I heard a piece on Radio 4 back in 2014 about whether on-line learning was going to replace face to face training.
Events over the last couple of months have dragged me out of my ‘normal’ to providing one to one Zoom sessions for participants who are completing a management development programme. My conclusion is that both training formats have their place.
On-line training has its advantages, potential cost savings – particularly when participants are spread out geographically and it can also reduce the amount of administration in producing materials and organisation of training sessions. It is self-paced and more individual – on a one to one basis, delegates can focus on the training content they specifically need support in and subjects not necessarily on the original agenda can be covered. For example, in one session a participant requested advice on how to support a member of staff with a very specific and unusual issue which I was able to help with.
What subjects are best suited to on-line learning?
Process and technology/systems-based training suits E-learning and my experience so far has highlighted that subjects that work particularly well on-line are:
- Setting and Managing Goals
- Positive Appraisals
- Managing Change
- Pragmatic Problem Solving
Some subjects are better suited to the format of face to face. Group discussions and facilitated learning is more powerful than informing or telling. It creates an environment that encourages open discussion and learning from others. You can bring different organisations/departments together resulting in the bonus of sharing knowledge and best practice and training can be ‘high energy’ to facilitate different learning styles and get the blood circulating and energy levels high.
What subjects are best suited to face to face sessions?
- Customer Service Skills
- Effective Communication Skills
- Presenting with Panache
- Building Top Teams
Both on-line and face to face training have their place, but the question should be asked – which forum will meet our participants needs the best before embarking on possibly costly mistakes.
To discuss your training and development needs, contact Annie Mulady on 01628 475988 or annie@muladysolutions.co.uk