Professional training across almost every sector is increasingly being delivered online. As a mode of delivery, it has a range of benefits for both employers and learners alike, embedding greater flexibility into the learning process. It makes learning more accessible, enabling people to learn at their own pace.
What is online training, how does it work, and what benefits can it provide healthcare workers and employers?
What is online training?
Online, or e-learning, is a form of education or training that is delivered over the internet. It can use a variety of different media, from written materials to videos, podcasts, online questionnaires and face-to-face meetings with tutors or other students via Zoom or similar platforms.
As people lead busy lives and technology becomes better equipped to deliver courses, online training has grown in popularity. Because of its increased sophistication, it’s just as effective as in-person training, and its added flexibility means it's often more accessible.
Easy scheduling
In-person training and learning can be inconvenient and difficult to schedule. It can be hard to find a time that suits all employees, especially when everyone works on a different schedule. It can also be difficult to find a suitable time to hold training, and it may be problematical to get them all in the same place at once. This can particularly be an issue for healthcare settings where time is always at a premium.
Online training makes it easier for people to access training, providing flexible learning opportunities that fit in with their working and personal lives. Online training can be readily available whenever anyone needs it, helping them broaden their skills and supporting their professional development. In short, online training is a convenient way to deliver high-quality learning to busy healthcare professionals.
Cost-effectiveness
Online training is cost-effective. Employees can access their courses anywhere they have an internet connection. There’s no need to pay for transportation, room hire or other logistical costs associated with training. When you purchase online training you may also be able to access discounted prices for larger groups of employees.
Flexible access
As well as being cost-effective and easy to schedule, online training is flexible for healthcare professionals. It removes some of the restrictions that can limit access to in-person training and gives the learner control of their own training.
E-learning and online training enable people to access their training at a time that is most convenient for them. They can study in the workplace, at home, or even while commuting. It can be accessible on a variety of devices, meaning that people can check in on their training whenever they have a spare moment.
It’s also more accessible for people who may face barriers in classroom settings, perhaps because of disability. Online training levels the playing field and makes everyone a self-directed learner and better able to manage their own training requirements.
More effective
Online training isn’t the second best alternative to in-person training. In fact, there’s a growing body of research and evidence that suggests it can be more effective. Typically, online training will use a wider variety of teaching methods and learning materials. This means that students are more likely to encounter a learning method that suits their needs much better.
Because students have more control over their own learning, they’re able to work at their own pace. In practice, this means that they work faster than they otherwise would do and take in more information. They’re able to move faster through areas of the course that they feel confident about, and then slow down on those areas that need more attention.
When people are engaged and their learning is self-directed, they are more likely to retain information. They’re not just passive recipients of information but actively engaged in the learning process.
Online training can be highly absorbing, with people keen to learn whenever they’re able to. This self-directed and managed form of learning is highly effective, helping to keep participants engaged and motivated.
How Qintil can help
Qintil helps you to deliver and manage learning, recruitment and onboarding your team, staying compliant and managing shifts. It comes with great reporting, finance and payroll features.
Qintil is made for health and care professionals by people who work in health and care so all that experience and understanding has been built in.
Get in touch to find out more and set-up a demo today.