e-Learning for the technical sector, the trend for 2023?
Author
Remco Guijs
Date
January 31, 2023
Reading time
5 minutes
Themes
Instructional videos for mechanics, installers, and other technicians can no longer be imagined without in the industry according to Dutch research (Source: University of Twente, 2022).
What is a good e-learning for companies?
A good e-learning for the technical sector has a number of characteristics. Variety and diversity are key. By alternating pieces of substantive information in text form with quizzes, infographics, and videos, the attention span of the learner is optimally utilized. This also provides the opportunity to adapt the level to that of the individual learner. For example, a career changer will already know and be able to do different things than a freshly graduated twenty-year-old. By organizing the e-learning flexibly, it can adjust to the learner, thus providing him or her with the optimal learning experience.
For this, a good digital platform is crucial. The last thing you want is for the content and focus to get lost in a slow or poorly functioning platform. Therefore, ensure good prerequisites so that knowledge is central, and the learning process is as efficient as possible. The last two basic principles concern the content. Ensure that it is relevant; no one wants to waste time and energy on meaningless facts or theories. Additionally, it is crucial that the content is quickly adjustable. Development is rapid, and the content must keep pace. By being able to implement this quickly, the e-learning, and thus the staff, are always up-to-date and ready for the latest innovations.
The 5 benefits of digital training
Tailored training. Everyone is unique and learns in their own way. Digital training materials offer the perfect opportunity to set up a custom learning journey, thereby educating everyone in the most optimal way possible.
Watch explanatory videos at your own pace. Videos have the fantastic property that they can be paused and re-watched. If something is not entirely clear, or if there is still doubt about a certain topic at a later time, a video can be rewatched quickly, which increases the level of knowledge.
Cost savings. Training takes time, and time is money. By organizing the training process as efficiently as possible, employees can quickly be up to speed and can be deployed on projects.
A strong position in the labor market. The tightness in the labor market means that personnel have many choices, and turnover is more of a norm than an exception. By offering an interesting training program, you create a strong position for your company in the war for talent.
Securing crucial knowledge. Staff comes and goes, taking much knowledge with them. By documenting critical company information in videos and text, it is prevented that valuable knowledge is lost during employee turnover.
How do you create a technical e-learning?
If you want to offer digital training as a company, it is crucial that all information that needs to be shared is known. This sounds like an open door, but experience shows that this knowledge is often scattered all over the company and therefore must first be gathered. The truly valuable knowledge is with the colleagues who are practically engaged with the technology every day. For example, consider the practical tips that come from years of experience. How valuable is it if it can also be digitally passed on from the master to the new generation?
The next step is to choose the format. Should a proprietary platform be developed, or can an existing platform, such as o-Zone, be utilized? Other choices regarding the format include the type of video. Is a filmed instructor preferred, or do 2D or 3D animation suit the situation better? Leading in all these choices is that the content must come across clearly and distinctly; the format is always secondary.
Forms of education and training for technical professions
Hybrid e-learning. In technical professions, it is all about practice. By offering theory digitally, but providing the skills in practice, an ideal mix of doing and learning arises.
Interactive e-learning. Learning by doing is a popular pedagogical concept. By actively involving the student in the material with questions and quizzes, he/she is challenged to actively engage with the content.
Multiplatform e-learning. The mobile phone and iPad are becoming increasingly important compared to laptops and desktops. If the e-learning can be used on multiple platforms, students can truly learn when they want to.
Customized e-learning. By providing a personal learning experience, the student can absorb the material in the most efficient way possible. Precisely because everything is digital, there are countless possibilities.
