The Value of the eLearning Educator in Training
An “eLearning educator” can be defined as half educator and half technologist. They are in charge of transforming technical information into didactic content that can be easily assimilated by any potential learner. Currently, the evolution of education in large companies and the digitization of academies and training centers have increased the need for eLearning pedagogy and thus the functions of these profiles.
ICT + Education
Education is subject to constant change and improvement. The incorporation of ICT into teaching methods has led to collaborative, flexible, interactive and personalized learning. The advantages offered by ICT are indisputable and organizations are increasingly keen to implement them. This inclusion would mean, among other things, a great advance in their educational processes, both for interns and potential students.
It is especially important to know how to use ICT correctly. To do this, good and appropriate questions need to be asked to assess functions and determine their goals:
- What knowledge do we want to share?
- How should the learning process be carried out to reach the students?
- What is the ultimate goal of the training to be considered successful learning?
Pedagogy is in charge of finding a convergence between the answers to these questions. He is in charge of creating logical, effective training with a strong motivation to learn. In short, eLearning is an opportunity to use ICT to create a flexible, asynchronous and accessible learning scenario. It is an opportunity to use a combination of pedagogy and technology to optimize learning processes.
Pedagogy in eLearning
eLearning, like any other training method, shares the same purpose as other teaching methods: imparting knowledge to the learner. However, there are three features that mark its great difference and advantage over traditional face-to-face learning:
- It provides access to training for people who face barriers of geographic isolation and scheduling conflicts.
- It meets the current growing demand for improvement and for continuous addition of knowledge and soft skills.
- It saves money and time, thanks to savings on travel for both students and teachers, as well as the need to rent and maintain physical spaces.
However, despite these benefits, statistics show that eLearning has a 60% dropout rate. But why is this happening? In this article, we will discuss the value of the eLearning educator role and our recommendations for improving and promoting online training.
The soft skills of an eLearning educator
The eLearning Educator role is a truly valuable profile in any type of organization. It must be interactive, attractive and motivating. There are four soft skills that an eLearning educator must have in order to achieve success in their educational events:
1. Innovation and adaptation
eLearning continues to undergo many changes and major developments. In this sector, it is not enough to stick to past actions that have worked, but it is necessary to constantly look for new sources and formats to stay current. The implementation of new technologies will significantly influence the development of the eLearning strategy. The capacity to innovate and quickly adapt to change is essential.
2. Capacity for rebound
Older teaching models did not take this into account, but today the student is at the center of the training process. This means that the relationship between the teacher and the students must be close. Students must have communication channels: forums, chats, video conferencing…and teachers must be mindful of all the pointers they share. This will be the most effective method for getting the best feedback on how the training course is working and what future training events should be.
3. Social skills
These skills will allow the teacher to connect with students and understand their needs not only at the content level, but also at the facilitator level, with more explanations, supporting content or more specific tutorials. In an environment where physical barriers are evident, it is necessary to know how to connect and establish relationships to achieve real rapprochement.
4. Divergent thinking
This is understood as a point of view that seeks to differentiate, not accommodate. When applied to eLearning, it can be summed up as the presentation of high-value training propositions that are able to stand out from the competition and greatly benefit learners. How the content is shared is as important as the content itself.
