As long as there are students, there will be willingness and readiness to learn, so it’s important for the instructors, learning strategists and developers to accommodate. Just fifty years ago, learning was strictly face-to-face with few opportunities to meet learners’ demand for options and expansion. Then, in 1989, the University of Phoenix opened the first private, for-profit online school, and the learning paradigm changed across the entire industry.

eLearning has reached numerous milestones since it’s introduction, as shown in OnlineEducation.net’s infographic, especially since the term was coined in 1999. That same year, Trivantis introduced its flagship product, Lectora e-Learning software, climbing to the top of the ranks of a now $34 billion industry. The switch from classroom to online learning has been a slow, but effective process for many companies and organizations; and the intricacies of the Internet and high-quality authoring tools have lent a hand to the transition.

According to the infographic, there are now 25,000 online courses offered, and 3 million online-only students in the US. 75% of public higher learning institutions have online learning in their long-term plans, and by 2019, it is estimated that 50% of all classes taught will be delivered online. The accessibility, flexibility and user-friendliness of online coursework are very appealing to educators, trainers, developers, HR and other professionals, and many are starting to incorporate eLearning practices into their business strategy.

“Online environments focused on collaboration and action, rather than reading and test-taking, can be more social, creative, substantial and personally meaningful than traditional classes,” said Gary Stager,executive director of the Constructivist Consortium, in his Room for Debate article. “When work is public, peers learn from it and support reciprocal growth. Everyone is a teacher and learner all of the time. The quality of work benefits from the extra time, collaboration and expertise.

Some educators are still hesitant to get on board with eLearning, so blended learning has become a viable option. This approach integrates classroom techniques with eLearning software, so the learners get the best of both worlds. Despite the specific strategy, whether blended, formal or informal learning, eLearning courses have proven to be a beneficial option for cutting costs and time, increasing learner retention and expanding the reach of information. And, with the right authoring tool, learners will get an interactive experience that makes them feel as though they’ve never left the classroom.

Lectora Inspire e-Learning software provides numerous opportunities for advanced learning that will motivate your trainees or students to go the extra mile in their course. Surveys, quizzes, Flash animations, screen recordings, multimedia and other creative and interactive features make users want to get involved in Lectora courses. Lectora Online is a great tool for online learners who work as a team, but are separated by distance because you can maintain project versions, create assignments, review comments and more all from a single location—and all online. No matter what you’re learning preferences are, Lectora can accommodate your needs and make the transition from classroom to online learning a smooth, and stress-free process.

“The old model of education forced every student through the same, expensive mold,” according to the infographic. “Higher education is no longer only for the elite; anyone with an Internet connection can educate themselves. Access to education has never been more comprehensive…and it’s only going to get better.”

 

 

To see Lectora’s features and publishing solutions, stay connected with our social networks at: Twitter: @lectora, Facebook - http://bit.ly/cIG0Pe, LinkedIn group (Lectora Rapid eLearning) -http://bit.ly/9qcO3n

 

Heather Thomas is the Social Media Lead at Trivantis Corporation. She is a senior public relations student at Kent State University and is interested in corporate PR and social media. She enjoys traveling, reading and writing.