Why formal online learning is still important
Do you feel inspired and prepared to take online courses or take part in virtual training sessions, or do you feel bored with what you’ve learned? For most people, it is the latter. Formal online learning, such as courses, certifications, and training programs, is valuable, but often not sufficient for engagement and knowledge retention. This is why the 70-20-10 model of L&D suggests that formal learning accounts for only 10% of the learning journey. Instead of that being the main focus, it should only serve as a foundation. Think of it as an absolute must-see theory before diving into practice.
However, the challenge is to make formal online learning meaningful, effective, engaging and applicable. This is especially difficult in remote environments where distractions are everywhere and people may have trouble motivating. To make formal training truly effective, you need to connect to real work experiences. This should allow employees to apply their knowledge quickly, whether or not they solve real problems through practical projects. As companies stop offering passive training and make it more interactive and practical, this process turns into a useful tool for professional growth. In this article, we will explore ways to make formal online learning more meaningful and work well in remote settings.
How to make formal online learning meaningful
Add interactive elements
Most online courses out there can’t be inspired by traditional forms of learning, and there is little room for learners to interact with the content. Why is this the problem? Because engagement is the key to making formal online learning actually working. If people aren’t actively involved, they’re not actually learning. So, keep adding interactive elements to your course. The first thing you want to try is gamification. When lessons feel like a game, people are more likely to participate. You can add progress bars, achievement badges and even leaderboards. Also consider adding a quiz. They are an easy way for learners to interact with knowledge and help them retain information.
Encourage participation
Speaking of participation, this tends to be absent when learning in remote environments. Learners are usually boring, making multitasking easier or forgetting what they have learned. So, how can you create truly engaging online courses, certifications and training sessions? I encourage them to participate. First, take advantage of the breakout room in web conferencing software. For example, participants could be divided into smaller groups to discuss, collaborate, and problem-solving. From case study analysis to brainstorming, breakout rooms make learning more personal. If you want to make things more interesting, start practicing rather than just talking. Employees can role-play customer complaints, negotiate deals, and test their skills in a realistic environment before they can handle the real thing. This is perfect for sales training and skills that require communication and decision-making.
I’ll shorten the lesson
Long training sessions can be a struggle, especially in remote configurations. Watching the screen for hours and trying to understand and remember things is rather tiresome and not very effective. On the other hand, short lessons are desirable. Specifically, microlearning offers 5- or 10-minute videos or quizzes that provide only the knowledge you need. Modular learning has the same philosophy as the course is divided into small, independent sections, allowing learners to do things at their own pace. They can complete one module at a time, revisit the lessons when they want, and even skip what they already know well. This will make learning more flexible and personalized and return for more.
Please relate the content
Formal online learning often appears boring as employees feel that what they learn is irrelevant. However, if done correctly, online courses and training can help. How do you relate them? Well, most people learn best not only when they hear or read it, but when they do something. Therefore, going to case studies or practical projects can make your training more effective. Case studies allow learners to analyze real or imagined situations and make information more accessible. A practical project takes this a step further and instead of looking at a tutorial about it, you can work on something like new software. This allows learners to apply what they learn immediately.
Track your progress
One of the biggest challenges in formal online learning is that it is easy to start, but difficult to finish. This usually happens because people don’t track their progress and lack clear goals. Set clear expectations before starting a course or certification. What do you want your team to achieve? The more specific you make them, the easier it will be to measure them. Additionally, it encourages teams to set goals for how long they will spend training. For example, if you complete a 20-hour lesson, you will reward them, motivate them, and reach more milestones. Finally, regular check-in encourages everyone to stay on track and work on their goals.
Choose the right platform
If there are so many options available, how do you find the right online learning platform? At the end of the day, listen to the needs of your team and try to meet your learning preferences. The first thing you need to look for is ease of use. A clean interface makes learning more enjoyable. Because people save time from trying to find ways to navigate it and instead continue to focus on what’s really important. Second, you need a platform that is accessible from your mobile device so that employees can complete their courses anytime, anywhere, even if they have a busy schedule. Don’t forget to integrate. The best platforms integrate with other tools, allowing staff to easily communicate, share documents and hold meetings seamlessly.
Conclusion
Formal training is still important, but it should not be the main focus. Learning is more effective when employees lead to actions what they hear and read. Therefore, businesses need to change the way they approach formal online learning, making it more engaging, interactive and most importantly relevant. If training is meaningful and can actually be applied, regardless of its format, it is really effective. Despite accounting for such a small percentage of L&D’s 70-20-20-10 models, formal learning is as interactive and practical as the other two types. So, if you’re actually determined to make it work, make this article your guide.
