TRAINING & EDUCATION: ELEARNINGDoes e-Learning Work?Does e-Learning Work?It’s time to put that question behind us. nce a question has been care-fully analyzed and a reliable answer has been found, it is Otime to use this new knowl-edge to help answer the next series of important questions. This is the current situation in some parts of the maritime industry surrounding the question of whether eLearning works. To illustrate, some months ago there was a familiar discussion on an on-line maritime group debating whether eLearning works. Arguments on both sides cited anecdotes and conjecture on topics for which we already have solid answers informed by real research. This highlights the need to broadly dissemi-nate what is already known about this question. Therefore, this article provides some of the most compelling evidence on the question of whether eLearning works in the maritime industry. This knowledge can then be used to contrib-ute to the discussion of other pressing, yet unanswered, maritime training ques-tions such as how to cross cultural and ering the question of whether eLearning but it is a fact. More importantly, if you tiple, complementary training approach-language barriers in training, how to works, we are comparing offerings of combine online and face-to-face training es to yield excellent results - better than raise the standards of all maritime train-roughly equal quality. (a technique called “blended learning”), either one approach can produce alone.ing without increasing costs, and how to you get signi? cantly better training out-support a culture of safety through atten-The Difference Between comes than by employing either online Technology Offers Unique Bene? tstion to training.Knowledge & Skills or face-to-face training alone. This is In addition to improving training out-Maritime industry workers require very important as it gives us an opportu- comes, adding a technology component The Quick Answerboth knowledge and skills to do their nity to make real training improvements to your training yields bene? ts not avail-We will cover the evidence in a mo-jobs safely and ef? ciently. It is important that were simply not available to us 10 able otherwise. ment, but ? rst let me clearly state the to realize that effective training tech- years ago. For example, eLearning systems are answer to the question, “Does eLearning niques for knowledge are not the same excellent providers of deep learning met-work”? The answer is an unequivocal as those for skills. Having said that, keep No Replacement for rics and analytics. This is real-time data “YES”. But as with any complex topic, in mind that all skills are built on a foun- Hands On Training about how well your trainees are per-there are many parts to that answer. So dation of knowledge. Therefore even if This is one of the most common argu- forming and where the gaps are. This al-here are a few quick, but very important, you believe you are only teaching a skill, ments I hear against online learning. I lows you to continuously improve train-considerations.there is always a strong knowledge com- believe that the statement is completely ing at your organization and close gaps ponent to that training. So both must al- true, but it is in no way an argument in training outcomes before they become Not All eLearning ways be considered. against on-line learning. Hands-on train- safety or performance issues.Experiences are Equaling for skills provides the context, ex- Another example is how technology Neither are all classroom experiences. Blended is Best for Knowledge perience, environment and tactile feed- can bring training to the trainee. This has There are excellent and poor examples The evidence will be presented below, back that a simulation will approach, but the effect of improving access to train-of both online and classroom-based but here is the quick fact. All else being never fully match. However, simulations ing, bringing it to those who might not training. We don’t abandon the class-equal, when comparing online learning will provide variety in, and control of, otherwise have the opportunity. room just because we had a terrible in-with classroom-based learning, they the training scenario that hands-on train- Technology also supports more ? ex-structor once. Likewise, we should not come out roughly equal for teaching ing can never match. Each approach of- ible training delivery models. A very abandon eLearning just because we have encountered poor implementations (of knowledge, with eLearning offering a fers something the other one does not. common and highly effective approach slight advantage. Yes, this is surprising, Therefore in this case we can use mul- is to have trainees pre-train using eL-which there are many). So when consid-30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MAY 2014MR #5 (26-31).indd 30 MR #5 (26-31).indd 30 4/30/2014 3:15:27 PM4/30/2014 3:15:27 PM