Top tips to promote digital learning

E-learning has made staff training easier to implement for managers and more accessible to a greater number of employees, both onsite and remote, than ever before.

But simply equipping staff with the e-learning tools that they need to complete modules or bring themselves up to date with the latest industry legislation isn't necessarily enough - especially if you want employees to study in their spare time. You need to foster an atmosphere that encourages and rewards digital training, both in and out of your workplace.

With this in mind, here are our top tips to promote e-learning across your organisation:

Encourage a culture of learning

Introducing e-learning to your staff training programme for the first time will require a change of mindset among employees, particularly for those who are very set in their ways.

But by encouraging a culture of continual learning from all kinds of sources, and rewarding those who are keen to improve their knowledge, these more positive feelings towards e-learning will soon be transmitted to even the most stubborn of workers by their colleagues and managers.

One of the best ways to promote e-learning is to highlight its benefits and advantages - something that's easy to do, as there are plenty! For example, e-learning allows people to learn at their own pace, at a time and place that suits them, and can provide them with a confidence boost as they add to their knowledge.

Provide support to learners

Some members of staff may struggle with having to use e-learning technology for the first time, so it's important to make sure that everyone feels supported and encouraged in using a Learning Management System so they feel confident to take courses and perform to the best of their ability.

This is also important when workers are expected to undertake digital training in their free time. Make sure they have access to the right equipment, and consider providing working case studies that they can relate to in order to understand how e-learning can benefit them in their role.

Feedback is key

Feedback is a key part of the learning loop. E-learning gives learners more power over their studying, making passive, top-down forms of education somewhat redundant. Instead, learners can be more engaged in the process, and this can be enhanced with a proper feedback system.

Creating a 'learning loop' where learners can make suggestions for improvements to the system, and receive feedback for their own work, allows for a more active learning system. Letting staff know that they'll be able to have this input could be another effective way to promote e-learning to them, and it will be a good way to ensure that learners have understood and absorbed their lessons.

For more information and advice on e-learning, visit the Virtual College resources bank.