What is e-learning? Well, there are many types of e-learning that organizations can use to educate or train people. Understanding what is e-learning and the best types of e-learning to use is critical when creating new training programs.
A physical institution no longer confines restrictions to learning. It took a pandemic for many governmental and educational institutes to understand this. But the corporate world had incorporated e-learning into their training and development programs well before the pandemic. After all, many corporate employees don’t have the time and flexibility to attend in-person training sessions. And the cost of organizing in-person sessions, the travel costs, and the lost productivity resulted in the corporations embracing e-learning before many others.
Types of Synchronous E-Learning
Among these types of e-learning, synchronous learning is an easily digestible concept, given that such a mode of learning has traditionally been followed. It allows for a sense of community, engagement, and collaboration. Simultaneously, it ensures that any questions are instantly resolved for the students. And makes the learning more concentrated and engaging.
Yet, there is no one universal way to use synchronous e-learning. In understanding what is e-learning, it is essential to know the types of e-learning options you have to choose from.
The following are considered the most popular types of e-learning used in synchronous learning designs.
Live Podcast/Webcast
Live podcasts are the modern adaptation of a radio show. Like a traditional podcast, the podcast is streamed through online software. The only difference, of course, is that the show is not pre-recorded. That is what helps live podcasts qualify as a type of synchronous e-learning channel.
Live podcasts may sometimes also include
video streaming and may then be more similar to a webinar. However, the ability of podcasts to teach curriculum content is somewhat limited. For example, you wouldn’t want to use it to teach someone how to draw. But for a new product release, it could be a very effective type of e-learning.
Live Virtual Classrooms
Live virtual classrooms are the direct counterpart of physical classes where students gather in a physical space to learn. A live virtual classroom may take advantage of any of the numerous web conferencing software available. Of course, over the past year, there have been significant improvements to create a classroom atmosphere. Examples of virtual classroom technology include Zoom, WebEx, Adobe Connect, amongst others.
Typically, this type of e-learning will include an instructor preparing slides or educational material in advance to share with the class. And, the instructor may also choose to stream their video for portions of the virtual course.
Virtual Classrooms are often used for cohort-based learning, such as learning how to facilitate.
Webinar
A webinar is most adequately defined as a web seminar.
Like any seminar, a webinar includes a panel of experts or a single expert that informs on a particular subject. Communication is therefore defined as one-to-many. By default, most of the talking comes from the expert(s) on the subject(s). This means that the interface for such communication restricts interference from the listeners.
Listeners then are allowed to unmute and ask questions when it’s time for discussion and questions.
Webinars are often a good tool for remote presentations and timely updates.
Virtual Coaching
Learning through coaching can often form an essential part of learning, especially for role play and practice.
Such as for sales training. And coaching can also be transferred online to an asynchronous learning technique called virtual coaching.
The methodology will make use of web conferencing software similar to live virtual classrooms. But the number of participants will be significantly lower. Usually, coaching sessions only include 2 participants – a coach and a student.
“90% of corporations now use e-learning compared to just 4% in 1995.” KPMG
Flipped Classroom
What type of e-learning is a flipped classroom? A flipped classroom is called that because it reverses the ideas of classwork and homework. In this teaching model, recorded lectures replace class time. Subsequently, students come to class to apply what they learned through the online lessons they reviewed at home.
This methodology is known to significantly increase the efficiency of teaching course content, as video lectures save time. With a set agenda, students then discuss and practice what was learned in the video lectures. When students meet in class, they get more time to cover practical applications of the theory they’ve already learned.
Blended E-Learning
This learning methodology combines online and physical or virtual classroom learning. It creates a learning methodology where one component of the instruction complements the other.
The online learning portion may use interactive tools and online meetings to connect students. At the same time, this leaves physical classrooms for hands-on learning or discussion of complex topics. An example is management training such as interviewing candidates. Or how to give performance feedback. The theory would be provided online with examples. And then, the physical classroom instruction would allow time for instructor feedback and role-playing.
Types of Asynchronous E-Learning
Asynchronous e-learning is the second of the two online teaching methodologies. Often it minimizes the time in the teaching process. Asynchronous types of e-learning are designed to be one-way communication. But, they are compelling in their ability to allow flexible learning for those that cannot commit to scheduled programs.
What is e-learning if you can’t learn on your terms? And, is it possible to add interactive elements to create an engaging experience.
You’ll find out below as the following are types of asynchronous e-learning methodologies are discussed.
Microlearning
Microlearning is one of the more modern types of e-learning. It relies on skill-based learning that focuses on specific niches, for example, software tips and tricks.
Rather than developing a theoretical background in the subject and complementing it with applications, microlearning takes place through asynchronous methods and in brief time bursts. For example, through short videos or animations. Such as in safety training to examine a specific incident or training procedure.
Such learning is naturally more focused on skills. It is highly relevant to corporate workers looking to complement their existing skills portfolio.
Email/Text ‘Drip’ Course
Email or text drip campaigns are not a new concept. A drip relies on sending a more significant chunk of information broken down into smaller, individual emails. These are sent at predefined intervals.
They are sometimes based on a set schedule (daily or weekly) or upon completing specific sections in the course.
Using this concept, learning courses can be delivered over email or text. And specific segments sent out over time. Given that long emails aren’t very appealing, you must break the content into bite-sized, relevant portions. Often, emails will direct the learner toward the resources and include embedded videos or other interactive features.
Recorded Webinars
Recorded webinars are precisely what they sound like – online recorded seminars. For example, it could be an asynchronous webinar that you recorded for later use. This makes it easier to preserve the learning from an expert, especially if it is conducted from a difficult to replicate location or activity.
A recorded webinar does reduce the little engagement that a live webinar has. But, there are cost-effective ways to add interactive elements to the recorded webinar to make an instructional product. For example, on topics such as how to do an audit or write a business plan.
Interactive Videos
An interactive video is a more engaging approach to learning. In contrast to a regular video, an interactive video takes input from the viewer. Such a video may present different scenarios based on the viewer’s actions expressed through clicks, hovers, gestures, scrolls, or drags. It could also be in the form of a game or a case study.
Interactive videos are often used for analyzing safety situations, warehouse training, and restaurant training etc.
And they can be a powerful asynchronous e-learning tool due to the high engagement with the learner.
Simulations
Simulations, too, are one of the types of e-learning most often used in digital gameplay and designed to create maximum engagement. Its use in learning is often with case study type learning. A simulation is an imitation of a real-world scenario expressed digitally. The use of simulations allows case studies to be brought to life and helps understand contextually relevant information. For example, flight simulators are a common use of simulations.
Fixed E-Learning
Fixed e-learning is perhaps the closest that asynchronous learning can come to traditional classrooms. The term “fixed e-learning” refers to the course content, and learning schedules are all fixed before commencement.
With fixed e-learning courses, there are few or even no changes made, even if the feedback suggests a need to change. Fixed e-learning is a rudimentary form of an asynchronous course. Yet, it can still be a valuable type of e-learning in certain instances. For example, academic institutions use massive open online courses (MOOCs).
Adaptive E-Learning
Adaptive e-learning looks to solve the shortcomings of fixed e-learning. This form of asynchronous learning relies on using feedback from learners and incorporating that into the process. For example, feedback from quizzes and assessments can indicate where further instruction is required. And can update the learning curriculum as it progresses, such as learning a language using a tool like Duolingo.
Adaptive e-learning can change how education progresses around the globe. But this also means that planning and implementing requires significant expertise to design this type of e-learning.
Collaborative E-Learning
Collaborative e-learning comes the closest to synchronous learning in terms of its ability to engage people. It focuses on learning as a group to achieve individual learning objectives.
Through this method, the group learns to practice the essentials of teamwork and synergy. It allows participants to learn essential communication skills and work on individual group weaknesses to strengthen the group as a whole. It makes collaborative e-learning a potent learning tool. For example, Miro is a tool that creates an electronic whiteboard to enable people in disparate locations to collaborate.
Game-Based E-Learning
Game-based e-learning is an old concept but takes on new adaptations with e-learning.
The general idea behind this form of asynchronous e-learning is to add learning to games. It can be as simple as connecting dots to make shapes to extremely interactive digital protocols to teach skills.
Note that game-based e-learning should not be confused with gamification. Gamification is only about using game mechanics to make learning more enjoyable. In contrast, game-based e-learning is about using actual games to learn. An example of game-based e-learning is teaching people how to trade in the stock market by trading fake stocks.
Virtual Reality
What type of e-learning would virtual reality
be used for, you might ask? There are many applications of virtual reality, with education being one of the prominent ones. Using virtual reality to teach relies on creating an interactive environment where the learner can engage with the content and curriculum.
The difference between virtual reality and interactive videos is how deeply immersive the environment can get. By default, virtual reality is highly engaging and drives more interest in learning. Examples of good uses for virtual reality include first responder training and medical surgeries.
Recorded Podcast
Podcasts have long been viewed as educational content and learning material. And, their importance in the learning world is seen to be more than just curriculum-based. They are often used to introduce novel ideas. And the convenience for the listener is highly desirable. Allowing someone to listen to it while commuting or relaxing makes it a powerful tool for simple asynchronous e-learning. Now ‘pod-courses’ are the new trend. An example where recorded podcasts are used as types of e-learning includes inspirational stories and examples that the learner can apply in their situation. Or to learn behavioral skills such as how to improve personal productivity.
Flipped Classroom
Flipped classrooms have already been defined as an asynchronous learning methodology.
However, the fact that the lectures themselves are asynchronous means that flipped classrooms can be termed an asynchronous e-learning technique.
Flipped classrooms revolve around using pre-recorded lectures as substitutes for classroom learning. Once the lectures are completed, the students visit a physical classroom to learn the application of the classroom learning.
Blended E-Learning
Blended e-learning brings together in-class and virtual exercises to make the most of each of the two. It makes blended e-learning also a synchronous and asynchronous e-learning technique.
Such a technique creates flexible learning schedules for those with other commitments on their time, such as a full-time job.
A blended e-learning technique can also often be called a hybrid learning model and has become very relevant in a world ridden by a pandemic. Examples, where it is used include interpreting regulatory guidelines or learning computer coding.
The Final Word On What Is E-learning And How To Create The Best Types Of E-learning
As you can see from our discussion of what is e-learning, asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methodologies are not mutually exclusive. Often to make the most of the learning, the various types of e-learning discussed above are combined. Knowing the goals and requirements of the learner, along with the type of content, can allow for recommendations to be made about which types of e-learning methodologies should be used. Knowing the basics about what is e-learning and the various types of e-learning provides you an understanding of the types of methods to use to train your learners.
