By Barbara Bowes

Thinking about taking an educational course in the new year?

Where will you do this? When? How?

Today, there are multiple answers to those questions. In fact, learning opportunities are so flexible, there are literally no excuses for postponing or avoiding being involved in continuous education.

But it wasn't always so.

For instance, years ago, many people attained their degree through correspondence. This required completing weekly assignments and sending them to the professor by mail.

Exams were written under supervision and were signed as authentic by a "proctor." For those students who didn't have access to a local college or university, or were seeking academic programs not readily available, correspondence was simply the way to go.

Yet at the same time, many professors from those hallowed halls of academe continued to loudly discount this learning method, imploring potential students that a face-to-face relationship with a professor had a much higher learning value. But the concept and perceived customer value of correspondence persisted and when the terminology drifted into the term "distance education," the whole idea seemed to become much more acceptable and began to take off.

With the advent and rapid advancement of technology, we now know this learning method as "online" learning.

Not only are more universities offering single courses, students can take entire degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate and PhDs, through distance education.

A 2007 study of 2,500 U.S. colleges and universities showed that online enrolment is growing faster than traditional enrolment, with more than 3.5 million students taking at least one course online in 2006 alone. In addition, professors or trainers can now easily purchase learning materials from resource suppliers such as www.merlot.org, a leading-edge, user-centred, searchable collection of peer-reviewed and selected higher education, online learning materials. It also offers an online community where faculty, staff and students from around the world can share their learning materials.

Online learning is also transforming corporate training and development programs. For instance, Staples in the United States and Canada now offers a management certificate program that begins with a 90-minute workshop with senior leaders and continues with an online delivery approach. These students utilize Microsoft Live Meeting, Element K and Adobe Acrobat Connect to access their courses and projects and correspond through e-mail and conference calls. These are then accompanied by webinars, multi-player online games, podcasting, videocasting, keyboard chats and instant messaging. This company offers more than 250 courses.

While some company executives, trainers and traditionalists may continue to experience resistance to online learning, especially when it comes to leadership training, the proof is in the pudding. Staples executives, for instance, indicate that their online programs met all of their leadership objectives and that the response to their leadership programs has been stellar. Companies such as Cisco Systems, Unilever, Sun Microsystems and Xerox too, are frequently being touted as leaders in the online virtual learning world.

Part of the reason for the success of these corporate programs is the receptive attitude of employees, particularly the younger ones. The younger generation appreciates peer-to-peer learning and wants to go beyond simple PowerPoint presentations -- they want new experiences. This drive has also given rise to the development of online games that can be used for discovery learning, teamwork and assessment. Games can be used for skills training, demonstration of new products or the roll-out of corporate policies. Games also give employees the opportunity to safely practise what they are learning

Whether or not corporations and employers are moving toward online learning, today's employees are quickly moving in that direction. They know they must continue learning throughout their lives to achieve long-term career success. And they want to access learning 24/7. At the same time, employees are not necessarily looking for a lengthy college course, but rather something shorter term and more directly applicable to their current situation.

One of the newest websites or online portals providing more of an applied learning approach is ilearninglobal.tv. Similar to a subscription to a magazine, this site provides high definition video and audio content as well as e-books that can be downloaded. The site is still building its content but already offers hundreds of relevant topics that focus on personal development. They are also building content in the specific areas of women and teens. Visitors can access and watch short and/or longer video presentations by famous professionals such as Brian Tracy or listen to an audio presentation. Trainers and speakers are invited to apply to become faculty members.

The idea for ilearningglobal.tv originated with a consultant and business owner named John McLelland, CEO. He recognized that people were spending a lot of time searching the Internet for relevant learning and that a "one-stop shopping" repository of web-based content would save people time and enable them to access learning quickly. Along with other investors, he started the ilearningglobal.tv phenomenon. One of the early investors and now chief learning officer is Brian Tracy, who became famous through his bestselling books on sales, time and business management skills training.

Online learning portals such as ilearningglobal.tv are just the beginning of a new model of education and general learning.

People will be able to access learning and study at their own pace and receive instruction from experts around the world. New tools will become available that enable learners to actually become part of the environment they are studying. Some will be so small that they can fit into a pocket but will still offer a high resolution screen with easy-to-read text, video and multimedia.

It's my guess that the technology we are using today will be outdated in 10 years and that we will have new revolutionary learning mechanisms. It will be interesting to follow this explosion. In the meantime, online learning offers many opportunities. Check them out.

Source: The Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning, Elaine Allan, PhD, and Jeff Seaman, PhD, Babson College, Oct. 2007, Hitchhikers Guide to Developing Leaders: Technology is changing the way managers gain skills and knowledge, Elizabeth Agnvall, HR Magazine, Sept. 2008.

Barbara J. Bowes, is president of Legacy Bowes Group and vice president of Legacy Executive Search Partners, Manitoba, Inc. She is also host of BowesKnows, heard weekly on CJOB 68. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it