5 Objections to e-Learning and How to Diffuse Them
The new catchphrase in today’s corporate market is “disruption” and it is often placed side by side with leadership and dominance. The term disruption makes a huge reference to how new thoughts, products and ideas welcome innovation. Disruption introduces a completely new process i.e. disruptive business models, disruptive technology, disruptive innovation in education, and so forth.
Sadly, most companies that consider themselves innovative and think they are developing disruptive business models are only working around sustainable innovations, in other words they are “recycling.” On the contrary, disruption, whether in business, technology or learning, refers more to “replacement”, creating something different from what exists. Therefore, in the meantime, let’s say a lot of companies believe they are a certain way, when they operate completely differently- this is the burden of change.
Still in the context of disruption, the transformation introduced to an organisation through digital learning can be viewed as an interference. Nevertheless, if disruption is some form of change and change is perceived as a rigorous endeavour in terms of the time value decisions of a business, then resistance should be expected.
Therefore — inevitably — with change comes objections. These are some common objections you might face and ideas for how you might handle them.
OBJECTION #1: EMPLOYEES DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO LEARN
According to Abraham Lincoln, spending the first four hours sharpening an axe in a six-hour tree-felling ordeal will help one find the right balance when delivering impact. The results will be immense when an individual, a team or workforce is better balanced.
OBJECTION #2: E LEARNING ISN’T EFFECTIVE
Applied e Learning is not only useful in multiplying success rates across an organisation; it has also presented better transference rates than traditional classroom training. For example, the average learning application rate is 20–50%.1 However, a digital learning application offers about 86% of the rate. This also accounts for significant reductions in training budgets, more in-depth, more personalized demand of learning to the job and increased business performance.
OBJECTION #3: LEARNING MUST BE CUSTOMIZED
Learning within any organisation is often generic. What this means is that the same general content and learning objectives apply across various industries. However, standards, ethics, practices and specific operating behaviours are unique in an industry, the remaining half is unique to the culture of that organisation and should be custom developed after the fashion of the organisation’s culture.
OBJECTION #4: THE VALUE LEARNING BRINGS TO WORKFORCE IMPROVEMENT, OR BUSINESS GAINS IS HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE AND HARD TO MEASURE.
There are now many tools available on the Internet for measuring learning efficiency and the overall impact on the business. One of the ways to truly measure the impact of learning in an organisation is to consult a learning partner who can guide you through a measuring process to determine an actual effect on the business. For example, the Center for Talent Reporting defines standard practices for measuring learning efficiency, effectiveness and outcomes.
OBJECTION #5: WHY SHOULD WE PAY FOR COPYRIGHTED CONTENT WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH ON THE INTERNET FOR FREE?
Free information exists in extremely excess amounts; even more, that can be imagined sitting through and determine what’s worth studying. However, there is no guarantee that “free” information exists permanently. Also, there is no such information that immediately addresses learning needs, personal, company or business goals, and no formal way to track impact. However, in the world of e Learning, every bit of learning can be appropriated and accounted.
