Online training is known by numerous names and acronyms—computer-based training (CBT), web-based training (WBT), cyber-training, distance learning, e-learning, etc. By whatever name, online training is a method of delivering training through an electronic medium without the immediate presence of a human instructor. By taking advantage of technology, online training can be more cost effective by delivering more knowledge in a more flexible and efficient manner.

There are distinct advantages to online training that may apply to your organization. With an online training course you have the ability to consolidate education and training across geographical and time constraints. Courses can be delivered to people in different offices without the expense of travel and with less interruption of work schedules. For individuals with busy schedules, online training courses offer the flexibility of being available when the people are able to take the training.

This flexibility is the strongest facet of online training and the flexibility extends beyond scheduling. For many people, an online training course supplies material in a more palatable manner then instructor-led courses. This certainly isn’t true for everyone, but the power of online training to help many people makes it an important tool for your training program. Online training is self-paced and includes interactive tutorials, questionnaires, case studies, self-assessment, and other features that easily assimilate to individual learning styles. Because people have more control over their training experience, online training offers the opportunity to learn in a non-stressful environment.

An online training course combines the advantages of uniformity in training and self-paced training. The basic course is the same for each trainee (while still offering you the chance to tailor instruction more easily) but can be delivered to different people at different times. While a human instructor is only available a limited time, online training materials don’t “go home” and trainees can review the subject matter as needed or desired. Support can be supplied via e-mail or phone.

Online training most likely will not require any additional equipment at your location. Training is delivered through existing computers and an Internet connection. Most online courses will run through any Internet browser on any operating system. You will need to dedicate newer and powerful computers to the training is the course has graphics, sound or video. Don’t make the mistake of using old castoff computers as your training computers. That will just make your trainees frustrated.

Still, being in an electronic format alone does not ensure that training is effective. How do you make the online training course effective for your people? To be effective, an online training course must be interactive without being messy. Bells and whistles are not always a benefit if they overburden the user. The course material and its interface should be streamlined. So, while you can incorporate video and audio instructions, interactive simulations, testing modules, and the like, the question you should be constantly asking is: “does this add to the substance of the course?” Does the way information is being portrayed supplement the learning object of a particular topic. If it does not add to the real content of the course and increase the knowledge of your trainees, then all of the flash and pizzazz will end up being more distracting than helpful. Likewise, always be sure that the learning interface, navigation graphics, and control buttons are easily understood and useable.

The self-paced flexibility of online training can also be a negative as well as a positive. Flexible should not mean unstructured. Yes, people can take the training when it fits their own schedule, but that schedule should still be a structured, set time, not just starting and ending when they feel like it. Thus, you probably want to have the online training course only available on computers inside a dedicated training room. Assign specific times for trainees to come for training in an environment where they can train undistracted. Really, your online training environment should be similar to an instructor-led training environment—a room conducive to learning and concentration where trainees can get the most out of their time.

When designed and carried out systematically and in an organized manner online training can be highly effective. Either as an addition to or a replacement for the face-to-face classroom environment, online training can be a strong part of your organization’s training environment.

Search terms :

Do you have an action plan in your time management scheme? Last night while writing these articles, I had to check myself. The last thing I want to do is tell the readers how to manage time and be a hypocrite. The writing of these articles is rewarding since I realized that managing your time includes using your intelligence and skills, as well as putting an action plan into play. Action plans are lists of responsibilities that instruct a person “to carry out to achieve an objective.”

The list centers on the goals immediately needing achievement on demand. The list or action plan enables you to center your attention on the specific obligations required of you. The marketplace has several software programs that help those of us that have busy schedules and time management is a struggle. The software’s available provide tools for storing names, addresses, SS# and other important information in a secure filing cabinet.

Many of the large companies are wise to invest in this type of software, since it is a source for managing time. However if you own a smaller company, the software programs are often expensive so you might want to resort to some of the software programs that offer similar tools for organizing, such as Microsoft Outlook, to manage your time. Microsoft Outlook has book organizers, address books, and other tools sufficient enough to help smaller businesses manage their business.

If you are storing files on your computer, be sure to backup your data so nothing is lost. Backups are essential for protecting important documents, and if spares you headaches if your hard drive fails, and your data is lost. If you are, storing data on discs or other storage mediums be sure to include a file name that you will remember. For example, if you are storing birth certificates or identifications in a file, name the file accordingly. This will help you stay organized, and ahead of the game. File extensions are connecting files to a particular file.

Therefore, if you have outdated files, you might want to add a few extensions and label the file accordingly. This will help you get right to the important documents, and have the piece of mind you need if the outdated documents require reopening. If you have documents, lying around or in your computer that you no longer need, make sure this is true and toss them in the garbage. Why hang on to something that you will not need again?

Wasted documents take up time and space in the sense that if you are searching for a document and continue to stumble on papers you no longer need, it is a waste of time. Most business requires maximum speed on computers. Moreover, when you are storing outdated files, your action in time management plan is out of socket. Getting ahead is organizing and tossing what is wasting space. Getting the ball rolling is an action plan that results with time management.