By Matthew Gress, Charter Communications; Sara Williamson, Charter Communications; Abbie O’Dell, Charter Communications
As digital technologies continue to reshape various industries, the corporate world is witnessing an unprecedented shift in its approach toward training and development. Online learning has emerged as a pivotal tool in this context, offering flexibility, scalability and a broad range of learning experiences. The potential benefits of online learning for businesses, such as workforce upskilling, talent retention and increased productivity, are significant. The question of effectiveness remains critical. In the telecommunications learning and development environment, many courses are geared toward preparing the learner for hands-on work. These courses have historically been conducted through in-person classroom courses. With the advent of online learning, the training medium has shifted, which leads learners and learning and development experts to wonder, “Is this effective?” This study aims to identify the effectiveness of online learning. In the literature review, we discuss how the learner’s attitude affects online learning outcomes, the role that technology plays in online learning, the effects of self-directed learning and the impact that online learning has on learning performance. Following the literature review, the training course series geared toward field technicians will be scrutinized. From these observations, we hope to measure the effectiveness of online learning in the telecommunications industry.