By Isingoma John

Gone are the days when governments begged their citizens to study such that they can get qualified personnel to serve in government departments. Also gone are the days where jobs were more than the job seekers.  Today the world is changing every day and becoming more complex, competitive, and as a result making life demanding.

To survive in today’s world of competition and technology, many adaptations need to be embraced by the human race. Such adaptations include e-learning. Because workplaces are now demanding too much from employees, the most qualified stand a chance of retaining their jobs. This has led to evening classes at institutions of higher learning to an extent of introducing midnight classes in the Faculty of Computing and Informatics Technology at Makerere University.

The workers must therefore study deep and wide in order to be employable and to reflect value for money to the employer. Computer knowledge is nowadays a must have due to the transformations which are taking place in the workplace. High level management skills, book keeping skills, customer care skills and other quality and high capacity production methods are necessary on the part of the employee.

However, despite the need for acquiring more knowledge and qualifications, some people don’t have time to attend classes or go abroad for a course of their choice and relevance. This situation calls for studying at home or workplace on a computer at one’s convenient time and frequency. In this kind of study, the course is applied for online, instructed online, the learner is examined online and basically all course communications are done online- e-learning.

E-learning is good because it enables the learner to develop his or her career while spending less time off job hence able to maintain one’s job and income flow and also a learner need not waste time in travel hours from and to the place of study.

The cost of studying via the World Wide Web (e-learning) varies from university to university. But whatever the price, it is cheaper than traveling to the university for physical classes. For example a Bachelor of Human Services at Almeda University costs around 860 dollars an equivalent of 1.6 million Uganda shillings.

One however wonders how the learner adapts to the self-governed system of study and draw from it as much as needed.

Because conveying ideas in a virtual classroom is dramatically different from speaking in a physical classroom where people use their bodies as well as their voices to communicate, learners need to tune themselves in order to benefit from the e-lessons. Effective time management, self-reliance and self-direction are some of the competences required on the side of the learner.

Those who have been successful with e-learning agree that it’s critical to commit to a training schedule. “Decide on a consistent time of day, make an appointment with yourself, and write it on your calendar just as you would any other meeting”, advises Nicholas Kasangaki a former e-student of Bachelor of Science Accounting from the University of Brookes in United Kingdom.

It’s vital also to discuss your training schedule in advance with those around you, so they will understand the times that you will be unavailable and why it’s important not to disturb you during study periods. But also be an active participant.

There is no question that the more you put into your e-learning experience; the more you get out of it. Become an active “long-time learner,” enthusiastically participating in all that e-learning has to offer. For instance, you may return to the course regularly for reviews and refreshers, particularly as new on-the-job challenges arise. E-learning is perfect for that because, as long as you are at your computer, school is always in session.

To avoid forgetting and looking at the course as a stressor, study for short intervals of about 40 minutes. After breaks, and when you complete the course, try to recall what you learned. Mentally apply new concepts to your work situation, actively seeking specific, real-life situations that could benefit from your new knowledge. Test how effective your newly won skills are and return to the courseware for additional tips if necessary.

E-learning is made even more relevant through the inclusion of online resources. Many courses offer a variety of tools and job aids. Take advantage of suggestions for additional reading or practice that will help you maintain your new skills.

Remember to share what you learn.  To better retain your new knowledge and skills, share what you’ve learned with your manager, co-workers and the family. You can also participate in chat rooms or discussion lists on the topics you studied and share your ideas with the community. Sharing maximizes your learning experience and provides tangible benefits to those around you.

Now you have the way out, don’t use a busy work schedule as an excuse to justify your low skills and vulnerability to an impending layoff at your workplace. Visit the Internet today, get a course of your choice and start studying because e-learning has made training/learning flexible, personalized, and fun.