Self-Paced Learning
General
Self-paced learning online (aka e-learning) is one of three training delivery options, along side of our onsite instructor led, and live online instructor led training options, offered by the Forum.
Unlike some self-paced delivery types, such as printed workbooks and others, this option offered by the Forum, is 100% online and hosted in our server-based learning management system. Lessions in this format are a combination of text, images and videos by leading experts on the topics.
The self-paced learning option is typically best suited for the business professional who has limited time, and is unable to take days away from work to attend instructor led training.
Advantages
Self-paced learning natively comes with a number of advantages. A couple of the biggest ones fall under the scenarios such as:
- I am too busy to take days or a week off work to take training, and need to fit it in when and wherever I can find the time;
- I don't do well absorbing information at the pace of structured traditional classroom style (synchronous learning) training. I need to learn a bit and then absorb it, before moving on to the next learning topic;
- The price for self-paced online training cost is typically lower than instructor led, and I have a limited training budget accessible to me; and
- You will be assigned a course mentor, who has successfully completed the material and has been involved in a successful implementation for an organzation, who will review practical assignment submissions during the course work, and be accessible via private messaging system to answer any questions you might have related to the course work.
In addition to the above, there has also been some scientific studies that show a number of other benefits for self-paced learning too. One such finding is that self-paced learners have increased retention, and for those who have the self-discipline for this style, they typically enjoy retaining lifelong learning skills.
Disadvantages
With all the positive things related to learning options, there are also some down side to each. Specifically, for self-paced learning some of the disadvantages are mainly associated the learner and their character trails, such as:
- needing strong self discipline to continue through to completion;
- needing good time management to schedule time to complete the self-paced work;
- being able to absorb information in both written and visual format, such as text and video based mediums;
- being able to push forward without ongoing encouragement that you will typically get with an instructor led option; and
- learning information independently, versus is a group setting where other students ask questions you did not thing of, or when completing mandatory assignments which must be submitted for mentoring review.