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When international energy company ScottishPower wanted to find out how effective e-learning was, it devised an interesting experiment.
Delegates on a number of courses were divided into two groups. One went out of the classroom to try out a pilot e-learning module while the other group stayed in the classroom and was taught by a teacher. When their final assessments were compared, individuals using e-learning had on average scored 10 per cent higher compared to the non e-learning group. In addition, the e-learners completed the material in only half of the time.
"These results seemed to indicate that e-learning might be able to make a contribution to improving learning effectiveness in several ways," said Jackie Henry, e-learning manager.
Armed with this information, the company has been expanding its e-learning provision. Almost all the courses that involve straight knowledge transfer are now provided through e-learning, while blended learning is the company's favoured option when both knowledge transfer and the imparting of skills are required. :
One particular e-learning course health and safety induction for new employees in the company's customer sales and service division has achieved a 70 per cent return on investment, calculated as cost saving in comparison to the tutor-led alternative, with a total anticipated cost saving of well over £200,000.
Subject-matter experts team up with trainers
ScottishPower provides electricity and/or gas services to around six million homes and businesses in the UK and the western USA. The company generates electricity, operates and maintains large power-delivery networks and provides a full range of energy-supply services, including metering, billing and customer-service centre support.
With a strong background in learning and development, the UK business decided further to improve the effectiveness of its training practice by partnering subject-matter experts in the existing businesses with trainers to develop bespoke e-learning content. This led the company to BrightWave, whose WavePool method enables organizations to develop their own e-learning courses.
Previous practice made use of tutor-led training in the classroom alongside generic online courses. However, increasing pressures on staff time, a consequent rise in course cancellations, and increasing training costs meant something had to be done to improve both learning and cost effectiveness.
Having invited a number of e-learning providers to present their products and services, the company...