There has been a substantial rise in the availability of self-paced training. This can be a boon for the provider as they can earn money and train people in their sleep. The learner can also work at a pace and schedule that suits them best. However, there are issues and challenges that make those positives a blocker for learning.
The Benefits of Self-Paced Training
While there are benefits to self-paced training for the instructor as well as the student, we will focus on the student. It is all about the customer, after all. The biggest advantage is that self-paced content allows students to move slowly on the difficult sections and speed through the easy material. They can review and pay extra close attention where needed. A topic they struggle with can be repeated. Likewise, they can match their learning to the rhythm that works best for them. A morning learner can work in the morning, while a night owl can study at night.
The Cons To Self-Paced Learning
The little-discussed con to self-paced learning is that sometimes we have mental blocks. We have a topic that we can not figure out, and we need someone to guide us through the material. That is what we lose when we have no access to an instructor. We are unable to ask questions. That can be a blocker that we can not overcome. It might be why so many online courses are not completed. Sometimes, we hit an obstacle that blocks any forward progress.
Software development, in particular, suffers from this. Whether it is an old library or a version conflict, some online courses can trap us in a situation where we can not get an example or section of code to work. In a class setting, we would reach out to the instructor to help us. Unfortunately, that is not an option with a purely self-paced training approach.
Next Steps
We have set up our courses so they are self-paced. However, we also provide “office hours” and ways to contact the instructor. We think this direct connection to a live instructor can help every student find a way through the material. They do not have to rely on searches and outside resources to understand the material. They are able to communicate with the instructor directly.
Whether you know your next step or need help, please email us at [email protected] for feedback and suggestions. Of course, we have found the best way to teach topics and are happy to answer any questions you have about school.develpreneur.com and how to leverage application-based training into a new job or position. You can register for free and view course outlines. Likewise, we have a broad range of free content to help you decide if you agree.
