"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. "

--Socrates

e-Learning has finally been able to muster the kind of support that was predicted in the mid '90s. In use at hundreds of Global 2000 companies around the world, government bodies & educational institutions, the benefits of e-Learning are clearly evident. E-Learning had a clear edge over traditional classroom based learning in the areas of instant, global deployment and updates (through the Internet), anytime anywhere access (for executives on the move), self-paced asynchronous learning style, easily measurable (through online tests, time logged for the course, etc.), cost-effectiveness, zero travel time & an interactive learning environment that may use only the Internet & a browser. These advantages, especially the high cost savings (sometimes reported at even 80%) & the time saved (travel time) attracted organizations to try out e-learning.

As organizations used e-learning for sometime the strategic advantages were more evident. The strategic fit of e-learning to 'Just In Time learning' & 'learning organizations' increased its acceptability.

CLOs

The title 'Chief Learning Officer' came in vogue in the early '90s. Chief learning officers were responsible in moving their organizations to new levels of competitiveness. This signaled the inclusion of education as a part of business strategy. In the context of e-learning, CLOs have progressed from procuring e-learning software to managing projects that fall in the realm of knowledge management.
Gaining competence is the ability to perform an activity as is expected of the job. Competence-based training consists of technical or role-specific competencies and in some cases managerial competencies like decision-making and communication skills. It also involves skill upgradation, certifications, relicensing (periodic renewal of certification through credits gained & tests). It does not take into account personal career progress though. Strategy-based courses take care of this need by providing learning programmes that address the needs of both the learners & the organization. e-learning makes this training self paced, increasing the 'learning' component in the training.
CLOs have moved on from traditional training management roles to managing e-Learning strategies. Buying decisions became less risky over the years as ASP hosted e-learning applications with a browser client (virtual classrooms) have reduced the cost of learning per employee to anything between $25-$40. ROI justifications are also easier at this cost bracket. The bad news is that e-learning softwares are getting bulkier & the number of players goes on increasing. Successful implementation rates follow the trend of enterprise applications.

LMS

Pricing for learning-management systems ranges from $200,000 to $900,000, according to Meta Group. A full-scale system can take as long as 18 months to implement and require the help of a systems integrator.

A Learning Management System (LMS) is software that automates the administration of training events. Learning Management Systems manage the log-in of registers users, manage course catalogs, record data from learners, and provide reports to management.

The term Learning Management System is now used to describe a wide range of applications that may include functions such as authoring, classroom management, competency management, knowledge management, certification & recertification training & management & collaboration tools. A LMS with all these functions may cost from $200,000 to $900,000, according to Meta Group. A full-scale system can take as long as 18 months to implement and require the help of a systems integrator. Every organization however does not require all the functionalities provided by these LMS. Learning strategies in an organization have to be mapped to software requirements to arrive at a decision as to which LMS to purchase or develop inhouse.

e-Learning allows organizations to leverage maximum benefit out of LMSes, in terms of anytime anywhere accessibility, instant course upgradation & low hardware/software requirements. The e-learning LMS market has not matured though & there are many players offering e-Learning systems. These systems are either too complex, too costly or are difficult to implement. A pilot project is again a safe way to negate the risks associated with large implementations.

Learning Organizations

Organizational learning has traditionally been a reactive approach. Learning in such organizations is necessitated by changes in the external & internal environment. Learning organizations on the other hand are able to anticipate change & become more effective by learning new skill sets. This requires employee empowerment & group collaboration. An organization cannot learn unless individuals in the organization start learning. It is well known that learning cannot be necessarily induced by teaching. A better way to make individuals learn is to let them manage their learning themselves. According to Senge, learning organizations learn through the synergy of the individual learners. (Senge, "The Leader's New Work," 1990). This synergy can be developed through collaborative learning, where it is ensured that the organization as a whole does not lack any skill set required due to a potential future change.

Although traditionally assisting only in 'organizational memory', IT has been able to play an important role in transforming companies into learning organizations. e-Learning has all the capabilities required of a system to assist a learning organization. e-Learning ensures that indivisualized learning does not lead to isolated learning.

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