Article Index - Training & Education
 
Horses for Courses
 
E-learning may not suit everyone but if it does complement your lifestyle and personality it can accelerate you towards the finishing post.
 
Like it or not, more and more aspects of our day-to-day lives are being put online. Thousands of teenagers have already piloted online SATs tests with the view to them becoming compulsory in 2008, and so the e-learning age is truly upon us. As if our relationship with the PC wasn't intense enough, with shopping, referencing, communicating and playing games common practice in many homes, can this face-less, digital medium also offer any benefits to the learner? That really depends…
 
Jane, 47, married, two children, part-time Classroom Assistant
Sensibly, Jane ensured the course she purchased was written by an accredited training provider and has found that e-learning suits her perfectly. She studies at home at times that fit in with her busy schedule and she works at her own pace. She can study safe in the knowledge that the information she is receiving is validated and she can constantly monitor her own progress and revisit any part of the course as often as necessary. She uses the Student Discussion Forum to share ideas with other students, where she regularly chats with George.
 
George, 24, single, trainee Accountant
Looking for a career change, George is in a rush! He wants to obtain his qualification as quickly as possible and therefore did not want to wait until the next College enrolment to begin. He is self-motivated and only occasionally needs the support of his e-tutor. He particularly enjoys the immediacy of the e-learning environment - he has no time to waste waiting to be told if he has passed or failed! He is living proof to back the recent research by Washington University, which found testing yourself on what you have just learnt is a much better way of embedding the facts into your brain than going over the facts again. With e-learning, George has found the ability to do both!
 
Monica, 21, single, two part-time jobs
Monica is a friendly, bubbly, gregarious girl who flits from one job to another. She signed up for an e-learning course when she was between jobs, thinking that studying from home would be ideal, but she didn't progress far. Even with the support of her e-tutor she struggled to stay focussed, found the experience lonely, and lacked the self-motivation required for this form of learning. She gave up the e-learning and is now enjoying her chosen subject part-time at her local College.
 
Ensure you select the right course at the right time for YOU
Jane, George and Monica are fictitious examples of the range of learners, each with differing needs and abilities. Each person is an individual and so no one method of learning can possibly claim to meet everyone's needs all of the time. E-learning does, however, provide the means for you to dictate where and when you learn. When written well, the information is presented in a manner that aids learning and retention, maintains your interest and interaction, and the technical delivery of the course should be simple so as not to frustrate or distract. Even with e-tutor support and Student Discussion Forums, the social side of learning may be missed, and this lack of personal interaction coupled with the requirement for self-motivation does not suit all personalities. However, if it does suit, you can begin the course whenever you wish, take your time or fast track, and the tutorial you receive does not depend on how the tutor performs on the day. You can constantly monitor your progress, use your e-tutor as required, and feel the personal satisfaction as you progress comfortably towards your finishing post to be presented with that valuable qualification.
 
For further information contact Sharon Coleman M.I.I.T.T.,
Director of Essential Training Solutions.
ETS provides self-study revision/reference materials in anatomy & physiology, reflexology and aromatherapy and will be offering an online VTCT Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology course from 1st September.
Tel: 01604 879100
Web: www.essential-training.co.uk
 
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