With the global e-learning industry market set to top the $100 billion mark in 2015, the power of e-learning is starting to be realised within the construction industry more and more. We know classroom courses are time-consuming, especially software courses, most of which can take up a whole day, especially if participants are travelling from sites to an office.
With the pressure on to complete contracts, having a team of people off-site made no economic sense whereas, if they could take small amounts of time at their own pace to sit on their own computer or laptop, e-learning could be a reality within easy grasp.
Standard e-Learning e-Learning takes a learner through a load of information on a particular subject or software application, incorporating content such as video, assessments and some simulation, in order to improve their knowledge of whatever the course might be on. A huge advantage of e-learning is that managers can be sure that all staff have received the exact same message and instruction, despite the fact they might be in different departments, site locations or even have different versions of software.
Planning Despite planning and best efforts, businesses cannot predict what they might face tomorrow. Whether it’s an acquisition, recruitment process or downturn period, there are countless times your business may need to train staff on software systems and have everyone on the same page or process. A major benefit for E-learning courses is getting all selected internal staff using a software application on a project in the same way. An example of this consistency is getting all contractors and quantity surveyors on various sites to provide the same cost reports in a unified layout or format. Most quantity surveyors attending a course will absorb the fundamentals of the software training and will resort to the methods they become familiar with.
If the correct learning infrastructure and learning management system (LMS) is in place, software simulation courses can be effectively measured and analysed, which is a major benefit of e-learning to construction companies wanting to develop standards across all their internal software functionality and processes.
Any LMS can provide detailed reports on what percentage of learners have attempted (or failed) a particular software simulation, how they interact with software applications and for this information to be disseminated effectively.
Visit our website for more information www.construction-it.co.za and www.iLearn2build.co.za
Or contact Vaughan Harris on: vaughan.harris@biminstitute.org.za + 27 21 557 4061
