How is web 2.0 breaking out of the eLearning 1.0 box?

Web 2.0 technologies enable rapid knowledge content creation by not just having a one-directional information flow from the instructional designer or subject matter expert to the learner. There is a big push now to encourage participation from the end-users/knowledge-workers – a community–based learning and knowledge management environment. You tap into the intelligence and expertise of practitioners in the field to get the best possible results. You give them tools to quickly capture and share their knowledge. You make that knowledge searchable.

Search engines are becoming part of both the creation and deployment of knowledge content. Also, Web 2.0 technologies allow you to integrate through the use of web services like what is now called mashups. These technologies allow the information to be linked with business processes more easily. Now you have more rapid content creation, dissemination, and more importantly, contextualization. The consumer-oriented internet applications and social networking technologies like online discussions, reviews, shared calendar, photos, video, and contact sharing are beginning to enter enterprise learning and knowledge management.

Blogging has emerged as one of the most effective modes of online advertising and gaining market exposure in recent times. Like all other industries, the training and learning industry can also reap the benefits of blogging by posting regular blogs about their upcoming courses, membership options, subscription benefits, latest innovations in the learning industry, best practices etc. Blogs are a great way of enhancing an online business presence because they allow user interactivity. Readers can post their comments and feedback in response to the posted blogs and contribute to the growth and improvement of the business. This can be one of the best ways to find and build long-lasting relationships with a potential client base and keep them informed about the latest courses, company events, etc. Greater visibility will lead to more online traffic, which, in turn, will eventually lead to higher search engine rankings.

It is important that your business has a strong internet presence because if the target audience is unable to find you on the web, your business purpose is completely defeated. Moreover, even if they are able to locate your website, it is crucial that you make the desired impression on them. Blogging is an effective way of achieving both these goals.

While blogging, you must use appropriate keywords which would match with the search phrases widely used by the target audience. Using search engine friendly URLs are essential for making blogs easily accessible. Through blogging you can send your message to people and build the credibility and trust for your business. Talking about your loyal customers can help you build a great impression on those who are already your clients as well as your prospective clients. Invite comments and feedbacks from other bloggers and post your comments and feedback to other related blog posts. Interaction is a dual process and people will respond to your blog posts once you start responding to others. Provide back links to your courses from the blog posts so that people visit and view your courses. Increase the number of blog subscribers by giving away special prizes. Try and build a community of bloggers participating in related topics. Remember, it is not always good to talk only about yourself but allow others also to talk about them. This way, your business will not only gain more popularity, you will get a huge exposure.

Blogging helps you in establishing a more familiar and accessible face to your potential clients. It takes your business beyond the traditional formal approach and makes it more tangible by adding a personal touch to it.

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First generation CBT (Computer Based Training) and eLearning, in the eighties and nineties, was centered on automation and ‘e’ enablement of classroom training in which learning is typically organized as monolithic courses converted to eLearning or WBT (Web Based Training) courses. However, end-users (knowledge-workers) are working in a very fast-paced and fast-changing environment and don’t have time to find specific information when they need it from within these eLearning courses. The time away from work for training classrooms or eLearning courses is constantly shrinking. In addition, the content generation process for classroom training materials or eLearning courseware tends to be very slow and does not match the speed of business processes such as product lifecycles, customer service, channel partner relationship management, etc. First generation eLearning does not match the work or business process context and often does not match the natural learning processes within today’s performance and knowledge-centered work environment. In most cases, the context, relevance, and immediacy of information or knowledge are missing.