Managing: the problem with self-paced learning

In a recent telephone conversation, a friend was lamenting the fact that she hadn’t had an opportunity yet to take the latest online course offered by her organization. As she put it, “They say it is being ‘offered’, but that doesn’t mean there is any choice—we have to take it. The problem is, when?”

In this age of electronic everything, this problem is becoming more and more prevalent. When companies institute online learning, they usually cite as an advantage the fact that the courses are available to employees at their desks, working alone and at their own pace, whenever they decide to do so. My friend stated the following drawbacks to this model:

It's hard to find the time. Like most people, I am very busy in my job. However, if I know, for example, that a traditional classroom seminar or workshop is to take place next Wednesday from 1 - 4 p.m., I book the time in my schedule and I go. Even though I may have to catch up on my regular work afterwards, the important thing is I did take the course. Fitting it into my work schedule at my “convenience” is more of a challenge. Let’s face it—it’s never convenient.

It's hard to focus on the training. When I am at my desk, I feel as if I should be doing my job in the usual way, and it feels foreign to be working on an online course instead. Added to this is the fact that when I am at my desk, other people naturally assume I am doing my job, and they interrupt me with questions and impromptu meetings as usual.

There's no human interaction. The dynamic in a classroom situation is very different from sitting alone at a computer. The opportunity not only to ask questions of the instructor, but also to exchange questions and thoughts with other participants, is an important part of the traditional workshop or seminar.

To read more, and my take on what to do about the problemk, go here