it offers incredible flexibility and scalability. At the same time, it has its fair share of challenges.
Technical issues seem to pop up at the worst time.
Learners disappear mid-training.
Engagement drops off a cliff.
But here’s the thing— these aren’t just challenges. They’re opportunities. Opportunities to rethink your approach and make your training program stronger than ever.
Here, we’ll uncover the most common eLearning challenges and offer solutions to overcome them. With the right approach, you can turn them into your opportunity for exceptional employee training.
What are the challenges of online learning?
Online learning presents specific challenges that can impact the effectiveness of training. Employees may face things like technical issues, or missing out on immediate feedback and spontaneous group discussions.
Being aware of these and other potential eLearning challenges is crucial.
It’s important to first understand the root causes of the issues. With this knowledge, you can use practical solutions to help overcome them.
Whether you’re managing a small team or rolling out training across an extended enterprise, you must face challenges head-on.
10 challenges of online learning and how to overcome them
Here are ten stumbling blocks that sometimes come up with online learning. Let’s take a look at the problems, but also the fixes that will help you overcome them.
1. Technical issues
Outdated hardware, unreliable internet connections, and incompatible software can cause frustration with online learners. If your organization has dispersed teams, these technical issues can cause major problems with remote learning.
Solution: To overcome these eLearning challenges, create your training for what might be at play on the user end.
- Optimize training for various devices and internet speeds.
- Use lightweight media files that load quickly for slower connections.
- Design your courses to be compatible with different operating systems and devices.
- Provide robust technical support with resources like a comprehensive troubleshooting guide, easy-to-access FAQs, and live support options like a chat feature or a dedicated helpline.
2. Lack of interaction
While online learning is convenient, it can sometimes feel isolating compared to in-person training.
Some of your staff might miss the social aspect of in-person training. Discussing ideas with their peers and receiving immediate feedback helps them feel connected. When learning is done online, it can be hard to maintain interest and motivation.
Solution: Engage learners in a social learning environment by providing opportunities to interact with others. Use features like virtual meet-ups or online workshops to simulate the interactivity of in-person training.
Blended learning, where you mix traditional in-person training with online learning, is a great way to provide interactive experiences.
Or, periodically invite learners to contribute to a forum or question board. Making learners feel like they’re not alone in their learning journey will help them be more motivated to log on.
When you create opportunities for your employees to connect, they’re more likely to be engaged in their learning.
3. Online distractions
When employees participate in online learning, it’s easy to be tempted by countless distractions. When they’re not interacting with the content, they might lose interest. Soon, they’re sidetracked with online chats, cleaning out their inbox, or general tab surfing.
Solution: Make training engaging for learners through dynamic learning design. Incorporating elements like quizzes, polls, and scenarios requires the participants to think critically. This naturally boosts involvement.
Adding multimedia like videos and interactive simulations can also help. By designing training that engages mental and physical interactions, you can help reduce distractions and increase focus.
4. Accessibility and inclusivity
Some employees may have distance learning challenges due to a disability or a specific need. For example, those with hearing or sight impairment will need help navigating self-paced learning. Without accommodating the needs of these employees, you run the risk of excluding them.
Solution: Take a good look at your content to see if it’s accessible to everyone. Have you incorporated inclusive design principles?
Provide alternate formats for content like:
- Captions for videos
- Transcripts for audio
- Screen-reader-friendly text
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Voice-over description for graphics
One way to ensure you offer robust accessibility features is by using an LMS. Continually collect feedback to identify any blind spots in your accommodations. With the knowledge you collect, be sure to update your training program continuously.
5. Digital literacy gaps
Not all learners are up to speed with the latest technology. This can be frustrating for them at best and can completely derail their training experience at worst.
Solution: Use an intuitive LMS. The platform you choose should be easy to navigate and provide clear instructions on how to complete each task.
Offer tutorials and introductory sessions to help your staff become familiar with the digital tools they’ll use. Cover how they can access support when they need it.
By making the technology more approachable, you can reduce frustration and create a positive learning experience for everyone.
6. Resistance to change
Employees resisting change aren’t isolated only to the challenges in online learning. Resistance to change can be fear-based, discomfort with the unfamiliar, or a lack of confidence.
Those who are reluctant to embrace new technology may avoid training altogether. When this happens, it’s important to have a plan in place.
Solution: The most helpful thing you can do to address this issue with online learning is to acknowledge it. Come from a place of understanding that change is hard for most people.
Get curious about why you are experiencing pushback. Make sure they are heard and acknowledged.
If there is discomfort with using an unfamiliar tool, provide hands-on training sessions in low-pressure environments.
Offer continuous support and celebrate small achievements to build confidence. When you create a supportive culture where experimentation is encouraged, you can help reduce resistance.
7. Maintaining motivation
Online training can, at times, be monotonous. If regular interaction or variety is lacking, your staff may lose interest over time. Lack of engagement can leave training incomplete and ultimately negatively affect your business.
Solution: One of the best ways to boost engagement is by incorporating elements of gamification into training. Features like badges, points, leaderboards, and rewards can provide some healthy competition.
Making use of varied content is another important component of an engaging training program. A mix of videos, infographics, interactive quizzes, and scenario-based learning cater to different learning styles.
Provide regular feedback and track progress so participants know how they’re doing. Personalizing learning helps sustain interest and encourages engagement.
8. Ensuring content relevance
When your employees participate in training that isn’t directly related to their daily tasks, they might think it’s irrelevant. They might not see the value in training when it’s disconnected from their responsibility. Participation and engagement can plummet.
Solution: Customize training to the specific needs of your employees. Every person in every role won’t need the exact same thing. Take that into consideration when planning training.
Develop training that aligns with job functions. Go a step further and include practical examples to show how the skills learned can be used in their roles.
You can also include employees in the content creation process. Gather feedback on what topics they find both useful and challenging. Designing training that directly supports their roles ensures the experience is relevant and valuable.
9. Knowledge retention
One of the significant challenges of online learning is making sure employees retain what they’ve learned through training. Without training reinforcement, they may lose critical information. This is especially true when delivering training in long and dense sessions.
Solution: To address this eLearning challenge, break content down into smaller chunks. This strategy, known as microlearning, delivers bite-sized content that’s easier to understand and, in turn, remember.
Spaced repetition is another strategy to boost retention. Participants receive key information over time to combat the forgetting of new learning.
Designing training that promotes continuous learning and reinforcement helps enhance retention so your staff can apply what they learn on the job.
10. Scalability
Scaling online learning to accommodate a large workforce and outside stakeholders can be daunting. As your organization grows, traditional methods might not be able to keep up. Ensuring you’re providing consistent and quality training across diverse teams is a critical challenge of online learning in an enterprise setting.
Solution: Use a high-quality enterprise LMS that supports diverse training needs.
A scalable platform offers:
- Multi-tenancy capabilities
- Customized content
- Configurable safety measures
- Custom reports
- Large capacity for learners
- Reliable tech support
Finding the right extended enterprise learning platform allows your organization to learn as you grow.
FAQs
- What are the benefits and challenges of learning online?
Online learning offers benefits like flexibility, scalability, and accessibility. Employees are able to learn at their own pace from anywhere. Challenges include ensuring engagement, overcoming technical barriers, and maintaining motivation.
- When you recognize the challenges of online learning, how do you overcome them?
One of the best ways to overcome the challenges of online learning is by using an intuitive LMS.
With this, you can help your staff by providing:
- Social and interactive elements
- Accessible content
- Gamification
- Microlearning
- Customized content
Keeping your staff motivated and engaged is the goal, so that online learning is valuable.
- What are the barriers to eLearning?
The barriers to eLearning include technical issues along with a lack of digital literacy and interaction. Overcoming these barriers takes a strategic approach. Technical support, accessible content, and technology that can meet the demands of diverse learning needs can overcome barriers.
Turning online learning challenges into opportunities for growth
The challenges of online learning are real. But, they can be managed with the right strategies and tools. Understanding common problems with online learning and actively addressing them allows you to create a program that meets your employee’s needs.
You’ll know you have a successful online training program when you’re not just focusing on delivering content. You’re making learning accessible, relevant, and engaging for everyone.
Key takeaways
- Online learning challenges include technical issues, lack of engagement, and accessibility.
- Dynamic content, inclusive practices, and an intuitive LMS help mitigate the challenges of remote learning.
- To enhance engagement and retention incorporate gamification and microlearning.
- Understanding what online learning problems might arise helps you best prepare your training programs.
