees start to talk about portals and websites and other electronic jargons like Computer-Aided Learning (CAL), Learning Management Systems (LMS), Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) or Managed Learning Environments (MLE), to mention a few, why don’t you start considering E-Learning in your company. Or are you going to be at the other side of the “Digital Divide?” Or to put it bluntly, would you want to stay digitally illiterate? The choice is yours.
Ranulfo P. Payos, FPM
1989-1990 President
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