E-Learning Future Forces

E-Learning 1.0
Future Forces By George Piskurich
It's important to consider all of the internal and external forces that influence organizational performance in order to understand fully the benefits of learning technologies. Here are some of the organizational forces that might affect the use of technology in the future, as well as some emerging technologies:
The organization
Skills training will continue to be a major focus for companies as new jobs are created and current jobs change dramatically. Technology has been, and will continue to be, a dominant factor in the delivery of this aspect of employee development.
Computer skills training is a subset of skills training, but it needs to be discussed in its own right. It is constantly in the top five responses to HRD trend polls, and more companies are beginning to realize that the way to teach computer skills is with the computer. Technology-based programs that use proper adult learning methodologies will reinforce classroom processes and reduce classroom time for the learning of these basic skills.
Continued corporate restructuring and the cost-reduction requirements it engenders will increase the pressure for more efficient training. Technology used in the appropriate situations will continue to provide measurable, often significant, reductions in both direct and indirect training costs.
Downsizing of HRD departments will require that more be done with less. Application of proper technology will help to meet this challenge by using corporate knowledge resources more effectively and by helping current HRD staffs to multiply their effectiveness by allowing them to be in more than one place at the same time.
The focus on performance in many corporations will require the development of new performance-improvement tools. Because of the complexity of modern business operations and their reliance on technology, many of these tools will need to be technology-based.
The transformation of companies into learning organizations will require new technology-based infrastructures that facilitate the sharing of corporate knowledge and the achievement and evaluation of integrated goals.
The need to use the best possible resources will further the emphasis on hiring disabled and minority employees. Technology will help to make these employees effective and efficient contributors to the organization.
Changing work habit patterns will require organizations to create alternative work processes for their employees. Many of these processes, such as telecommuting and virtual offices, are technology-based interventions.
Accountability will continue to be a major issue at all levels of the organization. Technology helps provide the necessary structure to determine accountability.
The learner
Learner control is an issue that has been gaining in emphasis for a number of years. Technology will provide increasing control to learners, not only over when things are learned, but also how they are learned and even what is important to be learned for specific jobs and situations.
Individual responsibility for personal development is the new philosophy of development specialists. Many new programs and opportunities for individual development will be possible because of advances in learning technology.
An integrated implementation format will combine a suitable amount of technology- and nontechnology-based learning interventions to meet the needs of learners who have low or high levels of internal self-directedness.
The technology
Web-based training through internal and external networks will become a standard as problems with bandwidth and speed are solved.
Desktop training and conferencing will continue to grow as more employees become comfortable with it.
Interactive distance learning, either through satellite or land-line linkages, will become the preferred method of training for multinational corporations that can't afford the expense or, more importantly, the time to bring contributors to a central location for training.
High-definition television will bring back the use of video for both live and prerecorded training programs.
Easily portable computers will provide EPSS and just-in-time training in any work environment.
Voice recognition allows data input without the use of keyboards and mice. This will advance the development of expert systems that people can querie the same way they ask for help of each other.
Personal communications devices will provide wireless real-time access to information, and thus provide up-to-date training anywhere, anytime.
Virtual reality processes will provide true simulations that will allow trainees to experience real situations without real danger. From three-dimensional models to total immersion, this technology will take training from theory to practice in a totally controlled environment.
Published: Janaury 2000
ref:http://www.learningcircuits.org/2000/jan2000/jan2000_elearn.html