Is Your Business Wired? Virtual Learning in Today’s Workplace 

By Priscilla Kohl | HRTools.com Business Writer

Did you know that the University of Houston was the first institution to offer televised college credit classes? According to HoustonPBS, its station was “…America's first public television station and was one of the founding stations of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1969.” So it can be said that the city of Houston, very early on, was at the cutting edge of the virtual learning experience in America. 

Houston is also home to Mary Lou Parrott, a Performance Consultant with over 14 years of experience. Parrott works for a large company, headquartered in the “Bayou City,” which serves over 6,000 client companies and 110,000 employees. In her role, Parrott consults with small and medium-sized businesses, and one of her specialties is employee performance, training and development. 

Times have dramatically changed since 1969, especially for today’s constantly changing business environment. In a recent interview with HRTools.com, Parrott was asked to share her views and experiences about virtual learning, and how organizations can use related media technologies and integrated processes to enhance their employee developmental experiences. 

Q: Mary Lou, a lot of people are under the impression that the purpose of virtual learning is to encourage the use of the Internet as a tool for teaching and learning. Do you agree? 

A: “First, I would say this: Virtual learning isn't really meant as a vehicle to encourage the use of the Internet. Instead, I see it this way. The Internet is really the vehicle that virtual learning uses to reach an objective, whether that is learning a new skill, or accomplishing a task or a goal in a meeting. You know, virtual learning has been around for a while, and the idea of conducting training through the use of computers actually began a couple decades ago. And then companies started to look at the Internet as a way to deliver training about ten years ago, so it's been around for a while.” 

Q: So as you say, virtual learning has been around for a few decades. Again, if you’re speaking to this group of business leaders, and they’re interested in learning from the experiences of others, what would you tell them? 

A: “To begin with, I would clarify some common misunderstandings about the virtual learning environment itself. Oftentimes, employers and employees come to the virtual learning experience with preconceived notions, or they may even have some resistance due to previously negative virtual learning environment experiences, and as a result, their views are tainted. For instance, you may have an employee who participated in a webinar that left a bad taste in his or her mouth. This can happen for a variety of reasons: perhaps the session wasn’t delivered effectively, or it wasn’t interactive enough. That is why it is important when developing this type of training to keep a focused eye on the virtual learning experience. Otherwise, you can end up with participants who experience one bad virtual learning session and apply it generally to any type of media learning experience.” 

Q: Why or how do you think this oversight or lack of focus happens? 

A: “I think it tends to happen when trainers or business leaders think that they can simply transfer traditional classroom presentations or documents to the virtual learning experience.”

Q: What can employers do to prevent such misapplications from ruining the valuable potential that virtual learning experiences can have for its employees? 

A: “Here are some things to think about. If employers are going to implement a virtual learning environment, they should create and implement ongoing educational opportunities for all individuals who will be participating in this type of technology. Part of this educational process should include, for instance, how the synchronous training environment has different rules and tools than those used in a traditional classroom. Promotion of virtual learning should also address employee diversity, particularly among the generations, which is impacting many workplaces today.” 

Q: Referring to that last point, how does employee diversity impact a virtual learning environment? 

A: “You may have, for example, a variety of demographic groups represented in the workplace. You may have members of the Gen Y and Gen X age groups, who are also known as “digital natives.” People from these groups tend to quickly adapt to this type of medium, as many of them grew up with this technology. On the other hand, you can have employees who have a fear of using their computers. These employees may also feel that this type of technology is too impersonal. As a way to address these issues, and help level the playing field, employers should provide information regarding the uses of the medium. It is also important to have experienced and qualified facilitators to conduct virtual learning sessions. By preparing for these virtual learning experiences in professional and sensitive ways, employers will realize greater virtual learning successes and their employees will better acquire the learning objectives of the various sessions.” 

Q: To wrap up this discussion then, Mary Lou, do you have any other words of caution, or tips, for employers and business leaders who may want to develop virtual learning environments? 

A: “I will say this: While virtual learning provides many advantages and benefits to the workplace, it can also be used inappropriately. There are times when it’s best and more effective to deliver content or information in a person-to-person format. This point is particularly applicable to environments where safety concerns and interpersonal relationships are at stake. For example, you may have an employer who operates a machinery shop. In this case, you will need a person there to show employees how to safely and correctly assemble parts. A virtual learning environment may not be solely appropriate for such experiences that also call for building trust into your relationships. Training of this nature may call for a blended learning approach.” 

Q: Thank you, Mary Lou, for giving the HRTools.com audience a defining and relevant introduction to the virtual learning experience, a concept that is often spoken about today, but one not always fully understood. Do you have any other suggestions or online resources that can provide further information about this topic? 

A: “My pleasure. There is also an HRTools.com Insight titled, “Get Real with Virtual Learning: It’s the Digital Age in the Workplace,” that may be helpful.