E-learning - a tool more needed than ever!

The article was written as part of the implementation of the project " Quality in Education in the Vocational Training Sector " (Quality in Education in the Vocational Training Sector)
funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 No. EOG/19/K3/W/0010.

We live in an era of digitization advancing with dizzying speed. It is seeping into virtually every aspect of our lives, from electronic toothbrushes to phones with operating memory several hundred times larger than Apollo 13. In today's post, I wanted to introduce a topic - I think familiar to many - namely e-learning.

The learning process has definitely evolved as well. It is no longer possible at this level of development to absorb new material "one by one." Our broadening of horizons is done on the basis of learning about "containers of knowledge," that is, learning how to use cognitive tools for exploring a field of interest. In all of this, it is necessary (as, indeed, for the whole world) to have ever better access to structured knowledge. Adult training uses these tools continuously, thus developing them in response to the needs posed by the current market. Well, precisely the current market...it has changed hasn't it? I'm talking, of course, about the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic. We believe that in the current situation, e-learning platforms - that is, remote forms of learning - are absolutely the safest way to develop, because after all, regardless of the situation, we need to be in a constant phase of development. The world is so fast that if we stand still it will quickly overtake us, and so much so that it will be virtually impossible to catch up with it again.

Reminder: what is e-learning?

E-learning is the term for a method of teaching that uses computers and the Internet. It makes it possible to educate oneself, to complete various types of courses and training, without being forced to leave home. All you need is a computer or other mobile device with Internet access and you can become a member of a school that conducts classes on a virtual plane.

The word that comes first to mind when I think of e-learning is "extension." That's how I see it - as an excellent tool (and especially for the current epidemiological emergency) for remote contact with the person who is imparting knowledge to us. Platforms where materials have been prepared in advance for self-study have also been prepared in advance by the trainer, which is why it is so important that we consciously choose the highest quality in education. So let's remember that for the remote learning process to be effective and optimal, it should be characterized by:

• appropriate methodology (a structured process of administering successive doses of knowledge),
• the use of computer and Internet technologies (many different forms of presentation, able to interest the audience in many ways).

Advantages of e-learning platforms

The mobility of remote learning is undoubtedly a feature that puts this type of learning in the 1st place of the most popular forms of development. As I wrote above, the world is getting faster and faster, and this tool saves a huge amount of time. We don't have to, after all, leave the house (sometimes with pre-prepared materials) and set out on the road to a school or learning center. This is often a big trip, as we all know the state of traffic capacity in large cities.

Another unquestionable advantage, indeed an advantage over traditional forms of teaching, is expediency. The exact purposefulness of the program, tailored to the needs of the learner, saves time and optimizes the learning results. By choosing this method we also have the opportunity to check our progress. It is worth noting that the features described above inextricably affect one more important aspect, namely the price. There is no denying that remote learning allows us to reduce financial expenses for education - we do not incur the cost of travel or possible accommodation at the destination. Additional materials such as textbooks or other compendia of knowledge are not needed.

E-learning, and in-company training? A mass of benefits!

Thanks to the use of e-learning platforms in the company, we have the opportunity to cover all employees with training without the need to gather them physically at the same place and time. Training can take place during working hours, and often even in the course of their duties. Thanks to the aforementioned new approach to teaching, i.e., structured delivery, we can easily monitor the progress of those covered by the training. Tests, reports are often automatic tools that show the development path of a given participant in a structured way.

And now a very important keyword, for any employer: A H UGE reduction in costs. We have the opportunity to carry out precisely selected training for even a very large number of employees (for example, for the entire division of CNC machine operators, let's say milling machines) at one time, and with the complete elimination of fees associated with the travel of employees to the place of training or providing them with possible food or accommodation.

Does e-learning have disadvantages?

Yes, although they don't dominate the benefits, but we'll talk about that in the next post, as I want to keep our reader-friendly format of "unabridged" amounts of material.