Organizations may face several challenges when implementing eLearning at the workplace in the areas of courseware development, technology, support of key players and so on.
eLearning is a convenient means of providing training to employees in an organization. Based on the learning needs of employees, a suitable method can be planned for deploying eLearning across the organization. However, organizations need to plan in advance and identify different areas in which training needs to be provided to make eLearning successful.
Though eLearning has terrific prospects, there are several challenges that organizations face while implementing eLearning, particularly organizations that are new to the field of eLearning.
Development of courseware:
Implementing eLearning requires organizations to develop courseware which require expertise in terms of manpower and resources. Organizations may or may not have the required resources and tools on hand, which could pose problems. Without having proper tools and expertise for developing courseware, efforts to implement eLearning can become isolated, with expected results becoming impossible.
Technology:
Due to the absence of a technical platform, telecommunication capabilities, bandwidth limitations, an organization may face problems in hosting and delivering eLearning courses effectively.
Resistance to change:
Undoubtedly, implementing eLearning will bring changes in the way training is imparted, which may not be easily accepted by people. Learners may resist and resent the learning unless and until the organization takes adequate efforts in educating their employees on its benefits.
Support of key players:
To facilitate the transition to eLearning, support of key players in the organization is essential. It is a challenge for organizations to garner support for implementing eLearning at all the levels of the organization. Support and involvement of the top management helps in gaining employee acceptance of eLearning.
Learners’ capabilities:
Sometimes learners may lack basic computer skills and they may not have the confidence to adapt to new technology. They may have a negative perception towards eLearning and might make the efforts to willingly accept the change. The attitudes of the learners could also be a challenge while implementing eLearning in an organization.
Despite the challenges, there are several benefits for organizations to implement eLearning as a part of their training initiatives. Organizations can assess their capabilities and limitations and choose to seek the help of an external eLearning service provider when those services cannot be met internally.
