I see, I learn, I do, I understand… probably? Is it better to train online or in person?

Adult learning, particularly if you are in business, can be a very convoluted problem. On the one hand, you have a business to run, and you probably didn’t start that business to spend your time taking courses. On the other hand, if you want to have a successful business, you need to understand a range of different subjects. So really it comes down to two fundamental questions. What is the benefit of the training? and what is the best way to do it?

Adult learning, particularly if you are in business, can be a very convoluted problem.

On the one hand, you have a business to run, and you probably didn’t start that business to spend your time taking courses. On the other hand, if you want to have a successful business, you need to understand a range of different subjects. So really it comes down to two fundamental questions. What is the benefit of the training? and if that benefit is enough, what is the best way to train?

Is it better to learn online or in person?

So, the answer to the question above is very simple. As a rule of thumb, for most subjects, in person learning is far more effective than online. So, there we go, question answered, we can all move on. Only it’s never that simple, is it? General statements like the one in the last paragraph are flawed. They are not catering for individual circumstances. Or, to put it another way, people are all different. The right answer for you also depends on some other stuff as well.

In-person learning should be better.

At the risk of stating the obvious, face to face (F2F) learning should be better because learners can have a dialogue with the trainer. That interaction should mean that they can assess your development as you go along and adjust on the fly if needed. This is undoubtedly true, and we can put a pin in that as a basic principle. The other advantage of F2F is that the course can be tailored to your business area. The content can be adjusted to suit the learners as well.

OK, so face to face is better then? Well, yes, assuming the interaction happens, and the trainer can make the bespoke changes you need. Sadly, there is sometimes a barrier to the effectiveness of F2F. When it doesn’t work well, it is usually because of a handful of factors such as:

• The trainer is not knowledgeable enough about the subject
• Their delivery and content are not suitable for F2F
• You are on the wrong course
• You are not someone who learns well in a F2F environment

As soon as any of the above happens in a way that affects the training, F2F becomes less suitable.

Online learning can sometimes a better option then?

Yes, it is and yes, I know what we said at the beginning about F2F, but the bullet points above can clearly sometimes overwhelm the benefit of in person. There are other reasons why online works better for some people as well.

Let’s jump right to the main advantage of online learning which is that it can be a lot cheaper than F2F and sometimes you can get even it free.

If you are not a classroom learner, then clearly online is going to have an advantage. Many people find the pressure of a multi-learner environment difficult to deal with and that can quickly negate all the interaction advantages.

Online courses are also more convenient because they are usually built on pre-recorded content, therefore you choose when you do them and can also usually review what you learned as and when you need it. 

However, that very important interaction is not there. Some courses may well have a tutor-led review or similar, but that isn’t really the same thing. In the case of online learning, good content is the only key to a successful learning experience. This is a major factor to consider. However, when it comes to that content (and delivery) online has some real disadvantages.

• The right content can be delivered in the wrong way and this is a frequent problem. Often it is caused by courses being transferred from F2F to online or being created by AI. These courses are factually correct and have educational content, but they are not taking advantage of the online environment. I call this the fish in a birdcage problem. If you want a pet you will need to have a home for it, therefore if you put a fish in a birdcage, you did what you wanted to do… but it’s an unsatisfactory outcome, particularly for the fish. Online content should be online-focused.
• Doing it when it suits you is fine if you actually do it. A lot of people will buy courses, or register for free ones, and never actually do them.
• The course needs to be up to date. Things change and courses sometimes don’t. As an example, I wanted to book an online course for a member of the team and it contained a large module on using Google+ that ceased operating in 2019. Mildly irritating in this instance, potentially devastating if it is out-of-date legal or professional practice content.
• There are no group learning or networking opportunities, and this (coupled with the lack of feedback) can be isolating.
• With a lack of instant response, once a learner doesn’t understand or goes down the wrong learning route, they may struggle to get back on track.

Again, sorry, but this is not a clear-cut situation.

Why is that bit about being an educator a factor?

Ok, so let me be clear about something here. I am not, and would never, say that someone who hasn’t had teacher training is automatically not an effective trainer. I know several trainers who are absolutely fantastic at what they do and have no formal teacher training or education environment experience. They are experts, who have developed and grown into excellent educators in their field of expertise.

One dictionary definition of trainer is a person who teaches skills to people or animals and prepares them for a job, activity, or sport. That is the key to being a great trainer, you can teach preparation for a job. You bring your skills in a subject to the table and you show someone else how to do the same.

The same dictionary says an educator is more simply described as ‘A person who teaches people’ The reason it is a simpler definition is the process of education is at the heart of what they do as well as the transference of skills. Again, I am not denigrating the role of the trainer here, just explaining the difference.

3 of the F2F bullet points and 2 of the online ones would be negated by even a newly trained educator because they would recognise and resolve them. A trainer would also do that, but usually only if they had years of experience in teaching. They achieve the same goals, and there is no substitute for experience, but a trained educator also understands the mechanics of learning.

What about blended learning

Ahhh, now we are in a whole different area. Basically, blended learning means that an educator and an experienced trainer can, in theory at least, bring together the best elements of both methods and make it cost-effective.

Choose the way that is right for you, learn the way you learn best, commit to the process and you will get the most out of your training. The next trick is to decide what training you need.