Will eLearning Replace Trainers???

I saw this question posed today on an eLearning site and I had to ask myself that question. As an individual who has a background in eLearning as well as many years as a classroom facilitator will one replace the other?

It really got me thinking. I remember growing up with Atari and Commodore 64’s. I never would have imagined at that time that Pong could turn into Wii Fit or that I would be writing this blog on a wireless laptop in my living room. But the world has changed drastically in the last 30 years and we are really only at the beginning.

I think that training has had the same evolution. You used to go into a training room and get your information spoon fed to you by an instructor/ trainer. Interaction was not asked for nor was it prized. You were simply there to fill a seat.

I think of many learning (note learning not training) environments now and that is not the case. We actively want people to participate and be engaged in the learning process. Learning professionals use games, stand up facilitation, eLearning or a blended learning approach to get the message to their students. If it helps to increase the learning, application or retention of the information anything goes.

The same principle applies if I am creating an online course. I have learned the hard way that 25 pages of straight content doesn’t allow a student to learn but then again neither does 25 pages of amazingly beautiful Photo Shop images with no content. I now know that I can incorporate pictures, games, audio or video to my core text to help get students to learn. It is to my advantage as a designer to touch as many learning styles as possible and eLearning allows me to accomplish that in an easy way.

Now back to the question, will eLearning replace trainers? In my opinion…no. I know that when I develop an online course I still think of myself as a trainer. I am not a programmer or a software designer I am merely a facilitator in a different medium. At the end of the day my goal is have the person who is taking my course to learn, that’s it.

What are your thoughts is eLearning going to replace trainers?