The e-learning market in SA can learn much from the British experience, says Tim Walker, EMEA channel account manager for SkillSoft, one of the world`s leading e-learning companies. In SA to work with local SkillSoft distributor ADvTECH Skills, Walker says clear parallels can be drawn between the two countries.
"In discussions with ADvTECH Skills, we have found that in deployment and application there are strong similarities. In the rest of Africa, notwithstanding technology backlogs resulting in slow takeup, we anticipate similar trend."
The global e-learning market is set to reach $23 billion by 2004. The US market has had 75% Internet-based deployment, with e-learning often hosted by application service providers (ASPs). Corporations with in-house intranet-based e-learning make up the remaining 25%.
The reverse is true in the UK, as it is in SA. Here, corporations tend to opt for direct administration of their e-learning through the corporate intranet or portal.
The move towards the knowledge-based economy has created impetus in the adoption of e-learning, according to Walker. "This has led to a drive for cross-skilling in the UK. A professional qualification does not fully equip the businessperson. There is increasing emphasis on the soft skills necessary for management and teamwork. e-Learning has the advantage of accessible and personalised training, but without loss in productivity with staff absent while engaged in classroom learning."
SA combines different factors. The first is a backlog in business education, with an emphasis on upgrading previously disadvantaged individuals. e-Learning not only provides this; it also develops confidence in the use of IT as a tool.
"Reputable material delivers continuity in course content rather than the once-off lesson. Online help and mentoring create a user-friendly experience, while the employee learns at their own pace," says Walker. "Virtual collaboration, similar to Internet conferencing, will become more common in large corporations."
Walker identifies the generalist approach taken by South Africans as another factor. "While the Americans are inclined to be specialists in their fields, the generalist approach will become a more predominant trend internationally. e-Learning, with its immediate accessibility via the desktop, is a ready means of familiarising oneself with a broad range of skills. It also caters for the natural curiosity of the well informed individual."
The historical emphasis on IT training through the medium of e-learning is changing. "Current figures show a 71% emphasis on IT. By 2003, the split between IT and soft skills will be 50/50. By 2004 the demand for soft skills will predominate," says Walker. "Globalisation, the emphasis on teamwork and an increasing demand for employees who are versatile will fuel this trend. Continual training provides companies with appropriately skilled personnel, at the right time, reducing the need to employ new staff."
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