A year ago, the majority of Americans would have looked at you blankly if you brought up the subject of the benefits of virtual vs. online learning or wanted to talk about the nuances of eLearning as compared to mLearning. But in the wake of COVID-19’s seismic effect on how we live, work, and learn, everyone thinks they are an expert on how to best learn outside the traditional training classroom. The problem is that lacking a clear definition of what each term entails, you have a situation where everyone is a jack of all trades and master of none.
What do these terms really mean? How can instructors and their students be certain they are using the best format for the material being taught? What about those who are learning new applications and skills or attempting to stay relevant in their own careers? How can knowledge best be transferred to them when they also have a full-time job to juggle?
Definition (n): Statement of the exact meaning of a word
Depending on who you ask and where you look, you are likely to get very different definitions for online learning, virtual learning, eLearning, and mLearning (Webster’s doesn’t even list these terms). For example, some say virtual and eLearning are synonymous, while others say that one encompasses the other, while still others say there are major differentiators.
For the sake of this discussion, I’m going to propose the following definitions:
- Online Learning: Refers to any learning that takes place over the Internet. It implies a distance between the instructor and student but not, however, that there is no face-to-face interaction. It can encompass a variety of tools and platforms, including online lectures, Webinars, shared documents, and instructional software.
- Virtual Learning: Instruction is delivered through a combination of the Internet and software programs and can be instructor-led or on-demand. Instructor-led is similar to an on-premise training class in that instructors and students interact; instructors can look over students’ shoulders and assist individuals, when necessary. On-demand is more self-paced and can span hours, days, weeks, or months.
- eLearning: A structured course or learning experience delivered electronically. It can include performance-support content and be composed of live or prerecorded lectures, videos, quizzes, simulations, games, activities, and other interactive elements. It can be instructor-led or on-demand and is generally controlled by a learning management system (LMS) and does not contain hands-on labs.
- mLearning: Refers to instruction carried out over mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, and is best suited to relating short snippets of information. Among its benefits is the fact that it is available 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
Godsend (n): a very helpful or valuable event, person, or thing
Training has undergone an evolution of sorts over the last decade as technology has allowed instructors to incorporate increasing numbers of software-based and online tools into their curriculum. Whether it’s training apps or virtual learning labs for continuing professional education, material is being adapted to online methodologies. Moreover, as more people have in-home WiFi and the cost of laptops falls, an increasing number of people are taking advantage of online coursework that lets them earn a degree or certification in their spare time.
It’s been awhile since training was confined to the four walls of the classroom, but COVID-19 has only served to heighten the need for virtual learning options. As the workforce has become remote, so, too, must professional development opportunities, and there are stats to support this.
According to a recent Training Industry, Inc. survey (“Training in the Time of COVID: How Learning and Development Is Responding”) in which it polled learning and development professionals across a swath of industries, virtual training has risen dramatically. Whereas pre-COVID, 52 percent of training was virtual, that number is now at 72 percent. Further, among those who have seen their budgets affected, 64 percent reported that they are spending more on training than before the pandemic hit.
In the not too distant past, physical classrooms with a dedicated environment and machines for training were the norm, but as the way in which we exchange knowledge has changed, virtual learning labs are proving to offer a much more effective, productive, and inexpensive learning environment. And for students engaging in enterprise software training, virtual training labs have proven to be a godsend.
Real world (adj.): the existing state of things, as opposed to that which is imaginary, simulated, or theoretical
Virtual learning comes with a host of benefits, not the least among them cost-effectiveness. Compared to other instructional methods, the overall cost involved is drastically lower—all you need is a virtual labs platform and a browser. An added bonus is that physical travel and location are no longer obstacles.
Enterprise software training is unique in that learners need the ability to perform real-world exercises on the software they are learning. At the same time, instructors need to be able to see what the students are doing so they can provide constructive feedback and keep students on track. Virtual learning labs allow each student’s learning environment to be identical, sparing instructors from wasting time sorting out environment issues that have nothing to do with the subject at hand.
Not only do students learn by doing, they also learn by failing. Even so, in the wake of these teachable moments, instructors need an easy way to get the student’s environment back to working order. Traditionally, these unique requirements forced organizations into an in-person training environment. However, with modern learning platforms that enable consistent environments and allow the instructor to see the student’s desktop, software training can easily be accomplished virtually.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of virtual training labs (but not necessarily all virtual training, i.e., training lacking a hands-on component) is that it enhances knowledge retention. To retain a new skill, just like learning a new language, you have to use it. Hands-on virtual labs take the learning from passive to active, enabling learners to practice what they are learning and get immediate feedback on what they’ve accomplished. The ability to practice a skill in a “real-world” scenario is one of the most significant advantages of virtual learning—it allows students to perform experiments that simulate real life, but without serious real-world consequences.
No matter what you call it, virtual learning is providing today’s remote workforce with the types of educational opportunities they need to stay relevant and up-to-date, the kind of opportunities that once only came from in-person learning.
