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Forecast for Effective E-Training
September 17, 2009
By John Ely
Seven years ago I was sitting in my office in California and got a call that changed my life—literally. I was approached by the program chair at Franklin University in Columbus, OH, and was asked if I'd be interested in teaching at the business school. My feelings were mixed because I loved teaching and I have a passion for business, especially marketing. However, winters in Columbus—while not as severe as, say, Minneapolis —are much worse than anything I had experienced in Sacramento. Plus, the exercise of moving was not a pleasant thought for me.
During the conversation with the program chair, I was asked what I thought of teaching online. I had never considered it, and in 2002 that practice was still in its infancy. We spoke about the new delivery methods and how Franklin University was pioneering some new technologies. I was told I would need to become certified through the school, and again I wasn't quite getting it because I asked, "How long would I need to be in Columbus to train?" I was told all certification training was done online, even if you lived right next to campus.
I signed up that day and have been teaching at Franklin University ever since. Coincidently, in 2004 my parents (still in Ohio) got very ill, and I moved back to Columbus to help them out. However, I have yet to set foot in a classroom to teach.
My initial concerns went far beyond just a move across the country. I kept worrying about how I was going to teach someone via a computer. I had taught in the classroom and liked the "learning environment" it provides, so how could I create that feeling of community virtually? How would students interact with me and with each other? I found out quickly that e-teaching is possible. It just takes some adjustments to your teaching style.
Clear Expectations
In the classroom, I can set expectations as I go because I'm more in control of the pace of the class. Online, the student sets the pace, so all expectations for the training must be spelled out in advance and be crystal clear.
Clear Language
I learned early that slang and colloquialisms are taboo online. I remember sending a message to my students that said, "Please get started on this week's research ASAP." A student in Turkey replied he had no idea what ASAP research was and could not find it in his textbook.
Frequent Touches
When training face-to-face, students are fine with seeing you once or twice a week. Students online need much more contact. I send messages daily. Why? Because students online often feel like they're on an island. They're taking the class from their living room, dorm commons, offices, etc. They likely don't have the support that typically comes from others in a physical classroom. To make them feel less "cut off," I send many brief communications and encourage chat rooms and message threads. This way, these students can start bonding with their classmates and building that sense of "community."
Skills and Learning Styles
Skills to be taught and personal learning styles are monumentally important when training online. There are, in fact, some students who cannot, or will not, learn online. It takes self-discipline to learn without a facilitator in the room. No matter how clear my instruction or how comprehensive the instructional design, some learners are better taught face-to-face.
Likewise, some courses such as sales or customer service skills are better taught face-to-face. My classic example is that I can teach you how to tune a guitar online, but I need to sit with you to teach you how to play.
Academic Honesty
It's true it is easier to cheat online, but there are mechanisms for spotting plagiarism such as copy infringement database turnitin.com. However, I have yet to find a way to ensure with total accuracy the student who signed up is actually the one taking the course, doing the assignments, and/or taking the tests. Without a live facilitator, an element of faith is involved.
I enjoy the online learning world. In fact, many of my students would not have education available to them any other way. There is still some fear among trainers moving from the traditional to the virtual classroom, but with some training (online, of course) those fears are easily overcome. Now if I could just find a way to spend a virtual winter back in California.
John Ely is senior vice president of marketing for Signature Worldwide, a training and business solutions company. Ely is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic marketing and corporate growth plans, and has more than 16 years of industrial and consumer marketing experience. For more information, call 800.398.0518 or visit www.signatureworldwide.com. For more from Ely, visit his blog, www.OnceUponACustomerExperience.com.
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