GlobalBX

For those of us who have been involved in online education for a time, the growing public acceptance of the Web as vital tool for training and learning has been a welcome development.

It’s become conventional wisdom that online learning offers an affordable and effective alternative to traditional classroom education. That wasn’t always a widespread viewpoint. The benefits of online learning are becoming clearer over time. The U.S. Department of Education recently released a meta-analysis that concluded on average that students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. Further, the study found that online learning represented an effective option for graduate students and professionals in a wide range of academic and professional studies.

The economic downturn has also served to focus attention on online education’s accessibility and affordability. In several cases, our compnay has been asked to convert classroom training to Web-based programs because of concerns from organizations about the expense and lost time involved in getting employees to-and-from physical training spaces.

Educators, instructors, and trainers need recognize those elements of learning which work best on the Web, and those that are best suited in person.

The average instructor speaks at about 120 words per minute, while the average student/learner writes only 20 words per minute. Lectures can be translated into much more learner-friendly mixed-media online presentations with transcripts and outlines to enable note-taking. 

The key is to engage learners. That’s why we focus on developing the tools and techniques that appeal to adult learners, employing simulations, non-fiction graphic techniques like cartoon narratives, video, interactive exercises, and other pedagogically-driven methods. All of this doesn’t have to take place exclusively online. We have long advocated “blended learning”—that combination of face-to-face and online which marries the human connection of the classroom with the personal accountability of technology-assisted learning.  Not sure if online learning is right for you?  Here are the top ten reasons why professionals are choosing to move their training online: 

Learn at your convenience. Our courses are 100% web based, and are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year.  Which means you can fit training into your schedule whenever it is convenient for you.  Often in classroom based learning, students miss key concepts because of distractions, tiredness, or boredom; online learning can help you to get the most out of your training experience by allowing for greater flexibility.  You can schedule your learning when you are the most awake or in incremental time blocks, whether it is in between business meetings, on weekends, or after you put the kids to bed; our courses are always at your fingertips. 

Get the individualized support you need.  Unlike in large classroom based training programs which are burdened by time constraints and in which some learners are intimidated to raise their hands and ask questions or participate in classroom discussions, our courses ensure that learners are receiving the support they need. Courses include an “Ask the Expert” feature which gives learners a chance to ask a subject matter expert all course related questions and receive feedback within 24 hours. 

Customize your training to your needs.  Our self-paced online training programs allow you to customize your training to your unique needs and goals.  You can learn at your own pace, which means you don’t need wait for an instructor or class to move on with material you are already familiar with, and, you can linger for as long as you want to fully comprehend a concept new to you.  Our courses also include several internet resources that let you further explore knowledge areas that are relevant to your particular career. 

Learning is fun and interesting.  Our highly effective courses combine readings, graphics, audio/video, interactive exercises, and case studies to keep the learner engaged and interested in course material and meet the needs of multiple learning styles.

Eliminate travel time.  Training online means that you don’t have to spend any of your valuable time traveling to a classroom or training location, nor do you have to take any time off of work to obtain training.  Courses are 100% web-based which means courses can be accessed anytime and anywhere with internet access.  This also eliminates the cost of traveling, and with the rising price of gas prices, that should be music to anyone’s ears!

Access to high quality courses.  All of our courses were developed by business school professors, industry professionals, and subject matter experts and are based on content used by world class companies and leading universities. 

Real Time Reporting.  Learners can monitor their progress and learning outcomes as they receive feedback about their performance on self-assessments and course quizzes. 

HR professionals can monitor their learners’ progress.  Oftentimes it can be difficult to measure the effectiveness of traditional classroom based training programs, just because a student attends a class does not mean they have absorbed any of the learning objectives. The body may be in the seat, but is the mind engaged? Our courses offer HR professionals the unique opportunity to view learners’ participation levels and to monitor their learning outcomes with a powerful Learning Management System.

Eliminates geographical boundaries.  Online learning allows learners to participate from around the globe.  Individuals and companies no longer have to worry about their geographical location when considering what resources are available.  

Effective learning at an affordable price.  Online learning is an extremely affordable alternative to many traditional training programs.  It eliminates the cost of printed materials, physical classroom, course instructors, as well as the cost of traveling to a training location.  We are proud to offer our online courses at an extremely competitive price.