Online education is here to stay. We have been learning online for a few years now. Since the launch of the first MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) in 2008, platforms and courses have proliferated, alongside the increasing interest of universities and learners to teach and learn online. By 2021, there were 220 million learners enrolled in over 19 thousand courses (Bates, 2022). In addition, during the pandemic, most employers and employees transitioned from on-site to remote work. With it, we saw not only the affordances but also the benefits of working in an online world.
Organizations from all sectors have benefited from the surge of online education, making upskilling and reskilling programs more accessible and scalable. On the one hand, organizations such as Google and Microsoft offer professional certificates online to everyone willing to pay, leveraging their know-how and industry credibility. On the other hand, other organizations have transitioned their leadership development courses online, some through partnerships with renowned universities and organizations, while others develop their courses in-house.
Regardless of which approach your organization is taking toward bringing corporate learning online, here are a few key ideas to consider:
Choose the right media and technology for your learners and your organization.
The ease of use of the technology and media in the program will reduce cognitive load and increase engagement. A standard criterion when selecting media is that novice learners should spend 20 minutes or less familiarizing themselves with the critical functions of the tool or platform.
Not all media or tech will support all types of content. Media use should align with the complexity of the content while supporting the achievement of the course's learning objectives.
It is crucial to think about the accessibility of both technology and content.
Security, privacy, and connectivity to current talent management tools are essential; check with your IT team before making any new technology commitments (Bates, 2022).
Select platforms and activities that support engagement and networking within the organization.
Develop activities that create opportunities for situated and authentic learning. For example, simulations are an excellent resource for employees to practice and view multiple perspectives safely before operating in complex professional settings (UNSW Sydney, 2023).
Think about incorporating study groups for asynchronous programs, or when delivering synchronously, weave in breakout sessions for learners to network and share ideas about a guiding question.
We can learn a lot from cMOOCs regarding promoting a networked approach to learning. Regardless of their level of knowledge, individuals interested in a specific topic or subject connect to learn with and from each other (Bates, 2022).
Stackability and sustainability are essential for learning in the workplace.
It is important to map your employees’ learning journeys and pathways. One course cannot cover all aspects of a role and solve all your upskilling and reskilling needs. Creating a journey will help you identify and track the relevant skills at different stages of the employees' professional careers while providing transparency and promoting engagement.
Lastly, remember to make it fun! Although you are in a corporate setting, creating a joyful learning experience for your employees should be a priority when designing, developing, and delivering online courses.
Bibliography
Bates, A. W. (2022). Choosing and using media in education. In Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (pp. 611-698). Tony Bates Associated Ltd.
Bates, A. W. (2022). MOOCs. In Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (pp. 295-365). Tony Bates Associated Ltd.
UNSW Sydney. (2023, April 1). Assessing with Role Plays and Simulations . Retrieved from Teaching: https://www.teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessing-role-play-and-simulation