THE BENEFITS OF ONLINE LEARNING/TRAINING TO STUDENTS, AND HOW IT CAN

HELP IN DEVELOPING EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THEIR PROFESSIONAL

EDGE.

Firstly, upskilling is becoming increasingly necessary. Upskilling is a term that refers

to the need for people to take their existing skills and upgrade them so that they can perform
better in current roles or have more of a potential for promotions into higher levels. It also is
important for simply staying up-to-date on technological trends in order to stay more competitive
in the marketplace. In today’s technology-driven world, upskilling is becoming increasingly
important simply because technology changes so fast. But beyond that, more and more people
are also choosing to pivot mid-career as well as diversify their skills later in life. This is a smart
move in an uncertain economy and it allows people to merge unusual skills as well to
differentiate themselves from the competition.

Second is Self-Paced Learning. A key advantage to online learning is that students can
complete their training in their own time and according to their own schedules. Recorded
lessons, written content, webinars and collaborative online learning software make it easy for
anyone with an internet connection to access everything they need. So now busy caretakers,
full-time employees or those who simply don’t have the time to go back to university full-time
have plenty of opportunities to find part-time courses where they can complete their schoolwork
in the evenings after work, on weekends, or whenever they can spare the time. It also is an
excellent option for those who are night owls, have health issues or other reasons why they
can’t fit into the traditional “9-5” type of school schedule. Class Central estimates that over 23
million people took their first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) in 2017, bringing the total
number of learners who have taken advantage of these new technologies to over 81 million
people. Increasingly, major universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and MIT are offering people
access to the same instructional material as the students attending the universities, and often
for free! These courses often include recorded lectures from professors teaching in their
classrooms at the school to their traditional students, discussion forums where students can
post assignments, communicate about the material with each other, ask questions to professors
and other students, and much more.

The next benefit of it is Online Learning Helps Us Stay Relevant in a Quickly

Changing World. Online learning addresses the challenge of our fast-paced world in a way that
traditional classroom settings never could. The rate at which the world is changing makes
keeping up a considerable obstacle; textbooks are quickly becoming outdated, which is not only
a significant cost to schools, students, and business, but is creating a disadvantage to students
who are learning information that may already be obsolete. In an eLearning course, materials
can be updated quickly and easily in real time. When new information and advances in
technology become available, rather than having to update and reprint expensive and
environmentally unfriendly textbooks, online information can simply be added or updated to
keep information continuously fresh and current. Only the information that needs to be updated
requires editing which saves schools and employers the tremendous expense of constantly
printing new material. As we know, this expense often leaves children and adult learners
studying information that is no longer relevant or current.
 Besides that, E-Learning is Resource Efficient. Online learning offers many benefits
when it comes to overall efficiency. Firstly, they don't require separate and dedicated buildings,
rooms, or equipment. Students have the opportunity to use what they have at home and usually
do not have to purchase anything extra that will only end up being thrown away. And tied in with
these savings is an overall reduction in time and resources we use up to physically get to the
classroom and back. When we save time and costs involved in travel, we have more of those
precious resources to spend doing things we need to do (eg: doctor’s appointments, PTA
meetings) and love (eg: travel or leisurely Sunday brunches). These advantages result in wins
for students and education providers. The reduced expense also makes this type of learning
much cheaper for both parties as well.

Last but not least, Online Learning is More Accessible to All. Traditional learning
environments, consciously or not, can pose serious obstacles to many potential learners. The
higher costs associated with creating and maintaining in-person lessons prevent many lower
income individuals from benefiting from education that may significantly increase the value of
their lives. Those who are physically or psychologically unable to present in a classroom setting
can also be disadvantaged. Despite the passing of important legislation to make buildings more
accessible to a wider range of people, there are still many who are unable to participate for
these reasons. There are also many people whose life situation prevents them from being able
to attend classes or training that is held at a specific time and place. People with young children,
or those working demanding jobs, may not be able to attend a classroom in the morning hours,
but perhaps would have a couple of hours in the evening to devote to on-demand training
materials. For those of us interested in equal access to education, supporting online learning is
a no-brainer.

CONCLUSION

The advantages associated with online learning are vast and varied across all
spectrums. Businesses are increasingly looking to online learning to train employees in new
products, software applications, or other business innovations that the employee will need to
excel in their role. In today’s business world companies often have numerous locations and
offices, and also, at a rapidly growing rate, remote workers or telecommuters. If you’re in charge
of providing new training for your employees or you’re an individual looking to acquire new skills
for a new or current job, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to learn, engage, and connect with
colleagues and other learners online. Employers looking to train large numbers of employees
spread out over large geographical areas would face a considerable expense if they were
forced to either bring these people to one centralized location, or, on the other hand, to have
corporate trainers travel to various locations. With online learning, users can access training
materials, watch live or recorded lectures, take assessments, interact with instructors and other
learners, all from their homes or offices wherever they may be located.
 From the perspective of the business, the costs saving of this method are obvious.
Companies avoid paying the considerable costs in travel, lodging, and office space devoted to
training along with the equipment necessary to accommodate these activities. As a student, the
lower costs associated with administering these programs can greatly reduce the expense of
tuition that includes consideration of the overhead of offering these programs at a centralized
office or school. And with advancements in technology, little is lost or sacrificed in terms of the
quality of training that can be offered. In fact, utilizing multimedia technologies can make training
much more robust and interactive providing students with a high-quality education.

Online learning is, in most instances, a more accessible, flexible and efficient method of
training that people of all ages and industries can benefit from. But students and entrepreneurs
should ensure that the training that they're receiving is legitimate and leads to a formal
certification, especially if they are planning on investing significantly. With online learning, you
can ensure that you stay ahead of your professional competition while adding a valuable
certification to your suite of skills.

Background of Study

In this brief, the term online learning is used mostly to refer to learning through digital resources
that is carried out at a distance. This is particularly the case when discussing measures taken in
the context of the COVID-19 crisis during which most face-to-face training was interrupted to
enforce physical distancing. However, some of the lessons put forward for further development
of online learning also apply to blended online learning. It is also important to acknowledge that,
like face-to-face instruction, online and distance learning cover a very broad range of courses,
ranging from university courses delivered online and shorter non-formal training focused on
specific skills, to Massive Open Online Courses – to give only a few examples. The
recommendations put forward in this brief apply to a varying extent to the different types of
online learning courses. For instance, pre-requisites in terms of digital skills and infrastructure
vary significantly across courses as do scheduling flexibility, certification and quality assurance.

The COVID-19 has resulted in a worldwide closure of colleges. About 1.2 billion students are
out of the classroom worldwide. Education has drastically changed as a result, with the
distinctive emergence of e-learning, whereby teaching is carried out remotely and on digital
platforms.

Research indicates that online learning has been shown to improve data retention and take less
time, suggesting the changes caused by coronavirus could be here to stay.

Over the last decade, online learning or E-learning has become an important part of the
education agenda around the world. Online learning uses the Internet and other information
technologies to create educational experiences for students (Horton, 2001). One of the reasons
for the popularity of teaching online in higher education is the advantage it affords for learning
anywhere, at any place and at any time students may desire. There is a large body of research
on online learning from the years 1995–2003 that seems to conclude that there is no significant
difference in learning effectiveness between technology-based and traditional methods of
learning. Several studies indicated that students taking online learning courses have similar test
scores as students in traditional classrooms.

3. THE BENEFITS OF ONLINE LEARNING/TRAINING TO STUDENTS.

The benefits of online learning/training to students is an online learning is self-paced.

Students who study online can plan their own time schedule, without having to make personal
sacrifices in order to meet the class attendance requirements of teachers and traditional
universities. The research has demonstrated that self-paced learning leads to increased student
satisfaction and reduced stress, resulting in improved learning outcomes for everyone involved.
Some of the advantages of self-paced learning include efficiency, effectiveness, convenience,
scalability, and reusability.

Second is freedom to learn whatever they want. Online learning tears down all of
these barriers because it creates room for education to flourish. You can find online courses on
just about any subject you can imagine. Plus, if you can’t find a course that interests you, online
platforms give you the chance to create a course yourself. Another of the biggest benefits of
online classes is the ability to drill down as deeply into your subject as you wish. The internet
has created an insatiable appetite for information. However, freely available information doesn’t
always go into enough depth. E-learning bridges the chasm between free information and
specialized learning for which students will gladly pay. Additionally, it removes any personal
barriers that might stop people from learning. Subjects that carry cultural connotations or
taboos, for instance, don’t lend themselves to in-person learning. Students can pursue subjects
that interest them without fear of judgment or reprisal.

Thirdly, it can reduced costs. eLearning is cost effective as compared to traditional

forms of learning. The reason for this price reduction is because learning through this mode
happens quickly and easily. A lot of training time is reduced with respect to trainers, travel,
course materials, and accommodation. This cost effectiveness also helps in enhancing the
profitability of an organization. Also, when you are studying at your own place, you are relieved
from paying for travel expenses (e.g. accommodation) when training happens in another
city/state and/or external learning materials.
 Lastly, customizable learning environments. Researchers found that employees working
in environments without pictures, plants, souvenirs and other were 15% less productive than
those working with said “distractions”. This also applies to the educational context – students
who don’t have a desirable learning environment will feel its effects on their learning
performance and mental health. This is where the problem arises – in traditional classrooms,
the learning environments are predetermined by the educational institutions according to their
preferences. In other words, the students rarely have any say in what their learning environment
looks like. On the other hand, in the case of E-Learning, the students have total control of their
learning environment. Those students who feel the benefits of a plant-filled environment can
customize their E-Learning environment accordingly. And, those students who feel better in a
minimalistic learning environment without any distractions can reap the benefits of such an E-
Learning environment.

4. HOW IT CAN HELP IN DEVELOPING EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THEIR

PROFESSIONAL EDGE.

In my opinion, online learning/training can help in developing employees as well as

maintaining their professional edge as it is convenient and flexible access. Almost everyone
knows that convenient and flexible access to learning is one of the key advantages of eLearning
in the corporate training environment. Courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere from a
mobile device, laptop, tablet or desktop. This means that employees can learn on trains, planes, 3
or comfy couches. It also means that not everyone has to learn at the same time. Everyone has
their own busy schedules, so employees can access their learning when they have time, and
when their energy levels and focus are maximized for retention.

Another point on how online learning/training can help in developing employees is it is

easy on the budget. The word “cost-effective” might not be first to mind when thinking about
the advantages of digital training. This is because setting up your eLearning course can actually
be quite costly, depending on how complex it needs to be. But it’s an investment that saves you
money down the line. Online training means that you can cut out the costs of travel expenses,
catering and venue hire, not to mention the costs of facilitators and physical training materials,
like stationary. And it gets better. eLearning courses can be re-used and updated without much
expense or time, and one online training program can reach far more learners than a classroom
workshop.
 After that, online learning/training can help in serves different learning style to the
employees. Not every person learns the same way. Some might retain more knowledge through
videos, others might prefer written notes, and some might need realistic opportunities for
practice before they truly grasp a new skill. One of the greatest benefits of eLearning for
employee training and development is that you have a world of content formats at your
fingertips. Videos, notes, infographics, games and other content types make eLearning
engaging for everyone. Plus, different types of assessments, like quizzes and case studies,
means that learners can be engaged according to their increasing level of understanding as
they progress through the training. And more engagement is a sure sign that employees will
want to complete their course!

Lastly, online learning/training for employees can create collaboration and community
building. Learning can be lonely, but it should be a social exercise. Because employees often
learn more through interactions with their peers than they do from reading a book. Of course,
bringing employees together often leads to debates and discussions that lead to innovation, too.
The good news is that eLearning doesn’t have to be an individual journey. Because community
and collaboration are actually benefits of online training. Through features like discussion
forums and live tutorials employees can have access to others in the learning community.
Engagement with other employees fosters collaboration and team culture, which has benefits
beyond the training environment.

5. CONCLUSION

Some people prefer face-to-face training, while others may prefer online training.
According to the American Society for Training and Development, nearly one-third of all
eLearning content and material is available and pursued online. Online training is no doubt a
huge cost saver for organizations and individuals, as only certification courses come with a high
price tag compared to free online courses. Utilizing the internet for improving your skills is the
ultimate way to climb up the success ladder, as the best investment that you can make is
investing in yourself.

6. REFERENCE

Abdul Fatah @ HaronIbrahim (1990), “Ajaran Sesat”, (Koleksi Persidangan Penyelidikan

Sempena Ulang Tahun ke 20 UKM, Bangi), hh.123-129
Zaliza Hanapi, Mohd Safarin Nordin (2013), “Unemployment Among Malaysia Graduates
:Graduates’attributes,Lecturers’ Competency And Quality Of Education”, (International
Conference on Education & Educational Psychology 2013 (ICEEPSY 2013))

Asmawati Desa (2011), “Preservation of Human Capital Addressing Global Challenges”.

(Akademi Penyelidikan, Selangor), HALUAN.

Department of Statistics Malaysia ( 2016), “Labour Force and Social Statistics”, (Retrieved from:
https://www.statistics.gov.my/index.php?r=column/cone&menu_id=bVNhYUZZbmd3VD
MrcG NxUlNKSWNwUT09 rate-trend-midf-research-9495)

GradesFixer. (2019, February, 27), “Unemployment among fresh graduates”, (Retrived April 28,
2020, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/unemployment-among-fresh-
graduates/)
1. INTRODUCTION

Online training is the art of knowledge transfer through the internet, from anywhere in the
globe to targeted audiences who choose to learn a particular subject. Online training courses
are of two kinds – free and paid versions. Professionals who excel in a particular field choose to
teach and train students who are willing to take up online classes. Notes in PDFs, Word
documents, video tutorials, and assessments are given as a package with the training modules,
thereby helping students learn faster and easier. Also, some of the certifications and certificates
that can be provided, to award candidates for their understanding capabilities, are highly valued
by various organizations. Some companies offer training options before employees are made
permanent in their jobs. This training does not end before the job begins: It rather continues
through online courses by brushing up concepts and new technologies. Here are a few
advantages of online training that showcase how it helps improve an employee's professional
life.

Computer-based training, Web-based training, Internet based training, online training, e-

learning (electronic learning), m-learning (mobile learning), computer-aided distance education -
online education goes by many names and comes in a variety of styles, but at its core: “Online
education is electronically supported learning that relies on the Internet for teacher/student
interaction and the distribution of class materials.” From this simple definition comes an almost
infinite number of ways to teach and learn outside of traditional classrooms and away from
college campuses. With online education, students can turn anywhere with Internet access and
electricity into a classroom. It can include audio, video, text, animations, virtual training
environments and live chats with professors. It’s a rich learning environment with much more
flexibility than a traditional classroom. When used to its full potential, online education has been
shown to be more effective than pure face-to-face instruction. It can be engaging, fun and
tailored to fit almost anyone’s schedule.

Terms such as e-learning, online learning and distance learning are often used
interchangeably in the media and policy discourse. However, there are important differences
between them. Online learning (often referred to as e-learning) refers to the use of digital
materials to support learning. It does not necessarily take place at a distance. It can be used in
physical classrooms to complement more traditional teaching methods, in which case it is called
blended learning. Distance learning refers to learning that is done away from a classroom or the
workplace. Traditionally, this involved offline correspondence courses wherein the student
corresponded with the school via post. Today, it involves mainly online education, with an
instructor that gives lessons and assigns work digitally. Most statistical sources available
(including those used in this brief) collect information on distance learning – as opposed to
online learning – and potentially include individuals following a training course by
correspondence, although this type of distance learning is rapidly being replace by digital
methods.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Much of the training that was originally planned for the classroom is now being delivered
online. Furthermore, individuals are being encouraged to use the time freed up by short-time
work schemes to train online from home and acquire new skills deemed useful in the aftermath
of the health emergency. Although it is too soon for a full assessment, early data and anecdotal
evidence suggest a sizeable increase in online learning.

In the Flemish Region of Belgium, the number of participants in online training provided
by the Public Employment Service (VDAB) in the second half of March 2020 was four times as
high as in the same period last year.1 Evidence from web searches also points to a surge in
interest in training online. In Canada, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States,
searches for terms such as online learning, e-learning and Massive Online Open Courses
(MOOCs) increased up to fourfold between end-March and early April 2020 as strict lockdown
rules came into force in most OECD countries. They were still about twice as high as their long-
term trend at the end of April 2020.

As such, the crisis provides a powerful test of the potential of online learning. It has also
revealed its key limitations, including the prerequisite of adequate digital skills, computer
equipment and internet connection to undertake training online, the difficulty of delivering
traditional work-based learning online, and the struggle of teachers used to classroom
instruction.

2.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY (edited)

Most of the training that was initially scheduled is now being conducted online. In
addition, people are encouraged to use the time freed up by short-time job schemes to learn
from home online and develop new skills considered beneficial in the wake of the health
emergency. Although it is too early for a complete study, early data and anecdotal evidence
indicate a substantial rise in online learning. The number of online training participants provided
by the Public Jobs Service (VDAB) in the Flemish Region of Belgium in the second half of
March 2020 was four times higher than in the same timeframe last year.1 Web search data also
suggests a rise in interest in online training. Searches for words such as online learning, e-
learning and Large Online Open Courses (MOOCs) increased up to fourfold in Canada, France,
Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States between the end of March and the beginning of
April 2020, as strict lockdown rules came into force in most OECD countries. At the end of April
2020, they were still about twice as big as their long-term pattern.

As such, the crisis offers a strong measure of online learning's ability. It also exposed its
main drawbacks, including the need for sufficient digital skills, computer equipment and internet
access for online training, the challenge of providing conventional online work-based learning,
and the struggle of teachers used to teach in the classroom.

INTRODUCTION

"Computer-based training, Web-based training, Internet-based training, online training,

e-learning (electronic learning), m-learning (mobile learning), computer-aided distance learning -
Online education goes by many names and comes in a range of styles, but at its core: "Online
education is electronically assisted learning that relies on the Internet for teacher-student
interaction and dis-interaction. With online education, students can transform a classroom
anywhere with internet connectivity and electricity. Audio, video, text, animations, interactive
training environments and live chats with professors can be included. With much more versatility
than a typical classroom, it is a rich learning atmosphere. Online schooling has been shown to
be more successful than pure face-to-face training when used to its full potential. It can be
engaging, enjoyable and personalized to suit the schedule of almost everyone. In the media and
policy debate, terms such as e-learning, online learning and distance learning are sometimes
used interchangeably.

There are major distinctions between them, however. The use of digital materials to
facilitate learning applies to online learning (often referred to as e-learning). It does not always
occur from a distance. It can be used to supplement more conventional teaching approaches in
physical classrooms, in which case it is called blended learning. Distance learning refers to
learning that is conducted away from the workplace or from a classroom. This traditionally
involved offline correspondence courses in which the student corresponded via post with the
school. Today, it mostly includes online education, with an instructor who digitally gives lessons
and assigns jobs. Most available statistical sources (including those used in this brief) collect
information on distance learning, as opposed to online learning, and theoretically involve
individuals pursuing a correspondence training course, while digital methods are increasingly
replacing this type of distance learning.