Self-Paced Learning - Great Knowledge is Only a Click Away

How can you make sure your employees have the up-to-date knowledge they need to efficiently and effectively complete their tasks? This is an especially challenging question if you often have new employees to train, or if you need to prepare many of your staff for a significant change in the software you use.

Here are the top reasons why your district should consider self-paced online learning to train your employees.

We all learn differently. We learn at different speeds, and we have different learning styles, from audio to visual to hands-on. In live trainings, teachers can’t tailor their pace and style to suit everyone in the class, so students can become bored or lost. Self-paced online learning resolves this issue. Students can spend as long as they need reviewing a subject, they can also revisit topics when they need to, and they can repeat difficult sections as many times as they like. All types of learning styles can be catered to by including audio, visual, and hands on learning options. With self-pacing, students can choose the pace and methods that best suit their learning style.

It can be difficult to find a training time and location that is convenient for your employees, especially if you have many employees to train. Self-paced learning avoids these scheduling issues, and allows students the flexibility to study when it is convenient for them. Employees can choose when to study, even after office hours or on weekends. They can even study when they are on-the-go, on their mobile devices.

Students in a classroom rely on the teacher to teach them what they need to learn. Self-paced learning gives that power to the student, giving them control over how and when they learn. This can be a great motivator. Ultimately, self-study puts the responsibility in the hands of the students, and they respond. A 2011 study by Jonathan Tullis and Aaron Benjamin found that “Learners with control of study-time allocation significantly outperformed subjects with no control.”

If your employees complete certain tasks only once or twice each year, they may need to revisit those topics. Self-paced learning allows your employees to access the materials whenever they need to, and allows you to ensure that the materials they are using are always up-to-date. If something in the software changes, online learning can be easily updated so it is current when your employees need to review it.

While the knowledge your employees gain is important, how you deliver that knowledge can have an even bigger impact. Giving employees control over how and when they learn can make a world of difference to how quickly they learn and whether they retain the information.

 

---

WSIPC is a non-profit cooperative that provides technology solutions (including Skyward), services, and support to K-12 schools. WSIPC’s purpose is to help schools do more with every dollar and to empower them with the tools to work smarter.

To learn about PDC, the self-paced learning solution offered for Skyward’s SIS and ERP systems, contact us at info@wsipc.org or 425.349.6600.