Classroom Training Reigns Supreme . . . For Now

Despite technological advances that often can appeal to tighter budgets, it's the traditional classroom-based instructor-led training (ILT) which still reigns supreme in business when it comes to learning new skills.

This according to an analysis of survey data from the Chief Learning Officer Business Intelligence Board (BIB), featured in the magazine’s February 2011 special report on learning delivery. The results were derived from a survey of 1,500 professionals in the learning and development industry, and several times throughout the year to assess and benchmark a variety of learning and development measurements.

In fact, 65 percent of learning executives stated in the survey they continued to use classroom training as the primary learning delivery method for developing soft skills.

"We've found that while we offer many types of training options to companies, the one they most often come back to is our on-site classroom training," said Tom Lahoud, VP Training & Development of EC Technologies, which provides a variety of training services for various software applications. "At this point, classroom training really provides for the best learning retention, which in the long run is going to save a company money, while boosting employee productivity."

The survey showed that classroom-based ILT remained the primary delivery method used overall, regardless of type of skill being developed.

According to the survey:

• 41 percent of learning executives indicated they continue to use classroom training as the primary learning delivery method.
• Formal on-the-job training tied asynchronous e-learning for the second highest ranked instructional delivery method (18 percent).
• Next was synchronous e-learning (11 percent).
• Followed by text-based training (4 percent).
• Then satellite video (4 percent).
• And finally portable technology (1 percent).

For delivering soft skills training such as software training, the classroom-based method is even more prevalent, and has proven to be remarkably resilient.

The use of ILT for soft skills is only slightly down this year (65 percent) after its peak in 2009, when 69 percent of executives utilized it as their delivery method of choice. This comes on the heels of 2008 (64 percent) and 2007 (65 percent).

And the results are consistent across different company sizes, as companies ranging in size from fewer than 2,500 employees, to more than 100,000 employees, all were in the same range in choosing classroom training as their primary training delivery method.

HOWEVER . . .

This is not to say that technology-assisted learning has not gained a foothold. Classroom-based ILT is still the top choice, but learning organizations continue to increase support learning that includes technology and decreases emphasis on in-person, location-based learning.

"If we were to look into a crystal ball, we would see more companies eventually migrating to non-classroom based training methods, simply because technological advances call for it," said Lahoud. "It's inevitable."

A majority of BIB members surveyed noted they planned to increase their use of asynchronous e-learning (59 percent), while the greatest anticipated decrease is in classroom-based ILT (36 percent). They also expressed an overall interest in increasing asynchronous e-learning, due primarily to its perceived effectiveness (21 percent), cost (27 percent) and convenience (26 percent).

Respondents also noted that classroom-based ILT may eventually take a toll on resources, as hiring an instructor and maintaining classroom space, along with the materials to implement this methodology, are expensive, time-intensive endeavors.

So while the classroom reigns supreme for now, ever-changing technological advancements will continued to make other delivery methods more practical -- and perhaps more popular with time.